IGNITER UNIT AND MUNITION

Abstract

The invention relates to an igniter unit for a munition, comprising a housing and at least one pyrotechnic charge, the igniter unit comprising a control and communication device arranged in the housing and at least one interface connected to the control and communication unit and arranged in the housing.

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. An igniter unit for a munition, comprising a housing and at least one pyrotechnic charge, wherein the igniter unit comprises a control and communication device arranged in the housing and at least one interface arranged on or in the housing and connected to the control and communication unit.

14. The igniter unit according to claim 13, wherein the igniter unit comprises a circuit board, wherein the circuit board is electrically connected to the interface, the control and communication device and the at least one pyrotechnic charge.

15. The igniter unit according to claim 13, wherein the interface is a wired interface.

16. The igniter unit according to claim 13, wherein the interface is an ignition contact.

17. The igniter unit according to claim 14, wherein the igniter unit further comprises a Zener diode connected to the circuit board which is connected to the circuit board, the control and communication device and the at least one pyrotechnic charge in such a way that a communication link is formed between the interface and the control and communication device below a breakdown voltage of the Zener diode.

18. The igniter unit according to claim 13, wherein the communication connection is designed as a bidirectional single-wire connection and that the control and communication device can be operated in a single-wire communication mode below the breakdown voltage of the Zener diode.

19. The igniter unit according to claim 13, wherein the igniter unit further comprises a Zener diode connected to the circuit board which is connected to the circuit board, the control and communication device and the at least one pyrotechnic charge in such a way that an ignition connection is formed between the ignition contact and the at least one pyrotechnic charge above a breakdown voltage of the Zener diode.

20. The igniter unit according to claim 13, wherein the control and communication device, the circuit board, the Zener diode and at least part of the at least one pyrotechnic charge are encapsulated in the housing by a housing base.

21. The igniter unit according to claim 13, wherein the igniter unit comprises additional contacts as an interface for communication with the control and communication device.

22. The igniter unit according to claim 13, wherein the igniter unit comprises an additional interface for effectively charging the munition, via which information relevant to the function and effect can be exchanged.

23. A munition comprising an igniter unit according to claim 13.

24. The munition according to claim 22, wherein the munition is a decoy, deflector or camouflage body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The invention is to be explained below on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0036] The drawings show the following:

[0037] FIG. 1a is a schematic side view of an igniter unit according to the invention for a munition according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0038] FIG. 1b is a schematic bottom view of the igniter unit according to the invention according to FIG. 1a;

[0039] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the igniter unit according to the invention according to FIG. 1a;

[0040] FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the igniter unit according to the invention according to FIG. 1a;

[0041] FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of an igniter unit according to the invention according to a further embodiment;

[0042] FIG. 5a is a schematic side view of an igniter unit according to the invention according to a further embodiment; and

[0043] FIG. 5b is a schematic bottom view of the igniter unit according to the invention according to FIG. 5a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] FIG. 1a shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of the igniter unit 1 according to the invention. The igniter unit 1 comprises a housing 10 and at least one charge and, in the example here, two pyrotechnic charges 20, 22. It is shaped in a substantially cylindrical manner and comprises a flange on the side opposite the pyrotechnic charges 20, 22.

[0045] FIG. 1b shows a schematic bottom view of the igniter unit according to the invention from FIG. 1a. As can be seen from FIG. 1b, the housing 10 is designed to be substantially rotationally symmetrical. The underside of the housing 10 is closed by a housing base 15. The housing base 15 comprises openings through which the pyrotechnic charges 20, 22 extend. In order to seal the housing base 15 against the pyrotechnic charges 20, 22, the seals 16, 17 are arranged in the region of the openings. FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of the igniter unit 1 according to the invention from FIG. 1a. A label 12 and a lot number 13 are arranged on the top of the housing. An interface 30 is arranged in the middle of the top of the housing 10.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional illustration of the igniter unit 1 according to the invention. As already discussed above, the igniter unit 1 has both a housing 10 and at least one pyrotechnic charge 20, 22. In addition, the igniter unit 1 comprises a control and communication device 40 arranged in the housing 10 and at least one interface 30 arranged in the housing 10 and connected to the control and communication unit 40. The control and communication device can be formed from one or more structural units, such as circuit boards.

