Coupling with solenoid release locking mechanism

摘要

A solenoid locking mechanism connects a solenoid body to a male coupling member. The male coupling member surrounds a housing at the end of the solenoid. A pair of ball bearings is retained in the housing and extends into the coupling member. Movement of the ball bearings by the plunger control locking or releasing the coupling member. In an alternate embodiment the solenoid locking mechanism secures the coupling mechanism to a lockable rod that has a ball nose at one end. The locking mechanism has a locking chamber or socket with a ball bearing mounted in the chamber wall. The ball bearing is moveable between a position in which it extends into the locking chamber or can be moved out from the locking chamber. The movement of the ball bearing is controlled by a plunger in the solenoid body. The ball nose is selectively locked in the locking chamber or released from the locking chamber depending on the position of the plunger which controls the position and movement of the ball bearing.

主权项

1. A solenoid operated coupling mechanism comprising:
a solenoid body, a solenoid coil mounted in the solenoid body, a plunger mounted in the solenoid body and adapted for movement between a first retracted locked position and a second extended unlocked position in response to energizing and de-energizing the solenoid coil, the plunger having opposite ends with one end being a rear end and the other being a forward operating end extending out from the solenoid body, a spring mounted in the solenoid body and engaging the rear end of the plunger for pushing the plunger in a forward direction, the forward operating end having an enlarged head and a groove disposed behind the enlarged head, the groove having opposite angulated sidewalls tapering inward toward a bottom of the groove, one of the sidewalls being a forward sidewall and the other being a rearward sidewall, a housing having one end surrounding the operating end of the plunger with a passageway in the housing for receiving the operating end of the plunger, and an end wall disposed at an opposite end of the housing, a pair of ball bearings mounted in an aperture on the housing, a mating receptacle adapted for mounting on the housing, the mating receptacle having a locking collar for engaging the ball bearings on the housing for locking and unlocking the mating receptacle from the housing depending on whether the plunger is in the first retracted position or the second extended position, the spring drawing the plunger rearward to the first retracted locked position when the solenoid is de-energized with the head engaging the ball bearings forcing the ball bearings outward into the aperture where they engage the locking collar thereby locking the receptacle onto the housing, the solenoid pushing the plunger forward to the extended unlocked position when the solenoid is energized allowing the ball bearings to move into the groove and allowing the locking collar to pass over the ball bearings and the receptacle to be removed from the housing, the plunger moving the head against the end wall with the rearward sidewall engaging the ball bearing and applying a force to the ball bearing for keeping the ball bearings partially in the aperture to engage the locking collar and hold the receptacle in place on the housing until a retraction force is applied to the receptacle which applies a force against the ball bearings which pushes the ball bearings against the rearward sidewall of the groove with sufficient force against the plunger to overcome the solenoid force thereby pushing the plunger rearward allowing the ball bearings to move into the groove and the locking collar to pass over the ball bearings thereby releasing the collar.