Nesting switch for submunition fuzes

Abstract

A nesting switch is disclosed that is used to sense that the submunitions of an explosive ordnance have been removed, unnested, or unstacked from their storage locations. The nesting switch, in one embodiment, has at least one contact that is stationary and another contact which sticks out and interferes with the submunitions so as to be compressed against the stationary contact while the submunitions is in a storage (non operative) location and, then if the submunition is removed the interfering contact moves away from the stationary contact causing the generation of an unnested control signal that is delivered to the system controlling the fuze of the submunitions. The nesting switch is another embodiment that has a lever that sticks out and interferes with the submunition so as to be compressed causing another part of the lever to come in contact with the electrical contacts.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A switch for a fuze for sensing the status of submunitions having defined storage locations within an explosive ordnance, said switch having compression means for being confined within at least one said storage location while at least one of said submunitions is confined within its respective storage location.  
     
     
         2 . The switch according to  claim 1 , wherein comprising said switch comprises: 
 at least first and second terminals housed on a platform and electrically connected to said fuze; and    flexible means for providing electrical conductivity between said first and second terminals, said flexible means extending out from said platform and contacting at least one of said submunitions in its respective storage location and supplying said electrical conductivity between said first and second terminals representing a nesting indication for said fuze of said stored submunitions.    
     
     
         3 . The switch according to  claim 2 , wherein said platform and first and second terminals respectively comprise: 
 said platform being dimensioned so as to be confined with said defined storage locations;    said first terminal being rigidly located on said platform and being confined within said dimensions of said platform; and    said second terminal being merged with said flexible means for providing electrical conductivity between said first and second terminals.    
     
     
         4 . The switch according to  claim 1 , wherein said switch comprises: 
 at least first and second contacts located on a fuze and each being electrically connected to said fuze, said first contact being stationary on said fuze and located within said defined storage locations of said submunition and said second contact extending out from said fuze and contacting said stored submunition so as to be compressed against said stationary contact while at least one of said submunitions is in its storage location, said compressed stationary and extending contacts being representative of a nesting indication for said fuze of said stored submunitions.    
     
     
         5 . The switch according to  claim 1 , wherein said compression switch comprises: 
 a platform having a bottom first and second terminals electrically connected to said fuze and housed on top of said platform,    said first and second terminals both having portions that extend outward from said fuze with the second terminal's extending portion being flexible and having a length that exceeds said first terminals outwardly extending portion, said flexible portion of said second terminal having a curved portion at its outer end; and    a spacer formed of a non-electrically conductive material and interposed between said first and second terminal and having a predetermined thickness so as to establish a predetermined distance between said first and second terminals.    
     
     
         6 . The switch according to  claim 1 , wherein said submunitions are arranged in a stacked manner and said storage locations are confined within an explosive ordnance.  
     
     
         7 . The switch according to  claim 5 , wherein said switch is compressed in a location under the lowermost of said storage locations.