EP0467090A1 - Laser pulse transmitter for a weapon - Google Patents

Abstract

The holding housing (1) of the laser pulse transmitter has essentially the shape and size of the cartridge suitable for a weapon and can be inserted instead of this into the barrel or the cartridge bearing of a weapon. The holding housing (1) contains a sleeve (2) which is closed at both ends by means of holders (4,6). A laser collimator (28) is arranged at the front end and a switch (8) designed as piezoceramic (10) is arranged at the rear end. A printed circuitboard (34) is provided in the chamber (32) formed between the holders (4,6), a current source (36) being present on one side and a driver circuit (38) on the other side. Since the piezoceramic (10) serves only as a switch (8) and batteries (36) are provided as a current source, on the one hand a very small design and on the other hand a low striking force of the striking pin are possible. The laser pulse transmitter can thus also be designed for small-calibre weapons. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a laser pulse transmitter for a weapon according to the preamble of claim 1.

From US-PS 3 938 262 a laser pulse transmitter of the type mentioned is known. A piezoelectric converter serves as a switch for triggering the laser pulse transmitter and as a current source. This results in the disadvantages that the converter has to be relatively large for an adequate power supply and, on the other hand, considerable impact power is required. The large design limits the laser pulse transmitter to weapons of large caliber. The high impact can also damage the pulse transmitter and / or the firing pin and thus the weapon.

The object of the invention is to design a laser pulse transmitter so that the disadvantages mentioned are avoided.

The object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

Since the piezoelectric transducer is only used as a switch, very small current surges are sufficient to trigger the circuit and thus to send out the laser signal. The converter can therefore be kept very small and the impact force of the firing pin can be reduced or damped accordingly. This in turn leads to protection of the laser pulse transmitter and the weapon. Due to the small design, it can also be used in small-caliber weapons.

Advantageous embodiments of the laser pulse transmitter are described in claims 2 to 10.

There are various design options for the arrangement of the piezoelectric transducer. However, a design according to claim 2 and the development according to claim 3 are particularly advantageous. The latter particularly effectively prevents damage to the piezoelectric transducer and excessive voltage when triggered by the firing pin of a weapon.

The circuit and its arrangement can be designed in various forms and arranged in a sleeve. Claim 4 describes a very expedient solution, since then no additional mechanical holding devices are required, but rather the printed circuit board is held in the cylinder of the sleeve. If necessary, batteries can also be arranged on both sides of the printed circuit board.

In order to keep the driver circuit as small as possible, it is expedient to design it according to claim 5. An even smaller construction enables the design according to claim 6. A high shot power with the lowest power consumption enables an embodiment according to claim 7. However, a further development according to claim 8 is particularly advantageous, which on the one hand makes it possible to switch off extraneous light, in particular over long distances, and on the other hand differentiated reception options allowed on the target.

The laser collimator can be arranged according to claim 9 at the front end of the insert, this being possible only for weapons of a certain caliber. For small-caliber weapons, the training according to claim 10 is particularly suitable.

The laser pulse transmitter insert can be designed for a wide variety of weapons, i.e. have the shape of the required cartridge.

• Figur 1 einen Laser-Impulssender im Längsschnitt;
• Figur 2 den Laser-Impulssender im Schnitt 11-11 der Figur 1;
• Figur 3 den Laser-Impulssender im Schnitt 111-111 der Figur 1;
• Figur 4 das Schaltschema des Laser-Impulssenders der Figur 1;
• Figur 5 einen weiteren Schalter für den Laser-Impulssender im Längsschnitt und in grösserem Massstab;
• Figur 6 einen weiteren Laser-Impulssender im Längsschnitt.

Advantageous exemplary embodiments of the subject matter of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 shows a laser pulse transmitter in longitudinal section;
• Figure 2 shows the laser pulse transmitter in section 11-11 of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 shows the laser pulse transmitter in section 111-111 of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 shows the circuit diagram of the laser pulse transmitter of Figure 1;
• Figure 5 shows another switch for the laser pulse transmitter in longitudinal section and on a larger scale;
• Figure 6 shows another laser pulse transmitter in longitudinal section.

