Large space high storage ratio high stiffness two-dimensional planar deployable mechanism

Abstract

Large space high storage ratio high stiffness two-dimensional plane deployable mechanism, in order to solve the problems of small unfolding area, few unfolding panel quantity and complicated unfolding process control in the prior art, the present application is stacked below the satellite in the folded state, and becomes a plane after unfolding, the present application comprises two symmetrically arranged panel units, two non-driven hinges are arranged on the outer side of the two panel units, one non-driven hinge is arranged between the two panels, so that a double hinge mechanism is formed with the longitudinal unfolding vortex scroll hinge in the first step, and one transverse unfolding hinge is arranged between the upper and lower adjacent two panels in each column of longitudinal panel, and the second step transverse unfolding is realized through the transverse unfolding hinge. The present application has the characteristics of passive driving, no pressing mechanism and step-by-step orderly unfolding, and has very important practical significance and good application prospect for accelerating the development of large plane SAR antenna field in the future of China's space. The present application belongs to the field of aerospace technology.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a two-dimensional planar deployable mechanism, specifically a large-scale, high-storage-ratio, high-rigidity two-dimensional planar deployable mechanism, which belongs to the field of aerospace technology. Background Technology

[0002] The new generation of communication satellites adopts "wing-array integration" technology, which integrates phased array antennas and solar panels into a single communication satellite. This significantly reduces system weight and complexity, and boasts a high fold-to-spread ratio, representing the future development direction for large planar SAR antennas. Spacecraft that have already achieved two-dimensional deployment only use multiple motors to drive and control the solar panels, which suffers from several problems, including the need for multiple large-span hinges, complex multi-motor drive control, disordered panel movement during deployment leading to interference, the need for additional clamping during step-by-step deployment, and low storage ratio and stiffness of multi-panel folding and deployment mechanisms. Therefore, there is an urgent need to overcome the challenges of innovative deployment configuration design based on origami theory, reliable folding and clamping, orderly and stable two-dimensional deployment, and high storage ratio and high stiffness. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the technical problems of small unfolding area, few unfolding panels, and cumbersome unfolding process control in existing technologies, this invention proposes a large-scale, high-storage-ratio, high-rigidity two-dimensional planar unfoldable mechanism.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above problems is as follows:

[0005] This invention includes two panel units, which are symmetrically arranged from top to bottom and connected in a planar shape. Each panel unit includes multiple rectangular panels, multiple vertical unfolding hinges, multiple horizontal unfolding hinges, and multiple non-driven hinges. The multiple rectangular panels are arranged in an N×M array, and multiple columns of vertical panels are connected sequentially from left to right. In each column of vertical panels, two adjacent panels are connected by a horizontal unfolding hinge. There are two non-driven hinges: in the first row of horizontal panels, there is a non-driven hinge between the upper right end of the first panel and the upper left end of the second panel, and between the upper right end of the third panel and the upper left end of the fourth panel. There is one vertical unfolding hinge: in the first row of horizontal panels, the right end of the second panel and the left end of the third panel are connected by a vertical unfolding hinge; in the last row of horizontal panels, the right end of the first panel and the left end of the second panel are connected by a vertical unfolding hinge; and the right end of the third panel and the left end of the fourth panel are connected by a vertical unfolding hinge.

[0006] Furthermore, each panel unit also includes three locking mechanisms: in the first row of the horizontal panel, a locking mechanism is provided between the right end of the first panel and the left end of the second panel; a locking mechanism is provided between the right end of the third panel and the left end of the fourth panel; and in the last row of the horizontal panel, a locking mechanism is provided between the right end of the second panel and the left end of the third panel.

[0007] Furthermore, the locking mechanism is a conical pin locking structure.

[0008] Furthermore, each panel in the panel unit has the same thickness, and each panel is a rectangular planar rigid panel.

[0009] Furthermore, both the longitudinal unfolding hinge and the transverse unfolding hinge are torsion spring hinges.

[0010] Furthermore, N represents four columns and M represents five rows.

[0011] Furthermore, a driveless hinge is provided between the two panel units.

[0012] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0013] 1. The present invention uses longitudinal and transverse unfolding hinges arranged between adjacent panels, which greatly reduces the use of large-span hinges.

[0014] 2. This invention does not require a motor at the joint rotation point; instead, it uses a hinge with a torsion spring for drive control, resulting in higher reliability.

