Controlled separation joint
AssigneeStratolaunch, LLC
InventorsErich K. Weinberg, Michael Zack Eckblad
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A joint that is separable by detonating a detonating cord within an expanding tube. The joint is held together with a set of bolts. Each bolt is retained on one side of the joint with a lever. The expanding tube is retained under an arm of each lever. When the detonating cord is activated, the tube expands and exerts a force against an arm of each lever, thereby breaking the set of bolts, and allowing the joint to separate. In one example, the separable joint is used to retain a payload fairing on a launch vehicle so that the fairing can be jettisoned during flight.
Claims18
A payload fairing comprising:
- a plurality of fairing sections, at least two fairing sections attached to each other with a separable joint, the separable joint comprising:
- a plurality of bolts including a bolt that holds the separable joint together, the bolt having a first end retained by a first side of the separable joint;
- a lever that retains a second end of the bolt to a second side of the separable joint;
- a first channel joined to a second channel by the plurality of bolts, each bolt of the plurality of bolts retained by the first channel with an individual lever of a plurality of levers;
- and
- an expanding tube assembly arranged to exert a force on an arm of the lever, the force capable of causing the bolt to be broken and allowing the at least two fairing sections to be separated, the plurality of levers retaining the expanding tube assembly.
A joint assembly, comprising:
- a bolt having a first end and a second end, the first end to be retained by a first structure;
- a lever to retain the second end of the bolt to a second structure;
- and
- an expanding tube assembly capable of exerting a force on an arm of the lever to cause the bolt to be broken to stop the bolt from preventing separation of the first structure from the second structure, wherein:
- the bolt is one of a plurality of bolts;
- the joint assembly further comprises a first channel joined to a second channel by the plurality of bolts each bolt of the plurality of bolts retained by the first channel with an individual lever of a plurality of levers;
- the expanding tube assembly is positioned along a length of the first channel;
- the plurality of bolts are positioned on alternating sides of the expanding tube assembly;
- and
- the plurality of levers retain the expanding tube.
A method of separating a joint comprising:
- detonating an energetic material inside an expanding tube assembly, the expanding tube assembly retained by a lever;
- breaking a set of bolts as a result of a force exerted on the lever;
- and
- releasing the joint as a result of breaking the set of bolts, the joint comprising a first channel joined to a second channel by the set of bolts with at least a first bolt of the plurality of bolts retained by the first channel with the lever.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.