Release apparatuses comprising a hydraulic system and methods of manufacturing release apparatuses

Abstract

Some embodiments provide release apparatuses comprising: a body having a first and second mating sections each connected to separate tethers; the first mating section comprising a plurality of movable locking shoes movable between a locked position and a release position configured to allow the first mating section and the second mating section to disconnect; and a hydraulic system configured to induce a force to cause movement of the locking shoes between the locked and release positions, the hydraulic system comprises: a hydraulic fluid source; a hydraulic conduit coupled with the hydraulic fluid source; a hydraulic cylinder coupled with the hydraulic conduit and configured to receive hydraulic fluid; and a bypass valve coupled along the hydraulic conduit and configured to transition between open and closed states in response to pressure within the hydraulic conduit exceeding a hydraulic threshold and to allow leaked hydraulic fluid to be drained.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A release apparatus, comprising:
 a body having a first mating section and a second mating section with each of the first and second mating sections being connected to one of two separate tethers so that separation of the first mating section from the second mating section separates the two separate tethers;   the first mating section comprising a plurality of movable locking shoes movable between a locked position configured to lock the first mating section with the second mating section while withstanding opposing forces that exceed one hundred thousand pounds and a release position configured to allow the first mating section and the second mating section to disconnect; and   a hydraulic system configured to induce a force in response to a release command to cause movement of the locking shoes between the locked position and the release position, wherein the hydraulic system comprises:
 a hydraulic fluid source; 
 a hydraulic conduit coupled with the hydraulic fluid source; 
 a hydraulic cylinder coupled with the hydraulic conduit and configured to receive hydraulic fluid; and 
 a bypass valve coupled upstream along the hydraulic conduit from the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the bypass valve is configured to transition between an open state and a closed state in response to pressure within the hydraulic conduit exceeding a hydraulic threshold and to allow leaked hydraulic fluid to be drained from the conduit while the bypass valve is in the open state. 
   
     
     
         2 . The release apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a check valve coupled with the bypass valve and configured to allow the leaked hydraulic fluid to be released from the hydraulic system while preventing a contaminant outside of the hydraulic system from entering the hydraulic system through the bypass valve.   
     
     
         3 . The release apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising;
 a cam positioned adjacent the plurality of the locking shoes and cooperated with the hydraulic system, wherein the hydraulic system in inducing the force in response to the release command is configured to cause the cam to move causing the movement of the locking shoes between the locked position and the release position.   
     
     
         4 . The release apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a piston movably positioned in the hydraulic cylinder and configured to move in response the hydraulic fluid being injected into the hydraulic cylinder in response to the release command; and   a shaft secured between the piston and the cam and configured to transfer movement of the piston, in response to the injection of hydraulic fluid into the hydraulic cylinder, to the cam with sufficient force to cause the movement of the locking shoes from the locked position to the release position.   
     
     
         5 . The release apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the bypass valve further comprises a pressure trigger that activates the bypass valve to close. 
     
     
         6 . The release apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a redundant bypass valve coupled upstream along the hydraulic conduit from the hydraulic cylinder and coupled in parallel with the bypass valve, wherein the redundant bypass valve is configured to transition between an open state and a closed state in response to the pressure within the conduit exceeding the hydraulic threshold and to allow the leaked hydraulic fluid to be drained from the conduit while the redundant bypass valve is in the open state.   
     
     
         7 . The release apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a leak valve coupled with the hydraulic conduit of the hydraulic system and configured to further draw out the leaked hydraulic fluid, wherein the leak valve is configured to provide slow acting control pressure bleeding.   
     
     
         8 . The release apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a redundant bypass valve coupled upstream along the hydraulic conduit from the hydraulic cylinder and coupled in parallel with the bypass valve, wherein the redundant bypass valve is configured to transition between an open state and a closed state in response to the pressure within the conduit exceeding the hydraulic threshold and to allow the leaked hydraulic fluid to be drained from the conduit while the redundant bypass valve is in the open state.   
     
