Abstract:
An improved gun control unit for a minigun system includes a logic control module in communication with the minigun system, and a multi-function display for providing a visible display of information about the operation and status of the minigun system. The logic control module includes a processor coupled to the multi-function display, which processor is programmed to output a display signal to the display in response to status information received from the minigun system. The status information received from the minigun system can include: information for determining a count of rounds fired by the minigun system; information for determining a remaining level of ammunition: and/or information for trouble shooting the minigun system.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION AND PRIORITY CLAIM 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/915,925, filed Dec. 13, 2013, entitled “Gun Control Unit with Computerized Multi-Function Display” which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to Gatling-type miniguns. More specifically, it relates to an improved gun control unit or fire control unit for an electrically powered minigun, which includes a computerized ammunition level indicator and rounds counter. 
         [0003]    Gatling-type miniguns have been known for many years. One previous example of such a gun is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,971,515 B2, entitled “Access Door for Feeder and Delinker of a Gatling Gun.” which is incorporated herein by this reference. 
         [0004]    It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved gun control unit for such a minigun with a computerized display unit that can display to a user (such as a gunner or maintenance personnel) the level of ammunition for the minigun as well as other information about the minigun. 
         [0005]    Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention as embodied and broadly described in this document, there is provided an improved gun control unit for a minigun system. The gun control unit includes: a logic control module in communication with the minigun system: and a multi-function display for providing a visible display of information from the minigun system. The logic control module includes a processor coupled to the multi-function display. The logic control module is programmed to provide a display signal to the multi-function display in response to status information received from the minigun system. In one embodiment, the multi-function display can include an LED display configured in the form of a bar graph. The gun control unit can include an interface to allow uploading of software to the logic control module. 
         [0007]    The status information received from the minigun system can include information for determining a count of rounds fired by the minigun system, which can include information for determining a cumulative count of rounds. The status information cal also include information for determining a remaining level of ammunition, and/or information for trouble shooting the minigun system. 
         [0008]    The logic control module can be configured to calculate a remaining ammunition level using information associated with an ammunition maximum capacity and a count of rounds fired by the minigun system. In response to a user input switch selection, the logic control module can be configured to operate with a specific minigun model or configuration. The user input switch selection can include a selection for configuring a maximum ammunition capacity and/or a selection for configuring a firing rate. The logic control module also can be programmed to monitor the status information to detect an error or malfunction in the operation of the minigun system. The logic control module also can be programmed to perform a diagnostic test on the minigun system in response to a user input switch selection for diagnostic testing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The accompanying drawings and appendices, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1A  is a top perspective view showing a side of an embodiment of an electrically-powered minigun with a gun control unit according to the present invention mounted to it. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1B  is a top perspective view showing the other side of the minigun of  FIG. 1A . 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  shows a top perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a gun control unit according to the present invention, including a spade grip to which the gun control unit is mounted. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a gun control unit according to the present invention, showing the inputs and outputs of the gun control unit and the logic control module, motor control module and multi-function display of the unit. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  are a hardware schematic diagram showing more detail of the gun control unit connections to a minigun and to the input switches. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a left side elevation view of the gun control unit and spade grip of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the gun control unit and spade grip of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a right side elevation view of the gun control unit and spade grip of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a bottom plan view of the gun control unit and spade grip of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate a 7.62×51 mm minigun system, referred to generally by callout number  10 , which is suitable for use with the present invention. The minigun  10  includes a barrel assembly  12 , an electric drive motor  14  to rotate the barrel assembly  12 , a delinking feeder  16 , a clutch assembly  18  and a gun housing assembly  20 . The barrel assembly  12  includes a barrel clamp assembly  25 , a plurality of barrels  24  circumferentially mounted to the barrel clamp assembly  25 , and a flash suppressor  26 . As is known to those of skill in the art, ammunition is fired sequentially through the barrels  24  of the minigun  10  in a known fashion, i.e., first one barrel is used, then the next, then the next, etc. 
