A superstructure with tunable thermal expansion coefficient containing flexible hinges

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of superstructures, and its purpose is to provide a superstructure with a tunable thermal expansion coefficient, including flexible hinges. The superstructure is isotropic and has a wide range of tunable thermal expansion coefficients. The technical solution is a superstructure with a tunable thermal expansion coefficient, including flexible hinges. The superstructure is characterized by comprising two tunable thermal expansion coefficient modules, each module comprising a substrate with a square cross-section and a composite rod system connecting two adjacent sides of the square. The two tunable thermal expansion coefficient modules share a common substrate, and the two composite rod systems in the tunable thermal expansion coefficient superstructure are arranged symmetrically about a diagonal of the square.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of superstructures, in particular to a superstructure with a regulated thermal expansion coefficient and containing flexible hinges. Background Art

[0002] Superstructures are specially constructed artificial structures that can exhibit anomalous physical properties, such as Poisson's ratio and thermal expansion coefficient. Their physical properties are influenced not only by the intrinsic characteristics of their constituent materials but also, to a greater extent, by their internal artificial structure. The development of superstructures has triggered significant changes in fields such as defense and optical devices, and is a hotly anticipated cutting-edge technology.

[0003] Natural materials often expand and contract with temperature fluctuations. This deformation in fluctuating temperatures can negatively impact certain applications. For example, communications satellites operate in the vastly fluctuating temperature environment of space. Thermal deformation can cause antenna deflection, impacting communication performance. Existing structures struggle to meet these requirements. Therefore, there is an urgent need to design components with a zero thermal expansion coefficient by combining them with conventional positive thermal expansion coefficient materials using superstructures with adjustable thermal expansion coefficients. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the above-mentioned background technology and provide a superstructure with adjustable thermal expansion coefficient containing flexible hinges, which has the characteristics of isotropy and a wide adjustable range of thermal expansion coefficient.

[0005] The technical solution provided by the present invention is:

[0006] A thermal expansion coefficient controllable superstructure with a flexible hinge is characterized in that: the thermal expansion coefficient controllable superstructure includes two thermal expansion coefficient controllable modules, each thermal expansion coefficient controllable module includes a substrate with a square cross-section and a composite rod system connecting two adjacent sides of the square; the two thermal expansion coefficient controllable modules share a substrate, and the two composite rod systems in the thermal expansion coefficient controllable superstructure are arranged symmetrically about a diagonal of the square.

[0007] In each composite rod system, the lower end of the first rod is connected to the first surface of the two surfaces of the substrate through a first flexible hinge, and the upper end of the first rod is connected to the lower end of the fourth rod and the left end of the third rod through a first composite flexible hinge; the second rod is parallel to the first rod and is of equal length, the lower end of the second rod is connected to the first surface of the two surfaces of the substrate through a second flexible hinge, the upper end of the second rod and the right end of the third rod are connected to the middle part of the fifth rod through a second composite flexible hinge; the upper end of the fourth rod is connected to the sixth rod through a third flexible hinge, and the upper end of the fifth rod is connected to the sixth rod through a fourth flexible hinge; the line connecting the rotation center of the fourth flexible hinge to the rotation center of the second composite flexible hinge and the line connecting the rotation center of the third flexible hinge to the rotation center of the first composite flexible hinge are parallel to each other and of equal length, and the lower end of the fifth rod is connected to the moving plate through the fifth flexible hinge; the left side of the driving block is connected to the second surface of the two surfaces of the substrate, and the right side is connected to the moving plate.

[0008] The lines connecting the rotation centers of the first flexible hinge, the second flexible hinge, the second composite flexible hinge, and the first composite flexible hinge in sequence form a parallelogram; the lines connecting the rotation centers of the first composite flexible hinge, the second composite flexible hinge, the fourth flexible hinge, and the third flexible hinge in sequence form another parallelogram.

[0009] The rotation center of the fifth flexible hinge, the rotation center of the first flexible hinge, and the rotation center of the second flexible hinge are located on the same straight line, and the straight line is parallel to one side of the square.

[0010] The rotation center of the fifth flexible hinge, the rotation center of the second composite flexible hinge, and the rotation center of the fourth flexible hinge are collinear.

[0011] The base plate and the composite rod system are made of two materials with different thermal expansion coefficients.

[0012] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the superstructure proposed in the present invention is isotropic, and the equivalent thermal expansion coefficients in the horizontal and vertical directions can be widely controlled by changing the thermal expansion coefficients and dimensional parameters of the base material. It can be used in application fields such as aerospace, precision instruments, etc. that require materials with controllable thermal expansion coefficients. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of a single thermal expansion coefficient controllable module in the present invention.

[0015] Reference numerals in the figure: base plate 1, first rod 2, second rod 3, third rod 4, fourth rod 5, fifth rod 6, movable plate 7, sixth rod 8, driving block 9, first flexible hinge R1, second flexible hinge R2, first composite flexible hinge R3, second composite flexible hinge R4, third flexible hinge R5, fourth flexible hinge R6, fifth flexible hinge R7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0017] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a superstructure with adjustable thermal expansion coefficients and flexible hinges includes two adjustable thermal expansion coefficient modules. The two modules share a base plate 1 with a square cross-section. The two composite rod systems in the adjustable thermal expansion coefficient superstructure are arranged symmetrically about a diagonal of the square; each composite rod system simultaneously connects two adjacent sides of the square. Each adjustable thermal expansion coefficient module includes a base plate 1 and a composite rod system. The composite rod system includes a first rod 2, a second rod 3, a third rod 4, a fourth rod 5, a fifth rod 6, a movable plate 7, a sixth rod 8, a driving block 9, a first flexible hinge R1, a second flexible hinge R2, a first composite flexible hinge R3, a second composite flexible hinge R4, a third flexible hinge R5, a fourth flexible hinge R6, and a fifth flexible hinge R7.

