Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
  • F42C—AMMUNITION FUZES; ARMING OR SAFETY MEANS THEREFOR
  • F42C11/00—Electric fuzes
  • F42C11/06—Electric fuzes with time delay by electric circuitry
  • F42C11/065—Programmable electronic delay initiators in projectiles

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of electrical firing mechanisms and, more particularly, that of the ignition device of an ignition detonator for projectiles, missiles, mines and miniature bombs comprising an electrical supply and means for delaying the action of a firing element of a primer.
• priming devices comprising means for delaying the action of a firing element of the primer.
• timing means are generally electronic and their failure can lead to a premature action of the element on the primer and therefore to the explosion of the machine with which they are associated. It goes without saying that this explosion can have serious consequences for the user (s).
• patent FR2670576 describes a device for neutralizing or combat vehicles comprising a housing, a pyrotechnic chain deactivated by mechanical safety means, in this case a clock, and a timer which can be adjusted by means of transmission.
• One of the aims of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a secure electronic or electromechanical ignition device, the programming of the timing of which can be carried out simultaneously on several ignition devices in order to obtain synergy. perfect.
• a device for initiating a detonator comprises an electrical supply providing a first intensity, to a circuit comprising means for delaying the action of a firing element of a primer and to means capable of generating, at the expiration of the delay time, a second intensity sufficient to actuate said element, the first issue from the power supply, not being.
• these means consist of a capacitor, switching means, and control means of these switching means making it possible to charge this capacitor during a charging time (Tp2), then to discharge it, this discharging causing the action of the element on the primer.
• a device for igniting a detonator comprises an electrical supply of the means for delaying the action of a firing element of a primer , and means capable of generating, at the end of the delay time, an intensity sufficient to actuate said element, the latter means comprising a capacitor, switching means, and means for controlling these switching means making it possible to charge this capacitor during a charging time, then discharge it, this discharging causing the element to act on the primer, the control means being constituted by a microcontroller
• the switching means which may be constituted, for example, by transistors
• the delay means comprise means for programming the delay duration, these means being able to be wholly or partly integrated into the initiating device.
• These means can, for example, example, consist of coding wheels or a microcomputer
• these means consist of external means comprising an electrical supply, a micro-controller, a display, two programming switches and transfer means constituted by phototransistors
• a priming device comprises trapping means which can consist of a circuit comprising switching means, the opening of which causes the ignition of the primer
• the subject of the invention is also a method for securing a device for initiating a detonator of the type comprising an electrical supply and means for delaying the action of a firing element of the primer, characterized in that it consists, at the end of the delay time, in charging a capacitor and then discharging it to cause ignition
• FIG. 1 presents a simplified general diagram of the device according to the invention
• FIG. 2 shows a diagram of the main programming means
• FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention
• FIG. 4 shows a diagram of the external programming means according to a particular embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 5 shows a particular embodiment of the invention.
• FIG. 1 shows a diagram of the main means constituting a device for igniting a detonator primer according to the invention.
• These means are of the type comprising a box inside which are disposed means of electrical supply 10 of a circuit mainly comprising a resistor 12 for igniting the primer 13, means 20 for closing the circuit as well as means 30 for delaying firing after closing of the circuit.
• the supply means 10 are constituted by two lithium batteries delivering a voltage of 6V.
• the means 20 for closing the circuit consist of a mechanical lock 21 with two positions A and C which is connected to a U-shaped key 22, placed in a retrei ⁇ t on the outside of the housing and of which rotation allows the lock to be placed in the desired position.
• the means 30 for delaying the ignition include means 32 for programming a delay time, means 34 for switching the supply circuit of the ignition resistor 12 as well as a capacitor 36 providing an intensity 12 during its discharge, the intensity 11 of the charging current of this capacitor being insufficient to cause the ignition of the primer.
• the programming means 32 are constituted by coding wheels 38 and by a microcontroller 40. These coding wheels are luminescent so as to allow programming both at night and during the day.
• the microcontroller 40 controls the opening and / or closing of the switching means 34.
• these switching means 34 comprise first means 41 constituted by an electromechanical safety device 41 comprising a mechanical clock, associated with a mechanical inverter which is normally in the open position and which closes the circuit on expiration of a predetermined duration of operation of this clock.
