Magnetic Bolt Catcher Assembly for Near-Zero Separation Shock
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bolt catchers for launch vehicles and spacecraft generate shock due to the inability to efficiently dissipate the kinetic energy of released bolts, leading to potential damage to sensitive equipment and requiring frequent refurbishment of crushable cushions.
Innovation Solution
A bolt catcher utilizing a magnetic eddy current damper to dissipate kinetic energy as heat, controlling bolt extraction velocity and non-impactfully capturing the bolt, eliminating the need for refurbishment and reducing shock to near zero.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a deformable or crushable cushion is used to damp the impact of the bolt, then the impact shock is reduced, but the cushion must be replaced before the bolt catcher can be reused and generates debris
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical crushable cushion system with a magnetic eddy current damper system. The damper uses magnetic fields to generate eddy currents that dissipate kinetic energy as heat, eliminating the need for physical cushion replacement while maintaining shock reduction. This substitution of mechanical damping with electromagnetic damping resolves the contradiction between impact reduction and reusability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the damping mechanism from a deformable solid cushion to a magnetic field-based system. By changing the damping parameter from mechanical deformation to electromagnetic induction, the system achieves continuous operation without replacement, resolving the reusability issue while maintaining shock protection.
2Ease of operation
If a spring is used to extract and capture the bolt, then the bolt is withdrawn from the separation nut, but the spring imparts additional velocity and kinetic energy to the bolt increasing impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the spring-based mechanical extraction system with a magnetic coupling system. The magnetic coupling provides controlled extraction force without storing and releasing elastic energy, thereby eliminating the additional velocity and kinetic energy impartation that occurs with spring-based systems. This substitution resolves the contradiction between extraction functionality and kinetic energy generation.
3Productivity
If a pyrotechnically driven pusher is used to eject the bolt, then the bolt is released from the separation nut, but the bolt velocity at impact is relatively high causing high shock
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the pyrotechnic ejection system with a controlled magnetic release mechanism. The magnetic system provides precise control over bolt velocity, preventing the high-speed ejection and subsequent high-impact shock characteristic of pyrotechnic systems. This substitution maintains release functionality while eliminating excessive shock generation.
4Force
If a crushable cushion is used to absorb bolt energy, then the impact force is reduced after cushion crippling, but high forces and shock are generated when the bolt first contacts the cushion and as the cushion is crushed to a semi-solid block
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the crushable cushion mechanical system with a magnetic eddy current damper. The damper provides continuous, smooth energy dissipation through electromagnetic induction without the abrupt contact and progressive crushing stages that generate shock pulses. This substitution eliminates both the initial contact shock and the final crushing shock while maintaining force reduction.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Significantly reduces the stopping force and momentum of the bolt, minimizing shock to the launch vehicle or deployed equipment, allowing for reuse without degradation over time.
Implementation Method 1
A magnet assembly within the bolt catcher dissipates the kinetic energy of a moving bolt as heat in a magnetic eddy current damper
Implementation Method 2
dissipates the kinetic energy of the released bolt as heat in a magnetic eddy current damper
Implementation Method 3
The bolt is non-impactly captured and retained magnetically at the end of the extraction stroke
Data Source
AI summary
A bolt catcher and extractor for use with a separation nut and an attaching preloaded bolt that secure a payload to a launch vehicle or spacecraft. The bolt catcher extracts the attaching bolt from the separation nut, pulls it clear of the interface between the launch vehicle or spacecraft and the released payload, and captures it within the bolt catcher housing. The released bolt may have kinetic energy due to the strain energy stored by the pre-release bolt preload. The bolt catcher may have a magnetic eddy current damper that controls the bolt velocity during bolt extraction and dissipates the bolt kinetic energy as heat. The bolt may be magnetically non-impact captured within the bolt catcher. Bolt momentum at the end of the bolt extraction is less than 2% of that of bolt catchers of the prior art. Shock to the released payload or deployable equipment is near zero.