A multi-pack long shape-preserving flying membrane capturing device

Abstract

This invention belongs to the technical field of active space debris removal, specifically relating to a multi-unit conformal membrane capture device. It includes a launching device and multiple conformal membrane mechanisms. The launching device has multiple launching cavities for assembling the conformal membrane mechanisms, and each launching cavity has rifling at its end to provide the initial rotational speed of the conformal membrane mechanism. The conformal membrane mechanism includes a lance and a membrane connected to the lance. When not launched, the membrane is stored in the cavity. After launch, the lance's spin drives the membrane to unfold, utilizing angular momentum to achieve stable unfolding. The continuous unfolding of the membrane and the lance form a stable membrane capture state, achieving capture. This invention utilizes the angular velocity of the lance's spin to drive the membrane unfolding and achieves conformal capture, increasing the probability of capturing different targets and solving the problem of difficulty in capturing space debris due to its diversity and complex attitude.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of active space debris removal, specifically relating to a multi-unit long conformal membrane capture device. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing frequency of space activities in recent years, the amount of space debris in Earth's orbit has been rising, posing a serious threat to human space exploration and satellite communications. To ensure the safety of the space environment, it is urgent to strengthen research on the space environment, master effective cleanup technologies, and actively conduct space debris removal experiments.

[0003] In terms of debris removal system options, the main methods include robotic arm capture, rope net capture, inflatable structure capture, and flying spears.

[0004] However, robotic arm capture is a rigid connection method, limited to cooperative targets, and its operation and control are complex and difficult. Inflatable structure capture methods offer the advantage of high capture tolerance, but require precise target attitude control. Spear-based capture methods are lightweight and low-cost, but easily generate additional space debris. Rope net capture methods offer high capture tolerance, but the traction body can rebound, making it difficult to maintain the shape of the deployed net in orbit. Therefore, current methods for capturing space debris all face various drawbacks. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a shape-preserving method for capturing flying membranes. By utilizing the angular velocity of the spinning spear to drive the membrane to unfold, the membrane's shape is preserved, increasing the probability of capturing different targets and solving the problem of difficulty in capturing space debris due to its diversity and complex posture.

[0006] The technical solution to achieve the purpose of this invention is: a multi-unit long conformal flying membrane capture device, including a launching device and multiple long conformal flying membrane mechanisms. The launching device is provided with multiple launching cavities for assembling the long conformal flying membrane mechanisms, and each launching cavity is provided with rifling at the end of its end to provide the long conformal flying membrane mechanism with an initial rotational speed.

[0007] The conformal flying membrane mechanism includes a flying spear and a membrane connected to the flying spear. When not launched, the membrane is stored in the cavity. After launch, the flying spear spins and drives the membrane to unfold. The unfolding is stabilized by using angular momentum. The continuous unfolding of the membrane and the flying spear form a stable flying membrane capture state, thus achieving capture.

[0008] Furthermore, the launching device is a multi-tube cylindrical launcher. In each launching chamber of the launching device, an igniter, a piston, and a long conformal diaphragm mechanism are installed sequentially from bottom to top. The middle of the launching chamber to the front of the launching chamber is provided with rifling that occupies 1 / 3 of the total length of the launching chamber. The rifling cooperates with the long conformal diaphragm mechanism and provides it with the initial rotation speed.

[0009] Furthermore, the igniter is fixed to the firing device via threads.

[0010] Furthermore, the long-conformity flying membrane mechanism also includes guide columns and a housing;

[0011] The throwing spear has a rotating rod-shaped structure with an oval tip. The middle of the throwing spear has a cylindrical section with a diameter larger than the main body of the spear. The side of the cylindrical section has a guide post that matches the rifling. The tail of the throwing spear has a ring-shaped cap.

[0012] The outer shell consists of two semi-annular shells. The two semi-annular shells are interference-fitted between one end face of the cylindrical section in the middle of the spear and the annular cover. After assembly, the outer diameter of the outer shell is equal to the diameter of the cylindrical section in the middle. The outer shell, the spear body, one end face of the cylindrical section and the annular cover form an annular cavity. The membrane is connected to the spear body and housed in the annular cavity.

[0013] The long conformal flying film mechanism rotates and flies out with the cooperation of the guide post and the rifling. After leaving the barrel, the outer shell separates under the action of centrifugal force. Then, the film begins to rotate and unfold around the flying spear under the action of centrifugal force. The unfolded film is circular. The continuous unfolding of the film and the flying spear form a stable flying film capture state.

[0014] Furthermore, the film has a flanged through hole in the middle, and the main body at the rear end of the cylindrical section in the middle of the spear has an annular groove, which is bonded to the flange of the film.

[0015] Furthermore, the outer edge of the front end of the cylindrical section in the middle of the spear is rounded.

