Collapsible structure

A truss structure movable between a collapsed position and a deployed position, having:

• at least one structural unit comprising four frame units, each frame unit comprised of first, second and third elongate members forming a right triangle, the first elongate member of each frame unit being connected to the first elongate member of another frame unit so that the connected first elongate members form a rigid quadrilateral, the remaining second and third elongate members of each frame unit being pivotally connected to the first elongate member so as to pivot about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first elongate member, the third elongate member defining the hypotenuse of the right triangle of each frame unit, the hypotenuse having two trough portions located opposite and adjacent each other at the midpoint of the hypotenuse longitudinal axis;
• and
• at least four folding batten members, hinged at their midpoints about an axis perpendicular to their longitudinal axis and pivotally connected at their ends to the frame units such that the frame units pivot toward the interior of the quadrilateral so as to move between the deployed position, in which the frame units are perpendicular to the plane defined by the quadrilateral, and the collapsed position, in which the frame units lie in a plane parallel to the quadrilateral.

A truss structure movable between a collapsed position and a deployed position, having:

• at least one frame section comprised of a plurality of frame units, each frame unit comprised of three elongated members forming a triangle independent of the elongated members of the other frame units, a first member of each frame unit being coupled to a first member of another frame unit so that the coupled first members form a polygon, the remaining members of each frame unit being pivotally connected to the first member of the frame unit;
• and
• a plurality of folding batten members foldable approximately at their midpoints and pivotally coupled at their ends to the frame units to form a second polygon.

A truss structure movable between a collapsed position and a deployed position, having:

• at least one structural unit comprising a plurality of frame units, each frame unit comprised of first, second and third elongate members forming a right triangle, the first elongate member of each frame unit being connected to the first elongate member of another frame unit so that the connected first elongate members form a rigid polygon, the remaining second and third elongate members of each frame unit being pivotally connected to the first elongated member so as to pivot about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first elongate member, the third elongate member defining the hypotenuse of the right triangle of each frame unit, the hypotenuse having two trough portions located opposite and adjacent each other a the midpoint of the hypotenuse longitudinal axis;
• and
• a plurality of folding batten members, hinged at their midpoints about an axis perpendicular to their longitudinal axis and pivotally connected at their ends to the frame units such that the frame units pivot toward the interior of the polygon so as to move between the deployed position, in which the frame units are perpendicular to the plane defined by the polygon, and the collapsed position, in which the frame units lie in a plane parallel to the polygon.