An electromagnetic launcher with a curved or spiral-shaped, open-ended guideway and conductors for launching a projectile. The projectile, movably retained on or within the guideway, is accelerated along the guideway using electromagnetic forces until it reaches an end of the guideway, then the projectile is launched in a desired direction. The direction of the launch of the projectile is determined by orienting the guideway in the desired direction using an actuator.

A system using Faraday's law to rapidly direct convert the kinetic energy of a magnetized and/or conducting projectile into usable electrical energy. The system includes a barrel comprising a bore; a circuit including a plurality of electrically conductive components distributed along a length of the bore; and a projectile comprising at least one of a conductive material or a magnetic material magnetically coupled to the electrically conductive components when the projectile is moving along the length of the bore. The circuit stores energy generated from an electric current induced in the electrically conductive components when the projectile moving along the length of the bore causes a magnetic interaction between the electrically conductive components and the magnetic material or the conductive material. The magnetic interaction also causes braking of the projectile.

In an example, an apparatus includes a cryogenic container configured to store a cryogenic fluid, a superconducting coil disposed within the cryogenic container, and an outer casing surrounding at least a lateral surface area of the cryogenic container. The apparatus is configured such that, while the superconducting coil is carrying a current, is in a superconducting state, and is being cooled by the cryogenic fluid stored in the cryogenic container, an outward magnetic pressure is imposed on the cryogenic container and the outer casing. The cryogenic container and the outer casing are configured to withstand the outward magnetic pressure for at least a predetermined period of time, including while the superconducting coil is being charged to the superconducting state. An occurrence of a trigger event while the outward magnetic pressure is being imposed causes the cryogenic container and the outer casing to expand and burst into radially-dispersed fragments.

In an example, an apparatus includes a cryogenic container configured to store a cryogenic fluid, a superconducting coil disposed within the cryogenic container, and an outer casing surrounding at least a lateral surface area of the cryogenic container. The apparatus is configured such that, while the superconducting coil is carrying a current, is in a superconducting state, and is being cooled by the cryogenic fluid stored in the cryogenic container, an outward magnetic pressure is imposed on the cryogenic container and the outer casing. The cryogenic container and the outer casing are configured to withstand the outward magnetic pressure for at least a predetermined period of time, including while the superconducting coil is being charged to the superconducting state. An occurrence of a trigger event while the outward magnetic pressure is being imposed causes the cryogenic container and the outer casing to expand and burst into radially-dispersed fragments.

An electromagnetic accelerator system may include a barrel defining a bore through which an acceleration path extends. An electromagnetic coil may be positioned around the barrel such that the acceleration path extends through a core of the electromagnetic coil. A first electrical contact may be positioned along the acceleration path approximately within the core of the electromagnetic coil and electrically coupled to the electromagnetic coil. A second electrical contact may position along the acceleration path approximately within the core of the electromagnetic coil and spaced apart from the first electrical contact. The second electrical contact may be electrically coupleable to the first electrical contact to complete a circuit when a projectile to be accelerated is positioned therebetween.

An electromagnetic launcher with a curved or spiral-shaped, open-ended guideway and conductors for launching a projectile. The projectile, movably retained on or within the guideway, is accelerated along the guideway using electromagnetic forces until it reaches an end of the guideway, then the projectile is launched in a desired direction. The direction of the launch of the projectile is determined by orienting the guideway in the desired direction using an actuator.

A device (100) for firing a projectile at a target body, in particular a fluid projectile or solid projectile, comprises a hand-held unit (100) for firing the projectile, the hand-held unit (100) comprises a propulsion drive (114) for accelerating the projectile and a distance measuring device (112) for measuring a distance between the hand-held unit (100) and the target body. The device (100) also comprises an energy store (120) for operating the propulsion drive (114), the propulsion drive (114) comprising a control unit (115), whereby the propulsion (114) is controllable in dependence on the distance measured.

A device (100) for firing a projectile at a target body, in particular a fluid projectile or solid projectile, comprises a hand-held unit (100) for firing the projectile, the hand-held unit (100) comprises a propulsion drive (114) for accelerating the projectile and a distance measuring device (112) for measuring a distance between the hand-held unit (100) and the target body. The device (100) also comprises an energy store (120) for operating the propulsion drive (114), the propulsion drive (114) comprising a control unit (115), whereby the propulsion (114) is controllable in dependence on the distance measured.

An exhaust system for a combustion engine vehicle includes an exhaust pipe extending between an exhaust inlet disposed opposite an exhaust outlet. The exhaust inlet and exhaust outlet are in fluidic communication with one another. The exhaust inlet is configured to receive an exhaust gas produced by an internal combustion engine of the combustion engine vehicle. A second pipe has an air inlet extending from and connected to the exhaust pipe. The second pipe is configured to be in fluidic communication with the exhaust outlet. The air inlet is configured to receive an outside flow of air. The exhaust gas from the combustion engine vehicle and the outside flow of air captured by the air inlet when the combustion engine vehicle is moving forward are configured to be combined and to cooperatively exit out the exhaust outlet.

An EM driver for accelerating an object may be configured as an EM rifle for accelerating, rotating to spin-stabilize, and releasing a projectile. A core includes a stator coil, forward and reverse coils, a railed shaft, and a transfer shaft. The stator coil generates a first EM field, and the forward and reverse coils generate second and third EM fields which interact with the first EM field to accelerate the armature in forward and reverse directions, respectively. The railed shaft is elongated along a central axis through the armature and includes multiple rails arranged helically around a central shaft. The armature remains in contact with the rails during acceleration so as to impart a turning motion. The transfer shaft is physically coupled with and projects forwardly from the armature and transfers to the projectile the acceleration and the turning motion of the armature in the forward direction.