Cruise missile weapon active hazard mitigation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11709042-B2
Application number	US-201916716551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2019
Priority date	Dec 17, 2019
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

A mitigation control system is arranged in an environment containing an energetic material and includes an abnormal temperature sensor for detecting an abnormal temperature of the environment, a power source that is mechanically actuated by the abnormal temperature sensor when the abnormal temperature exceeds a predetermined abnormal temperature threshold, a mitigation controller that is actuated by the power source, and a plurality of local temperature sensors that are communicatively coupled to the mitigation controller and are arranged for detecting critical temperatures in specific regions of the environment. The mitigation controller executes a mitigation action when one of the critical temperatures exceeds a predetermined critical temperature threshold for the corresponding specific region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mitigation control system arranged in an environment containing an energetic material, the mitigation control system comprising:
an abnormal temperature sensor for detecting an abnormal temperature of the environment;
a power source that is mechanically actuated by the abnormal temperature sensor when the detected temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature threshold;
a mitigation controller that is electrically actuated by the power source; and
a plurality of local temperature sensors that are communicatively coupled to the mitigation controller and are arranged for detecting critical temperatures in specific regions of the environment, wherein the mitigation controller initiates a mitigation action when one of the critical temperatures in a corresponding one of the specific regions exceeds a predetermined critical temperature threshold.

2. The mitigation control system according to claim 1 , wherein the abnormal temperature sensor is a passive sensor and the plurality of local temperature sensors are active sensors.

3. The mitigation control system according to claim 1 , wherein the power source includes a self-contained battery or power from an external source.

4. The mitigation control system according to claim 3 , wherein the mitigation controller has a sleep mode and the thermal battery is configured to supply current to the mitigation controller for transitioning the mitigation controller to a power on mode from the sleep mode.

5. The mitigation control system according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of mitigation subcontrollers that are each arranged in different specific regions of the environment and configured to execute a predetermined mitigation action or technique for the corresponding specific region.

6. The mitigation control system according to claim 1 , wherein the mitigation action or technique is passive or active.

7. The mitigation control system according to claim 6 , wherein the passive action or technique includes at least one of venting, shielding, painting, using shear bolts or stress raisers, and softening a component within the environment.

8. The mitigation control system according to claim 6 , wherein the active action or technique includes at least one of igniting the energetic material below an ignition temperature for the energetic material, using a thermal initiated venting system for fuel release or component cutting, performing a controlled burn, controlling a location of ignition within the environment, performing an early ignition of the energetic material, and weakening a component within the environment.

9. The mitigation control system according to claim 6 , wherein the environment is a transportation vehicle.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co

Inventors

• Barents Dennis D
• Christianson Kim L
• Lattimore Aaron C
• Knight Andrew K

Classifications

• F42B15/34 Primary

  Protection against overheating or radiation, e.g. heat shields; Additional cooling arrangements {(thermal protection fitted in or to cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/58)} · CPC title

• F41A17/06

  Electric or electromechanical safeties (F41A17/04, F41A17/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• F42B12/207

  characterised by the explosive material or the construction of the high explosive warhead, e.g. insensitive ammunition · CPC title

• F42B15/36

  Means for interconnecting rocket-motor and body section; Multi-stage connectors; Disconnecting means · CPC title

• F42B39/14

  Explosion or fire protection arrangements on packages or ammunition (F42B39/20 {and F42B39/24} take precedence; {wall or panel structure of fireproof safes or storage containers E05G1/024}) · CPC title