An ammunition cartridge for a gun is optically initiated by a mechanism wholly within the cartridge case itself. The case has as optical primer initiation means producing light fluence to ignite a primer, which ignited primer may in turn ignite into a flashtube, and which ignited flashtube may in turn ignite a bed of propellant in said cartridge. The optical primer initiation means may be an LED, a laser diode, a VCSEL, or some other light emitting device in general. The cartridge optically initiated primer package is so sized and made electrically and mechanically seamlessly physically compatible with current ammunition cartridges such that these new cartridges are completely interchangeable. If the cartridge primer initiation means is of a percussion type, the cartridge is adapted to include an in-line piezoelectric crystal so that electrical power will be generated when the cartridge assembly is struck by a firing pin during percussion type operations; the power is then used to initiate the light emitting device.

An ammunition cartridge for a gun is optically initiated by a mechanism wholly within the cartridge case itself. The case has as optical primer initiation means producing light fluence to ignite an optical sensitive mix, which ignited optical sensitive mix may in turn ignite into a flashtube, and which ignited flashtube may in turn ignite a bed of propellant in said cartridge. The optical primer initiation means may be an LED, a laser diode, a VCSEL, or some other light emitting device in general. The cartridge optically initiated primer package is so sized and made electrically and mechanically seamlessly physically compatible with current ammunition cartridges such that these new cartridges are completely interchangeable. If the cartridge primer initiation means is of a percussion type, the cartridge is adapted to include an in-line piezoelectric crystal so that electrical power will be generated when the cartridge assembly is struck by a firing pin during percussion type operations; the power is then used to initiate the light emitting device.

An ammunition cartridge for a gun is optically initiated by a mechanism wholly within the cartridge case itself. The case has as optical primer initiation means producing light fluence to ignite an optical sensitive mix, which ignited optical sensitive mix may in turn ignite into a flashtube, and which ignited flashtube may in turn ignite a bed of propellant in said cartridge. The optical primer initiation means may be an LED, a laser diode, a VCSEL, or some other light emitting device in general. The cartridge optically initiated primer package is so sized and made electrically and mechanically seamlessly physically compatible with current ammunition cartridges such that these new cartridges are completely interchangeable. If the cartridge primer initiation means is of a percussion type, the cartridge is adapted to include an in-line piezoelectric crystal so that electrical power will be generated when the cartridge assembly is struck by a firing pin during percussion type operations; the power is then used to initiate the light emitting device.

The invention relates to an electromechanical primer cap, having an explosive mixture for the selective electrical or mechanical initiation of the explosive mixture, having an outer metal cup, and electrically conductive pole piece, a firing bridge support body made of an electrically insulating material, with a through-bore, on the upper side of which a firing bridge is arranged, and having a counter surface placed onto the explosive mixture, wherein a hole through which the pole piece protrudes is constructed in the vase of the metal cup. A portion of the explosive mixture lies on a contact surface of the pole piece, and the counter surface protrudes as far as the through-bore of the firing bridge support body, or into or through the bore, and continues to just above the contact surface.

The invention relates to an electromechanical primer cap, having an explosive mixture for the selective electrical or mechanical initiation of the explosive mixture, having an outer metal cup, and electrically conductive pole piece, a firing bridge support body made of an electrically insulating material, with a through-bore, on the upper side of which a firing bridge is arranged, and having a counter surface placed onto the explosive mixture, wherein a hole through which the pole piece protrudes is constructed in the vase of the metal cup. A portion of the explosive mixture lies on a contact surface of the pole piece, and the counter surface protrudes as far as the through-bore of the firing bridge support body, or into or through the bore, and continues to just above the contact surface.

An ammunition cartridge for a gun is optically initiated by a mechanism wholly within the cartridge case itself. The case has as optical primer initiation means producing light fluence to ignite a primer, which ignited primer may in turn ignite into a flashtube, and which ignited flashtube may in turn ignite a bed of propellant in said cartridge. The optical primer initiation means may be an LED, a laser diode, a VCSEL, or some other light emitting device in general. The cartridge optically initiated primer package is so sized and made electrically and mechanically seamlessly physically compatible with current ammunition cartridges such that these new cartridges are completely interchangeable. If the cartridge primer initiation means is of a percussion type, the cartridge is adapted to include an in-line piezoelectric crystal so that electrical power will be generated when the cartridge assembly is struck by a firing pin during percussion type operations; the power is then used to initiate the light emitting device.

An ammunition cartridge for a gun is optically initiated by a mechanism wholly within the cartridge case itself. The case has as optical primer initiation means producing light fluence to ignite a primer, which ignited primer may in turn ignite into a flashtube, and which ignited flashtube may in turn ignite a bed of propellant in said cartridge. The optical primer initiation means may be an LED, a laser diode, a VCSEL, or some other light emitting device in general. The cartridge optically initiated primer package is so sized and made electrically and mechanically seamlessly physically compatible with current ammunition cartridges such that these new cartridges are completely interchangeable. If the cartridge primer initiation means is of a percussion type, the cartridge is adapted to include an in-line piezoelectric crystal so that electrical power will be generated when the cartridge assembly is struck by a firing pin during percussion type operations; the power is then used to initiate the light emitting device.

A hybrid primer device comprising electric primer and chemical primer housed in a percussion cap. The electrical primer comprises single pin or plurality of electrode pin pair. Each electrode pair comprises of at least one anode and cathode pin which are insulated and arranged at predetermined distance from central axis. The length of each pair of anode and cathode pins varies to help create multiple trigger points across the length of the cartridge. The chemical primer provides ignition of propellant in absence of the electric power. Application of high voltage electric pulse across the electrodes generates electric arcs between the pairs at multiple points inside cartridge resulting in instantaneous combustion of the propellant creating a high pressure in the cartridge case which improves the projectile's performance. The electric arcs generated will continue even after the chemical primer is exhausted thus enabling primer to continuously burn the propellant ensuring complete combustion.