Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
  • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
  • B64G1/22—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
  • E05D—HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS
  • E05D1/00—Pinless hinges; Substitutes for hinges
  • E05D1/02—Pinless hinges; Substitutes for hinges made of one piece

Definitions

• This disclosure relates to a hinge and a deployable structure using the hinge.
• the satellite is equipped with many deployable structures, including solar array paddles.
• Hinges are mainly used as a means for connecting members of deployable structures.
• the hinge must have a mechanism that provides the driving force for deployment, must have sufficient rigidity as a structural member after deployment, and must be lightweight.
• Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for improving the bending radius by using a hinge made of flexible composite fiber.
• Prior Art Document 2 discloses a technique in which a flexible tape is used as a hinge.
• tape spring hinges which can increase rigidity by increasing the cross section, it is necessary to avoid collisions between the tapes and unstable deployment behavior due to the difference in the inner and outer diameters of the two opposing tapes. For this reason, tape spring hinges are subject to significant structural constraints, such as lengthening the tape portion and narrowing the tape spacing. Therefore, tape spring hinges have the problem of limited design freedom. Another problem with tape spring hinges is that the structure becomes large. Furthermore, tape spring hinges have the problem of a small hinge deployment angle and a small associated structure thickness. As described above, the conventional technology has a problem in that it is not possible to realize a lightweight hinge that has deployment force and high rigidity after deployment.
• One of the main objectives of this disclosure is to solve the problems described above. Specifically, the main objective of this disclosure is to realize a lightweight hinge that has deployment force and high rigidity after deployment.
• the hinge according to the present disclosure comprises: a first elastic plate-like body made of a first fiber material having two fiber orientations; a second elastic plate-like body made of a second fiber material having two fiber orientations;
• the two fiber orientations of the first fiber material are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal direction of the first elastic plate-like body, two fiber orientations of the second fiber material are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal direction of the second elastic plate-like body;
• the angle that each of the two fiber orientations of the first fiber material makes with the longitudinal direction of the first elastic plate-like body is different from the angle that each of the two fiber orientations of the second fiber material makes with the longitudinal direction of the second elastic plate-like body.
• This disclosure makes it possible to realize a lightweight hinge that stores elastic energy to provide deployment force and maintains high rigidity after deployment.
• FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing examples of a hinge according to the first embodiment; 1A and 1B are diagrams showing examples of a hinge according to the first embodiment; 4A and 4B are diagrams showing examples of fiber orientation of a membrane member according to the first embodiment; 4A and 4B are diagrams showing examples of cross sections of the hinge according to the first embodiment in a bent state; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the radius of curvature in the expanded state according to the first embodiment.
• FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the radius of curvature of a single tip according to the first embodiment. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing the radius of curvature of the tip of the hinge according to the first embodiment; 10A and 10B are diagrams showing examples of a hinge according to a second embodiment; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a solar array paddle according to a third embodiment.
• the hinge according to this embodiment has at least two membrane-like members made of a fiber-reinforced composite material. At least two of the membrane-like members are opposed to each other. Furthermore, at least two types of fiber orientations exist in the two or more opposed membrane-like members. For example, when two membrane-like members are opposed to each other, the fiber orientations of the respective membrane-like members are different. Furthermore, when three membrane-like members are opposed to each other, the fiber orientation of one membrane-like member is different from the fiber orientations of the other two membrane-like members. Similarly, when four or more membrane-like members are opposed to each other, at least two types of fiber orientations exist.
• the hinge according to this embodiment stores elastic energy to generate a deployment force.
• the hinge according to this embodiment is also lightweight and has high rigidity after deployment.
• FIG. 3 shows the fiber orientation 121 of the membrane member 111 and the fiber orientation 122 of the membrane member 112 .
• 3A shows a fiber orientation 121 of the membrane member 111.
• FIG. 3B shows a fiber orientation 122 of the membrane member 112.
• the fiber reinforced composite material of the membrane member 111 has two fiber orientations as the fiber orientation 121.
• the fiber reinforced composite material of the membrane member 112 has two fiber orientations as the fiber orientation 122.
• the fiber orientation angles shown in FIG. 3 are based on the longitudinal direction A of the membrane members 111 and 112 .
• the two fiber orientations of the membrane member 111 are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal direction A.
• the membrane member 111 has two fiber orientations 121, "56 degrees” and "-56 degrees” with respect to the longitudinal direction A.
• the two fiber orientations of the membrane member 112 are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal direction A.
• the membrane member 112 has two fiber orientations 122, "45 degrees” and "-45 degrees” with respect to the longitudinal direction A.
• the angle that each of the two fiber orientations of membrane member 111 makes with the longitudinal direction A is different from the angle that each of the two fiber orientations of membrane member 112 makes with the longitudinal direction A.
• the angle formed by each of the two fiber orientations of the membrane member 111 and the longitudinal direction A is larger than the angle formed by each of the two fiber orientations of the membrane member 112 and the longitudinal direction A.
• carbon fiber reinforced plastic is used as the fiber reinforced composite material fiber.
• carbon fiber reinforced plastic with a fiber volume fraction of 50% is used, in which the fiber is carbon fiber (T300 manufactured by Toray) and the resin is epoxy resin.
• the fibers of the fiber-reinforced composite material are not limited to this.
• Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the hinge 100 according to this embodiment in a retracted state.
• the radius of curvature of the membrane member 111 in the expanded state is 15 mm, and the radius of curvature of the membrane member 112 in the expanded state is 12.5 mm.
• the radius of curvature of the tip of the film-like member 111 alone is 8.6 mm, and the radius of curvature of the tip of the film-like member 112 alone is 12.5 mm.
• the distance between the ridges of the film-like members 111 and 112 is 12 mm, and the length of the fixture 113 that affects the bending is 66 mm.
• the hinge 100 according to this embodiment is made using the same prepreg as in the first embodiment.
• the same prepreg piece is shaped and molded near the boundary between the film member 111 and the end 131, and near the boundary between the film member 112 and the end 131. In this way, a hinge 100 is obtained in which the film member 111, the film member 112, and the end 131 are integrated.
• the carbon fiber and the thermosetting epoxy resin are continuously molded at the boundary between the film member 111 and the end portion 131 and at the boundary between the film member 112 and the end portion 131 .
• the carbon fiber and the thermosetting epoxy resin may be continuous.
• the carbon fiber may be partially continuous, or only the thermosetting epoxy resin may be continuous.
• the types of fiber and resin used at end 131a and end 131b may be different.
• FIG. 9 shows a solar paddle 000 equipped with a solar panel 001 .
• a solar cell panel 001 is a deployable structure connected by a hinge 100 according to the first or second embodiment.
• a deployable structure using the hinge 100 according to the first or second embodiment is lightweight, has a deploying force, and has high rigidity after deployment.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Remote Sensing (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)

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Citations (8)

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• 2024
  • 2024-03-26 WO PCT/JP2024/012053 patent/WO2025203256A1/ja active Pending
  • 2024-03-26 JP JP2024545741A patent/JP7660771B1/ja active Active

Patent Citations (8)

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