US12736296 - Methods for increasing the number of countermeasure expendables for dispensing systems

The patent describes methods for enhancing legacy countermeasure dispensing systems (CMDSs) by increasing the capacity of breechplates and magazines to carry more expendables while retaining compatibility with existing military platforms. It includes circuitry innovations that allow for the duplication and expansion of firing lines, enabling efficient operation and deployment of countermeasures during flight.

Claim 1

1 . A method comprising: providing a breechplate operably coupled to a countermeasures dispenser, the breechplate comprising a first set of firing pins and a second set of firing pins both electrically coupled to a sequencer, wherein the first set of firing pins is electrically coupled to a corresponding first set firing lines, and the second set of firing pins are paired firing pins, wherein the paired firing pins are electrically coupled to a corresponding second set firing lines; providing a magazine for insertion into the dispenser, the magazine operably engaging the breechplate and capable of housing a plurality of expendables; initiating, during flight, a countermeasure dispensing system, wherein the countermeasure dispensing system performs the following: determining which of the expendables from a plurality of expendables housed inside the magazine to be dispensed; selecting at least one firing pin from at least one of the first and second set of firing pins to allow for the determined expendables to be dispensed; sending a signal from the sequencer to at least one of the second sets of firing pins via the second set of firing lines; controlling, by a single circuit card, one or more switches that electrically couple at least one of the first and second sets of firing lines to the first and second sets of firing pins, respectively; and dispensing at least one of the determined expendables by at least one firing pin in the paired firing pins. providing a breechplate operably coupled to a countermeasures dispenser, the breechplate comprising a first set of firing pins and a second set of firing pins both electrically coupled to a sequencer, wherein the first set of firing pins is electrically coupled to a corresponding first set firing lines, and the second set of firing pins are paired firing pins, wherein the paired firing pins are electrically coupled to a corresponding second set firing lines; providing a magazine for insertion into the dispenser, the magazine operably engaging the breechplate and capable of housing a plurality of expendables; initiating, during flight, a countermeasure dispensing system, wherein the countermeasure dispensing system performs the following: determining which of the expendables from a plurality of expendables housed inside the magazine to be dispensed; selecting at least one firing pin from at least one of the first and second set of firing pins to allow for the determined expendables to be dispensed; sending a signal from the sequencer to at least one of the second sets of firing pins via the second set of firing lines; controlling, by a single circuit card, one or more switches that electrically couple at least one of the first and second sets of firing lines to the first and second sets of firing pins, respectively; and dispensing at least one of the determined expendables by at least one firing pin in the paired firing pins. determining which of the expendables from a plurality of expendables housed inside the magazine to be dispensed; selecting at least one firing pin from at least one of the first and second set of firing pins to allow for the determined expendables to be dispensed; sending a signal from the sequencer to at least one of the second sets of firing pins via the second set of firing lines; controlling, by a single circuit card, one or more switches that electrically couple at least one of the first and second sets of firing lines to the first and second sets of firing pins, respectively; and dispensing at least one of the determined expendables by at least one firing pin in the paired firing pins.

Google Patents

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USPTO PDF

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