Steerable Projectile Control Surfaces with Cone Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing projectile control systems with incidence steerable control surfaces are cumbersome to manipulate and suffer from imperfect transmission of rotation movements from the spherical form to the control surfaces, making them difficult to steer effectively.
Innovation Solution
The projectile incorporates a cone movable along the longitudinal axis for positioning the control arm, a toothed wheel connected to a sliding connection, and a motorization system to adjust the orientation axis, along with a transmission member with lobe-shaped profiles to enhance movement transmission and simplify control surface manipulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spherical form with control arm is used to pilot control surfaces, then the projectile can be guided to target, but the device becomes complicated to manipulate due to continuous rotation of control surfaces around longitudinal axis
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rotating the control surfaces continuously around the longitudinal axis, the invention inverts the approach by using a spherical form that rotates around pitch and yaw axes while maintaining a fixed relationship between the control arm and the control surfaces. The control surfaces are positioned at fixed angular intervals around the longitudinal axis, eliminating the need for continuous rotation during flight.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a movable cage that can rotate around the longitudinal axis to dynamically adjust the angular position of control surfaces relative to the spherical form. This dynamic adjustment allows the control surfaces to be positioned optimally for different flight phases without requiring continuous rotation during steady flight.
2Reliability
If a spherical form with control arm is used to control surfaces, then guidance is achieved, but transmission of rotation from spherical form to control surface foot is imperfect
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a transmission member with a slot as an intermediary between the spherical form and the control surface foot. This slot acts as a mediator that converts the rotational movement of the spherical form into precise angular movement of the control surface, improving transmission accuracy. The slot geometry is specifically designed to ensure accurate movement transmission while accommodating manufacturing tolerances.
3Adaptability or versatility
If control surfaces are pivotable around pivot axis perpendicular to longitudinal axis, then trajectory control is enabled, but the system requires complex positioning mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the positioning functions for multiple control surfaces into a single spherical form that controls all surfaces simultaneously. The spherical form's rotation around pitch and yaw axes provides unified control for all control surfaces, eliminating the need for separate positioning mechanisms for each surface. The control arm integrated with the spherical form further consolidates the control structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A projectile (100) with incidence steerable control surfaces (2) each pivotable with respect to the projectile (100), comprises: central control means (5) for controlling the control surfaces (2), a control arm (11) adapted to rotate the central control means (5) around pitch (Y) and yaw (Z) axes of the projectile (100), positioning means for positioning the arm (11), adapted to position one end of the arm (11) in a position determined with respect to an absolute reference frame, the positioning means comprising a cone (13) movable in translation so as to pivot the central control means around an orientation axis (AO), and a toothed wheel (16) meshing with a motorization intended to pilot the angular position of the orientation axis in an absolute reference frame.