Automated System for Fluid and Electrical Connections

The Smart Umbilical Mating System (SUMS) is an automated, three-degreeof- freedom, scalable system for quickly mating, demating, and/or remating ganged umbilicals. SUMS connects electrical and fluid paths between spacecraft and ground support equipment whether liftoff or side mount for NON T-0 umbilicals. SUMS prevents electrical arcing and leakage of fluids by providing for automated alignment of mating connectors and verification of mating. SUMS could readily be adapted to such other applications as servicing of aircraft, orbiting spacecraft, or ground vehicles. Major elements of SUMS include mating cones equipped with force sensors with integral latches; computer control; robotic vision with tracking aided by laser beams; actuation by a compliant pneumatic motor; and a secondary mate plate, which holds the ground-side fluid electrical connectors in proper alignment, is pneumatically actuated to complete mating once the cones have been latched, and is the only part of the system that one must change to adapt SUMS to different applications. A commercial version plumbed with electrical power, communications, fuel, lubricants, and coolant fluids could be installed at a central location for servicing land vehicles. SUMS could be utilized between moving vehicles. Automated functions could include electronic identification of vehicles to prevent errors; recording of data about the vehicle; its consumption of fluids; sampling for wear analysis; maintenance scheduling; distance traveled; and topping off or changing of all fluids in the correct amounts.