Projectile diverter release and method of diverting a projectile

Abstract

A diverter for changing the trajectory of a projectile includes a release mechanism that extends along a longitudinal axis between first and second ends. A mass is coupled to the first end, and the second end is coupled to the projectile. The release mechanism includes a groove and an explosive charge. The groove is disposed between the first and second ends and cinctures the longitudinal axis. The explosive charge is disposed along the longitudinal axis between the groove and the second end.

1 . A diverter for a projectile, comprising:
 a mass; and   a release mechanism extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end coupled to the mass and a second end configured to couple to the projectile, the release mechanism includes—
 a groove disposed between the first and second ends and cincturing the longitudinal axis; and 
 an explosive charge disposed along the longitudinal axis between the groove and the second end. 
   
     
     
         2 . The diverter according to  claim 1  wherein the release mechanism comprises an unactuated arrangement and an actuated arrangement. 
     
     
         3 . The diverter according to  claim 2 , wherein a time period to transition from the unactuated arrangement and the actuated arrangement is less than 100 microseconds. 
     
     
         4 . The diverter according to  claim 3 , wherein the time period is approximately 50 microseconds. 
     
     
         5 . The diverter according to  claim 2 , wherein, the unactuated arrangement includes the release mechanism retaining the mass on the projectile, and the actuated arrangement includes the release mechanism releasing the mass from the projectile. 
     
     
         6 . The diverter according to  claim 2 , wherein the mass is coupled to the first end in the actuated arrangement and decoupled from the second end in the actuated arrangement. 
     
     
         7 . The diverter according to  claim 1 , wherein the mass and the first end are threadably coupled. 
     
     
         8 . The diverter according to  claim 1 , wherein the mass extends along the longitudinal axis between a fixed end coupled to the first end and a free end disposed along the longitudinal axis between the groove and the second end. 
     
     
         9 . The diverter according to  claim 8 , wherein the free end cinctures the release mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . The diverter according to  claim 9 , further comprising an annular gap between the free end and the release mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . The diverter according to  claim 1 , wherein the release mechanism comprises an explosive bolt. 
     
     
         12 . The diverter mechanism according to  claim 11 , wherein the explosive bolt comprises a first set of screw threads at the first end and a second set of screw threads at the second end. 
     
     
         13 . The diverter according to  claim 1 , wherein the release mechanism further comprises an electrically operated heating element. 
     
     
         14 . The diverter according to  claim 13 , wherein the electrically operated heating element comprises a thin film bridge. 
     
     
         15 . The diverter according to  claim 1 , wherein the explosive charge comprises an ignition charge, a primary explosive material, and a secondary explosive material. 
     
     
         16 . The diverter according to  claim 15 , wherein the release mechanism further comprises an electrically operated heating element configured to ignite the ignition charge, wherein the ignition charge is configured to detonate the primary explosive material, and wherein the primary explosive material is configured to detonate the secondary explosive material. 
     
     
         17 . The diverter according to  claim 1 , wherein the release mechanism comprises a bolt body cincturing a passageway extending along the longitudinal axis from the second end to a closed end, wherein the closed end is disposed between the groove and the second end, and wherein the explosive charge comprises a secondary explosive material pressed against the closed end. 
     
     
         18 . The diverter according to  claim 17 , wherein the secondary explosive material is configured to separate the first and second ends by shock wave interaction at the groove. 
     
     
         19 . The diverter according to  claim 17 , wherein the release mechanism comprises a squib assembly occluding the passageway proximate the second end. 
     
     
         20 . The diverter according to  claim 19 , wherein the squib assembly is hermetically coupled to the bolt body. 
     
     
         21 . The diverter according to  claim 19 , wherein the squib assembly comprises a head body, a plurality of electrical leads extending through an aperture in the head body, and an insulator hermetically sealing the electrical leads and the head body. 
     
     
         22 . The diverter according to  claim 21 , wherein the squib assembly comprises an electrostatic spark discharge gap between the head body and the plurality of electrical leads. 
     
     
         23 . A projectile comprising:
 a body extending along a first axis between a nose and a tail; and   an array of diverters configured to divert a trajectory of the body, wherein individual diverters include an explosive bolt extending along a second axis between a first end having a mass and a second end coupled to the projectile, and wherein the explosive bolt couples the first end to the projectile in an unactuated arrangement and the explosive bolt decouples the first end from the projectile in an actuated arrangement.   
     
     
         24 . The projectile according to  claim 23 , wherein the second axes are non-parallel to the first axis. 
     
     
         25 . The projectile according to  claim 23 , wherein the second axes are approximately perpendicular to the first axis. 
     
     
         26 . The projectile according to  claim 23 , wherein the second axes are non-parallel to the first axis. 
     
     
         27 . The projectile according to  claim 23 , wherein the array of diverters comprise a plurality of diverters having individual second axes disposed at different angular positions about the first axis. 
     
     
         28 . A method of diverting a projectile from a first trajectory to a second trajectory, comprising:
 separating a bolt body coupling a mass to the projectile, wherein an unseparated arrangement of the bolt body retains the mass on the projectile and a separated arrangement of the bolt body releases the mass off the projectile, and wherein separating the bolt body occurs in less than 100 microseconds.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein separating the bolt body occurs in approximately 50 microseconds. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein separating the bolt body comprises detonating an explosive charge between ends of the bolt body. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein separating the bolt body comprises generating shock wave interaction at a groove cincturing the bolt body.