JP2006224866A - Deployable antenna for space - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a deployable antenna for a space capable of realizing an antenna reflection mirror having an electric wave reflection surface of the optimum surface shape by constituting a deployment mechanism such that deployment angles of a plurality of back surface ribs can be independently adjusted and independently finely adjusting the deployment angles of the respective back surface ribs after assembling of the antenna. <P>SOLUTION: The deployment mechanism 5 is provided with a movable board 15 arranged at a back surface side of a center hub 3, guided by a guide shaft 13 by rotation of a drive shaft 14 and movable in an axial direction of the center hub 3; and a connection rod 16 for connecting an outer peripheral part of the movable board 15 and the other side of one end of the respective back surface ribs 4 respectively. Further, the connection rod 16 is constituted such that length can be adjusted respectively. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a deployable antenna mounted on space equipment such as an artificial satellite, and in particular, allows the deployment angle of each back rib to be adjusted independently, and develops the deployed shape of the antenna reflector into a desired radio wave reflecting surface shape. The present invention relates to an antenna deployment mechanism.

  A conventional deployable antenna for space is developed from a metal mesh that constitutes a radio wave reflecting surface of the antenna, a cable that retains its shape, a metal mesh and a cable folded, and after deployment, a metal mesh and a cable network. A deployable antenna having a deployable rib, a deployable hinge that retains the deployable rib, and a center hub that fixes the deployable hinge, and a storage cable having one end for retaining the cable attached to the cable; It is provided on the center hub, and when the antenna reflector is housed, the other end of the housing cable is discretely fixed to the center hub. To maintain the addition of the antenna reflector, a force in the unfolding direction is applied to the housing cable along with the addition of the addition slot. A storage cable release mechanism that sequentially opens the other end of the storage cable from the center hub. (E.g., see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-226620

In the conventional space deployment antenna, the deployment mechanism is not specifically described.
In this type of deployable antenna, a deploying mechanism that generally deploys a large number of radially arranged deploying ribs in a lump is employed. Therefore, a large number of deployment ribs have a single designed deployment angle, and the deployment angle of the deployment rib cannot be adjusted independently. Therefore, after the antenna is assembled, the radio wave reflection surface cannot be finely adjusted to the optimum surface shape. There was a problem.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. The deployment mechanism is configured so that the deployment angle of a large number of back ribs can be independently adjusted. After the antenna is assembled, the deployment angle of each back rib is independent. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a deployable antenna for space that can be finely adjusted to realize an antenna reflector having a radio wave reflecting surface with an optimal surface shape.

  The space deployable antenna according to the present invention includes a disc-shaped center hub, and the respective axial directions thereof coincide with the tangential direction of the same circle centering on the axial center on a plane perpendicular to the axial center of the center hub. A plurality of rotating shafts arranged at an equiangular pitch on the outer periphery of the center hub, and one side of one end thereof being attached to the center hub so as to be rotatable around the rotating shaft. A plurality of back ribs arranged at a predetermined pitch in the circumferential direction and taking a storage position that surrounds the center of the center hub in a cylindrical shape on the surface side of the center hub and a deployment position that is opened radially. A radio wave reflecting surface having a surface shape of a paraboloid of rotation is supported by the plurality of back ribs so that the back ribs are housed and unfolded in conjunction with the rotation of the back ribs with respect to the center hub. Antenna reflector and many of the above The rear ribs are provided and a deployment mechanism for deploying to the deployed position from the accommodated position. The unfolding mechanism includes a movable plate disposed on the back side of the center hub so as to be movable in the axial direction of the center hub, an outer peripheral portion of the movable plate, and one end of the plurality of back ribs. A plurality of connecting rods that connect the other side, respectively, and the plurality of connecting rods are configured such that their lengths are adjustable.

