Claims
- 1. A release mechanism for restraining an object subject to a first force and for releasing the object, said mechanism comprising:actuator means for resisting a second force until actuation and upon actuation ceasing resistance to the second force, the second force being lesser than the first force; transmission means, moveably mounted to said release mechanism and urged by the second force in a predetermined direction, the movement of said transmission means being resisted by said actuator means until actuation and upon actuation such resistance being reduced to a level lower than the second force; securing means for releaseably securing the object to said release mechanism; and linkage means for transmitting movement of said transmission means to said securing means; wherein said securing means releases the object upon transmission of the movement of said transmission means by the linkage means to said securing means.
- 2. A release mechanism having a base portion and a release portion, for restraining and releasing an object, said mechanism comprising:a release pin having two ends, a first end located in said release portion and interconnected with said object, and a second end comprising a circumferential locking groove capable of being releaseably engaged with said base portion; a sectored annular retainer movably located in said base portion and having a restraining position and bearing against and restraining said locking groove and release pin relative to said base portion in the restraining position, for preventing movement of said release pin while said annular retainer is in its restraining position; a collar located in said base portion, movable between a first position and a second position, for restraining movement of said sectored annular retainer when said collar is in the first position and allowing movement of said sectored annular retainer when in the second position; and an actuator located in said base portion and having latched and unlatched conditions, resisting movement of said collar from the first position to the second position when said actuator is in the latched condition; wherein activation of said actuator causes said actuator to assume the unlatched condition, allowing said collar to move from the first position to the second position, releasing said annular retainer and releasing said release pin.
- 3. The release mechanism of claim 2 wherein said sectored annular retainer has at least three sectors.
- 4. The release mechanism of claim 2 wherein said sectored annular retainer is toroidal in shape.
- 5. The release mechanism of claim 2 wherein said sectored annular retainer has four sectors.
- 6. A release mechanism having a base portion and a release portion, for restraining and releasing an object, said mechanism comprising:a release pin having two ends, a first end located in said release portion and interconnected with the object, and a second end comprising a circumferential locking groove capable of being releaseably engaged with said base portion; a sectored annular retainer movably located in said base portion and having a restraining position and bearing against and restraining said locking groove and said release pin relative to said base portion in the restraining position, for preventing movement of said release pin while said annular retainer is in its restraining position; a collar located in said base portion, movable between a first position and a second position, for restraining movement of said sectored annular retainer when said collar is in the first position and allowing movement of said sectored annular retainer when in the second position; and an actuator located in said base portion and having latched and unlatched conditions, resisting movement of said collar from the first position to the second position when said actuator is in the latched condition; wherein activation of said actuator causes said actuator to assume the unlatched condition, allowing said collar to move from the first position to the second position, releasing said annular retainer and releasing said release pin, and wherein the base portion has a release pin aperture, said base portion further comprising a debris cover located adjacent to and bearing upon said second end of said release pin, said debris cover having a larger cross-sectional surface area than that of the release pin aperture; and a debris compression spring, connected at one end to said debris cover and at the other end to said base portion; whereby release of said release pin enables said debris cover and said debris compression spring to urge said release pin through the release pin aperture and to block the release pin aperture.
- 7. The release mechanism of claim 2 further comprising a compression spring for urging said collar from the first position to the second position.
- 8. A release mechanism having a base portion and a release portion, for restraining and releasing and object, said mechanism comprising:a release pin having two ends, a first end located in said release portion and interconnected with the object, and a second end comprising at least one locking indentation capable of being releaseably engaged with said base portion; at least one retainer pin movably located in said base portion and having a restraining position and bearing against and restraining said locking indentation and said release pin relative to said base portion in the restraining position, for preventing movement of said release pin while said at least one retainer pin is in its restraining position; a collar located in said base portion, movable between first and second positions, for restraining movement of said at least one retainer pin when said collar is in the first position and allowing movement of said at least one retainer pin when in the second position; and an actuator located in said base portion and having latched and unlatched conditions, resisting movement of said collar from the first position to the second position when said actuator is in the latched condition; wherein activation of said actuator causes said actuator to assume the unlatched condition, allowing said collar to move from the first position to the second position, releasing said at least one retainer pin and releasing said release pin.
- 9. The release mechanism of claim 8 further comprising a compression spring for urging said collar from the first position to the second position.
- 10. A release mechanism having a base portion and a release portion, for restraining and releasing an object, said mechanism comprising:a release pin having two ends, a first end located in said release portion and interconnected with the object, and a second end comprising at least one locking indentation capable of being releaseably engaged with said base portion; at least one retainer pin movably located in said base portion and having a restraining position and bearing against and restraining said locking indentation and said release pin relative to said base portion in the restraining position, for preventing movement of said release pin while said at least one retainer pin is in its restraining position; a collar located in said base portion, movable between a first position and a second position, for restraining movement of said at least one retainer pin when said collar is in the first position and allowing movement of said at least one retainer pin when in the second position; and an actuator located in said base portion and having a latched condition and an unlatched condition, resisting movement of the collar from the first position to the second position when said actuator is in the latched condition; wherein activation of said actuator causes said actuator to assume the unlatched condition, allowing said collar to move from the first position to the second position, releasing said at least one retainer pin and releasing said release pin, and wherein said base portion has a release pin aperture, said base portion further comprising a debris cover located adjacent to and bearing upon said second end of said release pin, said debris cover having a larger cross-sectional surface area than that of the release pin aperture; and a debris compression spring, connected at one end to said debris cover and at the other end to said base portion; whereby release of said release pin allows the debris cover and said debris compression spring to urge said release pin through the release pin aperture and to block the release pin aperture.
