US 12,673,850 B1Granted

Smart hook with tumbler clasp mechanism

AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy

InventorsNikko S. Miniello, Thaddeus J. Sadowski, Samuel H. Cecchetti

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Abstract

An exemplary inventive attachment device coaxially combines an inner near-cylinder and an outer near-cylinder so that the inner near-cylinder is rotationally adjustable with respect to the outer near-cylinder. The inner and outer near-cylinders are each approximately “C”-shaped so as to be provided with a longitudinal void. The inner near-cylinder has been rotated to an “open” position when the respective voids of the inner and outer near cylinders are approximately aligned so as to describe essentially the same void. The inner near-cylinder has been rotated to a “closed” position when the inner near cylinder's void is approximately opposite (e.g., approximately 180 degrees apart from) the outer near cylinder's void. While the inner near-cylinder is in the closed position, a spring device exerts a force upon a blocking member so as to move the blocking member at least partially inside the inner near cylinder's void, the blocking member thereby constituting an impediment that prohibits rotation of the inner near-cylinder.

Claims2

Dependent claims

An attachment apparatus comprising a generally cylindrical inner structure, a generally cylindrical outer structure, a spring device, and a blocking member, wherein:

said generally cylindrical inner structure and said generally cylindrical outer structure are coaxially combined;
said generally cylindrical inner structure is characterized by a “C”-shaped cross-section and a longitudinal opening extending at least a portion of the length of said generally cylindrical inner structure;
said generally cylindrical outer structure is characterized by a “C”-shaped cross-section and a longitudinal opening extending at least a portion of the length of said generally cylindrical outer structure;
said spring device and said blocking member are connected to each other;
said generally cylindrical inner structure is rotatable, relative to said generally cylindrical outer structure;
based on said rotatability, said generally cylindrical inner structure is capable of being set in an open position and a closed position;
according to said open position, said longitudinal opening of said generally cylindrical inner structure and said longitudinal opening of said generally cylindrical outer structure are aligned with each other;
according to said closed position, said longitudinal opening of said generally cylindrical inner structure is rotated so that said longitudinal opening of said generally cylindrical inner structure is situated approximately 180 degrees from where said longitudinal opening of said generally cylindrical inner structure is situated according to said open position;
during said closed position, said blocking member is caused by said spring device to move into said longitudinal opening of said generally cylindrical inner structure so as to at least substantially prevent rotation of said generally cylindrical inner structure by abutting said cylindrical inner structure.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.