• Second means constituted by a transistor 50 whose source is connected to the power supply 10, the gate to the microcontroller 40 and the drain at the input of the inverter of the electromechanical assembly 41, and a transistor 55 whose source is connected to the ignition resistor 12, the grid to the microcontroller 40 and the drain at the output of the inverter.
• Third means consist of a switch 65, with tempo ⁇ sée closure, arranged between the electrical supply 10 and the microcontroller 40
• the drain 53 of the transistor 50 is connected to a short-circuit transistor 60 itself connected to the microcontroller 40 and to the ground.
• resistors 70, 71, 72 for limiting the intensity of the current are disposed on the circuit upstream of the electromechanical means and between the microcontroller and the transistor 55 so that, in the event of failure of the transistors and the electromechanical means, the starting resistance 12 is crossed by a current whose intensity is insufficient to trigger the detonator
• signaling means 81 and 80 are disposed respectively downstream of the tempo ⁇ sée closing switch 65 and in parallel with the starting resistor 12
• the means 35 Constituted by the elements 10 and 36, are capable of generating, at the expiration of the delay time, an intensity 12 sufficient to actuate the ignition resistor 12, the power supply 10 providing an intensity 11 able to charge the capacitor and the latter providing an intensity 12 during its discharge
• the programming means are constituted by a external programming device 100 and by information transfer means, by direct contact such as an RS232 socket or of the transmission / reception type, for example with photo-transistors
• the circuit closure means are preferably constituted by a mechanical lock 21 with three positions AB and C, position A in which all the electronic means are grounded, position B in which the capacitor 36 is grounded and the other electronic means are supplied, the position C which follows the position B and in which the capacitor 36 is connected to the circuit after a safety delay generated by the electromechanical safety device 41
• the external device 100 may consist of a portable type microcomputer into which software is introduced, this software allowing the user to indicate in particular the time of ignition either in the form of a date, thus requiring the introduction of the programming date if it does not already exist in the microcomputer, either in the form of a delay time.
• This external device 100 can also be constituted by an assembly comprising a power supply 110, a microcontroller 140, a display 145, two programming switches 146, 147, and an on / off switch 11, and the transfer means. include phototransistors, 148,149 associated with phototransistors arranged in the housing.
• the selection of parameters is made via a pre-programmed drop-down menu.
• the data is displayed by block and all the parameters linked to a block appear next to each other so that an overall view of the evolution of each of them is maintained during block programming. .
• DATE corresponding to the date of programming
• TRANSMISSION the validation of this block causes the transfer of the programmed data to the igniter.
• the two switches 146, 147 one has the function of validating the proposed data displayed and of displaying the first data of the following parameter which can be of the same block or the first of the following block.
• a trapping module 200 of the contact opening type is added to the means described in the first embodiment previously mentioned.
• This module consists of a closed circuit, supplied by the supply means described above and comprising a certain number of contactors, the opening mode of which depends on the type of trapping, and connected to the microcontroller 40.
• these contactors can be with remote-controlled opening, or inertial, or more simply a trip wire resting on the ground in the environment of the igniter.
• the batteries are placed in the housing before use and the mechanical lock 21 is in position A, the means 20 and 30 therefore not being electrically supplied.
• the circuit of reception comprises two phototransistors 48,49 placed as close as possible to a part of the housing which is transparent to the radiation emitted by the phototra ⁇ sistors 148, 149 of the device 100
• the housing includes a notch allowing precise positioning of the phototransistors, respectively means programming 100 and firing means, facing each other
• the microcontroller of the assembly 100 controls the progress of a menu which is written by block on the display 145, the passage to the next parameter of the same block or to the next block being effected by action on one of the programming switches 146, 147, the other serving for the validation of the parameters and their transmission to the device for
• the menu can, for example, comprise two blocks, one relating to the desired duration D1 of delay in a format day / hour / minute / second, that is to say four parameters, and the other relating to the validation of these parameters and to the transmission of these parameters via phototra ⁇ sistors 148, 149, 48,49
• the validation of the TRANSMISSION block causes the transfer of these parameters from the device 100 to the priming device.
• the microcontroller 40 returns a copy of the parameters received by the device 100 which verifies their conformity with those previously issued and issues an acknowledgment releasing the transmission
