EP0149114B1 - Depth sensor for underwater ammunition - Google Patents

Depth sensor for underwater ammunition Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0149114B1
EP0149114B1 EP84114972A EP84114972A EP0149114B1 EP 0149114 B1 EP0149114 B1 EP 0149114B1 EP 84114972 A EP84114972 A EP 84114972A EP 84114972 A EP84114972 A EP 84114972A EP 0149114 B1 EP0149114 B1 EP 0149114B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
evaluation circuit
piezoelectric
hydrophone
piezoelement
depth
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP84114972A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0149114A3 (en
EP0149114A2 (en
Inventor
Gerhard Schweitzer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Dornier GmbH
Original Assignee
Dornier GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Dornier GmbH filed Critical Dornier GmbH
Publication of EP0149114A2 publication Critical patent/EP0149114A2/en
Publication of EP0149114A3 publication Critical patent/EP0149114A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0149114B1 publication Critical patent/EP0149114B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42C—AMMUNITION FUZES; ARMING OR SAFETY MEANS THEREFOR
    • F42C11/00—Electric fuzes
    • F42C11/001—Electric circuits for fuzes characterised by the ammunition class or type
    • F42C11/005—Electric circuits for fuzes characterised by the ammunition class or type for marine warheads, e.g. torpedoes, mines, depth charges
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
    • F42B22/00—Marine mines, e.g. launched by surface vessels or submarines
    • F42B22/04—Influenced mines, e.g. by magnetic or acoustic effect
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42C—AMMUNITION FUZES; ARMING OR SAFETY MEANS THEREFOR
    • F42C11/00—Electric fuzes
    • F42C11/02—Electric fuzes with piezo-crystal
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42C—AMMUNITION FUZES; ARMING OR SAFETY MEANS THEREFOR
    • F42C13/00—Proximity fuzes; Fuzes for remote detonation
    • F42C13/06—Proximity fuzes; Fuzes for remote detonation operated by sound waves

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an evaluation circuit for a piezoelectric hydrophone or for a piezoelectric impact sensor on sea mines, torpedoes or underwater projects.
  • Underwater weapons such as mines which have one or more hydrophones for acoustic target recognition or target location.
  • An evaluation circuit is connected to the hydrophone, which determines the distance or the type of target from the strength, frequency or direction of the sound. It is often necessary to know your own water depth for the calculation. So far, our own depth sensors have been used, which show the static pressure and thus the water depth from the deformation of an elastic element (can, membrane or spring).
  • the measurement signal is usually supplied as an electrical quantity.
  • the depth sensor is a separate component that makes the overall system more expensive, takes up space in the warhead and requires the capacity of the on-board battery.
  • the object of the invention is to provide evaluation circuits for underwater weapons that are inexpensive and small, require little electricity and function reliably over a long period of time with an accuracy of approximately ⁇ 0.1 m.
  • the evaluation circuit according to the invention uses the charge shift caused by water pressure in the piezo crystal of the hydrophone already present, as a result of which free charges occur at the interfaces as depth information.
  • the voltage at electrodes corresponding to the water pressure is tapped via a high-impedance amplifier (charge amplifier) and fed to further processing electronics in the weapon computer.
  • the use of the direct voltage component of the hydrophone saves a separate component for depth measurement.
  • the query period is set much shorter for moving projectiles or torpedoes, e.g. B. every second, as with mines (hourly to daily) that have a long life with relatively small changes in depth.
  • the evaluation circuit can be equipped with an automatic system which, for larger pressure changes (depth changes) z. B. turns on the computer by overvoltages, which is usually turned off to save battery capacity. With projectiles or torpedoes z. B. also the piezoelectric impact sensor can be used as a measuring device for the depth.
  • the figure shows a block diagram of a hydrophone evaluation circuit, which also serves as a depth sensor of a marine mine.
  • a piezoelectric hydrophone 4 directly on an outer wall, which, via a crossover 8 and an amplifier 10, supplies electrical alternating signals, which correspond to the ambient noise, to the listening input 12 of a weapon computer 14, where the signals are analyzed for intensity and frequency spectrum.
  • the computer output 16 leads to the ignition mechanism.
  • the piezoelectric hydrophone 4 is also used to measure the depth.
  • a computer-controlled switch 6 and a high-impedance amplifier 20 are provided in the DC voltage output 18 of the crossover 8.
  • the computer 14 closes the switch 6.
  • the output signal of the amplifier 20 corresponding to the charge on the piezo crystal is stored in the computer 14.
  • the crystal is then discharged (a device for this is not shown).

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Velocity Or Position Using Acoustic Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)
  • Measurement Of Mechanical Vibrations Or Ultrasonic Waves (AREA)

Description

Die Erfindung betrifft eine Auswerteschaltung für ein piezoelektrisches Hydrophon bzw. für einen piezoelektrischen Aufschlagsensor an Seeminen, Torpedos oder Unterwasserprojektiien.The invention relates to an evaluation circuit for a piezoelectric hydrophone or for a piezoelectric impact sensor on sea mines, torpedoes or underwater projects.

