DISPENSER AND METHOD FOR LAUNCHING COUNTERMEASURES

Abstract

A dispenser for storing and launching countermeasures, where the dispenser is adapted for storing the countermeasures in a magazine, where the dispenser is provided with at least one launch opening and where the dispenser is adapted to be mounted on an aircraft, where the dispenser includes a body, a bracket and a magazine housing, where the bracket is rotatable with respect to the body and where magazine housing is rotatable with respect to the bracket, where the magazine housing includes a storage space adapted to hold the magazine, and where the launch opening is arranged in the magazine housing. The invention also includes a method for rotating the magazine and launching a countermeasure. The advantage of the invention is that a countermeasure can be directed in a desired angle before it is launched.

Claims

1. A dispenser for storing and launching countermeasures, where the dispenser is adapted for storing the countermeasures in a magazine, where the dispenser comprises a body, a bracket and a magazine housing adapted to hold a magazine, and where the dispenser is adapted to be mounted on an aircraft, wherein the magazine housing is provided with a launch opening and a closed end, that the bracket is rotatable with respect to the body, that the magazine housing is rotatable with respect to the bracket from a resting position in which the launch opening is directed towards the body and the closed end is arranged at the front end of the dispenser to an active position in which the launch opening is directed away from the body.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the front end of the dispenser is aerodynamically shaped when the dispenser is in the resting position.

3. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser is circular with a semi-circular front end when the dispenser is in the resting position.

4. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the magazine is loaded through the launch opening of the magazine housing.

5. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the body or the bracket comprises a first motor adapted to rotate the bracket.

6. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the bracket or the magazine housing comprises a second motor adapted to rotate the magazine housing.

7. The dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the bracket is adapted to be rotated up to and including 360 degrees around a centre axis of the dispenser by the first motor.

8. The dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the magazine housing is adapted to be rotated up to and including 360 degrees around a rotational axis that is perpendicular to a central axis of the dispenser by the second motor.

9. The dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the first motor and/or the second motor comprises a self-locking worm gear.

10. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser comprises a fixed breech plate arranged at the closed end of the magazine housing.

11. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the weight of the dispenser is less than 10 kg.

12. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the body is equal to the diameter of the bracket.

13. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the magazine housing is adapted to rotate from the resting position to the active position before a countermeasure is launched and to rotate back to the resting position after the countermeasure has been launched.

14. A method for launching a countermeasure from a dispenser according to claim 1 mounted on an aircraft, where the countermeasure is arranged in a magazine, wherein the method comprises the steps of: rotating the magazine from a resting position in which the countermeasure is directed towards the body of the dispenser to an active position, launching the countermeasure, and rotating the magazine back to the resting position.

15. An aircraft, it wherein the aircraft comprises at least one dispenser according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0029] The invention will be described in greater detail in the following, with reference to the embodiments that are shown in the attached drawings, in which

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a dispenser in a resting position according to the invention,

[0031] FIG. 2 schematically shows a side view of a dispenser in an active position according to the invention,

[0032] FIG. 3 schematically shows a side view of an aeroplane provided with a dispenser according to the invention for storing and launching countermeasures, and

[0033] FIG. 4 schematically shows a side view of a helicopter provided with a dispenser according to an embodiment of the invention for storing and launching countermeasures.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0034] The embodiments of the invention with further developments described in the following are to be regarded only as examples and are in no way to limit the scope of the protection provided by the patent claims. References such as longitudinal, horizontal, vertical, forward, rearward, sideway, etc.

[0035] refer to directions of an aircraft flying forwards in a normal orientation.

[0036] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a dispenser according to the invention, FIG. 3 shows an aeroplane carrying a dispenser and FIG. 4 shows a helicopter provided with a dispenser.

[0037] The dispenser 1 comprises three main parts, a body 2, a bracket 3 and a magazine housing 4. The body 2 is the base of the dispenser. The body is used to mount the dispenser to e.g. an aircraft and it will for this reason comprise some kind of mounting means including interface means for mechanical and electrical connection to the dispenser. The body may further comprise an electronic control unit (ECU) that is used to control the dispenser and that will communicate with an external control system, e.g. of an aircraft. The ECU controlling the dispenser may also be positioned externally from the dispenser. The body is in the shown example cylindrical and the centre axis of the body is aligned with a centre axis 6 of the dispenser. Other shapes are possible, but it is important that the shape is aerodynamic in order to reduce air drag. The body may further comprise an electric servomotor adapted to rotate the bracket around the centre axis. A rotational sensor may also be provided in the body. An advantage of arranging the motor for the bracket in the body is that the energy transfer to the motor and the signal from the sensor does not have to rotate, which simplifies the connection.

