A GYROSTABILIZED DEFLECTION DEVICE

Abstract: A gyro stabilized deflection device for transmission and/or reception of oscillating energy, preferably electromagnetic radiation, in a directed lobe (L') which is stabilized in space for small angular motions of the envelope (10) in which the device is mounted. The device consists of a gyro rotor shaped as a spherical ball (16) and rotating about a spin axis (03), which ball is supported in a spherical recess (15) in a housing or seat (14) fixedly connected to the envelope (10). The transmitted or received radiation passes through a central part (23 and 20, repectively) of the ball and seat, which parts for this purpose are transparent for the radiation. The said parts (23, 20) of the ball and seat form at the same time together with an adjustable diffraction prism similar to an ''optical wedge'' for the transmitted radiation thereby that a plane wall (44) of the ball can be set in any desired angle relative to a plane wall (45) of the seat. The direction (L') of the radiation lobe for outgoing and/or incoming radiation energy is then determined by the refractive index for the said parts (23, 20) of ball and seat, where the radiation passes, possibly in combination with the diffraction produced by a lens (12) arranged in series therewith. The said refractive index is then so selected that, at an angular change of the gyro rotor or ball (16), the radiation lobe (L') will undergo an equally large angular change so that it always coincides with the spin axis (03).

Description: A Gyrostabilized Deflection Device. The invention relates to a gyrostabilized deflection device arran¬ ged in the transmission path from/to a transmitter and/or receiver for oscillating energy, preferably electromagnetic radiation, for trans¬ mission and/or reception of the said energy in a directed radiation or sensitivity lobe, which device is mounted within an envelope, which in operation of the device can be subject to motions relative to space fixed reference directions, and which deflection device comprises a movable de¬ flection body with spherical outer countur which is introduced into a housing or seat fixedly connected to the envelope, so that it is free to move in three rotational degrees of freedom in its recess, means being furthermore arranged for imparting the said body a rapid spin rotation about a spin axis, which substantially coincides with the direction for transmitted or received radiation. Such a device used in a target seeker for projectiles is described in the patent SE 8502509-6. The movable deflection body has in this case a reflecting plane surface or mirror adapted to reflect outgoing or in¬ coming electromagnetic energy from/to a transm itter and/or receiver. In order to be able to direct the radiation or sensitivity lobe produced by reflection in any desired direction the said body is adapted to cooperate with a two-axes magnetic torque generator, which can transfer torques to the body about two mutually and relative to the spin axis perpendicular axes. By its rotation about the spin axis the said deflection body at the same time serves as a gyrostabilized platform. Such a gyro stabilized platform used as deflection device for outgoing or incoming radiation can be utilized in many applications. One application is that mentioned in the said patent, namely as a gyrostabilized platform in target seekers for projectiles. Another application is anti-aircraft sights mounted on guns and also other types of sights. In common for these applications is that it is a desire that outgoing and/or incoming radiation shall be fixed in space for small angular movements of the envelope, in which the device is mounted. In many applications it is furthermore a requirement that it shall be possible to adjust the radiation or sensitivity lobe into any desired direction by controlled influence of the platform rela¬ tive to its own space reference. The aim with the invention is to solve these problems by means of a device, which is more simple as to its mechanical construction and which is less bulky as compared with that described in the patent SE 8502509-6. According to the invention this is achieved by means of a device of the kind as described in the opening paragraph, which is- characterized thereby, that the deflection body rotating about the spin axis, or the gyro rotor, in combination with the housing or seat, which supports the rotor, constitutes an adjustable diffraction prism for the radiation thereby that at least a central part of the gyro rotor and the said seat, where the radiation passes, is transparent for the radiation, the seat having a fixed prism wall serving as input/output surface for the radia¬ tion and the gyro rotor having an adjustable prism wall also serving as output/input surface, and that by selection of refractive index for those materials, of which the said parts of the rotor and seat are made, has been ensured that an angular change of the spin axis of the gyro rotor results in a corresponding angular change of the radiation or sensitivity lobe for the outgoing and/or incoming radiation. By its free support in the spherical recess the deflection body shaped as a gyro rotor will serve as a so called two-axes gyroscope, in which the rotor besides its spin rotation is free to make angular motions about two mutually and relative to the spin axis perpendicular axes. In such a two-axes gyroscope the rotor tends to maintain its angular setting in a space fixed coordinate system independently of small angular