Primerless digital time-delay initiator system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9921041-B1
Application number	US-201514756649-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 29, 2015
Priority date	Sep 29, 2015
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

An initiator system includes a firing pin and a piezoelectric-based energy harvester that generates and stores electric energy when impacted by the firing pin. The electric energy is independently available at a first output and second output of the energy harvester. An electronic time delay is coupled to the second output for generation of an electric trigger signal using the electric energy available at the second output. The electric trigger signal is generated at a selected period of time after the electric energy is available at the second output. An initiation-energy generator is coupled to the first output for the storage of electric energy available thereof. The initiation-energy generator is also coupled to the electronic time delay to receive the electric trigger signal, and uses stored electric energy to generate an initiation explosion when the electric trigger signal is received.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An initiator system, comprising:
a firing pin;
a piezoelectric-based energy harvester being spaced-apart from said firing pin for generating and storing electric energy when being impacted by said firing pin, said energy harvester includes a first output and a second output, wherein at least a portion of said electric energy is independently available at each of said first output and said second output;
an electronic time delay being coupled to said second output for generating an electric trigger signal using said portion of said electric energy available at said second output, said electric trigger signal is generated at a selected period of time after said portion of said electric energy is available at said second output; and
an initiation-energy generator being coupled to said first output for storing said portion of said electric energy available thereat, said initiation-energy generator coupled to said electronic time delay to receive said electric trigger signal, said initiation-energy generator uses said portion of said electric energy stored thereby to generate an initiation explosion when said electric trigger signal is received.

2. The initiation system as in claim 1 , wherein said energy harvester comprises a rigid plate, piezoelectric crystals and an electric energy storage circuit,
wherein the rigid plate includes a first face spaced-apart from said firing pin,
wherein the rigid plate includes a second face,
wherein the piezoelectric crystals is coupled to said second face, and
wherein the electric energy storage circuit is coupled to said piezoelectric crystals.

3. The initiation system as in claim 2 , wherein said piezoelectric crystals comprise a first piezoelectric crystal associated with said first output and a second piezoelectric crystal associated with said second output.

4. The initiator system as in claim 1 , wherein said initiation-energy generator includes a capacitor, a hot bridgewire, and a primer charge,
wherein the capacitor includes a first side coupled to said first output and a second side,
wherein the hot bridgewire is coupled to said second side of said capacitor,
wherein the primer charge is deposited on at least a portion of said hot bridgewire, and
wherein said capacitor discharges across said hot bridgewire when said electric trigger signal is received by said initiation-energy generator.

5. An initiator system, comprising:
a firing pin;
a piezoelectric-based energy harvester being space-apart from said firing pin for generating and storing electric energy when being impacted by said firing pin, wherein said energy harvester includes a first output and a second output, and wherein at least a portion of said electric energy is independently available at each of said first output and said second output;
an initiation-energy generator being coupled to said first output for storing said portion of said electric energy available thereat, wherein said initiation-energy generator includes a switch biased to be open when no electric energy is applied thereto, and wherein said initiation-energy generator generates an initiation explosion when said switch is closed; and
an electronic time delay being coupled to said second output and to said switch for generating an electric trigger signal using said portion of said electric energy available at said second output, wherein said electric trigger signal is generated at a selected period of time after said portion of said electric energy is available at said second output, and wherein said electric trigger signal is applied to said switch where said switch closes.

6. The initiation system as in claim 5 , wherein said energy harvester comprises a rigid plate, a piezoelectric crystals and an electric energy storage circuit,
wherein said a rigid plate includes a first face spaced-apart from said firing pin,
wherein said rigid plate includes a second face,
wherein said piezoelectric crystals coupled to said second face, and
wherein said electric energy storage circuit coupled to said piezoelectric crystals.

7. The initiation system as in claim 6 , wherein said piezoelectric crystals comprise a first piezoelectric crystal associated with said first output and a second piezoelectric crystal associated with said second output.

8. The initiator system as in claim 5 , wherein said initiation-energy generator comprises a capacitor, a hot bridgewire, and a primer charge,
wherein said capacitor includes a first side coupled to said first output,
wherein said capacitor includes a second side,
wherein said primer charge deposited on at least a portion of said hot bridgewire, and
wherein said switch coupled between said second side of said capacitor and said hot bridgewire.

9. An initiator system, comprising:
a housing;
a firing pin being slidably disposed in said housing;
a piezoelectric-based energy harvester being spaced-apart from said firing pin for generating and storing electric energy when being impacted by said firing pin sliding within said housing, wherein said energy harvester includes a first output and a second output, and wherein at least a portion of said electric energy is independently available at each of said first output and said second output;
an initiation-energy generator being mounted in said housing and being coupled to said first output for storing said portion of said electric energy available thereat, wherein said initiation-energy generator includes a switch biased to be open when no electric energy is applied thereto, and wherein said initiation-energy generator uses said portion of said electric energy stored thereby to generate an initiation explosion when said switch is closed; and
an electronic time delay being mounted in said housing and being coupled to said second output and to said switch for generating an electric trigger signal using said portion of said electric energy available at said second output, wherein said electric trigger signal is generated at a selected period of time after said portion of said electric energy is available at said second output, and wherein said electric trigger signal is applied to said switch wherein said switch closes.

10. The initiation system as in claim 9 , wherein said energy harvester comprises a rigid plate, piezoelectric crystals and an electric energy storage circuit,
wherein the rigid plate includes a first face spaced-apart from said firing pin,
wherein the rigid plate includes a second face,
wherein the piezoelectric crystals is coupled to said second face, and
wherein the electric energy storage circuit is coupled to said piezoelectric crystals.

11. The initiation system as in claim 10 , wherein said piezoelectric crystals comprise a first piezoelectric crystal associated with said first output and a second piezoelectric crystal associated with said second output.

12. The initiator system as in claim 10 , wherein said initiation-energy generator comprises a capacitor, a hot bridgewire and a primer charge,
wherein the capacitor includes a first side coupled to said first output,
wherein said capacitor includes a second side,
wherein the primer charge is deposited on at least a portion of said hot bridgewire, and
wherein said switch is coupled between said second side of said capacitor and said hot bridgewire.

Assignees

• The Us Department Of The Navy
• Us Navy

Inventors

• Hoang Thinh
• Nguyen Khoa
• Nguyen Cuong
• Caruso Troy

Classifications

• F42C11/06 Primary

  with time delay by electric circuitry · CPC title

• F42D1/055

  specially adapted for firing multiple charges with a time delay · CPC title

• F42C11/02

  with piezo-crystal · CPC title

• F42D1/05

  Electric circuits for blasting · CPC title

• F42B3/006

  Explosive bolts; Explosive actuators (explosive valves F16K13/06; explosive cutting B23D15/145; explosive switches H01H39/00; pyrotechnical actuators F15B15/19) · CPC title