Abstract:
The present invention provides a method wherein a penetrator is deployed and penetrates to a prescribed depth. A secondary mass may be simultaneously deployed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of deployment, and in particular to penetrators including ground deployment and the air deployment of a penetrator and the control of the amount of penetration made by the penetrator. 
       SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0002]    Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the specification and relevant art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. Well-known functions or constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or clarity. For the present invention, the term “ground” is taken to mean any surface, visible expression of a solid material, matrix of solid materials, any thing that is visible, and gasses and liquids that can be said to be differentiated from the local environment and therefore penetrable. Commonly known penetrable items include the earth, animals, persons, metals, plastics, wood, plants, vegetable material, water, liquids and all solid or semisolid surfaces. For the present invention, the term “penetrator” refers to a device that penetrates ground as define herein. The penetrator may further contain, comprise or enclose devices, chemicals or such items as are containable, comprisable or are enclosable for penetration. 
         [0003]    The present invention provides for a method of deployment of an object and placing that object in the ground, and determining how far in the ground the object penetrates including the ability to have the object resting on the surface without penetration but anchored securely in place, and the ability to have the object partially penetrated into the ground with some part of the object above the ground surface. 
         [0004]    The object that is air deployed can constitute itself and provide appropriate structural integrity for the mission or it can be enclosed in a carrier vehicle as necessary. An additional mass is attached to the object to facilitate the driving of the object into the ground. The mass may be ejected after the object is positioned in the ground. The mass may be a dead weight such as iron or earth, or it may be an independent device or object that is simultaneously deployed on the surface near the impact site. 
         [0005]    The present invention provides for a penetrator that is driven into the earth and is stopped at a prescribed depth by an expanded stop plate. The stop plate impedes further penetration by loading an area of the earth and reducing the force per unit area of loaded earth below that necessary to displace and penetrate the earth thereby impeding further penetration. In this manner, the penetrator is placed at a prescribed penetration depth. 
         [0006]    When ground deployed the penetrator is simply pressed into the earth by hand or by mechanical means until further penetration is impeded by the stop plate. When air deployed the mass of the penetrator carries the penetrator into the earth until further penetration is impeded by the stop plate. An additional mass is added to the penetrator to add energy necessary for earth penetration when needed. This mass may be an integral part of the penetrator or it may be added to the rear of the penetrator the other side of the stop plate away from the penetrator head. This mass may remain attached after penetration or may be ejected away from the penetrator, or may break down around the penetrator as desired. This mass may be a secondary object with a dependent or independent mission and operation. 
         [0007]    While the method of this invention has been shown and described with reference to the specific embodiments noted herein it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many deviations, derivations and variations in form and specific details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is limited only by the claims annexed hereto. 
       DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0008]    Many air deployment systems have been devised for the planting of bulbs, trees or seeds in the earth. One such system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,782,656 describes a planting module for planting a seed or a bulb in the earth includes the seed or bulb disposed in a dissoluble capsule so that after the module has been placed in the earth and water is supplied, the capsule disintegrates and the seed or bulb sprouts. 
         [0009]    Modern militaries deploy supplies, devices, weapons and instruments via air for speed and rapid response. Emergency management agencies air deploy supplies, sensors and instruments to determine local conditions. Scientists deploy devices, objects and instruments to make measurements on the Earth and other planets and celestial bodies. 
         [0010]    The present invention provides a method for the precision deployment of an object and the placement of that object exactly on the surface of the ground, buried in the ground to a specific depth, or partially buried to a specific depth with a determined section of the object exposed. Further, with the method of the present invention an object can be place in the ground and the top of the object be exposed at the surface of the ground in a precise manner. Further, the present invention facilitates the deployment not only of the primary object, but a secondary object that is left on the surface. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. 
           [0012]    The invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle with an aero stabilizer, a stop plate and a penetrator head. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle with an aero stabilizer, a stop plate and a penetrator head with extra mass added at the head to increase the ground penetration force and add aero stability. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle with an aero stabilizer, a stop plate and a penetrator head with extra mass added around the drop vehicle to increase the ground penetration force. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle with an aero stabilizer, a stop plate and a penetrator head with extra mass added around the drop vehicle to increase the ground penetration force. The extra mass is shaped to facilitate ground stopping. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle with an aero stabilizer, a stop plate and a penetrator head with extra mass added behind the drop vehicle to increase the ground penetration force. The extra mass is equipped to be ejected by various means when the stop plate has impacted the ground surface. Various methods of aero stability are possible including a fixed fin set and a drag streamer as shown here. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle with an aero stabilizer mounted directly on the extra mass, a stop plate and a penetrator head with extra mass added behind the drop vehicle to increase the ground penetration force. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle with an aero stabilizer, a stop plate and a penetrator head with extra mass added behind the drop vehicle to increase the ground penetration force impacting and penetrating the ground. The extra mass is ejected by various means, shown here by the action of an integrated spring, and the drop vehicle is set in the ground with the stop plate at ground level. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a variety of shapes of drop vehicles penetrating the ground and stopping at ground level as controlled by their stop plates. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle  1  comprised of a surrounding structure and an interior space with an aero stabilizer  2  comprised of fixed fins  3  and a standoff rod  4 . Fixed fins  3  may be two or more fins, and may be compound fins with multiple surfaces. Fixed fins  3  may be canted to produce spin, straight to reduce spin, and may be thickened, canted or shaped to induce drag for fall rate control of the drop vehicle  1 . Aero stabilizer  2  may be constructed of a variety of materials including durable materials such as metals and plastics, and non durable materials such as paper, plastics and such similar materials that are water soluble, degrade in sunlight, meltable at daytime temperature, and otherwise are adsorbed by the particular environment in which the drop vehicle is deployed. A penetrator head  5  is provided when needed for particularly hard earth penetrations, and a stop plate  6  is provided to increase the load area on the ground surface and bring the entire assembly of the drop vehicle to a stop at the determined depth as set by the position of the stop plate  6 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle  1  with an aero stabilizer  2 , a stop plate  6  and a penetrator head  5  with extra mass  7  added at the head of drop vehicle  1  and behind penetrator head  5  to increase the ground penetration force and add aero stability by increasing the nose weight of the entire vehicle. Extra mass  7  may be a simple dead weight such as copper or lead, or may be a dual use material such as a fertilizer compound in the case where a seedling is deployed. In the case of a device, the extra mass  7  may be a battery or other active element as desired. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle  1  with an aero stabilizer  2 , a stop plate  6  and a penetrator head  5  with extra mass  7  added around the drop vehicle to increase the ground penetration force. 
