A novel on-orbit assembly mechanism for one-dimensional space trusses

Abstract

This invention provides a novel on-orbit assembly mechanism for one-dimensional spatial trusses. It provides assembly materials by additively manufacturing members on-orbit, and automatically clamps and installs the members using assembly tools. This enables scalable construction of one-dimensional trusses, allowing for the construction of trusses of corresponding lengths based on different needs, achieving "build what you need." The invention includes a positioning platform, assembly tools, moving parts, and member storage fixtures, as well as a member storage fixture and an assembly operation surface. The assembly operation surface, moving parts, and member storage fixtures are all positioned above a base plate. A positioning platform is located above the assembly operation surface, and a vertical rod is spliced ​​above the positioning platform. An assembly tool is located at the other end of the moving parts. The assembly tool includes a side arm lead screw, a side arm turntable, and a main arm lead screw. A side arm turntable is fixedly mounted at one end of the moving parts, and a side arm lead screw is located on the outer side of the side arm turntable. Main arm lead screws are located at both ends of the side arm lead screw, and a member clamping mechanism is located at one end of the main arm lead screw.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a novel on-orbit assembly mechanism for a one-dimensional space truss, specifically belonging to the field of aerospace technology. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the scale of on-orbit structures in various fields is gradually increasing. However, due to space constraints, it is difficult to transport large structures, which hinders development. In response to the urgent need for large space structures, an on-orbit assembly scheme for one-dimensional space trusses is designed, and an on-orbit assembly device is developed. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a novel on-orbit assembly mechanism for one-dimensional spatial trusses, so as to ensure that on-orbit assembly of trusses can build trusses of corresponding lengths based on different needs, thereby achieving "building what is needed".

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: the invention includes a positioning platform, an assembly tool, a moving part and a rod storage fixture, and also includes a rod storage fixture and an assembly operation surface;

[0005] The assembly operation surface, moving parts, and rod storage fixtures are all located above the base plate. A positioning platform is set above the assembly operation surface, and a vertical rod is spliced ​​above the positioning platform. An assembly tool is set at the other end of the moving parts.

[0006] Furthermore, the positioning platform functions to position the members to be assembled and to lift the assembled truss units upwards; the assembly tool functions to clamp and assemble the members; and the moving parts function to move the assembly tool back and forth between the member storage location and the positioning platform installation station to achieve sustainable assembly.

[0007] Furthermore, the assembly tools include the side arm lead screw, the side arm turntable, and the assembly main arm lead screw;

[0008] A side arm turntable is fixedly installed at one end of the moving part, a side arm lead screw is installed on the outside of the side arm turntable, and a main arm assembly lead screw is installed at both ends of the side arm lead screw. A rod clamping mechanism is installed at one end of the main arm assembly lead screw.

[0009] Furthermore, by using the side arm turntable to drive the member clamping mechanism for on-orbit truss member assembly, trusses of corresponding lengths can be built according to different needs.

[0010] The rod clamping mechanism includes a gripper, a connecting rod, a crank, a servo motor, a rotating shaft, and a ball jaw. A servo motor is fixedly installed inside the rod clamping mechanism. A crank is fixedly installed at the end of the output shaft of the servo motor. Both ends of the crank are connected to a connecting rod through a rotating shaft. A gripper or a ball jaw is installed at the other end of the connecting rod.

[0011] Furthermore, the rod clamping mechanism, through its conical shape matching the connector, can automatically align and clamp the rod at the corresponding position by relying on the conical surface during the clamping process, thereby achieving the relative symmetrical movement of the two clamps and completing the clamping work of the rod connector.

[0012] The rod clamping mechanism also includes a copper sleeve and a positioning pin; a copper sleeve is provided on the outside of the rotating shaft, and a positioning pin is provided on the side of the rod clamping mechanism facing the jaw or ball jaw.

