NOSE CONE COMPRISING ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BOARDS ARRANGED RADIALLY

Abstract

The invention relates to A nose cone assembly for a munition, comprising a transducer array operably linked to a transmission assembly, wherein the transducer array is operably connected to a transducer housing, said transducer housing comprising a first and second surface, wherein said transmission assembly is reversibly operably connected to the second surface of said transducer housing, said transmission assembly comprising a control board and a plurality of electronic circuit boards, wherein at least one electronic circuit board is a transceiver circuit board, said electronic circuit boards being reversibly connected to the control board and being arranged along their longest dimension, at an axis substantially perpendicular to the control board and further arranged such that the electronic circuit boards extend radially inwardly to a substantially rotational centre of the control board.

Claims

1. A nose cone assembly for a munition, the assembly comprising: a transducer housing comprising a surface; a transmission assembly reversibly operably connected to the surface of said transducer housing, said transmission assembly comprising a control board and a plurality of electronic circuit boards, wherein at least one electronic circuit board is a transceiver circuit board, said electronic circuit boards being reversibly connected to the control board and being arranged along their longest dimension, at an axis substantially perpendicular to the control board and further arranged such that the electronic circuit boards extend radially inwardly to a substantially rotational centre of the control board; and a transducer array operably linked to the transmission assembly, and operably connected to the transducer housing.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a support hub is located at said substantially rotational centre of the control board, and said electronic circuit boards are reversibly engaged with the support hub.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the support hub comprises a void to allow the flow of a cooling fluid.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit boards are each independently operably linked to the surface of the transducer housing.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit boards are supported by a support ring located around the circumference of the electronic circuit boards.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein at least one support spoke is arranged perpendicularly to the control board for connecting said control board to the support ring.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit boards are reversibly engaged with the control board via a push-fit arrangement.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein the electronic circuit boards are reversibly engaged with the second surface of the transducer housing via a push-fit arrangement.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein the push-fit arrangement comprises a co-operative guide pin and recess arrangement.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein a sub-frame is mounted on the surface of the transducer housing, said sub-frame comprising a first support ring, wherein the first support ring of the sub-frame engages with a second support ring of the transmission assembly.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the sub-frame is mounted on the surface of the transducer housing by at least one mounting leg.

12. (canceled)

13. An electronic circuit board arrangement, comprising a plurality of electronic circuit boards and a control board, wherein the electronic circuit boards are reversibly connected to the control board and are arranged along their longest dimension at an axis substantially perpendicular to the control board and further arranged such that the electronic circuit boards extend radially inwardly to a substantially rotational centre of the control board.

14. The arrangement according to claim 13, wherein a support hub is located at said substantially rotational centre of the control board, and said electronic circuit boards are reversibly engaged with the support hub.

15. The arrangement according to claim 14, wherein the support hub comprises a void to allow the flow of a cooling fluid.

16. The arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the electronic circuit boards are supported by a first support ring located around the circumference of the electronic circuit boards, the first support ring engaging a second support ring of a sub-frame.

17. The arrangement according to claim 16, wherein at least one support spoke is arranged perpendicularly to the control board for connecting said control board to the support ring.

18. The arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the electronic circuit boards are reversibly engaged with the control board via a push-fit arrangement, the push-fit arrangement comprising a co-operative guide pin and recess arrangement.

19. The device according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the transducer housing is a first surface, the transducer housing further including a second surface, the transducer array being mounted the second surface of the transducer housing.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the transducer array is encapsulated by a protective cover.

21. The device according to claim 8, wherein the push-fit arrangement comprises a co-operative guide pin and recess arrangement.

Description

[0020] Exemplary embodiments of the device in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows an assembled, modular nose cone assembly.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows an example, exploded view of the modular nose cone assembly.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of an example transmission assembly and example electronic circuit board arrangement.

