Secondary suspension two-dimensional pointing precision adjustable heavy optical payload unloading device

Abstract

This invention discloses a two-stage suspended, two-dimensional, precision-adjustable, large-mass optical load gravity unloading device, belonging to the fields of optical engineering and precision machinery technology. It includes a fixed base, on which a fixed frame is mounted. A two-dimensional precision rotation mechanism is mounted on the fixed frame, each comprising two-dimensional rotating shafts symmetrically arranged within the fixed frame. A large-mass optical load is fixedly mounted between the two rotating shafts. A two-stage torsion balance mechanism is mounted on the fixed frame. This invention, employing the aforementioned two-stage suspended, two-dimensional, precision-adjustable, large-mass optical load gravity unloading device, can maintain the gravity unloading state while completely unaffecting the precision directional adjustment performance of the large-mass optical load in the two-dimensional direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the fields of optical engineering and precision machinery, and in particular to a two-stage suspended, two-dimensional, directional, precision adjustable, large-mass optical load unloading device. Background Technology

[0002] In some typical space application missions such as space gravitational wave detection and precision optical remote sensing, precision actuators are required to drive massive optical payloads to deflect angularly around a one-dimensional or two-dimensional precision axis in order to achieve precise adjustment of the spatial orientation of massive optical payloads in one-dimensional or two-dimensional directions.

[0003] For example, in typical space-based gravitational wave detection missions, multiple satellites need to form an inter-satellite laser ranging interferometer to accurately measure changes in inter-satellite distances over long distances, thereby calculating gravitational wave data. In this inter-satellite laser ranging interferometer, the measurement optical path of each satellite is fixedly connected to a large optical payload of approximately 80 kg. The pointing of this large payload needs to be precisely adjusted in two dimensions to achieve the scanning and acquisition function of the inter-satellite laser beam and to precisely adjust the pointing of the inter-satellite laser beam during scientific measurements. The two-dimensional pointing adjustment range reaches ±5 mrad, and the adjustment sensitivity is better than 10 nrad. In typical precision optical remote sensing space application missions, it is necessary to adjust the pointing direction of a large-mass optical remote sensing camera weighing tens of kilograms to accurately align with the target area and maintain tracking. The pointing alignment and tracking accuracy requirements are at the microradian level.

[0004] In these types of space missions, these massive optical payloads operate in a microgravity environment after entering orbit with the spacecraft. Therefore, during the angular deflection of the massive optical payload around a one-dimensional or two-dimensional precision axis using a precision actuator, the precision axis is only affected by the driving force or torque generated by the actuator, and not by the gravity of the massive optical payload itself. However, the assembly and testing of these massive optical payloads are carried out under ground gravity. In order to test its high-precision pointing adjustment performance at the micro-radian to nanoradian level around the precision axis, it is necessary to unload the gravity of the massive optical payload under ground gravity to prevent this gravity from acting on the precision axis. Furthermore, it is necessary to avoid the gravity unloading device or mechanism affecting the pointing adjustment performance, thereby ensuring that the high-precision pointing adjustment performance of the massive optical payload in the microgravity environment of space can be accurately and reliably tested under ground conditions.

[0005] Current gravity unloading methods are divided into two categories: active gravity compensation and passive gravity compensation. Active gravity compensation uses sensors and actuators to monitor and adjust the telescope structure in real time to compensate for changes caused by gravity. It offers high accuracy but is structurally complex, easily damaged, and unsuitable for space exploration missions. Passive gravity compensation utilizes springs, pneumatic devices, suspension wires, etc., to partially counteract the effects of gravity on the detector. It can be further subdivided into drop tower method, parabolic method, water flotation method, air flotation method, and suspension method. The drop tower method and parabolic method involve subjecting the experimental device to free fall or projectile motion to achieve a microgravity environment. However, these methods are costly to construct and the duration of the microgravity environment is too short. The water flotation method uses the buoyancy of water to counteract the gravity of the spacecraft, enabling microgravity environments at any time. However, the experimental equipment requires specialized waterproofing. The air flotation method uses gas to support the experimental equipment, requiring precise control of the exhaust gas flow rate, making equipment fabrication, installation, and debugging quite complex. The suspension method uses suspension wires to suspend experimental equipment, utilizing the tension of the wires to balance gravity. It is a common method for microgravity simulation. The suspension method uses the tension of the wires to balance the gravity acting on the detector. By accurately calculating the position of the wires, it can provide precise gravity unloading, ensuring that the optical components and structure of the optical payload do not deform due to gravity. The more wires used, the smaller the stress deformation near the connection point of each wire, but the more complex the suspension system. Currently, commonly used suspension systems have fewer than 10 wires. The suspension method is a passive support system, involving no active mechanical parts, reducing potential mechanical vibration and interference. It has a simple structure, high reliability, and low maintenance costs.

