Optical Ignition Cartridge With Faraday Cage Shielding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cartridge systems face challenges in using laser ignition systems due to robustness issues under extreme vibrations, shocks, and environmental conditions, as well as risks of inadvertent ignition from electromagnetic interference.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a laser diode within the cartridge case, protected by multiple Faraday cages and a microelectric circuit, which allows for optical ignition and reduces sensitivity to electromagnetic interference, enabling seamless interchangeability with electrical systems and eliminating the need for lead styphnate-based mixes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a laser ignition system is located in the breech of an artillery system, then ignition capability is achieved, but robustness under extreme vibration, shock and thermal excursions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the ignition system into two separate components: a robust external laser emitter located in the breech and a delicate optical receiver integrated within the cartridge case. This segmentation allows the external laser to be designed for environmental robustness while the internal receiver can be optimized for precision and protection against electromagnetic interference, resolving the contradiction between ignition capability and robustness under extreme conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical receiver is nested within the cartridge case, which itself is nested within the weapon system. The cartridge case provides the first layer of physical and electromagnetic protection, while the external laser emitter provides the second layer of environmental shielding. This nested structure protects the sensitive optical components from both mechanical shock and electromagnetic interference simultaneously.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional chemical primer is used, then robustness and protection from electromagnetic interference are maintained, but adaptability to optical ignition systems deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge case is designed with a universal interface that can accommodate both traditional chemical primers and the new optical receiver. The external laser ignition system can interchange with electrical ignition systems without modifying the weapon platform, as the optical receiver integrates into the existing primer location. This universal design enables flexibility in ignition system selection while maintaining protection characteristics.
3Ease of manufacture
If lead styphnate-based mixes are used in conventional primers, then reliable ignition is achieved, but environmental friendliness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the chemical-mechanical ignition system (lead styphnate-based primer) with an optical ignition system. The external laser emitter delivers optical energy through the cartridge case to the optical receiver, which then triggers the propellant ignition. This substitution eliminates the need for toxic lead styphnate chemicals while maintaining reliable ignition through the optical energy transfer mechanism.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances the robustness and reliability of the ignition system, reducing the risk of inadvertent ignition and maintaining performance across various environmental conditions without modifying existing weapon platforms.
Implementation Method 1
Laser diodes are inherently robust, compact and readily available from multiple sources
Implementation Method 2
The availability of low cost optical emission sources such as laser diodes, vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSEL's) and light emitting diodes (LED's)
Implementation Method 3
Of principal relevance is the inherent dual protection by the principle of a Faraday cage which is provided by both the primary exterior metallic cartridge case in combination with the secondary metallic primer housing
Implementation Method 4
for weapon systems which use a mechanical firing pin, a diode laser would be coupled with an internal power source such as a piezoelectric cell to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy to drive the optical source
Data Source
AI summary
An ammunition cartridge for a gun is optically initiated by a mechanism wholly within the cartridge case itself. The case has as optical primer initiation means producing light fluence to ignite a primer, which ignited primer may in turn ignite into a flashtube, and which ignited flashtube may in turn ignite a bed of propellant in said cartridge. The optical primer initiation means may be an LED, a laser diode, a VCSEL, or some other light emitting device in general. The cartridge optically initiated primer package is so sized and made electrically and mechanically seamlessly physically compatible with current ammunition cartridges such that these new cartridges are completely interchangeable. If the cartridge primer initiation means is of a percussion type, the cartridge is adapted to include an in-line piezoelectric crystal so that electrical power will be generated when the cartridge assembly is struck by a firing pin during percussion type operations; the power is then used to initiate the light emitting device.