[0016] Furthermore, the head of the spear has two rectangular slots symmetrically arranged along the axial direction. Each rectangular slot is equipped with a rectangular anti-rebound paddle. The two anti-rebound paddles are installed symmetrically and, after installation, are in the form of an arrowhead with its tail protruding from the body of the spear.

[0017] Furthermore, the anti-rebound paddle is made of spring steel and is fixed to the rectangular groove at the tip of the spear by two screws.

[0018] Furthermore, the film is made of polyimide film with a diameter of 2-5 meters, and the mass of the spear is greater than the mass of the film.

[0019] Furthermore, an adhesive layer is provided on one side of the film covering the target to adhere and capture the target; the adhesive layer is preferably a coating adhesive, a magnetic adsorption material, an electrostatic adsorption material, or has multiple bristles.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the significant advantages of this invention are:

[0021] (1) This invention proposes a novel long-form conformal flying membrane capture method that can capture different space targets and is relatively insensitive to the motion attitude of the targets, thus solving the problem of difficult capture of unknown space debris.

[0022] (2) The present invention introduces a thin film device. When the spear spins, it drives the thin film to unfold. The stability of the unfolding is achieved by using angular momentum. The continuous unfolding of the thin film and the spear form a stable flying film capture state, which provides higher reliability for capturing space debris. After unfolding, the thin film can form a larger capture area, which can cover a larger area of ​​space and increase the success rate of capture.

[0023] (3) The present invention adds an anti-rebound paddle to prevent the spear from rebounding and detaching after penetrating, thereby increasing the subsequent film coating and capture effect. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a multi-unit long conformal flying film capture device; (a) is an external view and (b) is a cross-sectional view.

[0025] Figure 2 It is a long conformal film; where (a) is an external view and (b) is a cross-sectional view.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a conformal flying membrane launcher.

[0027] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the unfolding of a long conformal flying membrane.

[0028] Figure 5 Simulation unfolding diagram of long conformal flying membrane

[0029] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0030] 1-Conformal flying membrane mechanism, 2-Launch device, 3-Piston, 4-Igniter, 101-Flying spear, 102-Screw, 103-Anti-rebound lever, 104-Guide post, 105-Shell, 106-Membrane. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] The present invention provides a long-form conformal flying membrane capture method, which mainly comprises a long-form conformal flying membrane mechanism 1, a launching device 2, a piston 3, and an igniter 4.

[0033] The launching device 2 is a multi-tube cylindrical launcher. The launching device 2 has seven launching chambers. Each launching chamber has a threaded through hole at the bottom for installing the igniter 4. The middle to the front of the launch has rifling, which occupies 1 / 3 of the total length of the launching chamber and provides the initial rotation speed for the long conformal flying membrane mechanism 1.

[0034] The igniter 4, piston 3, and long conformal flying membrane mechanism 1 are installed sequentially from bottom to top inside the launching device 2;

[0035] Igniter 4 is fixedly connected to firing device 2 by threads;

[0036] Piston 3 is placed at the bottom of launching device 2 to push the long conformal flying membrane 1 to launch;

[0037] The long conformal film-flying mechanism 1 is formed by a flying spear 101, a screw 102, an anti-rebound paddle 103, a guide post 104, a housing 105, and a film 106.

[0038] The Flying Spear 101 has a rotating rod-shaped structure with an oval tip, which can enhance its penetration capability against targets. There are two rectangular slots symmetrically opened along the axial direction on the head of the Flying Spear 101, and two screw holes are opened in each rectangular slot. There are two circular holes symmetrically opened in the middle of the Flying Spear.

[0039] The anti-rebound paddle 103 is a rectangular thin plate made of spring steel. The anti-rebound paddle is fixed in the rectangular groove at the tip of the spear by two screws. The two anti-rebound paddles are installed symmetrically and are in the shape of an arrow after installation.

[0040] One end of the guide post 104 is symmetrically placed in the circular hole in the middle of the spear, and the other end is engaged with the rifling inside the cavity of the launching device 1;

[0041] Two semi-annular outer shells are installed at the lower end of the flying spear 101 with an interference fit, forming an annular cavity with the flying spear 101;

[0042] The membrane is housed within the annular cavity formed by the outer shell 105 and the flying spear 101. The membrane is circular when unfolded and is bonded to the center of the flying spear via adhesive. The membrane is made of polyimide and has a diameter of 3 meters. The mass of the flying spear is greater than that of the membrane, allowing it to withstand high temperatures in space without failure or damage. An adhesive layer is provided on one side of the membrane that encloses the target for adhesion and capture. The adhesive layer is preferably a coating adhesive, magnetic adsorption material, electrostatic adsorption material, or multiple bristles. These bristles can adsorb the target through van der Waals forces.

