Electric tracer munition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10794674-B2
Application number	US-201716349687-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 13, 2017
Priority date	Nov 15, 2016
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

There is disclosed a tracer munition. There is provided a tracer munition for selective activation, the tracer munition comprising: an electronic tracer device, said tracer munition comprising at least one cavity capable of receiving said electronic tracer device
wherein the electronic tracer device comprises an electrical power source and an electronic emitter, whereupon selective activation of the electronic tracer device, said electronic emitter emits radiation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tracer bullet for selective activation, the tracer bullet comprising:
an electronic tracer device including an electrical power source and an electronic emitter, whereupon selective activation of the electronic tracer device, said electronic emitter emits radiation;
a cavity capable of receiving said electronic tracer device, such that the electronic tracer device is entirely disposed within the cavity; and
an outer sheath and an inner core, wherein the outer sheath extends past an end portion of the inner core to create the cavity between an inner wall of the outer sheath and the end portion of the inner core.

2. The tracer bullet according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic emitter includes a light emitting diode or laser diode.

3. The tracer bullet according to claim 1 , wherein the radiation emitted by the electronic emitter is in one or both of the visible light spectrum range and infrared radiation (IR) spectrum range.

4. The tracer bullet according to claim 2 , wherein the electronic emitter is one of a plurality of light emission units each connected to the electrical power source independently and said light emission units each comprise:
an array including a plurality of light emitting diodes or laser diodes; and
a power converter unit for driving the array.

5. The tracer bullet according to claim 4 , wherein the array comprises at least two different wavelength light emitting diodes or laser diodes.

6. The tracer bullet according to claim 4 , further comprising:
an operator interface, a control unit independently connected to each light emission unit, the control unit comprising a processor and being operably connected to the operator interface.

7. The tracer bullet according to claim 4 , wherein each light emission unit comprises a capacitive energy storage, inductive energy storage, kinetic energy storage, electrical cell store, and/or combinations thereof.

8. The tracer bullet according to claim 1 , wherein the selective activation comprises an instant initiation or a delayed initiation, and one or both of a wirelessly controlled initiation and a mechanically controlled initiation.

9. The tracer bullet according to claim 1 , wherein the cavity is the only cavity on the tracer bullet capable of receiving the electronic tracer device.

10. The tracer bullet according to claim 1 , further comprising a retainer, to retain the electronic tracer device within the cavity.

11. The tracer bullet according to claim 1 , wherein the cavity faces rearwardly of the tracer bullet.

12. A tracer device in a cavity of a tracer bullet, wherein the tracer bullet comprises an outer sheath and an inner core, wherein the outer sheath extends past an end portion of the inner core to create the cavity between an inner wall of the outer sheath and the end portion of the inner core, and wherein the tracer device comprises: an electrical power source;
and a light emitting diode or laser diode.

13. A method of following the trajectory path of the tracer bullet of claim 1 , the method comprising:
firing the tracer bullet;
causing activation of the electronic tracer device; and
tracking the spectral output of the electronic emitter.

14. A tracer bullet for selective activation, the tracer bullet comprising:
an electronic tracer device, said tracer bullet containing a cavity capable of receiving said electronic tracer device; and
an outer sheath and an inner core, wherein the outer sheath extends past an end portion of the inner core to create the cavity between an inner wall of the outer sheath and the end portion of the inner core,
wherein the electronic tracer device is located within the cavity, such that it is flush with or recessed into a tail portion of the tracer bullet, wherein the electronic tracer device comprises an electrical power source and a light emitting diode or laser diode,
whereupon selective activation of the electronic tracer device causes said light emitting diode or laser diode to emit light radiation.

15. The tracer bullet according to claim 14 , wherein an opening of the cavity faces rearwardly of the tracer bullet.

16. The tracer bullet according to claim 15 , wherein the electronic tracer device is retained within the cavity via a potting compound.

17. The tracer bullet according to claim 10 , wherein the retainer comprises a potting compound.

18. The tracer device according to claim 12 , wherein the light emitting diode or laser diode is configured for deployment within the cavity of the tracer bullet, the cavity facing rearwardly of the tracer bullet.

19. The tracer device according to claim 18 , wherein the tracer device is retainable within the cavity via a potting compound.

20. The tracer device according to claim 12 , wherein the cavity is the only cavity on the tracer bullet capable of receiving the tracer device.

Assignees

• Bae Systems Plc

Inventors

• Parker Simon France
• Stubbs Joshua Matthew

Classifications

• F42B12/382 Primary

  emitting an electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser beam or infrared emission · CPC title

• F42B12/00

  Projectiles, missiles or mines characterised by the warhead, the intended effect, or the material (F42B6/00, F42B10/00, F42B14/00 take precedence; for practice or training F42B8/12, F42B8/28; self-propulsion or guidance aspects F42B15/00) · CPC title