Abstract:
Provided are a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile and a method for ejecting the guided missile inserted into a launching tube. More particularly, The present invention provides a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile additionally including a power supply controller which applies a signal for ejecting a guided weapon to a fuse during separating the fuse used for igniting a propulsion engine in the guided weapon and an ejection controlling method using the same.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile and a method thereof, and more particularly, to an electronic controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile and a technology thereof for preventing a safety accident which may occur in an infantry medium-range guided missile. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    In general, a guided weapon is ejected in a guided weapon system by verifying that a guided missile is separated from a fuse (the guide missile is launched or an ejection motor (1-stage propulsion unit) is ignited) and generating an ignition pulse to ignite a propulsion engine (2-stage propulsion unit). 
         [0005]    However, an algorithm to verify that the guided missile is ejected from the fuse maintains a short state by connecting with a ground when the guided missile is mounted and uses an ARM1 signal generated in an open state when the guided missile is separated. But, when an error occurs in the ground or a switch associated therewith, a mounting/demounting connector connecting the guided missile and the ground, the propulsion engine will be undesirably ignited and this may cause a dangerous situation. Further, since a safety device capable of controlling the dangerous situation is not provided in the guided missile, diversified dangerous elements exist in checking the guided missile. 
         [0006]    As such, up to now, as most of the guided missile launching apparatuses which has been developed domestically and in western countries in a scheme to eject the guided missile from a launching pad by using thrust force generated by igniting a propulsion engine of the guided missile, the guided missile may be unintentionally ejected by an ejection controller&#39;s mistake or failures of various components of the guided missile at the time of launching the guided missile or checking the fuse. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile additionally including a power supply controller which applies a signal for ejecting a guided weapon to a fuse while separating the fuse used for igniting a propulsion engine in the guided weapon and an ejection controlling method using the same. 
         [0008]    Further, the present invention has been made in an effort to provide a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile in which an ejection controller can determine whether to eject the guided weapon by monitoring voltage data generated from a driving power supply and an ejection controlling method using the same. 
         [0009]    The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects and other undescribed objects will be apparently appreciated by those skilled in the art from the following descriptions. 
         [0010]    An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile for ejecting the guided missile inserted into a launching missile, the apparatus including: a power supply unit providing a first electric signal and a second electric signal; a signal guiding unit outputting a first ignition signal depending on whether to input the first electric signal outputted to the power supply unit; a mounting/demounting connection unit connecting a ground (GND) and the signal guiding unit while the guided missile is inserted into the launching tube and disconnecting the ground and the signal guiding unit from each other while the guided missile is separated from the launching tube; an ignition signal generating unit generating a second ignition signal for igniting a propulsion engine provided in the guided missile so as to provide thrust force to the guided missile by receiving the first ignition signal; a relay unit transferring the first ignition signal to the ignition signal generating unit by using the first ignition signal outputted from the signal guiding unit and the second electric signal from the power supply unit; and a power controller controlling the second electric signal provided from the power supply unit to be applied to the relay unit. 
         [0011]    Herein, the relay unit may include: a first port into which the first ignition signal is inputted; a second port connected with the ground; and a switch connected to any one of the first port and the second port, wherein a port connected to the switch is determined depending on whether to input the second electric signal. 
         [0012]    Herein, the power controller may include: a power supply squib signal applying unit applying the second electric signal provided from the power supply unit to the relay unit; and a check signal applying unit controlling the ignition signal generating unit to generate the second ignition signal in order to check an operation state of the ignition signal generating unit. 
         [0013]    The ignition signal generating unit may generate the second ignition signal when a predetermined time elapses after receiving the first ignition signal. 
         [0014]    Further, the power supply unit may include a transmitting unit that remotely transmits voltage data of the second electric signal outputted from the power supply unit so as for an ejection controller of the guided missile to monitor the voltage data. 