[0018] The lower end of the first rod is connected to the first surface of the two surfaces of the substrate through a first flexible hinge, and the upper end of the first rod is connected to the lower end of the fourth rod and the left end of the third rod through a first composite flexible hinge; the second rod is parallel to the first rod and is of equal length, the lower end of the second rod is connected to the first surface of the two adjacent surfaces of the substrate through a second flexible hinge, the upper end of the second rod and the right end of the third rod are connected to the middle of the fifth rod through a second composite flexible hinge; the upper end of the fourth rod is connected to the sixth rod through a third flexible hinge; the line connecting the rotation center of the fourth flexible hinge to the rotation center of the second composite flexible hinge in the fifth rod and the line connecting the rotation center of the third flexible hinge to the rotation center of the first composite flexible hinge are parallel to each other and of equal length, the upper end of the fifth rod is connected to the sixth rod through the fourth flexible hinge, and the lower end of the fifth rod is connected to the moving plate through the fifth flexible hinge; the left side of the driving block is fixedly connected to the second surface of the two adjacent surfaces of the substrate, and the right side is fixedly connected to the moving plate.

[0019] The lines connecting the rotation centers A of the first flexible hinge, B of the second flexible hinge, D of the second composite flexible hinge, and C of the first composite flexible hinge, in sequence, form a parallelogram. The lines connecting the rotation centers C of the first composite flexible hinge, D of the second composite flexible hinge, F of the fourth flexible hinge, and E of the third flexible hinge, in sequence, form another parallelogram. The rotation centers G of the fifth flexible hinge are colinear with A and B, and this colinear line is parallel to one side of the square. The rotation centers G of the fifth flexible hinge, D of the second composite flexible hinge, and F of the fourth flexible hinge are also colinear.

[0020] In the module with adjustable thermal expansion coefficient, the driver block is constructed from a material with a high thermal expansion coefficient, while the remaining components are constructed from a material with a low thermal expansion coefficient. Because the driver block deforms more than the remaining components under the same temperature rise, this unbalanced deformation can cause the flexible hinge to deform, resulting in relative displacement between the sixth rod and the base plate.

[0021] By adjusting the thermal expansion coefficients of the two materials and varying the dimensions of the thermal expansion controllable module, the module's vertical equivalent thermal expansion coefficient can be adjusted from negative to positive. Therefore, the thermal expansion coefficient of the thermal expansion controllable superstructure with flexible hinges can be controlled in both the horizontal and vertical directions.

Claims

1. A superstructure with a controllable thermal expansion coefficient containing flexible hinges, characterized by: The thermal expansion coefficient adjustable superstructure comprises two thermal expansion coefficient adjustable modules, each thermal expansion coefficient adjustable module comprises a substrate (1) with a square cross section and a composite rod system connecting two adjacent sides of the square; the characteristics are: the two thermal expansion coefficient adjustable modules share a substrate, and the two composite rod systems in the thermal expansion coefficient adjustable superstructure are arranged symmetrically with respect to a diagonal line of the square; In each composite rod system, the lower end of the first rod (2) is connected to the first of the two surfaces of the substrate through a first flexible hinge (R1), and the upper end of the first rod is connected to the lower end of the fourth rod (5) and the left end of the third rod (4) through a first composite flexible hinge (R3); the second rod (3) is parallel to the first rod and has the same length as the first rod, and the lower end of the second rod is connected to the first of the two surfaces of the substrate through a second flexible hinge (R2), and the upper end of the second rod and the right end of the third rod are connected to the middle of the fifth rod through a second composite flexible hinge (R4); the upper end of the fourth rod is connected to the left end of the third rod through a second composite flexible hinge (R4); The third flexible hinge (R5) is connected to the sixth rod (8), and the upper end of the fifth rod (6) is connected to the sixth rod via the fourth flexible hinge (R6); the line connecting the rotation center (F) of the fourth flexible hinge to the rotation center (D) of the second composite flexible hinge and the line connecting the rotation center (E) of the third flexible hinge to the rotation center (C) of the first composite flexible hinge are parallel to each other and have the same length; the lower end of the fifth rod is connected to the movable plate via the fifth flexible hinge (R7); the left side of the driving block (9) is connected to the second of the two surfaces of the substrate, and the right side is connected to the movable plate (7); The lines connecting the rotation center (A) of the first flexible hinge, the rotation center (B) of the second flexible hinge, the rotation center (D) of the second composite flexible hinge, and the rotation center (C) of the first composite flexible hinge end to end form a parallelogram; the lines connecting the rotation center (C) of the first composite flexible hinge, the rotation center (D) of the second composite flexible hinge, the rotation center (F) of the fourth flexible hinge, and the rotation center (E) of the third flexible hinge end to end form another parallelogram.

2. The thermal expansion coefficient controllable superstructure with flexible hinges according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotation center (G) of the fifth flexible hinge, the rotation center of the first flexible hinge, and the rotation center of the second flexible hinge are located on the same straight line, and the straight line is parallel to one side of the square.

3. The thermal expansion coefficient controllable superstructure with flexible hinges according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rotation center of the fifth flexible hinge, the rotation center of the second composite flexible hinge, and the rotation center of the fourth flexible hinge are collinear.

4. The thermal expansion coefficient controllable superstructure with flexible hinges according to claim 3, characterized in that: The base plate and the composite rod system are made of two materials with different thermal expansion coefficients.

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