EFFECTOR HAVING MORPHING AIRFRAME AND METHOD

Abstract

An effector having an extendible range and a method for extending the range of an effector includes using an axially translatable center body that is movable from a stowed position, in which the center body is stowed in an outer body of the effector, to a deployed position in which the center body extends out of the outer body to extend the axial length of the effector. The effector includes a ramjet assembly and the subsystems of the effector are contained in the center body. The movement of the center body exposes radially positioned ramjet fuel in the outer body, such that the air entering the ramjet inlet may be heated by combusting the air with the fuel for additional fuel and propulsion of the effector.

Claims

1. An effector comprising: an outer body; and a center body movable from a stowed position, in which the center body is stowed in the outer body, to a deployed position, in which the center body extends out of the outer body to extend an axial length of the effector.

2. The effector according to claim 1, wherein the center body is axially translatable relative to the outer body.

3. The effector according to claim 1, wherein the effector includes a ramjet assembly.

4. The effector according to claim 3, wherein the outer body contains a ramjet fuel chamber that is opened when the center body is moved to the deployed position.

5. The effector according to claim 1, wherein the center body and the outer structure have corresponding interfaces that engage when the center body is moved to the deployed position to lock the center body and the outer structure together.

6. The effector according to claim 5, wherein the corresponding interfaces are formed as conical interfaces that have a tapering shape in an axial direction.

7. The effector according to claim 6, wherein the conical interfaces are circumferentially spaced about a longitudinal axis of the effector.

8. The effector according to claim 6, wherein the conical interfaces of the outer body are arranged at a forward end of the outer body and the conical interfaces of the center body are arranged at an aft end of the center body.

9. The effector according to claim 1, further comprising a ramjet inlet having ducting; wherein the ducting is arranged proximate an aft end of the center body when the center body is moved to the deployed position.

10. The effector according to claim 9, wherein an aft portion of the center body is arranged radially inwardly relative to the ramjet ducting and includes locking interfaces that engage with corresponding locking interfaces of the outer body when the center body is moved to the deployed position.

11. The effector according to claim 10, wherein the aft portion of the center body is surrounded by the outer body when the center body is in the deployed position.

12. The effector according to claim 10, wherein the ramjet inlet is in fluid communication with a ramjet fuel chamber arranged in the outer body when the center body is in the deployed position.

13. The effector according to claim 1, wherein the center body includes deployable control surfaces that are deployed when the center body moves to the deployed position.

14. The effector according to claim 1, wherein the center body includes a plurality of subsystems of the effector.

15. The effector according to claim 1, wherein the center body moves in a forward direction relative to a direction of travel of the effector.

16. The effector according to claim 1, wherein an axial length of the center body is more than half of an axial length of the outer body.

17. The effector according to claim 1, further comprising a pusher plate that is released from an aft end of the effector after the center body moves to the deployed position.

18. The gun-launched effector assembly according to claim 17, wherein the effector includes fins that are arranged at the aft end of the effector and are deployed after the pusher plate is released.

19. A gun-launched effector assembly comprising: a launcher; and an effector that is fired from the launcher, the effector having an outer body and a center body that is movable from a stowed position, in which the outer body is stowed in the outer body, to a deployed position, in which the center body is moved out of the outer body to extend an axial length of the effector, the center body moving from the stowed position to the deployed position after a muzzle exit of the effector from the launcher.

20. A method of increasing a range of an effector, the method comprising axially translating a center body relative to an outer body of the effector to extend an axial length of the effector.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0053] The annexed drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, show various aspects of the disclosure.

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an effector having an outer body and an axially translatable center body that is in a stowed position in which the center body is stowed within the outer body.

[0055] FIG. 2 shows a forward view of a ramjet inlet for the effector of FIG. 1.

[0056] FIG. 3 shows the effector of FIG. 1 having the center body in a deployed position in which the center body has moved out of the outer body to extend an axial length of the effector.

[0057] FIG. 4 shows an oblique view of the outer body and the center body of FIG. 1.

[0058] FIG. 5 shows an exploded oblique view of the outer body and the center body of FIG. 1.

