Patent ID: 7543779

Claim:
An androgynous mating system for mating two space modules, comprising: a first mating assembly capable of mating with a second mating assembly; a second mating assembly structurally identical to said first mating assembly, said first mating assembly comprising; a load ring having an annular outer face and inner face; a plurality of load cell subassemblies coupled to said load ring, wherein a load cell subassembly is comprised of at least one load joint and at least one load cell, each of said at least one load cell being capable of sensing forces imposed on said load ring by contact with said second mating assembly and generating electronic signals representative of the sensed forces; a plurality of actuators coupled to said load ring on a first side of said actuators and capable of physically and dynamically moving said load ring through six degrees of freedom; a base ring coupled to a second side of said actuators; a tunnel coupled to said base ring; a closed loop control system electronically connected to said plurality of load cell subassemblies and capable of analyzing the signals originating from said at least one load cell and of generating real time control signals wherein said plurality of actuators move said load ring through six degrees of freedom; one or more electromagnets positioned on said outer face of said load ring; and one or more striker plates positioned on said outer face of said load ring, wherein said one or more electromagnets on said second mating assembly are capable of mating with said one or more striker plates on said first mating assembly, and wherein said one or more striker plates is comprised of a plate of predetermined shape and a 5-DOF mechanism capable of maintaining predetermined contact requirements during said mating of said one or more electromagnets and said one or more striker plates.