Aeronautics and astronautics – Missile stabilization or trajectory control – Automatic guidance
Patent
1983-01-20
1986-03-04
Jordan, Charles T.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Missile stabilization or trajectory control
Automatic guidance
102503, F41G 700
Patent
active
045736480
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present invention is related to commonly-assigned and copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 489,662.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is directed to the field of missile control systems and more specifically to the area of projectile steering through the use of lateral thrust steering ports.
BACKGROUND ART
Prior art techniques for providing steering control of projectiles and self-propelled missiles often employ side mounted thrust ports connected through adjustable control valves to self-contained sources of highly pressurized gases. Conventionally, such sources are either common to the fuel source that propels the missile or, in the case of fired projectiles, are separately ignited by an auxiliary device and dedicated to the steering function. Examples of the common fuel source missile steering techniques are shown in British Pat. No. 539,224; U.S. Pat. NO. 3,139,725 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,210,937. An example of a separate fuel source for lateral steering is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,334.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is presently configured for use in the forward portion of a projectile type missile to provide controlled lateral thrust steering.
Lateral steering control is an important feature in projectile guidance systems. In such systems, each projectile is fired from a gun towards a target and is guided to the target via an informational beam of energy radiated from a source, usually at the firing location. The informational beam contains locational codes by which the projectile, upon receipt of a particular code, will compute appropriate steering commands to correct the flight path. An example of a guidance system utilizing an informational beam is illustrated in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,899.
The present invention utilizes ram air for thermodynamic ignition of a solid fuel and provides means for selectively diverting the resulting combustion gases to one or more lateral thrust steering ports. The diverting means, in this instance, comprises a controllable vane that is rotatably mounted to block one or the other of two oppositely disposed ports or to allow equal passage of the combustion gases to both ports. The vane position is controlled by electrical signals derived by an associated circuit within the projectile. Although the circuit is not shown as part of the invention, its function is to provide appropriate signals to control the vane position in accordance with the steering correction information in the informational beam and vertical reference information derived on-board. A roll reference sensor, such as that shown in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,328,938, is appropriate to provide the necessary vertical reference information to the circuit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational corss-section view of the forward portion of a projectile incorporating the present invention.
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the diverting valve of the present invention positioned to provide downward steering thrust for the projectile shown in FIG. 1.
FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate the diverting valve of the present invention positioned to provide equal and opposite lateral thrust for the projectile shown in FIG. 1.
FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate the diverting valve of the present invention positioned to provide upward steering thrust for the projectile shown in FIG. 1.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The forward end of a projectile 10 is shown in FIG. 1 in elevational cross-section. The forward end includes a nose member 12 that is symmetrically formed to contain the preferred embodiment. The nose member includes a ram air inlet 14 that opens to a diffusion chamber 16.
During flight, high velocity air enters through the inlet 14 at the forward end of the diffusion chamber 16 where velocity energy of the ram air is converted into pressure energy, thereby raising the temperature. For example, a projectile of this configuration traveling at approximately Mach 3 will have ram air raised to a tem
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Frazer Alson C.
Morenus Richard C.
Ford Aerospace and Communications Corp.
Godwin Jr. Paul K.
Jordan Charles T.
Sanborn Robert D.
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