Ammunition and explosives – Igniting devices and systems – Arming devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-20
2001-10-30
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3641)
Ammunition and explosives
Igniting devices and systems
Arming devices
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308631
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is micromechanical device on the order of 100 &mgr;m to 10 mm for translating force normal to a plane into motion along said plane. Throughout the remainder of this application, the term vertical means approximately normal to a plane and the term horizontal means approximately parallel or approximately along the plane of a substrate of the device described herein. More particularly, the device receives a vertical force and translates the energy from that force for use in the horizontal plane. The device can easily be employed as part of a micro-actuator system.
2. Description Of The Related Art
Many products manufactured today require the use of micromechanical devices in order to meet size and weight requirements. Many of these micromechanical devices are used as actuators or trigger mechanisms that apply forces to a multitude of components in order for the products to function. These devices are extremely small, on the order of 100 &mgr;m to 10 mm, and are normally manufactured on a flat substrate or “chip.” In order for these micromechanical devices to function as actuators, a force must be applied to the devices so they, in turn, can apply this force to the mechanism they are designed to actuate. Current devices use a myriad of forces to accomplish this task including electrostatic forces, magnetic forces, and gravitational forces.
Because of the sizes at issue, the devices normally operate in the horizontal plane along the substrate upon which they are manufactured. Therefore, these devices exert the required forces along the substrate in order to obtain the required result from the device.
However, due to the design of certain machinery and equipment, it is sometimes far more effective or efficient to apply the required forces to the chip vertically. But in order for vertical forces to be useful along the substrate, one must convert the vertical motion resulting from the vertical force into horizontal motion. One example of equipment wherein applying vertical forces to a horizontal microactuator would be more effective and efficient is munitions used by the military. Because of weight and energy restrictions in munitions, micromechanical devices have been incorporated to arm the munitions. However, the optimum design of these munitions places the substrate of the micromechanical device in a horizontal position. When the munitions are fired or launched, a large amount of vertical force occurs throughout the munitions. This vertical force cannot be used to engage the micromechanical device in current systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention consists of a micromechanical device for translating vertical force to horizontal movement, comprising a substrate having a surface, a recess formed within the surface, having a wide section with an opening formed coplaner to the surface, with at least one side wall extending at an angle of about 90° or less from the opening of the wide section, and at least one narrow section extending from the wide section through the side wall, and, at least one structural member comprising a mass proximate to the side wall, the mass wider than the narrow section of the recess and sufficiently narrow to at least partially enter the wide section of the recess, a positioning system attached to the mass and aligned proximate to the narrow section of the recess, means for exerting a horizontal force on the mass, approximately coplaner with the surface, attached to the positioning system, and, means for exerting a vertical force on the mass, approximately perpendicular to the surface, sufficient to force the mass along the side wall, thereby engaging the horizontal force means.
The invention also includes of a method for arming a warhead, comprising the steps of inserting means for igniting the warhead within the warhead, inserting a micromechanical device such as that translates vertical movement to horizontal movement within the warhead comprising a substrate having a surface, a recess formed within the surface, having a wide section with an opening formed coplaner to the surface, with at least one side wall extending at an angle of about 90° or less from the opening of the wide section, and at least one narrow section extending from the wide section through the first side wall, and, at least one structural member comprising a mass proximate to the side wall, the mass wider than the narrow section of the recess and sufficiently narrow to at least partially enter the wide section of the recess, a positioning system attached to the mass and aligned proximate to the narrow section of the recess, means for exerting a horizontal force on the mass, approximately coplaner with the surface, attached to the positioning system, sufficient to align the structural member to engage the ignition means, and, launching the warhead to provide a vertical force, approximately perpendicular to the surface, sufficient to move the mass along the side wall, thereby engaging the horizontal force means wherein alignment of the structural member results in ignition.
The invention still further consists of micro horizontal movement translated from a vertical force applied to the surface of a substrate produced from the process comprising the steps of forming a micro recess within the surface, having a wide section with an opening formed coplaner to the surface, with at least one side wall extending at an angle of about 90° or less from the opening of the wide section, and at least one narrow section extending from the wide section through the side wall, placing at least one structural member proximate to the micro recess comprising a mass proximate to the side wall, the mass wider than the narrow section of the recess and sufficiently narrow to at least partially enter the wide section of the recess, a positioning system attached to the mass and aligned proximate to the narrow section of the recess, and, means for exerting a horizontal force on the mass, approximately coplaner with the surface, attached to the positioning system, and, exerting a vertical force on the mass, approximately perpendicular to the surface, sufficient to force the mass along the side wall, thereby engaging the horizontal force means.
Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide a micromechanical device that translates a vertical force into horizontal movement.
It is a further object of this invention to produce a micromechanical device that can use the vertical force produced by a munition, missile, or warhead upon lift-off in order to arm said munition, missile, or warhead.
This invention accomplishes these objectives and other needs requiring translation of vertical force to horizontal movement on the micro scale.
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Fan Lawrence
Smith Gabriel L.
Homer Mark
Jordan Charles T.
Lofdahl Jordan
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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