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AssigneeSociete Nationale Industrielle et Aerospatiale
InventorsGerard Vezain, Christian Long, Jean Marchal
Estimating the term…
So as to temporarily connect two elements, such as an artificial satellite lengthening piece and the body of this satellite, a device is used including a holding mechanism (22) of any structure and a freeing member (20) made of a form memory material. The holding mechanism (22) normally applies a holding mechanical tension between the elements. When it is desired to free these elements, the freeing member (20) is heated by, for example, a heating resistor (28) or by using solar energy, until it reaches the transformation temperature of the form memory material. The disposition of the freeing member (20) is such that its change of form suppresses the mechanical holding tension and creates a positive allowance between the elements.
A device to temporarily link several elements together, comprising a linking rod normally having a length so that mechanical tension is applied between said elements, and a freeing member made of a form memory material and cooperating with the linking rod and whose activation suppresses said mechanical tension and creates a positive allowance authorizing a relative movement between the elements, said freeing member being disposed in such a way as to provoke a predetermined elongation of the linking rod when the temperature of the freeing member exceeds a phase change temperature of said form memory material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.