Lattice for structures

A system, comprising:

• a lattice joint housing;
• and
• a plurality of structural joints, each of the plurality of structural joints have a side entry slot for insertion of keyed features on a mating lattice member, the keyed features being part of a structural rod, wherein
• each of the plurality of structural joints comprising a first retaining and a second retaining feature, and are configured to rotate the mating lattice member, semi-permanently holding the mating lattice member in place with an electro-permanent magnetic (EPM) retaining device, the EPM retaining device being part of the second retaining feature, wherein
• the keyed feature has an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion being smaller in width than the outer portion, the inner portion being closer in proximity to the structural rod than the outer portion,
• the keyed feature comprising two opposing parallel sides extending along a longitudinal axis of the mating lattice member, the two opposing parallel sides are formed on both the inner and outer portions, wherein the two opposing parallel sides are inserted within the side entry slot to abut interior surfaces of one of the plurality of structural joints and prevent rotation,
• a surface of the outer portion of the keyed feature and a surface of the first retaining feature overlap, retaining the structural rod in the lattice joint housing,
• a surface of the inner portion of the keyed feature comprises an embedded EPM and a current path for activating the embedded EPM, the embedded EPM is configured to align and clamp with the EPM retaining device and prevent the structural rod from rotating around an axial direction, and
• the keyed feature comprising one or more electrical contacts provide a current path from an external source, such that a current is routed from the one or more electrical contacts to a wiring harness and embedded EPM to activate or deactivate the embedded EPM.

A system, comprising:

• a lattice joint housing;
• and
• a plurality of structural joints, each of the plurality of structural joints have a side entry slot for insertion of keyed features on a mating lattice member, the keyed features being part of a structural rod, wherein
• the side entry slot is an axially extending slot parallel to a longitudinal axis of one of the plurality of structural joints, such that one of the keyed features is inserted radially into the side entry slot, the side entry slot is located on a circumferentially extending outermost surface such that the side entry slot cuts through the circumferentially extending outermost surface,
• each of the plurality of structural joints comprising a first retaining feature and a second retaining feature, and are configured to rotate the mating lattice member, semi-permanently holding the mating lattice member in place with an electro-permanent magnetic (EPM) retaining device, the EPM retaining device being part of the second retaining feature,
• the keyed feature has an inner portion and an outer portion, the inner portion being smaller in width than the outer portion, the inner portion being closer in proximity to the structural rod than the outer portion,
• a surface of the outer portion of the keyed feature and a surface of the first retaining feature overlap, retaining the structural rod in the lattice joint housing,
• a surface of the inner portion of the keyed feature comprise an embedded EPM and a current path for activating the embedded EPM, the embedded EPM is configured to align and clamp with the EPM retaining device and prevent the structural rod from rotating around an axial direction.