Electro-expulsive separation system
First Claim
1. Apparatus comprising first and second opposed, flexible, ribbon-shaped, electrically conductive members, a resilient insulating member being of generally sheet-like configuration having first and second opposed surfaces, said first and second conductive members being embedded in spaced apart relationship and electrically isolated from each other in said resilient insulating member with said first and second conductive members being adjacent said first and second surfaces of said insulating member, respectively, said electrically conductive members being electrically interconnected so that any electrical current flowing in said first conductive member also flows in said second conductive member in a direction opposite to the flow in said first conductive member, said resilient insulating member having at least one void positioned between said first and second conductive members so as to facilitate separation between said first and second conductive members when electric current is routed through said conductive members and said conductive members repel each other, said void having a height less than the distance between said conductive members so that a portion of said insulating member is between said opposed conductive members.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electro-expulsive system 20 has one or more overlapped conductors OC1-OCN each comprising a flexible ribbon conductor 32 which is folded back on itself. The conductors are embedded in an elastomeric material 33. Large current pulses are fed to the conductors OC1-OCN from power storage units 1-N. As a result of the antiparallel currents I and I'"'"', the opposed segments of a conductor 32 are forcefully separated and the elastomeric material is distended. Void 34 in the elastomer aids the separation of the conductor segments. The distention is almost instantaneous when a current pulse reaches the conductor and the distention tends to remove any solid body on the surface of the elastomeric material.
85 Citations
27 Claims
- 1. Apparatus comprising first and second opposed, flexible, ribbon-shaped, electrically conductive members, a resilient insulating member being of generally sheet-like configuration having first and second opposed surfaces, said first and second conductive members being embedded in spaced apart relationship and electrically isolated from each other in said resilient insulating member with said first and second conductive members being adjacent said first and second surfaces of said insulating member, respectively, said electrically conductive members being electrically interconnected so that any electrical current flowing in said first conductive member also flows in said second conductive member in a direction opposite to the flow in said first conductive member, said resilient insulating member having at least one void positioned between said first and second conductive members so as to facilitate separation between said first and second conductive members when electric current is routed through said conductive members and said conductive members repel each other, said void having a height less than the distance between said conductive members so that a portion of said insulating member is between said opposed conductive members.
- 21. A circuit for a system for separating a solid body from a surface, which comprises first and second ribbon-shaped, flexible conductive members in overlying, closely spaced relationship, a sheet-like resilient member adapted to be interposed between said surface and said solid body, said conductive members being imbedded in said resilient member and said resilient member having a void positioned between said conductive members to facilitate separation of said conductive members, said conductive members being electrically insulated from each other along their length and connected so that a current flowing in a given direction in said first conductive member flows in an opposite direction in said second conductive member and causes said conductive members to separate, at least one storage capacitor connected to a power source through a first switch, said storage capacitor being connected in a low resistance path to said first and second conductive members through a second switch, and a timing circuit connected to open said second switch when said first switch is closed to charge said storage capacitor, and to open said first switch when said second switch is closed to discharge said storage capacitor into said first and second conductive members.
Specification