Power generator for a projectile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11525654-B2
Application number	US-202016811906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2020
Priority date	Mar 12, 2019
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A projectile includes a body and a power generator secured to the body. The power generator includes a stator and a ring including at least one magnet and extending radially around and freely rotatable about at least a portion of the stator. A power generator for a projectile is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A projectile configured for being launched from a rifled barrel, the projectile comprising:
a bullet-shaped body having a solid front portion and an outer diameter configured for engaging driving bands of a rifled barrel when the bullet-shaped body travels through a rifled barrel, thereby imparting rotation of the bullet-shaped body about its central axis; and
a power generator positioned rearward of and secured to the solid front portion of the bullet-shaped body, the power generator comprising
a stator; and
a rotor extending radially around and freely rotatable about at least a portion of the stator; and
at least one aerodynamic feature projecting from the rotor that cause the rotor to rotate about the central axis at a different speed of the bullet-shaped body or in an opposite direction of the bullet-shaped body,
wherein the at least one aerodynamic feature of the rotor is positioned rearward of the solid front portion of the body.

2. The projectile of claim 1 , wherein the power generator is configured to generate power when a rotational velocity of the rotor is different from a rotational velocity of the stator.

3. The projectile of claim 1 , wherein the projectile is in the form of a 50 caliber bullet and an output of the power generator is 0.5 to 10 watts.

4. The projectile of claim 1 , wherein the rotor is mounted on at least one bearing.

5. The projectile of claim 1 , further comprising at least one wireless transmitter connected to the power generator.

6. The projectile of claim 1 , further comprising at least one light emitting diode electrically connected to the power generator.

7. The projectile of claim 6 , further comprising
a controller connected to the at least one light emitting diode, the controller being configured to control timing of illumination of the at least one light emitting diode to a predetermined time period.

8. The projectile of claim 7 , wherein the predetermined time period is at least about 100 milliseconds.

9. The projectile of claim 6 , wherein the at least one light emitting diode emits light at a predetermined frequency.

10. The projectile of claim 9 , wherein the at least one light emitting diode emits at least one of green light and red light.

11. A system comprising:
a projectile launching device; and
a plurality of projectiles comprising at least one projectile according to claim 10 , wherein the predetermined frequency is only perceptible to an operator of the system.

12. The projectile of claim 6 , further comprising a lens secured rearward of the at least one light emitting diode.

13. The projectile of claim 12 , wherein the lens focuses light from the at least one light emitting diode to a cone having an opening angle of about 15°.

14. The projectile of claim 13 , further comprising at least one baffle wall positioned rearward of the lens.

15. The projectile of claim 1 , further comprising a tail structure rigidly connected to the body and positioned rearward of the rotor.

16. A plurality of projectiles comprising at least one projectile according to claim 1 .

17. A system comprising:
a projectile launching device; and
a plurality of projectiles comprising at least one projectile according to claim 1 .

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the projectile launching device is a gun including a rifled barrel.

19. The projectile of any of claim 1 , wherein the power generator provides power to a powered element without relying on a charge stored in a battery.

20. The projectile of claim 19 , the solid front section having an aerodynamic shape and a cone angle selected to minimize drag of the projectile.

Assignees

• Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc

Inventors

• Thoren Glenn Richard
• Teece Bryan D
• George Sean

Classifications

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F42B10/62

  Steering by movement of flight surfaces · CPC title

• H02K7/183 Primary

  wherein the turbine is a wind turbine (adaptation of a wind turbine to an electric generator F03D9/25) · CPC title

• F42B10/54

  Spin braking means · CPC title

• F42B12/382 Primary

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