RU2337438C1 - Large-scale construction transformable into flat state - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: large-scale construction transformable to flat state includes working surface made of equilateral n-facet cells (n=3, 4, 6) of equal form, adjoining each other along the facets. Each cell features deployment unit and latch, and the first cell is additionally equipped with initial deployment impulse generator. Deployment unit and latch are placed between cell facets, one of facets borders upon a facet of next cell, and geometrical axis of deployment unit is perpendicular to the working surface. Deployment unit can be implemented in the form of torsion-pressure spring mounted on guide bush in hinges fixed to respective cells by screw joint. Deployment unit can be also made in the form of two pairs of kinematical gear elements mounted in hinges.

EFFECT: reduced dynamic load during unfolding of large-scale construction transformable to flat state, enhanced operational efficiency of construction.

3 cl, 5 dwg

Description

The invention relates to instrumentation, in particular to space technology devices used in antennas, solar panels, as well as for the study of cosmic rays brought into the target orbit in a limited volume of the fairing of the launch vehicle, then deployed to large sizes. Such large-sized structures (SCs) deployed in the plane, having a working surface in the form of a set of multifaceted cells, can also be used in systems intended for astrophysical research, as well as as applied elements of space programs for various purposes. Moreover, a distinctive feature of such a QC is that the working surface of the QC can be easily scaled by introducing a finite number of polyhedral cells.

Known mirror reflectors [1], in which there are mechanisms of rotation of the mirror elements. However, such structures cannot be brought into the target orbit with the help of existing launch vehicles, due to the large overall mass characteristics.

A deployable large-sized space reflector is known [2], which includes a power ring, which is a pantograph mechanism closed in a ring with telescopic racks and radial support elements. The deployment principle of this design does not allow you to create an object with a scalable work surface. At the same time, the design of the reflector in the transport position occupies a significant place and leads to the necessity of using heavy-class launch vehicles.

Known segmented deployable mirror reflector (REO) [3], containing a working surface of the same shape and adjacent to each other along the faces of the hexagonal cells, equipped with deployment mechanisms, hinges and latches and which is the closest analogue of the prototype. The working surface of such a REO is formed by expanding the cells from the transport position to the working one through the sequential operation of the deployment mechanism system. In this case, the axis of each of the deployment mechanisms is parallel to the working plane of the REE, and the path of the package from the cells during deployment performs a sequential transition of the working plane with rotation angles of ± 180 °.

The deployment of REEs on this principle leads to increased dynamic loads that affect the operation of deployment mechanisms and REEs in general. In addition, when revealing a large number of cells stacked in a large package, the design must provide for the allocation of additional free space close to the working surface of the REO, and in the worst case, change the shape of the cells to allow unhindered passage of the package near the already opened cells, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of the REE.

The technical result of the invention is to reduce dynamic loads when deploying QC, increasing the efficiency of QC.

The specified technical result is achieved by the fact that in a large-sized structure transforming into a plane, containing a working surface of the same shape and adjacent to each other along the faces of equilateral n-sided cells (n = 3, 4, 6), each of which is equipped with a deployment unit and a latch and the first cell and the device for generating the initial deployment pulse, in contrast to the known deployment unit and retainer, are placed between the faces of the cells, one of which is adjacent to the face of the subsequent cell, while the axis of the deployment unit is perpendicular to the working surface.

In this case, the deployment unit is made in the form of a torsion-compression spring installed on the guide sleeve in loops fixed to the corresponding cells with a screw connection and placed along one axis of deployment, and the longitudinal axis of the torsion-compression spring coincides with the geometric axis of the deployment, the torsion-compression spring of the first cell is connected to a device for generating an initial deployment pulse.

In this case, the deployment unit is made in the form of two pairs of kinematic elements of gears placed in loops fixed to the corresponding cells with a screw connection and placed along one axis of deployment, moreover, one of the pairs of kinematic elements of gears is mechanically connected by means of cylindrical connectors to the corresponding pair kinematic gear elements of the next cell, and a pair of kinematic gear elements of the first cell and with the device forms of the initial deployment pulse, while the pairs of kinematic elements of the gear transmission are connected to the lead screw installed in one of the loops coaxially to the geometric axis of the deployment.

The invention is illustrated by drawings, which depict:

figure 1 is a main view of the spacecraft in an expanded position;

figure 2 - transportation position QC;

figure 3 is a first embodiment of a deployment node;

figure 4 is a second variant of the deployment node;

figure 5 is a deployment diagram of QC.

