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WO2024218674A1 - Torpille pourvue d'un système de détection d'impact précoce - Google Patents

Torpille pourvue d'un système de détection d'impact précoce Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2024218674A1
WO2024218674A1 PCT/IB2024/053741 IB2024053741W WO2024218674A1 WO 2024218674 A1 WO2024218674 A1 WO 2024218674A1 IB 2024053741 W IB2024053741 W IB 2024053741W WO 2024218674 A1 WO2024218674 A1 WO 2024218674A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
torpedo
circuit
explosive
detonator
time
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
PCT/IB2024/053741
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Giacomo PAOLI
Filippo Maria BONDI
Simone FIORAVANTI
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Leonardo SpA
Original Assignee
Leonardo SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Leonardo SpA filed Critical Leonardo SpA
Publication of WO2024218674A1 publication Critical patent/WO2024218674A1/fr
Priority to IL323955A priority Critical patent/IL323955A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42B—EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION
    • F42B19/00—Marine torpedoes, e.g. launched by surface vessels or submarines; Sea mines having self-propulsion means
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42C—AMMUNITION FUZES; ARMING OR SAFETY MEANS THEREFOR
    • F42C1/00—Impact fuzes, i.e. fuzes actuated only by ammunition impact
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42C—AMMUNITION FUZES; ARMING OR SAFETY MEANS THEREFOR
    • F42C14/00—Mechanical fuzes characterised by the ammunition class or type
    • F42C14/04—Mechanical fuzes characterised by the ammunition class or type for torpedoes, marine mines or depth charges
    • F42C14/045—Mechanical fuzes characterised by the ammunition class or type for torpedoes, marine mines or depth charges having electric igniters