[0006] However, in missions such as space gravitational wave detection and precision optical remote sensing, it is required that while unloading large-mass optical payloads by gravity, the gravity unloading device or mechanism should not affect the high-precision pointing adjustment performance of the large-mass optical payloads at the micro-radian to nano-radian level as much as possible. The existing gravity unloading methods mentioned above do not consider the impact of the gravity unloading device or mechanism on the high-precision pointing adjustment performance when considering gravity unloading, and therefore cannot meet the application requirements for ground-based testing of the two-dimensional precision pointing adjustment performance of large-mass optical payloads in missions such as space gravitational wave detection and precision optical remote sensing. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a two-stage suspended, two-dimensional, precisely adjustable, large-mass optical load gravity unloading device to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0008] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a gravity unloading device for a large-mass optical payload with two-stage suspension and two-dimensional pointing precision adjustment, including a fixed base, on which a fixed frame one is provided, on which a two-dimensional precision rotation mechanism is provided, the two-dimensional precision rotation mechanism includes a two-dimensional rotating shaft, the two-dimensional rotating shaft is symmetrically arranged inside the fixed frame one, and a large-mass optical payload is fixedly arranged between the two two-dimensional rotating shafts, and a two-stage torsion balance mechanism is provided on the fixed frame one.

[0009] Preferably, a connecting frame is provided on one side of the fixed frame one, a precision driver is provided on the connecting frame, and the precision driver is connected to the large-mass optical payload.

[0010] Preferably, the connecting frame is arranged in a "C" shape structure.

[0011] Preferably, the two-stage torsion balance mechanism includes a fixed frame two, a first-stage torsion wire and a first-stage suspension beam, the fixed frame two is arranged above the fixed frame one, the top end of the first-stage torsion wire is fixedly arranged on the fixed frame two, and the bottom end of the first-stage torsion wire is fixedly connected to the middle part of the first-stage suspension beam.

[0012] Preferably, the arrangement direction of the first-stage suspension beam is parallel to the pointing direction of the large-mass optical payload.

[0013] Preferably, the two-stage torsion balance mechanism further includes a first two-stage torsion wire and a second two-stage torsion wire, the top end of the first two-stage torsion wire is connected to one end of the first-stage suspension beam, the bottom end of the first two-stage torsion wire is connected to the large-mass optical payload, and the top end of the second two-stage torsion wire is fixedly connected to the other end of the first-stage suspension beam.

[0014] Preferably, the first two-stage torsion wire is located on the vertical line where the center of mass of the large-mass optical payload is located.

[0015] Preferably, a counterweight is connected to the bottom end of the second two-stage torsion wire.

[0016] Preferably, the mass of the counterweight is equal to the mass of the large-mass optical payload.

[0017] Therefore, the present invention adopts the above gravity unloading device for a large-mass optical payload with two-stage suspension and two-dimensional pointing precision adjustment, and has the following beneficial effects: the two-stage torsion balance is arranged in a specific way, while realizing the gravity unloading of the large-mass optical payload, it has no influence on the precision pointing adjustment performance of the large-mass optical payload in the two-dimensional direction, so as to achieve the purpose of simulating the precision pointing adjustment performance of the large-mass optical payload in tasks such as ground-based space gravitational wave detection and precision optical remote sensing.

[0018] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention where an angle deflection occurs in the horizontal direction;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of an embodiment of the present invention where an angle deflection occurs in the vertical direction;

[0024] Figure Labels

[0025] 1. Fixed base; 2. Fixed frame one; 3. Two-dimensional precision rotation mechanism; 4. Large-mass optical load; 5. Two-stage torsion balance mechanism; 51. Fixed frame two; 52. First-stage torsion wire; 53. First-stage suspension beam; 54. Second-stage torsion wire one; 55. Second-stage torsion wire two; 6. Connecting frame; 7. Precision actuator; 8. Counterweight; T1. Tension of the second-stage torsion wire pair on the large-mass optical load; G. Gravity of the large-mass optical load; m. Mass of the large-mass optical load; g. Gravitational acceleration; α. Angle of deflection of the gravity unloading device in the horizontal direction; β. Angle of deflection of the gravity unloading device in the vertical direction. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0028] Embodiment

[0029] As Figure 1-5 shown, the present invention provides a gravity unloading device for a large-mass optical payload with two-stage suspension and two-dimensional pointing precision adjustment, including a fixed base 1, on which a fixed frame one 2 is provided. On the fixed frame one 2, a two-dimensional precision rotation mechanism 3 is provided. The two-dimensional precision rotation mechanism 3 includes a two-dimensional rotating shaft, which is symmetrically arranged inside the fixed frame one 2. Between the two two-dimensional rotating shafts, a large-mass optical payload 4 is fixedly arranged. On the fixed frame one 2, a two-stage torsion balance mechanism 5 is provided.

