Projectile guidance system including a compact semi-active laser seeker with immersed filter stack and field lens
US8188411B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 21, 2009 |
| Grant date | May 29, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 5, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B3/0068
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A compact SAL seeker for a projectile guidance system comprises an optical sub-assembly to focus incident electro-magnetic radiation (EMR) such that target bearing in object space is mapped to a spatial irradiance in image space and a detector sub-assembly to generate at least one guidance signal in response to the position of the centroid of the focused EMR. The optical sub-assembly includes an integrated filter stack of a primary optical element, a spreader, a filter and secondary optical element in which at least one and typically both of the spreader and filter are immersed within the optical media of the stack. The detector sub-assembly may include a field lens in which the detector is immersed. Immersion reduces the number of “air-to-glass” interfaces, hence improves optical throughput. The detector sub-assembly may be integrally formed with a mounting bracket adapted to mate with mounting features on the optical sub-assembly to provide a self-aligned seeker.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.