Clamping connection assembly for spacecraft

In a spacecraft having first and second separable components joined by a releasable tension strap so as to be held together along an axial direction, while subject to both axial loads and bending moments, the improvement of a connection assembly comprising:

• a first flange member on the first spacecraft component having a first camming surface and a second contact surface, the first surface being positioned at an acute angle to the second surface;
• a second flange member on the second spacecraft component, having a first camming surface and a second contact surface complimentary to the first flange member contact surface, the first surface being positioned at an acute angle to the second surface, the respective contact surfaces being smooth;
• a retainer member, for transmitting the radial force of the tension strap to the first and second flange members to hold them together, having a pair of complimentary camming surfaces to co-act with the first camming surfaces of the first and second flange members to create an axial force from the radial force of the tension strap, and
• means on the first and second flange members and retainer member for cooperatively preventing relative rotational movement between the smooth contact surfaces of the flange members, including on the retainer member at least a shear pin capable of restraining shear and torsional forces, without increasing the axial load created by the tension strap or locking the connection assembly to prohibit a predetermined release of the smooth contact surfaces and at least a pair of complimentary detents positioned on the peripheral edges of the flange members for receiving the shear pin.

In a spacecraft having first and second separable components joined by a releasable tension strap so as to be held together along an axial direction, while subject to both axial loads and bending moments, the improvement of a connection assemblies positioned about the spacecraft, each of them comprising:

• a first flange member on the first spacecraft component having a first camming surface and a second contact surface, the first surface being positioned at an acute angle to the second surface;
• a second flange member on the second spacecraft component, having a first camming surface and a second contact surface complimentary to the first flange member contact surface, the first surface being positioned at an acute angle to the second surface, the respective contact surfaces being planar and smooth;
• a plurality of retainer members, for transmitting the radial force of the tension strap to the first and second flange members to hold them together, each having a pair of retention flanges with complimentary camming surfaces to co-act with the first camming surfaces of the first and second flange members to create an axial force from the radial force of the tension strap, and
• means on the first and second flange members and each retainer member for cooperatively preventing relative rotational movement between the smooth contact surfaces of the flange members, including on the retainer member at least a shear pin extending between the retainer member camming surfaces capable of restraining shear and torsional forces, without increasing the axial load created by the tension strap nor locking the connection assembly to prohibit a predetermined release of the smooth contact surfaces and at least and no more than a pair of complimentary detents, one on each of the outer peripheral edges of the first and second flange members for receiving the shear pin.