Patent ID: 6953903

Claim:
A transfer assembly apparatus for transferring an electrical deactuation signal from a signaling device to an electrically deactuable fastener mounted in a second mechanical component, the fastener having an actuated condition for maintaining the second mechanical component and a first mechanical component unmoving with respect to each other in a defined configuration and a deactuated condition for permitting the second component to move with respect to the first component, said transfer assembly apparatus comprising: a transfer tip assembly including a housing and at least one elongated electrically-conducting transfer tip, each said transfer tip having a proximal end and a distal end and being slidably mounted in a respective channel within said housing for movement between a first position and a second position, said housing being mountable in the second component at a first surface thereof, each said transfer tip at its first position presenting its distal end through the first surface and outside of the second component by a first distance and at its second position presenting its distal end by no more than a second distance outside of the second component less than said first distance, said proximal end remaining within the respective channel in all positions of said transfer tip, each said transfer tip being normally biased to its first position, and each said transfer tip being electrically connectable to the fastener for providing the deactuation signal thereto; a transfer strip assembly including at least one electrically conductive transfer strip; a transfer strip mounting plate for mounting said transfer strip assembly on the first component at a second surface thereof facing the first surface of the second component such that when the first and second components are in the defined configuration and the fastener is in its actuated condition, each said transfer tip is in its first position with its distal end in electrical contact with a respective transfer strip, said mounting plate further for mounting said transfer strip assembly such that when each transfer tip is in its second position it is out of electrical contact with said transfer strip assembly; and a signal application structure for applying the deactuation signal received from the signaling device to each said transfer strip, such that when the first and second components are in the desired configuration with the fastener in its actuated condition and the signaling device issues the deactuation signal, the deactuation signal passes from each said transfer strip to each said transfer tip in electrical contact therewith and thence to the fastener to place the fastener in its deactuated condition.