JPH04244394A - Fixing device for manipulator for space use - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize simplification of arranging constitution on condition that driving of a manipulator over a wide range is realized. CONSTITUTION:A fixed member 24, provided with an unholding holding lever mechanism 27, is arranged in a pressure chamber 11 through an explosion pipe bolt 22 and separated in a condition that holding action of the fixed member is ended by exploding the explosion pipe bolt 22, thereafter by drawing in a collecting cord 26, the fixed member can be collected. Thus by eliminating possibility of a driving obstacle by the fixed member at the time of driving a manipulator 10, simplification of arranging constitution of the fixed member is contrived further to ensure also safety by preventing generation of collision or the like to the other space traveling unit by throwing away the fixed member.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fixing device used to securely hold a space manipulator constructed in outer space in a folded storage position.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, in the field of space development, there is a concept of constructing a spacecraft, a so-called space station, in which humans can permanently reside in outer space. In such a space station construction concept, a manipulator system using a manipulator that carries out tasks such as transporting construction materials in place of humans is said to be effective. The manipulator used in this manipulator system is lightweight because it will be transported to outer space, and
It is required to have enough strength to withstand the impact during launch into outer space and to have a long life.

FIG. 3 shows such a space manipulator system, in which a manipulator 10 is disposed on the rear wall of a preload chamber 11, which is a living space of a space station constructed in outer space, for example. The manipulator 10 is fixedly held on the ground using a holding and releasing fixing device in a folded and stored state, and is transported while being protected from shocks such as vibrations during launch into outer space. When reaching outer space, the manipulator 10 is released from being held by the fixing device and is used for work in the supply module 12 and the experiment module 13 constructed near the preload chamber 11.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 4, in the above-mentioned fixing device, a holding/releasing means is disposed on the rear wall of the preload chamber 11 via a fixing member 1, and holds the manipulator 10 in the folded storage position. The holding and releasing means provided in this fixing device is constructed as shown in FIG. 5 or 6, for example.

The holding and releasing means shown in FIG.
A holding lever mechanism 4 is provided. This holding lever mechanism 4 is driven and controlled by a drive motor 3 to hold or release the tip of an arm called a trunnion of the folded and housed manipulator 10.

Further, the holding/releasing means shown in FIG. 6 has a structure in which the tip of the arm of the manipulator 10 is held by the bolt part 5a and nut part 5b of the well-known explosion tube bolt 5, and the nut part 5a is attached to the support base 6. It is fixed to the fixing member via. The bolt portion 5b, which holds the distal end of the arm of the manipulator 10 in the folded storage position, is screwed into the nut portion 5a through an explosive portion 5c called a power cartridge. When an electric signal from a control section (not shown) is input to the explosion section 5c of the bolt section 5b, the explosion section 5c explodes and is detached from the nut section 5a, thereby preventing the arm section of the manipulator 10 from being held. release.

However, in the space manipulator fixing device described above, no matter which holding and releasing means is used, after the holding and releasing means is used, the holding and releasing means including the fixing member 1 is attached to the periphery of the preload chamber 11, which is the mounting structure. Because they remain, they become a nuisance when the manipulator 10 is operated, and there is a possibility that the drive range of the manipulator 10 will be restricted. Further, according to this, the preload chamber 11 is fixed so that the fixing member 1 does not interfere with the opening of the airlock 14 provided at the entrance/exit of the preload chamber 11.
There is also a problem in that the design of the precompression chamber 11 is complicated because the arrangement and configuration of the precompression chamber 11 must be taken into consideration at the design stage of No. 1.

[0008]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] As described above, in the conventional fixing device for a space manipulator, there is a risk that the drive of the manipulator may be adversely affected after the manipulator is released, and its arrangement is extremely complicated. I had a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a fixing device for a space manipulator, which is capable of realizing highly accurate operation control over a wide range of manipulators, and which can simplify the arrangement. The purpose is to provide

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a holding and releasing means for releasably holding a manipulator in a folded storage position, a fixing member provided with a retrieval string on which the holding and releasing means is installed, and a fixing member provided with a collection string. A space manipulator comprising a separable and releasable detonator bolt fixed to a spacecraft, and ignition control means for controlling ignition of the detonator bolt to separate and release the fixing member and detaching the fixing member from the spacecraft. This constitutes a fixing device.

[0011]

[Operation] According to the above structure, the fixing member is fixed to the spacecraft via the blast tube bolt, and the holding and releasing means realizes the holding operation of the manipulator, and when the holding and releasing means is released, the blast tube bolt is released. By controlling the ignition and detonating and separating, it is separated from the spacecraft, and the collection string is pulled in to retrieve it. This eliminates the possibility of the fixed member interfering with the driving of the manipulator, simplifies its arrangement, and prevents collisions with other spacecraft due to abandonment of the manipulator.

0012

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a fixing device for a space manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a first support 20 is mounted on the rear wall of a preload chamber 12 (see FIG. 3) constituting a spacecraft. is screwed in via a bolt 21. A bolt part 22a of an explosive tube bolt 22 is supported on this first support stand 20, and the tip of this bolt part 22a is attached to a nut part 22b provided on a second support stand 23, and an explosion part 22c called a power cartridge. are screwed together and supported. This explosion part 22c receives an electric signal from a control part (not shown), explodes in response to this, and causes the bolt part 22a to explode into the nut part 22b.
to separate from

A fixing member 24 for installing a holding/releasing means is screwed onto the second support base 23 via a bolt. A plurality of collection strings 26 are provided around the fixing member 24,
The tip of the recovery string 26 is attached to a location that does not interfere with the spacecraft (not shown). And the fixing member 24
A holding lever mechanism 27 is attached to the tip of the holding lever mechanism 27 via a drive motor 28 as holding/releasing means. This holding lever mechanism 27 is connected to the drive motor 28 as explained in FIG.
It holds and releases the tip of the arm of the manipulator 10 that is folded and housed.

In the above configuration, the folded and housed manipulator 10 is held by the holding lever mechanism 4, and when used, the holding lever mechanism 4 is moved to the manipulator by driving the drive motor and reversing the holding lever mechanism. It is detached from the tip of the arm 10 and released. In this state, the blast tube bolt 2 supporting the fixing member 24
2 is detonated when an electric signal is input to its explosion part 22c. Then, the explosion tube bolt 22
is detached from the nut portion 22b, and its support bases 20, 23
and the fixing member 24 is separated from the preload chamber 11. Thereafter, the separated fixing member 24 is collected by the collection string 26 into the preload chamber 12, for example.

As described above, in the space manipulator fixing device, the fixing member 24 provided with the holding lever mechanism 27 for holding and releasing is disposed in the preload chamber 11 via the blast tube bolt 22, and the holding operation is completed. In this state, explode tube bolt 2
2 is detonated and separated, and then the collection string 26 is pulled together to make it recoverable. According to this, the fixing member 27 when the manipulator 10 is driven
By eliminating the possibility of interference with the drive caused by the spacecraft, the arrangement and configuration of the spacecraft can be simplified, and safety is also ensured by preventing collisions with other spacecraft due to abandonment.

In the above embodiment, the holding lever mechanism 4 is used as the holding and releasing means, but the present invention is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG.
It can also be applied to a holding/releasing means using 9, and substantially the same effect is expected. The blast tube bolt 27 is configured as shown in FIG. 6, for example.

Therefore, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0019]

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a space manipulator can be fixed in a manner that enables high-precision operation control over a wide range of the manipulator and simplifies the arrangement. equipment can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a fixing device for a space manipulator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a space manipulator system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a conventional space manipulator fixing device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the holding and releasing means of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the holding and releasing means of FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10...Manipulator, 11...Preload chamber, 12...Replenishment module, 13...Experiment module, 14...Airlock, 2
0, 23... First and second support bases, 21, 25... Bolt, 22... Explosive tube bolt, 22a... Bolt part, 22b... Nut part, 22c... Explosive part, 24... Fixing member, 26... Recovery string, 27... Holding lever mechanism, 28... Drive motor, 29...
Explosive bolt.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: A holding and releasing means for releasably holding the manipulator in a folded storage position, a fixing member provided with a collection string on which the holding and releasing means is installed, and a separation member for fixing the fixing member to the spacecraft. A fixing device for a space manipulator, comprising a releasable blast tube bolt and an ignition control means that controls ignition to separate and release the blast tube bolt, and detaches the fixing member from the spacecraft. .