  According to the present invention, the multiple connecting rods for connecting the outer peripheral portion of the movable plate and the other end of the multiple back ribs are configured to be adjustable in length. In the state where is expanded, by adjusting the length of each connecting rod, the expansion angle of each back rib can be adjusted independently. Therefore, the radio wave reflection surface can be adjusted to the optimum surface shape by adjusting the deployment angle of each back rib while measuring the electric field strength of the radio wave reflection surface of the deployed antenna reflector.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a storage state of a space deployable antenna according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a space deployable antenna according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing a deployment transient state of the space deployable antenna according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view schematically showing the deployment completion state of the space deployment antenna according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing the deployment completion state of the space deployment antenna. FIG. 7 is a main part enlarged perspective view schematically showing a deployment completion state of the space deployable antenna according to the first embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing attachment of a rear rib in the space deployable antenna according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the structure, and FIG. It is a cross-sectional view showing the main portion of the deployment mechanism in space for expansion type antenna according to Embodiment 1 of the facilities. In addition, in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 thru | or FIG. 5, the connection member is abbreviate | omitted.

  1 to 8, the deployable antenna 1 includes an antenna reflector 2 having a radio wave reflecting surface that forms a surface shape of a rotating paraboloid in a deployed state, a disk shape, and the center position of the antenna reflector 2. A center hub 3 disposed on the antenna reflector, a plurality of back ribs 4 that support the back surface of the antenna reflector 2, and a deployment mechanism 5 that houses and deploys the plurality of back ribs 4 in an umbrella shape. .

  The center hub 3 is made of a metal such as titanium or stainless steel in a disc shape, for example. And the mounting surface 3a which has a plane orthogonal to a radial direction is formed in the outer peripheral wall surface of the center hub 3 at equiangular pitch. Further, mounting screw holes 3b are formed in each of the mounting surfaces 3a. The number of the attachment surfaces 3a is the same as the number of the back ribs 4, and the outer peripheral surface of the center hub 3 has a polygonal shape. Here, the “disc shape” includes the polygonal disc shape formed in this way.

  The deployment hinge 8 is made of, for example, a metal such as titanium or stainless steel, and includes a flat plate-like base portion 9 and a pair of support arms 10 erected vertically on the surface of the base portion 9. Then, the through hole 10a is formed in the pair of support arms 10 so as to be orthogonal to the standing direction of the support arm 10, and for example, the rotation shaft 11 made of metal such as titanium or stainless steel is formed in the through hole 10a. It is press-fitted and attached to a pair of support arms 10. Each unfolding hinge 8 has the back surface of the base portion 9 directed to the mounting surface 3a, and a screw (not shown) passed through the mounting hole 9a formed in the base portion 9 is fastened to the mounting screw hole 3b. It is attached to the hub 3. Here, each deployment hinge 8 is attached to the center hub 3 so that the centers of the gaps between the pair of support arms 10 are arranged at an equiangular pitch in the circumferential direction. The opposing surfaces of each pair of support arms 10 are formed in a plane shape parallel to a plane including the center of the gap between the pair of support arms 10 and the axis of the center hub 3. Further, each rotation shaft 11 is a plane orthogonal to the center of the center hub 3, and the axial direction of the rotation shaft 11 is tangential to the circle on the circumference of the same circle centered on the center of the center hub 3. Are arranged at equiangular pitches in the circumferential direction.

The back rib 4 is made of a metal such as titanium or stainless steel and has a T-shaped cross section. The T-shaped upright side 4a of the back rib 4 has a thickness substantially equal to the gap between the pair of support arms 10 of the deployment hinge 8, and its end surface reflects the radio wave of the antenna reflector 2 in the deployed state. It is formed in the curved surface shape equivalent to the surface shape of the radial direction of the paraboloid which comprises a surface. Furthermore, mounting holes 4c and 4d are formed on the distal end side and the root side of the upright side 4a.
Each rear rib 4 is inserted between the pair of support arms 10 of the deployment hinge 8 at the distal end side of the upright side 4a, and the rotation shaft 11 is inserted into the mounting hole 4c to rotate to the deployment hinge 8. Attached so as to be rotatable around the shaft 11. Thus, the rear ribs 4 are arranged radially at an equiangular pitch with the center hub 3 as the center so that the end surface of the T-shaped upright side 4a faces the antenna reflecting mirror 2 side. The end side is rotatably connected to the outer peripheral portion of the center hub 3 via a developing hinge 8 (rotating shaft 11).