• the firing means are then positioned on a suitable explosive device.
• a suitable explosive device In the case of a mine, it can be positioned on the objective to be destroyed, by the user, who then proceeds to rotate the key 22 up to '' in position C then when it is removed from the housing in order to prevent any access, by an unauthorized person, to lock 21
• the firing may not possibly occur, in any case, only after the expiration of this time Tp1
• the microcontroller 40 deactivates the short-circuit transistor 60, and activates the transistor 50 which then turns on.
• the capacitor 36 then charges and at the end of a preprogrammed time Tp2 , called the charging time of the capacitor, the microcontroller 40 activates the transistor 55 which becomes on, then allowing the discharge of the capacitor 36 through this transistor 55 and the starting resistor 12, the intensity 12 flowing in the latter being sufficient to trigger the detonator
• Charging the capacitor only at the end of a delay period increases the reliability of the device since no leakage current from the capacitor occurs during this period.
• the charge time Tp2 of the capacitor be long compared to its discharge time.
• the capacitor charging process can reach, on its own, a non-degradable safety requirement.
• the safety time is then that which is just less than the time which results in a significant charge of the capacitor, i.e. suitable for causing the ignition of the primer during its discharge II is adjustable by the charging current
• an electromechanical safety device 41 is not necessary, and this, that the charging of the capacitor is carried out at power up or before firing
• the use of the electromechanical safety device 41 is required
• the temporally closed switch 65 can be inserted in the circuit so as to generate an additional safety delay Tp3 before any firing when the user turns the key from position A to position C
• This delay is, in this variant embodiment, an operational safety delay, during this delay, which is an integral part of the duration D1, all functions switching of the transistors 50, 60, 55, of the microcontroller 40 are inhibited
• the mechanical timer clock for electromechanical safety means 41 is triggered. At the expiration of a preprogrammed time Tp1 for operating this clock, it produces the tilting of the mechanical inverter associated with it and therefore the closing of the part of the circuit located between the transistor 50 and the capacitor 36.
• the switch 65 and the clock therefore constitute two safety elements triggered simultaneously and of a different nature, one electrical acts on the microcontroller 40 and the other, mechanical, acts on the capacitor 36, the initiation of the detonator. cannot be performed before the highest value of times Tp1 and Tp3.
• Another mode of operation of the previously described device consists in authorizing the firing of the primer 13 via the trapping module 200 at the expiration of the longest of the delays Tp1 and Tp3, and this, throughout the programmed delay time. , and, if necessary, to inhibit the transistors 50 and 55 at the end of this time delay, thus making the device inert and recoverable.
• the reaction time between actuating the trapping and igniting the primer is, in this case, equal to Tp2.
• the timing means can be simplified as shown in FIG. 5.
• the priming device then comprises an electrical supply 310, in this case batteries, a timed opening relay 330, a time-delayed relay 335, a capacitor 336 and a starting resistor 12 of the primer 13.
• the two relays are energized.
• the relay 330 being first of all closed, the capacitor charges.
• This relay 330 opens after a time Tp4, then the relay 335 closes and the capacitor 336 then discharges into the resistor 12, causing the ignition of the primer 13.
• the discharge of the capacitor feeds a solenoid whose activation causes the unlocking of the electromechanical part which initiates the detonator.
• the trapping means With regard to the trapping means, the accidental breaking of the tripping wire or the opening of an inertial contactor when the ignition device is moved, cause the detonator to fire.
• the priming cannot take place before the expiration of the times Tp1 of intrinsic safety and Tp3 of operational safety generated by the electromechanical means and / or the timed switch 65.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Air Bags (AREA)
• Ignition Installations For Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)
• Electrotherapy Devices (AREA)
• Programmable Controllers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

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ID=9485775

Family Applications (1)

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Family Cites Families (5)

• 1995
  • 1995-12-21 FR FR9515229A patent/FR2742859B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1996
  • 1996-12-20 DE DE69605060T patent/DE69605060T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1996-12-20 WO PCT/FR1996/002035 patent/WO1997023761A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1996-12-20 EP EP96943151A patent/EP0880669B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1996-12-20 AT AT96943151T patent/ATE186392T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1996-12-20 CA CA002241810A patent/CA2241810A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 1996-12-20 ES ES96943151T patent/ES2140917T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1998
  • 1998-08-14 NO NO983732A patent/NO983732L/no not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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