         [0015]    Meanwhile, another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a controlling method for ejecting a guided missile for ejecting the guided missile inserted into a launching tube, the method including: (a) controlling a second electric signal to be outputted from a power supply unit providing a first electric signal and the second electric signal; (b) applying an ejection signal for ejecting the guided missile from the launching tube; (c) stopping input of the first electric signal supplied from the power supply unit as the guided missile is separated from the launching tube by applying the ejection signal; (d) outputting a first ignition signal as the input of the first electric signal is stopped at step (c); and (e) supplying a second ignition signal to a propulsion engine provided in the guided missile so as to provide thrust force to the guided missile by receiving the first ignition signal generated at step (d). 
         [0016]    At step (e), the second ignition signal may be supplied to the propulsion engine by generating the second ignition signal by using the second electric signal outputted at step (a). 
         [0017]    Herein, after step (a), (a 1 ) generating voltage data of the second electric signal and remotely transmitting the voltage data so as for an ejection controller of the guided missile to monitor the voltage data are performed and step (b) is performed. 
         [0018]    Further, at step (e), the second ignition signal may be supplied to the propulsion engine when a predetermined time elapses after the first ignition signal is received. 
         [0019]    According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile and an ejection control method using the same can prevent a risk to eject the guided missile due to an unwanted fuse ignition signal generated by failures of other components (a mounting/demounting connector, a switch, and the like) during checking or keeping components of each guided missile while connecting a propulsion engine of the guided missile. 
         [0020]    Further, since an ejection controller can determine whether to eject the guided missile by monitoring voltage data generated from a driving power supply that supplies power for ejecting the guided missile, it is possible to safely use the guided missile. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a diagram for describing a process of driving a known controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided weapon; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a diagram for describing driving of the controlling apparatus for ejecting the guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating an ejection controlling method of a guided missile according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating an ejection controlling method of a guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0027]    Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First of all, it is to be noted that in giving reference numerals to elements of each drawing, like reference numerals refer to like elements even though like elements are shown in different drawings. The components and operations of the present invention illustrated in the drawings and described with reference to the drawings are described as at least one exemplary embodiment and the spirit and the core components and operation of the present invention are not limited thereto. 
         [0028]    Prior to a detailed description of a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile and a method thereof according to the present invention, a process of ejecting the guided weapon in the known guided weapon ejection controlling apparatus will described. The description will help broadening the understanding of the present invention. 
         [0029]    Further, the guided weapon used in this specification means an air vehicle which is ejected from a launching tube to reach a predetermined target point, but hereinafter, it will be appreciated that the guided weapon is described as a guided missile for simplification of the description. 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  is a diagram for describing a process of driving a known controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided weapon. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the known guided weapon ejection controlling apparatus  10  includes a mounting/demounting connection unit  11 , a thermal battery  12 , an optocoupler  13 , a fuse  14 , and a propulsion engine  15 . 
         [0032]    The mounting/demounting connection unit  11  includes one end grounded to a ground  8  and the other end connected to the optocoupler  13  to be described below. A switch is turned on so as to connect one end and the other end to each other while the guided weapon (guided missile) is mounted on a launching tube and the switch is turned off when the guided missile is separated from the launching tube. 
         [0033]    The mounting/demounting connection unit  11  is generally called a mounting/demounting connector and the connector will be together used as a term indicating the mounting/demounting connection unit  11  in this specification. 
         [0034]    The thermal battery  12  is provided to generate a signal transferred to the fuse  14  by the optocoupler  13  to be described below when the guided missile is separated from the launching tube. 
         [0035]    The optocoupler  13  is connected to the other end of the mounting/demounting connection unit  11  and receives an electric signal supplied from the thermal battery  12  to allow the electric signal to flow to the ground  8  or branches the electric signal to be used as a signal transferred to the fuse  14 . 
         [0036]    The fuse  14  is provided to ignite the propulsion engine  15  providing thrust force to the guided missile by the signal transferred from the optocoupler  13 . 
         [0037]    The process of ejecting the guided missile by using the known guided weapon ejection controlling apparatus  10  will be described with reference to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the guided missile is connected with the ground  8  through the mounting/demounting connector  11 . The guided missile is connected with the ground  8  through the mounting/demounting connector  11  in a normal state to maintain a short state. Therefore, since all the electric signals supplied from the thermal battery  12  flow to the ground  8 , no signal is transmitted to the fuse  14  through the optocoupler  13 . 
