Fusion cutting device

• US 9,511,506 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2012
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Agency For Marine-Earth Science And Technology
• Original Assignee: Japan Agency For Marine-Earth Science And Technology
• Inventors: Hatakeyama, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pelham, Joseph M
• Application Number:
  US14/349,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20140374459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 3/16 Cutting rods or tubes transversely cutting tubes longitudinally B26D3/001
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/086 Electric, magnetic, piezoelectric, electro-magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 3/08 with heated members
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 3/12 with heated wires
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/06 with means to cause the buoy to surface in response to a transmitted signal B63B22/023 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2209/00 Energy supply or activating means
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/3852 to the seabed
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/06 Heater elements structurally combined with coupling elements or holders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/30 Breaking or tearing apparatus

Abstract

A fusion cutting device includes a fusion cutting device body made from a connecting-member enclosure in the shape of a tube, for slidably passing a connecting member therethrough, an electric heater wound outside the connecting-member enclosure in the form of a coil, and a case configured to contain these connecting-member enclosure and electric heater, a power source for supplying electric current to the electric heater, and a switch circuit configured to flow the electric current from the power source to the electric heater. The first object and the second object are fixed by the connecting member. When the switch circuit turns on, electric current flows from the power source to the electric heater, thereby fusion cutting the connecting-member enclosure and the connecting member that pass through the connecting-member enclosure. The first object and the second object are thereby separated.

Claims

1. A connection structure including a trigger mechanism provided with a fusion cutting device for fusion cutting a connecting member formed of a thermoplastic material and operable to fix a positional relationship between a first object formed of a buoyant body and a second object formed of a weight configured to moor the buoyant body, the fusion cutting device being configured to release the fixed positional relationship by fusion cutting the connecting member, wherein:

the first object and the second object are connected by means of a restraining force generated by the connecting member which has not yet been fusion cut;

the fusion cutting device comprises;

a connecting-member enclosure configured to allow heat transfer to the connecting member and to slidably contain at least part of the connecting member;

an electric heater disposed outside the connecting-member enclosure and configured to heat the at least part of the connecting member through the connecting-member enclosure;

a power source for supplying electric current to the electric heater; and

a power supply controller including a switch circuit configured to turn off until the power supply controller receives a fusion cutting command and to turn on to flow the electric current from the power source to the electric heater upon receipt of the fusion cutting command; and

once the fusion cutting device is operated, the connecting member is fusion cut to release the restraining force, thereby releasing the fixed positional relationship between the first object and the second object.

2. The connection structure including the trigger mechanism provided with the fusion cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic material is a thermoplastic resin.

3. The connection structure including the trigger mechanism provided with the fusion cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the connecting-member enclosure is formed of a thermoplastic material having a melting point equal to or lower than a melting point of the thermoplastic material that forms the connecting member.

4. The connection structure including the trigger mechanism provided with the fusion cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the power supply controller is configured to wirelessly receive the fusion cutting command.