Deployment hinge

A hinge system comprising at least a first hinge having:

• a first hinge plate having a first hinge plate hinge pin receiver thereon, the first hinge plate hinge pin receiver comprising a first pair of spaced-apart bushings;
• a second hinge plate having a second hinge plate hinge pin receiver thereon, the second hinge plate hinge pin receiver comprising a second pair of spaced-apart bushings, the first pair of spaced-apart bushing being spaced apart more than the second pair of spaced-apart bushings, so that the second pair of spaced apart bushings is nested between the first-pair of spaced-apart bushings along the hinge pin axis;
• a cylindrical hinge pin engaging the first hinge plate hinge pin receiver bushings and the second hinge plate hinge pin receiver bushings to pivotably join the first hinge plate and the second hinge plate, the hinge pin having a hinge pin axis coincident with a cylindrical axis of the hinge pin and about which the second hinge plate is pivotable with respect to the first hinge plate, the hinge pin being free to move in a direction parallel to the hinge pin axis relative to the second hinge plate;
• a coil spring overlying the hinge pin and lying between the second pair of spaced-apart bushings;
• means for compressing the spring axially to store energy as the second hinge plate moves from an open position to a closed position and for releasing the stored energy as the second hinge plate moves from the closed position to the open position.

A method for deploying a structure in a zero-gravity environment, comprising the steps of:

• providing a hinge system for joining a fixed portion and a deployable portion of a space vehicle, the hinge system comprising a first hinge having:
• a first hinge plate having a first hinge plate hinge pin receiver thereon,
• a second hinge plate having a second hinge plate hinge pin receiver thereon,
• a cylindrical hinge pin extending between the first hinge plate hinge pin receiver and the second hinge plate hinge pin receiver to pivotably join the first hinge plate and the second hinge plate, the hinge pin having a hinge pin axis coincident with a cylindrical axis of the hinge pin and about which the second hinge plate is pivotable with respect to the first hinge plate, the hinge pin being free to move in a direction parallel to the hinge pin axis relative to the second hinge plate,
• a cam fixed to the first hinge plate and having a cam surface thereon,
• a cam follower pin attached to and extending outwardly from the hinge pin transversely to the hinge pin axis and disposed to ride on the cam surface,
• a bushing fixed to the second hinge plate and overlying the hinge pin, the busing having a slot therein extending parallel to the hinge pin axis,
• a coil spring overlying the bushing and having a first end fixed with respect to movement parallel to the hinge pin axis,
• a spring driver pin attached to and extending outwardly from the hinge pin transversely to the hinge pin axis and through the slot of the bushing, the spring driver pin being disposed to contact a second end of the spring;
• placing the deployable part in a stowed position and retaining the deployable part in the stowed position;
• and
• releasing the deployable part to move from the stowed position to an open position while the vehicle is in a zero-gravity environment.