[0038] The bracket 3 is suspended on the body 2 in a rotational manner. The bracket can rotate around the centre axis of the dispenser on the body without limitations, i.e. there is no end stop between the body and the bracket. The bracket may thus be rotated by more than 360 degrees around the centre axis 6 of the dispenser. In this way, it is always possible to select the shortest rotation distance when the bracket is to be rotated to a desired direction. The bracket is preferably suspended to the body through a bearing such that a smooth and reliable rotation is provided. The bracket is in the shown example cylindrical with the same diameter as the body. Other shapes are possible, but it is important that the shape is aerodynamic in order to reduce air drag. The closed end 9 of the magazine housing 4 is for this reason also provided with an aerodynamic shape, e.g. a semi-circular shape. This will give the front end 14 of the dispenser an aerodynamic shape when the magazine housing is in the resting position. The bracket is provided with two arms 7, 8 that extends from the base of the bracket. The arms are adapted to suspend the magazine housing 4 in a rotational manner. At least one arm may for this reason comprise an electrical servomotor adapted to rotate the magazine housing. At least one rotational sensor is also provided in an arm in order to measure the rotation of the magazine housing and to give feedback to the servomotor. The bracket may also comprise the servomotor that is adapted to rotate the bracket in relation to the body. With the motor for the rotation of the bracket arranged in the bracket, the power transfer to the motor is provided through slip rings such that the rotation is not limited. Also the signals from the sensor is led through slip rings in this case.

[0039] The servomotors are preferably provided with a backstop arrangement of some kind, which locks the rotation of the motor when the motor stands still. Such a backstop arrangement may be a self-locking worm gear arranged at the servomotor, which will prevent a backlash when the motor stands still. It may also be a cam clutch or a brake that disengages when the motor rotates and engages when the motor stops. The use of a backstop arrangement is important since it will allow the countermeasures to be launched in the desired direction without having to compensate for movement in the magazine housing.

[0040] The magazine housing 4 is suspended by the two arms 7, 8, of the bracket 3. The magazine housing and the bracket will form a cylindrical shape having a rounded top. The complete dispenser is thus cylindrical with a semi-circular top. The magazine housing is provided with a storage space 5 adapted to hold a magazine 11. The magazine is loaded from the front of the magazine housing, through the launch opening. The magazine housing is provided with a fixed breech plate to which the magazine is mounted. The storage space ends in a launch opening 10 through which countermeasures are to be launched. The launch opening is provided at one end of the magazine housing. The other end 9 of the magazine housing is closed. A magazine 11 comprises a plurality of cartridges, where each cartridge holds one or more countermeasure of some kind, e.g. a decoy. The magazine may also hold hard kill means. The magazine housing is adapted to rotate in relation to the bracket without limitations such as an end stop. The magazine housing may thus be rotated by more than 360 degrees around the rotational axis 12 of the magazine housing, which is perpendicular to the centre axis 6 of the dispenser. The magazine housing is preferably rotated around its centre of gravity, which is the centre of gravity of the magazine housing with a fully loaded magazine. In this way, the magazine housing will be dynamically balanced. The magazine housing may further comprise one or two motors adapted to rotate the magazine housing in relation to the bracket. The motors are preferably positioned in the arms of the bracket.

[0041] The magazine housing is adapted to be in a resting position 40 in which the launch opening 10 is directed rearwards, towards the body 2 of the dispenser, as shown in FIG. 1. In this position, the closed end 9 of the magazine housing will point forwards of the dispenser. This will provide an aerodynamic shape that reduces air drag and interference noise. The magazine housing is adapted to be rotated from the resting position 40 to an active position 41, as shown in FIG. 2, in which the launch opening is directed in a forward direction of the dispenser, pointing away from the body. In an active position, the launch opening may point in any direction away from the body, such that the dispenser covers a semi-hemisphere extending from a plane perpendicular to the centre axis of the dispenser.