[0013] Furthermore, to ensure smooth rotation and clamping of the mechanism, a pin-and-copper-sleeve connection is used between the crankshaft and connecting rod, and between the connecting rod and the gripper. The locating pin is fixed to the rotating part with a cotter pin to ensure that the locating pin will not fall off.

[0014] The positioning platform includes an extension leg mechanism, a high-precision platform, and a turntable; a turntable is set above the assembly operation surface, a high-precision platform is set outside the turntable, and an extension leg mechanism is set above the high-precision platform.

[0015] Furthermore, the positioning platform rotates via a turntable. The eight extendable leg structures on the upper and lower planes of the positioning platform serve to position and unlock the truss joints. The shape of its front end matches the shape of the rear end of the truss joint. The screw rotates to drive its forward and backward movement, thereby achieving repeated positioning, locking, and unlocking of the joint.

[0016] The pre-assembled rods, crossbars and diagonal bars are provided with clamping positions at both ends, and are provided with elastic pins on one side and pre-connection holes on the other side.

[0017] Furthermore, the members are quadrangular prisms, and depending on their length, they can be divided into two sizes: horizontal members and diagonal members.

[0018] The pre-assembled rods, crossbars and diagonal bars are connected by joints through elastic pins. The joints are provided with threaded holes for connecting pre-connected rods on both the left and right sides, and the joints are reserved for welding on both the left and right sides. The joints are provided with assembly docking holes on both the top and bottom sides. The joints are provided with a positioning platform docking position and a positioning ball in the middle, and the positioning platform docking position is provided with an adsorption iron plate.

[0019] Furthermore, an electromagnet is installed at the docking point of the extension leg mechanism, and an adsorption plate is installed at the corresponding position of the truss joint to increase connection stability and realize the clamping and lifting action of the truss.

[0020] The drive shaft of the rod clamping mechanism is connected to a clamping main arm screw, and a main arm slider is provided on the outside of the clamping main arm screw. A side arm motor is provided at one end of the main arm slider.

[0021] Furthermore, by using a side arm motor to drive the rod clamping mechanism, trusses of corresponding lengths can be constructed based on different needs.

[0022] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0023] 1. By providing assembly materials through on-orbit additive manufacturing of members, and using assembly tools to automatically clamp and install the members, it is possible to realize the scalable construction of one-dimensional trusses, and build trusses of corresponding lengths according to different needs, so as to achieve "build what is needed". Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall on-orbit assembly of the space truss of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the assembly tool of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the fixture of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the rotating shaft structure of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the ball claw structure of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning platform structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the connector structure of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 8 This is a side view of the connector structure of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning ball structure of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping position of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the pre-assembled rods, crossbars, and diagonal bars of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly tool scheme of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the gripper mechanism of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the elastic pin of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The following will be combined with the appendix Figure 1-14 The technical solutions in the embodiments are described clearly and completely. For example... Figure 1-2 As shown, the overall assembly system can be divided into three parts: the truss to be assembled, the assembly tool 2 design, and the positioning platform 1 design. Assembly materials are provided by ground launch or in-orbit additive manufacturing of rods. The assembly tool 2 automatically clamps and installs the rods. The function of the moving part 3 is to move the assembly tool 2 back and forth between the rod storage position and the positioning platform installation position to achieve the sustainability of assembly.

[0039] like Figure 6 As shown, the positioning platform 1 functions to position the members to be assembled and to lift the assembled truss units upwards. The positioning platform 1 includes an extension leg mechanism 33, a high-precision platform 34, and a turntable 35. The turntable 35 is located above the assembly operation surface, the high-precision platform 34 is located outside the turntable 35, and the extension leg mechanism 33 is located above the high-precision platform 34. The positioning platform 1 needs to rotate via the turntable 35, with a maximum rotation angle of 180°. The eight extension leg structures 33 on the upper and lower planes of the positioning platform 1 serve to position and unlock the truss joints. The shape of their front ends matches the shape of the rear ends of the truss joints. They are moved back and forth by the rotation of the lead screw, realizing the repeated positioning, locking, and unlocking of the joints. The positioning platform needs to provide four functions for the on-orbit assembly scheme: positioning, connection, unlocking, and lifting.

