Dispenser and method for launching countermeasures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11845552-B2
Application number	US-202017612644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2020
Priority date	Jun 3, 2019
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

A dispenser for storing and launching countermeasures, where the dispenser is adapted for storing the countermeasures in a magazine, where the dispenser is provided with at least one launch opening and where the dispenser is adapted to be mounted on an aircraft, where the dispenser includes a body, a bracket and a magazine housing, where the bracket is rotatable with respect to the body and where magazine housing is rotatable with respect to the bracket, where the magazine housing includes a storage space adapted to hold the magazine, and where the launch opening is arranged in the magazine housing. The invention also includes a method for rotating the magazine and launching a countermeasure. The advantage of the invention is that a countermeasure can be directed in a desired angle before it is launched.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dispenser for storing and launching countermeasures, where the dispenser is adapted for storing the countermeasures in a magazine, where the dispenser comprises a body, a bracket and a magazine housing adapted to hold a magazine, and where the dispenser is adapted to be mounted on an aircraft, wherein the magazine housing is provided with a launch opening and a closed end, that the bracket is rotatable with respect to the body, that the magazine housing is rotatable with respect to the bracket from a resting position in which the launch opening is directed towards the body and the closed end is arranged at a front end of the dispenser to an active position in which the launch opening is directed away from the body, wherein the body or the bracket comprises a bracket motor adapted to rotate the bracket and wherein the bracket motor comprises a self-locking worm gear.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the front end of the dispenser is aerodynamically shaped when the dispenser is in the resting position.

3. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is circular with a semi-circular front end when the dispenser is in the resting position.

4. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the magazine is loaded through the launch opening of the magazine housing.

5. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the bracket or the magazine housing comprises a magazine housing motor adapted to rotate the magazine housing.

6. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the bracket is adapted to be rotated up to and including 360 degrees around a centre axis of the dispenser by the bracket motor.

7. The dispenser according to claim 5 , wherein the magazine housing is adapted to be rotated up to and including 360 degrees around a rotational axis that is perpendicular to a central axis of the dispenser by the magazine housing motor.

8. The dispenser according to claim 5 , wherein the magazine housing motor comprises a self-locking worm gear.

9. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the dispenser comprises a fixed breech plate arranged at the closed end of the magazine housing.

10. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein a weight of the dispenser is less than 10 kg.

11. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the body is equal to the diameter of the bracket.

12. The dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the magazine housing is adapted to rotate from the resting position to the active position before a countermeasure is launched and to rotate back to the resting position after the countermeasure has been launched.

13. A method for launching a countermeasure from a dispenser according to claim 1 mounted on an aircraft, where the countermeasure is arranged in a magazine, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
rotating the magazine from a resting position in which the countermeasure is directed towards the body of the dispenser to an active position;
launching the countermeasure; and
rotating the magazine back to the resting position.

14. An aircraft, comprising at least one dispenser according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Saab Ab

Inventors

• Zätterqvist Christer

Classifications

• B64D1/02 Primary

  Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles (jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12) · CPC title

• F41H11/02

  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

• F42B12/70 Primary

  for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material (radar-reflector targets, active targets transmitting infrared radiation F41J2/00; radar-reflecting surfaces H01Q15/14) · CPC title

• B64D1/04 Primary

  the articles being explosive, e.g. bombs · CPC title

• B64D7/06

  movably mounted · CPC title