Reusable bomb diffuser

Abstract

A reusable bomb diffusing device having a core structure with outer surfaces covered by outwardly extending and increasingly upwardly-directed energy-absorbing vanes that are fixed in position and separated from one another by approximately 3°, the core structure being centered within an outer chamber having solid side walls and a mesh top surface through which the rapidly expanding gases from a blast are exhausted. A central bottom opening in the present invention permits placement directly over a bomb, with movement of the device to a bomb's location being accomplished manually or via attachment to a motorized vehicle. Expanding gases within the core structure are directed to the vanes in vector geometry fashion, which reduces the gases' energy and drives them upward to exit the outer chamber through the openings in its mesh top. During detonation, the present invention device remains substantially in its pre-explosion position. Police and military applications are contemplated.

1 . A reusable bomb diffuser for use in neutralizing the potentially harmful affects of exploding gases and debris resulting from the detonation of a land mine or other exploding device housed under or therein, so that the velocity of expanding gases is slowed and laterally moving gases and debris are set on an upward course for release from said diffuser in a substantially upward direction, said bomb diffuser comprising: 
 an outer chamber with solid side walls and a top surface configured with openings adapted for the upward venting of expanding gases and debris;    a core structure centered within said outer chamber and firmly secured to said outer chamber, with said core structure having a bottom surface and an opening through said bottom surface; and    a plurality of spaced-apart vanes each attached to said core structure in an orientation relative to said core structure that is outwardly extending and progressively upwardly directed whereby the lowest ones of said vanes are substantially horizontally-extending and the highest ones of said vanes are substantially vertically-extending, and further whereby said vanes are configured and positioned to reduce the velocity of expanding gases and debris from an explosion within said core structure.    
   
   
       2 . The diffuser of  claim 1  wherein said vanes each have a minimum thickness dimension of approximately one-eighth of an inch.  
   
   
       3 . The diffuser of  claim 2  wherein said vanes each have a rectangular cross-section.  
   
   
       4 . The diffuser of  claim 1  wherein each of said vanes is separated from the next adjacent one of said vanes by a uniform increment.  
   
   
       5 . The diffuser of  claim 4  wherein said uniform increment is approximately three degrees.  
   
   
       6 . The diffuser of  claim 1  wherein said top surface has a configuration adapted to facilitate the formation of an upwardly-moving Karmen vortex ring in the upwardly-moving exploding gases and debris exiting from said outer chamber, whereby the energy of the expanding gases is further reduced so that fine debris and gases become upwardly directed and leave said outer chamber through said top surface, while coarse debris resulting from an explosion within said core structure falls to said bottom surface.  
   
   
       7 . The diffuser of  claim 1  wherein said solid side walls of said outer chamber have a configuration and uniform height dimension adapted to provide an even distribution of outwardly expanding gases and debris within said outer chamber.  
   
   
       8 . The diffuser of  claim 1  wherein said core structure has a venturi, and further comprising a transport means adapted for facilitated movement of said outer chamber from one needed location to another, and wherein said transport means is selected from a group consisting of motorized vehicles, movement means adapted for remotely raising and lowering said outer chamber, rods, poles, handles, and handles having an opening configured and positioned to communicate with said venturi.  
   
   
       9 . A reusable bomb diffuser for use in neutralizing the potentially harmful affects of exploding gases and debris resulting from the detonation of a land mine or other exploding device housed under or therein, so that the velocity of expanding gases is slowed and laterally moving gases and debris are set on an upward course for release from said diffuser in a substantially upward direction, said bomb diffuser comprising: 
 an outer chamber with solid side walls and a top surface configured with openings adapted for the upwardly venting expanding gases and debris, with said solid side walls also having an outside surface, in addition to a configuration and uniform height dimension adapted to provide an even distribution of outwardly expanding gases and debris within said outer chamber;    a core structure centered within said outer chamber and firmly secured to said outer chamber, with said core structure having a bottom surface and an opening through said bottom surface;    a plurality of spaced-apart vanes each attached to said core structure in an orientation relative to said core structure that is outwardly extending and progressively upwardly directed whereby the lowest ones of said vanes are substantially horizontally-extending and the highest ones of said vanes are substantially vertically-extending, and further whereby said vanes are configured and positioned to reduce the velocity of expanding gases and debris from an explosion within said core structure;    a plurality of reinforcement stiffeners attached to said outside surface of said solid side walls; and    wherein said top surface of said outer chamber has a configuration adapted to facilitate the formation of an upwardly-moving Karmen vortex ring in the upwardly-moving expanding gases and debris exiting from said outer chamber, and whereby due to the energy of the expanding gases being further reduced by the formation of the Karmen vortex ring the fine debris and gases become upwardly directed and leave said outer chamber through said top surface, while coarse debris tends to fall to said bottom surface.    
   
   
       10 . The diffuser of  claim 9  wherein said vanes each have a rectangular cross-section and a minimum thickness dimension of approximately one-eighth of an inch.  
   
   
       11 . The diffuser of  claim 9  wherein each of said vanes is separated from the next adjacent one of said vanes by a uniform increment.  
   
   
       12 . The diffuser of  claim 11  wherein said uniform increment is approximately three degrees.  
   
   
       13 . A method for neutralizing the potentially harmful effects of exploding gases and debris resulting from the detonation of a land mine or other exploding device, so that the velocity of the expanding gases is slowed and the laterally moving gases and debris are redirected and forced to travel in a substantially upward direction, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing an outer chamber with solid side walls and a top surface configured with openings adapted for the upward venting of expanding gases and debris, a core structure with an open bottom, and a plurality of vanes;    attaching said vanes to said core structure so that said vanes are outwardly extending from said core structure with progressively upward orientation whereby the lowest ones of said vanes are substantially horizontally-extending and the highest ones of said vanes are substantially vertically-extending;    centering said core structure within said outer chamber; and    securely attaching said core structure to said outer chamber whereby the velocity of expanding gases from the detonation of an explosive device positioned within said core structure is reduces by said vanes and laterally traveling gases and debris are directed upwardly for release from said outer chamber via said openings in said top surface.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said vanes each have a rectangular cross-section and a minimum thickness dimension of approximately one-eighth of an inch.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein each of said vanes is separated from the next adjacent one of said vanes by a uniform increment.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said uniform increment is approximately three degrees.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said top surface has a configuration adapted to facilitate the formation of an upwardly-moving Karmen vortex ring in the upwardly-moving exploding gases and debris exiting from said outer chamber.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said solid side walls of said outer chamber have a configuration and uniform height dimension adapted to provide an even distribution of outwardly expanding gases and debris within said outer chamber.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising a transport means adapted for facilitated movement of said outer chamber from one needed location to another.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said core structure has a venturi, and wherein said transport means is selected from a group consisting of motorized vehicles, movement means adapted for remotely raising and lowering said outer chamber, rods, poles, handles, and handles having an opening configured and positioned to communicate with said venturi.