QC (figure 1) contains a working surface of the same shape of polyhedral cells 1, 2, 3 ... N (N-number of elements) adjacent to each other along the faces with the formation of a flat working surface QC. On cell 1 there is a device for generating an initial deployment pulse 4, fixed with a screw connection. The deployment nodes 5 ₁ ... 5 _N , as well as the latches 6 ₁ ... 6 _N are located between the faces of the cells, one of which is adjacent to the face of the subsequent cell. The latches 6 ₁ ... 6 _N can be made in the form of a mechanical (with a spring element), electromagnetic or magnetic design. The geometric axis of each of the deployment nodes 5 ₁ ... 5 _{N is} directed perpendicular to the working plane of the spacecraft.

Figure 2 shows the transport position of the spacecraft, in which the cells 1, 2, 3 ... N are arranged sequentially one above the other in the order of their deployment.

Figure 3 shows the first embodiment of the deployment node. In this embodiment, the device for generating the initial deployment pulse 4 is made in the form of an electromechanical pusher, in which an electromagnet and a fixing rod are installed coaxially, and a compression spring is installed between them. In this case, in the initial position, the locking rod is extended under the action of the compression spring of the electromechanical pusher, and in the final position, due to the inclusion of the electromagnet, it is preloaded. Moreover, the force developed by the electromechanical pusher electromagnet when turned on is greater than the tensile force of the compression spring of the electromechanical pusher. Loops 7 and 8 are fixed with their bases on the corresponding cells of the spacecraft using a screw connection. Inside the loops 7 and 8, a torsion-compression spring 9 is installed on the guide sleeve, which is fixed by the free ends of the spring in the seats on the corresponding loop 7 or 8. The seats are made in the form of structural grooves. In addition, the longitudinal axis of the spring 9 coincides with the axis of deployment of cells KK.

For spacecraft with increased mass characteristics and overall dimensions and provided that one torsion-compression spring 9 does not provide the specified moment characteristics when deploying the structure, instead of one torsion-compression spring 9, a set of torsion and compression springs is established, with the condition that the longitudinal axis of the torsion spring coincides with the axis of deployment of QC.

Figure 4 shows the deployment node of the second option. In this embodiment, the device for generating the initial pulse 4 is made in the form of a duplicated electromechanical drive. Loops 7 and 8 are fixed with their bases on the corresponding cells of the spacecraft using a screw connection. In addition, loops 7 and 8 contain mutually located structural element B, made in the form of a protrusion, and a longitudinal axis of the deployment groove. The loop 7 also has a structural protrusion B. On the loop 7 of the deployment nodes 5 ₂ ... 5 _N there is a cylindrical mechanical connector 11 with a bevel gear 10 mounted on it. Moreover, for the deployment unit 5 _{1, the} bevel gear 10 is an output gear the above electromechanical drive. The bevel gear 10 has kinematic engagement with the bevel gear 12, inside of which the guide nut 13 is installed. The guide nut 13 has a helical groove in response to the lead screw 14. At the same time, the lead screw 14 is installed in loops 7 and 8 coaxially to the deployment axis. In addition, the lead screw 14 along the length outside the helical groove has a longitudinal groove with a radial lead-in groove, and also a groove A. In addition, the bevel gear 15 is installed on the lead screw 15, located in the loop 7 and having a kinematic connection with the bevel gear 16 mounted on a cylindrical connector 17 in loop 8.

