JP2635576B2 - Deployment operation control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a deployment operation control device such as a solar battery paddle mounted on an artificial satellite, and in particular, a plurality of folded panels are deployed. It is designed so that they unfold smoothly without interfering with each other.

(Prior Art) As a conventional solar battery paddle mounted on an artificial satellite, as shown in FIG. 6, when the satellite is stabilized in outer space, an accordion-like type is widely used. This kind of solar array paddle has multiple panels 1,2,3,4,
5, when deployed in the longitudinal direction, is designed to be deployed while keeping the angle between the panels equal. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 1B, a synchronization mechanism 10 is mounted between the panels. The synchronization mechanism 10 has pulleys 11A and 12A attached to the shafts of hinges 11 and 12, and the pulleys 11A and 12A are linked by a belt 13. The panel 4 is designed to unfold the panel 3 by the same angle as the panel 2 unfolds.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, as the developed shape of the solar battery paddle, not only the above-mentioned I-shaped one but also various shapes can be considered. For example, various developments may be required depending on the required power, the size of the satellite, the shape of the satellite, the space at launch of the satellite, and the like. Considering such a developed shape, the conventional synchronization mechanism is not sufficient.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a deployment operation control device that can be used regardless of the final deployment shape of a panel and that is effective to eliminate mutual interference during deployment between a plurality of panels and obtain a smooth deployment. The purpose is to provide.

[Constitution of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention relates to a first panel in which at least one deployment panel is foldably and foldably connected via a hinge; A second panel which is folded and accommodated in a first side orthogonal to a side to which the deployment panel is connected via a hinge so as to be freely deployable, and a first panel of the first panel.
A third panel supported by a second side opposite to the side of the first panel via a hinge so as to be freely deployable, stacked with the second panel with respect to the first panel, and folded and accommodated; And a restraining member and a restrained member that form a pair with one of the third panel and the deployment panel connected to the first panel are provided corresponding to each other, and in a folded state of the deployment panel,
The restraining device and the restrained device engage on the rotation axis of the deployment panel to restrain one of the second and third panels to the first panel, and interlock with the deployment of the deployment panel. The first restraining means for releasing the restraint of one of the second and third panels by releasing the engagement of the restraining tool and the restrained tool with the second and third panels. Are provided corresponding to each other, and in the folded state of the second and third panels, the restraint and the restrained member are rotated by one of the rotation axes of the second and third panels. The first and second panels are engaged with each other to restrain the other of the second and third panels to one, and the first restraining means releases the restraint of the deployed panel and one of the second and third panels. When the one panel is unfolded, the restraint And engagement of the restraint is released, it is constructed by a second constraining means for releasing the other constraints of the second and third panels.

(Function) Even if panels having different directions of deployment are combined because of having the above-described restraining device, the second panel can be deployed after the third panel is fully deployed, and the second panel can interfere with each other. It can be deployed smoothly without doing.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which P1, P2, P3, P4, P5
Is a solar panel. The panels P1 to P5 are developed as shown in FIG. 2 (a), and have a T-shape when fully expanded. FIG. 2 (b) shows the folded state in a simplified manner. Referring back to FIG. 1, the panel
P5 and panel P4 are connected by hinge 21, and panel P4 and panel P1 are connected by hinges 22a and 22b. Therefore, the panels P5 and P4 are expanded around the hinge 21, and the panels P4 and P1 are expanded around the hinges 22a and 22b, and are in the expanded state as shown in the state A of FIG. In the deployed state of state B in FIG. 2, the panel P3 can now be deployed around the hinges 23a and 23b. That is, hinge 23
Panels a and 23b connect panel P1 and panel P3. After the panel P3 is deployed, the panel P2 is deployed around a hinge (not shown), and the panel P3 is finally deployed.

Each of the hinges 21, 22a, 22b, 23a, and 23b has, for example, a built-in coil and urges the connected panel in a direction in which the panel is developed. By default, each panel is folded,
P5 is connected to, for example, panel P1. And the panel
When the connection between P5 and panel P1 is released by the control device,
The above automatic deployment is started.

In this developing operation, in the present invention, there is no interference between the panels, and a smooth developing can be obtained. Hereinafter, a structure for obtaining the operation will be described.

That is, in the present invention, the restraint device 30 is attached between the panel P2 and the panel P3. As shown in FIG. 1 (b), the restraining device 30 includes a restrained fitting 31 attached to one side of the panel P2 and a panel facing the restrained fitting 31.
And a restraining bracket 32 attached to P3. Detained bracket 3
1. The distal end of the restraining fitting 32 engages with the hinges 23a and 23b in the rotation axis direction when the panel is folded.
The rotation axis A coincides with the rotation axes of the hinges 23a and 23b so that the tip of the restraining fitting 32 rotates about the shaft 33 at the tip of the restrained fitting 31 when the panel is deployed.

Further, the restraint device 40 is mounted on a side orthogonal to the side on which the restraint device 30 is mounted. The restraint device 40 is provided between the panels P3 and P4. The restraining device 40 also has a restrained fitting 41 similar to the restrained fitting 31 and a restraining fitting 42 similar to the restraining fitting 32. The tips of the restrained bracket 41 and the restraining bracket 42 are hinges 22a and 22b when the panel is folded.
Are engaged with each other in the direction of the rotation axis. The tip of the restraining fitting 42 is the shaft of the tip of the restrained fitting 41 when the panel is unfolded.
Rotation axis B is rotated by hinges 22a,
Coincides with the rotation axis of 22b.

The operation of the restraint devices 30, 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 (a) is a view of the restraining device 40 as viewed from the arrow Y side in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 (b) is a view as viewed from the arrow X side in FIG. This shows a state after the panel P5 is expanded. The next panel to expand is panel P4
However, the panel P4 rotates around the hinges 22a and 22b and expands to the position indicated by the dashed line in the figure. At this time,
As the panel P4 rotates in the direction of the arrow W shown in the figure, the restraining device 42 releases the locked state of the restraining device 41 from the restrained device 41. That is, the overlapping part of both metal fittings is released. In the case of this embodiment, the lock is released when the panel P4 is deployed by about 90 ° with respect to the panel P3. As a result, the restrained fitting 41 no longer has a member for pressing it.

Therefore, the panel P3 can be deployed with the hinges 23a and 23b as the center of rotation. FIG. 4 is a state viewed from the arrow Y direction in FIG. The panel P3 is unfolded in the direction indicated by the arrow Z around the hinges 23a and 23b as a center of rotation.
30 acts to prevent the next panel P2 from unfolding faster than necessary. In other words, the restraining bracket 30 has the panel P3
When the panel P2 is deployed by about 90 ° or more, the lock is released to allow the panel P2 to be deployed in another direction. panel
P3 and P2 are located on the same plane as the panel P1 when fully expanded to the position indicated by the dashed line in the figure. Note that a lubricating mechanism such as a roller or a bearing is interposed between the constraining fitting and the constrained fitting so that a smooth rotation can be obtained.

As described above, according to the present invention, the lock of the panel to be developed next is released when the panel to be developed prior to the next panel is sufficiently developed to prevent interference between the panels. This release is obtained by a restraining device having a simple configuration, and can be realized at low cost.

In the above-described embodiment, the panel developed in a T-shape has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a solar cell paddle having a developed shape shown in FIG. 5 may be used. (A) to (c) of FIG. 5 show how a plurality of panels P11 to P19 are sequentially developed.

In the above embodiment, an example in which five or more panels are developed has been described. However, the present invention basically includes second and third panels having different development directions from the first panel. It can be applied to what has been done. That is, a second panel is connected to one side of the first panel by a first hinge and is turned and folded in a first direction, and a second hinge is provided on the other side of the first panel by a second hinge. Connected to the first
Has at least a third panel that is folded so as to overlap with the second panel, and sequentially expands the third, second, and first panels. The present invention can be applied to a panel device that can be used, and is not limited to a solar cell paddle. For example, it can be applied as an antenna deployment device.

[Configuration of the Invention] As described above, the present invention can be used regardless of the final developed shape of a panel, and eliminates mutual interference during deployment between a plurality of panels to prevent breakage or collision. Thus, it is possible to provide a deploying operation control device which can effectively prevent the deployment and obtain a smooth deployment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural explanatory view showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a state explanatory view showing the progress of deployment of the solar battery paddle of FIG. 1, FIG. 3, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the restraint device of FIG.
The figure is a panel development explanatory view in another embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 6 is a development view of a conventional solar cell paddle and an explanatory view of a synchronization mechanism. P1 to P5: Panel, 22a, 22b, 23a, 23b: Hinge, 30, 4
0 ... restraint device.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kaji Kawai 1 Kosuka Toshiba-cho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki City Inside the Toshiba Komukai Plant (72) Inventor Tadayoshi Akashi 1 Kosuka-Toshiba-cho, Saiwai-ku Kawasaki-shi Co., Ltd. Toshiba Komukai Plant

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A first panel to which at least one expansion panel is foldably connected via a hinge, and a first panel perpendicular to a side of the first panel, to which the expansion panel is connected. A second panel that is foldably and foldably accommodated on one side via a hinge, and is supported by a second side opposite to the first side of the first panel via a hinge so as to be expandable, A third panel stacked and housed with the second panel with respect to the first panel, and a deployment panel connected to one of the second and third panels and the first panel And a restraint tool and a restraint tool that form a pair with each other are provided in correspondence with each other, and in the folded state of the deployment panel, the restraint tool and the restraint tool engage on the rotation axis of the deployment panel and the second And one of the third panels is connected to the first panel. A first restraint that releases the restraint of one of the second and third panels by disengaging the restraint and the restrained tool in conjunction with the deployment of the deployment panel. Means, and a restraint and a restraint forming a pair on the second and third panels are provided corresponding to each other, and the restraint and the restraint are in a folded state of the second and third panels. The second
And the other of the second and third panels is engaged with one of the rotation axes of the third panel and the other of the first and second panels.
When the restraint of the deployment panel and one of the second and third panels by the restraining means is released and the one of the panels is deployed, the restraining device and the restrained device are interlocked with this. And a second restraint means for releasing the restraint of the other of the second and third panels when the engagement is released.