Inventors:

Richard D. Miller, Jr.

Edward A. Gormley

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to release mechanisms, and more particularly, to a mechanical trigger actuated by force decay.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In devices that are deployed from high speed which require slowing by parachute, such as missile countermeasures or the parachutes of race cares, known systems for deploying such parachutes employ pyrotechnic devices to time and deploy parachute at a desired time.

[0003] Such systems pose health and safety hazards to workers and users as they are charged with explosive and potentially toxic material. Such devices are also prone to failure due to limited long storage before deployment, battery failure or voltage drop preventing firing of the pyrotechnic.

[0004] What is needed, therefore, are shelf stable techniques for releasing parachutes and similar devices at desired times.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for the force decay triggered release of a device, the system comprising: a base; a plurality of retention rods extending from the base; a rotationally movable actuator, to which a linear force is configured to be applied, converting the linear force to a rotational force; a plurality of retention pins, the retention pins being coupled to the actuator, and each the pin being removably disposed within a retention rod of the plurality of retention rods, such that a rotation of the actuator withdraw each the pin from respective the rod; a force triggered detent, the detent allowing the rotation of the actuator when the rotational force exceeds a threshold level.

[0006] Another embodiment of the present invention provides such a system wherein the actuator comprises an axially mounted disk having the retention pins tangentially mounted at a periphery thereof.

|0007] A further embodiment of the present invention provides such a system wherein the pins are spring steel.

[0008] Yet another embodiment of the present invention provides such a system wherein the retention rods are configured to separate from the base upon release of the pins.

[0009] A yet further embodiment of the present invention provides such a system wherein the actuator is configured in a plane orthogonal to the retention rods. 10010 J Even another embodiment of the present invention provides such a system further comprising cable guides disposed in the actuator, through which passes a cable to which the linear force is applied.

[0011J An even further embodiment of the present invention provides such a system wherein the detent is a spring loaded catch pawl.

[0012] Still another embodiment of the present invention provides such a system further comprising a housing, the housing being configured to be removed from the base when the retention pins are withdrawn from the retention rods.

[0013] A still further embodiment of the present invention provides such a system the system wherein the retention rods detachably couple the housing to the base.

[0014] Still yet another embodiment of the present invention provides such a system wherein the retention rods detach from the base in the absence of the housing.

[0015] One embodiment of the present invention provides a force decay trigger, the trigger comprising: a force loaded rotational member; at least one detent coupled to the rotational member, the detent being removably coupled to a trigger frame, such that when a rotational force is applied to the rotational member, the detent is removed from the trigger frame and the trigger frame is released.

[0016] Another embodiment of the present invention provides such a trigger wherein the trigger frame comprises at least one rod coupled to a trigger base. ( 0017 J A further embodiment of the present invention provides such a trigger, further comprising a cord by which a linear force is applied to the rotational member, the linear force being converted by the rotational member to the rotational force.

[0018J Yet another embodiment of the present invention provides such a trigger wherein the cord comprises a cord selected from the group of cords consisting of chains, cables, wires, ropes, or woven cords.

|0019] A yet further embodiment of the present invention provides such a trigger wherein the rotational member further comprises at least one cord guide, such that the linear force is converted to the rotational force.

[0020] Even another embodiment of the present invention provides such a trigger wherein the trigger frame comprises a plurality of rods extending from a trigger base to a detachable housing, the housing supporting the rotational member.

[0021] An even further embodiment of the present invention provides such a trigger wherein the at least one detent is a plurality of detents, wherein each the detent of the plurality of detents is removably coupled to at least one rod of the plurality of rods.

[0022] Still another embodiment of the present invention provides such a trigger further comprising a rotation resistance member, said rotation resistance member resisting rotation of said rotational member until the rotational force exceeds a threshold force. [0023] A still further embodiment of the present invention provides such a trigger wherein said threshold force is provided by a spring bias on the rotation resistance member.

[0024] The features and advantages described herein are not all- inclusive and, in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and not to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 is a perspective drawing illustrating a force decay release mechanism configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective drawing illustrating a force decay release mechanism configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 is a perspective drawing illustrating a force delay release mechanism in a released position and configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

f 0028 ] Figure 4 is a schematic drawing illustrating a force decay release mechanism configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 5 is an elevation view of a retaining rod assembly of a force decay release mechanism configured in accord with one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 6 is a diagram of a force decay curve of a parachute release to which a release mechanism such as one embodiment of the present invention may be applied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031) As illustrated in Figure 1 an assembly configured according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing 12 through which extend retention rods 14, the retention rods 14 being engaged in an unreleased stage by corresponding retention pins 16 disposed in a base 28. The retention pins 16 disposed within an actuation plate 18 are configured to secure the housing 12 to a base 20 by interlocking with the retention rods 14. Rotation of the actuation plate 18 removes the pins 16, allowing the housing 12 to be pulled free of the rods 14. Such a release is -illustrated in Figure 4. The actuation plate 18 is configured to be rotated by a force applied by a cable or cord 30 disposed about a series of cable guides 32. In one embodiment, the rotation imparted to the actuation plate by the cable or cord may be about an axis parallel to the axes of the rods 14. In one such embodiment it may be applied via a central cap 34. Alternative embodiments may have the orientation of the actuation plate in a different position, for example, where the orientation of the axis is orthogonal to the axes of the rods.

(0032] An exploded view of one embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 2. In such an embodiment, initially, a torsion spring 22 provides a preload on a spring loaded catch pawl 24 (also illustrated in Figure 3) that, when the device is loaded is latched to a pawl retention pin 26. The catch 24 prevents rotation of the disk until a sufficient overcoming force is applied via a cable or line 30. Once the force of the Actuation Disk torsion (in one embodiment provided by a spring 38) has been overcome, the spring loaded catch pawl 24 is free to disengage the pin. As the force resisting rotation of the disk decays, the disk is allowed to rotate. As illustrated in Figure 5, the minimum rotational force is set such that the four retaining pins 16 disengage the retaining posts 14 at which time, the entire housing 12 is extracted by the remaining excess force, and subsequent actions or processes take place and inherent to the payload assembly.

[0033] In one embodiment of the present invention, the retaining rods 14 are configured to release from the base 20 upon removal of the housing 12. In such an embodiment, the removal of the housing 12 releases tension on the rods 14, thereby permitting the rods to be removed from the base 28, decreasing chances that the residual rods would catch or inhibit the operation of the post release mechanism.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention the housing may be configured from a suitable durable material, including but not limited to plastic, resin, machined, composite materials, stamped or died metals and metal alloys. Rods 14 may be configured from metals or composite material or such other material as is suitable for connecting the base with the housing, even under the forces imposed by the various applications in which such a release mechanism may be employed. Examples of suitable material include composites, plastics, metals, and ceramics.

[0035] As illustrated in Figure 5, in one embodiment of the invention, a washer 44 may be disposed about the retention rod 14 between the retention pin 16 and the housing 12. The withdrawal of the retention pin 16 allows the rods 14 to be withdrawn and the housing to detach from the base. In such a situation, the rods 14 may simply fall from the base so as to not extend from the base after the release of the housing 12.

[0036] As illustrated in Figure 6, the graph of acceleration over time of a device delivered by such a release mechanism. As can be inferred from the graph, the forces applied to the device during deployment, create an effecting time release curve, resulting in deployment at, in this embodiment, about 9.5 seconds. [0037 ] The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of this disclosure. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.