Rocket Fueling Connector Breakable Link Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current rocket feeding systems require expensive and time-consuming interventions to disconnect umbilical ducts and replace connectors, especially when cryogenic liquids are involved, and often necessitate pre-launch verification and post-abort tank emptying, which hampers efficient rocket usage.
Innovation Solution
A feeding device with breakable connection members and a force transmission mechanism, such as a lever, that unlocks the connectors by transmitting a twisting breaking load, allowing for simple and reliable disconnection during rocket liftoff, and includes a hollow connection member for fluid transfer and resilient springs for separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional feeding connectors are used that require manual disconnection, then the connection reliability is maintained, but the intervention time and operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The connection member is divided into a first part attached to the rocket and a second part attached to the ground equipment, connected by a breakable section. This segmentation allows automatic separation during liftoff, eliminating manual intervention while maintaining connection reliability during the critical feeding phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The breakable section is pre-designed with reduced cross-sectional area to ensure it breaks at a predetermined location during liftoff. This preliminary design ensures automatic disconnection occurs at the optimal moment without requiring manual verification or intervention, resolving the contradiction between reliability and time loss.
2Productivity
If breakable connection members are implemented for automatic disconnection, then the operational efficiency is improved, but the structural complexity of the connectors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection member is segmented into distinct parts with a specific breakable section, allowing automatic disconnection during liftoff. This simple segmentation approach improves operational efficiency by eliminating manual intervention while adding minimal structural complexity compared to traditional permanent connectors.
Solution Approach 2:
The breakable section has locally reduced cross-sectional area compared to the rest of the connection member. This localized modification creates a predetermined failure point that enables automatic disconnection without requiring complex mechanisms throughout the entire connector structure, thus improving productivity with minimal increase in overall device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the connection member is designed with a breakable section, then the ease of disconnection is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The breakable section is designed with locally reduced cross-sectional area at a specific position along the connection member. This localized geometric feature creates a predetermined break point that ensures easy automatic disconnection during liftoff. The manufacturing precision requirement is focused only on this local region rather than the entire connector, making the precision requirement manageable while maintaining ease of disconnection.
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
Enables efficient and reliable unlocking of rocket feeding connectors during liftoff, reducing the need for pre-launch verification and post-abort interventions, thereby minimizing downtime and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
the force transmission member may be a lever substantially perpendicular to said main axis of the connection member... the length of the lever providing at least some mechanical advantage to this breaking force
Implementation Method 2
the feeding device may also comprise at least one resilient spring arranged in such a manner as to move said two connectors apart after the connection member has broken
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the field of feeding devices, in particular for feeding rockets on the ground. A feeding device (4) of the invention comprises at least two mutually complementary feeding connectors (5, 6), a breakable connection member (15) connecting these two feeding connectors (5, 6) together and presenting a breakable section (15c) between these two feeding connectors (5, 6), and a force transmission member (16) connected to said breakable section (15c) in such a manner as to transmit a breaking load thereto in order to unlock the connection between the two feeding connectors (5, 6). During unlocking, a breaking load transmitted by the force transmission member (16) thus serves to break the breakable section (15c).