Collet latch
AssigneeCarrier Corporation
InventorMatthew S. Hill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A locking module for selectively coupling a first component and a second component of a lockable device includes a locking element including a plurality of locking fingers movable between an open position and a closed position. The plurality of locking fingers being biased to said open position. A biasing mechanism is coupled to said locking element and a compression force applied by said biasing mechanism to said plurality of locking fingers controls movement of said plurality of locking fingers between said open position and said closed position. An actuator associated with said biasing mechanism is operable to control said compression force to selectively lock said locking element.
Claims15
A locking module for selectively coupling a first component and a second component of a lockable device comprising:
- a locking element including a plurality of locking fingers movable between an open position and a closed position, said plurality of locking fingers being biased to said open position;
- a biasing mechanism coupled to said locking element, wherein a compression force applied by said biasing mechanism to said plurality of locking fingers controls movement of said plurality of locking fingers between said open position and said closed position;
- and
- an actuator associated with said biasing mechanism, said actuator being arranged at an exterior of said locking element and being operable to control said compression force to selectively lock said locking element, wherein said actuator is movable between a first position and a second position, in said first position, said plurality of fingers are biased to said open position, and in said second position, said compression force of said biasing mechanism retains said plurality of locking fingers in said closed position.
A method of operating a locking module of a lockable device comprising:
- applying a force to a cable element arranged within a hollow interior of a locking element of the locking module;
- opposing a biasing force of a biasing mechanism surrounding a circumference of a plurality of locking fingers of said locking element via said cable element to transform the locking element to an open position;
- operating an actuator to retain said plurality of locking fingers in said open position;
- and
- decoupling said cable element from said locking element.
A method of operating a locking module comprising:
- inserting a cable element into a hollow interior of a locking element of the locking module, the locking element having plurality of locking fingers movable between an open position and a closed position;
- operating an actuator to move said plurality of locking fingers to said closed position, wherein in said closed position a tip of said cable element is arranged at an exterior of said locking element;
- moving said cable element relative to said locking element such that when said plurality of locking fingers are in said closed position, further movement of said cable element is restricted by said tip of said cable element, wherein a diameter of said tip is greater than a diameter of an opening formed by said plurality of locking fingers in said closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.