         [0039]    Next, when the guided missile is ejected, an ejection motor initiation switch of an ejection motor is pressed in order to actuate the ejection motor (1-stage propulsion unit)  6 , such that the guided missile is separated from the launching tube to disconnect the mounting/demounting connector  11 . Since this state causes an opened state, no electric signal is supplied to the optocoupler  13  from the thermal battery  12 . Therefore, the optocoupler  13  stops to operate, as a result, the optocoupler  13  transmits a high signal to the fuse  14 . That is, the optocoupler  13  operates while the electric signal is supplied and stops when the electric signal is not supplied. Therefore, the optocoupler  13  has an inverting function to transmit a low signal to the fuse  14  while being in operation and transmit the high signal to the fuse  14  while being in stoppage. 
         [0040]    A first ignition signal used in this specification as the high signal transmitted to the fuse  14  will be designated as an ARM1 signal in the following description. The ARM1 signal is transferred to the fuse  14  through a cable in the guided missile. When the fuse  14  receives the ARM1 signal, it generates an ignition pulse for igniting a propulsion engine after approximately 350 ms to initiate a propulsion engine (2-stage propulsion unit)  15 . 
         [0041]    As described above, when the known guided weapon ejecting controlling apparatus  10  supplies power by using an external power supply in order to check the guided missile inserted into the launching tube, if an error occurs in the mounting/demounting connector  11  to be disconnected from the ground  8 , the guided missile is ejected as it is. 
         [0042]    Therefore, hereinafter, a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile and a method thereof according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described. 
         [0043]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0044]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the guided missile ejection controlling apparatus  20  includes a mounting/demounting connection unit  21 , a power supply unit  22 , a signal guiding unit  23 , an ignition signal generating unit  24 , a power controller  26 , and a relay unit  50 . 
         [0045]    Since the mounting/demounting connection unit  21 , the signal guiding unit  23 , and the ignition signal generating unit  24  correspond to the mounting/demounting connection unit  11 , the optocoupler  13 , and the fuse  14  described in the known ejection controlling apparatus  10 , respectively, a duplicated description will be omitted. 
         [0046]    The power supply unit  22  is configured to provide a first electric signal and a second electric signal. The first electric signal is transmitted to the signal guiding unit  23  and the second electric signal is provided to the ignition signal generating unit  24  by a control command of the power controller  26  to be described later. 
         [0047]    Since the first electric signal and the second electric signal used in the specification as general voltage signals have different voltages, they are separately designated as the first and second electric signals. 
         [0048]    When the guided missile is mounted on the launching tube, the first electric signal is applied to the signal guiding unit  23  from the power supply unit  22  and when the guided missile is separated and ejected from the launching tube, the first electric signal is not supplied, as a result, a first ignition signal (high signal) is generated. Herein, be careful that the high signal which the signal guiding unit  23  transmits to the ignition signal generating unit  24  is designated as the ARM1. 
         [0049]    The relay unit  50  receives the ARM1 signal and transfers it to the ignition signal generating unit  24 . The signal guiding unit  23  and the ignition signal generating unit  24  according to the exemplary embodiment are electrically separated from each other in general and more particularly, the reason is that the relay unit  50  has an electrically switchable structure. That is, the relay unit  50  is switched on/off so as to transfer the ARM1 signal to the ignition signal generating unit  24  depending on whether or not the power controller  26  controls applying the second electric signal. The more detailed description thereof is described later. 
         [0050]    The power controller  26  controls transferring the ARM1 signal outputted from the signal guiding unit  23  to the ignition signal generating unit  24  by controlling the second electric signal outputted from the power supply unit  22 . That is, the power controller  26  allows the second electric signal supplied from the power supply unit  22  to flow on the relay unit  50  between the signal guiding unit  23  and the ignition signal generating unit  24 . When the second electric signal is applied to the relay unit  50 , the relay unit  50  is switched to transfer the ARM1 signal to the ignition signal generating unit  24 . Therefore, the ARM1 signal outputted from the signal guiding unit  23  may be transmitted to the ignition signal generating unit  24 . 
