Electrorheologically damped impact system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an impact switch having variable sensitivity to impact by or with another object.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a simplified means of variable detonation delay after impact of an impact switch triggered detonator.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a built-in method of inhibiting warhead detonation which avoids countermeasures.
It is still another object of the present invention to optimize target damage by providing detonation delay as a function of the target rather than as a function of time.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide a more omnidirectional impact switch sensitivity than possible by means of rigid damping.
The present invention is an electro-mechanical switch which uses a spring supported mass to sense deceleration upon the impact of the ordnance device carrying the present invention with the target.
The spring supporting the mass is physically and electrically connected to one contact of the switch connected to one side of a detonator circuit in a close relationship spatially with the contact of the switch connected to the other side of the detonator circuit.
The mass and spring assembly along with the contacts are contained within a flexible shroud which is in turn contained within and spaced from a housing that encloses the entire assembly and protects it environmentally.
The space between the housing and the shroud containing the spring, the mass, and the two contacts to the two opposite sides of the detonator circuit to which the switch is connected contains an electrorheological fluid.
This fluid can be prepared in a variety of formulations, all of which, however, have the property that their viscosity can be varied as a function of applied voltage to the fluid.
Thus, two additional electrical connections to the switch of the present invention extend through the outer housing of the device and into the fluid between the housing and the shroud