Passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking

Abstract

The invention provides a passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking, and the mechanism comprises a mounting support which is of an internal hollow structure; the locking mechanism is arranged on the mounting bracket and can lock and unlock a locked object; the cutter assembly is arranged in the mounting bracket and can be used for unlocking the locking mechanism; and the releasing assembly is arranged on the cutter assembly and can release the locked object when the locking mechanism is unlocked. In the initial state, the locking claw is located at the locking position, and the locking claw overcomes the resistance of the torsional spring to be opened outwards under the pressing of a locked object and is locked again after the locking claw is in place; in the unlocking state, after the cutter is ignited, the spring drives the pull rod to drive the locking claw to be opened, and the single-time releasing function is achieved. Whether the locked object is locked or not can be selected in the initial state, and the flexibility and adaptability of a use scene are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of aerospace devices, and in particular to a passive locking and releasing mechanism that does not require pre-locking. Background Art

[0002] In the aerospace industry, lock-and-release mechanisms are commonly used mechanical devices for connecting or disconnecting two or more components. Currently, conventional lock-and-release mechanisms operate in two main modes and implementations: 1) Initially locking the object and providing the ability to maintain the lock and release it once, typically using a fire-activated actuator; 2) Initially unlocking the object and providing the ability to repeatedly lock and release it, typically using a motor or solenoid valve combined with an actuator.

[0003] However, in certain application scenarios, faced with the situation where there is no locked object in the initial state and the locking, holding, and release are performed once during the mission, if repeated locking and releasing mechanisms are still used, it will consume a large amount of weight and power, and the method of pre-locking the locked object in the initial state is also unavailable. With the increasing demand for aerospace missions, there is a demand for locking and releasing devices that do not have a locked object in the initial state, use a passive locking method, and can maintain the locked state, have a single release, strong overload resistance, a wide range of applications, a simple structure, light weight, and high reliability. Therefore, the existing commonly used locking and releasing mechanisms cannot meet these requirements.

[0004] To this end, the present invention provides a passive locking and releasing mechanism that does not require pre-locking. In the initial state, it can be selected whether to lock the locked object. During the working process, it can be passively locked and maintained, and has a single release function. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the defects in the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a locking and releasing mechanism that can choose whether to lock the locked object in the initial state, can passively lock and maintain it during operation, and has a single release function.

[0006] The passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking provided by the present invention comprises: The mounting bracket has an internal hollow structure; A locking mechanism, which is provided on the mounting bracket and is capable of locking and unlocking a locked object; a cutter assembly disposed within the mounting bracket and capable of unlocking the locking mechanism; A release assembly is provided on the cutter assembly and is capable of releasing the locked object when the locking mechanism is unlocked.

[0007] Furthermore, the locking mechanism includes a locking claw, an unlocking rod, and a limiting torsion spring. The limiting torsion spring is fixed on the mounting bracket, the bottom of the locking claw is connected to the limiting torsion spring, the upper part of the locking claw is hinged to one end of the unlocking rod, and the other end of the unlocking rod is movably connected to the rod connecting platform of the cutter assembly.

[0008] Preferably, the locking claw, the unlocking pull rod and the limiting torsion spring are arranged in groups on the mounting bracket in an axisymmetric manner.

[0009] Preferably, a locking hook is provided on the top of the locking claw, and the locking hook cooperates with the groove of the locked object.

[0010] Furthermore, the cutter assembly includes a cutter bracket, a cutter, the pull rod connecting platform, a pull rod, an unlocking push spring, and a small buffer sleeve. The cutter bracket is fixed on the mounting bracket, the cutter is arranged on the side of the cutter bracket, the pull rod connecting platform is arranged at the bottom of the cutter bracket, the unlocking push spring is arranged in the space enclosed by the pull rod connecting platform and the cutter bracket, the small buffer sleeve is arranged at the bottom of the pull rod connecting platform, the pull rod passes through the unlocking push spring, and the two ends of the pull rod are respectively connected to the cutter bracket and the small buffer sleeve.

[0011] Preferably, the cutter assembly further comprises a large buffer sleeve, which is arranged on the top of the cutter bracket. Furthermore, a slide groove is provided on the pull rod connecting platform, and the unlocking pull rod is movably connected to the slide groove via a pin.

[0012] Furthermore, the release assembly includes a release cover, a release push rod, and a release spring. The release cover is connected to the large buffer sleeve, the release spring is arranged inside the release cover, and the release push rod is arranged at the top of the release cover. The two ends of the release spring are respectively in contact with the large buffer sleeve and the release push rod.

