HAND-PREPARED SMOKE-GENERATING PRODUCTION

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a hand grenade for generating smoke, in particular for generating colored smoke.

[0002] Such smoke is widely used in the military and for security purposes, for example, as a simple form of long-distance communication. It can also be used, for example, to mark targets for rescue and attack operations. Signal smoke devices, carried as hand grenades, produce smoke of a specific composition when activated, which is determined by the composition contained in the device. The different smoke properties, for example, different colors, are made possible by varying the number of different grenades.

[0003] Thus, conventionally, as many grenades of a certain type as are expected to be needed must be carried.

[0004] US Pat. No. 9,448,047 B1 describes a grenade for generating colored smoke. This grenade incorporates various color chambers into a hand grenade. These chambers, through a variable arrangement relative to one another and the resulting flow pattern, generate smoke of the desired color from the previously produced gas. The desired color can be adjusted accordingly. Depending on the desired color, the existing color chambers are either filled with smoke or remain unused. This means that unused chemical substances remain at the site of use after the grenade is deployed.

[0005] Smoke generators of various types are essential in modern combat operations. However, due to the sheer volume of equipment required, reducing the weight carried by the user is desirable. Likewise, discarding active or effect charges unused is undesirable. In the aforementioned publication, the individual preset color chambers are used and the unused ones are discarded.

[0006] This means increased production and cost requirements, as the unused ink chambers are also provided with a corresponding charge.

[0007] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a hand grenade which can produce different qualities of smoke depending on the requirements and no unused effect charges are discarded with the hand grenade according to the invention.

[0008] This problem is solved by the features of the present main claim. Accordingly, a hand grenade for generating smoke is claimed, comprising a housing that includes outlet openings for the smoke to be generated. These outlet openings can be designed as holes in the housing, which can optionally be sealed with a membrane permeable on one side.

[0009] The hand grenade according to the invention further comprises a detonator head, which comprises means for igniting the hand grenade. These means for igniting the hand grenade can be mechanical, such as a piezoelectric element, or electrical or chemical. All means for igniting the hand grenade have in common that they can initiate a pyrotechnic element.

[0010] Also associated with the hand grenade is a detonation and delay line, which can be initiated by the means used to detonate the hand grenade. The detonation and delay line is designed to detonate or disintegrate a corresponding active charge. A time delay is also associated with the detonation and delay line, so that after the detonation and delay line is initiated, it can detonate or disintegrate an active charge with a time delay.

[0011] Such a charge is also provided in the casing, which can be ignited or disintegrated via the ignition and delay line. The combustion or disintegration of the charge creates a carrier gas in the casing. When the pressure from the carrier gas in the casing is high enough, this carrier gas is then released from the hand grenade through the corresponding outlet openings.

[0012] The active charge can be introduced into the hand grenade via a container and contains a pyrotechnic mixture. This mixture preferably consists of at least one oxidizing agent and at least one reducing agent, which serves to generate the carrier gas and the necessary heat energy.

[0013] According to the invention, an effect area is provided in the housing, which can accommodate at least one effect module. Such an effect module contains an active substance that transforms into its gaseous state upon exposure to heat. This heat is generated by the combustion or decomposition of the active charge, allowing the then gaseous active substance of the effect module to escape from the outlet openings together with the carrier gas.

[0014] This design makes it possible to equip the hand grenade according to the invention only with those effect modules that are actually intended to be fired or disassembled. This ensures that no effect components are discarded unused.

[0015] Advantageously, the above-mentioned design allows any effect module to be used to be fired or dismantled with the same type of active charge. Thus, only one active charge needs to be provided in the hand grenade casing to fire or dismantle the effect charges. The effect modules can thus be manufactured separately from the active charge and stored until use. This allows for space-saving storage of the effect modules.

[0016] The effect module according to the invention preferably has a casing that completely encloses the active ingredient of the effect module. This design allows the effect modules to be stored outside the hand grenade.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the effect module comprises at least one organic active ingredient. In a particularly preferred embodiment, this organic active ingredient is embodied as a dye. This enables the smoke generated by the hand grenade to be emitted as colored smoke.

[0018] Also in a preferred embodiment, the ignition means comprise an actuator. When activated, said actuator triggers the initiation of the detonator head. Initiation can be caused by electrical, chemical, or mechanical action. The actuator itself can act electrically, mechanically, or magnetically. For this purpose, the actuator can be triggered manually or remotely. If the actuator is triggered remotely, the hand grenade then has a corresponding receiving unit for receiving remote control signals.

[0019] For the manual actuator version, this is preferably designed as a hand lever. Manual actuation of the hand lever initiates the detonation process of the hand grenade. Initially, the detonator head is activated, which then initiates the ignition and delay circuit. After the delay time has elapsed, the active charge is detonated or disintegrated by the ignition and delay circuit.

[0020] The active charge itself preferably comprises a pyrotechnic mixture that can be decomposed or burned while generating heat. The resulting heat heats the effect module accordingly, allowing it to exit the discharge openings together with the carrier gas after transitioning to the gaseous state.

[0021] When using the casing around the effect charge, it is designed in such a way that the casing is at least partially destroyed by the heat generated by the active charge or breaks due to the pressure of the effect charge when it transitions to the gaseous state.

[0022] The hand grenade according to the invention can produce various types of smoke, preferably colored smoke. However, different smoke densities, different shades of gray, and even smoke with infrared or UV components are also conceivable.

[0023] To produce the aforementioned effects, the effect module preferably comprises at least one organic substance. This can be implemented, for example, as a dye. It is also possible to mix several organic substances in one effect module to create a mixed effect for the smoke, for example, a yellow color with an infrared component.