  The antenna reflecting mirror 2 has a large number of thin film segments 6 formed in a truncated fan shape obtained by radially dividing a paraboloid of revolution. Each thin film segment 6 is formed by dividing the rotational paraboloid radially by using CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic), for example, which is made of polyether ether ketone resin or polyether sulfone resin as a matrix and reinforced with carbon fiber. The film is formed into a fan-shaped thin film, and the surface of the thin film is covered with a conductive material such as carbon, aluminum, or copper. Two thin film segments 6 are disposed between each pair of adjacent back ribs 4 arranged radially. In each pair of the two thin film segments 6, the end surfaces of the truncated fan-shaped sides are brought close to each other, the back surfaces of the thin film segments 6 are connected by the connecting member 7, and The back surface of the thin film segment 6 and the side surface of the standing side 4 a of the back rib 4 are connected by the connecting member 7 with the end surface of the side edge being brought close to the end surface of the T-shaped upstanding side 4 a of the back rib 4. Further, the connecting members 7 are arranged at a predetermined pitch in the radial direction.

Here, the thin film segment 6 is formed into a surface shape of a paraboloid of revolution by, for example, autoclave molding and has an out-of-plane rigidity. That is, the thin film segment 6 is elastically deformed while changing its surface shape in a loaded state, and is restored to the surface shape of the rotating paraboloid when the load is released.
In addition, carbon fibers, which are CFRP reinforcing fibers for forming the thin film segment 6, are knitted so as to have three fiber orientation directions having an intersection angle of 60 ° with each other. CFRP reinforced with this triaxial type carbon fiber exhibits strength according to the strength of the fiber in the fiber direction, but the anisotropy that the strength becomes very weak in the direction perpendicular to the fiber direction is eliminated. The same rigidity and elastic modulus can be obtained in any direction. By using this CFRP, the thermal expansion coefficient of the thin film segment 6 can be adjusted to zero.

The connecting member 7 is made of CFRP, which is a material of the thin film segment 6, in a rectangular flat plate shape, and only the region of the dividing line dividing the longitudinal direction into two is in an unimpregnated state of the matrix. That is, the connecting member 7 is configured by connecting a pair of joint portions formed into a rectangular flat plate shape with CFRP by a dividing line with a predetermined gap. Since the dividing line is composed of only carbon fibers, the connecting member 7 can be bent at the portion of the dividing line.
The connecting member 7 is bonded and fixed to the back surface of the adjacent thin film segment 6 with the dividing line along the opposing portion of the end faces of the truncated fan-shaped side edges of the thin film segment 6. Thus, the two thin film segments 6 are connected so as to be rotatable, that is, bendable, with the dividing line of the connecting member 7 as a rotation axis. Further, the connecting member 7 has a dividing line extending along the opposing portion between the end face of the other side of the truncated fan shape of the thin film segment 6 and the end face of the T-shaped upright side 4a of the back rib 4. Are adhered and fixed to the back surface of the thin film segment 6 and the side surface of the T-shaped upstanding side 4 a of the back rib 4. Thereby, each thin film segment 6 is connected to the back rib 4 so as to be rotatable, that is, bendable, with the dividing line of the connecting member 7 as a rotation axis.