[0059] FIG. 6A shows a first step in a launch sequence of the effector of FIG. 1 from a launcher (in this case a gun).

[0060] FIG. 6B shows a second step in the launch sequence.

[0061] FIG. 6C shows a third step in the launch sequence.

[0062] FIG. 6D shows a fourth step in the launch sequence.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] The principles described herein have particular application in effector and effector deployment systems, such as in tube-launched or gun-launched projectiles or missiles and launcher. The effector and method of deploying the center body described herein may be suitable for use in military applications. Non-lethal applications and non-military applications may also be suitable, such as surveillance systems. The effector is suitable for deployment in any environment and may be carried on any suitable platform. Exemplary environments include air, space, and sea, and exemplary platforms include aircraft, hypersonic or supersonic vehicles, land vehicles, or watercraft.

[0064] Referring first to FIG. 1, an effector 20 has an outer body 22 and a center body 24. Each of the outer body 22 and the center body 24 may be formed as an elongated cylindrical body. The center body 24 is movable from a stowed position in which the center body 24 is stowed in the outer body 22, as shown in FIG. 1, to a deployed position, in which the center body 24 is moved out of the outer body 22 to extend an axial length of the effector 20. The center body 24 may be axially translatable relative to the outer body 22 and movable in a forward direction relative to the direction of travel of the effector 20. The movement of the center body 24 relative to the outer body 24 may provide a telescoping-type arrangement for the airframe of the effector 20.

[0065] The effector 20 may include a ramjet assembly 26. The ramjet assembly 26 may be defined by a ramjet inlet formed in the outer body 24 that receives airflow during flight of the effector 20. The center body 24 may include any number of subsystems of the effector 20. For example, the center body 24 may include at least one of a warhead subsystem 28, a seeker subsystem, a Guidance Electronics Unit (GEU), or a Control Actuation System (CAS). In exemplary embodiments, all of the subsystems of the effector 20 may be contained in the center body 24, such that all of the subsystems are shifted with the center body 24. In exemplary embodiments, the effector 20 may include a rocket motor such that the effector 20 is rocket assisted. Many other subsystems may be suitable and the subsystems implemented in the effector 20 may be dependent on the application.

[0066] Advantageously, the translating center body 24 is stowed within the defined length of the effector 20. The center body 24 is translated forward within the outer body 22 immediately after a muzzle exit of the effector 20 from a gun to extend the axial length of the effector 20. The movement of the center body 24 also exposes or opens a radially positioned ramjet fuel chamber to enable additional fuel to be provided to a ramjet of the effector 20. Accordingly, a range of the effector 20 is extended using a telescoping or morphing airframe that is able to fit within the existing packaging requirements of the effector 20. The translating center body configuration increases the fuel gain mass and length by packaging fuel where the air ducts of traditional systems would be located, which significantly increases the effector range.

[0067] The outer diameter of the center body 24 may match an inner diameter of the outer body 22 such that the center body 24 is centered in the outer body 22 as the center body 24 moves through the outer body 22. The center body 24 may include locating or guide features 29 formed on an outer periphery of the effector 20. The locating or guide features 29 are engageable with a corresponding feature of the outer body 22 to enable movement of the center body 24 along the outer body 22. The locating or guide features may include any suitable tabs, ribs, protrusions, rails, guides, grooves, etc. The locating or guide features may have any suitable shape.

[0068] An axial length of the center body 24 may be more than half of an axial length of the outer body 22. The axial length of the center body 24 is less than the entire axial length of the outer body 22. An entire axial length of the center body 24 may be encompassed and surrounded by the outer body 22 when the center body 24 is in the stowed position shown in FIG. 1. The center body 24 may include a plurality of control surfaces 30 that are disposed on an outer periphery of the center body 24 and retained in a folded position against the center body 24 when the center body 24 is in the stowed position.

[0069] Referring in addition to FIGS. 2 and 3, the center body 24 is axially translatable to the deployed position shown in FIG. 3 when the effector 20 is fired from a launcher. The center body 24 moves out of the outer body 22 via a center body deployment mechanism via propellent within the center body 24, gas pressure generated by external burning propellent, explosive charges, etc.

