NASA ACES suit disconnects

[antarusfree]

Hello everyone, I am back!

After seeing Adam Savage's ACES replica suit, I was blown away.
So I started making some parts in 3D as usual.
The first thing I wanted to tackle is the glove disconnect ring made by Air-Lock, Inc.
Haven't found much info of these rings as I expected.
I am working mostly with Wikipedia high def pictures of astronauts to see these ring from different angles.

If anyone has some good reference, I will appreciate it.

So lets start:
the real thing

 

[antarusfree]

First steps...

 

[asavage]

This is a great project! The disconnects on my ACES suits and gloves are actually Apollo wrist rings metallized in a gunmetal. I'd love you to consider selling me a couple sets of these from you when you're done. Here's some of the best disconnect research I gathered.

 

[antarusfree]

This is a great project! The disconnects on my ACES suits and gloves are actually Apollo wrist rings metallized in a gunmetal. I'd love you to consider selling me a couple sets of these from you when you're done. Here's some of the best disconnect research I gathered.

Thank you Adam!

Also, thank you for your reference pictures. One with the ruler really helped, but also means that I need to remodel the whole thing.
My OD was 120mm but it's 100mm on the real ones.

I will send you a PM today

 

[antarusfree]

Some new shots, I am 90% done, but my model is too big and I need to remodel all parts and add some details.

 

[Mad Monkey]

I love watching Adams suit builds! And how this rpf community works together big or little to help each other out in builds!

 

[asavage]

Note: the connector will be easier to attach to the suit as long as there's a lip on both sides of the connector to attach to the suit with velcro. I know the real one is attached with screws, but I follow Nagata's method of a 1/2" lip with some hook sticky velcro on it to attach to a corresponding strip of loop velcro sewn into the glove and the suit cuff.

 

[antarusfree]

Note: the connector will be easier to attach to the suit as long as there's a lip on both sides of the connector to attach to the suit with velcro. I know the real one is attached with screws, but I follow Nagata's method of a 1/2" lip with some hook sticky velcro on it to attach to a corresponding strip of loop velcro sewn into the glove and the suit cuff.

I will be easy for me to adapt the ring for the Velcro.

 

[antarusfree]

Try #2 now with more accurate dimensions I hope

 

[lmgill]

I will be easy for me to adapt the ring for the Velcro.

No No, don't do it! Ring and screws or "Band-It" clamps.
There is a bearing on the suit side (I think) of this ring. Almost all glove disconnects have a bearing in one of the sides.
If you care to share your model, (Solid works?) I'd trade you some other parts you may need.
My replica:

 

[antarusfree]

No No, don't do it! Ring and screws or "Band-It" clamps.
There is a bearing on the suit side (I think) of this ring. Almost all glove disconnects have a bearing in one of the sides.
If you care to share your model, (Solid works?) I'd trade you some other parts you may need.
My replica:

The first thing I will model the rings as accurate as possible, so with screws etc..
Yes, there is a bearing on the glove side and I am thinking about modeling some needle bearing cage for this feature.
When I have finished models for left and right hand, then I can make copies and edit them.
I work in Inventor Professional

 

[antarusfree]

Moving along...

LEFT RING ASYY

 

[antarusfree]

Now I need to edit the locking ring and bearing ring to make room for the needle bearing cage.
Also trying to fine a good picture of this glove tab on the side. It's held by two countersunk screws.

 

[lmgill]

I'm pretty sure they use ball bearings on the real one. The cover you have illustrated above (with the 2 counter sunk screws) Looks like the bearing race cover, this is how the ball bearings are loaded. With half the race on each side, they overlap and the balls are fed in, once full, the two parts cannot separate and the cover, often has a post on the back side that completes the inner race surface, to keep balls from sticking in the feed hole.

 

[antarusfree]

I'm pretty sure they use ball bearings on the real one. The cover you have illustrated above (with the 2 counter sunk screws) Looks like the bearing race cover, this is how the ball bearings are loaded. With half the race on each side, they overlap and the balls are fed in, once full, the two parts cannot separate and the cover, often has a post on the back side that completes the inner race surface, to keep balls from sticking in the feed hole.

Well, I was thinking about that, but I need to find a way to make it easy to make.
Or use anything to make it rotate

 

[antarusfree]

I'm pretty sure they use ball bearings on the real one. The cover you have illustrated above (with the 2 counter sunk screws) Looks like the bearing race cover, this is how the ball bearings are loaded. With half the race on each side, they overlap and the balls are fed in, once full, the two parts cannot separate and the cover, often has a post on the back side that completes the inner race surface, to keep balls from sticking in the feed hole.

Just trying out Imgill's idea..

 

[lmgill]

Correct direction, but your grooves are too shallow. Make the groove radius more like 105% the ball diameter and 45% in depth (per side) of the 105% radius. The result is a groove slightly larger than the balls and when the balls are inserted, there is a .010" to .020" gap between the two sides. You can get plastic ball bearings from McMaster-Carr. I think 3/32" diameter made of Delrin would be correct. If your needing to work in mm, then 2 mm balls may be OK, but if you have the room, 3mm would be better.
Because the balls rotate in the same direction, the two touching sides rotate in opposite directions. Engineers have tried some tricky things to prevent this, most common is a bearing cage. The Gemini neck rings had a tiny compression spring inserted into the hole in between every ball. (Huge PITA!)
But, with such a slow and minimal rotation, this is way overkill and most rings just have about 10% fewer balls than would fit in the race, giving the balls a little slop to move around. Each ring will likely use between 120 and 140 balls. (A pack of 100 Delrin balls is less than $3)

 

[lmgill]

Here is a cross section of a real glove disconnect I designed for Orbital Outfitters for XCOR Aerospace.
I've highlighted the two rings that overlap (green) and where the balls sit. You can see, the groove is nearly the entire depth of the ball diameter.
What is not shown is the hole where the balls are inserted. This type of disconnect uses moving pins, similar to the neck ring photo I sent. The one you are drawing uses a bayonet style lock.

 

[asavage]

What a wonderful trove of info! Thanks Imgill, I'm fascinated to see how the actual thing works. This is so cool.

 

[antarusfree]

Here is a cross section of a real glove disconnect I designed for Orbital Outfitters for XCOR Aerospace.
I've highlighted the two rings that overlap (green) and where the balls sit. You can see, the groove is nearly the entire depth of the ball diameter.
What is not shown is the hole where the balls are inserted. This type of disconnect uses moving pins, similar to the neck ring photo I sent. The one you are drawing uses a bayonet style lock.

Imgill, thank you so much for your help
So I used a 3mm ball this time, maybe 4mm would fit. I want to ask you, are you using o-rings as the seal?