         [0051]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0052]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , another exemplary embodiment includes a mounting/demounting connection unit, a power supply unit  22 , a signal guiding unit  23 , an ignition signal generating unit  24 , a power controller  26 , a transmitting unit  27 , a power supply squib signal applying unit  28 , and a check signal applying unit  29 . 
         [0053]    Since the mounting/demounting connection unit  21 , the power supply unit  22 , the signal guiding unit  23 , the ignition signal generating unit  24 , and the power controller  26  have been described above, they will not be described below. 
         [0054]    The power supply squib signal applying unit  28  controls the power supply unit  22  to output the second electric signal and as described above, allows the first ignition signal (ARM1 signal) generated by the signal guiding unit  23  to transfer the ignition signal generating unit  24  by using the second electric signal. 
         [0055]    The check signal applying unit  29  supplies electric energy for checking an operation state of the ignition signal generating unit  24 . It can be verified whether the second ignition signal is generated from the ignition signal generating unit  24  by using electric energy. 
         [0056]    Herein, the electric signal uses voltage different from the first electric signal and the second electric signal outputted from the thermal battery  30 . For example, the first electric signal may be configured by 5V, the second electric signal is configured by 12V, and the electric energy applied through the check signal applying unit  29  may be configured by 15V. This is determined to voltage required for the fuse  24  to generate the second ignition signal (ARM2 signal) and when the fuse  24  may be operated by the second electric signal, the second electric signal outputted from the thermal battery may be used as it is. 
         [0057]    In the check signal applying unit  29 , a final movement path of the second electric signal by the power supply squib signal applying unit  28  is the ground GND, while the electric energy applied from the check signal applying unit  29  is directly connected to the ignition signal generating unit  24 . 
         [0058]    The transmitting unit  27  transmits voltage data of the second electric signal outputted from the power supply unit  22  by the power supply squib signal applying unit  28  to an ejection controller to allow the ejection controller to monitor the voltage data. Therefore, the ejection controller may determine an operation of the ejection motor that ejects the guided missile depending on whether the voltage data of the second electric signal is within a normal range. 
         [0059]    Hereinafter, a process of driving a controlling apparatus for ejecting a guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
         [0060]      FIG. 4  is a diagram for describing driving of the controlling apparatus for ejecting the guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0061]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , the guided missile ejection controlling apparatus implemented according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a mounting/demounting connection unit  21 , an optocoupler  23 , a fuse  24 , a power controller  26 , a remote transmitting unit  27 , a power supply squib signal applying unit (see reference numeral  28  of  FIG. 3 ), a check signal applying unit (see reference numeral  29  of  FIG. 3 ), and a relay unit  50 . 
         [0062]    First, the ejection process of the guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment will be described. 
         [0063]    When a power supply squib signal is applied from the power supply squib applying unit  28 , the second electric signal is outputted from the thermal battery  30 . The outputted second electric signal is supplied to the relay unit  50  positioned between the optocoupler  23  and the fuse  24 . 
         [0064]    The relay unit  50  includes a first port  51  applied with an ARM1 signal, a second port  52  connected with a ground  41 , an on/off switch  53 , and a coil  43  applied with the second electric signal. When the second electric signal is supplied to the relay unit  50  in order to eject the guided missile, an electromagnetic effect is generated by the coil  43 . Therefore, as described above, in general, the switch which is connected to the second port  52  to be in an off state is separated from the second port  52  by the coil  43  to access the first port  51 . Hereinafter, the off state that interrupts transmission of the ARM1 signal to the fuse  24  is cancelled to be switched to an on state so as to transfer the ARM1 signal to the fuse  24  through the optocoupler  23 . 
         [0065]    Herein, since the ARM1 signal is not still transmitted from the optocoupler  23 , the ARM1 signal is not transferred to the fuse  24 . 
