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US 2003/0192994 A1Published application
Constant rate deployment device
AssigneeNone recorded
InventorWalter Holemans
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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorWalter Holemans
Estimating the term…
A spring-based deployment system deploys a mass at a limited velocity. Using techniques common to the art of timepieces, the motion of a gear, like the rotation of a clock's second hand, is controlled to occur at a substantially constant rate. In a preferred embodiment, an escapement is used to limit the amount of motion per unit time, thereby limiting the velocity. During the period of motion, a high-force can be applied to overcome friction and other adverse affects. Because the amount of motion is limited by the escapement, the amount of kinetic energy produced by this high-force is limited, and thus the shock effects introduced when the deployed mass is stopped at its deployed state are limited. An optimized design can by achieved via an appropriate tradeoff between total deployment time and controlled deployment rate.
A deployment system comprising:
A spacecraft comprising:
A method of deploying an object on a spacecraft from a first space relative to the spacecraft to a second space relative to the spacecraft, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Backward citations are indexed for grants only.
Spring motors
For deploying structures between a stowed and deployed state: characterised by the deployment actuating mechanism
Characterised by shape or material of spring, e.g. helical, spiral, coil: using spiral springs
For deploying structures between a stowed and deployed state: characterised by the hold-down or release mechanisms
Term end not estimated
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of mechanical design, and in particular to the design of a deployment device that is configurable to provide a substantially constant deployment velocity. Such a device is particularly well suited for deployment of equipment associated with a spacecraft.
2. Description of Related Art
The invention is explained in further detail, and by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 illustrates an example diagram of a hinged deployment system in accordance with this invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example diagram of a linear deployment system in accordance with this invention.
Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate similar or corresponding features or functions.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example diagram of a hinged deployment system 100 in accordance with this invention. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the drawing of FIG. 1 presents the principles of a sample embodiment of this invention, and is not meant to represent a scaled model of an actual deployment system. Of significance, the deployment system 100 includes an escapement 105 that serves to transfer the energy stored in a spring 132 to a wheel or gear 110 as a series of impulses.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the escapement 105 includes a pallet 126 that engages and disengages teeth 116 of the gear 110, although any of a variety of escapements are common in the art of timepieces, as discussed further below. The pallet 126 is operably coupled to a balance 120, having a mass 122 that oscillates back and forth, thereby causing the periodic engagement and disengagement of the pallet 126 to the teeth 116 of the gear 110. A spring 124 facilitates the oscillation of the balance 120. Other means of providing an oscillating mechanism are also common in the art of timepieces, including the use of a flywheel and a coil spring that is wound when the flywheel spins in one direction, and unwound when the flywheel spins in the other direction. In a preferred embodiment, as common in the art of timepieces, the balance 120 receives the energy required to sustain oscillation from the spring 132 as well.