[0013] Preferably, a sensor component is further included, and the sensor component is used to monitor the position and locking state of the locked object.

[0014] Preferably, the sensor assembly includes an in-position sensor and a locking sensor, the in-position sensor is arranged at the top area of ​​the locking claw, and the locking sensor is arranged at the middle area of ​​the unlocking rod.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The present invention's passive locking and release mechanism, which requires no pre-locking, allows for the selection of whether to lock the object in its initial state, increasing flexibility and adaptability across various scenarios. This passive locking mechanism, which maintains the locked state without requiring an active drive mechanism, offers advantages such as a simple and compact structure, light weight, small size, resource conservation, and immunity to electromagnetic interference. It is suitable for applications requiring stringent quality, volume, and energy requirements, and operating in harsh environments.

[0016] The passive locking and releasing mechanism of the present invention does not require pre-locking and adopts a multi-point clamping locking and releasing scheme, which has the advantages of safety, reliability, strong impact resistance and stable working process; it adopts a modular locking claw structure design and can be adaptively designed according to the characteristics of different locked objects, thereby improving compatibility and passability.

[0017] The present invention can feedback the working status through the sensor component, thereby realizing real-time monitoring of the locking or releasing status, thereby improving reliability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the following drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the initial state of a passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a front view of the initial state of the passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 A top view of the initial state of a passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of a cutter assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 2 is a cross-sectional view of a release assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Among them, 1-locking claw, 2-unlocking pull rod, 3-limiting torsion spring, 4-mounting bracket, 5-cutter, 6-pull rod connecting platform, 7-in-place sensor, 8-locking sensor, 9-sensor bracket, 10-locking trigger block, 11-unlocking push spring, 12-pull rod, 13-cutter bracket, 14-large buffer sleeve, 15-small buffer sleeve, 16-release push rod, 17-release cover, 18-release spring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. The following examples will help those skilled in the art to further understand the present invention, but are not intended to limit the present invention in any form. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several changes and improvements can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. These all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] The present invention provides a passive locking and releasing mechanism that does not require pre-locking. It can passively lock and maintain an object during a mission and has a single release function. It solves the problem of limited use of existing locking and releasing mechanisms in aerospace missions due to the lack of a locked object in the initial state, and the problem of resource waste caused by the large mass, complex structure, and multiple drives of repeated locking and releasing mechanisms when only a single release is required.

[0022] like Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the passive locking and releasing mechanism of this embodiment that does not require pre-locking includes a mounting bracket 4, a locking mechanism, a cutter assembly, and a release assembly. The locking mechanism is installed on the top of the mounting bracket 4 and is used to lock and unlock the locked object; the cutter assembly is installed inside the mounting bracket 4 and is used to unlock the locking mechanism; the release assembly is installed on the cutter assembly and is used to release the locked object after the locking mechanism is unlocked.

[0023] Specifically, the mounting bracket 4 is a hollow structure, so that the cutter assembly can be installed inside the mounting bracket 4. In this embodiment, the mounting bracket 4 is roughly in the shape of a hollow cylinder.

[0024] The locking mechanism includes a locking pawl 1, an unlocking lever 2, and a limiting torsion spring 3. The limiting torsion spring 3 is fixed to the top of the mounting bracket 4. The bottom of the locking pawl 1 is connected to the limiting torsion spring 3 via a pin, and the top of the locking pawl 1 is connected to the top of the unlocking lever 2 via a pin. This allows the locking pawl 1 and the limiting torsion spring 3 to rotate relative to each other, and the unlocking lever 2 and the locking pawl 1 to rotate relative to each other. The bottom of the unlocking lever 2 is connected to the rod connecting platform 6 of the cutter assembly and can move relative to the rod connecting platform 6 to achieve locking and unlocking of the locking pawl 1.

[0025] In this embodiment, a locking hook is provided at the top of the locking pawl 1, giving it a roughly L-shaped shape. The hook of the locking pawl 1 can be inserted into a groove in the object being locked, thereby locking and securing the object. The limiting torsion spring 3 generates a torsional force when rotated, thereby applying a preload to the locking pawl 1. While the limiting torsion spring 3 is a torsion spring, other components capable of generating torsional force or torque may also be used.

[0026] The locking claw 1, unlocking pull rod 2 and limiting torsion spring 3 are arranged in groups and symmetrically on the mounting bracket 4. In this embodiment, the locking claw 1, unlocking pull rod 2 and limiting torsion spring 3 are provided in four groups in total, which together realize the locking and releasing of the locked object.

