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AssigneeCSA Engineering, Inc.
InventorsConor D. Johnson, Paul S. Wilke, Scott C. Pendleton
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The excitations from the engines of launch vehicles and the aerodynamics of flight produce large vibrations which are highly detrimental to spacecraft during launch. Significant dynamic loads often exist in all three translations and for rotations as well, therefore, complete six degree-of-freedom vibration load isolation is often desired. The disclosed device utilizes a previously disclosed passive axial vibration isolation device to simply and effectively create a passive three-axis vibration isolation device suitable for effecting a six degree-of-freedom whole-spacecraft passive vibration isolation system. The vibration isolation system design can be simply tuned to address various dynamic load frequency bands of concern, including isolation for pyrotechnic shock. The resulting system is compact and lightweight and can be easily utilized with existing launch vehicle-to-payload support structures.
A three-axis vibration isolation device comprising:
A three-axis vibration isolation apparatus comprising two single-axis vibration isolation devices, each single-axis device having two spaced flexible beams joined at outer ends thereof by flexures, and having inward and outward facing mounts in middles of the beams for mounting the device, and a stand-off element comprising a post of high strength material and attachments at each end of the high strength post compatible with the inward facing mounts of the single-axis vibration isolation devices, wherein at each end of the stand-off element, the stand-off element connects to one of the mounts on one of the single-axis vibration isolation devices, thereby connecting the two single-axis devices to form a single three-axis vibration isolation assembly, and wherein the outward facing mounts attach to ring flanges of structures to be isolated.
A three-axis vibration isolation method comprising two single-axis vibration isolation devices, each single-axis device having two spaced flexible beams joined at outer ends thereof by flexures, and having inward and outward facing mounts in middles of the beams for mounting the device, connecting the inward facing mounts, and a stand-off element comprising a post of high strength material and attachments at ends of the high strength post compatible with the inward facing mounts of the single-axis vibration isolation devices, wherein the connecting comprises attaching an attachment at each end of the stand-off element, an inner mount on one of the single-axis vibration isolation devices, thereby connecting the two single-axis devices to form a single three-axis vibration isolation assembly, and wherein the outward facing mounts attach to ring flanges of structures to be isolated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.