Bodenseewerk Geratetechnik Gmbh

Diehl Bgt Defence Gmbh Co., Kg

Other

Diehl Bgt Defense Gmbh & Co. Kg

Bodenseewerk Gerätetechnikk Gmbh

Diehl Defence Gmbh & Co. Kg

Reiner Eckhardt

Joachim Barenz

Hubert Kuppel

Michael Gross

Hans Kordulla

Rainer Baumann

Roland Gauggel

Wolfgang Gulitz

Heinz Hoch

Uwe Mitzkus

Hans Tessari

Alfred Stoll

Simon Lankes

An optical device for guiding radiation from an object scene to a detector contains an alignment device for pivoting a field of view of the detector relative to a predetermined direction, a detector optical unit and an optical articulation for guiding the beam path from the pivoted field of view into the detector optical unit. In order to achieve a compact configuration of the device, the optical articulation has a reversing prism, in which beams running in the optical axis of the articulation are refracted towards a mirror surface of the reversing prism and are reflected by the reflection surface.

Optical device for guiding radiation from an object scene to a detector using an optical link and method for guiding radiation from the object scene to the detector by an optical link

An optical device forms a beam path between an optical end element at a beam path end and an object scene into which the beam path is directed via a field of view of the end element. The optical device contains an alignment device for pivoting the field of view relative to a predetermined direction, an end optical unit and an optical articulation for guiding the beam path from the pivoted field of view into the end optical unit. In order to achieve good shielding against spurious radiation, the device has a shielding unit containing a shielding element led partly around the optical articulation, which shielding unit shields the optical articulation against incident radiation that is not incident through the entrance or exit aperture of the optical articulation.

Optical device

An optical system for a missile has optics for imaging an object through a beam path on an imaging plane. The optics have external optics, rotatably mounted about a roll axis and a pitch axis of the missile, and internal optics, and one of the ends of the beam paths is fixed with respect to the structure in the missile. In order to prevent image disturbances caused by shadows which are caused at a high squint angle by an element which is fixed to the structure, the optical system includes a shutter, which can be introduced into the beam path during flight of the missile, in order to mask out a shadow, which is produced by an element of the missile, in the beam path in a viewing direction of the external optics which is tilted with respect to the roll axis.

Optical system for a missile, and method for imaging an object

An apparatus for capturing an object scene, in particular a seeking head for target-tracking missiles, such that, with a detectorin fixed relationship with a structure, it is possible to capture a large spatial angle. For that purpose the imaging optical system () has a system portion () facing the object scene which is pivotable with a pitch frame () about a pitch axis () perpendicular to a roll axis (). The pitch frame () is mounted pivotably about the pitch axis () in a roll frame () which is supported in the structure () rotatably about the roll axis (). The system portion () includes first beam deflection structure () by which the imaging beam path of the imaging optical system () is deflectable in a direction along the pitch axis (). The imaging optical system () further includes second beam deflection structure () which are rotatable with the roll frame () and by which the deflected beam path is picked up along the pitch axis () and deflected in the direction of the roll axis (). The detector () is arranged on the roll axis ().

Apparatus for capturing on object scene

An infrared seeker head for target tracking missiles has a main detector and an imaging optical system generating an image of a field of view on the main detector. The field of view contains a target such as an enemy aircraft. The missile is guided to the target in accordance with signals from the main detector. The target, if attacked by the missile, emits high-intensity laser radiation towards the missile as a counter-measure. This is to disturb the operation of the seeker head by dazzling or even destroying the main detector. The seeker head contains a device for defending against such disturbances. Various types of such defending devices are described. Incident light is deviated from the main detector. A second-quadrant-detector of reduced sensitivity guides the missile along the disturbing laser beam. Another embodiment uses attenuating optical elements in front of the main detector under the control of one or more second detectors.

Infrared seeker head for target seeking missile

In a seeker head a field of view is scanned cyclically for providing picture informations referenced to a seeker-fixed coordinate system. The seeker carries a gyro assembly, which provides attitude variation signals as a function of attitude variations of the seeker relative to inertial space. The attitude variation signals are applied to a coordinate transformer which transforms all picture informations with their addresses into an inertial coordinate system which coincided with the seeker-fixed coordinate system after the completion of the preceding scan. Thereby during each scan all picture informations are transformed into one single inertial coordinate system. After the completion of the scan, the picture informations are again transformed into an inertial coordinate system, which coincided with the seeker-fixed coordinate system at the end of said scan, and are stored in a memory. This is the same coordinate system into which the picture informations will be transformed during the next-following scan. Thus at the end of this next-following scan the picture informations from two consecutive scans are available, which are referenced to one single, common coordinate system and are therefore comparable in spite of attitude variations of the seeker. These picture informations are applied to signal processing means, such as a target selection logic.

Seeker head particularly for automatic target tracking

The interface arrangement is provided for data transfer between a carrier aircraft and a missile which is to be launched from the carrier aircraft and which includes a target seeking head. The missile is connected to the carrier aircraft through a connecting cable which contains a small number of wires sufficient for transferring analog data and which is detachable upon launch. For selectively operating the carrier aircraft in conjunction with a missile which is equipped with either (i) a target seeking head producing analog target deviation data or (ii) a image processing target seeking head, at least two interfaces are connected to the connecting cable. One of the interfaces is designed for data transfer via the connecting cable to and from the target seeking head producing analog target deviation data. An other one of the interfaces is designed for data transfer via the connecting cable to and from a image processing target seeking head. A controller enables selective connection of the connecting cable to either one of the two interfaces. The controller responds to identifying signals signalling the type of target seeking head and automatically activating a respective one of the interfaces.

Interface arrangement for data transfer between carrier aircraft and

A nutating coupler arrangement is provided for driving an oscillating mirror movable about an axis of oscillation 12. A driving member 18, which rotates about a driving axis 24, is connected to the oscillating mirror through a coupler 28. The driving axis 24 is offset relative to the plane 34 perpendicular to the axis of oscillation 12 and extending through the pivotal point 30 of the coupler 28 at the oscillating mirror. The coupler 28 makes a nutating motion while the pivotal point 30 makes an oscillating motion.

Drive system for an oscillating mirror movable about an axis of

In a seeker head for a target seeking missile, which comprises a seeker 28 adapted to be directed to a target, two distance sensors 32 and 34 in the form of laser transceiver units are adapted to be directed to the target together with the seeker 28. The arrangement of the distance sensors 32 and 34 on opposite sides of the pitch axis 26 ensures that, with large squint angles, at most one of the distance sensors 32 and 34 is covered.

Growing community of inventors

Überlingen, Germany

Reiner Eckhardt