Electrically initiated distributed igniter
US6363853B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 17, 1999 |
| Grant date | Apr 2, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 17, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF42B5/08
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An electrically initiated distributed igniter (EIDI) system combines most of the advantages of conventional pyrotechnic igniters with those of ETC planar igniters without the disadvantages of either. The EIDI system lends itself to precise timing control of multiple electric circuits, embedded charge ignition, and other design advantages to be discussed here. The EIDI system utilizes discrete igniter pads which require only a few millijoules of energy each and are quite small in size, about 3 mm in diameter. As a result, the igniters can be used in very large numbers to give good spatial distribution, even for smaller 25 to 40 mm diameter gun charge designs. Energy requirements are so minimal that small disposable firing capacitors and semi-conductor switches can be pre-packaged inside the casing along with the propellant and igniters. This allows multiple igniter firing circuits, used to control the explosion of the main propellant, to be reliably packaged with the charge and firing information, which is energized via a single breech connection. Also related to the low energy requirements of this concept, power requirements are small enough to be delivered by the same 24 v dc firi…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.