The present invention relates to a military munition of the type having an explosive warhead, and more particularly to a device for separating the warhead from fuze and the adjacent initiator, igniter, detonator, and/or spit-back device (“IIDS device”) that initiates a warhead in a munition. The invention functions to avoid a dangerous condition where such a munition is exposed to external stimuli, such as heat, that could detonate the warhead.
Any munition having an explosive warhead, whether be a grenade, projectile or an assembled munition fitted to a projectile, must function as intended in states and modes of use within the NATO operational conditions:    A—Storage and Assembly to a Projectile,    B—Feeding,    C—Chambering,    D—Function fire,    E—Ballistic Flight,    F—Fuze Function and Detonation
FIG. 1 provides a generic graphic presentation of the heat conditions encountered by munitions when functioning in their intended states and modes of use. When a munition has a long dwell time the chamber of a weapon, such as a gun or cannon, heat can be transferred from the barrel of the weapon to the projectile body. In longer dwell-time weapons, the projectile must remain intact to allow for proper ammunition function and heat flow must be attenuated to preclude inadvertent activation of the device. Shoulder launched munitions like the lightweight anti-armor weapon (“LAW”) are housed in an expendable housing that eliminate the need for states and modes A-C as the munition is housed in a tube.
When munition such as an ammunition cartridge, shell or shoulder launched weapon are stored and when they mention is exposed to heat beyond identified storage conditions (normally in the range of 170° F.) the munitions are subject to premature detonation. For example, the heat generated by a fire increases over time and is generally over a much longer duration (compared to the heat of transferred into a cartridge when it is chambered and dwelling in a cannon barrel). Generally, in slow heating the 1st energetic event is deflagration of the powder. Conversely, in fast heating primers generally initiate ignition.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds