Raytheon Company

Bruce E Morgan

Jerry Dean Robichaux

Chris Eugene Geswender

Paul Vesty

Doron Strassman

Stevie Alejandro

Alfredo Ramos

Heinz D Klemm

Bryan W Nickel

Andrew P Douglas

Geoffrey W Frost

Daniel M Crawford

An air vehicle, such as a munition like a guided bomb or missile, has a control system that allows control surfaces to be mechanically uncoupled from one or more actuators to allow the control surfaces to freely move (rotate) relative to a fuselage of the vehicle, for example allowing the control surfaces to 'weather vane' by assuming an orientation corresponding to the direction of airflow past the air vehicle (direction of airflow relative to the air vehicle). When active positioning of the control surfaces is desired, the control surfaces may be mechanically coupled to one or more actuators that are used to position the control surfaces. The selective coupling of the actuator(s) and the control surfaces may be accomplished by selectively coupling together a sleeve that is mechanically coupled to the control surfaces, and a nut that moves along a shaft of an actuator, for example using a resilient device.

Air vehicle with control system mechanical coupler

A spinning, rolling, or roll-stabilized vehicle, such as a projectile, includes a fuselage that rotates about its longitudinal axis (spins) during flight. A collar is positionable relative to the fuselage to steer the projectile, with the collar having ailerons to provide a roll force to position the collar. The collar also has elevators to provide lateral force to steer the projectile. The positioning of the collar may be accomplished by moderating the roll force of the ailerons to hold the position of the collar substantially constant with regard to a longitudinal axis of the projectile. The ailerons passively change angle of attack with changes in the dynamic pressure of the projectile. At low speeds the ailerons have a relatively large angle of attack, and at high speeds, the ailerons resiliently reduce their angles of attack, avoiding large rolling forces on the collar.

Rolling vehicle having collar with passively controlled ailerons

A latch including a first electrical explosive device disposed between first and second surfaces and a second electrical explosive device disposed between said first and second surfaces in series with said first electrical explosive device. In the illustrative embodiment, the vehicle is a missile or torpedo, the first surface is a drag door and the second surface is a vehicle body. In this embodiment, the first electrical explosive device is coupled to the vehicle body on a first end of the device and to a common series attachment on another end thereof and the second electrical explosive device is connected to the common series attachment on a first end and to the drag door on a second end thereof. An arrangement is included for activating the electrical explosive devices to effect a deployment of the drag door with a high degree of reliability.

Dual redundant electro explosive device latch mechanism

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Bruce E Morgan