Shape memory metal latch hinge deployment method
AssigneeThe Aerospace Corporation
InventorsDavid A. Hinkley, Edward J. Simburger
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Abstract
A conductive hinge is made of a superelastic shape memory alloy such as nitinol (NiTi) having a large elastic strain limit for enabling the hinge to bend around a small radius during stowage and flexible return to a trained rigid hinge position. The hinge is conductive enabling use of the hinge as a conductor for routing power through multiple solar cell panels interconnected by the hinges forming a hinged solar cell array that is deployed when the hinges are released from the bent stowed configuration to the rigid deployed configuration when the hinges further function as latches to lock the panels in place.
Claims15
A hinge for moving panels from a stow position to a deployed position for forming a hinged surface, the hinge comprising,
- a shape memory alloy,
- edges for securing the panels to the hinge for forming the hinged surface, and
- a trained deployed configuration for defining a deployed position of the panels forming the hinged surface, the hinge for bending about a hinge axis for placing the panels in the stowed position, the hinge for unbending about to the hinge axis for placing and the panels in the deployed position for forming the hinged surface.
A hinged surface comprising,
- panels having edges, and
- hinges made of a shape memory alloy and secured to the edges for deploying the panels to a predetermined deployed position for the hinged surface, the hinge being trained to return to the predetermined deployed position when released from a bent stowed position.
The hinged surface of claimed 6 wherein,
- the panels are a solar panels, and
- the shape memory alloy is nitinol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.