Patent ID: 11466721

Abstract:
A selectively releasable separation nut for securing a payload and/or deployable equipment (hereafter “second body”) to a rocket, missile, or aircraft or spacecraft (hereafter “first body”) by way of a preloaded bolt, or other fastener, and releasing them on command. The separation nut may have magnetic eddy current damping components that dissipate as heat the strain energy stored in the separation nut, the bolt, and surrounding first body and second body structures during the bolt preload release. Energy not dissipated as heat during preload release may be stored as kinetic energy and dissipated as heat after the bolt mechanical release. The bolt acceleration and velocity are controlled throughout the release cycle. The bolt kinetic energy post release is less than 0.01% of the stored strain energy pre-release. Shock, impulse, and momentum transfer to the released second body are near zero.