Projectile, and system and method for steering a projectile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10704874-B2
Application number	US-201615768943-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2016
Priority date	Oct 28, 2015
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

A projectile is disclosed, having: a longitudinal axis, a steering assembly, a shell body, an attitude control system, a despin module, an electromagnetic receiver and/or emitter system, and a controller. The attitude control system includes a ram air inlet in selective open fluid communication with an exhaust assembly, which includes a plurality of exhaust outlets to selectively generate each of a plurality of thrust jets from a ram air inflow provided by the ram air inlet, each thrust jet being selectively controllable via the controller. The despin module is configured for selectively de-spinning the steering assembly with respect to the shell body about the longitudinal axis. The electromagnetic receiver and/or emitter system is configured for receiving and/or emitting electromagnetic energy, and for cooperating with the controller for operating the exhaust assembly to thereby selectively provide steering control moments. Systems and methods for steering the projectile are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A projectile configured for moving through a fluid medium, and having a longitudinal axis, the projectile comprising:
a steering assembly;
a shell body rotatably mounted to the steering assembly about the longitudinal axis;
an attitude control system;
a despin module;
an electromagnetic receiver/emitter system; and
a controller;
wherein:
the attitude control system comprises a ram air inlet in selective open fluid communication with an exhaust assembly via a fluid passageway provided in said steering assembly, the exhaust assembly comprising a plurality of exhaust outlets to selectively generate each of a plurality of thrust jets from a ram air inflow provided by said ram air inlet, each said thrust jet being selectively controllable via said controller to thereby generate steering control moments to the shell in operate thereof;
the despin module is configured for selectively de-spinning said steering assembly with respect to said shell body about said longitudinal axis; and
the electromagnetic receiver/emitter system is configured for at least one of receiving and emitting electromagnetic energy, and for cooperating with said controller for operating said exhaust assembly to thereby selectively provide said steering control moments;
wherein said attitude control system, said despin module, said controller, and said electromagnetic receiver/emitter system, are comprised at least partially in said steering assembly.

2. The projectile according to claim 1 , including one of the following:
wherein said steering assembly comprises a nose portion of said shell, and wherein said ram air inlet is provided at a forward end of the nose portion;
wherein said steering assembly comprises a nose portion of said shell, and wherein said ram air inlet is provided at a forward end of the nose portion, and, wherein said shell body comprises an external casing extending aft from a front edge thereof to an aft shell end, and wherein said front edge is axially spaced by a gap from said nose portion; or
wherein said steering assembly comprises a nose portion of said shell, and wherein said ram air inlet is provided at a forward end of the nose portion, and, wherein said shell body comprises an external casing extending aft from a front edge thereof to an aft shell end, and wherein said front edge is axially spaced by a gap from said nose portion, and, wherein said aft external casing overlies an aft portion of the steering assembly, including said attitude control system and said despin module.

3. The projectile according to claim 2 , wherein said electromagnetic receiver/emitter system comprises a plurality of antennas.

4. The projectile according to claim 3 , including at least one of the following:
wherein said antennas are provided in said nose portion;
wherein said antennas are conformal with an outer surface of said nose portion;
wherein said antennas are monopole antennas;
comprising four said antennas, accommodated in said nose portion in cruciform arrangement;
wherein said antennas are configured for operating as a downlink/uplink module, operatively coupled to said controller;
wherein said antennas are configured for receiving RF signals;
wherein said antennas are configured for receiving RF signals, and, wherein said controller is configured for controlling a trajectory of said shell via said attitude control system based on said RF signals when received by said antennas;
wherein said antennas are configured for receiving RF signals, and, wherein said controller is configured for controlling a trajectory of said shell via said attitude control system based on said RF signals when received by said antennas, and, wherein said RF signals are transmitted by a ground station and are configured for providing navigation instructions to said controller for controlling said trajectory; or
wherein said antennas are configured for receiving RF signals, and, wherein said controller is configured for controlling a trajectory of said shell via said attitude control system based on said RF signals when received by said antennas, and, wherein said RF signals are reflected by an illuminated target to said antennas, and wherein said controller is configured for controlling said trajectory based on differences between the RF signals received by each of said antennas.

5. The projectile according to claim 3 , including at least one of:
wherein said antennas are configured for emitting RF signals; and
wherein said antennas are configured for emitting RF signals, and, wherein said transmitted RF signals include information relating to at least one of the following: position of said shell, velocity of said shell.

6. The projectile according to claim 1 , wherein said exhaust assembly comprises a plurality of shut-off valves corresponding to said plurality of said exhaust outlets, wherein each shut-off valve is controllable via said controller to selectively open and close fluid communication between the corresponding exhaust outlets and said ram air inflow provided via the ram air inlet during operation of the shell, to selectively enable said steering control moments to be generated.

7. The projectile according to claim 6 , including one of the following:
wherein said steering assembly is rotatably mounted to said shell body via a bearing arrangement;
wherein said steering assembly is rotatably mounted to said shell body via a bearing arrangement, and, wherein said bearing arrangement is axially located in a vicinity of said gap; or
wherein said steering assembly is rotatably mounted to said shell body via a bearing arrangement, and, wherein said bearing arrangement is axially located in a vicinity of said gap, and, wherein said bearing arrangement is configured for allowing axial movement between said steering assembly and said shell body to close said gap responsive to said shell being accelerated, and for re-opening said gap when the acceleration is terminated.

8. The projectile according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of first openings in said shell body in the vicinity of said exhaust assembly for allowing evacuation of exhaust gases generated by said attitude control system.

9. The projectile according to claim 1 , including one of the following:
wherein said despin module comprises a generally cylindrical body including a central passageway, a central valve, and a despin thruster arrangement;
wherein said despin module comprises a generally cylindrical body including a central passageway, a central valve, and a despin thruster arrangement, and, wherein said fluid passageway is in selective fluid communication with central passageway via said central valve;
wherein said despin module comprises a generally cylindrical body including a central passageway, a central valve, and a despin thruster arrangement, and, wherein said despin thruster arrangement comprises two exhaust passageways extending from said central valve, each exhaust passageway comprising a respective tangential exhaust outlet at an outer end thereof for selectively generating thereat a tangential jet thrust from a ram air inflow selectively provided by said ram air inlet via said central valve; or
wherein said despin module comprises a generally cylindrical body including a central passageway, a central valve, and a despin thruster arrangement, and, further comprising a plurality of second openings in said shell body in the vicinity of said despin module for allowing evacuation of exhaust gases generated by said despin thruster arrangement.

10. The projectile according to claim 1 , including at least one of the following:
wherein said shell body comprises a driving band made from a gliding metal;
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Assignees

• Israel Aerospace Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Lotan Asher

Classifications

• G01S17/88

  Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications · CPC title

• G01S13/883

  for missile homing, autodirectors (missile guidance systems F41G7/22) · CPC title

• F42B10/663 Primary

  using a plurality of transversally acting auxiliary nozzles, which are opened or closed by valves · CPC title

• F42B10/54

  Spin braking means · CPC title

• F42B10/26

  using spin (F42B10/04, F42B10/12, F42B10/14, F42B10/24, F42B14/02 take precedence) · CPC title