Dynamically with tiltable magazine and method for launching countermeasures

Abstract

A dispenser for storing and launching countermeasures from an aircraft, comprising an elongate body provided with at least one launch opening where the countermeasures are stored in cartridges, where the cartridges are interconnect to each other in a slidable manner, and where the cartridges are adapted to be tilted by a tilting means to a selected angle, such that the openings of the cartridges can be directed in a selected direction. The advantage of the invention is that a countermeasure can be directed in a desired angle before it is launched.

Claims

1. A dispenser (2) for storing and launching countermeasures (5), comprising an elongate body (8) provided with at least one launch opening (10) and configured for storing the countermeasures (5) in cartridges (12), wherein: the dispenser comprises a plurality of cartridges (12) forming a magazine (11), wherein each cartridge comprises an opening (14) and a center axis (15), the dispenser is configured to be mounted on an aircraft (1) with a longitudinal direction of the elongate body (8) essentially coinciding with a direction of motion of the aircraft (1), wherein the cartridges (12) are arranged to each other in a slidable manner in a direction coinciding with the center axis (15), and the cartridges (12) of the magazine (11) are configured to be tilted by a tilting means (20) in a selected angle with reference to the direction of motion of the aircraft (1) and dependent on the relative azimuth and elevation angle to an incoming threat, such that the openings (14) of the cartridges (12) are oriented in a selected direction.

2. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein: each of the cartridges (12) comprises longitudinal interconnection means (16) arranged in parallel with the center axis (15), and adjacent ones of the cartridges (12) are interconnected to each other in a slidable manner by the interconnection means (16).

3. The dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the interconnection means (16) comprises longitudinal grooves (17) and tongues (18).

4. The dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the interconnection means (16) extend on a plurality of longitudinal external sides (19) of each of the cartridges (12).

5. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cartridges (12) are configured to be tilted from a resting position (30) to an active position (31).

6. The dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the resting position (30) is a position in which the cartridges (12) are directed rearwards between 0-10 degrees relative a vertical direction (26).

7. The dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the active position is a position wherein the cartridges (12) are directed forwards or rearwards between 10-60 degrees relative the vertical direction (26).

8. The dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the cartridges (12), in the active position, can also be tilted in a sideway direction.

9. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser (2) is configured to tilt from a resting position (30) to an active position (31) before a countermeasure is fired and to tilt back to the resting position (30) after a countermeasure is fired.

10. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the tilting means (20) comprises one fixed hinge-point (21) attached to the elongate body (8) and the magazine (11).

11. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the tilting means (20) comprises a sliding bar (23) positioned at a distance from the hinge-point (21), wherein the sliding bar slidably interconnects the cartridges (12) via sliding bar connections (24) attached to the cartridges (12) which allows for tilting of the magazine (11) by an actuating means (22).

12. A method for launching countermeasures (5) from the dispenser (2) of claim 1 when mounted on an aircraft (1), the method comprising the steps of: tilting the cartridges (12) from a resting position (30) to an active position (31) with reference to the direction of motion of the aircraft (1) and dependent on the relative azimuth and elevation angle to the incoming threat, launching at least one of the countermeasures (5) toward the incoming threat, and following the launching tilting the cartridges (12) back into the resting position (30).

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the cartridges (12), in the resting position (30), are directed rearwards relative a vertical direction, and wherein the cartridges (12), in the active position (30), are directed in a forward direction relative the vertical direction.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the cartridges (12) are also directed sideways in the active position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) 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

(2) FIG. 1 schematically shows a side view of an aircraft provided with a dispenser according to an embodiment of the invention for storing and launching countermeasures,

(3) FIG. 2 schematically shows a side view of a dispenser in a resting position according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 schematically shows a side view of a dispenser in an active position according to the invention,

(5) FIG. 4 schematically shows a front view of a part of a dispenser according to the invention,

(6) FIG. 5 schematically shows a side view of a magazine in a resting position to be used in a dispenser according to the invention, and

(7) FIG. 6 schematically shows a side view of a magazine in an active position to be used dispenser according to the invention in an open state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

(8) 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. refer to directions of an aircraft flying forwards in a normal orientation.

(9) An aircraft 1 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a dispenser 2 for storing and launching payloads, hereinafter described as countermeasures 5. The dispenser 2 has its longitudinal direction essentially coinciding with the longitudinal direction of the aircraft 1. An arrow 3 designates the direction of launching from the dispenser 2. The character a designates the launch relative to the direction of movement of the aircraft 1 when the countermeasures 5 are launched obliquely forwards and downwards. The trajectory 4 for a launched flare 5 is indicated by a broken line. During the time from when a flare 5 is activated for launch to when it reaches the position shown in FIG. 1, sufficient time has elapsed for the flare 5 to have become a fully active decoy target in close proximity to the aircraft 1. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the dispenser 2 is placed under a wing 6 near its attachment to the main body 7 of the aircraft 1. It is also possible to place the dispenser 2 further out on the wing 6 or directly on the main body 7 of the aircraft 1, e.g. on the exterior of the aircraft 1.

(10) The aircraft may also be a helicopter. 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.

(11) The dispenser 2 is described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The described dispenser is adapted to be used on an aeroplane and the angles described here are thus adapted for the use on an aeroplane. Other angles are of course also possible. The dispenser 2 is designed as an elongate body 8, partially shown in FIG. 2, provided with at least one launch opening 10 used for storing the countermeasures 5 in a magazine 11 comprising a plurality of cartridges 12. A cartridge 12 comprises a cavity 13, adapted to store the countermeasure 5 and is provided with an opening 14. The countermeasures 5 are connected to a launching control unit (not shown) for feeding launching signals to the countermeasures. The cartridges 12 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 13 may be reloaded with a new countermeasure. The cartridges 12 can be of the same size or of different sizes and can accommodate identical or different types of countermeasures 5. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, schematically shows a magazine comprising five rows of cartridges.