[0040] like Figure 7-14 As shown, the function of assembly tool 2 is to clamp and assemble rods; assembly tool 2 includes a side arm lead screw 30, a side arm turntable 31, and an assembly main arm lead screw 32; the side arm turntable 31 drives the side arm lead screw 30 to rotate, and the two ends of the side arm lead screw 30 drive the assembly main arm lead screw 32 to rotate, and one end of the assembly main arm lead screw 32 drives the rod clamping mechanism 21 to move as a whole, so that the assembly tool 2 can use a lifting mechanism to achieve the extension and growth of the truss;

[0041] The rod clamping mechanism 21 has a drive shaft connected to a clamping main arm screw 20. A main arm slider 19 is provided on the outside of the clamping main arm screw 20. A side arm motor 18 is provided at one end of the main arm slider 19. The side arm motor drives the clamping claw 22 or ball claw 29 provided on the rod clamping mechanism to drive it, so that trusses of corresponding lengths can be built according to different needs.

[0042] like Figure 3-5The rod clamping mechanism 21 includes a gripper 22, a connecting rod 23, a crank 24, a servo motor 25, a rotating shaft 27, and a ball gripper 29. The rod clamping mechanism 21 fits the connector head with its conical shape, so that the rod clamping mechanism 21 can automatically align and clamp the corresponding position of the rod by relying on the conical surface during the clamping process. The rotation of the servo motor 25 drives the crank 24 to rotate, which drives the two connecting rods 23 to rotate, realizing the relative symmetrical movement of the two rod clamping mechanisms 21, and completing the clamping work of the rod connector head. The rod is positioned by magnets on the positioning platform, and the positioning ball 15 is used for positioning during the assembly process.

[0043] The pre-assembled rods 401, 402, and 404 are all provided with clamping positions 17 at both ends, and each of them has a spring pin 10 on one side and a pre-connection hole 16 on the other side. The assembly process is designed to break down the rod assembly process into 6 steps, corresponding to the installation of the pre-assembled rods 401, 402, 403, and 404, as well as the lifting action of the assembled rods. The rod ends are made of spring pins 10, which are inserted into the assembly docking holes 11 during rod assembly.

[0044] Assembly tool 2 also needs to have a pre-connection function for positioning ball 15. When assembling ordinary rods, assembly tool 2 needs to capture positioning ball 15 first to confirm that the position of the rod is aligned with the hole before proceeding with the assembly work.

[0045] A copper sleeve 26 is provided on the outside of the rotating shaft 27, and a positioning pin 28 is provided on the side of the rod clamping mechanism 21 facing the jaw 22 or the ball jaw 29. In order to ensure that the clamping process of the rod clamping mechanism 21 is smooth, a copper sleeve 26 is used to connect the crank 24 and the connecting rod 23, and the connecting rod 23 and the jaw 22. The positioning pin 28 is fixed at the rotating part with a cotter pin to ensure that the positioning pin 28 will not fall off. On the linear sliding pair of the jaw 22, the sliding plate surface is made of copper plate, and the corresponding jaw 22 is made of aluminum alloy. The positioning and fixing of the sliding plate and the base plate of the rod clamping mechanism 21 are achieved by the cooperation of two positioning pin holes 28 and countersunk screws.

[0046] The pre-assembled rod 401, crossbar 402 and diagonal bar 404 are connected to the joint 7 by the elastic pin 10. The joint 7 is provided with pre-connected rod connecting threaded holes 12 on both the left and right sides, and the joint 7 is provided with reserved welding planes 13 on both the left and right sides. The joint 7 is provided with assembly docking holes 11 on both the top and bottom sides. The joint 7 is provided with a platform docking position 14 and a positioning ball 15 in the middle position, and the platform docking position 14 is provided with an adsorption iron plate.

