The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 27, 1996
Filed:
May. 05, 1994
Melvin M Widner, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Michael Raleigh, Alexandria, VA (US);
Yeshayahu S Goldstein, Gaithersburg, MD (US);
Joseph R Greig, Greenbelt, MD (US);
General Dynamics Land Systems, Inc., Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Abstract
A plasma generator (44) for an electrothermal gun cartridge has elongated metallic rod and tube members (58,60) extending along a central axis thereof with the tube member (58) having at least one axial gap (62) and with an elongated annular insulator located between and in engagement with both metallic members to provide support therebetween as an electrical voltage generates an electrical arc at the axial gap to provide a plasma that ignites a propellant (46). Different embodiments of the plasma generator have a plurality of the axial gaps (62) located along the tube member (60) and are constructed for both simultaneous and sequential firing with fuses (74) controlling the timing. Helically extending member portions (78) provide rotation of the electrical arc and hence the plasma generated to distribute it for ignition of the propellent (46).