(12) The magazine 11 and cartridges 12 are adapted to be tilted from a resting position 30, shown in FIG. 2, to an active position 31, shown in FIG. 3. Adjacent cartridges 12 are arranged to each other in a slidable manner allowing for the magazine 11 to be tilted by a tilting means in a selected angle relative a horizontal and vertical direction with reference to the direction of motion of the aircraft, such that the openings of the cartridges can be directed in the desired direction.

(13) Here, the directions are defined as follows. The forward direction 25 of the aircraft is defined as the direction of motion of the aircraft. 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 26 is defined as being perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The normal flight direction of a helicopter is defined in the same way.

(14) In the example shown in FIG. 2, the magazine 11 is in a resting position 30 where the cartridges 12 are directed rearwards by 10 degrees relative the vertical direction 26. This angle is preferably in the range between 0-10 degrees, but depends on e.g. the design of the dispenser and may thus also be in another range. With this inclination angle v, the cartridge openings 14 are directed rearwards in the resting position to eliminate the induced acoustic effect of open barrels. The cartridge openings 14 are in the shown example perpendicular to the centre axis 15, but may also have a different orientation. Should the cartridge openings be positioned at an angle to the centre axis of the cartridge, the cartridges are directed a corresponding angle in the vertical direction to avoid the acoustic effect of open barrels.

(15) In the example shown in FIG. 3, the magazine 11 is in an active position 31 with the cartridges inclined forwards such that a forward launch angle is obtained. The forward inclination angle v is chosen depending on the intended use of a countermeasure and the active position may, e.g. be directing the cartridges between 30-60 degrees in a forward direction. In the active position, the cartridges may also be directed in a sideway direction of e.g. plus and minus 30 degrees. The magazine 11 may also be arranged without an inclination, i.e. directing the cartridges in the vertical direction, or may be arranged in another direction relative to the longitudinal direction of the elongate body. An inclined launch angle may be advantageous when a countermeasure is fired downwards from the dispenser, a straight launch angle may be advantageous when launching a countermeasure in a sideway direction from the aircraft.

(16) FIG. 4 schematically shows a top view of a part of a magazine according to the invention. In the example shown in FIG. 4, each cartridge 12 comprises longitudinal interconnection means 16 arranged in parallel with the centre axis 15 of the cartridge, where adjacent cartridges 12 are interconnected to each other in a slidable manner by the interconnection means 16. In FIG. 4, the interconnection means 16 comprises longitudinal grooves 17 and tongues 18. Here, the shown grooves and tongues have a dovetail shape, but the grooves may also be T-shaped with a nut interconnecting two adjacent cartridge cases. Other types of grooves are also possible. In this example, the cartridge 12 has a square cross-section and the interconnection means 16 extend on all four longitudinal external sides 19 of a cartridge 12. The cartridge can have a different cross-sectional shape, for example triangular, oval, round or polygonal. Dependent on the cross-sectional shape, the interconnection means extend on at least one external side of each cartridge such that adjacent cartridges can be interconnected.

(17) FIG. 5 schematically shows an example of a side view of a magazine in a resting position to be used in a dispenser according to the invention, and FIG. 6 schematically shows a side view of a magazine in an active position to be used in a dispenser according to the invention. The magazine 11 comprises a tilting means 20 adapted to tilt the cartridges of the magazine in a selected direction. The tilting means constitutes in this example a sliding bar 23 attached to the cartridges with sliding bar connections 24. Here, the tilting means 20 comprises one fixed hinge-point 21 attached to the elongate body 8 and to the magazine 11. The hinge-point 21 is attached to the magazine 11 via one cartridge 12, preferably arranged in a corner of the magazine. The tilting means 20 comprises an actuating means 22 arranged to displace the sliding bar in a longitudinal direction, such that the cartridges tilt with respect to the hinge-point 21. The hinge-point may be positioned at any position of the cartridge, e.g. at a position at the bottom, at a position at the opening or at an intermediate position. The sliding bar is attached to the magazine at a position spaced apart from the hinge-point.

(18) The tilting means 20 comprises a sliding bar 23 positioned at a distance from the hinge-point 21. The sliding bar 23 slidably interconnects the cartridges 12 via sliding bar connections 24 attached to the cartridges 12 which allows for tilting of the magazine 11 by the actuating means 22. Other tilting means are also possible, depending on the size and weight of a magazine. The actuating means 22 may be e.g. a motor acting on a toothed rail or a linear electrical cylinder.

(19) 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. The cartridges may be arranged adjacent each other in different ways and may be tilted with different means.

REFERENCE SIGNS

(20) 1: Aircraft 2: Dispenser 3: Direction of launch 4: Trajectory 5: Countermeasure 6: Wing 7: Main body 8: Elongate body 10: Launch opening 11: Magazine 12: Cartridge 13: Cavity 14: Opening 15: Centre axis 16: Interconnecting means 17: Longitudinal groove 18: Tongue 19: Longitudinal external side 20: Tilting means 21: Hinge-point 22: Actuating means 23: Sliding bar 24: Sliding bar connections 25: Forward horizontal direction 26: Vertical direction 30: Resting position 31: Active position