DEVICE FOR EJECTION OF DOCKING CABLE OF TWO SPACECRAFT (VERSIONS) Russian patent published in 2013 - IPC B64G1/22 

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to aircraft engineering, particularly, to orbital cable systems. Proposed device comprises main casing 1 accommodating fixed-spool reel 2 with cable and moving spring-loaded case 3 with motors connected with control system (not shown). Case 3 houses guide and pressure rollers, gear wheels engaged via central gear. The latter is furnished with electromagnetic brake mounted at case 3. Cutter and spring-loaded lever with roller at its end and angular displacement transducer on its axle are fitted at outlet of case 3. Strain gages are secured at front wall of main casing 1. In compliance with another version, proposed device comprises drum with a set of coils 2, drum drive and cable guide funnel. Device allows for three cable release conditions. First, at low cable tension angular displacement transducer set to minimum cable tension actuates motors in relevant combination (one to four). Gear wheels make said motors run in synchronism. Second, at increase in cable tension to magnitude exceeding resistance at release mechanism said motors are cut off. Rate of cable release and cable length are controlled by transducers of rotor turn angle while tension is controlled by force transducers. Third, in braking, one or several motors run in generator mode to create braking torque at guide roller shafts to decrease release rate by preset algorithm until complete stop. Then, with cable tension falling beyond measurement range of minor magnitude transducer, control system adjusts said force to convert turn angle of said spring-loaded lever into said force. T.

EFFECT: higher reliability, usability and accuracy.

3 cl, 11 dwg