Electricity: electrothermally or thermally actuated switches – Thermally actuated switches – With fusible – combustible or explosive material
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-06
2004-06-08
Vortman, Anatoly (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrothermally or thermally actuated switches
Thermally actuated switches
With fusible, combustible or explosive material
C337S001000, C337S005000, C337S140000, C074S002000, C403S002000, C403S028000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06747541
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of mechanical structural separation devices used in aerospace, manufacturing and construction industries, and more particularly relates to internal structure and designs of non-explosive actuators used in electro-mechanical structural separation devices for initiating structural separation processes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electro-mechanical structural separation devices are widely used in the aerospace, manufacturing and construction industries. The purpose of utilizing separation devices is to provide a quick and reliable release of an external attached structural load without damaging the external structure of the load carrier. Preferably, the release mechanism is designed to be used in a repeatable manner.
The following ten (10) prior art patents are found to be pertinent to the field of the present invention:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,116 issued to Baur on Oct. 3, 1972 for “Non-Explosive Electrically Initiated Heat-Ignitable Actuator” (hereafter the “Baur Patent”);
2. U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,688 issued to Cooper on Dec. 9, 1975 for “Fire Fighting System” (hereafter the “Cooper Patent”);
3. U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,962 issued to Duimstra on Mar. 6, 1990 for “Fuse Wire Switch” (hereafter the “Duimstra Patent”);
4. U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,173 issued to Rudoy on Aug. 1, 1995 for “Cell Bypass Switch” (hereafter the “First Rudoy Patent”);
5. U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,888 issued to McCormick on Dec. 5, 1995 for “Motion Initiator” (hereafter the “First McCormick Patent”);
6. U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,373 issued to McCormick on Apr. 15, 1997 for “Non-Explosive Initiator with Link Wire Assembly” (hereafter the “Second McCormick Patent”);
7. U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,066 issued to Holt on May 5, 1998 for “Cartridge Motion Initiator with Replaceable Link Wire Controller” (hereafter the “Holt Patent”);
8. U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,818 issued to Hsieh on Oct. 17, 2000 for “Redundant Fuse Wire Release Device” (hereafter the “Hsieh Patent”);
9. U.S. Pat. Publication No. U.S. 2002/0080547 A1 on an application by Rudoy on Jun. 27, 2002 for “Electrically and Mechanically Redundant Release Mechanism” (hereafter the “Rudoy Application”); and
10. U.S. Pat. No. 6,433, 990 B1 issued to Rudoy on Aug. 13, 2002 for “Frangible Actuator with Redundant Power Supply” (hereafter the “Second Rudoy Patent”).
The Baur Patent discloses a non-explosive, electrically initiated, heat-ignitable actuator constructed and arranged in the form of a biased, collapsible dual piston assembly. When the actuator is in the unactuated condition, the dual piston assembly is prevented from collapsing by an electrically triggerable dual shear pin and associated heat-ignitable wire arrangement. The shear pins and their associated wires are composed of a primarily aluminum and palladium bimetallic composition which when ignited produces a violent but non-explosive reaction which rapidly propagates to all portions of the material. The construction of the dual piston assembly is such that ignition of either or both of the shear pins causes the piston assembly to collapse and thereby bring about actuation of the actuator.
The Cooper Patent discloses a fire control system having a plurality of hot wire electro-mechanical activators for non-explosive initiation of a corresponding plurality of fire extinguishers. The activators may be connected either in parallel for increased reliability or in series for increased ease in testing for continuity. Each activator has a split collet formed of two spool halves with a restraining wire wrapped around it having a hook at one end attached to a hot wire which is connected to electrical leads mounted on one of the spool halves. A shaft contacts the split collet in such a manner so as to cause the spool halves to separate when not restrained by the restraining wire. Displacement of the shaft is obtained by applying an actuation current to the leads which reduces the tensile stress applied by the restraining wire. When the hot wire fails in tension, the restraining wire is released to thereby permit the spool halves to separate to permit the shaft to be displaced by an internal spring or external force. The shaft is connected either directly to a utilization device such as a fire extinguisher for displacement thereof in a direction parallel to the centerline of the shaft or through a cylinder having fingers for displacement at an angle to the centerline of the shaft.
The Duimstra Patent discloses a spring powered switching mechanism in which the energy required to complete switching is stored in a spring (or springs) which are constrained in a “cocked” or stressed condition by a fuse wire. The fuse wire has the characteristic of having a relative flat coefficient of resistivity over a large temperature range. The mechanism is operative to close (or open) electrical circuits permanently upon receipt of the appropriate electrical signal to the “fuse” or “bridge” wire which is caused to break as a result of the receipt of the electrical signal.
The First Rudoy Patent discloses a cell bypass switch particularly designed for aerospace applications. The cell bypass switch can sense a battery cell failure and automatically opens an alternate path around the failed cell, bypassing the failure and allowing the remainder of the battery system to continue its function. The cell bypass switch is designed to be placed in parallel with the battery cell it protects. The present invention includes two electro-mechanical actuator assemblies which are mounted on the top end of the housing for respectively operating two plungers. Each of the electro-mechanical actuator assembly includes two spool halves which are held together by a tight winding of a restraining wire that terminates in a bridge wire connecting two electrical terminals of the electro-mechanical actuator. Each spool, by virtue of the restraining wire winding, can restrain a spring loaded plunger. However, when sufficient electrical current is passed through the terminals and the bridge wire, the bridge wire will heat up and break under the applied tension load. This causes the restraining wire to unwind, separating the spool halves and releasing the plunger.
The First McCormick Patent discloses an electrical initiator which includes spool halves releasably held together by a coiled retaining wire. A link wire also holds a spool fixed to one spool half against a connector body and the other spool half. A cavity on the interior of the two spools physically retain a tensilely loaded shaft. An electric current passing through the link wire causes it to become brittle and break releasing the spool halves and contained shaft.
The Second McCormick Patent discloses a link wire arrangement for use in a non-explosive initiator which includes a link wire received within a pair of tubes, each tube having its outer end formed into a loop and its opposite end crimped to physically and electrically secure the tubes to the included link wire. The tubes are encapsulated within an insulating body.
The Holt Patent discloses a controller which is provided to selectively release an initiator having first and second members that clampingly engage an object preventing it from moving in an urged direction. A spring wire coil holds the members tightly about the object, one coil end affixed to one of the members and the other coil end is held by a pair of link wire loops of the controller which is also removably secured to one of the controllers which is also removably secured to one of the members by a bolt. When it is desired to release the object, an electric current of sufficient magnitude is passed through the link wire loops to cause the loops to break releasing the coil to unwind and, in turn, release the object for urged movement.
The Hsieh Patent discloses a highly reliable release apparatus which is used to stow or release desired devices such as, for example, solar arrays, antenna positioning mechanisms, reflectors found on satellites, space stations or spacecraft. Deployment of the desi
Dalton Matthew
Holt Andrew
Laughlin Patrick
Wu Jui-Yu
Chen Tony D.
G&H Technology, Inc.
Rozsa Thomas I.
Vortman Anatoly
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