Launch system for a guided missile and a guided missile for such a launch system

Abstract

The present embodiment relates to a guided missile launch system comprising a launch tube with a guided missile space for receiving a guided missile and with a cartridge space for receiving a blank cartridge, further comprising a handle piece mountable on the launch tube and separable from the launch tube, the handle piece having a striking pin system for firing the blank cartridge.

Claims

1. A guided missile launch system comprising: a launch tube having a guided missile space for receiving a guided missile and having a cartridge space for receiving a blank cartridge; and a handle piece mountable on the launch tube and separable from the launch tube, the handle piece having a striking pin system for firing the blank cartridge; wherein the launch tube comprises an opening in which a striking pin element is arranged, wherein the striking pin element protrudes into the guided missile space to accommodate engagement with a firing port of the guided missile, wherein the striking pin element engages the firing port to interlock the guided missile in the launch tube; and wherein the handle piece comprises a gas channel which connects the cartridge space with the striking pin element when the handle piece is mounted on the launch tube.

2. The guided missile launch system of claim 1, wherein the striking pin element comprises a collar through which the striking pin element is fixable in the launch tube.

3. The guided missile launch system of claim 2, wherein the collar is a tear-off element.

4. The guided missile launch system of claim 1, wherein the launch tube comprises an interlock element by which the guided missile is interlockable in the guided missile space.

5. The guided missile launch system of claim 1, wherein a blank cartridge is fixedly provided such that the blank cartridge cannot be removed by a user.

6. A guided missile for use in a guided missile launch system, wherein the guided missile comprises: a firing port configured to receive a striking pin element of the guided missile launch system; wherein the firing port engages the striking pin element to fix the guided missile in a launch tube of the guided missile launch system when the striking pin element is received in the firing port; wherein the firing port is configured such that the striking pin element is fully insertable into the firing port in order to fire the guided missile.

7. The guided missile of claim 6, wherein the firing port leads to a thermal battery of the guided missile to accommodate an impingement of the striking pin element on a detonator of the thermal battery.

8. The guided missile of claim 6, wherein the guided missile is configured to be interlocked by the striking pin element in a launch tube of a guided missile launch system.

9. A guided missile launch system comprising: a launch tube having a guided missile space for receiving a guided missile and having a cartridge space for receiving a blank cartridge; and a handle piece mountable on the launch tube and separable from the launch tube, the handle piece having a striking pin system for firing the blank cartridge; wherein the launch tube comprises an opening in which a striking pin element is arranged, wherein the striking pin element protrudes into the guided missile space to accommodate engagement with a firing port of the guided missile, wherein the striking pin element engages the firing port to interlock the guided missile in the launch tube; and the guided missile launch system further comprising an accessory element comprising a gas channel which connects the cartridge space with the striking pin element when the handle piece is mounted on the launch tube and the accessory element is inserted into the launch tube or the handle piece.

10. The guided missile launch system of claim 9, wherein the striking pin element comprises a collar through which the striking pin element is fixable in the launch tube.

11. The guided missile launch system of claim 10, wherein the collar is a tear-off element.

12. The guided missile launch system of claim 9, wherein the launch tube comprises an interlock element by which the guided missile is interlockable in the guided missile space.

13. The guided missile launch system of claim 9, wherein a blank cartridge is fixedly provided such that the blank cartridge cannot be removed by a user.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The various embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a guided missile launch system according to an embodiment with separate launch tube and handle piece,

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the guided missile launch system according to the embodiment with mounted handle piece and launch tube,

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a detail of the guided missile launch system according to the embodiment,

(5) FIG. 4 is a first detailed schematic representation of the guided missile launch system according to the embodiment during a process of firing the guided missile, and

(6) FIG. 5 is a second detailed schematic representation of the guided missile launch system according to the embodiment during a firing of the guided missile.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the disclosed embodiments or the application and uses thereof. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background detailed description.

(8) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a guided missile launch system according to an embodiment. The guided missile launch system comprises a launch tube 2 and a handle piece 7. In FIG. 1 the handle piece 7 is separated from the launch tube 2. FIG. 2 shows the guided missile launch system of FIG. 1, wherein the handle piece 7 is mounted on the launch tube 2.

(9) The guided missile launch system 1 is particularly suitable for launching shoulder-launched guided missiles 4. Thereby the launch tube 2 serves as a logistic packaging for the guided missile and also for launching the guided missile 4.

(10) The handle piece 7 is in particular only connected with the launch tube 2 for the purpose of launching the guided missile 4, and serves for operating the guided missile launch system, for safeguarding the guided missile 4, and for initiating the firing process. The guided missile 4 is supported in the launch tube 2 and is interlocked and safeguarded by two independent interlock mechanisms. A first interlock mechanism is provided in a manner that the guided missile 4 is manually interlocked with the launch tube. This is known in the art and therefore not shown in the Figures. A second interlock mechanism consists of a striking pin element 9 which is arranged within an opening of the launch tube 2 as well as within a firing port of the guided missile 4. Thereby the firing port 10 serves as an interface of the guided missile for initiating and thereby launching the guided missile 4.

(11) Initiating the guided missile 4 is conducted by the purposeful impingement of a detonator 14 arranged in a thermal battery 13 of the guided missile by the striking pin element 9. To that end, the striking pin element 9 has to be accelerated for impinging on the detonator 15. This is initiated by a blank cartridge 6.

