US3919563A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Controllably self-releasable safety fastener and method of unlocking same
Assignee: Bpifrance Financement SA
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Filing: 1974-04-08
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Granted: 1975-11-11
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Expires: 1994-04-08
Abstract
Abstract A safety fastener with controlled automatic release upon occurrence of given critical outside influences, with means for sensing and transducing at least one force applied to at least one fastening element, comprising means for integrating with respect to time the signal from the sensing and transducing means, means for comparing this signal with a given least reset value for the integrating means when the signal is below this least value, means for comparing the signal integral to a given maximum value and fastener-unlocking means operated when the integral is above said given maximum value.
Inventors
- 👤 Dominique Jean Lautier
- 👤 Lucien Louis Maeder
- 👤 Pierre Edmund Mayer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 13:25
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63C; A63C9/00; A63C9/08; A63C9/088; A63C9/0802
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
An automatically operable safety fastener operated under control of extraneous influences, comprising means for sensing and transducing into an electrical signal at least one force applied to at least one element of the fastener, first comparison means for comparing the electrical signal so derived with a predetermined minimal value, means connected to said first comparison means for integrating with respect to time said transduced signal to provide an integrated signal output only when the magnitude of the transduced signal is larger than said predetermined minimal value, second comparison means for comparing said integrated signal with a predetermined maximum value, and fastener unlocking means actuated only when the magnitude of said integrated signal is greater than the magnitude of said predetermined maximum value.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
An automatically operable safety fastener operated under control of extraneous influences, comprising means for sensing and transducing into an electrical signal at least one force applied to at least one element of the fastener, first comparison means for comparing the electrical signal so derived with a predetermined minimal value, means connected to said first comparison means for integrating with respect to time said transduced signal to provide an integrated signal output only when the magnitude of the transduced signal is larger than said predetermined minimal value, second comparison means for comparing said integrated signal with a predetermined maximum value, and fastener unlocking means actuated only when the magnitude of said integrated signal is greater than the magnitude of said predetermined maximum value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
A fastener according to claim 1, wherein said integrated signal is equal to zero when the magnitude of the transduced signal is less than said predetermined minimum value, and wherein said unlocking means comprise a pyrotechnical charge, and means for firing said charge when said integrated signal is higher than said maximum value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
A fastener according to claim 2, wherein said charge comprises a blasting cap with detonating material such as explosive powder in which is embedded an electrically conducting winding forming the secondary of a transformer the primary winding of which consists of another electrically conducting winding of said firing means, an electric current being adapted to flow through said primary winding under control of said extraneous influence to fire said charge through induction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A fastener according to claim 3, wherein said winding embedded in said blasting cap with detonating material comprises a spark gap enabling to fire said charge by priming through field effect.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A fastener according to claim 3, wherein said winding is closed on itself and enables to fire said charge through heating by Joule effect.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A fastener according to claim 1, wherein said unlocking means comprise a circuit including a pyrotechnical charge, a capacitor and means for completing said circuit such as a thyristor enabling said capacitor to discharge into said circuit when said signal integral exceeds said predetermined maximum value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A fastener according to claim 1, wherein said unlocking means comprise magnetic or electromagnetic locking circuits and means for saturating or desaturating said circuits when said integral is higher than said predetermined maximum value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A fastener according to claim 1, comprising at least two assemblies each consisting of said sensing and transducing, integrating, first signal comparing and second comparing means, said unlocking means being connected to each assembly actuated when at least one of said integrated signals is higher than the corresponding maximum value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
48 words
A fastener according to claim 1, wherein said sensing and transducing means provide at least two different signals each corresponding to a force applied to an element of said fastener, said signals being processed by a mixing circuit before being fed to said integrating and first comparing means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A fastener according to claim 1, wherein said sensing and transducing means comprise displacement sensors selected from the group including inductive gauges, capacitive gauges, strain gauges, connected to amplifying means such as operational amplifiers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
A fastener according to claim 1, wherein said sensing and transducing means comprise strain gauge sensors mounted in bridge connection and connected to operational amplifiers the output signal of which is transmitted to said integrating and comparing means through an absolute value setting circuit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
A fastener according to claim 11, wherein said integrator means comprise an operational amplifier the input Of which is connected to the output of said absolute value setting circuit and a capacitor connected in parallel between said input and said output of the operational amplifier.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
76 words
A fastener according to claim 12, wherein said first comparison means comprise a field effect transistor the drain and the source of which are connected across said integrating capacitor and the trigger gate of which is connected to the output of an operational amplifier the input of which is connected to the output of said absolute value setting circuit and the other input of which is fed with a reference voltage corresponding to said minimum value.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
A fastener according to claim 11, wherein said second comparison means comprise an operational amplifier the input of which is fed with the output signal from said integrator means and the other input of which is fed with a reference voltage corresponding to said predetermined maximum value whereas the output of which is connected to said unlocking means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
