Energy harvesting power sources for generating a time-out signal for unexploded munitions

Abstract

A method is provided for detecting a target impact of a munition. The method including: providing the munition with a power supply having a piezoelectric material for generating power from a vibration induced by the munition; monitoring an output from the power supply; and determining whether the output of power from the power supply has dropped below a predetermined threshold.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority to earlier filed U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 759,606 filed on Jan. 17, 2006, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by its reference. The electrical energy harvesting power sources disclosed herein are described in detail in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10 / 235,997 and 11 / 116,093, each of which are incorporated herein by their reference.GOVERNMENTAL RIGHTS [0002] This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DAAE30-03-C1077, awarded by the U.S. Army. The Government may have certain rights in this invention.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention relates generally to power supplies, and more particularly, to power supplies for projectiles, which generate power due to an acceleration of the projectile. [0005] 2. Prior Art [0006] Fuzing of munitions is necessary to initiate a firing of the munition. Currently...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] In the present application, the electrical energy harvesting power sources are used for powering fuzing electronics as acceleration and motion sensors, acoustic sensors, micro-actuation devices, etc., that could be used to enhance fusing safety and performance. As such, the developed electrical energy harvesting power sources, in addition to being capable of replacing or at least supplementing chemical batteries, have significant added benefits in rendering fuzing safer and enhancing its operational performance. Fir example, the piezoelectric-based electrical energy harvesting power sources can provide the following safety and performance enhancing capabilities:

[0019] If the output of the power supply has dropped below the predetermined threshold, the processor can further disable the round from being internally detonated.

Problems solved by technology

Currently, there is no reliable and simple mechanism for differentiating an accidental drop of a munition from a firing acceleration, to prevent an accidental drop from initiating a fuzing of the munition.

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