초록 ▼

One embodiment is directed to a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism has a housing and a rotary actuator carried by the housing. The rotary actuator includes a shaft and armature disposed around at least a portion of the shaft. The armature is configured to rotate the shaft about a longitudinal

One embodiment is directed to a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism has a housing and a rotary actuator carried by the housing. The rotary actuator includes a shaft and armature disposed around at least a portion of the shaft. The armature is configured to rotate the shaft about a longitudinal axis of the shaft. The locking mechanism also has a cam carried by the shaft and a set of locking balls disposed between the cam and the housing. The locking mechanism has a locking assembly carried by the housing, the locking assembly being axially positionable between a locked position relative to the housing and a released position relative to the housing.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A locking mechanism, comprising: a housing;a rotary actuator carried by the housing, the rotary actuator having a shaft and armature disposed around at least a portion of the shaft, the armature configured to rotate the shaft about a longitudinal axis of the shaft;a cam carried by the shaft;a set

1. A locking mechanism, comprising: a housing;a rotary actuator carried by the housing, the rotary actuator having a shaft and armature disposed around at least a portion of the shaft, the armature configured to rotate the shaft about a longitudinal axis of the shaft;a cam carried by the shaft;a set of locking balls disposed between the cam and the housing; anda locking assembly carried by the housing, the locking assembly being axially positionable between a locked position relative to the housing and a released position relative to the housing;the rotary actuator configured to rotate the cam between (i) a first position to maintain the set of balls in a locked state relative to the housing and the cam and to maintain the locking assembly in the locked position and (ii) a second position to position the set of balls to a released state relative to the housing and the cam and to position the locking assembly to the released position;wherein the locking assembly comprises a lock shaft portion disposed within the housing and a head portion disposed external to the housing, the head portion defining set of slots constructed and arranged to capture deployment elements, each slot of the set of slots defining a first width slot portion and a second width slot portion, the first width slot portion being smaller than the second width slot portion, wherein the deployment elements are (i) in the first width slot portions of the set of slots when the locking assembly is in the locked position, and (ii) in the second width slot portions of the set of slots when the locking assembly is in the released position. 2. The locking mechanism of claim 1, comprising a biasing member disposed within housing, the rotary actuator being configured to rotate the cam between (i) the first position to maintain the biasing member in a compressed state and (ii) the second position to release the biasing member to an expanded state to position the locking assembly to the released position. 3. The locking mechanism of claim 2, wherein the biasing member comprises a spring that requires at least 100 pounds to compress when the cam is in the first position. 4. The locking mechanism of claim 1, wherein the lock shaft comprises a flange member, the flange member defining a set of lock shaft grooves configured to hold the set of locking balls. 5. The locking mechanism of claim 1, the cam defining a set of lobes and a set of voids alternately disposed between the lobes, the housing defining a set of set of housing grooves, wherein the set of voids align with the set housing grooves when the cam is in the second position. 6. An airborne device comprising: an airborne device chassis;a member moveable between a retracted position and a deployed position; anda locking mechanism connected to the member and configured to position the member from the retracted position to the deployed position, the locking mechanism comprising: a housing connected to the airborne device chassis, a rotary actuator carried by the housing, the rotary actuator having a shaft and armature disposed around at least a portion of the shaft, the armature configured to rotate the shaft about a longitudinal axis of the shaft,a cam carried by the shaft,a set of locking balls disposed between the cam and the housing, and a locking assembly carried by the housing, the locking assembly being axially positionable between a locked position relative to the housing and a released position relative to the housing,the rotary actuator configured to rotate the cam between (i) a first position to maintain the set of balls in a locked state relative to the housing and the cam, to maintain the locking assembly in the locked position, and to maintain the member in the retracted position and (ii) a second position to position the set of balls to a released state relative to the housing and the cam, to position the locking assembly to the released position, and to position the member to the deployed position;wherein the housing is rigidly fixed to the airborne device chassis. 7. The airborne device of claim 6, comprising a biasing member disposed within housing, the rotary actuator being configured to rotate the cam between (i) the first position to maintain the biasing member in a compressed state and (ii) the second position to release the biasing member to an expanded state to position the locking assembly to the released position. 8. The airborne device of claim 7, wherein the biasing member comprises a spring that requires at least 100 pounds to compress when the cam is in the first position. 9. The airborne device of claim 6, wherein the locking assembly comprises a lock shaft portion disposed within the housing and a head portion disposed external to the housing. 10. The airborne device of claim 9, wherein the lock shaft comprises a flange member, the flange member defining a set of lock shaft grooves configured to hold the set of locking balls. 11. The airborne device of claim 6, the cam defining a set of lobes and a set of voids alternately disposed between the lobes, the housing defining a set of set of housing grooves, wherein the set of voids align with the set of housing grooves when the cam is in the second position. 12. An airborne device comprising: an airborne device chassis;a member moveable between a retracted position and a deployed position; anda locking mechanism connected to the member and configured to position the member from the retracted position to the deployed position, the locking mechanism comprising: a housing connected to the airborne device chassis,a rotary actuator carried by the housing, the rotary actuator having a shaft and armature disposed around at least a portion of the shaft, the armature configured to rotate the shaft about a longitudinal axis of the shaft,a cam carried by the shaft,a set of locking balls disposed between the cam and the housing, anda locking assembly carried by the housing, the locking assembly being axially positionable between a locked position relative to the housing and a released position relative to the housing,the rotary actuator configured to rotate the cam between (i) a first position to maintain the set of balls in a locked state relative to the housing and the cam, to maintain the locking assembly in the locked position, and to maintain the member in the retracted position and (ii) a second position to position the set of balls to a released state relative to the housing and the cam, to position the locking assembly to the released position, and to position the member to the deployed position;wherein the locking assembly comprises a lock shaft portion disposed within the housing and a head portion disposed external to the housing, the head portion defining set of slots constructed and arranged to capture deployment elements, each slot of the set of slots defining a first width slot portion and a second width slot portion, the first width slot portion being smaller than the second width slot portion, wherein the deployment elements are (i) in the first width slot portions of the set of slots when the locking assembly is in the locked position, and (ii) in the second width slot portions of the set of slots when the locking assembly is in the released position. 13. The airborne device of claim 12, wherein the housing is rigidly fixed to the airborne device chassis. 14. The airborne device of claim 12, wherein the locking mechanism holds pins relative to the moveable members. 15. An airborne device comprising: an airborne device chassis;a member moveable between a retracted position and a deployed position; anda locking mechanism connected to the member and configured to position the member from the retracted position to the deployed position, the locking mechanism comprising: a housing connected to the airborne device chassis,a rotary actuator carried by the housing, the rotary actuator having a shaft and armature disposed around at least a portion of the shaft, the armature configured to rotate the shaft about a longitudinal axis of the shaft,a cam carried by the shaft,a set of locking balls disposed between the cam and the housing, anda locking assembly carried by the housing, the locking assembly being axially positionable between a locked position relative to the housing and a released position relative to the housing,the rotary actuator configured to rotate the cam between (i) a first position to maintain the set of balls in a locked state relative to the housing and the cam, to maintain the locking assembly in the locked position, and to maintain the member in the retracted position and (ii) a second position to position the set of balls to a released state relative to the housing and the cam, to position the locking assembly to the released position, and to position the member to the deployed position;wherein the locking mechanism holds pins relative to the moveable member.