Smart piston

1 . A smart piston for a countermeasure expendable, the smart piston comprising:

a main body;

a gasket operably engaged with the main body; and

an electronic system carried by the main body;

wherein the electronic system is in electrical communication with a payload of the countermeasure expendable and is positioned between the main body and the gasket;

wherein the electronic system comprises:

an electronic circuit board;

at least one electrical port operably engaged with the electronic circuit board and having a first amperage rating for sending at least one communication signal; and

a set of connecting pins operably engaged with the electronic circuit board and the at least one electrical port;

wherein the electronic circuit board, the at least one electrical port, and the set of connecting pins are in electrical communication with one another; and

wherein the electronic system further comprises:

at least another electrical port operably engaged with the electronic circuit board and the set of connecting pins and having a second amperage rating that is greater than the first amperage rating of the at least one electrical port for sending at least one power signal;

wherein the electronic circuit board, the at least one electrical port, the at least another electrical port, and the set of connecting pins are in electrical communication with one another.

2 . The smart piston of claim 1 , wherein the electronic system enables at least one electrical signal to pass through the main body to the payload of the countermeasure expendable where the electronic system and the payload are spaced apart from one another.

3 . The smart piston of claim 1 , wherein each connecting pin of the set of connecting pins passes entirely through the main body.

4 . The smart piston of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical port is adapted to electrically connect an impulse cartridge cup of the countermeasure expendable and an on-board processing unit of the countermeasure expendable with one another.

5 . The smart piston of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrical port is adapted to electrically connect an external testing unit with an on-board processing unit of the countermeasure expendable for powering the on-board processing unit with the external testing unit and for communicating with the on-board processing unit with the external testing unit; and

wherein the at least one electrical port is adapted to electrically connect an external testing unit with at least one powered electronic of the payload for powering the at least one high-power electronic with the external testing unit.

6 . The smart piston of claim 1 , wherein the main body comprises:

a front end;

a rear end opposite to the front end; and

a set of through-holes defined in the main body extending between the front end and the rear end;

wherein the set of connecting pins is housed inside of the set of through-holes and extends from the front end of the main body to the rear end of the main body;

wherein the at least one electrical port operably engages at the rear end of the main body.

7 . The smart piston of claim 6 , wherein the main body further comprises:

a set of extensions extending outwardly from a base wall of the main body towards the front end of the main body;

wherein the set of extensions and the set of connecting pins operably engage with one another; and

wherein one extension of the set of extensions defines a diameter that is greater than diameters of remaining extensions of the set of extensions for aligning the smart piston with the payload of the countermeasure expandable.

8 . The smart piston of claim 6 , wherein the gasket comprises:

a base wall of the gasket operably engaging with the main body; and

an upright wall of the gasket extending outwardly from a peripheral edge of the base wall and being free from engaging with the main body;

wherein the upright wall is adapted to provide a seal between the smart piston and a canister of the countermeasure expendable.

9 . The smart piston of claim 8 , further comprising:

a protrusion of the main body extending outwardly from the rear end of the main body;

a hollow protrusion of the gasket extending outwardly from the base wall of the gasket; and

at least one attachment aperture defined in the electronic circuit board for receiving the protrusion of the main body and the hollow protrusion of the gasket;

wherein the protrusion of the main body operably engages with the gasket inside of the hollow protrusion.

10 . The smart piston of claim 8 , further comprising:

a hollow projection of the main body extending outwardly from the rear end of the main body;

a tubular extension of the gasket extending outwardly from the base wall of the gasket; and

a central opening defined in the electronic circuit board for receiving the hollow projection and the tubular extension;

wherein the hollow projection of the main body operably engages with the gasket inside of the tubular extension.

11 . The smart piston of claim 10 , further comprising:

a biaser operably engaged with the main body inside of the hollow projection;

wherein the biaser is adapted to bias the smart piston and a payload of the countermeasure expendable away from one another external of the canister of the countermeasure expendable.

12 . The smart piston of claim 6 , wherein the main body further comprises:

a set of extension arms;

a base wall positioned between the front end and the rear end; and

a recess extending inwardly from the front end of the main body to the base wall of the main body;

wherein a portion of the payload of the countermeasure expendable is housed inside of the recess and operably engages with the set of extension arms and the base wall.