[0024] It is also possible to equip the hand grenade in such a way that multiple effect modules can be inserted into the effect area of ​​the casing, which then combine to create a smoke mixture. For example, two effect modules can be inserted, one to create colored smoke and one to generate UV components in the smoke.

[0025] To insert the effect modules into the effect area, the housing contains an opening through which the effect modules can be inserted into the effect area of ​​the housing. This is preferably done by inserting the effect modules into the housing of the hand grenade according to the invention.

[0026] To keep inserted effect modules in the effect zone of the hand grenade, the opening can preferably be closed with a closure. This closure can be a separate component that is attached to or in the opening after the effect module has been inserted to hold the effect module in the hand grenade. It is also possible for the effect zone to have a thread and the effect module to have a corresponding counter-thread. In this case, the effect module can form the closure, namely with its end facing the opening.

[0027] Further features can be seen in the attached drawing.

[0028] It shows: Figure 1: a schematic representation and section through a hand grenade according to the invention.

[0029] Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the hand grenade according to the invention for generating smoke. For this purpose, the hand grenade has a housing which is Figure 1shown in section to show the features inside the case.

[0030] The housing has outlet openings 3, which serve to allow the smoke generated inside the housing to escape to the outside. The outlet openings 3 can be sealed with a membrane to allow smoke to escape from the housing while preventing any fluids from outside the housing from entering the interior.

[0031] The hand grenade according to the invention further comprises a detonator head 1 which comprises means for detonating the hand grenade. The detonator means further comprise an actuator 6, which in the present figure is designed as a hand lever and thus acts mechanically. The actuator serves to activate the detonator head 1. In this case, this is done by moving the hand lever.

[0032] The igniter head 1 initiates the activation of an ignition and delay line 2. This is preferably designed as a pyrotechnic composition which has a certain burning time and thus causes the delay.

[0033] After the delay time has expired or the ignition and delay section 2 has burned, it ignites an active charge 4, which is also located in the hand grenade casing. The active charge 4 is ignited by the ignition and burned or disintegrates, creating a carrier gas. The carrier gas then spreads inside the hand grenade casing.

[0034] The hand grenade's casing contains an effects area that can accommodate at least one effects module 5. This effects module 5 contains an active substance that can transform into its gaseous state due to heat generation. This heat is generated by the combustion or disintegration of the active charge 4. After transitioning into the gaseous state, the active substance can then exit the outlet openings 3 together with the carrier gas.

[0035] The effect module 5 contains an active ingredient, preferably an organic ingredient, which imparts a certain property to the generated smoke, for example, a specific color. Thus, the organic ingredient can also be embodied as a dye.

[0036] For better handling and to create a storage option for the effect module 5, a cover can be provided which completely encloses the active ingredient of the effect module 5.

[0037] According to the invention, the housing of the hand grenade has an opening through which the effect module 5 can be inserted into the effect area of ​​the housing. In a particular embodiment, the effect area of ​​the housing is provided with a thread, and the effect module is provided with a corresponding counter-thread, so that the effect module 5 can be screwed into the effect area of ​​the housing.

[0038] The insertion of the effect module 5 is in Figure 1 shown through the bottom of the hand grenade.

[0039] In order to hold the effect module 5 in the effect area, a closure 7 is preferably provided with which the opening can be closed. This closure 7 can be designed as a separate component which is screwed into or onto the opening. Other closure options for the closure 7 are a quick-release fastener or a magnetic fastener. Likewise, the closure 7 can also be formed from the effect module 5, preferably in that one end of the effect module 5 forms this closure after screwing in. This is the end of the effect module 5 which points towards the opening. In this case, it is proposed to manufacture the effect module 5 with the same dimensions as the effect area in which it can be accommodated. This ensures that the opening is closed off flush.

[0040] The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned features. Further configurations are possible. For example, the outlet openings can be located on the base or head of the hand grenade. Likewise, the ignition and delay sections can be electrically configured, so that no combustion is caused, but rather the delay is controlled electrically. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0041] 1-Igniter head 2-Ignition and delay section 3-Outlet openings 4-Effective charge 5-Effect module 6-Actuator 7-Shutter

Claims

1. Hand grenade for generating smoke, the grenade comprising a housing which has outflow openings (3) for the smoke to be generated, a detonator head (1) which has means for detonating the hand grenade, an ignition and delay line (2), an active charge (4) in the housing, which can be detonated via the ignition and delay line (2), so that by burning the active charge (4), a carrier gas is created, wherein an effect region is provided in the housing, which can accommodate at least one effect module (5), wherein the effect module (5) contains an active ingredient which changes into its gaseous state due to the effect of heat and can exit from the outflow openings (3) together with the carrier gas, and wherein the housing contains an opening through which the effect module (5) can be introduced into the effect region of the housing.

2. Hand grenade according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for detonation comprises an actuator (6) which acts electrically, magnetically or mechanically.

3. Hand grenade according to claim 2, characterized in that the actuator (6) is designed as a hand lever.

4. Hand grenade according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the outflow openings (3) are arranged on the side of the housing.

5. Hand grenade according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the active charge (4) comprises a pyrotechnic mixture of substances which can burn with the development of heat.

6. Hand grenade according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the effect module (5) comprises at least one organic active ingredient.

7. Hand grenade according to claim 6, characterized in that the organic active ingredient is in the form of a dye.

8. Hand grenade according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the effect module (5) has a casing which completely encloses the active ingredient of the effect module (5).

9. Hand grenade according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opening can be closed with a closure (7).

10. Hand grenade according to claim 9, characterized in that the closure is formed by one end of the effect module (5).

11. Hand grenade according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the effect region has a thread and the effect module (5) a corresponding counter thread.