     
         9 . The release apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of locking shoes comprise toric portions of the locking surface comprising toric geometries, wherein the toric portions are not in contact with an engagement surface of the second mating section when the locking shoes are in the locked position and do not come into contact with the engagement surface as the locking shoes transition from the locked position to the released position, wherein the toric portions comprise a shape that tapers away from a plane defined by a main portion of the locking surface wherein the tapering of the toric portions comprise a curvature defined by a first radius. 
     
     
         10 . The release apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the toric portions are defined by the curvature rotated over a first arch relative to an axis at a second radius from the curvature, wherein the second radius is greater than the first radius. 
     
     
         11 . The release apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the locking shoes comprise an alloy steel conditioned in accordance with a carburizing, followed by an austenitizing, followed by a series of tempering and surface flame hardening of two or more surfaces of each of the locking shoes. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more locking valves coupled with the hydraulic cylinder and configured to maintain locking hydraulic fluid within the hydraulic cylinder to maintain a backside pressure within the hydraulic cylinder inhibiting movement of a piston within the hydraulic cylinder toward an open position when the first mating section and the second mating section are in a locked state with the first mating section releasably secured with the second mating section.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more locking valves are configured to transition to an open state in response to the release command allowing the locking hydraulic fluid to be released from the hydraulic cylinder and releasing the backside pressure. 
     
     
         14 . A method of releasably securing two tethers each extending to different objects, the method comprising:
 maintaining a bypass valve of a hydraulic system of a release apparatus in an open state;   drawing leaked hydraulic fluid leaked within the hydraulic system through the bypass valve to drain the hydraulic fluid from a conduit with which the bypass valve couples while the bypass valve is in the open state such that pressure within a hydraulic cylinder coupled with the conduit does not exceed a cylinder pressure threshold that is configured to cause movement of one or more of a plurality of locking shoes of the release apparatus from a locked position to a released position allowing a separation of a first mating section of the release apparatus from a second mating section of the release apparatus, wherein each of the first and second mating sections are connected to one of two separate tethers so that separation of the first mating section from the second mating section separates the two separate tethers, wherein the locking shoes when in the locked position maintain a position of the first mating section with the second mating section while withstanding opposing forces that exceed one hundred thousand pounds;   activating one or more release valves in response to a release command to release hydraulic fluid under pressure into the conduit to flow into the hydraulic cylinder; and   closing the bypass valve in response to a pressure within the conduit exceeding a hydraulic threshold in response the release of the hydraulic fluid into the conduit, wherein the closing the bypass valve prevents subsequent hydraulic fluid from exiting through the bypass valve.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 releasing the leaked hydraulic fluid passed through the bypass valve through a check valve coupled with the bypass valve and out of the hydraulic system, and preventing, through the check valve, a contaminant outside of the hydraulic system from entering the hydraulic system through the bypass valve.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising;
 inducing, through the hydraulic system in response to the release command, a force on a cam positioned adjacent the plurality of the locking shoes and cooperated with the hydraulic system;   inducing movement of the cam in response to the force and causing the movement of the locking shoes between the locked position and the release position.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 maintaining a redundant bypass valve, coupled upstream along the hydraulic conduit from the hydraulic cylinder and coupled in parallel with the bypass valve, in an open state;   directing the leaked hydraulic fluid leaked within the hydraulic system through the redundant bypass valve to drain the hydraulic fluid from the conduit such that pressure within the hydraulic cylinder coupled with the conduit does not exceed the cylinder pressure threshold;   closing the redundant bypass valve in response to the pressure within the conduit exceeding the hydraulic threshold in response the release of the hydraulic fluid into the conduit, wherein the closing the redundant bypass valve prevents subsequent hydraulic fluid from exiting through the redundant bypass valve.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 one or more locking valves coupled with the hydraulic cylinder and configured to maintain locking hydraulic fluid within the hydraulic cylinder to maintain a backside pressure within the hydraulic cylinder inhibiting, when the first mating section and the second mating section are in a locked state, movement of a piston within the hydraulic cylinder toward an open position and inhibiting the plurality of locking shoes from moving to the released position, and wherein the one or more locking valves are configured to transition to an open state in response to the release command allowing the locking hydraulic fluid to be released from the hydraulic cylinder and releasing the backside pressure.