INCREMENTAL DEPLOYMENT DEVICE

摘要

An incremental deployment device is provided. The incremental deployment device may include a first member with a slotted track having alternating deployment and braking segments, as well as a second member that is movably coupled with the first member and that includes a cam follower that is configured to travel within the slotted track. The deployment segments may be configured to allow relative movement between the first member and the second member with little resistance, whereas the braking segments may be configured to permit relative movement between the first member and the second member with much greater resistance or to not permit any relative movement between the first member and the second member at all. Thus, the first member and the second member may be allowed to accelerate relative to one another within the deployment segments, and are decelerated within the braking segments.

主权项

1. An apparatus comprising:
a first member; a second member movably coupled to the first member; a slotted track, wherein:
the slotted track is part of the first member, andthe slotted track includes a series of alternating deployment segments and braking segments; and a cam follower, wherein:
the cam follower is constrained to travel within the slotted track,the cam follower is movably connected with the second member,the cam follower, during relative movement between the first member and the second member, encounters the deployment segments and the braking segments in an alternating fashion, andthe deployment segments and the braking segments cooperate with the cam follower to limit the relative speed between the first member and the second member by permitting the relative motion between the first member and the second member to accelerate when the cam follower is in the deployment segments and by causing the relative motion between the first member and the second member to decelerate when the cam follower is in the braking segments.