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US 10,518,912 B2Granted
Payload joint
AssigneeRuag Space AB
InventorsÕrjan Arulf, Magnus Thenander
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A payload joint (10) for detachably attaching to each other two adjacent construction elements (2) in a spacecraft and/or launch vehicle, the payload joint (10) comprises two opposing clamps (11a, 11b) and two opposing flanges of the construction elements collaborating with angled surfaces of the clamps (11a, 11b). The payload joint comprises a bolt that connects the clamps (11a, 11b) and drives them towards each other when tightening the payload joint (10). The payload joint (10) further comprises a bolt cutter (101) arranged for cutting the bolt upon activation.
Claims16
A payload joint for detachably attaching to each other two adjacent construction elements in a spacecraft and/or launch vehicle, wherein the payload joint comprises:
- a clamp, comprising an inner clamp portion and an outer clamp portion facing the inner clamp portion, each clamp portion comprising a through opening, wherein the payload joint comprises a bolt, configured to be arranged in the through openings, wherein the inner clamp portion comprises a first and second inner clamp flange and an inner mid portion between the first and second inner flanges,
- wherein the outer clamp portion comprises a first and second outer clamp flange and an outer mid portion between the first and second outer flanges,
- wherein the payload joint comprises a first construction element end portion of a first construction element comprising a first end section and
- a second construction element end portion of a second construction element comprising a second end section, and
- wherein the first end section comprises a first outer construction element flange and a first inner construction element flange, wherein the second end section comprises a second outer construction element flange and a second inner construction element flange,
- wherein the first end section comprises a first contact surface formed by a portion of an outer surface of the first outer construction element flange and by a portion of an outer surface of the first inner construction element flange, and wherein the second end section comprises a second contact surface formed by a portion of an outer surface of the second outer construction element flange and by a portion of an outer surface of the second inner construction element flange,
- wherein the first and second contact surfaces are abutting each other in the payload joint forming a reference plane,
- wherein a first inner clamp locking surface of the first inner clamp flange is arranged at a first angle to the reference plane, wherein a first outer clamp locking surface of the first outer clamp flange is arranged at a second angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a second inner clamp locking surface of the second inner clamp flange is arranged at a third angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a second outer clamp locking surface of the second outer clamp flange is arranged at a fourth angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a first inner construction element locking surface of the first inner construction element flange is arranged at a fifth angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a first outer construction element locking surface of the first outer construction element flange is arranged at a sixth angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a second inner construction element locking surface of the second inner construction element flange is arranged at a seventh angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a second outer construction element locking surface of the second outer construction element flange is arranged at an eighth angle to the reference plane, wherein the payload joint comprises a bolt cutter comprising a cutting device arranged at a cutting angle towards the bolt and a driving device arranged in connection to the cutting device and arranged to drive the cutting device towards the bolt with a shear force that breaks and separates the bolt into two or more pieces,
- wherein the cutting angle is defined with reference to a normal to a length extension of the bolt and being zero degrees or close to zero degrees.
