Direct impingement cook-off mechanism and system

{
  "publication_number": "US11067376B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Direct impingement cook-off mechanism and system",
  "abstract": "Embodiments are directed to direct impingement cook-off mitigation systems. As assembled, a munition fuzewell is torqued into the aft end of a munition. During a cook-off event, the expanding gases from the booster energetic will burn instead of detonating. The hot expanding booster gases are vented to the munition's main fill energetic causing the main fill energetic to burn concurrently with the booster energetic. The combined expanding gases from both the booster and main fill energetics are then vented through longitudinal vents.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A direct impingement cook-off mechanism, comprising: a hollow fuzewell having a proximal end, a distal end, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a wall defined by said inner surface and said outer surface, said hollow fuzewell centered about a central longitudinal axis, said inner surface defining a fuzewell inner envelope having a first inner portion, a second inner portion, and a third inner portion, wherein said first inner portion is located at said proximal end, said third inner portion is located at said distal end, wherein said second inner portion separating said first and third inner portions; wherein said outer surface having a first outer portion and a second outer portion, said first outer portion corresponding to said proximal end, said second outer portion corresponding to said distal end, said first and second outer portions separated by a flared region; a fuzewell liner affixed to said second inner portion, said fuzewell liner having a plurality of longitudinal grooves parallel to said central longitudinal axis; a booster housing inside said hollow fuzewell at said proximal end, wherein said booster housing is concentric about a thermally-softening booster cup; a booster energetic housed in said thermally-softening booster cup; and a plurality of longitudinal vents circumferentially-spaced at equal distance in said wall, said plurality of longitudinal vents spanning longitudinally, parallel to said central longitudinal axis, from said outer surface at said flared region and through said wall to said distal end.",
    "2. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said outer surface is threaded along said second outer portion.",
    "3. The mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising an air gap conduit adjacent to said inner surface at said proximal end, wherein said air gap conduit is concentric about said booster housing and separates said booster housing from said inner surface.",
    "4. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said first outer portion having a first diameter, said second outer portion having a second diameter, wherein said first diameter is less than said second diameter.",
    "5. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said thermally-softening booster cup is a polymer.",
    "6. The mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said booster housing having a plurality of circumferentially-spaced holes.",
    "7. The mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of radial apertures, each radial aperture in said plurality of radial apertures having a proximal end at said inner surface and a distal end at said flared region of said outer surface.",
    "8. The mechanism according to claim 7, further comprising a vent plug in said distal end of each radial aperture in said plurality of radial apertures."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Embodiments generally relate to insensitive munitions and shock mitigation.\n\nFIG. 1 is a perspective view of a direct impingement cook-off mechanism, according to some embodiments.\n\nFIG. 2A is a section view of the direct impingement cook-off mechanism shown in FIG. 1 and its orientation environment in the aft end of a generic munition.\n\nFIG. 2B is a section view of a shock mitigation mechanism including the direct impingement cook-off mechanism shown in FIG. 1 in the aft end of a generic munition.\n\nFIG. 3 is a cutaway isometric view of a system employing the disclosed embodiments in the aft end of a generic munition.\n\nFIG. 4 is a section view of the direct impingement cook-off mechanism shown in FIG. 1, along cut plane 4 - 4 in FIG. 2A.\n\nIt is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not to be viewed as being restrictive of the embodiments, as claimed. Further advantages will be apparent after a review of the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments, which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings and in the appended claims.\n\nEmbodiments may be understood more readily by reference in the following detailed description taking in connection with the accompanying figures and examples.",
  "cpc": [
    "F42B 39/20",
    "F42B 12/207",
    "F42B 39/14",
    "F42C 19/02"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F42B 12/20",
    "F42B 39/14",
    "F42B 39/20",
    "F42C 19/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "US Department of Navy"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Benjamin M. Blazek",
    "Lee R. Hardt"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-04-22",
  "publication_date": "2021-07-20",
  "grant_date": "2021-07-20",
  "priority_date": "2019-04-22",
  "application_number": "US-201916390328-A",
  "family_id": "76861591",
  "cited_by_count": 6,
  "citations": [
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  ]
}