[0047] An electromagnet is installed at the docking point of the extension leg mechanism 33, and an adsorption plate is installed at the platform docking point 14 of the truss joint to increase connection stability. A central lifting method is used, employing a combination of multi-stage lifting cylinders and three-stage follower columns. The central multi-stage lifting cylinder lifts the repeatedly reciprocating lifting extension leg, driving the lifting gripper to achieve the gripping and lifting action. The lifting is achieved by clamping the frame with gripper 22 or ball jaw 29.

[0048] 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 novel on-orbit assembly mechanism for one-dimensional spatial trusses, comprising a positioning platform (1), assembly tools (2), moving parts (3), and member storage fixtures (8), characterized in that, It also includes a rod storage fixture (8) and an assembly operation surface (9); The assembly operation surface (9), the moving part (3) and the rod storage fixture (8) are all set above the base plate. A positioning platform (1) is set above the assembly operation surface (9). A vertical rod (403) is spliced ​​above the positioning platform (1). An assembly tool (2) is set at the other end of the moving part (3). The assembly tool (2) includes a side arm lead screw (30), a side arm turntable (31), and a main arm lead screw (32). The moving part (3) is fixedly provided with a side arm turntable (31) at one end, and a side arm screw (30) is provided on the outside of the side arm turntable (31). Both ends of the side arm screw (30) are provided with main arm screws (32), and a rod clamping mechanism (21) is provided at one end of the main arm screw (32). The lever clamping mechanism (21) includes a gripper (22), a connecting rod (23), a crank (24), a servo motor (25), a rotating shaft (27), and a ball gripper (29). A servo motor (25) is fixedly installed inside the rod clamping mechanism (21). A crank (24) is fixedly installed at the end of the output shaft of the servo motor (25). Both ends of the crank (24) are connected to a connecting rod (23) through a rotating shaft (27). A gripper (22) or a ball gripper (29) is installed at the other end of the connecting rod (23). The rod clamping mechanism (21) also includes a copper pin sleeve (26) and a positioning pin (28); A copper pin sleeve (26) is provided on the outside of the rotating shaft (27), and a positioning pin (28) is provided on the side of the rod clamping mechanism (21) facing the jaw (22) or the ball jaw (29). The pre-assembled rod (401), crossbar (402) and diagonal bar (404) are connected to the joint (7) by the elastic pin (10). The joint (7) is provided with pre-connected rod connection thread holes (12) on both the left and right sides, and the joint (7) is provided with reserved welding planes (13) on both the left and right sides. The joint (7) is provided with assembly docking holes (11) on both the upper and lower sides. The joint (7) is provided with a platform docking position (14) and a positioning ball (15) in the middle position. The platform docking position (14) is provided with an adsorption iron plate. The rod storage fixture (8) also includes pre-assembled rods (401), crossbars (402) and diagonal bars (404). The pre-assembled rod (401), crossbar (402) and diagonal bar (404) are provided with clamping positions (17) at both ends, and elastic pins (10) are provided on one side of the pre-assembled rod (401), crossbar (402) and diagonal bar (404), and pre-connection holes (16) are provided on the other side of the pre-assembled rod (401), crossbar (402) and diagonal bar (404).

2. The novel on-orbit assembly mechanism for a one-dimensional spatial truss according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning platform (1) includes an extension leg mechanism (33), a high-precision platform (34), and a turntable (35). A turntable (35) is provided above the assembly operation surface (9), a high-precision platform (34) is provided outside the turntable (35), and an extension leg mechanism (33) is provided above the high-precision platform (34).

3. The novel on-orbit assembly mechanism for a one-dimensional spatial truss according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive shaft of the rod clamping mechanism (21) is connected to the main arm screw (20), and the main arm slider (19) is provided on the outside of the main arm screw (20). A side arm motor (18) is provided at one end of the main arm slider (19).

Images