Antenna docking mechanism and on-orbit assembly method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses an antenna docking mechanism and an on-orbit assembly method thereof, and relates to the technical field of antenna module on-orbit assembly.The antenna docking mechanism comprises a first connecting nail, a second connecting nail and a connecting assembly, one end of the first connecting nail is provided with a first clamping groove, and the other end of the first connecting nail is used for being fixedly connected with a first antenna module; a second clamping groove is formed in one end of the second connecting nail, the other end of the second connecting nail is used for being fixedly connected with a second antenna module, the connecting assembly comprises a first guide cone, a second guide cone and a locking device, the locking device comprises two first locking blocks, two second locking blocks, a first elastic component and a second elastic component, and the first locking blocks and the second locking blocks are provided with spring bolts. The first guide cone and the second guide cone guide the first connecting nail and the second connecting nail to be connected with the spring bolt in a clamped mode respectively, the antenna butt joint mechanism is light in weight and small in size, and butt joint operation can be more convenient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of on-orbit assembly of antenna modules, and in particular to an antenna docking mechanism and an on-orbit assembly method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In the field of modern aerospace communications, antennas are one of the key communication devices, and their performance directly determines the communication quality and data transmission efficiency between spacecraft and ground control centers. However, due to multiple constraints such as mass and loading size, the loading volume provided by carriers for large space antennas is limited, and the existing carriers cannot meet the loading requirements. Therefore, the antenna structure needs to be designed modularly, and the space deployable antennas should be assembled using the space station as a platform. The antenna module units should be assembled on-orbit by people or machines and launched into orbit multiple times.

[0003] The docking mechanism is an important part of the on-orbit assembly process, and it is the key to whether the spacecraft can operate normally. At present, the research on docking mechanisms between modules is relatively mature, such as the Apollo-Soyuz heteromorphic docking mechanism, the peripheral docking mechanism, the Soviet cone-rod docking mechanism, etc. Most of them use two parts of the docking mechanism to axially assemble and dock two large modules, and the size and weight are generally large, which is not easy to operate. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention provides an antenna docking mechanism, which is light in weight and small in size, and can facilitate the docking operation.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, an antenna docking mechanism is used to dock a first antenna module with a second antenna module, and the antenna docking mechanism includes: A first connecting pin, one end of which is provided with a first slot, and the other end of which is used for fixed connection with the first antenna module; A second connecting pin, one end of which is provided with a second slot, and the other end of which is used for fixed connection with the second antenna module; The connecting assembly comprises a first guide cone, a second guide cone and a locking device, wherein the locking device comprises two first locking blocks, two second locking blocks, a first elastic component and a second elastic component, a first locking hole is defined between the two first locking blocks, the first guide cone is connected to the first locking hole, and the inner diameter of the first guide cone gradually decreases from the end of the first guide cone away from the first locking hole to the end of the first guide cone close to the first locking hole to guide the end of the first connecting nail provided with the first slot to be inserted into the first locking hole, the first locking block is provided with a first locking tongue, and the first elastic component is used to provide a first locking tongue for the two first locking blocks. The two second locking blocks are provided with an elastic force to bring the two second locking blocks closer to each other, so that the first locking tongue remains engaged with the first slot, a second locking hole is defined between the two second locking blocks, and the second guide cone is connected to the second locking hole. From the end of the second guide cone away from the second locking hole to the end of the second guide cone close to the second locking hole, the inner diameter of the second guide cone gradually decreases to guide the end of the second connecting nail provided with the second slot to be inserted into the second locking hole, the second locking block is provided with a second locking tongue, and the second elastic component is used to provide an elastic force to bring the two second locking blocks closer to each other, so that the second locking tongue remains engaged with the second slot.

