Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F41—WEAPONS
  • F41H—ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL
  • F41H3/00—Camouflage, i.e. means or methods for concealment or disguise
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16L59/00—Thermal insulation in general
  • F16L59/08—Means for preventing radiation, e.g. with metal foil

Definitions

• This invention relates to an Infrared Shield and in particular it relates to a shield for use on vehicles where heat sources exist which render the vehicles susceptible to location by infrared surveillance devices and attack by infrared homing missiles or the like.
• a special application of the invention is to tanks and other fighting vehicles where there are considerable heat sources and in which, for instance, parts- of the body, the wheels and tracks, reach temperatures sufficiently high to be located by infrared cameras and infrared surveillance devices, or to attract infrared homing missiles.
• OMPI Generally th invention consists in the use of a material which mimics the thermal characteristics of leaves and bushes, or the general terrain in which the vehicle operates, and shades the vehicle from solar radiation and provides much-increased surface- area for convective and radiative cooling.
• Such a heat shield may be cut from a length of canvas or a similar material and is provided with support means at least along one edge, the material projecting from the support means to be clear of contact with the heat source and preferably cut to form fronds.
• the attachment means run generally in the direction of travel of the vehicle, that is in the case of a tank or vehicle, in a horizontal direction.
• the invention comprises an infrared shield for objects such as vehicles which have heat radiating areas and which shield is adapted to be secured to the object to be interposed between the heat radiating area and infrared surveillance devices or infrared guided missiles, characterised in that the shield is formed of a material having thermal characteristics similar to those of bushes and leaves and is flexible and arranged to project from its attachment means whereby to allow movement of at least part of the material to increase convective and radiative cooling.
• the material maybe canvas and is slitted to form fronds projecting freely from the attachment means.
• FIG. 1 is a front view of a form of the invention using fronds
• FIG. 2 is an end view thereof
• FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing how the fronds move under wind or other displacing force
• FIG. 4 is a side elevation of an armoured personnel carrier fitted with a form of the invention
• FIG. 5 is a front view thereof
• FIG. 6 is a rear view thereof
• FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line A of FIG. 4.
• the fronds 1 are shaped from a material such as canvas and are formed by providing a series of slits 2 in the material but having an attachment portion 3 which is folded over to form a loop 4 through which a support member such as a wire 5 can be passed, the loop being closed by stitching 6.
• the fronds 1 depend from the wire support member 5 so that they can be brushed back by bushes or the like through which the tank or vehicle operates without being torn off, and we have found that if these fronds are twisted and are stiff enough so as not to lie flat against the panels they provide a high degree of heat isolation to the parts covered by them which would otherwise increase their temperatures owing to solar heating and release sufficient heat to be detected by infrared surveillance devices, or to be attacked by missiles arranged to home on a heat source.
• These shields are generally designated 7.
• the invention can be applied in association with other protective heat shields, and can for instance be mounted to protect hub caps, the wheels and the tracks of such vehicles, as shown in FIGS. and 7, and
• wheel protection can be in the form of a series of layered canvas rings 8 held in place by a rigid disc 9 which is secured to the wheel 10 to extend over the centre part of the wheel and by a second rigid member 11, the said rigid members 9 and 11 being separated by an interposed pad 12 of insulating material which limits transfer of heat from road wheels or the like to the rigid member 9.
• the hot outer metal surfaces of the vehicle can be covered by wood or insulating materials.
• the assembly of FIG. 7 can readily be applied to wheeled or track vehicles whether pneumatic, solid rubber or- of metal, the rings 8 being flexible to accommodate to required displacement.
• Insulating panels similar to that described and shown in FIG. 7 can be positioned over any hot areas of the body, and may cover the major portion of a body in cases where heating of the body is by friction, heat generation or heat trans ⁇ missions from the engine or exhaust or the like.
• the vehicle body has a series of horizontal wires 5 stretched hori ⁇ zontally along the sides of the body 15 as shown in the area 16, but on these- wires 5, as shown in the areas 17, are positioned a multiplicity of the shields 7 having the fronds 1 spaced to cover the body 15.
• These shields can simply cover the body 15 but are spaced slightly therefrom to allow freedom of movement under wind or when brushing against foliage or the like.
• the shields are placed over- a support comprising pairs of metal members as shown in FIG. 7 with an interposed pad of insulating material, such as. urethane foam, and the shields 7 are attached on wires extending over this area.
• the area 20 may be similarly protected.
• OMPI VIPO along the lower part to form fronds and attached at the top by attachment members 24.
• the track flaps 25 can be similarly constructed but need not be slitted.
• fronds which are sufficiently strong to be twisted, yet stiff enough so as not to lie flat against the panels or the part being protected is hightly advantageous, and if the material is chosen to have a similar thermal conductivity and a similar thermal inertia and reflectivity and emission as leaves or bushes of the terrain in which the vehicle operates a great advance in safety results because of the difficulty of then detecting any hot spots in the vehicle which would otherwise make it susceptible to acquisition by infrared surveillance devices or attack by heat-seeking missiles.
• While the invention is generally adapted to work in wavelengths from 3 to 14 micrometres, it also provides protection in other wavebands.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)
• Photometry And Measurement Of Optical Pulse Characteristics (AREA)
• Radiation Pyrometers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=3769704

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (11)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1983
  • 1983-08-11 EP EP19830902633 patent/EP0116586A4/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 1983-08-11 WO PCT/AU1983/000108 patent/WO1984000807A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1983-08-11 JP JP50272883A patent/JPS59501420A/ja active Pending

Patent Citations (6)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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