[0070] When the center body 24 is in the deployed position shown in FIG. 3, the control surfaces 30 are moved from the folded position against the center body 24 to the deployed position away from the center body 24. The outer body 22 may also contain a ramjet fuel chamber 32 that is opened by the axial translation of the center body 24. The ramjet fuel chamber 32 may be formed as an axially extending chamber that is radially spaced from a longitudinal axis of the effector 20.

[0071] FIG. 2 shows a forward view of the effector 20 and a ramjet inlet 34 having ducting 36 that is defined by the outer body 22 and in fluid communication with the ramjet fuel chamber 32 when the ramjet fuel chamber 32 is opened by the axial translation of the center body 24. The movement of the center body 24 exposes the radially positioned ramjet fuel in the outer body 22, such that the air entering the ramjet inlet 34 may be heated by combusting the air with the fuel for additional fuel and thus propulsion of the effector 20. The ramjet inlet 34 may include at least one duct. For example, three ducts that are symmetrically disposed about a radially outer circumference of the ramjet inlet 34 may be suitable. The ramjet ducting 36 may be arranged proximate an aft portion 39 of the center body 24 and/or radially surround the aft portion 39 when the center body 24 is in the deployed position. The outer body 22 may surround the aft portion 39 of the center body 24 when the center body 24 is in the deployed position.

[0072] The effector 20 may also include a pusher plate 40 that is arranged at an aft end of the effector 20 for gun launched applications. The pusher plate 40 is configured to absorb force associated with the initial movement of the effector 20 in the gun barrel by the expanding gases and may push the effector 20 out of the barrel. After the center body 24 is moved to the deployed position, the pusher plate 40 is released from the effector 20 which consequently enables aft fins 41 to deploy as shown in FIG. 2. The pusher plate subsystem may be configured to apply a force that translates the center body 24 after launch.

[0073] Referring in addition to FIGS. 4 and 5, the center body 24 and the outer body 22 may have any suitable corresponding mechanical locking features to lock the center body 24 and the outer body 22 together after the center body 24 reaches the deployed position. As shown in FIG. 5, the outer body 22 and the center body 24 have corresponding interfaces 42, 44 that engage when the center body 24 moves. The corresponding interfaces 42, 44 may be formed as conical interfaces that taper in an axial direction. The interfaces 42, 44 may be integrally formed as one piece with the corresponding body.

[0074] Any number of interfaces 42, 44 may be provided and the interfaces 42, 44 may be circumferentially spaced about a longitudinal axis of the effector 20. The conical interfaces of the outer body 42 may be arranged at a forward end of the outer body 42 and the conical interfaces 44 of the center body 24 may be arranged at an aft end of the center body 24. The conical shape provides a play-free, self-locking, centering joint, such that when the center body 24 is extended, the center body 24 remains centered relative to the outer body 22. Other shapes for the interfaces may also be suitable.

[0075] Referring in addition to FIGS. 6A-6D, the effector 20 may be launched from a barrel 46 of a gun-launched effector assembly by a propellant. FIG. 6A shows the effector 20 emerging from the barrel 46. As shown in FIG. 6B, after a muzzle exit of the effector 20, the center body 24 may be translated in the forward direction out from the outer body 22 as the effector 20 also moves in the forward direction. With reference to FIG. 6C, after the center body 24 is moved to the deployed position out of the outer body 22, the pusher plate 40 may be released from the effector 20 in the rearward direction and discarded from the effector 20. The movement of the pusher plate 40 may also enable the fins 41 of the effector 20 to deploy for flight of the effector 20, as shown in FIG. 6D.

[0076] The effector according to the present application is advantageous as compared with a conventional ramjet effector that does not have an extendable axial length or extended range. The effector according to the present application has an increased fuel length and weight as compared with known ramjets.

[0077] The effector according to the present application may be formed of any suitable materials and formed by any suitable manufacturing and assembly methods.

[0078] Although the disclosure includes certain preferred embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described elements (components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such elements are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any element which performs the specified function of the described element (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiment or embodiments. In addition, while a particular feature of the disclosure may have been described above with respect to only one or more of several illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.