[0043] The multi-unit conformal membrane capture device can capture multiple pieces of space debris sequentially.

[0044] After the igniter 4 is ignited, the propellant gas pushes the piston 3 forward. The conformal flying membrane mechanism 1 rotates and flies out under the cooperation of the guide post 104 and the rifling. After leaving the barrel, the outer shell 105 separates from the conformal flying membrane mechanism 1 under the action of centrifugal force. Then, the membrane 106 begins to rotate and unfold around the flying spear 101 under the action of centrifugal force. The continuous unfolding of the membrane 106 and the flying spear 101 form a stable flying membrane capture state. After approaching the target, the tip of the flying spear 101 embeds into the target. After the anti-rebound pawl 103 penetrates the target, it undergoes elastic deformation and returns to the unfolded state to prevent it from rebounding and detaching from the target. The membrane 106 covers the target under the action of inertial force. After the membrane covers the target, it is fixed to the target through the adhesive layer to form a combination. Subsequently, the target can be derailed by towing or other means.

Claims

1. A multi-unit long conformal film capture device, characterized in that, It includes a launching device (2) and multiple long conformal flying membrane mechanisms (1). The launching device (2) is provided with multiple launching cavities for assembling the long conformal flying membrane mechanisms (1). Each launching cavity is provided with rifling at the end of it to provide the initial rotational speed of the long conformal flying membrane mechanism (1). The long conformal flying membrane mechanism (1) includes a flying spear (101) and a thin film (106) connected to the flying spear (101). When not fired, the thin film is stored in the cavity. After firing, the flying spear spins and drives the thin film to unfold. The unfolding is stabilized by using angular momentum. The continuous unfolding of the thin film and the flying spear form a stable flying membrane capture state, thereby achieving capture. The conformal flight mechanism (1) also includes a guide post (104) and a housing (105); the lance (101) is a rotating rod-shaped structure with an oval tip. The lance (101) has a cylindrical section in the middle with a diameter larger than that of the lance body. The cylindrical section has a guide post (104) on its side that matches the rifling. The tail end of the lance is a ring cap. The housing (105) consists of two semi-annular shells. The two semi-annular shells are interference-fitted between one end face of the cylindrical section in the middle of the lance and the ring cap. After assembly, the outer diameter of the housing is equal to the diameter of the cylindrical section in the middle. The housing and the lance... The spear body, one end face of the cylindrical section, and the annular cover form an annular cavity. The diaphragm (106) is connected to the spear body and housed in the annular cavity. The long conformal flying diaphragm mechanism (1) rotates and flies out under the cooperation of the guide post (104) and the rifling. After leaving the barrel, the outer shell (105) separates under the action of centrifugal force. Then, the diaphragm (106) begins to rotate and unfold around the spear (101) under the action of centrifugal force. The unfolded diaphragm (106) is circular. The continuous unfolding of the diaphragm (106) and the spear (101) form a stable flying diaphragm capture state. The film (106) has a flanged through hole in the middle, and the main body of the cylindrical section in the middle of the spear (101) has an annular groove. The annular groove and the flange of the film (106) are bonded together.

2. The multi-unit long conformal film capture device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The launching device (2) is a multi-tube cylindrical launcher. In each launching chamber of the launching device, an igniter (4), a piston (3) and a long conformal flying membrane mechanism (1) are installed sequentially from bottom to top. The middle of the launching chamber to the front of the launching chamber is provided with rifling that occupies 1 / 3 of the total length of the launching chamber. The rifling cooperates with the long conformal flying membrane mechanism (1) and provides it with the initial rotation speed.

3. The multi-unit long conformal film capture device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The igniter (4) is fixed to the firing device (2) by threads.

4. The multi-unit long conformal film capture device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outer edge of the front end of the cylindrical section in the middle of the spear is rounded.

5. The multi-unit long conformal film capture device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The head of the spear (101) has two rectangular slots symmetrically arranged along the axial direction. Each rectangular slot is equipped with a rectangular anti-rebound paddle (103). The two anti-rebound paddles (103) are symmetrically installed and, after installation, are in the form of arrowheads with their tails protruding from the body of the spear.

6. The multi-unit long conformal film capture device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The anti-rebound paddle (103) is made of spring steel and is fixed to the rectangular groove at the tip of the spear by two screws.

7. The multi-unit long conformal film capture device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material of the film (106) is a polyimide film, the diameter of the film (106) is 2-5 meters, and the mass of the spear (101) is greater than the mass of the film.

8. The multi-unit long conformal film capture device according to claim 1, characterized in that, An adhesive layer is provided on one side of the film (106) that wraps around the target to adhere and capture the target.

9. The multi-unit long conformal film capture device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The adhesive layer can be a coating adhesive, a magnetic adsorption material, an electrostatic adsorption material, or have multiple bristles.

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