Vehicle defense projectile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10731950-B2
Application number	US-201816164894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2018
Priority date	Oct 19, 2018
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

A projectile round for intercepting an incoming threat to a vehicle or the like is provided. The projectile round may include an explosive layer, which upon detonation, may cause a the fracturing of one or more material layers into one or both of shrapnel and chaff while simultaneously causing the distortion and/or destruction of a piezoelectric material contained within the projectile round. The distortion and/or destruction of this piezoelectric material may further cause the release of an electromagnetic pulse. The projectile round may be part of a countermeasure system against guided munition threats, including those posed by man-portable air defense systems.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A projectile round comprising:
a piezoelectric core;
a layer of explosive material surrounding the piezoelectric core;
an outer layer forming a shell enclosing the layer of explosive material and the piezoelectric core therein;
an inner layer between the layer of explosive material and the outer layer; and
a fuse operable to cause the layer of explosive material to detonate.

2. The projectile round of claim 1 wherein the piezoelectric core is a piezoelectric crystal.

3. The projectile round of claim 1 wherein the outer layer fragments upon detonation of the layer of explosive material and becomes one of shrapnel and chaff.

4. The projectile round of claim 1 wherein the outer layer fragments upon detonation of the layer of explosive material and becomes both shrapnel and chaff.

5. The projectile round of claim 1 wherein the inner layer fragments upon detonation of the layer of explosive material and becomes one of shrapnel and chaff.

6. The projectile round of claim 1 wherein the inner layer fragments upon detonation of the layer of explosive material and becomes chaff and wherein the outer layer fragments upon detonation of the layer of explosive material and becomes shrapnel.

7. The projectile round of claim 1 wherein the projectile round is a ballistics projectile round.

8. The projectile round of claim 1 wherein the projectile round is an actively propelled projectile round.

9. The projectile round of claim 2 wherein the piezoelectric crystal is destroyed upon detonation of the layer of explosive material thereby releasing an electromagnetic pulse (EMP).

10. The projectile round of claim 9 further comprising:
a rocket motor; and,
a fuel supply;
wherein the rocket motor is operable to actively propel the projectile round.

11. The projectile round of claim 1 wherein the fuse is a proximity fuse.

12. The projectile round of claim 1 wherein the fuse is a timed fuse.

13. A countermeasure projectile, comprising:
a piezoelectric crystal;
a layer of explosive material proximate the piezoelectric crystal;
an outer layer forming a shell enclosing the layer of explosive material and the piezoelectric crystal therein, wherein the outer layer causes at least one of shrapnel and chaff when the explosive material is detonated; and
a fuse operable to cause the layer of explosive material to detonate and destroy the piezoelectric crystal core causing an electromagnetic pulse (EMP), wherein the fuse is a proximity fuse or timed fuse.

Assignees

• Bae Sys Inf & Elect Sys Integ

Inventors

• Mercier Michael N

Classifications

• F41H13/0031

  for remote electrical discharge by means of a wireless projectile · CPC title

• F41H11/02 Primary

  Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile {or anti-torpedo} defence installations or systems (cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; {informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00}) · CPC title

• F42B12/22

  with fragmentation-hull construction · CPC title

• F42B12/202

  for attacking land area or area targets, e.g. airburst · CPC title

• F41H13/0093

  Devices generating an electromagnetic pulse, e.g. for disrupting or destroying electronic devices · CPC title