(12) The blank cartridge 6 is arranged within a cartridge space 5 of the launch tube 2. The cartridge space 5 is separated from the guided missile space 3. The cartridge space 5 comprises an opening such that the cartridge space 5 is open towards the surroundings of the launch tube 2. The blank cartridge 6 is advantageously fixedly arranged within the cartridge space 5 such that removal of the blank cartridge 6 by a user of the guided missile launch system is not possible.

(13) Only by inserting the handle piece 7 into the launch tube 2 is the cartridge space 5 connected with the striking pin element 9. To that end, the handle piece 7 comprises a gas channel 12. The gas channel 12 connects the cartridge space 5 with the guided missile space 3 only when the handle piece is mounted to the launch tube 2. If the handle piece 7 is mounted to the launch tube 2, then the blank cartridge 6 may be fired for generating an overpressure within the gas channel 12. This overpressure within the gas channel 12 resulting in an acceleration of the striking pin element 9.

(14) For initiating the blank cartridge 6, a conventional striking pin system 8 is provided. Such a striking pin 8 may, for example, also be built into hand guns. The striking pin element is fully integrated within the handle piece 7 such that the striking pin element 8 can be separated from the launch tube 2 together with the handle piece 7. In this manner the product safety is considerably enhanced since an accidental firing of the blank cartridge is prevented. Only by mounting the handle piece 7 on the launch tube 2 is the striking pin system 8 is axially aligned to the blank cartridge 6 for enabling a firing of the blank cartridge 6. Simultaneously, by inserting the handle piece 7, the gas channel 12 in between cartridge space 5 and striking pin element 9 is established, such that a firing of the blank cartridge 6 results in an acceleration of the striking pin element 9.

(15) FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the guided missile launch system 1. In FIG. 3 the guided missile launch system 1 is depicted in such a manner that the handle piece 7 is mounted on the launch tube 2.

(16) It is evident that the striking pin element 9 engages the firing port 10 of the guided missile 4. This firing port 10 is axially aligned with an opening within the launch tube 2 such that the striking pin element is inserted into the opening of the launch tube 2 as well as into the firing port 10 of the guided missile in alignment.

(17) For preventing the striking pin element from being inadvertently displaced from its position, the striking pin element 9 comprises a collar 11 which abuts the launch tube 2 outside the guided missile space 3. The collar 11 is fixed via a locking ring 14. In this manner a movement of the striking pin element 9 is prevented. Therefore, the striking pin element 9 serves as an interlock for the guided missile 4, since the at least partial engagement of the striking pin element 9 in the firing port 10 prevents a displacement of the guided missile 4 within the guided missile space 3 of the launch tube 2. This interlock may only be released by firing the blank cartridge 6, since this firing results in a displacement of the striking pin element 9, whereby the striking pin element 9 is entirely arranged within the firing port 10.

(18) The collar 11 is designed as a tear-off element. If by firing of the blank cartridge 6 the gas pressure within the gas channel 12 increases, this results in that the collar is torn off, such that the striking pin element 9 is rendered displaceable. Due to the pressure within the gas channel 12, an acceleration of the striking pin element 9 into the firing port 10 of the guided missile 4 occurs. This case is depicted in FIG. 4.

(19) In FIG. 4, the striking pin system 8 was triggered such that the blank cartridge 6 was fired. This happens in an analogous manner to the firing of a hand gun. By firing the blank cartridge 6, an overpressure within the gas channel 12 is generated. This overpressure acts on the striking pin element 9. As soon as the overpressure reaches a predetermined pressure, the collar 11 of the striking pin element 9 fails. This case is depicted in FIG. 5.

(20) In FIG. 5, the collar 11 of the striking pin element 9 has failed such that the striking pin element 9 is accelerated by the gas pressure within the gas channel 12. Due to the acceleration of the striking pin element 9, it will be entirely inserted into the firing port of the guided missile 4. Therefore, on the one hand the interlock between launch tube 2 and guided missile 4 which was established by the striking pin element 9, is released, and on the other hand the striking pin element 9 impinges on the detonator 15 of the thermal battery 13 of the guided missile 4. In this manner the thermal battery 13 is activated whereby the guided missile 4 is supplied with electric energy. This leads to boosting the electronics of the guided missile whereby the functions of the guided missile are started. This results advantageously in a launch of the guided missile from the launch tube 2.

(21) Furthermore, the embodiment has the following advantages: System initialization under use of a gas generator in the form of a blank cartridge, which due to its design is outstanding in respect of a fully integrated detonator chain and a high robustness to environmental factors.

(22) Systemic separation of primary initiator and energy carrier or detonator chain, respectively, under simultaneous interruption of the gas channel due to a segmented design, wherein a gas channel segment remains in the handle piece and opens the gas channel in such a manner that in the separated configuration no confinement and therefore no gas pressure increase in the gas channel system is possible. This contributes substantially to making the system more robust and to maximizing product safety. In the present case the primary initiator is advantageously a firing pin kinematic in the handle piece, while the energy carrier or the detonator chain, respectively is formed by the blank cartridge.

(23) Integration of a pin element with double functions which is built into the entire system under form-fit, and interlocks the guided missile axially as well as radially in the launch tube, and changes its function and form according to its second destination as a striking pin element, wherein then when a minimum gas pressure at the bottom of the striking pin element is reached, a geometrical offset or flange, in particular a collar, tears off from the striking pin element, such that the form-fit is released and the pin is accelerated for initiating in the direction of an internal detonator chain of the guided missile, such that during the acceleration also the interlock in the entire system is released.

(24) While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the embodiment in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the embodiment as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.