  The unfolding mechanism 5 is provided between the center hub 3 and the stopper 12 in parallel with the stopper 12 disposed at a predetermined distance from the back surface of the center hub 3 and parallel to the axis of the center hub 3 to support the stopper 12. A guide shaft 13, one end rotatably supported by the center hub 3, the other end rotatably supported by the stopper 12, a drive shaft 14 disposed at the center position of the center hub 3, a guide A movable platen 15 guided by the shaft 13 and arranged so as to be movable along the axial direction of the center hub 3, and one end rotatably connected to the back rib 4 and the other end rotated to the movable platen 15. It is connected freely and is installed between the back rib 4 and the movable platen 15, and is fixed to the connecting rod 16 that transmits the moving force of the movable platen 15 to the back rib 4, and the extending portion from the stopper 12 of the drive shaft 14. The drive gear 17 is provided. The stopper 12, the guide shaft 13, the drive shaft 14, the movable platen 15, the connecting rod 16, and the drive gear 17 are made of a metal such as titanium or stainless steel, for example.

For example, four guide shafts 13 are arranged at an equiangular pitch around the center of the center hub 3. The guide shaft 13 has a function of fixing the stopper 12 to the center hub 3 and guiding the movement of the movable platen 15 in the axial direction of the center hub 3.
The drive shaft 14 is formed with a male screw portion 14 a at least in an axial region corresponding to the moving range of the movable platen 15.

The movable platen 15 is manufactured in a disk shape, and mounting surfaces 15a having a plane orthogonal to the radial direction are formed on the outer peripheral wall surface at an equiangular pitch. Further, mounting screw holes (not shown) are formed in each of the mounting surfaces 15a. The number of the attachment surfaces 15a is the same as the number of the back ribs 4, and the outer peripheral surface of the movable plate 15 has a polygonal shape (disc shape). Further, a female screw portion 15 b is formed at the axial center position of the movable platen 15, and a guide hole 15 c is formed at a position corresponding to the guide shaft 13. Note that the outer peripheral surface shape of the movable platen 15 is similar to the outer peripheral surface shape of the center hub 3.
The movable platen 15 is attached by inserting the guide shaft 13 through the guide hole 15 c and screwing the female screw portion 15 b with the male screw portion 14 a of the drive shaft 14. Then, the movable platen 15 is restricted from rotating around the axis by the guide shaft 13, and the rotational motion of the drive shaft 14 is converted into a linear motion and is guided by the guide shaft 13 to move in the axial direction. At this time, the guide shaft 13 is orthogonal to each mounting surface 3 a of the center hub 3, and is orthogonal to the plane passing through the axis of the center hub 3 and each mounting surface 15 a of the movable platen 15. It is installed so that the plane passing through the axis of the board 15 coincides.

  Although not shown in detail, the connection fitting 18 is configured in the same manner as the deployment hinge 8. That is, the connection fitting 18 is made of, for example, a metal such as titanium or stainless steel, and includes a flat plate-like base portion 19 and a pair of support arms 20 erected vertically on the surface of the base portion 19. A through hole (not shown) is formed in the pair of support arms 20 so as to be orthogonal to the standing direction of the support arm 20, and a rotating shaft 21 made of a metal such as titanium or stainless steel is provided, for example. It is press-fitted into the through holes and attached to the pair of support arms 20. Each connecting bracket 18 has the back surface of the base portion 19 directed to the mounting surface 15 a, and a screw (not shown) passed through a mounting hole (not shown) drilled in the base portion 19 is fastened to the movable platen 15. Attached. Here, each connecting metal fitting 18 is attached to the movable platen 15 so that the centers of the gaps between the pair of support arms 20 are arranged at an equiangular pitch in the circumferential direction. The opposing surfaces of each pair of support arms 20 are formed in a plane shape parallel to a plane including the center of the gap between the pair of support arms 20 and the axis of the movable platen 15. Further, each rotation shaft 21 is a plane orthogonal to the axis of the movable platen 15, and the axis direction of the rotation shaft 21 is tangential to the circle on the circumference of the same circle centered on the axis of the movable platen 15. Are arranged at equiangular pitches in the circumferential direction.

