EP3156756B1 - Guided missile and method for manufacturing a guided missile - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a guided missile. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a guided missile. Finally, the invention relates to a collection of elements from which a guided missile can be produced.

Guided missiles are known from the prior art. Currently, the individual components of a guided missile must be designed so that they are resistant to all environmental factors that affect them. Thus, in particular, heat influences, vibration influences, sound effects and electromagnetic influences must be considered individually in each component of the guided missile. Most of the components are housed in their own enclosures, which protect the actual components from these influences. The components are subsequently combined in a carrier structure, the carrier structure itself providing additional protection. Finally, the missile is surrounded by an outer shell that provides further protection.

The publication DE 10 2011 109 693 B3 describes a structural component for an operational missile system comprising a metal foam body.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a guided missile, which is protected against external environmental influences in a simple and cost-effective production and assembly. It is a further object of the invention to provide a method by which such a missile can be manufactured inexpensively and with little effort.

The problem is solved by the features of the independent claims. Thus, the object is achieved by a missile according to claim 1, comprising a support structure.

It is provided that a seeker head and / or a warhead and / or a sensor module and / or an electronics and / or a drive and steering module is attached to the support structure. Furthermore, it is envisaged that all Gaps of the support structure are completely filled with a filler. The guided missile is characterized in that the filler material is a fast-setting foam material which fully cures in less than five minutes. Under interstices, all subvolumes are to be regarded within a volume encompassed by the carrier structure, which are not provided with components of the guided missile. This means, in particular, that the entire volume encompassed by the carrier structure is filled up either with components of the guided missile or with the filling material by introducing filling material. Thus, it is possible to assemble the guided missile from individual components. With the filler, the support structure is refillable, so that the missile is always a full-volume missile regardless of the modules used. For this purpose, it is provided, in particular, that external influences, such as in particular heat influences, sound influences, electromagnetic influences or vibration influences, are damped with the filling material. The missile is thus easy and inexpensive to manufacture and at the same time has a high robustness against external influences. Advantageously, warhead and sensor module are alternatively used. Thus, a missile with warhead can act on a target, while a missile with a sensor module can undertake a reconnaissance flight. For the invention is therefore irrelevant whether a warhead or a sensor module are present.

The dependent claims have preferred developments of the invention to the content.

It is preferably provided that at least the warhead and / or the sensor module and / or the electronics are surrounded by the filling material. In particular, it is provided that the warhead and / or the sensor module and / or the electronics are completely surrounded by the filling material. Thus, the filling material is a complete housing for the warhead and / or the sensor module and / or the electronics. There are no further housing for the electronics or the warhead and / or the sensor module mandatory, so that the missile is very weight-saving composable. At the same time, the production of the warhead and / or the sensor module and / or the electronics is simplified, since no attention must be paid to the protection against external influences. Through the filling material are the warhead and / or the sensor module and / or the electronics protected from external influences.

Preferably, the support structure has a first end and a second end. Furthermore, the support structure preferably has structural elements which connect the first end and the second end. Thus, the support structure advantageously represents a frame on which said modules of the missile are arranged.

Particularly advantageously, the seeker head is attached to the first end. In particular, the seeker head is mounted at the first end on the opposite side of the support structure from the second end. Thus, the seeker head forms a termination of the missile at the first end of the support structure.

Likewise, it is particularly preferred that the drive and steering module is attached to the second end of the support structure. Particularly advantageously, the drive and steering module is attached to the second end on the opposite side of the first end of the support structure. Thus, the drive and steering module advantageously forms a conclusion of the missile at the second end of the support structure.

The warhead and / or the sensor module and / or the electronics of the missile is advantageously mounted between the first end and the second end. In particular, the warhead and / or the sensor module and / or the electronics are arranged on the said structural elements of the carrier structure.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, all intermediate spaces between the first end and the second end of the carrier structure are filled with the filling material. Thus, in particular a full-volume missile is realized. At the same time, it is not necessary for components arranged between the first end and the second end to have their own housing or their own protective measures against external influences.

An outer skin of the guided missile is formed in particular between the first end and the second end of the carrier structure by the filling material. Particularly advantageously, the outer skin of the guided missile between the first end and the second end of the support structure is additionally formed by an outer surface of the structural elements. By applying the filling material is advantageously provided that a shape of the outer skin is arbitrary. Thus, a shape of the outer skin of the missile is customizable to specific needs.