12 more elements
A payload dispenser for a launch vehicle, wherein the payload dispenser comprises:
- a panel comprising at least one payload mounted onto the panel with a payload joint, wherein the payload joint comprises:
- a clamp, comprising an inner clamp portion and an outer clamp portion facing the inner clamp portion, each clamp portion comprising a through opening, wherein the payload joint comprises a bolt, configured to be arranged in the through openings, wherein the inner clamp portion comprises a first and second inner clamp flange and an inner mid portion between the first and second inner flanges,
- wherein the outer clamp portion comprises a first and second outer clamp flange and an outer mid portion between the first and second outer flanges,
- wherein the payload joint comprises a first construction element end portion of a first construction element comprising a first end section and a second construction element end portion of a second construction element comprising a second end section, and
- wherein the first end section comprises a first outer construction element flange and a first inner construction element flange, wherein the second end section comprises a second outer construction element flange and a second inner construction element flange,
- wherein the first end section comprises a first contact surface formed by a portion of an outer surface of the first outer construction element flange and b a portion of an outer surface of the first inner construction element flange, and wherein the second end section comprises a second contact, surface formed by a portion of an outer surface of the second outer construction element flange and by a portion of an outer surface of the second inner construction element flange,
- wherein the first and second contact surfaces are abutting each other in the payload joint forming a reference plane,
- wherein a first inner clamp locking surface of the first inner clamp flange is arranged at a first angle to the reference plane, wherein a first outer clamp locking surface of the first outer clamp flange is arranged at a second angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a second inner clamp locking surface of the second inner clamp flange is arranged at a third angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a second outer clamp locking surface of the second outer clamp flange is arranged at a fourth angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a first inner construction element locking surface of the first inner construction element flange is arranged at a fifth angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a first outer construction element locking surface of the first outer construction element flange is arranged at a sixth angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a second inner construction element locking surface of the second inner construction element flange is arranged at a seventh angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a second outer construction element locking surface of the second outer construction element flange is arranged at an eighth angle to the reference plane, wherein the payload joint comprises a bolt cutter comprising a cutting device arranged at a cutting angle towards the bolt and a driving device arranged in connection to the cutting device and arranged to drive the cutting device towards the bolt with a shear force that breaks and separates the bolt into two or more pieces,
- wherein the cutting angle is defined with reference to a normal to a length extension of the bolt and being zero degrees or close to zero degrees.
12 more elements
A payload dispenser for a launch vehicle, wherein the payload dispenser comprises:
- a plurality of panels, wherein at least one panel comprises at least one payload mounted onto the panel, wherein the panels are attachable to each other by means of at least one payload joint forming a self-supporting dispenser, wherein the at least one payload joint comprises:
- a clamp, comprising an inner clamp portion and an outer clamp portion facing the inner clamp portion, each clamp portion comprising a through opening, wherein the payload joint comprises a bolt, configured to be arranged in the through openings, wherein the inner clamp portion comprises a first and second inner clamp flange and an inner mid portion between the first and second inner flanges,
- wherein the outer clamp portion comprises a first and second outer clamp flange and an outer mid portion between the first and second outer flanges,
- wherein the payload joint comprises a first construction element end portion of a first construction element comprising a first end section and a second construction element end portion of a second construction element comprising a second end section, wherein the first construction element and the section construction element are first and second panels being neighboring panels of the payload dispenser, and
- wherein the first end section comprises a first outer construction element flange, and a first inner construction element flange, wherein the second end section comprises a second outer construction element flange and a second inner construction element flange,
- wherein the first end section comprises a first contact surface formed by a portion of an outer surface of the first outer construction element flange and by a portion of an outer surface of the first inner construction element flange, and herein the second end section comprises a second contact surface formed by a portion of an outer surface of the second outer construction element flange and by a portion of an outer surface of the second inner construction element flange,
- wherein the first, and second contact surfaces are abutting each other in the payload joint forming a reference plane,
- wherein a first inner clamp locking surface of the first inner clamp flange is arranged at a first angle to the reference plane, wherein a first outer clamp locking surface of the first outer clamp flange is arranged at a second angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a second inner clamp locking surface of the second inner clamp flange is arranged at a third angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a second outer clamp locking surface of the second outer clamp flange is arranged at a fourth angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a first inner construction element locking surface of the first inner construction element flange is arranged at a fifth angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a first outer construction element locking surface of the first outer construction element flange is arranged at a sixth angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a second inner construction element locking surface of the second inner construction element flange is arranged at a seventh angle to the reference plane,
- wherein a second outer construction element locking surface of the second outer construction element flange is arranged at an eighth angle to the reference plane, wherein the payload joint comprises a bolt cutter comprising a cutting device arranged at a cutting angle towards the bolt and a driving device arranged in connection to the cutting device and arranged to drive the cutting device towards the bolt with a shear force that breaks and separates the bolt into two or more pieces,
- wherein the cutting angle is defined with reference to a normal to a length extension of the bolt and being zero degrees or close to zero degrees.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.