motions of the envelope supporting the rotor. If the rotor now according to the invention is used as a diffraction prism in a deflection device for a radiation beam and it has been ensured that, when the envelope makes small angular motions relative to the space fixed rotor, the outgoing or incoming beam makes exactly the same angular motion relative to the enve¬ lope as that between envelope and rotor it is easy to see that hereby a radiation lobe or sensitivity lobe is obtained, which is stabilized in space for small angular motions of the envelope. If the device is inclu¬ ded in a target seeker for projectiles, thus, the radiation or sensiti- vity lobe of the target seeker will be fixed in space in spite of the fact that the projectile tumbles. This has been achieved by the simple measure to select the refractive index for the diffraction prism, of which the gyrorotor is a part, in such manner that the radiation lobe will change its angle as much as the spin axis for small motions of the envelope. Sometimes it may be difficult to achieve the said 1 : 1 ratio between an angular change of the spin axis of the gyro rotor and the angular change of the radiation or sensitivity lobe for outgoing or incoming radiation. The said 1 :1 ratio can then be ensured thereby that the deflection device is combined with a lens system having a- suitable diffraction. Preferably the radiation or sensitivity lobe is always in parallel with the spin axis. A similar device shaped as an adjustable optical prism and used as scanner in a target seeker for projectiles is previously known by OS 4 436 260. However, in this case the deflection body is not imparted any spin rotation and the device has only for its purpose to deflect a radia- tion beam. This device cannot be used for stabilizing a radiation lobe in space. The deflection device according to the invention operating with transmission of radiation has many advantages as compared with a similar device operating with reflection. In first hand the radiation path can be made symmetrical, which may be difficult or impossible to achieve in the reflecting embodiment. In certain applications such a symmetry is a requirement. As the deflection device and transmitter/receiver can be placed in line after each other the mechanical construction will be maxi¬ mally simple and of minimal volume. The space stabilizing effect relies upon that no precession torques are transferred to the rotor. This can be achieved under continuous driv¬ ing of the rotor by using a spin drive, which does not produce any such torques. In a simplier embodiment, involving smaller demands on the quality of the spin drive, this drive of the rotor can be disconnectable. Besides the described space stabilization of the radiation or sen¬ sitivity lobe in many applications this lobe must also be controlled to assume any desired direction as counted from its own space reference. For this purpose a preferred embodiment of the device according to the inven¬ tion is furthermore provided with torque generators, which are able to transfer turning torques to the deflection body about two mutually and relative to the spin axis perpendicular axes. The invention is illustrated by means of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a projectile with a gyrostabilized deflection device according to the invention and Fig 2 shows a sectional view through the deflection device, taken along the line A-A in figure 1. In fig 1 reference numeral 10 designates a projectile envelope, while 11 is a gyro stabilized deflection device according to the inven¬ tion, fixedly mounted in the envelope and comprising a converging lens 12 also mounted in the envelope, and 13 is a transmitter/receiver. The cent- rum axis C of the projectile forms at the same time centrum axis for the deflection device and "lens. The deflection device can be included as a gyrostabilized platform in a target seeker, which for example operates with electromagnetic energy in the millimeter wavelength range. The deflection device consists of a part 14 fixedly mounted in the envelope 10 and having a spherical recess 15, in which a movable deflec¬ tion body 16 with spherical outer contour 17, or ball, is introduced. The fixed part 14 is in the shown example composed by three parts: an outer circular cylindrical ring 18 of soft magnetic material, an intermediate part 19 of non-magnetic material and a central part 20 of a material hav- ing a suitable refractive index for the transmitted radiation. The parts 19 and 20 are the elements provided with the said recess 15 and form together a housing or seat for the movable ball 16. The ball 16 is in the shown example composed by two parts ' : an outer ring-shaped part 21 with a central recess 22 and a calotte-shaped part 23. In operation the incoming and outgoing radiation passes via the recess 22 in the ball 16 through the parts 23 and 20, which in combination form a diffraction prism or "optical wedge" for the radiation, and furthermore through the lens 12. The central ray for such a radiation lobe is shown in the drawing and designated with L. As a result of its spherical shape the ball 16 is free to move by a turning or rotational motion in all three rotational degrees of freedom in its recess 15. The ball 16 is then so shaped that its point of gravity coincides with the rotational centrum for the said motions. Hereby no torques will be transferred to the ball under acceleration and deceleration of the envelope, in which the device is mounted. I order to be able to transfer torques to the ball 16 for turning the same about two axes 01 and 02 there is a magnetic torque generator of the kind as described and shown in SE 8502509-6. For turning the ball 16 in one direction about the axis 01 there are two magnetic poles 24 and 25 with electrical windings 26, 27. For turning the ball in the opposite direction about the same axis 01 there are two magnetic poles 28, 29 with electrical windings 30, 31. For turning the ball 16 about the axis 02 there are similar magnetic pole pairs, as shown in fig 2 by the magnetic poles 32, 33 and associated windings. The fixed magnetic poles cooperate with a soft magnetic part 34 of the movable ball 16, which part 34 termi¬ nates in an equatorial ring 35 of soft magnetic material- on the surface of the ball, which ball for the rest is made of non-magnetic material. The outer circular cylindrical fixed ring 18 of soft magnetic material interconnects the outwardly facing ends of all magnetic poles with each " other and will close all magnetic field paths. In order to be able to sense the instantaneous angular position of the ball the fixed part of the deflection device comprises an angle de¬ tector 36, which for example cooperates with an optical marking on the surface of the movable ball 16. Between the spherical recess 15 in the fixed part 14 and the outer spherical surface 17 of the ball 16 there is an air-gap 37 which is active as bearing for the ball. The air-gap is maintained by continuous supply of compressed air to nozzles, which terminate in the said gap. In figure 2 four such nozzles with supply channels are shown and designated with 38, 39, 40, 41. Furthermore the ball 16 is driven so as to make a rapid spin rota¬ tion about a spin axis 03. The spin rotation can be produced by means of an electrical spin motor or by air driving. In the shown example the ball 16 is rotated about the spin axis 03 by means of oblique jets of air, produced by nozzles 42, 43 with supply channels and acting on the flat outside of the ball. Hereby no precession torques will be transferred to the ball. By its rotation about the spin axis 03 the ball 16 will form a gyro rotor, which as a result of its rotatability about the axes 01 and 02 is supported in a similar manner as in a two-axes gimbal support. The cen¬ tral calotte shaped part 23 of this gyro rotor forms at the same time in combination with the central part 20- of the fixed seat 1 a variable diffraction prism for the transmitted radiation thereby that a plane sur- face 44, serving as input/output surface for the radiation, forms a vari¬ able angle with a plane surface 45 on the fixed part, which said last surface also serves an output/input surface for the radiation. Within the envelope 10 the transmitter/receiver 13 for the transmitted radiation is arranged in a straight line with the deflection device. By setting the movable prism surface 44 on the rotor 16 in different angles relative to the prism surface 45 on the fixed part 14 the direction for the outgoing and/or incoming radiation, in the drawing represented by the central ray L' of the radiation lobe, can be set arbitrarily. Decisive for how the direction of the radiation or sensitivity lobe varies with a variation of the angular setting of the rotor 16 about-the axes 01 and.02 is then the refractive index for the materials of which the parts 23 and 20 included in the prism are made, in combination with the diffraction produced by the lens 12. According to the invention the refractive index for the parts 23 and 20, which suitably are made of the same material, is selec¬ ted in such manner that the outgoing radiation or sensitivity lobe repre- sened by ' is always parallel with the spin axis 03 of the rotor. In the drawing the lobe centrum line L * and the spin axis 03 both form an angle α with the projectile symmetry or centrum line C. As the gyro rotor 16 in absence of precession torques transmitted to the same tends to maintain a set position in space this will mean that the radiation lobe will be space stabilized for small angular motions of the envelope 10. From this own space reference the lobe can then be controlled in any desired manner by transferring torques to the gyro rotor via the two-axes electro¬ magnetic torque generator. If the refractive index for the material, of which the parts 23 and 20 included in the diffraction prism are made, can be selected in such manner that the prism alone gives rise to the desired 1 :1 ratio between the angular change of the radiation or sensitivety lobe and the angular change of the spin axis of the rotor, the lens 12 will be superfluous and can be omitted. If a lens is required this lens may, instead of being made as a separate lens, be integrated with the deflection device thereby that the prism surface 44 or the surface 45 or both are given a concave or convexe shape. Examples on suitable materials for different kinds of radiation are as follows: - radar radiation: plastics and ceramics, - IR-radiation: crystalline materials, as silicon, germanium, zink- selenide and others; also certain glasses and plastics, - visible light: glass and plastics, - ultrasonic radiation: plastics and metals. If the device only has for its purpose to stabilize a radiation lobe in space the torque generator will be superfluous and can be omitted. The spin motor, which also can be of electrical type, may be so constructed that it drives the gyro rotor to a home position and can furthermore be disconnectable, so that the rotor after disconnection rotates freely.

Claims: Claims 1. A gyro stabilized deflection device arranged in the transmission path from/to a transmitter and/or receiver for oscillating energy, pre- ferably electromagnetic radiation, for transmission and/or reception of the said energy in a directed radiation or sensitivity lobe, which device is mounted in an envelope which in operation of the device can be subject to motions relative to space fixed reference directions and which deflec¬ tion device comprises a movable deflection body having a spherical outer contour, which body is introduced into a housing or seat fixedly connec¬ ted to the envelope, so that it is movable in three rotational degrees of freedom in its recess, means being furthermore arranged for imparting the body a rapid rotation about a spin axis, which substantially coincides with the direction for transmitted or received radiation, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the said deflection body or gyro rotor rotating about the spin axis in combination with the housing or seat supporting the rotor forms an adjustable diffraction prism for the radiation thereby that at least a central part of the gyro rotor and the seat, where the radiation passes, is transparent for the radiation, the housing or seat having a fixed prism wall serving as input/output surface for the radia¬ tion and the gyro rotor having an adjustable prism wall also serving as output/input surface, and that by selection of refractive index for the materials, of which the rotor and housing are made, has been ensured that an angular change of the spin axis of the gyro rotor results in a corre- sponding angular change of the radiation or sensitivity lobe for outgoing and/or incoming radiation. 2. A gyro stabilized deflection device as claimed in the claim 1 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the said device is combined with a lens system having such a diffraction that it in combination with the de¬ flection device produces the said 1 : 1 ratio between an angular change of the spin axis of the gyro rotor and the resulting angular change of the radiation or sensitivty lobe for outgoing or incoming radiation. 3. A gyro stabilized deflection device as claimed in the claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the radiation or sensitivity lobe is parallel with the spin axis of the gyro rotor. 4. A gyro stabilized deflection device as claimed in any of the claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it is furthermore provided with a torque generator, which can transfer turning torques to the movable deflection body serving as gyro rotor about two mutually and relative to the spin axis substantially perpendicular axes. 5. A gyro stabilized deflection device as claimed in 1-4, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the deflection body with spherical outer contour and serving as a gyro rotor consists of at least two parts, an outer ring shaped part with a central opening, through which the radia¬ tion passes, and a calotte shaped part forming the movable adjustable part of the said diffraction prism and having a prism wall serving as input/output surface.

Inventors: ENGDING ALF ERIC CHRISTER, SCHLEIMANN-JENSEN LARS JOHAN, STROEM ANDERS FREDRIK, ENGDING, ALF, ERIC, CHRISTER, SCHLEIMANN-JENSEN, LARS, JOHAN, STROEM, ANDERS, FREDRIK
Applicants: PHILIPS NORDEN AB, PHILIPS NV, N.V. PHILIPS' GLOEILAMPENFABRIEKEN
Application year: 1987
Main classification: F41G7
IPC codes: F41G7, G01C19, G02B27