[0042] An aircraft in the form of an aeroplane 20 is shown in FIG. 3, which is provided with a dispenser 1 for storing and launching countermeasures 13. In this example, the dispenser 1 is mounted at the front of an elongated pod 21 placed under a wing 25 near its attachment to the main body 24 of the aeroplane 20. It is also possible to place the dispenser 1 further out on the wing 25 or directly on the main body 24 of the aeroplane, e.g. on the exterior of the aeroplane. The dispenser 1 is in this example arranged with its centre axis 6 essentially coinciding with the longitudinal direction of the aeroplane 20.

[0043] An arrow 22 designates the direction of a launched countermeasure 13 from the dispenser 1. A countermeasure may be a decoy of some kind, such as a flare or chaff, or may be a hardkill means. The character α designates the launch angle relative to the direction of movement of the aeroplane 20 when the countermeasures 13 are launched obliquely forwards and downwards. The trajectory 23 for a launched countermeasure 13, e.g. a flare, is indicated by a broken line. During the time from when a flare 13 is activated for launch to when it reaches the position shown in FIG. 3, sufficient time has elapsed for the flare 13 to have become a fully active decoy target in close proximity to the aeroplane 20. In FIG. 3, the possible launch angles for the dispenser are shown with dash-dotted lines. In the shown example, the launch region of the dispenser is limited in the vertical direction, such that no countermeasure is launched towards the aeroplane. The limited launch region depends on the mounting position on the aeroplane.

[0044] The aircraft may also be a helicopter 30 as shown in FIG. 4. Since the helicopter may stand still or may fly upwards, downwards, rearwards, forwards or sideways and with varying speeds, the launch angle will depend on the actual flight direction of the helicopter as well as on the relative azimuth and elevation angle to an incoming threat. The helicopter is in the shown example provided with several magazines 31 mounted in fixed positions with fixed launch directions 32. The helicopter is also provided with a dispenser 1 arranged under the helicopter, which can cover the complete area under the helicopter, i.e. the half-hemisphere below the helicopter. In this way, the fixed magazines and the magazine in the dispenser can complement each other. In FIG. 4, the possible launch angles for the dispenser are shown with dash-dotted lines. In the shown example, the launch region is the complete half-hemisphere below the helicopter. It is possible to limit the launch region in some directions depending on the mounting position of the dispenser. The launch angle limitations is preferably set in the control software, but it would be possible to use mechanical limits.

[0045] The countermeasures 13 are connected to a launching control unit (not shown) for feeding launching signals to the countermeasures. The cartridges of a magazine 11 may be individual cartridges mounted to each other in a replaceable manner to form a magazine such that a cartridge can be replaced when it has been launched. A magazine may also comprise fixed cartridges, where a cavity may be reloaded with a new countermeasure. The cartridges can be of the same size or of different sizes and can accommodate identical or different types of countermeasures 13. FIG. 2 schematically shows a magazine comprising five rows with three cartridges in each row.

[0046] Here, the directions are defined as follows. The forward direction of the aeroplane is defined as the direction of motion of the aeroplane. The plane is flying in the horizontal plane, i.e. the wings of the plane are parallel to the horizontal plane. The horizontal plane comprises a forward horizontal direction, i.e. the direction of motion of the aircraft, and a sideway horizontal direction, i.e. perpendicular to the forward horizontal direction. The vertical direction is defined as being perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The normal flight direction of a helicopter is defined in the same way.

[0047] The invention is not to be regarded as being limited to the embodiments described above, a number of additional variants and modifications being possible within the scope of the subsequent patent claims.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0048] 1: Dispenser [0049] 2: Body [0050] 3: Bracket [0051] 4: Magazine housing [0052] 5: Storage space [0053] 6: Centre axis [0054] 7: Arm [0055] 8: Arm [0056] 9: Closed end [0057] 10: Launch opening [0058] 11: Magazine [0059] 12: Rotational axis [0060] 13: Countermeasure [0061] 14: Front end [0062] 20: Aeroplane [0063] 21: Pod [0064] 22: Direction of launch [0065] 23 Trajectory [0066] 24: Main body [0067] 25: Wing [0068] 30: Helicopter [0069] 31: Fixed magazine [0070] 32: Direction of launch [0071] 40: Resting position [0072] 41: Active position