RU119325U1 - FOLDING NET FOR REUSABLE SPACE GARBAGE ASSEMBLY - Google Patents

Abstract

A folding net for a reusable space debris collector, including a flattened cone made of fabric woven from metal threads, the inlet of the cone is covered by a front perforated tape, the rear perforated tape is inserted along the net, connecting its top with the edge of the inlet, at the locations of the tapes the fabric is made double-layer with stitching of layers with a metal thread and with ribbons prying between two layers of fabric, ribbons with one end are attached to the casings of tape transport mechanisms, each on its own, the other end is free and enters the inside of the tape drive mechanism, each has its own, on one side, and comes out, twisting on the other hand, each belt drive has a gear wheel, the teeth of which correspond to the holes in the belt, the free end of each belt ends with a stop that prevents the belt from falling out of the belt drive when the net is opened.

Description

B 64 G 9/00

Folding net for reusable space debris collector

The utility model relates to space assets not assigned to other groups, B 64 G 9/00 and is a means of capturing and retaining space debris.

A known system for removing space debris (patent for the invention of the Russian Federation No. 2053943, according to the application 5007255/11 of 07.15.1991, B 64 G 9/00), which consists of a system of space objects for the implementation of artificial solar eclipse. It contains a spacecraft, a disk interacting with a rotation drive mounted on the spacecraft and connected to it by means of a locking device. The disk is made of soft material, has an axis of rotation and is equipped with weights uniformly fixed around the perimeter of the disk.

The disadvantages of the described system are the following: 1) there is no aiming system pointing the soft disk at space debris, 2) after a collision with large space debris, the soft disk collapses, there is no disk deployment system, it only works at the initial stage of disk launch, 3) the space crashes debris is random enough, depending on which part of the orbit it will collide with the disk.

The purpose of the utility model is to create a means of capturing and retaining space debris, applicable in outer space.

The technical result of the utility model is

- use as a means of capturing space debris net,

- the ability to fold the net for laying its carrier apparatus in a rocket,

- the ability to open and straighten the net in zero gravity and in airless space.

       This technical result is achieved by the fact that the folding net for the reusable space debris collector includes an expanded cone of a fabric woven from metal threads, the inlet of the cone is covered by the front perforated tape, the rear perforated tape is passed along the net, connecting its top to the edge of the inlet, at the locations of the tapes, the fabric is made two-layer with the stitching of the layers with metal thread and with the taping of the tapes between the two layers of fabric, the tapes are fixed at one end on and the cases of the tape drive mechanisms, each on its own, the other end is free and goes inside the tape drive mechanism, each of its own, on the one hand, comes out, twisting on the other hand, in each tape drive mechanism there is a gear wheel, the teeth of which correspond to holes in the tape, the free end of each tape ends with a stop that prevents the tape from falling out of the tape drive when the net is opened.

Description of figures

The figures show the following images.

In FIG. 1 shows a reusable space debris collector with a deployed net, front view, in FIG. 2 - a reusable space debris collector with a deployed net, a sagittal section AA, in FIG. 3 - reusable space debris collector in the folded state, sagittal section, in FIG. 4 is a reusable space debris collector during disclosure; FIG. 5 is a longitudinal illustration of a tape drive mechanism of a front opening of a net in FIG. 6 - perforated tape.

The numbers in the figures are indicated.

In FIG. 1-4: 1 - the upper hemisphere, 2 - the lower hemisphere in the removed and deployed (working) position, 3 - the net in the open state, 4 - the hatch for the parachute, 5 - video cameras, 6 - nozzles, 7 - parachute compartment, 8 - folded parachute, 9 - front perforated tape, 10 - rear perforated tape, 11 - antenna, 12 - tape drive to straighten the top of the net, 13 - tape drive to open the front hole of the net, 14 - folded net, 15 - electric motors to rotate the bottom hemispheres in horizontal and vertical planes, 16-lower I hemisphere in the closed position 17 - the lower hemisphere in the semi-open position 18 - compartments for fuel and oxidant,

in FIG. 5: 19 - the case of the tape drive mechanism, 20 - slotted holes in the case 19 for entering and exiting the perforated tape, 21 - twisting of the free end of the front perforated tape, 22 - emphasis on the free end of the perforated tape, 23 - place of attachment of the fixed end of the perforated tape to the case 19, 24 - the case of the tape drive mechanism of the rear perforated tape, 25 - the gear wheel,

in FIG. 6: 26 - holes in the tape web, 27 - tape web.