[0030] On one side of the fixed frame one 2, a connecting frame 6 is provided. The connecting frame 6 is arranged in a "C" shape structure, and a precision driver 7 is provided on the connecting frame 6. The precision driver 7 is connected to the large-mass optical payload 4. The driving point of the precision driver 7 acts on the large-mass optical payload 4. The precision driver 7 generates a driving force to drive the large-mass optical payload 4, so that the pointing direction of the large-mass optical payload 4 deflects at a high-precision two-dimensional angle around the two-dimensional rotating shaft of the two-dimensional precision rotation mechanism 3.

[0031] The two-stage torsion balance mechanism 5 includes a fixed frame two 51, a first-stage torsion wire 52 and a first-stage suspension beam 53. The fixed frame two 51 is arranged above the fixed frame one 2. The top end of the first-stage torsion wire 52 is fixedly arranged on the fixed frame two 51, and the bottom end of the first-stage torsion wire 52 is fixedly connected to the middle part of the first-stage suspension beam 53. The first-stage torsion wire 52 is arranged coplanarly with the plane of the two-dimensional rotating shaft of the two-dimensional precision rotation mechanism 3. When the pointing direction of the large-mass optical payload 4 deflects at a high-precision two-dimensional angle around the two-dimensional rotating shaft of the two-dimensional precision rotation mechanism 3, the direction of the first-stage suspension beam 53 changes synchronously with the two-dimensional pointing direction of the large-mass optical payload 4, so that the pulling force direction of the first-stage torsion wire 54 on the large-mass optical payload 4 always remains in the direction of the vertical line passing through the centroid of the large-mass optical payload 4. Thus, while maintaining the gravity unloading state, it has no impact on the precision pointing adjustment performance of the large-mass optical payload 4 in the two-dimensional direction. The arrangement direction of the first-stage suspension beam 53 is parallel to the pointing direction of the large-mass optical payload 4.

[0032] The two-stage torsion balance mechanism 5 further includes a first-stage torsion wire 54 and a second-stage torsion wire 55. The top end of the first-stage torsion wire 54 is connected to one end of the first-stage suspension beam 53, and the bottom end of the first-stage torsion wire 54 is connected to the large-mass optical payload 4. The top end of the second-stage torsion wire 55 is fixedly connected to the other end of the first-stage suspension beam 53. The first-stage torsion wire 54 is located on the vertical line where the centroid of the large-mass optical payload 4 is located.

[0033] A counterweight 8 is connected to the bottom end of the second-stage torsion wire 55. The mass of the counterweight 8 is equal to the mass of the large-mass optical payload 4, so that the gravity of the large-mass optical payload 4 is balanced with the gravity of the counterweight 8, realizing the gravity unloading of the large-mass optical payload 4.

[0034] Therefore, the present invention employs the above-mentioned two-stage suspension two-dimensional pointing precision adjustable large-mass optical load gravity unloading device, which maintains the gravity unloading state while having no impact on the precision pointing adjustment performance of the large-mass optical load in the two-dimensional direction.

[0035] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the technical solutions of the present invention, and these modifications or equivalent substitutions cannot cause the modified technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A two-stage suspension, two-dimensional pointing, precision adjustable, large-mass optical load gravity unloading device, characterized in that: It includes a fixed base, on which a fixed frame one is provided. A two-dimensional precision rotation mechanism is provided on the fixed frame one. The two-dimensional precision rotation mechanism includes a two-dimensional rotating shaft, which is symmetrically arranged inside the fixed frame one. A large-mass optical payload is fixedly arranged between the two two-dimensional rotating shafts. A secondary torsion balance mechanism is provided on the fixed frame one; The secondary torsion balance mechanism includes a fixed frame two, a primary torsion wire and a primary suspension beam. The fixed frame two is arranged above the fixed frame one. The top end of the primary torsion wire is fixedly arranged on the fixed frame two, and the bottom end of the primary torsion wire is fixedly connected to the middle part of the primary suspension beam; The secondary torsion balance mechanism further includes a secondary torsion wire one and a secondary torsion wire two. The top end of the secondary torsion wire one is connected to one end of the primary suspension beam, the bottom end of the secondary torsion wire one is connected to the large-mass optical payload, and the top end of the secondary torsion wire two is fixedly connected to the other end of the primary suspension beam; The secondary torsion wire one is located on the vertical line where the centroid of the large-mass optical payload is located; A connecting frame is arranged on one side of the fixed frame one. A precision driver is arranged on the connecting frame, and the precision driver is connected to the large-mass optical payload; The arrangement direction of the primary suspension beam is parallel to the pointing direction of the large-mass optical payload; A counterweight is connected to the bottom end of the secondary torsion wire two.

2. The two-stage suspension, two-dimensional pointing, precision adjustable, large-mass optical load gravity unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connecting frame is arranged in a "C" - shaped structure.

3. The two-stage suspension, two-dimensional pointing, precision adjustable, large-mass optical load gravity unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mass of the counterweight is equal to the mass of the large-mass optical payload.

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