         [0066]    In this case, the voltage data of the second electric signal outputted from the thermal battery  30  is transmitted to the ejection controller by the remote transmitting unit  27 . The ejection controller monitors the voltage data to initiate the ejection motor  6  that ejects the guided missile when the ejection controller is provided outside of the guided missile having no error in the voltage data. When the ejection motor  6  is initiated, the guided missile is separated from the launching tube, as a result, the ground  8  and the optocoupler  23  are disconnected from the mounting/demounting connection unit  21 . 
         [0067]    Hereinafter, the first electric signal of 5V outputted from the thermal battery  30  which flows out to the ground  8  connected to the optocoupler  23  is not supplied to the optocoupler  23  as the mounting/demounting connection unit  21  is disconnected from the ground  8 . 
         [0068]    As described above, the optocoupler  23  outputs the high signal (ARM1 signal) to the fuse  24  when the first electric signal is not supplied from the thermal battery  30 . 
         [0069]    As described above, the fuse  24  and the optocoupler  23  are electrified by the second electric signal to transfer the ARM1 signal to the fuse  24 . 
         [0070]    The fuse  24  is operated by the ARM1 signal and after approximately 350 ms, an ARM2 signal for igniting the propulsion engine  25  is outputted. The fuse  24  outputs the ARM2 signal after approximately 350 ms. However, the ARM2 signal may be outputted after a predetermined time elapses by diversifying the length of a time until the fuse  24  outputs the ARM2 signal after receiving the ARM1 signal the ARM1 signal. 
         [0071]    Next, a checking process of the fuse of the guided missile will be described. 
         [0072]    The check signal generating unit  29  provided in the power controller  26  outputs a third electric signal from the thermal battery  30  and supplies the corresponding signal to the fuse  14 . The third electric signal uses voltage of an appropriate intensity to drive the fuse. The fuse  24  generates the ARM2 signal by using the third electric signal. As such, when the fuse is checked according to the present invention, the optocoupler  23  is prevented from outputting the ARM1 signal due to a malfunction of the mounting/demounting connector  21  or failures of other components of the guided missile, as a result, the guided missile is not ejected. 
         [0073]    Hereinafter, an ejection controlling method of the guided missile according to an exemplary embodiment and another exemplary embodiment will be described. 
         [0074]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating an ejection controlling method of a guided missile according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and  FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating an ejection controlling method of a guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0075]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the ejection controlling method of the guided missile according to the exemplary embodiment includes checking a state of the guided missile (S 10 ), applying a power supply squib signal (S 20 ), applying an ejection signal to the guided missile by using an ejection motor (S 30 ), generating an ARM1 signal (S 40 ), generating an ARM2 signal (S 50 ), and igniting a propulsion engine (S 60 ). 
         [0076]    Meanwhile, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the ejection controlling method of the guided missile according to another exemplary embodiment includes checking a state of the guided missile by applying external power (S 10 ), judging whether the guided missile is erroneous (S 15 ); applying a power supply squib signal (S 20 ), remotely transmitting voltage data outputted from a thermal battery to an ejection controller (S 25 ), monitoring whether or not output voltage is erroneous by receiving the voltage data (S 27 ), applying an ejection signal to the guided missile by using an ejection motor (S 30 ), generating an ARM1 signal (S 40 ), generating an ARM2 signal (S 50 ), and igniting a propulsion engine (S 60 ). 
         [0077]    Since the description of the ejection controlling method of the guided missile according to the exemplary embodiment or another exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be easily grasped on the basis of the description of the ejection controlling apparatus of the guided missile, an additional description thereof will be omitted for simplification in describing the specification. 
         [0078]    As described above, the exemplary embodiments have been described and illustrated in the drawings and the specification. Herein, specific terms have been used, but are just used for the purpose of describing the present invention and are not used for defining the meaning or limiting the scope of the present invention, which is disclosed in the appended claims. Therefore, it will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that various modifications are made and other equivalent embodiments are available. 
         [0079]    Accordingly, the actual technical protection scope of the present invention must be determined by the spirit of the appended claims.