# US 2014/0151485 A1 · Device for unfurling and refurling a flexible structure, and a flexible unfurlable structure and satellite both equipped with such a device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0151485 A1 - Document ID: US20140151485A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/094,340 - Filed: 2013-12-02 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-05 - Assignees: Thales; Centre National D'Etudes Spatiales - Applicants: Centre National D'Etudes Spatiales-Cnes; Thales - Inventors: Yannick BAUDASSE; Stephane VEZAIN; Bernard BOULANGER; Francois GUINOT - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151485A1 ## CPC - B65H 75/34: specially adapted or mounted for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of material provided for particular purposes, e.g. anchored hoses, power cables (retractors for storing flexible hoses as accessories of dental work stands A61G15/18; vehicle safety belt retractors B60R22/34; hose-storing devices in apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or portable containers B67D7/40; clothes-line supports D06F53/00; spring drums for liftable blinds with horizontal lamellae E06B9/322; spring drums or tape drums for roll-type closures or roller blinds E06B9/56; hauling- or hoisting-chains with arrangements for holding electric cables, hoses or the like F16G13/16; devices for guiding pipes, cables or protective tubing, between relatively movable points, e.g. movable channels, F16L3/01; flexible rulers or tapes with scales G01B3/10; electrical features of stored material, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. H02G) - B64G 1/2225: {Rolling or unfurling (B64G1/2227 takes precedence)} - B64G 1/2229: {characterised by the deployment actuating mechanism (inflating B64G1/2227)} - B64G 1/44: using radiation, e.g. deployable solar arrays - B64G 1/503: {Radiator panels} - B64G 1/66: Arrangements or adaptations of apparatus or instruments, not otherwise provided for - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES - B64G: COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A device is provided for unfurling and refurling comprising at least one tape spring having an axis of unfurling and of refurling parallel to an axis X and a rotor capable of rotating about an axis Y perpendicular to the axis X, the tape spring being able, autonomously, to pass from a state in which it is wound around the rotor to an unwound state. The tape spring is mounted bent in two in the shape of a U and comprises a first end fixed rigidly to a first anchor point that may be secured to a stator or to the rotor and a second end wound around the rotor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for unfurling and refurling a flexible structure comprising at least one tape spring having an axis of unfurling and of refurling parallel to an axis X and a rotor capable of rotating about an axis Y perpendicular to the axis X, the tape spring being able, autonomously, to pass from a state in which it is wound around the rotor to an unwound state, the tape spring being mounted bent in two in a shape of a U with two branches, wherein the tape spring comprises a first end of a first branch fixed rigidly to a first anchor point and a second end of a second branch fixed rigidly to a second anchor point secured to the rotor, the first end of the first branch of the tape spring being mounted between two jaws of the first anchor point. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The unfurling and refurling device of claim 1, wherein the second anchor point consists of two jaws of complementing shapes mounted facing one another, the second end of the second branch of the tape spring being mounted between the two jaws of the second anchor point. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The unfurling and refurling device of claim 1, further comprising at least two rollers mounted facing one another on a fixed fitting supporting the axis of rotation of the rotor, the second branch of the tape spring secured to the rotor being set in between the two rollers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The unfurling and refurling device of claim 1, further comprising an unfurling-speed regulating device coupled to the rotor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The unfurling and refurling device of claim 1, further comprising at least one two-dimensional XY flexible membrane, the tape spring being fixed to the flexible membrane parallel to the axis X of unfurling and refurling of the tape spring. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The unfurling and refurling device of claim 5, comprising at least two tape springs fixed parallel to one another and parallel to the axis X on the flexible membrane, each tape spring being mounted bent in two, the first end of each tape spring being fixed rigidly to the first anchor point and the second end of each tape spring being fixed rigidly to the second anchor point secured to the rotor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The unfurling and refurling device of claim 6, wherein the flexible membrane comprises lateral battens orthogonal to the axis X, the lateral battens being respectively fixed to each tape spring. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The unfurling and refurling device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one fixed stator and wherein the first anchor point is secured to the stator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The unfurling and refurling device according to claim 1, wherein the first anchor point is secured to the rotor and wherein the unfurling and refurling device comprises two first rollers mounted facing one another on a fixed fitting supporting the axis of rotation of the rotor and two second rollers mounted facing one another on the fitting, the second branch of the tape spring being set in between the two first rollers, the first branch of the tape spring being set in between the two second rollers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The unfurling and refurling device of claim 8, comprising at least two tape springs mounted in opposition on one and the same rotor, each tape spring being mounted bent in two and comprising two ends which are fixed respectively to one and the same stator by first anchor points and to said rotor by second anchor points. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The unfurling and refurling device of claim 8, comprising at least three tape springs mounted in a star on one and the same rotor, each tape spring being mounted bent in two and comprising two ends fixed respectively to one and the same stator by first anchor points and to said rotor by second anchor points. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The unfurling and refurling device of claim 8, comprising at least two stators parallel to the axis Y, said two stators being mounted one on either side of the rotor and two flexible structures mounted in opposition on said rotor, each flexible structure comprising a two-dimensional XY flexible membrane and at least one tape spring fixed bent in two to the flexible membrane, the tape spring comprising a first end fixed rigidly to one of the two stators and a second end fixed to the rotor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The unfurling and refurling device according to claim 1, wherein the tape spring is a corrugated sheet. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A flexible unfurlable structure comprising at least one unfurling and refurling device according to claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The flexible unfurlable structure of claim 14, further comprising an unfurlable articulated mast. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The flexible unfurlable structure of claim 15, wherein the articulated mast is able to be fixed to a platform of a satellite via a rotational-drive motor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The flexible unfurlable structure of claim 14, comprising two solar array half-wings mounted back to back on either side of a mid-plane of the unfurlable structure, the mid-plane being perpendicular to the axis X of unfurling and of refurling of the two half-wings and two independent unfurling and refurling devices respectively dedicated to the two half-wings, the two unfurling and refurling devices comprising two respective rotors, the two rotors having mutually parallel respective axes of rotation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The flexible unfurlable structure of claim 14, comprising a first flexible membrane fixed to the first branch of the bent-in-two tape spring and a second flexible membrane fixed to the second branch of said bent-in-two tape spring, the first flexible membrane supporting first objects and the second flexible membrane supporting second objects different from the first objects. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The flexible unfurlable structure according to claim 18, wherein the first objects are solar cells and the second objects are lenses that concentrate the light, and wherein the second flexible membrane is transparent to rays of light. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) A satellite comprising at least one flexible unfurlable structure of claim 14.