  The connecting rod 16 includes a screw rod 22 with a left-hand thread cut at one end, a screw rod 23 with a right-hand screw cut at one end, and a sleeve 24 with a left-hand screw and right-hand screw cut at both ends. . The connecting rod 16 is assembled by screwing the screw rods 22 and 23 to both ends of the sleeve 24, and the length is adjusted by turning the sleeve 24. The connecting rod 16 is attached to the back rib 4 so that the other end of the screw rod 22 can be rotated around a pin 25 inserted through the mounting hole 4 d of the back rib 4, and the other end of the screw rod 23 is connected to the rotating shaft 21. It is attached to the connecting bracket 18 so as to be rotatable around.

In the unfolding mechanism 5 configured as described above, the rotational torque of an electric motor (not shown) is transmitted to the drive gear 17 and the drive shaft 14 is rotationally driven. The rotational torque of the drive shaft 14 is converted into a linear force of the movable platen 15, and the movable platen 15 is guided by the guide shaft 13 to move upward or downward in FIG. 8 along the axial direction of the drive shaft 14. To do. The moving direction of the movable platen 15 can be switched by changing the rotation direction of the drive shaft 14.
Therefore, in FIG. 8, when the movable platen 15 moves downward, the moving force of the movable platen 15 is transmitted to the back rib 4 connected via the connecting rod 16. Then, the movable platen 15 moves until it comes into contact with the stopper 12. As a result, the back rib 4 rotates clockwise around the rotation axis 11 and expands to a deployment position indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG.
When the sleeve 24 is rotated in this state, the length of the connecting rod 16 expands and contracts. The expansion angle of the back rib 4 varies according to the expansion / contraction operation of the connecting rod 16. Therefore, a radio wave reflecting surface having an optimum surface shape can be constructed by adjusting the developing angle of each back rib 4 while measuring the electric field strength of the radio wave reflecting surface of the deployed antenna reflector 2. . Then, nuts are screwed onto the screw rods 22 and 23 to fix the sleeve 24 and the screw rods 22 and 23.
Then, when the movable platen 15 is moved upward in FIG. 8, the moving force of the movable platen 15 is transmitted to the back rib 4 connected via the connecting rod 16. Then, the back rib 4 rotates counterclockwise around the rotation shaft 11 and moves from the developed position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 8 to the storage position indicated by the solid line.
Furthermore, if the back rib 4 is expanded from the stowed position to the deployed position, the length of each connecting rod 16 is fixed to the adjusted length. Can be reproduced.

Next, the retracted state of the deployable antenna 1 configured as described above will be described.
The two thin film segments 6 disposed between the adjacent back surface ribs 4 are connected to each other in such a manner that the truncated fan-shaped sides of the thin film segment 6 are bent with the dividing line of the connecting member 7 as a rotation axis. The other side edges of the thin film segment 6 in the shape of a truncated fan are connected to the standing side 4a of the back rib 4 so as to be bendable with the dividing line of the connecting member 7 as a rotation axis.
Therefore, in the retracted state of the deployable antenna 1, as shown in FIG. 1, the rear ribs 4 are moved to the retracted position substantially parallel to the axis of the center hub 3 on the surface side of the center hub 3 by the deploying mechanism 5. The T-shaped bases 4b are brought close to each other and arranged in a substantially cylindrical shape. The two thin film segments 6 disposed between the adjacent back ribs 4 are valley folds in which the connecting portions of the truncated fan-shaped sides of the thin film segment 6 are close to the axial center position of the center hub 3 (see FIG. The connecting portion between the truncated fan-shaped sides is bent in a valley state when viewed from the back side. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the antenna reflecting mirror 2 is housed by being folded in a mountain fold at each back rib 4 and in a valley fold between adjacent back ribs 4. At this time, the surface shape of each thin film segment 6 is elastically deformed against the out-of-plane rigidity. That is, each thin film segment 6 is accumulated with a restoring force for returning to the surface shape of the paraboloid of revolution.
Thus, the deployable antenna 1 is mounted on a rocket with the antenna reflector 2 folded and stored alternately in a valley fold and a mountain fold.