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of an example transducer housing and sub-frame arrangement.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown an assembled nose cone assembly 10 comprising a control board 19 a second support ring 17a linked with a first support ring (not shown) with said second support ring 17a comprising a support leg 16. The electronic circuit boards 18 are arranged around a support hub (not shown) with interspersed support spokes 15 linked to the control board 19, providing additional support to the transmission assembly. A first surface 14a of the transducer housing has mounted thereon the transducer array (not shown), which is protected by a cover 14. The nose cone assembly 10 is the first part to be inserted into the nose cone cover (shown in FIG. 2).

[0026] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown an exploded view of the nose cone assembly 20 arrangement. The nose cone assembly 20 comprises a nose cone cover 23, a transducer housing 21b and connected thereto a sub-frame 21a, which is capable of housing the transmission assembly 22. In this embodiment the transducer housing 21b, houses the transducer array (not shown), which is protected by a cover 24. The transducer array may be mounted on the first surface 24a. On the second surface 24b, of the transducer housing is located a sub-frame 21a. The sub-frame 21a comprises three legs 26 and a second support ring 27a for receipt of the transmission assembly 22.

[0027] The transmission assembly comprises a control board 29, to which are electrically connected a plurality of electronic circuit boards 28. The control board 29 further comprises a number of support spokes 25 which are attached to a first support ring 27b.

[0028] The electronic circuit boards are arranged around a support hub (not shown (see FIG. 3) and are reversibly attached to the control board 29. Support spokes 25 are mounted on the control board 29 and are interspersed between certain electronic circuit boards, and attach to the first support ring 27b.

[0029] The arrangement of the first support ring 27b with the second support ring 27a provides both alignment and support for the transmission assembly 22.

[0030] The combined transmission assembly 22 and transducer housing 21b may then be slotted into the nose cone cover 23 to form the nose cone assembly 20.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a transmission assembly 32, comprising a control board 39. At substantially the rotational centre of the control board 39 there is mounted a support hub 37c, which is substantially perpendicular to the control board 39. The plurality of electronic circuit boards 38 are fixed to the control board 39, the support hub 37c and are further retained in place by support ring 37a.

[0032] In the preferred arrangement the electronic circuit boards are arranged onto the control board 39 with an edge of the electronic circuit boards 38 orientated to face the support hub 37c and the substantial rotational centre of the control board 39. Each of the electronic circuit boards' 38 inner facing edges is engaged with the support hub 37a.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment there exists a first support ring 37a around the circumference of the electronic circuit boards 38 outer edges, to provide stability and support. Further to this, support spokes 35 may be arranged in positions between the electronic circuit boards 38 to provide support and rigidity between the transmission assembly 32 and the second surface of the transducer housing (not shown).

[0034] In the event of a failure of an electronic circuit board 38, the nose cone assembly may be quickly disassembled, the damaged electronic circuit board 38 removed and a new one slotted in, without removing all the electronic circuit boards. The first support ring 37a, the support hub 37c and the transducer housing (not shown) all provide support for the transmission assembly 32, Further rigidity may be provided when the first support ring 37a is fastened to the second support ring (not shown). Further the support hub 37c may contain a void 31 to allow the passage of a cooling fluid to aid in cooling the electronic circuit boards 38. The cooling may be passive or forced cooling.

[0035] The electronic circuit boards 38 may comprise a plurality of pin recesses 32a which provide guidance of the component and rigidity to the connection, further there are a plurality of electrical connection recesses (not shown) in order to facilitate a quick electrical connections between the individual electronic circuit boards 38 of the transmission assembly 32 to the transducer housing and transducer array (not shown).

[0036] Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown the transducer housing 41, with a first surface 44a and a second surface 44b. The sub-frame 41a comprises a second support ring 47a which is mounted onto the second surface 44b by support legs 46. The second surface 44b, which comprises a number of protrusions 42b for the receipt of the plurality of electrical connection recesses as well as a support hub recess 47c. Further there are a plurality of pins 42a which cooperatively engage with the plurality of pin recesses 32a (shown in FIG. 3) present on the electronic circuit boards 28. The pins 42a, support hub recess 47c and recesses 32a enable a more secure connection as well as being a guide to locate the electronic circuit boards 28 on the transducer housing 41. This push-fit connection allows faster assembly/disassembly as required.