DEVICE FOR MEASURING THE FIRING RATE OF SHOTS FIRED BY A BARREL OF A WEAPON

Abstract

The present invention relates to a self-powered device for measuring a firing rate, comprising: a) a thermoelectric generator (2) that converts thermal energy into electrical energy; b) a system (3) that is able to determine the temperature of the barrel (7); c) a system for processing and recording said measurements (4); d) characterized in that the system for determining temperature (3) and the system for processing and recording measurements (4) are powered by the thermoelectric generator (2).

Claims

1. A self-powered device for measuring an effective rate of fire for a barrel of a weapon, the device comprising: a thermoelectric generator for converting thermal energy from a difference in temperature between said barrel and the ambient temperature into electrical energy; a system for determining the temperature of the barrel; a system for processing and for recording temperature measurements; wherein the system for determining the temperature and the system for processing and for recording the temperature measurements are supplied with power by the thermoelectric generator and wherein, in use, the effective rate of fire is determined on the basis of the temperature of the barrel over time.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermoelectric generator includes a Seebeck cell generating electricity based on the difference in temperature between the surrounding air and the barrel.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the device comprises a radiator element on a cold-face side of the Seebeck cell.

4. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the system for processing the temperature measurements of the barrel includes a system configured to measure the voltage generated by the Seebeck cell and to estimate the temperature on the basis of this voltage.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system for processing the temperature measurements of the barrel comprises a temperature probe that is supplied with power by the thermoelectric generator.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system for processing the temperature measurements of the barrel comprises an optical probe or a resistive probe.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein further including thermal insulation between the barrel and electronics of the device so as to protect the electronics from heat from the barrel of the weapon.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system for processing and recording includes an internal memory configured to be read by an external reader system.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the external reader system is supplied with power by radiofrequency induction.

10. A barrel comprising a device as claimed in claim 1.

11. A method for measuring an effective rate of fire for a barrel of a weapon, comprising the following steps: i. recovering thermal energy from heat from the barrel; ii. transforming said thermal energy into electrical energy; iii. using said electrical energy to supply power to a system for calculating a temperature of the barrel and to a system for processing and for recording temperature measurements; and iv. determining the effective rate of fire using the temperature measurements of the barrel recorded over time.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising reading the recorded measurements by an external reader system.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the external reader system is a contactless reader system.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the external reader system is an RFID reader system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a diagram of the elements included in the device.

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the device on the barrel.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of one embodiment of the device on the barrel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0043] The device according to the invention measures the effective rate of fire from a barrel of a weapon. This device can be adapted for any type of barrel for any type of automatic, semi-automatic or manually loaded firearm (rifle, pistol, machine gun, submachine gun, etc.).

[0044] To estimate the aging of the barrel by measuring the effective rate of fire, the temperature history of the barrel is analyzed. The device of the invention is self-powered by means of a thermoelectric generator using the heating of the barrel as an energy source, thereby avoiding the drawbacks related to the use of a power cell.

[0045] The device 1, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a thermoelectric generator 2 that is capable of recovering the heat from firing to generate electricity and to supply power to all of the other components included in the device 1 that consume energy.

[0046] Additionally, the device 1 comprises a system 3 for calculating/measuring the temperature of the barrel 7, this system being supplied with power by the thermoelectric generator 2. The heating of the barrel 7 and the time associated with this heating are measured by this system 3 by means of electronics that consume very little energy. The measurements are stored in a nonvolatile manner in a system 5 for processing and for recording the data included in the device 1 of the invention.

[0047] Additionally, the device for measuring the effective rate of fire may comprise a module 4 for managing the power supply.

[0048] Of course, the effective rate of fire will be measured only when the temperature of the barrel is high enough to supply the system with power. Specifically, for low effective rates of fire, when the barrel does not exceed a threshold value above the ambient temperature, it is not possible to take these shots into account for barrel maintenance.

[0049] The calculation or the estimate of the effective rate of fire results from recording the temperature over time. Once the data have been processed and recorded by the system 5, the user may reread the content of the memory at any time. This reader system must take, through the reader interface 6, the energy required for the module 5 to operate. This may be done, for example, by using a system that is supplied with power by induction, or by using (LF, HF or UHF) RFID technology, or by using a wireless power supply coupled with more traditional radiofrequency communication means.

[0050] The curve analysis process could be performed in the onboard system or outsourced to a unit external to the measurement system.

[0051] In one particular application of the invention, the thermoelectric generator 2 is a Seebeck cell 9, as shown in FIG. 2. This cell is well known from the prior art and makes it possible, using a difference in temperature between its two junctions, to create a difference in electrical potential allowing a circuit to be supplied with electric current. The heat source for the cell 9 is the barrel 7 of the weapon while the cold source is the surrounding air. To improve the difference in temperature between the surrounding air and the cold face of the cell 9, it is necessary to add a radiator element 10 to the device.

[0052] This radiator is located close to the cold face of the cell so as to limit the difference in temperature between this face and the open air. Specifically, there must be heat exchange between the cold face of the thermoelectric cell and the atmosphere, as otherwise overall efficiency will quickly decrease. The physical shape of the radiator 10 meets the requirements in terms of decreasing thermal resistance as well as those in terms of mechanical strength under the quite tough conditions specific to military and civil gunsmithing products.

[0053] Given the high temperatures that the barrel may reach, an insulating barrier 8 is provided to protect the Seebeck cell 9. Additionally, thermal insulation is also included so as to protect the device 1, and similarly, all of the components of this device (the system 3 suitable for calculating the temperature of the barrel, the thermoelectric generator 2, the system 5 for processing and for recording the data, the module 4 for managing the power supply and the reader interface 6) from the heat from the barrel. Specifically, the temperature of the barrel may reach 600 C., which implies that the elements of the device must be protected from direct contact with the barrel in order to avoid them being destroyed during operation.

[0054] This insulating barrier must be sufficient to prevent the electronics and the thermoelectric cell from being physically damaged, but not so effective that it negatively affects the performance of the thermoelectric generator.

[0055] According to one particular embodiment of the invention, the system suitable for calculating the temperature of the barrel is a device that directly measures the voltage generated by the Seebeck cell. In this configuration, the temperature is calculated on the basis of this voltage signal output directly by the thermoelectric module.

[0056] In one particular application of the invention, as shown in FIG. 2, the system for calculating the temperature of the barrel is a temperature probe 12, reading the temperature of the barrel through contact therewith. The probe is capable of withstanding a temperature of the order of 600 C. (by means of a thermocouple, for example).

[0057] According to another particular application of the invention, the temperature of the barrel is measured using an optical temperature probe, provided with adequate protection.

[0058] The system for managing the power supply may also be provided with protection from voltage reversal, for example, in the event of the barrel being immersed in a liquid and cooling being accelerated thereby, etc.

[0059] The system formed of the elements 2 and 4 may be used for other applications requiring energy at the barrel of a weapon.