The laser pulse transmitter shown in Figures 1 to 3 has an insert housing in the form of the cartridge of a weapon, which contains a sleeve 2 with a front holder 4 and a rear holder 6. The rear holder 6 is formed in one piece with the sleeve 2 and serves to receive a switch 8 of the laser pulse transmitter. This contains a piezoelectric transducer, preferably a piezoceramic 10, and is mounted in a recess 12 in the holder 6. For this purpose, the piezoceramic 10 is arranged between two metal plates 14 and 16, each having a conductor 18 and 20 of the piezoceramic. The outer metal plate 16 is preferably made of hardened steel in order to prevent damage to the piezoceramic 10 by the firing pin of a weapon. An outer plate 22 serves to secure the arrangement in the rear holder 6 of the sleeve. The front holder 4 is removably arranged on the sleeve 2 and secured by means of a stud 24. At the front end of the holder 4, this carries a laser collimator in a recess 26. The lines 30 used to connect the laser collimator 28 run through the holder 4.

Between the holders 4 and 6, a chamber 32 is formed, in which a printed circuit board 34 is arranged, the width of which corresponds to the inside diameter of the sleeve 2 and the length of which corresponds to the length of the chamber 32. On one side of the print plate 34 is a current source 36 consisting of two batteries is arranged and on the opposite side a driver circuit 38 for the laser collimator 28.

FIG. 4 shows the circuit diagram of the laser pulse transmitter, with the exception of the components: piezoceramic 10, laser collimator 28 (type CQL75A / D 2.5 mW Philips), and the power source 36 (for example 1 or 2 lithium batteries BR 211 , 3V, 5.4 mAh), all other components are contained as SMD components on the printed circuit board 34. This applies in particular to the IC components 40, transistors 42, resistors 44 and capacitors 46. The capacitor 46a supplies the higher current intensity required to ignite the laser collimator 28. The components assigned to the printed circuit board are connected via plug connections 48.

The driver circuit is designed so that it generates a shot pulse of 10 microseconds, for example. With the laser pulse transmitter shown, more than a million shots can be fired.

In contrast to the exemplary embodiment shown, it is also possible to design the laser pulse transmitter in such a way that the shot pulse is modulated in order to switch off extraneous light influences, in particular when shooting at a greater distance, and / or to operate a target device which requires modulated shot pulses. A corresponding modulator 50 is indicated by dashed lines in the circuit according to FIG. 4.

In a modification of the exemplary embodiment shown or described, it is also possible to arrange the batteries serving as current sources on both sides of the printed circuit board. A further miniaturization of the driver circuit is possible when it is trained in hybrid technology.

FIG. 5 shows a further advantageous switch 52 for the laser pulse transmitter. The switch contains a switch housing 54 made of plastic, which can be inserted into a recess of the holder 6 of the sleeve 2 and into which a cup-shaped cover 56 made of plastic is inserted, which has a central opening 58 for receiving a steel ball 60, onto which the firing pin of the weapon is fired the same strikes. The steel ball 60 is supported on the inside on a preferably prestressed elastic ring 62, which rests on a steel plate 64, under which a piezoceramic 66 is arranged, which is supported on the inside on a further plate 68. On both sides of the piezoceramic 66 there are contact disks 70, 72 with soldering lugs 74, 76 which, after bending back, establish the connection to the circuit of the laser pulse transmitter. This design of the switch brakes the impact energy of the firing pin so strongly that damage to the switch, in particular the piezoceramic, and the firing pin and, on the other hand, excessive tension of the piezoceramic are prevented.