The filling material is curable foam material. The foam material can be introduced into all intermediate spaces of the carrier structure in a simple manner and with little effort. At the same time, the foam material can be brought into different shapes. Thus, the foam material is very versatile, all interstices of the support structure can be filled and at the same time an outer skin of the missile is arbitrarily malleable. Due to the hardening property of the foam material a fully voluminous and rigid missile is available after curing. The cured foam material also allows protection of the components of the missile against external influences.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the support structure includes a wiring of the missile. Particularly advantageously, the support structure comprises a complete wiring of the missile. Thus, individual components of the missile can be connected in a modular principle to the support structure, the support structure already includes a complete wiring for all conceivable alternatives of the missile. The manufacture and assembly of the missile is thus simplified.

The guided missile preferably comprises an interface. The interface is arranged in particular on the support structure. A mechanical and electrical connection to a weapon carrier can be produced via the interface.

The invention further relates to a collection of elements according to claim 11. The collection of elements comprises a support structure as well as a seeker head and / or a Electronics and / or a warhead and / or a sensor module and / or a drive and steering module and a filler. It is provided that the seeker head, the warhead, the sensor module, the electronics and / or the drive and steering module are attachable to the support structure. Furthermore, it is provided that with the filling material all intermediate spaces of the support structure are completely refillable. The filling material here is a fast-curing foam material, which cures completely in less than five minutes. In this way, in particular a guided missile as described above can be manufactured. It will be appreciated that the collection of elements may advantageously comprise a plurality of different elements. In particular, the collection of elements may include a variety of different support structures, seekers, electronics, warheads, and / or drive and steering modules. In addition, the collection of elements may include a variety of different fillers. This makes it possible, according to the modular principle, to assemble a guided missile adapted to a specific mission. In this case, the production of the missile by the possibility of assembling the individual components and the subsequent surrounding at least the support structure with a filler material is very simple and low in effort.

The collection of elements advantageously additionally comprises a shape for inserting at least the support structure. In this case, the mold with the inserted carrier structure can be filled with the filling material. Thus, an outer skin of the missile can be determined by the contour of the shape. In addition, the mold allows the complete filling of gaps of the support structure with the filler material. At the same time, the filling material can be held in its intended position with the mold until the filling material has hardened. Here, the filler material is a fast-setting foam material that cures completely in less than five minutes, more preferably in less than one minute.

Finally, the invention relates to a method for producing a guided missile according to claim 13.

The method comprises the following steps: First, provision is made of a support structure and a seeker head and / or a warhead and / or a sensor module and / or an electronics and / or a drive and steering module. Subsequently, attaching the seeker head, the warhead, the sensor module, the electronics and / or the drive and steering module to the support structure. Finally, the interstices of the support structure are completely filled with a filling material, wherein the filling material is a fast-curing foam material, which cures completely in less than five minutes. In this way, a guided missile can advantageously be manufactured as described above.

Particularly preferably, the step of filling the carrier structure with the filling material comprises the following steps: First, at least the carrier structure is inserted into a mold. With the shape of a particular contour of the outer skin of the missile is specified. Then the mold is filled up with the filling material. In this way, in particular, a filling of all intermediate spaces of the carrier structure with the filling material takes place. The next step is hardening of the filling material. For this purpose, the filling material is advantageously a curable foam material, in particular a rapidly curable foam material, which cures completely in less than five minutes, more preferably in less than one minute. Finally, the mold is removed. Thus, the shape dictates the contour of the outer skin of the missile. At the same time, the mold allows the filling of all intermediate spaces of the carrier structure with the filling material.

The support structure preferably has an interface. The steering missile can be mounted on a weapon carrier via the interface. For this purpose, the interface advantageously allows both an electrical and a mechanical connection.

Figur 1

eine schematische Abbildung eines Lenkflugkörpers gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung, und

Figur 2

eine schematische Abbildung eines Verfahrens zum Herstellen eines Lenkflugkörpers gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung.