[0027] like Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the cutter assembly includes a cutter bracket 13, a cutter 5, a pull rod connecting platform 6, a pull rod 12, an unlocking push spring 11, and a small buffer sleeve 15. The cutter bracket 13 is mounted inside the mounting bracket 4, the cutter 5 is mounted on the side of the cutter bracket 13, and the pull rod connecting platform 6 is mounted at the bottom of the cutter bracket 13. The cutter bracket 13 and the pull rod connecting platform 6 form a hollow circular hole structure, and the unlocking push spring 11 is located within the hollow circular hole structure. The small buffer sleeve 15 is located at the bottom of the pull rod connecting platform 6. The pull rod 12 passes through the unlocking push spring 11. The upper end of the pull rod 12 is connected to the cutter bracket 13, and the lower end of the pull rod 12 is connected to the small buffer sleeve 15. After the pull rod 12 is connected to the cutter bracket 13 and the small buffer sleeve 15, the unlocking push spring 11 is in a compressed state. After the cutter 5 is ignited, the pull rod 12 is cut off, causing the unlocking push spring 11 to be released, pushing the pull rod connecting platform 6 downward.

[0028] A slide groove is provided on the outer edge of the pull rod connecting platform 6, and the bottom of the unlocking pull rod 2 is connected to the slide groove through a pin. The unlocking pull rod 2 can move relative to the pull rod connecting platform 6 by sliding the pin in the slide groove.

[0029] The cutter assembly further comprises a large buffer sleeve 14 , which is provided on the upper side of the cutter support 13 . The large buffer sleeve 14 facilitates the installation of the release assembly.

[0030] like Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the release assembly includes a release cover 17, a release push rod 16, and a release spring 18. The release cover 17 is connected to the large buffer sleeve 14; the release push rod 16 is arranged at the top of the release cover 17 and passes through the top wall of the release cover 17; the release spring 18 is arranged inside the release cover 17, one end of which contacts the large buffer sleeve 14, and the other end contacts the release push rod 16. By compressing the release push rod 16, an elastic force can be generated on the release spring 18.

[0031] In other embodiments of the present invention, a sensor assembly is further included for monitoring the in-place status and locking status of the object being measured. Specifically, the sensor assembly includes an in-place sensor 7 and a locking sensor 8. In order to realize the installation of the sensor assembly, a sensor bracket 9 is installed on the mounting bracket 4, and the in-place sensor 7 is installed on the top of the sensor bracket 9 to monitor whether the locked object is in place; the locking sensor 8 is installed on the side of the sensor bracket 9 to monitor whether the locked object is locked. At the same time, a locking trigger block 10 is provided on the unlocking rod 2, and the locking trigger block 10 is used to trigger the locking sensor 8 to determine the locking state. In a specific embodiment, there are two sensor brackets 9, which are arranged symmetrically. An in-place sensor 7 is installed on the top of each sensor bracket 9, and a locking sensor 8 is installed on each side of each sensor bracket 9.

[0032] The passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking of the present invention works as follows: In the initial state, under the restriction of the pull rod 12, the pull rod connecting platform 6 presses the unlocking push spring 11, making it in a compressed state, and the pull rod connecting platform 6 is in a stationary state; under the action of the limiting torsion spring 3, the locking claw 1 closes inward, driving the unlocking pull rod 2 to move upward until its other end moves to the top of the slide groove of the pull rod connecting platform 6 and stops moving, and the mechanism is in a closed state.

[0033] The passive locking and holding process is as follows: a groove structure is provided on the outer surface of the locked object, and the locked object presses the locking claw 1 and the release push rod 16 downward under the action of external force, so that the locking claw 1 overcomes the resistance of the limiting torsion spring 3 and opens outward, driving the unlocking pull rod 2 to move downward, and the other end of the unlocking pull rod 2 slides unrestricted in the slide groove of the pull rod connecting platform 6; when the locked object reaches the predetermined position, the surface groove of the locked object coincides with the lock hook of the locking claw 1, and the locking claw 1 is no longer subjected to the compressive force and is re-locked and stuck in the groove to realize the locking and holding function; in addition, under the pressure of the release push rod 16, the release spring 18 is compressed and stores elastic potential energy.