Bekannt sind Unterwasserwaffen wie Minen, die ein oder mehrere Hydrophone zur akustischen Zielerkennung oder Zielortung aufweisen. Am Hydrophon ist eine Auswerteschaltung angeschlossen, die aus der Stärke, der Frequenz oder der Richtung des Schalls auf die Entfernung oder die Art des Ziels schliesst. Für die Berechnung ist es häufig notwendig, die eigene Wassertiefe zu kennen. Dazu werden bisher eigene Tiefensensoren verwendet, die aus der Deformation eines elastischen Elements (Dose, Membran oder Feder) den statischen Druck und damit die Wassertiefe anzeigen. Das Meßsignal wird meistens als eine elektrische Grösse geliefert.Underwater weapons such as mines are known which have one or more hydrophones for acoustic target recognition or target location. An evaluation circuit is connected to the hydrophone, which determines the distance or the type of target from the strength, frequency or direction of the sound. It is often necessary to know your own water depth for the calculation. So far, our own depth sensors have been used, which show the static pressure and thus the water depth from the deformation of an elastic element (can, membrane or spring). The measurement signal is usually supplied as an electrical quantity.

Der Tiefensensor ist ein eigenes Bauteil, das das Gesamtsystem verteuert, Platz im Gefechtskopf beansprucht und Kapazität der Bordbatterie benötigt.The depth sensor is a separate component that makes the overall system more expensive, takes up space in the warhead and requires the capacity of the on-board battery.

Aufgabe der Erfindung ist es, Auswerteschaltungen für Unterwasserwaffen zu schaffen, die preisgünstig und klein sind, die wenig Strom brauchen und zuverlässig über lange Zeit mit einer Genauigkeit von ca. ± 0,1 m funktionieren.The object of the invention is to provide evaluation circuits for underwater weapons that are inexpensive and small, require little electricity and function reliably over a long period of time with an accuracy of approximately ± 0.1 m.

Diese Aufgabe wird erfindungsgemäss von Auswerteschaltungen mit den in den Ansprüchen 1 und 2 genannten Merkmalen gelöst.This object is achieved according to the invention by evaluation circuits with the features mentioned in claims 1 and 2.

Die erfindungsgemässe Auswerteschaltung nutzt die im Piezokristall des schon vorhandenen Hydrophons vom Wasserdruck verursachte Ladungsverschiebung, wodurch freie Ladungen an den Grenzflächen auftreten als Tiefeninformation. Über einen hochohmigen Verstärker (Ladungsverstärker) wird die dem Wasserdruck entsprechende Spannung an Elektroden abgegriffen und einer weiterverarbeitenden Elektronik im Waffenrechner zugeführt. Die Ausnutzung des Gleichspannungsanteils des Hydrophons erspart ein eigenes, separates Bauteil zurTiefenmessung.The evaluation circuit according to the invention uses the charge shift caused by water pressure in the piezo crystal of the hydrophone already present, as a result of which free charges occur at the interfaces as depth information. The voltage at electrodes corresponding to the water pressure is tapped via a high-impedance amplifier (charge amplifier) and fed to further processing electronics in the weapon computer. The use of the direct voltage component of the hydrophone saves a separate component for depth measurement.

Das Abfragen der Tiefeninformation (= Messen der Ladungsverschiebung) kann periodisch erfolgen, wobei die erste Messung die absolute Tiefe angibt. Diese wird gespeichert, die Ladung auf dem Kristall wird niederohmig abgeleitet.The interrogation of the depth information (= measurement of the charge shift) can take place periodically, the first measurement indicating the absolute depth. This is stored, the charge on the crystal is dissipated with low resistance.

Ändert sich die Tiefenlage einer Mine am Seegrund nicht, so ist auch bei der nächsten Abfrage keine Ladungsverschiebung festzustellen. Treten jedoch Ladungsverschiebungen auf, so deutet ihr Vorzeichen auf ein weiteres Absinken oder auf einen Bergeversuch, worauf der Rechner entsprechend reagieren kann.If the depth of a mine on the lake bottom does not change, no charge shift can be determined in the next query. However, if charge shifts occur, their sign indicates a further sinking or a recovery attempt, to which the computer can react accordingly.

Die Abfrageperiode wird bei sich bewegenden Projektilen oder Torpedos wesentlich kürzer eingestellt, z. B. jede Sekunde, als bei Minen (stündlich bis täglich), die eine lange Lebensdauer bei relativ geringen Tiefenänderungen aufweisen. Die Auswerteschaltung kann mit einer Automatik ausgerüstet sein, die bei grösseren Druckänderungen (Tiefenänderungen) z. B. durch Überspannungen den Rechner einschaltet, der in der Regel zum Sparen von Batteriekapazität ausgeschaltet ist. Bei Projektilen oder Torpedos kann z. B. auch der piezoelektrische Aufschlagsensor als Meßgerät für die Tiefe verwendet werden.The query period is set much shorter for moving projectiles or torpedoes, e.g. B. every second, as with mines (hourly to daily) that have a long life with relatively small changes in depth. The evaluation circuit can be equipped with an automatic system which, for larger pressure changes (depth changes) z. B. turns on the computer by overvoltages, which is usually turned off to save battery capacity. With projectiles or torpedoes z. B. also the piezoelectric impact sensor can be used as a measuring device for the depth.

