US 4,811,034 A · Stowable reflector

Abstract

A plurality of small segments stowed in a compact stack are assembled, essentially automatically, into a large construction surface, such as a flat or parabolic reflector. A stowable portable construction surface of the kind having a plurality of surface segments of essentially identical configuration stacked along a common axis in overlying spaced relationship for storage in minimum space and assembleable into a side by side to extend over a wide are approximately equal to the sum of the areas of said segments means is improved by including a translational hinge means, either "step-up" or "step-down" in vertical translation, said hinge means connecting said segment means together serially and responsive to pivotal movement of one of said segment means relative to an attached other of said segment means for causing at least one edge of said moving segment means to move in vertical position from a position spaced from and coaxial with said hingedly attached other segment means to side by side relationship with said attached other segment means.

Claims25

Dependent claims

In a stowable portable construction surface of the kind having a plurality of segment means of essentially identical configuration stacked along a common axis in overlying relationship for storage in minimum space and being assembleable into a side by side laterally displaced relationship to extend over a wide area;

the improvement therein which comprises in combination therewith:
translational hinge means:
said hinge means connecting said segment means together serially and responding to pivotal movement of one of said segment means for causing said one pivotally moving segment means to move from said stacked position to a unstacked position in side by side relationship with said adjacent segment means and axially and laterally displaced from said stacked position.

A fold out reflector assembly for reflecting electromagnetic energy comprising:

a plurality of substantially identical panel means including top panel means, bottom panel means, and intermediate panel means located intermediate said top and bottom panel means, said panel means having reflecting surfaces containing six corners;
a plurality of hinge means for connecting said panel means together in a serial manner for permitting pivotal movement between said panel means about a hinge axis, each said hinge means comprising a female hinge portion for connection to one of said panel means and a male hinge portion for connection to another one of said panel means adjacent to said one panel means;
each of said intermediate panel means having attached thereto a female hinge portion associated with a one of said hinge means and a male hinge portion associated with another one of said hinge means, said hinge portions being attached at different corners of the associated panel means;
said hinge means further comprising:
step down hinge means responsive to pivotal movement of one panel means relative to the other hingedly connected panel means for causing one of said male and female hinge portions to move axially along the hinge axis relative to said other hinge portion for permitting a pivoting one of said panel means to which one of said hinge portions is attached to move between a first position axially aligned with an adjacent attached panel means to which the other of said hinge portions is attached and a second position axially and laterally displaced from said adjacent attached panel means.

2 more elements

A fold out construction surface comprising:

a plurality of substantially identical panel means, including top panel means, bottom panel means, and intermediate panel means located intermediate said top and bottom panel means;
a plurality of hinge means for connecting said panel means together serially for pivotal movement therebetween about a hinge axis, each said hinge means including a male hinge portion for connection to one panel means and a female hinge portion for connection to another adjacent one of said panel means, said hinge means further comprising:
translational hinge means responsive to pivotal movement of one panel means relative tot he connected panel means for causing one of said male and female portions to move axially along the hinge axis relative to one another to a predetermined extent for permitting a pivoting one of said panel means to move into the plane of an adjacent attached one of said panel means.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Stowable reflector

Life of this patent

Stowable reflector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25