Space storable, thrust-vectorable rocket motor nozzle and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10001085-B2
Application number	US-201414495063-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2014
Priority date	Sep 24, 2014
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

A thrust-vectoring rocket motor nozzle includes a forward assembly having a forward shell with a flange configured for connection to a motor and a throat portion opposite the flange. A ball joint sleeve may be disposed proximate the throat portion, and an exit cone assembly may include a ball joint socket configured to mate with the ball joint sleeve to allow movement of the exit cone assembly about one or more axes relative to the forward assembly. A thermal barrier may be disposed in a gap between the forward assembly and the exit cone assembly. The forward assembly may include a throat insulator mechanically locked within the forward shell. Related methods include forming thrust-vectorable rocket motor nozzles. Rocket motors may include such nozzles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thrust-vectoring rocket motor nozzle, comprising:
a forward assembly comprising a forward shell with a flange configured for connection to a motor, a throat portion opposite the flange, a throat insulator connected to the forward shell with at least one groove complementary to at least one protrusion protruding from the forward shell, and a ball joint sleeve proximate the throat portion;
an exit cone assembly with a ball joint socket configured to mate with the ball joint sleeve and allow movement of the exit cone assembly about one or more axes relative to the forward assembly;
a removable retaining ring disposed within the ball joint socket of the exit cone assembly and configured to removably retain the ball joint socket of the exit cone assembly on the forward assembly; and
a thermal barrier disposed in a gap between the forward assembly and the exit cone assembly.

2. The rocket motor nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the gap is located in a supersonic flow portion of the rocket motor nozzle.

3. The rocket motor nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the forward assembly comprises a circumferentially continuous throat insulator disposed within the forward shell.

4. The rocket motor nozzle of claim 3 , wherein the throat portion of the forward shell comprises one or more protrusions extending inward from an interior surface of the throat portion, and wherein the throat insulator comprises one or more grooves interlocked respectively with the one or more protrusions extending inward from the interior surface of the throat portion of the forward shell.

5. The rocket motor nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the exit cone assembly comprises an exit cone overwrap comprising multiple plies of an exit cone overwrap material surrounding an exit cone insulator and an exit cone shell at least partially disposed between plies of the exit cone overwrap material.

6. The rocket motor nozzle of claim 5 , wherein the exit cone insulator is circumferentially continuous.

7. The rocket motor nozzle of claim 5 , wherein the thermal barrier comprises a first portion disposed between the ball joint socket and the exit cone insulator and a second portion disposed between the ball joint sleeve and the exit cone insulator.

8. A thrust-vectoring rocket motor nozzle, comprising:
a forward shell having a flange for connection to a solid rocket motor and a throat portion opposite the flange;
a throat insulator disposed within the forward shell, wherein the throat insulator is retained within the forward shell by mechanical interference between at least one protrusion from the throat portion of the forward shell and at least one complementary groove in the throat insulator;
a ball joint sleeve with a ball joint outer surface proximate the throat portion of the forward shell;
an exit cone assembly, comprising:
a ball joint interior surface configured to mate with the ball joint outer surface and allow movement of the exit cone assembly about one or more axes relative to the forward shell; and

a removable retaining ring disposed within a ball joint socket of the exit cone assembly to removably retain the ball joint socket of the exit cone assembly on the forward shell.

9. The rocket motor nozzle of claim 8 , further comprising an exit cone overwrap, wherein the exit cone assembly further comprises an exit cone insulator at least partially disposed within an exit cone shell and the exit cone insulator being retained within the exit cone shell by mechanical interference between the exit cone overwrap, the exit cone shell, and the exit cone insulator.

10. The rocket motor nozzle of claim 9 , further comprising a ball joint nose insulator having a ball joint surface that forms a substantially continuous partially spherical surface with the ball joint outer surface.

11. The rocket motor nozzle of claim 10 , wherein the ball joint nose insulator is mechanically locked within an annular recess of the ball joint sleeve.

12. The rocket motor nozzle of claim 8 , further comprising a flexible shear ply disposed between a portion of the forward shell and the throat insulator.

13. The rocket motor nozzle of claim 12 , wherein the shear ply comprises a room-temperature vulcanization silicone rubber material.

14. The rocket motor nozzle of claim 8 , wherein the rocket motor nozzle is configured to withstand at least about five (5) discrete operational pulses of the solid rocket motor to which the nozzle is attached while the rocket motor nozzle is continuously subjected to a space environment.

15. A rocket motor assembly, comprising:
a rocket motor casing containing a propellant substance; and
a thrust-vectoring nozzle, the thrust-vectoring nozzle comprising:
a forward assembly comprising a forward shell with a flange connected to an aft end of the rocket motor casing, a throat portion opposite the flange, a throat insulator retained with at least one groove complementary to at least one protrusion protruding from the forward shell, and a ball joint sleeve proximate the throat portion;
an exit cone assembly with a ball joint socket configured to mate with the ball joint sleeve and allow movement of the exit cone assembly about one or more axes relative to the forward assembly;
a removable retaining ring disposed within the ball joint socket of the exit cone assembly to removably retain the ball joint socket of the exit cone assembly to the forward assembly; and
a thermal barrier disposed in a gap between the forward assembly and the exit cone assembly.

Assignees

• Orbital Atk Inc

Inventors

• Isaac Clinton R
• Naramore Adam
• Thrasher Talbot P
• Lajczok Michael D
• Bellotte Joseph

Classifications

• F02K9/974

  Nozzle- linings; Ablative coatings · CPC title

• F02K9/08

  using solid propellants (F02K9/72 takes precedence; using semi-solid or pulverulent propellants F02K9/70) · CPC title

• F05D2300/44

  Resins · CPC title

• F05D2300/603

  Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced · CPC title

• F05D2260/231

  Preventing heat transfer · CPC title