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle  1  with an aero stabilizer  2 , a stop plate  6  and a penetrator head  5  with extra mass  7  added around the drop vehicle  1  to increase the ground penetration force. The extra mass  7  is shaped to facilitate ground stopping and may further be selected to facilitate penetration of hard or crusted ground, and may be otherwise selected to facilitate stopping in sand or other loose grounds. Extra mass  7  may be made of a glue or other transformable or reactive material to anchor drop vehicle  1  to the ground material. 
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle  1  with an aero stabilizer  2 , a stop plate  6  and a penetrator head  5  with extra mass  7  added to the top of the drop vehicle  1  to increase the ground penetration force. The extra mass  7  is shaped to assist stop plate  6  by providing additional force distribution by force distribution surface  8 . If desired, force distribution surface  8  can completely replace stop plate  6 , and stop plate  6  can be removed from the vehicle configuration. Extra mass  7  is shown equipped with ejection mechanism  9 , noted here as a spring, that is activated by activation mechanism  10  and removes extra mass  7  from the top of drop vehicle  1  when activation mechanism  10  contacts the ground. In this manner, the drop vehicle  1  can be inserted at a precise depth in the ground and all the aero stabilizer  2  and extra mass  7  mechanism can be removed and the top of drop vehicle  1  made visible and aligned at the ground surface. 
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle  1  with an aero stabilizer  2 . Aero stabilizer  2  employs a drag streamer  11 . Aero stabilizer  2  may employ aero devices including wings, fins, rotors, box planes, parachutes, streamers and other aerodynamic and aero drag devices and shapes. A stop plate  6  and a penetrator head  5  with extra mass  7  added to the top of the drop vehicle  1  is shown to increase the ground penetration force. The extra mass  7  is shaped to assist stop plate  6  by providing additional force distribution by force distribution surface  8 . If desired, force distribution surface  8  can completely replace stop plate  6 , and stop plate  6  can be removed from the vehicle configuration. Extra mass  7  is shown equipped with ejection mechanism  9 , noted here as a pyrotechnic device, that is activated by activation mechanism  10  and removes extra mass  7  from the top of drop vehicle  1  when activation mechanism  10  contacts the ground. In this manner, the drop vehicle  1  can be inserted at a precise depth in the ground and all the aero stabilizer  2  and extra mass  7  mechanism can be removed and the top of drop vehicle  1  made visible and aligned at the ground surface. 
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle  1  with an aero stabilizer  2 . Aero stabilizer  2  employs a multiplicity of fins  3  where fins  3  are attached to extra mass  7 . Aero stabilizer  2  may employ aero devices including wings, fins, rotors, box planes, parachutes, streamers and other aerodynamic and aero drag devices and shapes. The extra mass  7  is shaped to providing additional force distribution by force distribution surface  8 . Extra mass  7  is shown equipped with ejection mechanism  9 , noted here as a spring device, that is activated by activation mechanism  10  and removes extra mass  7  from the top of drop vehicle  1  when activation mechanism  10  contacts the ground. In this manner, the drop vehicle  1  can be inserted at a precise depth in the ground and all the aero stabilizer  2  and extra mass  7  mechanism can be removed and the top of drop vehicle  1  made visible and aligned at the ground surface. Extra mass  7  may be a dead weight such as a metal, or it may be another device that is deployed on the surface of the ground. 
         [0028]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicle  1  with an aero stabilizer  2 . Extra mass  7  is shown equipped with ejection mechanism  9 , noted here as a spring device, that has been activated by activation mechanism  10  upon contact with ground surface  12 . The extra mass  7 , ejection mechanism  9  and aero stabilizer  2  are ejected and drop vehicle  1  is now positioned with its top at the ground surface  12 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of a drop vehicles  1  penetrating ground surface  12 .  FIG. 9A  shows drop vehicle  1  positioned at ground surface  12  as determined by stop plate  6 . Note that in  FIG. 9A  the body of drop vehicle  1  has been selected to be partially exposed above the ground surface  12 . In  FIG. 9B  the drop vehicle  1  is shown completely buried below ground surface  12  to a depth determined by stop plate  6 . In  FIG. 9C , the drop vehicle  1  is penetrated into the ground surface  12  at the depth determined by stop plate  6 . In this case the drop vehicle  1  has a shape determined by the requirement of the drop and the majority of drop vehicle  1  is situated above the ground surface  12 . In  FIG. 9D  the drop vehicle  1  was formed with an extended penetrator head  5  and flattened bottom to form force distribution surface  8  eliminating the need for stop plate  6 . In this case the drop vehicle  1  sitting on the ground surface  12  without penetration and is further anchored in place by the extended penetrator head  5  and the penetrator head barb  13 .