Patent ID: 7314017

Claim:
A connector system for interconnecting first and second sections of a floatation system in a seawater environment, the first and second sections being aligned in an end-to-end or side-by-side orientation, said connector system comprising: a flexor connector mounted for sliding movement within a first well of the first section; and a flexor connector drive system including at least one slide mechanism mounted within a second well of said second section for sliding movement within said second well; at least one drive mechanism coupled to said slide mechanism at a driving end thereof, said drive mechanism including a linear drive coupled to said slide mechanism at said driving end, and a drive motor coupled to said linear drive for driving said slide mechanism in a first direction to push said slide mechanism out of said second well toward said first section for coupling said slide mechanism to said flexor connector; and said drive mechanism being reversible, allowing said drive motor and said linear drive to drive said slide mechanism, with said slide mechanism coupled to said flexor connector, in a direction opposite said first direction, to pull said slide mechanism and said flexor connector from said first well at least partially into said second well.