Apr 7, 2026

US12595990 - Main charge holder for electro-explosive devices (EEDs)

The header of an EED is redesigned to increase stiction forces to better hold the main charge throughout deflagration. The header includes a main charge holder, integrally formed or as a discrete component, that has internal structure that is press fit to a complementary outer surface of the main charge. The contact area between the internal structure and the main charge being greater than the contact area between a cylinder that circumscribes the internal structure (the uniform cylindrical shape of a typical EED contact area of π*D*L) to increase stiction forces between the main charge holder and the main charge. For a given diameter and length, the inclusion of the internal structure will reduce the mass of the main charge.

Assignee: Raytheon Company
Inventors: Eric D. Goertz, Montgomery Carlo
Filing date: 2024-11-22

electro-explosivedeviceseeds

The patent describes an electro-explosive device (EED) featuring a redesigned main charge holder that enhances stiction forces to retain the main charge during deflagration. This is achieved through an internal structure that increases the contact area with the main charge, thereby improving retention and reducing mass for a given diameter and length.

Claim 1

1 . An electro-explosive device (EED), comprising: a metal header having a cylindrical cavity, said metal header having an external thread; a plurality of wires extending through a preform at one end of the header; at least one bridgewire operatively coupled to the plurality of wires at a closed end of the cylindrical cavity; an insulating ignition charge holder positioned at the closed end of the cylindrical cavity; an ignition charge loaded and compacted into the ignition charge holder; a main charge holder positioned on top of the ignition charge holder; a main charge loaded and compacted into the main charge holder; and a closure disk that seals the main charge within the header; wherein the main charge holder includes an internal structure press fit to the main charge; wherein the internal structure has a contact area with the main charge greater than πDL where D is the diameter of a circle than circumscribes the internal structure and L is the length of the main charge holder to increase stiction forces between the main charge holder and the main charge to enhance retention of the main charge during deflagration of the main charge. a metal header having a cylindrical cavity, said metal header having an external thread; a plurality of wires extending through a preform at one end of the header; at least one bridgewire operatively coupled to the plurality of wires at a closed end of the cylindrical cavity; an insulating ignition charge holder positioned at the closed end of the cylindrical cavity; an ignition charge loaded and compacted into the ignition charge holder; a main charge holder positioned on top of the ignition charge holder; a main charge loaded and compacted into the main charge holder; and a closure disk that seals the main charge within the header; wherein the main charge holder includes an internal structure press fit to the main charge; wherein the internal structure has a contact area with the main charge greater than πDL where D is the diameter of a circle than circumscribes the internal structure and L is the length of the main charge holder to increase stiction forces between the main charge holder and the main charge to enhance retention of the main charge during deflagration of the main charge.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12595990

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12595990