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a torpedo provided with an early impact detection system .
  • torpedoes carry an explosive charge which is activated by a pyrotechnic chain consisting of a total of three explosive components : a detonator which typically receives an activation command from an electronic control unit on board the torpedo ; a booster explosive which is detonated by the detonator ; and a main explosive which explodes as a result of the explosion of the booster i f the booster is in contact with the main explosive .
  • the detonator i s the most reactive and sensitive explosive in the chain, the detonation of which would in itsel f pose no danger to the torpedo and an operator given the small quantity .
  • the booster explosive is an intermediate charge which is less sensitive than the detonator but whose detonation would itsel f cause a small amount of damage to the torpedo .
  • the three components are alternately physically available within the torpedo from a safety position in which an accidental detonator explosion does not propagate and cannot detonate the main explosive to a weapon position in which the three components are physically aligned along one direction and an explosion of the detonator sequentially detonates the booster and main explosive .
  • the movement of the three components from the safety position to the weapon position is accomplished by an actuator which moves a device ( e . g . , a carriage or a rotating carousel , etc . ) and is actuated by the electronic control unit , e . g . , an actuator with a pyrotechnic trigger is used .
  • a device e . g . , a carriage or a rotating carousel , etc .
  • the electronic control unit e . g .
  • an actuator with a pyrotechnic trigger is used .
  • the torpedo must be brought into the weapon position only when two conditions have been veri fied, the torpedo has been completely ej ected from the submarine ' s launch tube and it has moved away from the submarine by a clearance distance .
  • the standards such as STANAG 4187 mention two independent physical stimuli which can only occur as a result of firing .
  • One of the two stimuli must ensure the clearance distance or ' Equivalent Delay . ' ( see par 6 of STANAG)
  • the first condition can be veri fied by means of a sensor fitted with an appendage which presses on the launch tube casing when the torpedo is contained in the launch tube and extends outwards from the torpedo when the torpedo has exited the launch tube .
  • a probe pushed by a spring is used .
  • the displacement of the appendage produces the signal which indicates the exit of the torpedo .
  • the torpedo distancing condition is instead accomplished by arranging a main source of electrical energy (therm battery) in the torpedo , which is only fully activated a few seconds after the torpedo has exited the launch tube ; the detonator can only be activated when such an electrical energy source has been fully activated and provides a voltage above a limit value .
  • a main source of electrical energy thermal battery
  • the exit of the torpedo from the launch tube is accomplished by pushing the torpedo mechanically or by means of pressurised fluids , or by using auxiliary batteries which rotate the torpedo propellers .
  • the damaged or even run-aground torpedo could also remain next to the active and armed launch vehicle for the duration of the mission.
  • the equivalent delay may not be sufficient to ensure the safety distance.
  • the object of the present invention is to make a torpedo which, following its exit from the launch tube, is not dangerous if the impact is detected a few seconds after the launch, viz. : within the 'equivalent delay' to reach the safety distance.
  • the preceding object is achieved by the present invention in that it relates to a torpedo provided with a weapon safety system as envisaged in claim 1.
  • the present invention further relates to a method of the type envisaged in claim 5.
  • Figure 1 illustrates a longitudinal section of the torpedo provided with a safety system made according to the present invention
  • Figure 2 illustrates a circuit of the torpedo of figure 1.
  • Figure 1 shows a torpedo 1 comprising a tubular cylindrical body 2 elongated along an axis H and housing in the back an electric propulsion motor 3 (e.g., an axial-flow electric motor) driving a multi-bladed rear propeller 4.
  • an electric propulsion motor 3 e.g., an axial-flow electric motor
  • the electric motor may also not be with axial flow.
  • the body 2 is provided with an acoustic head 5 (of known type) and houses an explosive warhead 6 described later and also of known type.
  • the body 2 houses a power supply, e.g., a thermal battery 7 (of known type, e.g., a thermal battery which is activated following the entry of seawater) , a battery or any other power supply which powers the electric propulsion motor 3 and an electronic control unit 8 which commands a torpedo mission towards a target .
  • a power supply e.g., a thermal battery 7 (of known type, e.g., a thermal battery which is activated following the entry of seawater)
  • a battery or any other power supply which powers the electric propulsion motor 3
  • an electronic control unit 8 which commands a torpedo mission towards a target .
  • the explosive warhead 6 of known type comprises three explosive components forming a pyrotechnic chain : a detonator 10 which receives an activation command from the control unit 8 ; a booster explosive 11 which is detonated by the detonator 10 ; and a main explosive 12 which explodes following the explosion of the booster 11 ,
  • the three components 10 , 11 and 12 are physically available within the torpedo alternately from a safety position in which an accidental detonation of the detonator 10 does not propagate and the explosion of the main explosive 12 cannot operate , to a weapon position in which the three components 10 , 11 and 12 are physically aligned along one direction and an explosion of the detonator 10 sequentially carries out the explosion of the booster 11 and the main explosive 12 (pyrotechnic chain alignment ) .
  • the movement of the three components 10 , 11 and 12 from the safety position to the weapon position is accomplished by an actuator ( of known type and not illustrated) which moves a carriage or other similar device (not illustrated) and is actuated by the control unit 8 , can be an actuator with a pyrotechnic trigger or an electric motor .
  • the power source 7 is configured to activate immediately following the exit of the torpedo 1 from the launch tube (not illustrated) of an underwater vehicle (not illustrated) to provide the voltage required to power the electric motor 3 . Immediately is intended as a few seconds after the launch .
  • the electronic control unit 8 comprises a circuit 20 for detecting a first event when the torpedo has hit an obstacle with a given energy following its entry in water .
  • the first circuit 20 comprises an accelerometer 21 mounted on the torpedo 1 which produces a signal which is supplied to an input of an integration circuit 22 through a decoupling circuit 23 which prevents the continuous component of the signal of the axial accelerometer 21 from being supplied to the input of the integrator 22 .
  • An axial accelerometer can be used, which is easily installable on the torpedo ; however, di f ferent accelerometers can be used, for example a biaxial or triaxial accelerometer, which would detect impacts in all directions and not only in the forward direction of the torpedo .
  • the integrator 22 is configured to begin the integration of the input signal (RESET ) at the instant To when a sensor present on the torpedo (not illustrated and of known type ) detects the entrance of the torpedo in water .
  • the output of the integrator circuit 22 is fed to a first input 24-a of a comparator circuit 24 which has a second input 24-b to which a signal indicative of a threshold energy Eii m indicative of an impact is supplied .
  • the acceleration signal increases considerably for a certain time and its integral representing the energy of the impact itsel f reaches a value above that of the limit Eii m so that the output of the comparator circuit representing the output of the first circuit 20 goes from a first logical value indicating no impact ( zero in the example ) to a second logical value ( 1 in the example ) indicating precisely that the torpedo has hit an obstacle with a given energy following its entry in water .
  • Any rapid fluctuation of the acceleration signal due for example , to noise does not contribute to producing a signal representing sufficient energy at the output of integrator circuit 24 , and the first logical value is therefore maintained .
  • the electronic control unit 18 comprises a second circuit 30 adapted to measure the time T elapsed from the time To when the torpedo was launched in water and to generate in output a third logical value ( e . g . , zero ) when such time T is below a limit value Ti im ( T ⁇ Ti im ) and a fourth logical value ( e . g . , one ) when such time T is greater than the limit value Tii m ( T > Ti im ) .
  • An AND logic gate 32 receives at a first input the output signal of the first circuit 20 and at a second input the negated output of the second circuit 30 .
  • the AND logic gate 32 can output either a zero or a 1 value corresponding to a deactivation state .
  • the AND logic gate 32 has an output which communicates with a LATCH circuit 35 which is configured to stably maintain the value 1 when the output of the logic gate 32 goes from zero to one .
  • the latch circuit 35 is configured to act on an inhibition circuit 37 which brings , following the generation of the deactivation state , the torpedo into a safety state in which the explosion of the warhead is prevented .
  • the inhibition circuit 37 is configured to carry out one of the following operations :