A fastener according to claim 1, wherein said integrator means comprise a high pass filter for removing the direct current component of said signal delivered from said transducing means and an operational amplifier including an input resistor and a capacitor connected in parallel across said operational amplifier.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
63 words
A fastener according to claim 1, wherein said second comparison means comprise a first Schmitt trigger circuit with two transistors the interconnected emitters of which are biased to a voltage of predetermined magnitude corresponding to said predetermined maximum value and a relay operating a contact for actuating said unlocking means, said contact closing as soon as said integral exceeds said predetermined maximum value.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
76 words
A fastener according to claim 16, wherein said first comparison means comprise a second Schmitt trigger circuit with two transistors the interconnected emitters of which are biased to a voltage of predetermined magnitude corresponding to said minimum value and a third transistor controlled by said Schmitt trigger circuit and enabling to discharge the capacitor of said integrating means to the ground when said signal is lower than said minimum value and to reset said integrating means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
120 words
A fastener according to claim 1, forming a safety ski-binding comprising a front stop member movable about a pivot extending at right angles to the plane of said ski and a rear stop member which is mounted for being movable about a transverse pivot extending in parallel relation to said plane of said ski and which is adapted to lock the boot of the ski-runner within said binding, wherein said sensing and transducing means cooperate with at least one bending strip one end of which, at least in the binding locking position, is made rigidly fast with at least one of said front and rear stop members and the other end of which rests on at least one bearing point.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
A fastener according to claim 18, wherein said sensing and transducing means comprise strain gauges adhesively bonded or secured onto at least one side face of said bending strip.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
73 words
A fastener according to claim 18, wherein one of said bending strips is arranged in lengthwise vertical position with respect to said ski while being constantly fast through one end with said front stop member and having its other end guided in a longitudinal slot of a part adjustable in longitudinal position on said ski and which is bearing against a pair of opposite projections integral with the inner walls of said slot.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
92 words
A fastener according to claim 18, wherein said pivot of said rear stop member is secured to a part movable about a transverse pin extending in parallel relation to the plane of said ski, said part comprising at one end a plate adapted to lie underneath the heel of the boot of the ski-runner and at its other end an extension forming one of said bending strips, which extends in longitudinal parallel relation to the plane of said ski whereas its free end is bearing upon a prOjection integral with said ski.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
70 words
A fastener according to claim 21, wherein said movable part carries said pyrotechnical device actuated by said fastener unlocking means and including a pyrotechnical charge housed in a cylinder also containing a piston the free end of which outside said piston is adapted to act upon means for locking said rear stop member so as to release same and therefore to disengage the boot of said ski-runner from said ski-binding.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of automatically unlocking a safety fastener upon the occurrence or under the action of predetermined critical extraneous influences, comprising the steps of sensing and measuring at least one force applied to at least one element of said fastener and comparing said measured force with a predetermined minimum value, wherein the improvement consists in that said method also comprises the steps of integrating said force with respect to time to provide an integrated force greater than zero only when the measured force exceeds said predetermined minimum value, said integrated force being equal to zero for all values of the measures force less than the minimum value, comparing the magnitude of said integrated force with a predetermined maximum value, and automatically unlocking said fastener when said integrated force, for a measured force higher than said minimum value, becomes higher than said predetermined maximum value.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of automatically unlocking a safety fastener upon the occurrence or under the action of predetermined critical extraneous influences, comprising the steps of sensing and measuring at least one force applied to at least one element of said fastener and comparing said measured force with a predetermined minimum value, wherein the improvement consists in that said method also comprises the steps of integrating said force with respect to time to provide an integrated force greater than zero only when the measured force exceeds said predetermined minimum value, said integrated force being equal to zero for all values of the measures force less than the minimum value, comparing the magnitude of said integrated force with a predetermined maximum value, and automatically unlocking said fastener when said integrated force, for a measured force higher than said minimum value, becomes higher than said predetermined maximum value.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 23, comprising the step of unlocking said fastener by firing a pyrotechnical charge.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 23, consisting in unlocking said fastener by magnetical saturation or desaturation of a fastener locking magnetic or electro-magnetic circuit.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
73 words
A method according to claim 23, comprising the steps of measuring at least two forces acting upon elements of said fasteners, processing said forces by comparing each one of them with a predetermined minimum value, by integrating and comparing each integral with a predetermined maximum value, and unlocking said fastener when at least one of said integrals becomes higher than the corresponding maximum value for a corresponding force above the corresponding minimum value.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
97 words
A method according to claim 23, comprising the step of measuring at least two forces acting upon elements of said fastener, combining said forces into a resulting force, processing said resulting force by comparing it with a predetermined minimum value, by integrating it, by comparing said integral with a predetermined maximum value and unlocking said fastener when said integral of the resulting force becomes higher than said maximum value for a resulting force above said minimum value, the integral of said resulting force being zero for all values of said resulting force below said predetermined minimum value.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-10 | 1979-05-12 | 1979-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-10 | 1983-05-12 | 1983-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-10 | 1987-05-12 | 1987-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |