JPH072196A - Thermal louver - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a space thermal louver which is designed to reduce the generation of a mechanical stress owing to vibration and an impact during launching. CONSTITUTION:A thermal louver comprises a mechanism consisting of a hold spring 1 to fix a louver blade 3 during launching and a shape memory spring 2 elongated when the temperature of a radiation plate 5 exceeds a specified value during launching; and a bimetal coil 4 to rotate the louver blade 3 around a louver blade rotary shaft 6 according to a temperature change. In an initial state, the generation of fixed vibration and the impact of the louver blade is reduced. Meanwhile, in a working state, it works like a conventional louver plate.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal louver mounted on a spacecraft such as an artificial satellite and controlling heat of a heating element such as an electronic device therein, and particularly when launching a louver blade and a bimetal coil. The present invention relates to an improved thermal louver that reduces stress caused by vibration and shock of the.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional thermal louver is known to have a structure as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-45300 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-122399. FIG. 2 shows the structure of the thermal louver. This thermal louver is composed of a louver blade 3 that controls the heat radiation of the heat radiating plate 5, a bimetal coil 4 that rotates the louver blade 3, and a heat radiating plate 5 that radiates the heat of the heating element. It rotates around the rotation axis 6.

One of the bimetal coils 4 is attached in contact with the heat radiating plate 5, and the other is connected to the louver blade rotating shaft 6. When the temperature of the heat radiating plate 5 rises, the bimetal coil 4 shifts and the louver blade 3 rotates to radiate the heat from the heat radiating plate 5.

[0004]

The thermal louver for space is subject to mechanical stress due to vibration and impact at the time of launch. In the conventional thermal louver, the louver blade is not fixed but is semi-fixed via the bimetal coil, so vibration and shock stress at launch affect the louver blade and bimetal coil, causing failure. There was a problem.

An object of the present invention is to solve such problems and to provide a thermal louver capable of reducing the mechanical stress at the time of launch and maintaining the reliability of temperature control on the orbit.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A thermal louver according to the present invention radiates heat by rotating a heat radiating plate and a bimetal coil provided on one surface side of the heat radiating plate and provided on the heat radiating plate. A thermal louver including a controlling louver blade is characterized by having a latch mechanism for fixing the louver blade until the heat radiating plate reaches a specified temperature.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the same elements as those in FIG. 2 are given the same numbers. This thermal louver has a louver blade 3
It is equipped with a latching mechanism that holds the unit from rotating. The latch mechanism is provided in a recess 8 formed in a frame 7 connected to the heat sink 5, and has a holding spring 8 having a ball 9 fixed to the tip thereof and a heat sink 5 at one end.
And a spring 2 made of a shape memory alloy and fixed to. The shape of the spring 2 is memorized so that the spring 2 expands when the temperature becomes high. Also, the ball 9
Protrudes from the side surface of the frame 7 by about half.

One end 10 of the louver blade 3 has a ball 9
It is sandwiched between and and the other end of the shape memory alloy spring 2 to be latched or fixed.

In this manner, the spacecraft is launched with the louver blade 3 fixed. The stress applied to the louver blade 3 and the bimetal coil 4 at the time of launch is reduced because the louver blade 3 is fixed.

After the spacecraft is launched, when the heat sink 5 reaches a specified temperature due to high temperature, the shape memory alloy spring 2 senses the temperature and extends to push one end 10 of the louver blade 3. As a result, the louver blade 3 starts rotating counterclockwise. One end of louver blade 3
0 pushes the ball 9 at the tip of the holding spring 1,
The holding spring 1 contracts and one end 1 of the louver blade 3
0 passes the ball 9 and is released from the fixed state. After that, temperature control is performed as in the conventional thermal louver.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention, the louver blade is fixed in the initial state, the influence of mechanical stress at the time of launch is reduced, and in the operating state, the conventional temperature control is performed. The effect that is possible is obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a thermal louver of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a conventional thermal louver.

[Explanation of reference numerals] 1 holding spring 2 shape memory alloy spring 3 louver blade 4 bimetal coil 5 heat sink 6 louver blade rotating shaft 7 frame 8 recess 9 ball

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A thermal louver comprising a heat radiating plate and a louver blade arranged in parallel on one surface side of the heat radiating plate and rotated by movement of a bimetal coil provided on the heat radiating plate to control heat radiation. A thermal louver having a latch mechanism for fixing the louver blade until the heat sink reaches a specified temperature. 2. The thermal louver according to claim 1, wherein the latch mechanism includes a holding spring that sandwiches one end of the louver blade from both sides and a shape memory alloy spring. 3. The shape memory alloy spring starts to expand when it reaches the specified temperature, and the louver blade is rotated to contract the holding spring to release the louver blade from a fixed state. The thermal louver according to claim 2.