[0034] The single active release process is as follows: after the cutter 5 is ignited, the pull rod 12 is cut off and the unlocking push spring 11 is released to bounce downward, causing the pull rod connecting platform 6 to move downward relative to the cutter bracket 13. The top of the slide groove of the pull rod connecting platform 6 drives the unlocking pull rod 2 to move downward, thereby allowing the locking claw 1 to overcome the resistance of the limiting torsion spring 3 and open outward again. After that, the release spring 18 stretches upward to release the elastic potential energy, and the locked object is ejected outward to realize the release function.

[0035] Monitoring function: When the bottom of the locked object contacts the in-place sensor 7, the position of the locked object can be determined based on the in-place signal; the closing and opening actions of the locking claw 1 will drive the unlocking rod 2 to move, and the locking trigger block 10 installed on the unlocking rod 2 will contact the locking sensor 8, and the locking or release status can be monitored based on the signal.

[0036] In order for the locking pawl 1 to overcome the resistance of the limiting torsion spring 3 when the unlocking pushing spring 11 bounces downward, the pushing force of the unlocking pushing spring 11 should be greater than the resistance of the limiting torsion spring 3 .

[0037] The locking claw 1 adopts a modular design. Different structures of the locking claw 1 can be selected according to the type of the locked object to improve compatibility. At the same time, the opening angle of the locking claw 1 should not exceed 15 degrees.

[0038] The passive locking and releasing mechanism of the present invention, which does not require pre-locking, can choose whether to lock the locked object in the initial state, thereby increasing the flexibility and adaptability of its usage scenarios; it adopts a passive locking and locking state maintainable design, does not require an active drive mechanism, and has the advantages of simple and compact structure, light weight, small size, resource saving, and no electromagnetic interference. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for locking and releasing mechanisms in space environments.

[0039] The above describes specific embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art may make various changes or modifications within the scope of the claims, which do not affect the essence of the present invention. The embodiments of this application and the features in the embodiments may be combined with each other in any manner unless there is a conflict.

Claims

1. A passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking, characterized in that: include: The mounting bracket has an internal hollow structure; A locking mechanism, which is provided on the mounting bracket and is capable of locking and unlocking a locked object; a cutter assembly disposed within the mounting bracket and capable of unlocking the locking mechanism; A release assembly is provided on the cutter assembly and is capable of releasing the locked object when the locking mechanism is unlocked.

2. The passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking mechanism includes a locking claw, an unlocking rod, and a limiting torsion spring. The limiting torsion spring is fixed on the mounting bracket. The bottom of the locking claw is connected to the limiting torsion spring. The upper part of the locking claw is hinged to one end of the unlocking rod. The other end of the unlocking rod is movably connected to the rod connecting platform of the cutter assembly.

3. The passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking according to claim 2, characterized in that: The locking claw, the unlocking pull rod and the limiting torsion spring are arranged in groups in an axisymmetric manner on the mounting bracket.

4. The passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking according to claim 2, characterized in that: A locking hook is provided on the top of the locking claw, and the locking hook cooperates with the groove of the locked object.

5. The passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cutter assembly includes a cutter bracket, a cutter, the pull rod connecting platform, a pull rod, an unlocking push spring, and a small buffer sleeve. The cutter bracket is fixed on the mounting bracket, the cutter is arranged on the side of the cutter bracket, the pull rod connecting platform is arranged at the bottom of the cutter bracket, the unlocking push spring is arranged in the space enclosed by the pull rod connecting platform and the cutter bracket, the small buffer sleeve is arranged at the bottom of the pull rod connecting platform, the pull rod passes through the unlocking push spring, and the two ends of the pull rod are respectively connected to the cutter bracket and the small buffer sleeve.

6. The passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking according to claim 5, characterized in that: The cutter assembly further includes a large buffer sleeve disposed on the top of the cutter support.

7. The passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking according to claim 5, characterized in that: A sliding groove is provided on the pull rod connecting platform, and the unlocking pull rod is movably connected to the sliding groove through a pin.

8. The passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking according to claim 6, characterized in that: The release assembly includes a release cover, a release push rod, and a release spring. The release cover is connected to the large buffer sleeve. The release spring is arranged inside the release cover. The release push rod is arranged on the top of the release cover. The two ends of the release spring are respectively in contact with the large buffer sleeve and the release push rod.

9. The passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a sensor component, which is used to monitor the in-place status and locking status of the locked object.

10. The passive locking and releasing mechanism without pre-locking according to claim 9, characterized in that: The sensor assembly includes an in-position sensor and a locking sensor. The in-position sensor is arranged at the top area of ​​the locking claw, and the locking sensor is arranged at the middle area of ​​the unlocking rod.

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