The invention will now be described in detail by means of exemplary embodiments with the aid of the attached drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1

a schematic illustration of a missile according to an embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 2

a schematic illustration of a method for producing a missile according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a guided missile 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The guided missile 1 comprises a support structure 2, which serves as a carrier for all other components of the missile 1 is used. The support structure 2 has a first end 11 and a second end 12. The first end 11 and the second end 12 are connected by structural elements 13. In particular, the support structure 2 is cylindrical in the illustrated embodiment of the missile 1, wherein the first end 11 and the second end 12 each correspond to an end face of the cylinder. The structural elements 13 connect on the one hand the first end 11 to the second end 12, on the other hand, a connection of the individual structural elements 13 is present with each other. Furthermore, the support structure 2 has an interface 14, via which a connection to a weapon carrier can be produced. For this purpose, the steering missile 1 is mechanically connected to the weapon carrier via interface 14.

At the first end 11, a seeker 4 of the missile 1 is mounted. At the second end 12 is a drive and steering module 6 (see. FIG. 2 ) appropriate. Between the first end 11 and the second end 12, a warhead 3 and an electronics 5 is mounted. As an alternative to the warhead 3, a sensor module can be attached. In this case, the guided missile 1 is intended for a reconnaissance flight. Furthermore, it is provided that within the support structure 2, a wiring 8 is provided, with the electronics 5, the seeker 4, the warhead 3 and the drive and steering module 6 (see. FIG. 2 ) are electrically connected to each other. Thus, the electronics 5 can issue control commands to all components of the guided missile 1 in order to ensure safe and reliable operation of the guided missile 1. Furthermore, the steering missile 1 is electrically connected to the weapon carrier via the interface 14.

In particular, the seeker 4 may be an infrared seeker, a TV seeker, a radar seeker, a 3D seeker, and / or a mixed seeker. The warhead may in particular be a penetrator, a shaped charge, a fragmentation charge or a gas charge. It is also possible to dispense with a charge and to use a sensor module, in which case the guided missile 1 has only a reconnaissance function and no active function. In particular, the electronics 5 may be a GPS system, a low precision inertial navigation system, a high precision inertial navigation system, or a combination of GPS and Inertialnavigationssystem, wherein the Inertialnavigationssystem can each have a low or high precision. A power supply can be included in the electronics as well as in the steering module. The drive and steering modules 6 can in particular be such modules for a short range, for a medium range or for a high range. Finally, various carrier structures 2 may be provided, the different carrier structures 2 permitting connection to different weapon carriers. It can thus be seen that the guided missile 1 can be assembled according to a modular principle from different modules, so that a large variation of different missiles 1 can be produced in a simple and cost-effective manner. Particularly advantageously, the manufacture of the guided missile 1 can take place shortly before the actual deployment of the guided missile 1, so that it can be decided until shortly before deployment which steering missile configuration is the most promising for the currently pending mission.

The guided missile 1 also has a filling material 10. With the filling material 10, all intermediate spaces of the support structure 2, in particular all interspaces between the first end 11 and the second end 12, filled. The filling material 10 is for this purpose advantageously a curable foam, wherein the foam between the first end 11 and the second end 12 can be introduced, so that the foam between the first end 11 and the second end 12 of the support structure 2 hardens, whereby all spaces between the support structure. 2 between the first end 11 and the second end 12 are filled with the filling material 10. The filling material 10 thus represents a protection at least of the warhead 3 and the electronics 5 from external influences. Thus, the warhead 3 and the electronics 5 need no additional protective measures to protect these components from external influences. On the one hand, this simplifies the manufacture of the electronics 5 and of the warhead 3 and, on the other hand, permits a reduction in the weight of the guided missile 1.

An outer skin 9 of the guided missile 1 at least in the region of the carrier structure 2 is advantageously formed by the filling material 10. Particularly advantageously, the outer skin 9 is additionally formed by an outer surface of the structural elements 13.

By forming the outer skin 9 by the filling material 10, a shape of the outer skin 9 can be fixed differently, so that by applying the filling material 10, the outer skin 9 can be adapted to different conditions on the guided missile 1. The different conditions may in particular be those with regard to buoyancy, drag coefficient, in particular the air brakes, wings or stub wings.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a method for producing a guided missile 1, in particular of the guided missile 1 as in FIG. 1 shown. In particular, a collection of elements is used, the collection of elements comprising a plurality of support structures 2, warheads 3, seekers 4, electronics 5, and / or drive and steering modules 6. For this purpose, the individual elements can be used as they are related to FIG. 1 have been described.

