Sensor system for advanced smart weapons barrels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10948253-B2
Application number	US-201815868672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2018
Priority date	Jan 13, 2017
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

In one aspect, a sensor system for advanced smart weapons barrels includes one or more sensors, the sensors connected to a processor by way of conductive elements. The smart weapons barrel system may include one or more barrel segments, such segments being removably attached to each other. In certain embodiments, the sensors are positioned along the barrel segments and generate an electrical signal in response to a projectile being fired by the host firearm as the projectile moves past the respective sensor. The processor receives raw data from the sensor signal and may extrapolate and/or calculate further information in order to determine any number of a variety of metrics or other data analysis, including, but not limited to, round count projectile velocity, rate of fire, etc.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A smart barrel system for a firearm, comprising:
a barrel segment comprising a tubular member having an axial bore, a proximal end, and a distal end;
one or more sensors disposed on the barrel segment; and
a processor operatively connected to the one or more sensors by one or more conductive elements;
wherein the barrel segment further comprises an outer layer disposed over at least a portion of the tubular member, and wherein the processor, one or more sensors, and conductive elements are embedded in said outer layer.

2. The smart barrel system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are selected from the group consisting of piezoelectric transducers, strain gauge sensors, Hall effect sensors, pressure transducers, 2-axis accelerometers, 3-axis accelerometers, temperature transducers, thermocouples, and any combination of the foregoing.

3. The smart barrel system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors being positioned at predetermined locations along the barrel segment, wherein said predetermined locations are encoded in the processor.

4. The smart barrel system of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is configured to generate an electrical signal in response to a projectile fired by the firearm passing through the barrel segment, and wherein the processor is configured to receive the electrical signal.

5. The smart barrel system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises a plurality of sensors spaced along the barrel segment in known spatial relationship for detecting signals representative of any one or more of a velocity of the projectile, a number of rounds fired by the firearm, and a rate of fire of the firearm.

6. The smart barrel system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured to generate an electrical signal representative of one or more smart barrel system parameters.

7. The smart barrel system of claim 6 , further comprising an electronic memory associated with the processor for storing data representative of the one or more smart barrel system parameters.

8. The smart barrel system of claim 6 , further comprising a display for displaying the one or more smart barrel system parameters in human viewable form.

9. The smart barrel system of claim 1 , wherein the outer layer is selected from the group consisting of a fiber wrap impregnated with a polymer resin and a potting compound.

10. The smart barrel system of claim 1 , further comprising an interface connection on the barrel segment and coupled to the processor by the one or more conductive elements.

11. The smart barrel system of claim 10 , wherein the interface connection provides an electrical connection between the processor and an external power supply.

12. The smart barrel system of claim 1 , wherein the barrel segment further comprises:
a machined cavity formed near the proximal end of the barrel segment; and
one or more vias formed in the barrel segment, the vias connecting to the machined cavity, wherein the conductive elements pass through the vias in the barrel segment to connect the processor and the one or more sensors.

13. The smart barrel system of claim 1 further comprising an upper receiver removably attached to the barrel segment via a barrel nut assembly.

14. The smart barrel system of claim 13 , wherein the conductive elements further comprise one or more external contact points configured to mate with corresponding external connectors on the upper receiver.

15. The smart barrel system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) processor.

16. The smart barrel system of claim 15 , wherein the ASIC processor is disposed on a ceramic substrate.

17. The smart barrel system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors includes a thermocouple for outputting a signal representative of a temperature of the barrel segment.

18. A smart barrel system for a firearm, comprising:
a first barrel segment and a second barrel segment, each barrel segment comprising a tubular member having an axial bore, a proximal end, and a distal end;
the proximal end of the first barrel segment having a first threaded element for removably attaching the first barrel segment to the firearm;
the distal end of the first barrel segment having a second threaded element;
the proximal end of the second barrel segment having a third threaded element which is complementary with the second threaded element, the third threaded element for removably attaching the second barrel segment to the first barrel segment;
a plurality of sensors comprising one or more sensors disposed on the first barrel segment and one or more sensors disposed on the second barrel segment;
a processor operatively connected to the plurality of sensors by a plurality of conductive elements, wherein the processor is disposed on the first barrel segment; and
a barrel nut assembly for removably attaching the proximal end of the first barrel segment to a receiver of firearm, the barrel nut defining an interface between the processor and further processing electronics disposed on the firearm.

19. The smart barrel system of claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of said plurality of electrical conductors pass through at least a portion of the first barrel segment, the second barrel segment, or both.

20. The smart barrel system of claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of said plurality of electrical conductors are insulated with ceramic insulator sleeves.

21. The smart barrel system of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of sensors are selected from the group consisting of piezoelectric transducers, strain gauge sensors, Hall effect sensors, pressure transducers, 2-axis accelerometers, 3-axis accelerometers, temperature transducers, thermocouples, and any combination of the foregoing.

22. The smart barrel system of claim 18 , wherein the first barrel segment has a first externally upset portion adjacent the second threaded element and wherein the second barrel segment has a second externally upset portion adjacent the third threaded element, the first externally upset portion and the second externally upset portion abutting each other when the first barrel segment is assembled to the second barrel segment, wherein at least a portion of said plurality of electrical conductors pass through the first barrel externally upset portion, the second externally upset portion, or both.

23. A smart barrel system for a firearm, comprising:
a barrel segment comprising a tubular member having an axial bore, a proximal end, and a distal end;
one or more sensors disposed on the barrel segment;
a processor operatively connected to the one or more sensors by one or more conductive elements; and
an upper receiver removably attached to the barrel segment via a barrel nut assembly, wherein the conductive elements further comprise one or more external contact points configured to mate with corresponding external connectors on the upper receiver.

24. The smart barrel system of claim 23 , wherein the one or more sensors are selected from the group consisting of piezoelectric transducers, strain gauge sensors, Hall effect sensors, pressure transducers, 2-axis accelerometers, 3-axis accelerometers, temperature transducers, thermocouples, and any combination of the foregoing.

25. A smart barrel system for a firearm, comprising:
a first barrel seg

Assignees

• Wilcox Ind Corp

Inventors

• Teetzel James W
• Majcher Jared

Classifications

• F41A31/02 Primary

  for checking gun barrels · CPC title

• F41A21/48

  Barrel mounting means, e.g. releasable mountings for replaceable barrels · CPC title

• F41A21/02 Primary

  Composite barrels, i.e. barrels having multiple layers, e.g. of different materials · CPC title

• G01D11/245

  Housings for sensors · CPC title