The net is mounted on a reusable space debris collector. The collector is two hemispheres (Fig. 1-4). The upper hemisphere 1 contains two compartments: a parachute compartment 7 and a compartment for laying the net under it. The movable lower hemisphere 2 contains compartments for fuel and oxidizer 18, nozzles 6 for moving the apparatus in space, and two cameras 5. A garbage collector is placed in a rocket when folded (Fig. 3), in which two hemispheres are turned towards each other with their wide bases with the formation of a spherical apparatus. In this case, the net in the folded state lies inside the upper hemisphere, protrudes into the gap between the hemispheres and goes outside where the mechanisms 12, 13 are located. Two hemispheres are interconnected via two electric motors 15. During operation of the first engine, the sphere opens into two parallel halves (Fig. 4), then, when the second engine is operating, the lower hemisphere rotates perpendicular to the upper hemisphere by the cameras 5 forward (Fig. 1), which is the operating position of the apparatus. Next, the net is opened and filled with space debris. At the end of the work, the hemispheres are added to the sphere, the device leaves its orbit, falls to the ground, the hatch 4 of the parachute compartment 7 opens in the lower layers of the atmosphere, the parachute 8 opens, the device slowly lands on the ground, where the appropriate services select it. Next, the device prepares for the next start.

The net 3 (Fig. 1, 2, 5) is a cone-shaped network of fabric woven from metal threads. Two perforated tapes contribute to the opening and folding of the net. The front tape 9 controls the size of the inlet of the net, the rear tape 10 controls the opening of the net from the inlet to the top of the cone, in the front-rear direction (Fig. 2). At the locations of the tapes 9 and 10, the metal fabric is made of two layers, the layers are sewn with metal thread, the tape is movably located between the layers of fabric.

The perforated tape (Fig. 6) is a flexible metal tape with holes 26 along the entire tape. One end of the tape 23 is fixedly attached to the housing 19 of the tape drive mechanism (Fig. 5), the second end of the tape is movable and can be removed from the net or pushed into the net. When the net is in the folded position, the free end is folded by the hands of persons preparing the apparatus for flight, into a twist 21 (Fig. 5). To insert the free end into the net, the electric motor turns on, turning the gear wheel 25 of the tape drive mechanism. The teeth of the wheel during its rotation fall into the holes 26 of the tape and move it past the wheel, that is, the distance between the holes 26 of the tape is equal to the distance along the perimeter of the wheel between its teeth. The tape slides into the net and spreads it elastically. At the free end of the tape there is an abutment 22, which, after the entire tape is inserted into the net, abuts against the edges of the slit hole 20 and does not allow removing the tape from the tape drive mechanism. When folding the net, the gear motor 25 rotates in the opposite direction, the tape is removed from the net, but practically no folding of the net is required.

The tape drive mechanisms in the apparatus are two: 12 and 13 (Fig. 2). The housing of the tape drive mechanism for opening the front opening of the net 13 by the rear wall is attached to the base along which the tape 10 moves, the housing of the tape drive mechanism 12 (Fig. 2, 3, 5). The case of the tape drive for opening the top of the net 12 is attached with its top of the rounded part around the wheel 25 to the lower edge of the upper hemisphere 1 in front (Fig. 2, 3, 5). The housing 12 is perpendicular to the housing 13. The housing 13 is attached to the upper hemisphere 1 through the housing 12.

After putting the garbage collector into orbit and after opening the hemispheres, and after turning the lower hemisphere with the cameras forward, as shown in FIG. 1, the net 14 folded in the upper hemisphere compartment is opened by turning on the tape mechanisms and expanded into a cone-shaped structure (Fig. 1, 2). An operator on the Earth, adjusting the position of the apparatus by nozzles 6, with the help of video cameras 5 induces the apparatus on space debris. After the debris enters the landing net (this may be not one spent satellite, but several small ones), the hemispheres of the apparatus add up, outside the sphere there is only the landing net with debris. Next, the lower hemisphere engines are turned on and the device sits in a given area, space debris, along with a net and tape drives, burns in the upper atmosphere. The sphere is covered with thermal insulation, therefore it does not burn out. Next, a new net and new tape drives are installed on the device, and it is again launched into space.

Near space is polluted by the remains of spent satellites. The development of kubsats, which are now being launched by many universities for educational purposes, will lead to a multiple increase in the amount of space debris compared to previous decades. The proposed tool does not contain aggressive means of destroying satellites such as laser guns and rockets that can be used as a means of space war, at the same time it solves the problem of space debris.

Claims (1)

Folding net for a reusable space debris collector, including a straightened cone made of fabric woven from metal threads, the inlet of the cone is covered by the front perforated tape, the rear perforated tape is passed along the net, connecting its top to the edge of the inlet, the fabric is made in the locations of the tapes two-layer with the stitching of the layers with metal thread and with the taping of the tapes between the two layers of fabric, the tapes are attached at one end to the casings of the tape drives, each and theirs, the other end is free and enters into the tape drive mechanism, each of them comes out on one side and twists on the other hand, each tape drive has a gear whose teeth correspond to holes in the tape, the free end of each tape ends with an emphasis , not allowing the tape to fall out of the tape mechanism when opening the net.