[0047] In the region of the interface 30, the housing 10 comprises an opening so that the interface 30 can be contacted from outside the igniter unit 1.

[0048] The igniter unit 1 also comprises a circuit board 50. The circuit board 50 is connected to the interface 30. The interface forms a positive pole. Furthermore, the circuit board 50 is connected to the housing 10. The housing 10 represents the ground and forms a negative pole. To this purpose, the housing is correspondingly coupled to the munition and provided in a dispenser. Furthermore, the pyrotechnic charges 20, 22 are each electrically connected to the circuit board 50.

[0049] The control and communication unit 40 is electrically connected to the circuit board 50. The control and communication device 40 is designed in such a way that it allows for the control and communication of the igniter unit 1, for example, via a dispenser system such as a launcher or a launcher system. The control and communication device 40 is designed as an electronic component and comprises at least one chip. Furthermore, the control and communication device 40 can comprise an energy store. At least data from the igniter unit 1 and possibly also from a munition connected to the igniter unit 1 are stored on the control and communication device 40. [0050] The interface 30 is a wired interface and forms an ignition contact for the igniter unit.

[0051] The igniter unit 1 comprises a Zener diode 60 which is connected to the circuit board 50. The Zener diode is connected to the circuit board 50, the control and communication device 40 and the pyrotechnic charges 20, 22 in such a way that a communication link is formed between the interface 30 and the control and communication device 40 below a breakdown voltage of the Zener diode 60. This communication connection is designed as a bidirectional single-wire connection. The control and communication device 40 can be operated in a single-wire communication mode below the breakdown voltage of the Zener diode 60.

[0052] An ignition connection between the ignition contact 30 and the pyrotechnic charges 20, 22 is formed above the breakdown voltage of the Zener diode 60.

[0053] The control and communication device 40, the circuit board 50, the Zener diode 60 and at least some of the two pyrotechnic charges 20, 22 are encapsulated in the housing 10 by a housing base 15.

[0054] In order to seal the interior of the housing 10, seals 16, 17 can be arranged in the region of the housing base 15 around the pyrotechnic charges 20, 22.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 3, the Zener diode 60 is arranged between the circuit board 50 and the housing base 15. The control and communication device 40 is arranged on the other side of the circuit board. However, it is also conceivable that this arrangement is reversed. It is also possible for the control and communication device 40 to be integrated on the circuit board 15. However, it is also possible that they are distributed over a plurality of structural units such as circuit boards.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a modified embodiment of the igniter unit which is based on the igniter unit according to FIG. 1a-3. In addition to the ignition contact, the igniter unit 1 comprises contacts (interfaces) 70, 72 as an interface 30 for forming a control and communication connection with the control and communication device 40. The housing 10 comprises additional openings in the region of the contacts 70, 72 in order to be able to contact them.

[0057] FIGS. 5a and 5b show a further modified embodiment of the igniter unit 1, which is based on an igniter unit according to FIG. 1a-4. According to FIGS. 5a and 5b, the igniter unit 1 comprises an additional interface 80 for effectively charging the munition with information relevant to the function and effect being exchangeable via the additional interface 80.

REFERENCE LIST

[0058] 1 Igniter unit [0059] 10 Housing [0060] 12 Label [0061] 13 Lot number [0062] 15 Housing base [0063] 16, 17 Seal [0064] 20, 22 Pyrotechnic charge [0065] 30 Interface [0066] 31 Electrical line connection [0067] 32 Electrical line connection [0068] 40 Control and communication device [0069] 50 Circuit board [0070] 60 Zener diode [0071] 70 Contacts [0072] 72 Contacts [0073] 80 Additional interface