Work QC, for example, with hexagonal cells, with the deployment node in the first embodiment is as follows. The spacecraft is in the transport position (figure 2), in which the cells 1, 2, 3 ... N are stacked and arranged sequentially one above the other in the order of their deployment. In this case, the torsion-compression spring 9 of each of the deployment nodes 5 ₁ ... 5 _N is in the initial compressed and twisted position. The torsion-compression spring 9 is twisted by an angle equal to or greater than the design angle, a rotation through which will allow the spring to take the working position. After the spacecraft is launched into the target orbit, as an independent element or as part of a spacecraft, it is deployed. At the same time, cell 1 of the QC is the base with respect to which QC is deployed. An electrical signal is sent from the on-board computer or the spacecraft controller to an electromechanical pusher with a spring-mechanical lock 4. After this, the torsion-compression spring 9, deployment unit 5 ₁ is installed between cells 1 and 2 by switching on the electromagnet included in the electromechanical a pusher with which the clamping rod is preloaded. In this case, the force developed by the electromagnet after switching on is greater than the force created by the elastic element of the spring-mechanical lock. The package of cells 2, 3 ... N due to the return of energy accumulated in the torsion-compression spring 9 of the deployment unit during laying the spacecraft in the transport position, is transferred to an angle greater than or equal to 120 angular degrees around the geometric axis of the deployment unit in a plane parallel to working (figa). In this case, for QC having a number of faces other than six, the deployment angle will be its own. Thus, the torsion-compression spring 9 of the deployment unit 51 goes into the deployed position, while remaining in the compressed position due to the fact that the previous cell 1 prevents stretching, relative to which the packet of cells 2 ... N is turned. At the same time, the fixing element 6 _{1 of the} cell 2 enters into its counterpart located on the previous cell. After the package of cells 2 ... N is rotated by an angle equal to 120 angular degrees, under the action of the torsion-compression spring 9, deployment unit 5 ₁ , the package of cells 2 ... N is lowered to the level of cell 1 (Fig.5b). Thus, the torsion-compression spring 9 goes into the expanded position due to the fact that the package of cells 2 ... N went beyond the plane of the cell 1, which blocked its longitudinal movement. In this case, the locking element 6 ₁ moves in its counterpart to the final position with simultaneous mechanical locking of the cell 2 in the working plane of the spacecraft. Simultaneously with the installation of cell 2 in the CC plane, the torsion-compression spring 9 of the deployment unit 5 ₂ is mechanically unlocked, installed between cells 2 and 3 due to the departure of the fixing element, made in the form of a structural stop, from the package of cells 3 ... N. The package of cells 3 ... N due to the return of energy accumulated in the torsion-compression spring 9 of the deployment unit 5 g while laying the spacecraft in the transport position, is translated into an angle equal to 120 angular degrees around the geometric axis of the deployment unit in a plane parallel to the working . Thus, the torsion-compression spring 9 of the deployment unit 5 ₂ goes into the deployed position, while remaining in the compressed position, due to the fact that the previous cell 2 prevents stretching, relative to which the packet of cells 3 ... N is turned. At the same time, the fixing element 6 _{2 of the} cell 3 enters into its counterpart located on the previous cell. After the package of cells 3 ... N is rotated by an angle equal to 120 angular degrees, under the action of the torsion-compression spring 9 of the deployment unit 52, the package of cells 3 ... N is lowered to the level of cell 2. Thus, the torsion-compression spring 9 goes over in the expanded position due to the fact that the package of cells 3 ... N went beyond the plane of the cell 2, which blocked its longitudinal movement. When this occurs, the locking element 6 ₂ in its counterpart to the final position with simultaneous mechanical locking of the cell 3 in the working plane of the spacecraft. Simultaneously with the installation of cell 3 in the QC plane, mechanical unlocking of the torsion-compression spring 9 of the subsequent deployment unit occurs. Such a deployment is carried out sequentially to the last cell N QC, after which the QC is ready for operation.