FIG. 6 shows a further laser pulse transmitter which contains the switch 52 shown in FIG. 5 on one side of the housing. The housing 78 in turn forms a chamber 80 in which a printed circuit board 82 with a driver circuit and a battery analogous to the example in FIG. 1 are arranged next to the switch 52. However, the printed circuit board 82 occupies only a portion of the chamber 80, a laser collimator 84 connecting to the printed circuit board 82 against the front end of the housing. The front end of the housing 78 is formed by a centering insert 86 which can be inserted into the barrel of a weapon and is used to center the laser pulse transmitter. The centering insert 86 contains a pinhole 88 at the front end in order to align the laser beam with the axis of the weapon.

REFERENCE SIGN LIST

• 1 insert housing
• 2 sleeve
• 4 brackets, front
• 6 holders, rear
• 8 switches
• 10 piezoceramic
• 12 recess
• 14 metal plate
• 16 metal plate
• 18 conductors
• 20 conductors
• 22 plate
• 24 stud screw
• 26 recess
• 28 Laser collimator
• 30 line
• 32 chamber
• 34 printed circuit board
• 36 power source
• 38 driver circuit
• 40 IC component
• 42 transistor
• 44 resistance
• 46 capacitor
• 46a capacitor
• 48 plug connection
• 50 modulator
• 52 switches
• 54 switch housing
• 56 cover
• 58 opening
• 60 steel ball
• 62 elastic ring
• 64 steel plate
• 66 piezoceramic
• 68 plate
• 70 contact disk
• 72 contact disk
• 74 solder tab
• 76 solder tail
• 78 housing
• 80 chamber
• 82 printed circuit board
• 84 Laser collimator
• 86 centering insert
• 88 pinhole

Claims (10)

1. Laser pulse transmitter for a weapon, with an insert that can be inserted into a weapon, with a laser collimator (28, 84) and a piezoelectric transducer (10, 66) that can be actuated by a firing pin, the insert essentially having the shape and size which has a cartridge suitable for a weapon, in such a way that it can be inserted in its place in the cartridge chamber of a weapon and contains all the components required for the function, characterized in that the piezoelectric transducer (10, 66) is only used as a switch (8, 52) is formed and a battery (36) is provided for the power supply. 2. Laser pulse transmitter according to claim 1, characterized in that the piezoelectric transducer (10, 66) is arranged between two metal plates (14, 16, 64, 68) serving as connections, the outer of which preferably consists of hardened steel. 3. Laser pulse transmitter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the piezoelectric transducer has an outwardly facing steel ball (60) which is supported on the inside on an elastic, preferably prestressed ring (62) which over a cover (64 ) the piezoceramic (66) is arranged. 4. Laser pulse transmitter according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it has a longitudinally of a sleeve (2) extending printed circuit board (34) with a width which corresponds to the inner diameter of the sleeve (2), preferably the battery (36) on one side of the printed circuit board (34) and a driver circuit (38) are arranged on the other side. 5. Laser pulse transmitter according to claim 2, characterized in that the driver circuit (38) is constructed from SMD components. 6. Laser pulse transmitter according to claim 1, characterized in that the driver circuit (38) is designed in hybrid technology. 7. Laser pulse transmitter according to claim 4, characterized in that the driver circuit (38) has a capacitor (46a) for igniting the laser collimator (28). 8. Laser pulse transmitter according to claim 4, characterized in that the driver circuit (38) has a modulator (50) for the laser collimator (28). 9. Laser pulse transmitter according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it has a laser collimator (28) arranged at the front end of the insert and projecting into the barrel of the weapon. 10. Laser pulse transmitter according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the insert housing (1) has a sleeve (2) which is closed at both ends by a holder (4, 6), in which between the holders (4,6) formed chamber (80) the battery and a printed circuit board (82) with the driver circuit and the laser collimator (84) are arranged and the front end of the sleeve contains a centering insert (86) projecting into the barrel of a weapon, at its front end there is a pinhole (88) for the laser beam.

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