Pressure relief fins for improved roll control of precision projectiles

US10852111B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army · US

Inventors

• Thomas Recchia · Succasunna, US
• Yin Chen · West Milford, US
• Mitchell Stolk · Florham Park, US
• David Hosier · Hopatcong, US
• Sarah Hunt · Hopatcong, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 26, 2018
• Grant date: Dec 1, 2020
• Expiry date: Nov 26, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F42B10/64
• WIPO field: Other special machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Pressure relief holes are sized and positioned on each fin of a projectile to allow high pressure from one side of the fin due to canard and fin interaction to bleed to a low pressure area on the opposite side of the fin. The location of the pressure relief holes target pressure differences due to canard roll control downwash while not affecting pressure differences due to projectile attitude. The fin planform area remains small enough to meet packaging and fire requirements for this type of munition and large enough to aerodynamically stabilize the airframe thereby enabling a more robust pitch and yaw autopilot design.