[0015] 3. The present invention forms a double hinge mechanism by using a non-drive hinge and a longitudinal unfolding hinge. In the first step of longitudinal unfolding, the panel is pressed, which replaces the additional pressing and releasing mechanism required for step-by-step unfolding and realizes the orderly two-dimensional unfolding of the mechanism.

[0016] 4. The number of panels in this invention can be modularly expanded, and the mechanism has the characteristics of high storage ratio and high rigidity;

[0017] 5. This invention features passive drive, no clamping mechanism, and step-by-step orderly deployment, which has significant practical implications and promising application prospects for accelerating the development of large-scale planar SAR antennas in my country's future space applications. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the stacked and unfolded states of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the unfolded structure of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Rear view;

[0021] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the longitudinal unfolding process of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating the horizontal unfolding process of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure when the invention is unfolded longitudinally;

[0024] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the state of each hinge during the unfolding process;

[0025] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a hinge with a spiral spring.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a non-driven hinge structure;

[0027] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Specific implementation method one: Combining Figures 1 to 10 This embodiment describes a mechanism that adopts a "wing-array integration" approach. One side of the mechanism is a solar cell array, and the other side is a phased array antenna. In its deployed state, the large panel array consists of regularly shaped rectangular planar rigid panels of uniform thickness, forming an n×m rigid panel array. In its retracted state, the panels are stacked together and tightly closed beneath the star, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown.

[0029] Figure 2 As shown, the deployable mechanism includes two panel units 2, which are symmetrically arranged from top to bottom and connected in a planar shape. Each panel unit 2 includes multiple panels 2-1, multiple longitudinal unfolding hinges 2-2, multiple transverse unfolding hinges 2-3, and multiple undriven hinges 2-4. The components for the phased array antenna are arranged on the panels 2-1. The multiple rectangular panels 2-1 are arranged in an N×M array, where N is four columns and M is five rows. Each panel 2-1 in the panel unit 2 has the same thickness and is a square planar rigid panel.

[0030] Multiple vertical panels are connected sequentially from left to right; within each vertical panel, two adjacent panels 2-1 are connected by a horizontally unfolding hinge 2-3.

[0031] Each panel unit has three longitudinal unfolding hinges 2-2. In the first row of horizontal panels, the right end of the second panel and the left end of the third panel are connected by a longitudinal unfolding hinge 2-2; in the last row of horizontal panels, the right end of the first panel and the left end of the second panel are connected by a longitudinal unfolding hinge 2-2; and the right end of the third panel and the left end of the fourth panel are connected by a longitudinal unfolding hinge 2-2.

[0032] Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 9 As shown, the two panel units have a total of five undriven hinges 2-4, with two on the outer end of each panel unit and one between the two panel units 2. The undriven hinges 2-4 have a larger span than the driven hinges, forming a double hinge mechanism with the coaxial longitudinally unfolding hinge with a spiral spring. In the first step before the panel is fully unfolded, they provide pressure for the panel and restrict the individual unfolding of the larger unit.

[0033] Each panel unit also includes three locking mechanisms 2-5, which are arranged in the first and last rows of each panel unit between panels without longitudinal unfolding hinges. Specifically, in the first row of horizontal panels, a locking mechanism 2-5 is provided between the right end of the first panel and the left end of the second panel; a locking mechanism 2-5 is provided between the right end of the third panel and the left end of the fourth panel; and in the last row of horizontal panels, a locking mechanism 2-5 is provided between the right end of the second panel and the left end of the third panel.

[0034] Preferably, the locking mechanism 2-5 is a conical pin locking structure. Figure 10 As shown, after the panel is extended vertically into place in the first step, the pin is pushed into the pin groove to lock the mechanism.

[0035] Both the longitudinal unfolding hinge 2-2 and the transverse unfolding hinge 2-3 are torsion spring hinges. Preferably, the torsion spring hinges are hinges with spiral springs. Figure 8 As shown, in a hinge with a spiral spring, the spiral spring drives the hinge shaft, providing driving torque. With a constant preload, the torque provided is adjusted by changing the spring stiffness characteristics of different hinges, thus controlling the mechanism's rotation. When the hinge is fully extended (180 degrees), a limit structure 2-3-1 prevents further rotation after extension. Simultaneously, after extension, the spring pin 2-3-2 inside the hinge pops out and inserts into a pin slot, providing a locking mechanism. The spring pin head is designed with a semi-circular shape to reduce friction.

