Spacecraft solar array biasing and tensioning system
AssigneeSpace Exploration Technologies Corp.
InventorsWhitcomb T. Ratcliff, Joseph Fitzgerald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solar array system associated with a spacecraft includes a solar array blanket portion moveable from a stowed configuration into a deployed configuration, an extendable frame coupled to the spacecraft and the blanket portion and moveable from at least a collapsed configuration into an extended configuration to move the solar array blanket portion from the stowed configuration into the deployed configuration, and at least one biasing member extending across an exterior portion of a first hinge assembly that is configured to bias at least a portion of the extendable frame into the deployed configuration.
Claims15
A system for deploying a solar array blanket portion relative to a spacecraft and supporting the solar array blanket portion in a deployed position, the system comprising:
- an extendable frame moveable between a collapsed configuration and an extended configuration, comprising:
- a first support arm having first and second opposing distal ends;
- a second support arm having first and second opposing distal ends;
- a third support arm having first and second opposing distal ends;
- a fourth support arm having first and second opposing distal ends;
- a first pivot pin assembly defined at an intersection of the first and third support arms and a second pivot pin assembly defined at an intersection of the second and fourth support arms;
- a first hinge assembly defined between the second distal end of the first support arm and the first distal end of the second support arm;
- a second hinge assembly defined between the second distal end of the third support arm and the first distal end of the fourth support arm;
- and
- a first biasing member having a first end coupled to the first support arm and a second end coupled to the second support arm, the first biasing member extending between the second and first distal ends of the first and second support arms along an exterior portion of the first hinge assembly.
A solar array system for a spacecraft, comprising:
- a solar array blanket portion moveable from a stowed configuration into a deployed configuration;
- an extendable frame coupled to the spacecraft and the blanket portion and moveable from at least a collapsed configuration into an extended configuration to move the solar array blanket portion from the stowed configuration into the deployed configuration, wherein the extendable frame includes at least first and second support arms;
- and
- at least one biasing member extending across an exterior portion of a first hinge assembly that is configured to bias at least a portion of the extendable frame into the deployed configuration, wherein the first hinge assembly pivotally connects a second distal end of the first support arm to a first distal end of the second support arm, and wherein the at least one biasing member is a spring extending between the second and first distal ends of the first and second support arms that wraps around an exterior portion of the first hinge assembly.
A spacecraft assembly, comprising:
- a chassis;
- a solar array blanket portion moveable relative to the chassis from a stowed configuration into a deployed configuration;
- an extendable frame coupled to the chassis and the blanket portion and moveable from at least a collapsed configuration into an extended configuration to move the solar array blanket portion from the stowed configuration into the deployed configuration, wherein the extendable frame includes at least first and second support arms;
- at least one biasing member having a first end coupled to the first support arm and a second end coupled to the second support arm, the first biasing member extending across an exterior portion of a first hinge assembly that is configured to bias at least a portion of the extendable frame into the deployed configuration;
- and
- a stop assembly having a bracket configured to substantially prevent the first and second support arms from moving into an inverted configuration past a substantially horizontal configuration relative to the spacecraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.