         [0020]    Still referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , a gun control unit  220  is mounted to a spade grip  230 , which is mounted to the minigun  10 . An electric cable supplies power from the gun control unit  22  to the drive motor  14 . The delinking feeder  16 , which is an ammunition feed device, is engaged and disengaged via the electric cable. To provide access to the interior of the delinking feeder  16 , a feeder door assembly is mounted on the delinking feeder  16 . The feeder door assembly includes an access door that is movable between a first closed operative position and a second open position to facilitate the loading of an ammunition belt of linked cartridges (not shown). 
         [0021]    In the operation of the minigun  10 , the drive motor  14  causes the barrel assembly  12  to rotate, and each barrel  24  fires sequentially in rapid succession. During such operation, the delinking feeder  16  receives the ammunition belt of linked cartridges, sequentially separates or “delinks” the cartridges from the ammunition belt, and feeds the cartridges to the minigun firing mechanism (not shown). 
         [0022]    According to the present invention, there is provided an improved gun control unit  220  with a computerized multi-function display.  FIGS. 2 and 5-8  illustrate one exemplary embodiment of the improved gun control unit  220 , which is mounted to an improved spade grip  230 . The spade grip  230  mounts directly to a receiver (not shown) on the minigun  10 , such as the US Army M134 four-lug receiver. 
         [0023]    The gun control unit  220  is powered by a 28 VDC power supply  48  (see  FIG. 4A ). The gun control unit  220  has various user input switches, including an arming switch  30 , two trigger switches or buttons  32 , an ammunition switch  34 , an ammunition boost switch or button  36 , and an ammunition can select switch  38 . When the arming switch  30  on the gun control unit  220  is activated, and one or both trigger buttons  32  are depressed, the minigun  10  will fire. When the trigger buttons  32  are released, the delinking feeder  16  is disengaged so that the ammunition supply is discontinued. The electric drive motor  14  continues to rotate for a suitable period of time (e.g., from about 200 to 500 milliseconds) so that the weapon is cleared of remaining ammunition before stopping. When the ammunition boost button  36  is depressed, an ammunition booster motor  39  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4A ) on the ammunition magazine (not shown) is activated to facilitate the loading of the weapon. The ammunition booster motor  39  pushes the ammunition belt from the ammunition magazine (not shown), through a feed chute and to the weapon, where it is inserted in the delinking feeder  16 , readying the weapon for firing. 
         [0024]    Still referring to  FIGS. 2 and 5-8 , the spade grip  230  has rubberized grips  40  with compound hand swells and proportioned finger grooves to position the hands naturally. The grips  40  are over-molded with a durable, recoil-absorbing rubber that is impervious to oils and solvents and which has a texture, such as a cobblestone texture, for providing an efficient non-slip, non-irritating stippling pattern. The spade grip  230  includes a bottom plate  42  with a lanyard bar  43 , which provides convenient access to tie-off points. A top plate  44  can include mission planning grid and sight alignment features. 
         [0025]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate electrical connections of an exemplary embodiment of the improved gun control unit according to the present invention, including the connections between the gun control unit  220  and the minigun  10 . Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the gun control unit  220  includes a logic control unit or module  52  (“LCM”), a motor control unit or module  54  (“MCM”) and a multi-function display  56  (“MFD”). The logic control module  52  includes a micro-controller that is programmed to generate the control signals and provide the functionality described below. The logic control module  42  is coupled to the gun control unit switches  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  38  to receive user inputs and is coupled to the minigun  10  via a serial communication interface  50  to communicate with the minigun  10 . The serial communication interface  50  can be connected to the minigun  10  via a serial cable connector  51  on the logic control module. In this configuration, the logic control module  42  can communicate with the minigun  10  via the serial communication interface  50  and can receive information for round counting, trouble shooting and selection of a particular minigun model or configuration, as described below. The serial communications interface  50  also can be used to upload software to the logic control module  52 . The logic control module  52  is coupled to the motor control module  54  to provide control signals to the motor control module  54  to control the gun electric drive motor  14  and clutch  18 . In addition, the logic control module  52  is coupled to the multi-function display  56  to provide the signals for displaying information to the user about the operation and status of the minigun  10  as described below. 
