Radical latch interface system

A radial latch interface mechanism for releasably coupling one end of a robotic arm, or any other selected first object, with a second object, comprising:

• a) a passive interface assembly including a passive interface housing having a distal end to which said second object is structurally attachable and a proximal end having a passive face coupling interface flange with the passive interface housing including a preselected number of radial latch alignment guides peripherally arranged around an inside surface of the passive interface housing;
• b) an active interface assembly including a fixed outer active interface housing having a longitudinal axis and a proximal end to which said robotic arm, or said any other selected first object, is structurally attachable and a distal end including an active face coupling interface flange configured to mate with said passive face coupling interface flange;
• a mobile inner housing having a mobile housing axis collinear with said longitudinal axis, said mobile inner housing being movably attached to said fixed outer active interface housing by at least three radial latches radially mounted about said longitudinal axis such that the motion of said mobile inner housing with respect to said fixed outer active interface housing is restricted to translation along said longitudinal axis, said preselected number of radial latch alignment guides being equal to the number of said at least three radial latches and each radial latch alignment guide having two spaced rigid members with the rigid members having a gap between them sized to receive a corresponding radial latch;
• a single rotary drive mechanism operably connected to said mobile inner housing configured to translate said mobile housing along said longitudinal axis in a first direction and a second direction, said second direction being opposite to said first direction;
• c) wherein upon coarse alignment by the robotic arm, or the any other selected first object, of the active interface assembly with said passive interface assembly to within a capture envelope of the said active interface assembly and upon activating said single drive mechanism said mobile inner housing translates in said first direction in a continuous motion toward said passive interface assembly, each of said at least three radial latches being received in a corresponding radial latch alignment guide of said preselected number of radial latch alignment guides to guide the active and passive interfaces into alignment and finally to a seated position to latch the active interface assembly to the passive interface assembly to sequentially achieve capture, alignment, seating and secure self-locked attachment of said passive face coupling interface flange against said active face coupling interface flange;
• and
• upon activating said drive mechanism such that said mobile inner housing translates in said second direction away from said passive interface assembly, said at least three radial latches unlatch and retract from said passive face coupling interface flange such that said passive face coupling interface flange is not secured to said active face coupling interface flange.