Projectile Sealed Control Surface Housings

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Solution Overview

Problem

The bulkiness of deployable control surfaces in projectiles creates aerodynamic disturbances due to air circulation in their housings, which existing solutions fail to address effectively during flight.

Innovation Solution

The projectile body features sealed control surface housings using sealing means such as hatches or flexible tube sectors that prevent air passage once the control surfaces are deployed, ensuring aerodynamic stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If control surfaces are enlarged to optimize trajectory influence, then control precision is improved, but housing depth requirements increase causing bulkiness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetrajectory control precisionVSAvoidhousing volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple control surface housings that are radially adjacent to each other are made to communicate internally, allowing them to share a common internal space. This merging of housings reduces the total volume required compared to separate housings, while still accommodating enlarged control surfaces that extend radially outward for optimized trajectory control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The housing design transitions from a simple radial extension to a multi-dimensional configuration where housings communicate through the projectile body. The control surfaces can be enlarged in the radial dimension while the housing volume is optimized by utilizing internal communication paths that reduce redundancy in the structural design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If control surface housings are opened for deployment, then control surface access is improved, but aerodynamic disturbances increase due to air circulation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol surface deploymentVSAvoidaerodynamic disturbances
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful air circulation within the control surface housings is extracted and eliminated by providing sealing means at the internal communication passages between housings. This allows the housings to remain open for control surface deployment while preventing aerodynamic disturbances caused by air flow through the internal passages during flight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing means is applied locally at specific internal communication passages between housings rather than sealing the entire housing structure. This localized sealing prevents aerodynamic disturbances at the critical interfaces while maintaining the operational capability of control surface deployment through the housing openings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Stability of the object's composition

If sealing means are added to prevent air circulation, then aerodynamic stability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaerodynamic stabilityVSAvoidsealing system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing means utilizes flexible sealing elements such as seals or gaskets that can be integrated into the internal communication passages between housings. These flexible sealing components prevent air circulation and maintain aerodynamic stability while adding minimal structural complexity compared to rigid sealing mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

Enlarged control surfaces can be installed without causing aerodynamic disturbances, enhancing the projectile's flight precision and stability by eliminating air circulation through the housings.

Implementation Method 1

each housing being closed off by a sealing means preventing passage of the housings by the fluid external to the body of the projectile when the control surfaces are deployed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSealing:

Data Source

PatentEP2322895B1Projectile body equipped with deployable control surfaces
Publication Date: 2014.01.08 NEXTER MUNITIONS SA
  • EP2322895B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2322895B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2322895B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The object of the invention is a projectile body (10) intended to evolve under incidence in a fluid, body having at least two radially deployable control surfaces (3) which take place in waiting for deployment in housings (1) made in the body, these housings (1) communicating at the level of their intersection, each housing (1) being closed by a sealing means (2) preventing the passage of the housings (1) by the fluid external to the projectile when the control surfaces are deployed.