Latching Devices for Electrical and Mechanical Connections

Latching devices have been developed to provide electrical connections, secure mechanical and thermal connections, and optical alignment for mounting electronically controlled cameras on the spaceborne laboratory apparatus described in the preceding article. Traditionally, the installation of such a camera or a similar instrument has been a time-consuming task that involved tightening of multiple fasteners to specified torques, making separate electrical connections, and use of special tools. The present latching devices are designed for quick connection and quick disconnection by simple manual hand motions; no tools are needed. These latching devices could also be used on Earth in numerous industrial and scientific applications to provide electrical, mechanical, thermal, and/or optical interconnections that can be made and broken quickly and reliably, without tools.