- 11. A release mechanism assembly adapted for use in a V-band clamp having two ends, a first end and a second end, said release mechanism assembly comprising first and second mechanisms having a base portion and a release portion, for restraining and releasing and object,said first mechanism comprising: a release pin having two ends, a first end located in said release portion and interconnected with the object, and a second end comprising a circumferential locking groove capable of being releaseably engaged with said base portion; a sectored annular retainer movably located in said base portion and having a restraining position and bearing against and restraining the locking groove and said release pin relative to said base portion in the restraining position, for preventing movement of said release pin while said annular retainer is in its restraining position; a collar located in said base portion, movable between first and second positions, for restraining movement of said sectored annular retainer when said collar is in the first position and allowing movement of said sectored annular retainer when in the second position; and an actuator located in said base portion and having latched and unlatched conditions, resisting movement of said collar from the first position to the second position when said actuator is in the latched condition; wherein activation of said actuator causes said actuator to assume the unlatched condition, allowing said collar to move from the first position to the second position, releasing said annular retainer and releasing said release pin, and said second release mechanism interconnected in series with said first release mechanism between the first end and the second end of said V-band clamp, whereby release of either of said release mechanisms releases the V-band clamp.
- 12. The device of claim 11 wherein said second release mechanism is adjustably connected to said first release mechanism and further comprises a second base portion and a second release portion, and said V-band clamp further comprises:a first V-band collar attached to said first end of the V-band clamp and defining a first V-band aperture, the aperture having two sides, a band side adjacent to the V-band clamp and an attachment side which is distant from the V-band clamp, said first release mechanism being inserted through the first V-band collar, with said base portion substantially on the band side and said release portion substantially on the connection side; and a second V-band collar attached to said second end of the V-band clamp and defining a second V-band aperture, the aperture having two sides, a band side adjacent to the V-band clamp and an attachment side which is distant from the V-band clamp, said second release mechanism being inserted into the second V-band collar, with the second base portion substantially on the band side and the second release portion substantially on the connection side; wherein adjustment of the connection between said two release mechanisms will alter the circumference of a loop formed by the V-band clamp and said two release mechanisms, and activation of either of said release mechanisms will release said loop.
- 13. A release mechanism for restraining and releasing an object, comprising:a base portion; a release portion; a release agent having one part coupled to said release portion for interconnection with the object, and another part positionable in said base portion; a retainer assembly in said base portion couplable with said release agent for retention thereof in, and for release thereof from said base portion; a release agent aperture located in said base portion; a cover having a larger cross-sectional surface area than the release agent aperture and located adjacent to and bearing upon said release agent one part; a compression spring, coupled between said cover and said base portion; whereby, upon release of said release agent, said cover is biased by said compression spring to urge said release agent through, and thereafter to block the release agent aperture.
- 14. A release mechanism assembly, comprising first and second mechanisms, adapted for use in a clamp having first and second ends, for restraining and releasing an object, in which:said first mechanism includes a base portion, a release portion, a release agent having one part coupled to said release portion for interconnection with the object, and another part positionable in said base portion, a retainer assembly in said base portion having an arrangement therewith for coupling with, and uncoupling from said release agent for retention thereof in, and for release thereof from said base portion, and an actuator located in said base portion and having latched and unlatched conditional arrangements with said retainer assembly, to effect the coupling and uncoupling thereof; and said second release mechanism has an interconnection in series with said first release mechanism between the first and second ends of the clamp, whereby release of either of said first and second release mechanisms releases the clamp.
- 15. A release mechanism assembly according to claim 14 in which said second mechanism includesa base portion, a release portion, a release agent having one part coupled to said release portion for interconnection with the object, and another part positionable in said base portion, a retainer assembly in said base portion having an arrangement therewith for coupling with, and uncoupling from said release agent for retention thereof in, and for release thereof from said base portion, and an actuator located in said base portion and having latched and unlatched conditional arrangements with said retainer assembly, to effect the coupling and uncoupling thereof; and said second release mechanism has an interconnection in series with said first release mechanism between the first and second ends of the clamp, whereby release of either of said first and second release mechanisms releases the clamp.
- 16. The device of claim 14 wherein said second release mechanism is adjustably connected to said first release mechanism and further comprises a second base portion and a second release portion, and the clamp further comprises:a first collar attached to said first end of the V-band clamp and defining a first aperture having two sides, a band side adjacent to the clamp and an attachment side which is distant from the clamp, said release mechanism of claim 2 being inserted through the first collar, with said base portion substantially on the band side and said release portion substantially on the connection side; and a second collar attached to said second end of the clamp and defining a second aperture having two sides, a band side adjacent to the clamp and an attachment side which is distant from the clamp, said second release mechanism being inserted into the second collar, with said second base portion substantially on the band side and said second release portion substantially on the connection side; wherein adjustment of the connection between said two release mechanisms will alter the circumference of a loop formed by the clamp and said two-release mechanisms, and activation of either of said release mechanisms will release said loop.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/089,796, filed Jun. 18, 1998.
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
US Referenced Citations (9)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Specification Sheet—Used for more than 1 year before filing data. G&H Technology, Inc. -Nonexplosive Actuator (NEA) Model 8014Tension Link. |
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/089796 |
Jun 1998 |
US |