Patent ID: 8839926

Claim:
An actuator decoupler for selectively coupling and decoupling a driven part with a driving part of an actuation system, the actuator decoupler comprising: a sleeve member defining a longitudinal axis and including a first portion configured to couple to the driving part, and a second portion configured to couple to the driven part to receive at least one of a torque about the longitudinal axis and a force along the longitudinal axis from the driving part; a housing member rotationally and longitudinally fixed to the sleeve member; at least one coupling pin selectively engaged with the second portion of the sleeve member and the driven part when the driven part is coupled to the sleeve member such that the sleeve member and the driven part are at least one of rotationally and longitudinally fixed to one another by the at least one coupling pin; at least one preloaded energy mechanism coupled to the housing member and the at least one coupling pin; and at least one engageable locking member movably coupled to the at least one preloaded energy mechanism and, in a locking position, selectively retaining a preloaded energy of the at least one preloaded energy mechanism and maintaining the engagement of the at least one coupling pin with the sleeve member and the driven part, and, in an unlocking position, selectively releasing the preloaded energy of the at least one preloaded energy mechanism and thereby disengaging the at least one coupling pin from at least the driven part such that the driven part is free to translate at least one of rotationally and longitudinally with respect to the sleeve member and the driving part.