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:
Sep. 24, 2002
Filed:
Feb. 17, 2000
Gray E. Fowler, Allen, TX (US);
G. Michael Liggett, Allen, TX (US);
Craig E. Prevost, Dallas, TX (US);
John W. Orem, Allen, TX (US);
Raytheon Company, Lexington, MA (US);
Abstract
An obturator is provided for a projectile launched from a gun barrel. The obturator includes an annular ring that is fabricated from a high-temperature resistant composite material. The annular ring has an inner surface that is in contact with the projectile. In addition, when the projectile is fired from the gun barrel, an outer surface of the annular ring contacts an inner surface of a bore of the gun barrel. When the projectile is fired from the gun barrel, the radial distance between the inner surface and the outer surface of the annular ring substantially equals or exceeds the radial distance between an outer surface of the projectile and the inner surface of the bore of the gun barrel at at least one point. This configuration restricts a flow of charge gases from an aft end of the projectile to a forward end of the projectile as the projectile is fired from the gun barrel.