Next, a deployment operation of the deployable antenna 1 in space will be described.
The unfolding mechanism 5 is activated, and the respective back ribs 4 are unfolded in synchronism so as to gradually increase the angle formed with the axis of the center hub 3. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3, the angle formed between the adjacent back ribs 4 gradually increases, whereby the angle formed between the two thin film segments 6 located between the adjacent back ribs 4 gradually increases. growing. Then, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, when the development of each back rib 4 is completely completed, the angle formed by the two adjacent thin film segments 6 becomes approximately 180 °, and the surface shape of the paraboloid of revolution. Thus, the antenna reflector 2 having the radio wave reflecting surface developed in FIG.

  According to the first embodiment, the unfolding mechanism 5 includes a movable platen 15 disposed on the back side of the center hub 3 so as to be movable in the axial direction of the center hub 3, an outer peripheral portion of the movable platen 15, and a large number. A plurality of connecting rods 16 for connecting the other end of the back rib 4 to each other, and the lengths of the connecting rods 16 are adjustable. Therefore, on the ground, by measuring the electric field strength of the radio wave reflection surface of the antenna reflector 2 deployed, the radio wave reflection surface having the optimum surface shape is constructed by adjusting the deployment angle of each back rib 4 can do. Thereby, when the antenna reflecting mirror 2 is deployed in space, it is possible to realize a radio wave reflecting surface having an optimal surface shape.

This type of deployable antenna has a maximum length (the aperture diameter of the radio wave reflecting surface becomes the maximum length in the deployed state) due to the rocket mountability. However, in the deployable antenna 1 according to the first embodiment, the antenna reflecting mirror 2 is alternately folded and stored in a valley fold and a mountain fold, so that the maximum length when stored is: The length of the deployable antenna 1 in the axial direction is reduced to about ½ of the aperture diameter of the antenna reflector 2, and a deployable antenna having an aperture diameter of 8 to 10 m can be mounted on the rocket.
Further, since the thin film segments 6 have out-of-plane rigidity, in the deployment transition state of the back rib 4, each thin film segment 6 is released from the accumulated restoring force, and the surface shape of the paraboloid of revolution itself. When the development of the back rib 4 is completed, no load is applied to each thin film segment 6, and each thin film segment 6 is completely restored to the surface shape of the paraboloid of revolution.

Further, since the thin film segment 6 is made of CFRP, the weight can be significantly reduced as compared with a conventional deployable antenna using a metal mesh.
Moreover, since CFRP is reinforced with the triaxial type carbon fiber fabric, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the thin film segment 6 can be adjusted to zero, and the surface accuracy of the radio wave reflecting surface of the antenna reflector 2 can be improved.

In addition, the connecting member 7 is formed of CFRP in a rectangular flat plate shape, and only the region of the dividing line that divides the longitudinal direction into two is in an unimpregnated state of the matrix and can be bent at the portion of the dividing line. . Since the connecting member 7 is deformed to realize the storing and unfolding operation of the antenna reflecting mirror 2, there is no backlash in the rotating portion at the hinge having the mechanical rotating portion, and the unfolded radio wave reflection. The surface accuracy of the surface is increased. That is, when a hinge having a mechanical rotating part is applied as a connecting member, there has been a problem that the surface accuracy of the radio wave reflecting surface due to backlash in the rotating part of the hinge is lowered when the antenna reflector is deployed. By using this connecting member 7, a decrease in surface accuracy of the radio wave reflecting surface is suppressed.
Furthermore, since the connecting member 7 is deformed, the connecting member 7 is easily adapted to the thin film segment 6 having a curvature, and an increase in the development resistance due to the use of the connecting member 7 is suppressed.

  In the first embodiment, the mounting surfaces 3a and 15a having a plane perpendicular to the radial direction are formed on the outer peripheral wall surfaces of the center hub 3 and the movable platen 15, but the mounting surfaces 3a and 15a are not formed. The outer peripheral wall surface of the center hub and the movable platen is a cylindrical outer peripheral surface, and the back surface of the base portion of the developing hinge and the back surface of the base portion of the coupling metal are formed in a concave surface shape corresponding to the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the center hub and the movable platen. It may be.