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Automotive Seat Belt Assembly (AREA)

Abstract

Selon l'invention, la torpille (1), dans laquelle une ogive explosive (6) comprend trois éléments explosifs : un détonateur (10) qui reçoit une instruction d'activation ; une charge d'amorçage (11) qui est déclenchée par le détonateur (10) ; et un explosif principal (12) qui explose à la suite de l'explosion de la charge d'amorçage (11). Lorsqu'un impact avec un obstacle est détecté suite à l'entrée de la torpille dans l'eau et qu'un tel impact est détecté à un instant qui est inférieur à une valeur limite T lim (T < T lim ), un circuit d'inhibition (27) est activé, ce qui amène la torpille dans un état de sécurité dans lequel la charge explosive est empêchée d'exploser.
PCT/IB2024/053741 2023-04-18 2024-04-17 Torpille pourvue d'un système de détection d'impact précoce Pending WO2024218674A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IL323955A IL323955A (en) 2023-04-18 2025-10-15 Torpedo equipped with an early detection system

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT202300007530 2023-04-18
IT102023000007530 2023-04-18

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2024218674A1 true WO2024218674A1 (fr) 2024-10-24

Family

ID=87514227

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2024/053741 Pending WO2024218674A1 (fr) 2023-04-18 2024-04-17 Torpille pourvue d'un système de détection d'impact précoce

Country Status (2)

Country Link
IL (1) IL323955A (fr)
WO (1) WO2024218674A1 (fr)

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2961961A (en) * 1947-05-26 1960-11-29 James M Kendall Torpedo exploder mechanism
US6105504A (en) * 1969-06-30 2000-08-22 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Contact exploder

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2961961A (en) * 1947-05-26 1960-11-29 James M Kendall Torpedo exploder mechanism
US6105504A (en) * 1969-06-30 2000-08-22 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Contact exploder

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IL323955A (en) 2025-12-01

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