Flight vehicles including scribed frangible seals and methods for the manufacture thereof

Abstract

Embodiments of a flight vehicle including a scribed frangible seal are provided, as are embodiments of a scribed frangible seal and a method for equipping a flight vehicle with a scribed frangible seal. In one embodiment, the flight vehicle includes a vehicle body having a deployment opening therein, and a deployable element residing in a stowed position within the vehicle body and movable into a deployed position. At least a potion of the deployable element passes through the deployment opening when moving from the stowed position into the deployed position. The flight vehicle further includes a scribed frangible seal, which is sealingly disposed over the deployment opening and which is positioned so as to be contacted by the deployable element during deployment thereof. The scribed frangible seal fractures along at least one scribe line when contacted by the deployable element to permit movement of the deployable element from the stowed position to the deployed position.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The following disclosure relates generally to flight vehicles and, more particularly, to embodiments of guided munitions and other flight vehicles including scribed frangible seals.BACKGROUND[0002]Certain guided munitions are equipped with a plurality of forward-mounted wings or canards, which are hingedly mounted to a forward section of the munition body (e.g., the guidance section shell) for inflight movement from a stowed position to a deployed position. In the stowed position, the canards are recessed within the munition body to impart the guided munition with a streamlined envelope well-suited for loading into a launch tube or similar enclosure. During deployment, the canards rotate about a hinge pin, through longitudinal slots provided in the munition body, and into a deployed position wherein the canards project radially outward from the munition body to provide aerodynamic guidance during flight. The outward rotation of the canards is typically driven by...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Flight vehicles are provided with a deployable element that can be moved from a stowed position to a deployed position. The vehicle has an opening through which the deployable element passes, and a scribed frangible seal is positioned to seal the opening. The seal fractures when the deployable element passes through it, allowing it to move from the stowed position to the deployed position. The seal is made of a ceramic substrate with a laser scribe line that imparts a predetermined rupture strength. This technology allows for a reliable and secure sealing of the deployment opening without compromising the functionality of the flight vehicle.

Problems solved by technology

If permitted to accumulate within the guided munition, such contaminants can potentially interfere with the operation of the munition's internal components, such as the control actuation system utilized to manipulate the canards during flight.

Conventional environmental seals are, however, limited in several regards.

Conventional environmental seals are typically incapable of maintaining sealing properties when repeatedly exposed to extreme thermal and pressure loading conditions.

As a result, conventionally-known environmental seals are typically unsuitable for usage in conjunction with guided munitions carried by multi-tube launchers and repeatedly exposed to rocket motor exhaust during the launch of neighboring munitions.

Similarly, conventionally-known environmental seals may be unsuitable for usage with guided munitions exposed high thermal loads due to aerodynamic heating during supersonic flight.

As a further limitation, conventionally-known environmental seals typically require dedicated actuators (e.g., electromechanical or pyrotechnic devices) to jettison or otherwise displace the seals immediately prior to canard deployment.

Such dedicated seal actuators add undesired cost, weight, and bulk to guided munition.

In addition, the usage of such dedicated seal actuators may be precluded by spatial limitations in the case of laser-guided rockets and other small form factor munitions.

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