In the first embodiment, the rotation shaft 11 is described as being attached to the deployment hinge 8. However, the rotation shaft 11 is a plane orthogonal to the center of the center hub 3, and It suffices if they are arranged at an equiangular pitch in the circumferential direction with their axial directions coinciding with the tangential direction of the circle on the same circumference centered on the axis, for example, by processing the outer peripheral portion of the center hub 3 The rotation shaft 11 may be directly attached to the center hub 3.
In the first embodiment, the rotation shaft 21 is described as being attached to the movable platen 15, but the rotation shaft 21 is a plane orthogonal to the axis of the movable platen 15, On the same circumference centered on the axis, it is only necessary that the axial direction is aligned with the tangential direction of the circle and arranged at an equiangular pitch in the circumferential direction. The rotating shaft 21 may be directly attached to the movable platen 15.

In the first embodiment, the connecting rod 16 is described as having a so-called turnbuckle structure, but the connecting rod may be configured so that its length can be adjusted. A telescopic rod in which the tubular body is retractably accommodated in the outer tubular body, and the amount of expansion / contraction of the inner tubular body can be adjusted by loosening the tightening of a nut screwed into a threaded portion cut on the outer periphery of one end of the outer tubular body May be used.
In the first embodiment, the description will be made assuming that the female screw portion 15a of the movable platen 15 is screwed to the male screw portion 14a of the drive shaft 14 and the rotational torque of the drive shaft 14 is converted into the linear moving force of the movable platen 15. However, the linear movement drive mechanism of the movable platen 15 is not limited to this configuration. For example, the movable platen is disposed so as to be movable in the axial direction of the center hub with respect to the center hub, and the spring member is arranged in the center. It may be arranged in a contracted state between the hub and the movable platen, and the movable platen may be driven by releasing the stored force of the spring member.
Although not described in the first embodiment, a thermal control material such as multilayer insulation is installed so as to cover the entire deployment mechanism 5 in order to suppress the thermal influence on the deployment mechanism 5. It may be.

In the first embodiment, a thermoplastic resin such as polyetheretherketone resin or polyethersulfone resin is used as the CFRP matrix for producing the thin film segment 6, but the matrix is an epoxy resin or unsaturated polyester. A thermosetting resin such as a resin may be used.
In the first embodiment, the thin film segment 6 is made of CFRP. However, the material of the thin film segment 6 is not limited to CFRP, as long as it has an out-of-plane rigidity. For example, fiber reinforced plastics such as AFRP (Aramid Fiber Reinforced Plastic) reinforced with aramid resin and HFRP (Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Plastic) reinforced with hybrid fibers such as carbon fiber and aramid fiber may be used.

  Further, in the first embodiment, it is assumed that the CFRP is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape, and the connecting member 7 is used in which only the region of the dividing line that divides the longitudinal direction into two is in an unimpregnated state of the matrix. However, the connecting member may be any member as long as it can be deformed (bent) to accommodate and deploy the antenna reflector 2. For example, AFRP having a large breaking strain formed into a thin plate shape, an aromatic polyimide film, etc. A plastic film, a metal mesh braided with a gold-plated molybdenum wire, a C spring made of CFRP, or the like can be used.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
9A and 9B are diagrams for explaining the configuration of the deployment hinge in the space deployable antenna according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9A is a front view, and FIG. 9B is a side view. ing.
In FIG. 9, the deployment hinge 8 </ b> A is configured in the same manner as the deployment hinge 8 in the first embodiment except that a long hole 9 b as a mounting hole is formed in the base portion 9. The elongated hole 9 b is formed so that the longitudinal direction of the hole is parallel to the axial direction of the center hub 3 when the deployment hinge 8 </ b> A is attached to the center hub 3.