Weitere Vorteile, Merkmale und Anwendungsgebiete ergeben sich aus der nachfolgend beschriebenen Figur.Further advantages, features and areas of application result from the figure described below.

Die Figur zeigt ein Blockschaltbild einer Hydrophonauswerteschaltung, die zugleich als Tiefensensor einer Seemine dient. Im Minengehäuse 2 befindet sich direkt an einer Aussenwand ein piezoelektrisches Hydrophon 4, das über eine Frequenzweiche 8 und einen Verstärker 10 elektrische Wechselsignale, die den Umgebungsgeräuschen entsprechen, an den Horcheingang 12 eines Waffenrechners 14 liefert, wo die Signale nach Intensität und Frequenzspektrum analysiert werden. Der Rechnerausgang 16 führt zum Zündmechanismus. Erfindungsgemäss wird das piezoelektrische Hydrophon 4 auch zum Messen der Tiefe verwendet. Dazu sind im Gleichspannungsausgang 18 der Frequenzweiche 8 ein rechnergesteuerter Schalter 6 und ein hochohmiger Verstärker 20 vorgesehen.The figure shows a block diagram of a hydrophone evaluation circuit, which also serves as a depth sensor of a marine mine. In the mine housing 2 there is a piezoelectric hydrophone 4 directly on an outer wall, which, via a crossover 8 and an amplifier 10, supplies electrical alternating signals, which correspond to the ambient noise, to the listening input 12 of a weapon computer 14, where the signals are analyzed for intensity and frequency spectrum. The computer output 16 leads to the ignition mechanism. According to the invention, the piezoelectric hydrophone 4 is also used to measure the depth. For this purpose, a computer-controlled switch 6 and a high-impedance amplifier 20 are provided in the DC voltage output 18 of the crossover 8.

Nach einer vorprogrammierten Zeit nach Abwurf der Mine 2 schliesst der Rechner 14 den Schalter 6. Das der Ladung am Piezokristall entsprechende Ausgangssignal des Verstärkers 20 wird im Rechner 14 gespeichert. Der Kristall wird anschliessend entladen (eine Vorrichtung dazu ist nicht gezeigt).After a pre-programmed time after the mine 2 has been ejected, the computer 14 closes the switch 6. The output signal of the amplifier 20 corresponding to the charge on the piezo crystal is stored in the computer 14. The crystal is then discharged (a device for this is not shown).

Spätere Messungen, die nach vorprogrammierten Zeiten erfolgen, registrieren jede Veränderung der Tiefe, die grösser als ± 0,1 m ist.Subsequent measurements, which are made according to pre-programmed times, register any change in depth that is greater than ± 0.1 m.

Claims (4)

1. Evaluation circuit for a piezoelectric hydrophone used with seamines, torpedos or projectiles, characterised in that the piezoelectric hydrophone (4) for target acquisition by sound detection is additionally connected to a high-impedance DC amplifier (20) for registration of the charge variation on the piezoelement caused in proportion by the hydrostatic pressure of the water depth.
2. Evaluation circuit for a piezoelectric percussion sensor used with seamines, torpedos or projectiles, characterised in that the piezoelectric percussion sensor is additionally connected to a high impedance DC amplifier (20) for registration of the charge variation in the piezoelement caused in proportion by the hydrostatic pressure of the water depth.
3. Evaluation circuit as in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the charge on the piezoelement (è water depth) is measured periodically, wherein the piezoelement in the hydrophone (4) or in the percussion sensor can be discharged after each reading.
4. Evaluation circuit as in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the CPU (14) of the weapon (2) is switched on automatically by a voltage peak.
EP84114972A 1983-12-10 1984-12-08 Depth sensor for underwater ammunition Expired EP0149114B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE3344750 1983-12-10
DE19833344750 DE3344750A1 (en) 1983-12-10 1983-12-10 DEPTH SENSOR

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0149114A2 EP0149114A2 (en) 1985-07-24
EP0149114A3 EP0149114A3 (en) 1986-10-15
EP0149114B1 true EP0149114B1 (en) 1987-09-30

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP84114972A Expired EP0149114B1 (en) 1983-12-10 1984-12-08 Depth sensor for underwater ammunition

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EP (1) EP0149114B1 (en)
DE (2) DE3344750A1 (en)

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4212454C2 (en) * 1992-04-14 1997-08-14 Rheinmetall Ind Ag Detonator

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE308763C (en) *
US4207623A (en) * 1955-02-08 1980-06-10 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Acoustic mine mechanism
CH542434A (en) * 1972-07-28 1973-09-30 Kistler Instrumente Ag Piezoelectric measuring device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE3344750A1 (en) 1985-06-20
EP0149114A3 (en) 1986-10-15
DE3466594D1 (en) 1987-11-05
EP0149114A2 (en) 1985-07-24
DE3344750C2 (en) 1987-10-22

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