Work QC, for example, with hexagonal cells, with the deployment node in the second embodiment is as follows. The spacecraft is in the transport position (figure 2), in which the cells 1, 2, 3 ... N are stacked and arranged sequentially one above the other in the order of their deployment. After the spacecraft is launched into the target orbit, as an independent element or as part of a spacecraft, it is deployed. An electrical signal is supplied from the on-board computer or the spacecraft controller to an electromechanical drive 4, which transmits torque to a pair of bevel gears 10 and 12 of the deployment unit 5 ₁ . In this case, the structural element B prevents the longitudinal movement of the loops 7 and 8 relative to each other at angles equal to from 0 to 120 angular degrees. Therefore, the package of cells 2 ... N is translated by an angle equal to 120 angular degrees around the geometric axis of the deployment unit 5 ₁ in a plane parallel to the working one. At the same time, the fixing element 6 _{1 of the} cell 2 enters into its counterpart located on the previous cell. At the same time, the structural element B due to the mutual rotation of the loops 7 and 8 of the cells 1 and 2 falls into the groove in return. After that, loops 7 and 8 of cells 1 and 2 can freely move along the deployment axis. In addition, the structural protrusion B of the loop 7 of the cell 1 enters the radial approach of the longitudinal groove of the spindle 14. During the subsequent operation of the electric drive 4 and the pair of bevel gear 10 and 12 of the deployment unit 5 ₁ , as well as the guide nut 13 connected to the bevel gear, the lowering a package of cells 2, 3 ... N to the level of cell 1 along the lead screw 14 of the deployment unit 5 ₁ , while the structural member B moves along the longitudinal groove of the lead screw 14, and the lead screw 14 does not rotate. In this case, the locking element 6 ₁ moves in its counterpart to the final position with simultaneous mechanical locking of the cell 2 in the working plane of the spacecraft. After the package of cells 2, 3 ... N reaches the level of cell 1, the structural element B reaches the level of the undercut A on the screw 14, thereby unlocking the screw 14 itself, as well as the bevel gear 15 mounted on it, which transmits the rotating torque to the bevel gear 16 and a cylindrical connector 17, which, in turn, transmits torque to the bevel gear 10 of the deployment unit 5 ₂ . At the same time, the structural element B of the deployment unit 5 ₂ prevents the longitudinal movement of the loops 7 and 8 relative to each other at angles equal to from 0 to 120 angular degrees. Therefore, the package of cells 3 ... N is translated by an angle equal to 120 angular degrees around the geometric axis of the deployment unit 5 ₂ in a plane parallel to the working one. At the same time, the fixing element 6 _{2 of the} cell 3 enters into its counterpart located on the previous cell. At the same time, the structural element B due to the mutual rotation of the loops 7 and 8 of the cells 2 and 3 falls into the groove in return. After that, loops 7 and 8 of cells 2 and 3 can freely move along the deployment axis. In addition, the structural protrusion B goes into the radial approach of the longitudinal groove of the spindle 14. During the subsequent operation of the electric drive 4 and the pair of bevel gear 10 and 12 of the deployment unit 5 ₂ , as well as the guide nut 13 connected to the bevel gear, the packet from the cells 3 is lowered ... N at the cell level 2 along the spindle 14 of the deployment unit 5 ₂ . In this case, the structural element B moves along the longitudinal groove of the lead screw 14, and the lead screw 14 does not rotate. When this occurs, the locking element 6 ₂ in its counterpart to the final position with simultaneous mechanical locking of the cell 3 in the working plane of the spacecraft. After the package of cells 3 ... N reaches the level of cell 2, the structural element B reaches the level of the groove A on the spindle 14, thereby unlocking the spindle 14 itself, as well as the bevel gear 15 mounted on it, which transmits torque to a bevel gear 16 and a cylindrical connector 17, which in turn transmits torque to the bevel gear 10 of the subsequent deployment unit. Such a deployment is carried out sequentially until the last cell N QC, after which the QC is ready for operation.

Creating a spacecraft with a deployment system in the working plane can significantly reduce the dynamic loading of structural elements that occur when the spacecraft is in the working position, reduce the mass characteristics of the spacecraft by reducing the range of components used, and significantly expand the scope of spacecraft, including for use in as antenna-feeder devices, space mirrors, large segmented telescopes, space radiation concentrators. In addition, this system allows you to reduce the "throwing" zone when deploying spacecraft, allows you to deploy cells in any sequence with the ability to "bypass" external obstacles, for example, antenna complexes of spacecraft or solar panels, thereby creating the necessary configuration of the working surface, to create a universal space complex.

Literature

1. M.V. Gryanik, V.I. Loman. Umbrella type deployable reflector antennas. -M .: Radio and communications, 1987, p. 7-12.

2. RF patent No. 2266592, IPC ⁷ H01Q 15/16, 2004.

3. RF patent No. 2237268, IPC ⁷ G02B 5/08, 2003 - prototype.

Claims (3)

1. A large-sized structure transformable into a plane, containing a working surface of the same shape and adjacent to each other along the faces of equilateral n-sided cells (n = 3, 4, 6), each of which is equipped with a deployment unit and a latch, and the first cell - and a device for generating an initial deployment pulse, characterized in that the deployment unit and the latch are located between the faces of the cells, one of which is adjacent to the face of the subsequent cell, while the geometric axis of the deployment unit is perpendicular to the working erhnosti. 2. The large-sized structure transformable into a plane according to claim 1, characterized in that the deployment unit is made in the form of a torsion-compression spring mounted on the guide sleeve in loops fixed to the respective cells with a screw connection and placed along one axis of deployment, and the longitudinal the axis of the torsion-compression spring coincides with the geometric axis of the deployment, while the torsion-compression spring of the first cell is connected to the device for generating the initial deployment pulse. 3. The large-sized structure transformable into a plane according to claim 1, characterized in that the deployment unit is made in the form of two pairs of kinematic gear elements placed in loops fixed to respective cells with a screw connection and placed along one deployment axis, one of a pair of kinematic gear elements is mechanically connected by means of cylindrical connectors to a corresponding pair of kinematic gear elements of a subsequent cell, and pa a kinematic gear elements of the first cell and with the device forming the initial deployment of the pulse, the pairs of kinematic gear elements connected to the lead screw mounted in one of the loops coaxially deployment geometric axis.

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