Techniques for controlling a fin with unlimited adjustment and no backlash
First Claim
1. A fin control assembly, comprising:
- a housing;
an arm configured to couple to a fin and steer the fin relative to the housing; and
a locking member disposed within the housing, the locking member being configured to move from an engaged position to a disengaged position relative to the arm;
the locking member (i) locking the arm in a substantially fixed state to inhibit movement of the arm relative to the housing when the locking member is in the engaged position and (ii) unlocking the arm from the substantially fixed state to allow the arm to steer the fin relative to the housing when the locking member moves from the engaged position to the disengaged position;
the locking member having a cylindrical body portion and a cylindrical end portion, which is eccentric with the cylindrical body portion, to enable the locking member to lock the arm in the substantially fixed state while the arm holds the fin in a neutral location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fin control assembly includes a housing, an arm configured to couple to a fin and to steer the fin relative to the housing, and a locking member disposed within the housing. The locking member is configured to (i) lock the arm in a substantially fixed state to inhibit movement of the arm relative to the housing when the locking member is in an engaged position, and (ii) unlock the arm from the substantially fixed state to allow the arm to steer the fin relative to the housing when the locking member moves from the engaged position to a disengaged position. The locking member has a cylindrical body portion and a cylindrical end portion, which is eccentric with the cylindrical body portion, to enable the locking member to lock the arm in the substantially fixed state while the arm holds the fin in a neutral location.
81 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fin control assembly, comprising:
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a housing; an arm configured to couple to a fin and steer the fin relative to the housing; and a locking member disposed within the housing, the locking member being configured to move from an engaged position to a disengaged position relative to the arm;
the locking member (i) locking the arm in a substantially fixed state to inhibit movement of the arm relative to the housing when the locking member is in the engaged position and (ii) unlocking the arm from the substantially fixed state to allow the arm to steer the fin relative to the housing when the locking member moves from the engaged position to the disengaged position;
the locking member having a cylindrical body portion and a cylindrical end portion, which is eccentric with the cylindrical body portion, to enable the locking member to lock the arm in the substantially fixed state while the arm holds the fin in a neutral location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A projectile device, comprising:
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a body configured to carry a payload; a fin; and a fin control assembly which couples the fin to the body, the fin control assembly including; a housing attached to the body; an arm configured to couple to a fin and steer the fin relative to the housing; and a locking member disposed within the housing, the locking member being configured to move from an engaged position to a disengaged position relative to the arm;
the locking member (i) locking the arm in a substantially fixed state to inhibit movement of the arm relative to the housing when the locking member is in the engaged position and (ii) unlocking the arm from the substantially fixed state to allow the arm to steer the fin relative to the housing when the locking member moves from the engaged position to the disengaged position;
the locking member having a cylindrical body portion and a cylindrical end portion, which is eccentric with the cylindrical body portion, to enable the locking member to lock the arm in the substantially fixed state while the arm holds the fin in a neutral location. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method of controlling a fin, the method comprising:
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providing an assembly having (i) a housing and (ii) an arm which couples to the fin, the arm being configured to steer the fin relative to the housing; installing a locking member within the assembly, the locking member being configured to move from an engaged position to a disengaged position relative to the arm, the locking member (i) locking the arm in a substantially fixed state to inhibit movement of the arm relative to the housing when the locking member is in the engaged position and (ii) unlocking the arm from the substantially fixed state to allow the arm to steer the fin relative to the housing when the locking member is in the disengaged position;
the locking member having a cylindrical body portion and a cylindrical end portion, which is eccentric with the cylindrical body portion and which is configured to contact a notched portion of the arm, to enable the locking member to lock the arm in the substantially fixed state while the arm holds the fin in a neutral location; andmoving the locking member from the engaged position to the disengaged position to allow the arm to steer the fin. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of installing a locking member within an assembly configured to control a fin, the assembly having (i) a housing and (ii) an arm which couples to the fin and which is configured to steer the fin relative to the housing, the method comprising:
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positioning the locking member within the housing, the locking member being configured to move from an engaged position to a disengaged position relative to the arm, the locking member (i) locking the arm in a substantially fixed state to inhibit movement of the arm relative to the housing when the locking member is in the engaged position and (ii) unlocking the arm from the substantially fixed state to allow the arm to steer the fin relative to the housing when the locking member is in the disengaged position;
the locking member having a cylindrical body portion and a cylindrical end portion, which is eccentric with the cylindrical body portion, to enable the locking member to lock the arm in the substantially fixed state while the arm holds the fin in a neutral location;rotating the locking member around a long axis of the cylindrical body to adjust the locking member to operate while the arm holds the fin in the neutral location, the cylindrical end portion contacting a notched portion of the arm as the locking member rotates; and disposing a spring within the housing, the spring being configured to provide a spring force on the locking member to bias the locking member toward the arm and into the engaged position.
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Specification