         [0026]    The motor control module  54  utilizes pulse width modulation driven FET technology for controlling the clutch  18  and the gun electric drive motor  14  and for stall protection, as is known in the art. Hardware and software safety interlocks (“HSSI”) can be incorporated into the logic control module  52  to ensure the micro-controller software is running properly before turning on any fire control outputs. In one exemplary embodiment, the hardware interlock is provided in the form of an access key that connects to the serial cable connector  51 . When the fire control outputs are enabled, the logic control module  52  will fire the weapon when the arming switch  30  and the trigger buttons  32  are activated. When the arming switch  30  is selected, the minigun enters an unsafe mode, at which time the weapon will fire when one or both of the trigger buttons  32  are depressed. When the trigger buttons  32  are released, the gun control unit  220  will immediately turn off the power to the clutch  18  and wait for a suitable period of time (e.g., for 500 milliseconds) before turning off the power to the gun electric drive motor  14 , allowing the gun to clear the rounds in the delinking feeder  16 . 
         [0027]    The multi-function display  56  displays to the user information about the status and operation of the minigun  10 , including an ammunition level indication. In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2 and 6 , the multi-function display  56  includes an LED bar graph display, with each LED representing a specific quantity of ammunition (e.g., 150 rounds). With the 28 VDC power connected to the gun control unit  220 , a user can press the ammunition switch  34  to display the available ammunition level on the LED multi-function display  56  of the gun control unit  220 . 
         [0028]    The logic control module  52  can calculate the ammunition level using the ammunition capacity information for the minigun  10  (which can be entered by the user as described below) and rounds count information received from a rounds counter (not shown) in the minigun  10 . The LED bar graph display of the multi-function display  56  can then display this ammunition level to a user, similar to the way an automobile fuel indicator shows the remaining fuel level to a driver. For gun maintenance purposes, the logic control module  52  also can be programmed to cause the multi-function display  56  to display cumulative round count information for the minigun  10 . 
         [0029]    The gun control unit  220  also can be configured by a user to operate with different minigun models or configurations by using the gun control unit user input switches. For example, the gun control unit can be configured for different minigun models that have different firing rates (e.g., 3000 rounds per minute or 4000 rounds per minute). As another example, the gun control unit switches can be used to configure the gun control unit  220  for different maximum ammunition capacities, which tells the gun control unit  220  the maximum number of rounds that can be carried in the ammunition can of the minigun  10 . In one exemplary embodiment, by using the ammunition switch  34  and the ammunition can select switch  38 , a user is able to select from maximum ammunition capacities of 1500, 3000 or 4500. 
         [0030]    In some embodiments, the gun control unit  220  can be configured to monitor for system errors and display those errors to a user via the multi-function display  56 . For example, the gun control unit  220  can monitor the minigun system voltage and current data and the logic control module  52  can be programmed to send signals to the multi-function display  56  to display corresponding error codes when the logic control module  52  receives an over-current or low current reading from the minigun  10  indicating that the gun motor is running at too low or too high a speed. As another example, the logic control module  52  can monitor switches to detect malfunctions and display corresponding error codes on the multi-function display  56 . By displaying error codes in this way, the gun control unit  220  can provide enough information for a user to determine if a particular error can be repaired in the field or if more in-depth repair or maintenance is required. 
         [0031]    The logic control module  52  also can be programmed to perform various diagnostics tests on the minigun  10 . In some embodiments, a user also can use different settings of the gun control unit user input switches (e.g., switches  34 ,  36 ,  38 ) to run various diagnostic tests on the minigun  10 . 
         [0032]    The serial communications interface  50  also can be used by the gun control unit  220  to communicate with external weapons control systems, e.g., with external systems or switches used to enable the minigun system. 
         [0033]    Upon reading this disclosure, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments and methods of the invention and that such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative devices, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept.