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:
May. 20, 1997
Filed:
Jun. 28, 1996
Christopher LaVigna, Olney, MD (US);
Gilmer Blankenship, Washington, DC (US);
Harry Kwatny, Elkins, PA (US);
Techno-Sciences, Inc., Lanham, MD (US);
Abstract
The present invention pertains to a device for precision aim control of a gun barrel muzzle of a turreted gun system for improved projectile accuracy of fired projectiles. Improved projectile accuracy is defined as minimizing the distance between a projectile's point of impact and the point of aim thereof. The invention includes an actuator assembly mounted to a flexible gun barrel that act in combination with elevation and azimuth actuators located in the gun's turret. The device also includes a muzzle sensory feedback subsystem for continuous sensing of the gun muzzle's i) displacement, ii) azimuth and iii) elevation angles as the gun is fired. The barrel mounted actuator assembly along with the muzzle sensory feedback subsystem significantly improves the muzzle's aim performance. The invention comprises several components that include: i) one or more barrel mounted actuator assemblies that has one or more longitudinal mounted barrel actuator element(s) for applying bending torques to a gun barrel; ii) a muzzle sensory feedback subsystem for continuous measuring of linear and/or angular displacement of a gun muzzle; iii) a turret mounted actuator for providing torques and/or forces to aim the gun muzzle; iv) a turret mounted sensor system to measure the azimuth and elevation angles generated by the turret mounted actuator subsystem; and v) a feedback control system for processing commands from input and feedback signals from turret mounted sensors and muzzle sensors and producing output commands to the barrel actuator assembly and the gun turret aim actuators.