[0036] The unfolding steps of this invention are as follows: Figures 4 to 7 As shown:

[0037] The folded panel 2-1 is placed vertically below the star 1. The mechanism unfolds in two steps: longitudinal unfolding and lateral unfolding. In the first step of longitudinal unfolding, the longitudinal unfolding hinge 2-2 at the root joint of the panel 2-1 located at the bottom of the star rotates 90°, and the remaining longitudinal unfolding hinges 2-2 rotate 180°, unfolding the panel from a vertical stacked state to a horizontal state of two rows of stacked panels. The folded panels are pressed together by the non-drive hinge 2-4 and will not unfold. After the longitudinal unfolding is completed, the locking mechanism 2-5 between the panels locks them, and the second step of lateral unfolding is carried out. The remaining folded panels unfold from below the middle unfolded panel. Each lateral unfolding hinge 2-3 rotates 180° and unfolds into a planar array. The locking mechanism 2-5 between the panels and the locking structure on the hinge with the spiral spring can lock the panels together, maintaining the overall rigidity and accuracy of the mechanism.

[0038] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, based on the technical essence of the present invention and within the spirit and principles of the present invention, shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A large-scale, high-storage-ratio, high-rigidity, two-dimensional planar deployable mechanism, wherein the deployable mechanism is stacked at the bottom of a satellite (1), characterized in that: The large-scale, high-storage-ratio, high-rigidity, two-dimensional planar deployable mechanism includes two panel units (2). The two panel units (2) are symmetrically arranged from top to bottom and connected in a planar shape. Each panel unit (2) includes multiple panels (2-1), multiple longitudinal unfolding hinges (2-2), multiple transverse unfolding hinges (2-3), and multiple non-driven hinges (2-4). The multiple rectangular panels (2-1) are arranged in an N×M array. Multiple vertical panels are connected sequentially from left to right; within each vertical panel, two adjacent panels (2-1) are connected by a horizontally unfolding hinge (2-3); The two panel units have a total of five undriven hinges (2-4), with two on the outer end of each panel unit (2) and one between the two panel units (2); in the first row of the horizontal panel, there is an undriven hinge (2-4) between the upper right end of the first panel and the upper left end of the second panel, and an undriven hinge (2-4) between the upper right end of the third panel and the upper left end of the fourth panel; the undriven hinge (2-4) forms a double hinge mechanism with the coaxial longitudinal unfolding hinge (2-2), which provides pressure to the panel when it is not fully unfolded in the first step, and at the same time restricts the individual unfolding of the large unit; In the first row of horizontal panels, the right end of the second panel and the left end of the third panel are connected by a longitudinal unfolding hinge (2-2); in the last row of horizontal panels, the right end of the first panel and the left end of the second panel are connected by a longitudinal unfolding hinge (2-2); the right end of the third panel and the left end of the fourth panel are connected by a longitudinal unfolding hinge (2-2).

2. The large-scale, high-storage-ratio, high-rigidity two-dimensional planar deployable mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each panel unit also includes three locking mechanisms (2-5). In the first row of the horizontal panel, a locking mechanism (2-5) is provided between the right end of the first panel and the left end of the second panel; a locking mechanism (2-5) is provided between the right end of the third panel and the left end of the fourth panel; and in the last row of the horizontal panel, a locking mechanism (2-5) is provided between the right end of the second panel and the left end of the third panel.

3. The large-scale, high-storage-ratio, high-rigidity two-dimensional planar deployable mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The locking mechanism (2-5) is a cone pin type locking structure.

4. The large-scale, high-storage-ratio, high-rigidity two-dimensional planar deployable mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each panel (2-1) in the panel unit (2) has the same thickness, and each panel (2-1) is a rectangular planar rigid panel.

5. The large-scale, high-storage-ratio, high-rigidity two-dimensional planar deployable mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the longitudinal unfolding hinge (2-2) and the transverse unfolding hinge (2-3) are torsion spring hinges.

6. The large-scale, high-storage-ratio, high-rigidity two-dimensional planar deployable mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: N represents four columns and M represents five rows.

7. The large-scale, high-storage-ratio, high-rigidity two-dimensional planar deployable mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: A non-drive hinge (2-4) is provided between the two panel units (2).

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