Aeronautics and astronautics – Missile stabilization or trajectory control – Automatic guidance
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-04
2001-10-09
Barefoot, Galen L. (Department: 3644)
Aeronautics and astronautics
Missile stabilization or trajectory control
Automatic guidance
C244S003270, C244S049000, C244S075100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299101
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an adjusting apparatus for control surfaces of a missile, wherein the control surfaces are displaceable by adjusting motors by way of thrust spindles and the adjusting motors are disposed in a carrier housing arranged in the missile tail.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
An adjusting apparatus of that kind is described in DE 43 35 785 A1. In that case the adjusting motors are provided with their own housings and are supported in swinging or oscillating relationship on the carrier housing. That structure requires a comparatively large amount of space.
A further adjusting apparatus for control fins or rudders of a steerable missile is described in DE 34 41 533 C2. That arrangement involves an advantageous coupling device between the control fin and a linear adjusting member. The coupling device can be pre-set by means of a setting device.
A support arrangement for the pivotable rudder blade of a steerable missile, in particular a missile which can be fired by means of propellent charge gas pressure, is known from DE 34 41 534 A1.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to propose an adjusting apparatus of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, of a particularly compact structure.
In accordance with the invention the foregoing object is attained in that the stators of the motors are arranged directly in the carrier housing and that the thrust spindle engages into a female screwthread of the motor shaft.
As the stators of the adjusting motors are installed in the carrier housing itself, there is no need for specific motor housings, and that signifies a saving in space and a reduction in weight. Two adjusting motors with parallel axes can be installed in mutually juxtaposed relationship even in a constricted missile tail There is therefore no need for the adjusting motors to be arranged in the tail in staggered relationship in the longitudinal direction, which would increase the structural length involved. The one adjusting motor serves to displace one pair of control surfaces and the other adjusting motor serves to displace the other pair.
A short structural length is also made possible because the thrust spindles engage into female screwthreads of the motor shafts. The compact structure involved here is linked to a reduction in weight. The extremely compact and light adjusting apparatus is suitable in particular for a projectile which can be fired by a propellent charge (mortar projectile) and which has control fins or rudders.
A short structural length for the adjusting apparatus is further encouraged by the fact that the female screwthread into which the thrust spindle engages is disposed within a rolling bearing supporting the motor shaft.
In an embodiment of the invention the carrier housing is so designed that, arranged in the tail region, it supports the tail region of the missile in relation to radial forces, in particular gas pressure forces. As a result a reduced wall thickness for the tail region is sufficient, thereby making it possible to save weight and to afford an installation space of increased internal diameter.
In order to make the adjusting apparatus particularly capable of withstanding acceleration, the inner race and the outer race of a rolling bearing supporting the motor shaft are supported in the carrier housing in the event of launch acceleration of the missile. Preferably a disc is provided for that purpose in the carrier housing.
The adjusting apparatus is also immune to acceleration phenomena by virtue of the fact that the motor is a brush-less motor.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3154015 (1964-10-01), Muller
patent: 4037806 (1977-07-01), Hirsch et al.
patent: 4438893 (1984-03-01), Sands et al.
patent: 5393011 (1995-02-01), Dunn et al.
patent: 5467940 (1995-11-01), Steuer
patent: 5528092 (1996-06-01), Ohta
patent: 5593109 (1997-01-01), Williams
patent: 6073880 (2000-06-01), Voigt et al.
patent: 34 41 534 A1 (1986-05-01), None
patent: 34 41 533 C2 (1989-07-01), None
patent: 43 35 785 A1 (1995-04-01), None
patent: 36 13 539 C1 (1997-05-01), None
Dommer Josef
Schroppel Werner
Barefoot Galen L.
Diehl Munitionssysteme GmbH & Co. KG
Scully Scott Murphy & Presser
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