Retractable contact assembly
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsRobert H. Perkinson, David R. Danielson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A retractable contact assembly includes an outer casing having a first opening and a piston located in the first opening of the outer casing and moveable axially within the opening. The piston has a second opening. The assembly further includes an inelastic force generating device configured to control an axial movement of the piston and a contact located in the second opening of the piston and movable axially in the second opening of the piston. The assembly further includes an elastic force biasing device configured to provide an elastic force to the contact in an axial direction outward from the second opening.
Claims19
A retractable contact assembly, comprising:
- an outer casing having a first opening;
- a piston located in the first opening of the outer casing and moveable axially within the first opening, and the piston having a second opening;
- an inelastic-force generating device configured to control an axial position of the piston among an extended position and a retracted position;
- a contact located in the second opening of the piston and movable axially in the second opening of the piston;
- and
- an elastic-force biasing device configured to provide an elastic force to the contact in an axial direction outward from the second opening.
A contact position control system, comprising:
- a rotating armature;
- a retractable contact assembly including an outer casing, a piston movable axially within the outer casing, and a contact movable axially within the piston, the contact biased towards the rotating armature by an elastic-force biasing device;
- and
- an inelastic-force generating device configured to provide an inelastic force to the piston to control an axial position of the piston with respect to the outer casing among an extended axial position and a retracted axial position.
A method of controlling a position of a contact located partially within an opening of a piston, comprising:
- providing an elastic force to bias the contact toward a first axial direction, the contact located partially within the opening of the piston and moveable axially within the opening of the piston;
- and
- providing an inelastic force to move the piston axially within an opening of an outer casing between an extended position and a retracted position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.