The inventive method is divided into several steps. In a first step, provision is made of a carrier structure 2. In particular, the selection of a carrier structure 2 from the collection of elements takes place, wherein the carrier structure 2 is selected, in particular, according to a weapon carrier, with which the guided missile 1 to be manufactured is to be used. Thus, the individual carrier structures 2 from the collection of elements are adapted to different weapon carrier systems.

After providing 100 of the support structure 2 is an attachment 200 of the seeker 4, the electronics 5, the drive and steering module 6 and in particular the warhead 3. As described above, instead of the warhead 3, an additional sensor module are used to a guided missile 1 for To receive educational purposes. The mounting step 200 advantageously also includes a test of the missile 1 so that faulty components can be identified. Since no filling material 10 has yet been introduced at this point in time, it is easy to remove individual components, in particular defective components, and optionally to replace them with functioning components.

In a last step, filling 300 of spaces between the carrier structure 2 with a filling material takes place. For this purpose, at least the support structure 2 is inserted into a mold 7, the mold 7 completely enclosing the support structure 2. Subsequently, the mold 7 is filled with the filling material 10. The filling material 10 is for this purpose in particular a hardenable foam material, so that the filling material 10 can be easily introduced into all spaces between the first end 11 and the second end 12 of the support structure 2. Subsequently, the filling material 10 is held in the mold 7 until the filling material 10 is completely cured. This is advantageously after a maximum of five minutes, especially after a maximum of one minute, the case. Finally, particularly advantageously, an annealing step takes place in which the filling material 10 is kept above a predefined temperature for a predefined time. In this way maximum strength is achieved.

At the same time, a contour of the outer skin 9 of the guided missile 1 can be predetermined with the form 7. Thus, it is preferably provided that the collection of elements comprises a plurality of different shapes 7, wherein during the filling step 300 a shape 7 adapted to the mission of the guided missile 1 is selected.

After removing the mold 7, the guided missile 1 is completed and ready for use. It can be seen that the guided missile 1 can be manufactured quickly and optimally adapted to the mission by the modular design. In addition, it is ensured by the filling material 10 that all components of the guided missile 1 are protected against external influences.

In summary, the invention eliminates the need for component housings. Thus, complicated support structures and the manufacture of an outer shell are simplified by the simple application of the filling material, in particular the curable foam. This means that the individual components of the guided missile 1 are protected from all environmental influences by the enveloping foam as filling material. In addition, a full-volume structure is created so that the guided missile 1 is very stable is trained. In particular, no cavities are present within the guided missile 1, particularly preferably within the carrier structure 2. A final contour of the outer skin 9 of the guided missile 1 is determined by the contour of the mold 7, in which the filling with the filling material 10 takes place. Thus, the outer skin 9 is determined by the inner surface of the mold 7.

• Komponenten:
  • Schutz der Komponenten vor Vibrationseinflüssen, Wärmeeinflüssen, Schalleinflüssen und elektromagnetischen Einflüssen
  • Wegfall von aufwendigen Komponentengehäusen
  • einfache Gestaltung der Komponenten, insbesondere der Elektroniken, die als einfache Platinen ausgeführt sein können
  • Gewichtsersparnis
• Trägerstruktur:
  • Versteifung der Trägerstruktur durch vollvolumige Ausschäumung mit dem Füllmaterial
  • Schutz des Flugkörpers vor Vibrationseinflüssen, Wärmeeinflüssen, Schalleinfüssen und elektromagnetischen Einflüssen
  • vereinfachte Trägerstruktur
  • Gewichtsersparnis
• Außenhülle:
  • Schutz des Flugkörpers vor äußeren Umwelteinflüssen wie Wärme und Feuchtigkeit
  • einfache Gestaltung der Aerodynamik
  • komplexe Oberflächenformen können einfach und kostengünstig hergestellt werden
  • Gewichtsersparnis
• Fertigungsverfahren:
  • schnell
  • kostengünstig
  • wenig Werkzeuge
  • sehr hohe Genauigkeit aufgrund der Form, in der das Füllmaterial eingebracht wird

The manufacturing method according to the invention offers the following advantages:

• components:
  • Protection of components from vibration, heat, noise and electromagnetic influences
  • Elimination of complex component housings
  • simple design of the components, in particular the electronics, which can be designed as simple boards
  • weight savings
• Support structure:
  • Stiffening of the support structure by full-volume foaming with the filler
  • Protection of the missile against vibration, heat, noise and electromagnetic influences
  • simplified carrier structure
  • weight savings
• Outer shell:
  • Protection of the missile against external environmental influences such as heat and moisture
  • simple design of the aerodynamics
  • complex surface shapes can be easily and inexpensively manufactured
  • weight savings
• Production methods:
  • fast
  • economical
  • few tools
  • very high accuracy due to the shape in which the filler material is introduced

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Missile

2

support structure

3

warhead

4

seeker

5

electronics

6

Drive and steering module

7

shape

8th

cabling

9

shell

10

filling material

11

first end

12

second end

13

structural element

14

Interface to the weapon carrier

Claims (15)

1. Guided missile (1) comprising a support structure (2), a seeker head (4) and/or a warhead (3) and/or a sensor module and/or electronics (5) and/or a drive and steering module (6) being attached to the support structure (2), all gaps in the support structure (2) being completely filled in with a filler material (10), the filler material (10) being a fast-setting foam material which sets completely in less than five minutes.
2. Guided missile (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that at least the warhead (3) and/or the sensor module and/or the electronics (5) are enclosed, in particular completely, by the filler material (10).
3. Guided missile (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support structure (2) has a first end (11) and a second end (12), structural elements (13) connecting the first end (11) and the second end (12).
4. Guided missile (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the seeker head is attached to the first end (11) on the side of the support structure (2) opposite the second end (12).
5. Guided missile (1) according to either claim 3 or claim 4, characterised in that the drive and steering module (6) is attached to the second end (12) on the side of the support structure (2) opposite the first end (11).
6. Guided missile (1) according to any of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the warhead (3) and/or the sensor module and/or the electronics (5) are attached between the first end (11) and the second end (12) of the support structure (2).
7. Guided missile (1) according to any of claims 3 to 6, characterised in that all gaps between the first end (11) and the second end (12) of the carrier structure (2) are filled in with the filler material (10).
8. Guided missile (1) according to any of claims 3 to 7, characterised in that an outer skin (9) of the guided missile (1) is formed between the first end (11) and the second end (12) by the filler material (10) and in particular an outer surface of the structural elements (13).
9. Guided missile (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support structure (2) contains wiring (8) of the guided missile (1).
10. Guided missile (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised by an interface (14) which is attached in particular to the support structure (2), it being possible to establish a mechanical and electrical connection to a weapons carrier via the interface (14).
11. Collection of elements, comprising a support structure (2), as well as a seeker head (4) and/or electronics (5) and/or a warhead (3) and/or a sensor module and/or a drive and steering module (6), as well as a filler material (10), the seeker head (4), the warhead (3), the sensor module, the electronics (5) and/or the drive and steering module (6) being attachable to the carrier structure (2), and all gaps in the support structure (2) being completely fillable with the filler material (10), the collection being configured so as to produce a guided missile (1) according to any of the preceding claims, the filler material (10) being a fast-setting foam material which sets completely in less than five minutes.
12. Collection of elements according to claim 11, characterised by a mould (7) for laying at least the support structure (2) in, the mould (7) with the laid-in support structure (2) being fillable with the filler material (10).
13. Method for manufacturing a guided missile (1), comprising the steps of:

    - providing (100) a support structure (2), as well as a seeker head (4) and/or a warhead (3) and/or a sensor module and/or electronics (5) and/or a drive and steering module (6),

    - attaching (200) the seeker head (4), the warhead (3), the sensor module, the electronics (5) and/or the drive and steering module (6) to the support structure (2), and

    - completely filling (300) in all gaps in the support structure (2) with a filler material (10), the filler material (10) being a fast-setting foam material which sets completely in less than five minutes.
14. Method according to claim 13, characterised in that the step of filling in (300) comprises:

    - laying at least the support structure (2) in a mould (7),

    - filling the mould (7) with the filler material (10),

    - setting the filler material (10), and

    - removing the mould (7).
15. Method according to either claim 13 or claim 14, characterised in that an outline of the outer skin (9) of the guided missile (1) can be fixed, at least around the support structure (2), using the mould (7).

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