Passive line separator
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsRichard O. Beaman, Dmitry V. Knyazev, Peter D. Dunning
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A launcher for launching a flying vehicle, such as a projectile or missile, includes a cutter for cutting a line, such as an umbilical line, that is coupled to the vehicle prior to launch. An example of a line is a tube for providing cooling for onboard components of the vehicle, such as a seeker of the vehicle. The cutter may be part of a mount of the launcher for mounting the line and other components, such as a compressor. The cutter may be configured so that as the vehicle translates relative to the launcher during the initiation of launch, the line moves against the cutter, severing the line. The cutter may retract after severing the line, for example being pulled away from the vehicle (and into the mount) by a spring mechanism.
Claims20
A mechanism for severing a line as part of a launch process for launching a vehicle from a launcher, the mechanism comprising:
- a mount of the launcher that supports the line;
- and
- a cutter coupled to the mount;
- wherein launch of the vehicle from the launcher causes movement of the vehicle relative to the mount that causes the cutter to sever the line,
- wherein the cutter is configured to retract into the mount after the cutter severs the line.
A launcher for launching a vehicle, the launcher comprising:
- a cannister that contains the vehicle prior to launch;
- a mount attached to the cannister, with the mount hosting a line that extends into the vehicle prior to launch;
- and
- a cutter coupled to the mount, where the cutter severs the line as part of launch of the vehicle from the launcher,
- wherein the cutter is configured to retract into the mount after the cutter severs the line.
A method of launching a vehicle from a launcher, the launcher including a mount hosting a line that extends into the vehicle prior to launch and a cutter, the method comprising:
- moving the vehicle within the launcher to press the line against the cutter to cut the line;
- and
- retracting the cutter into the mount after the cutter severs the line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.