The deploying hinge 8A is attached to the center hub 3 with the back surface of the base portion 9 being directed to the mounting surface 3a, and the screw passed through the long hole 9b formed in the base portion 9 being fastened to the mounting screw hole 3b. . Therefore, after the antenna reflector is deployed, the deployment hinge 8A can be moved along the axis of the center hub 3 by loosening the screws. That is, the position of the rotation shaft 11 in the axial direction of the center hub 3 can be adjusted.
Therefore, according to the second embodiment, in addition to the length of the connecting rod 16, the position in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 11 can be adjusted, so that the surface shape of the radio wave reflecting surface can be freely adjusted. The degree is increased, and the adjustment accuracy of the surface shape of the radio wave reflecting surface can be increased.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
In the third embodiment, the screw rods 22, 23 of the connecting rod 16, the back rib 4 and the movable platen 15 are connected by a universal joint.
Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  According to the third embodiment, since the connecting portion between the screw rods 22 and 23 of the connecting rod 16 and the back rib 4 and the movable platen 15 is constituted by the universal joint, the movable platen 15 and the connecting rod 16 are connected to each other. The plane including the center of the connecting portion and the axis of the movable platen 15 is shifted in the circumferential direction with respect to the plane including the center of the connecting portion between the center hub 3 and the back rib 4 and the axis of the center hub 3. Even so, the moving force of the movable platen 15 is transmitted to the back rib 4 via the connecting rod 16, and the back rib 4 is stored and unfolded reliably. Thus, assembly of the deployment mechanism is facilitated.

  In each of the above embodiments, the antenna reflector is configured by a plurality of thin film segments. However, the present invention may be applied to a deployable antenna provided with an antenna reflector configured by a metal mesh. , Have the same effect.

It is a perspective view which shows typically the accommodation state of the space | gear deployment type antenna which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a principal part expansion perspective view which shows typically the accommodation state of the space | gear deployment type antenna which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows typically the expansion | deployment transition state of the expansion | deployment type | formula antenna for space concerning Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a side view which shows typically the completion state of expansion | deployment of the space | gear deployment type antenna which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows typically the deployment completion state of the space | gear deployment type antenna which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a principal part expansion perspective view which shows typically the completion state of expansion | deployment of the space | gear deployment type antenna which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view explaining the attachment structure of the back rib in the space | gear deployment type antenna which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the principal part of the expansion | deployment mechanism in the space | gear expansion | deployment type | mold antenna which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure explaining the structure of the expansion | deployment hinge in the expansion | deployment type | mold antenna for space concerning Embodiment 2 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Deployment type antenna, 2 Antenna reflector, 3 Center hub, 4 Back rib, 5 Deployment mechanism, 8 Deployment hinge, 9b Elongation hole, 11 Rotating shaft, 12 Guide shaft, 15 Movable board, 16 Connecting rod.

Claims (2)

A disc-shaped center hub,
A large number of them arranged at equiangular pitches on the outer peripheral portion of the center hub such that the respective axial directions coincide with the tangential direction of the same circle centering on the axial center on a plane orthogonal to the axial center of the center hub. A pivot axis of the book,
One end of the center hub is attached to the center hub so as to be rotatable about the rotation shaft, and is arranged at a predetermined pitch in the circumferential direction of the center hub. A large number of back ribs taking a storage position that surrounds and a deployment position that is opened radially,
A radio wave reflecting surface that is supported by the plurality of back ribs so as to be housed and deployed in conjunction with the rotational movement of the plurality of back ribs with respect to the center hub, and has a paraboloidal surface shape in the deployed state. An antenna reflector to be configured; and
A deployment mechanism that deploys the plurality of back ribs from the storage position to the deployment position;
The unfolding mechanism includes a movable plate disposed on the back side of the center hub so as to be movable in the axial direction of the center hub, an outer peripheral portion of the movable plate, and the other side of one end of the multiple back ribs. A plurality of connecting rods for connecting the
The deployable antenna for space use, wherein the length of each of the plurality of connecting rods is adjustable.   2. The deployable antenna for space according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of rotation shafts arranged on the center hub is configured such that the position of the center hub in the axial direction can be adjusted.

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