[0006] According to the antenna docking mechanism of the embodiment of the present invention, there are at least the following beneficial effects: the antenna docking mechanism achieves docking of the first antenna module and the second antenna module by arranging the first connecting pin, the second connecting pin and the connecting assembly, the first connecting pin is first fixedly connected to the first antenna module, and the second connecting pin is first fixedly connected to the second antenna module, during the docking process, the connecting assembly is clamped and operated by a mechanical arm so that the first guide cone is aligned with the first connecting pin, and the second guide cone is aligned with the second connecting pin, and then the connecting assembly is moved along the axis of the first guide cone, the first guide cone guides the first connecting pin, so that it is inserted into the first locking hole and pushes away the two first locking blocks, and finally the first card slot is engaged with the first locking tongue, thereby fixing the first connecting pin, the second guide cone guides the second connecting pin, so that it is inserted into the second locking hole and pushes away the two second locking blocks, and finally the first card slot is engaged with the first locking tongue, thereby fixing the second connecting pin, the whole antenna docking mechanism has a light weight and a small volume, and can be more convenient for docking operation.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the locking device includes a guide rail and an outer shell, the first locking block and the second locking block are both slidably connected to the guide rail, the outer shell covers the first locking block and the second locking block, and one end of the first connecting nail provided with the first slot and one end of the second connecting nail provided with the second slot are both in contact with the outer shell.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the guide rail is provided with a fixed position limit block, the limit block is located between the first locking block and the second locking block, the guide rail is provided with a first fixing plate and a second fixing plate at both ends along the length direction, the first elastic component includes a first elastic component and a second elastic component, the first elastic component is connected between the first fixing plate and one of the first locking blocks, the second elastic component is connected between the other first locking block and the limit block, the second elastic component includes a third elastic component and a fourth elastic component, the third elastic component is connected between the second fixing plate and one of the second locking blocks, and the fourth elastic component is connected between the other second locking block and the limit block.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface are respectively provided on the sides of the first locking tongues of the two first locking blocks that are close to each other, and along the direction in which the first connecting nail is inserted into the first locking hole, the distance from the first inclined surface to the second inclined surface gradually decreases, and one end of the first connecting nail is provided with a first conical portion and a second conical portion arranged in sequence, and along the direction in which the first connecting nail is inserted into the first locking hole, the outer diameter of the first conical portion and the outer diameter of the second conical portion both gradually decrease, and the first slot is defined between the first conical portion and the second conical portion.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a third inclined surface and a fourth inclined surface are respectively provided on the side where the second locking tongues of the two second locking blocks are close to each other, and along the direction in which the second connecting nail is inserted into the second locking hole, the distance from the third inclined surface to the fourth inclined surface gradually decreases, and one end of the second connecting nail is provided with a third conical portion and a fourth conical portion arranged in sequence, and along the direction in which the second connecting nail is inserted into the second locking hole, the outer diameter of the third conical portion and the outer diameter of the fourth conical portion gradually decrease, and the second slot is defined between the third conical portion and the fourth conical portion.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a first ring-shaped first magnet is provided in the first guide cone, the first connecting pin passes through the first magnet, the first connecting pin is provided with a second magnet, and the second magnet is magnetically attracted to the first magnet.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first connecting pin includes a first docking rod and a first fixing seat, the first docking rod is provided with a first groove, the first magnet is arranged in the first groove, the first fixing seat cover is arranged in the notch of the first groove, and the first connecting pin is fixedly connected to the first antenna module through the first fixing seat.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a third annular magnet is provided in the second guide cone, the second connecting pin passes through the third magnet, the second connecting pin is provided with a fourth magnet, and the third magnet cooperates with the fourth magnet by magnetic attraction.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the second connecting pin includes a second docking rod and a second fixing seat, the second docking rod is provided with a second groove, the fourth magnet is arranged in the second groove, the second fixing seat cover is arranged in the notch of the second groove, and the second connecting pin is fixedly connected to the second antenna module through the second fixing seat.

[0015] According to an on-orbit assembly method of an antenna docking mechanism according to a second aspect of the present invention, the on-orbit assembly method comprises: Install the first connecting pin and the second connecting pin on the first antenna module and the second antenna module to be connected respectively; Using a robotic arm to grab the connection assembly close to the first connection pin and the second connection pin; Adjust the pitch angle and yaw angle of the connecting assembly, and after the posture of the connecting assembly is corrected, grab the connecting assembly and continue to move along the axis of the first docking cone until the first locking tongue is engaged with the first slot and the second locking tongue is engaged with the second slot.

[0016] The antenna docking mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: when docking is performed in this manner, the guide cone can be used to guide the connecting pin, and the pitch angle and yaw angle can be adjusted during docking to achieve posture correction, so that the docking process has a radial tolerance effect, reducing the difficulty of docking assembly and improving accuracy and stability.

[0017] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an antenna docking mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 An exploded view of an antenna docking mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 3 An exploded view of an antenna docking mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 4 An exploded view of a first connecting pin of an antenna docking mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 5A schematic diagram of a docking process of an antenna docking mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a docking process of an antenna docking mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a docking process of an antenna docking mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 8 A schematic structural diagram of a first locking block of a connecting assembly of an antenna docking mechanism in some embodiments of the present invention; Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the connection state between the antenna docking mechanism and the antenna module in some embodiments of the present invention; Fig.10 A schematic diagram of the connection state between the antenna docking mechanism and the antenna module in some embodiments of the present invention; Fig.11 A top view of the connection state between the antenna docking mechanism and the antenna module in some embodiments of the present invention; Fig.12 A schematic diagram of the connection state between the antenna docking mechanism and the antenna module in some embodiments of the present invention; Fig.13 A schematic diagram of the connection state between the antenna docking mechanism and the antenna module in some embodiments of the present invention; Fig.14 A top view of the connection state between the antenna docking mechanism and the antenna module in some embodiments of the present invention; Fig.15 A schematic diagram of the connection state between the antenna docking mechanism and the antenna module in some embodiments of the present invention; Fig.16 A schematic diagram of the connection state between the antenna docking mechanism and the antenna module in some embodiments of the present invention; Fig.17 A top view of the connection state between the antenna docking mechanism and the antenna module in some embodiments of the present invention; Fig.18 The present invention is a flowchart of an on-orbit assembly method of an antenna docking mechanism according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0019] Reference numerals: Antenna docking mechanism 1000; First connecting pin 101, first slot 102, first conical portion 103, second conical portion 104, second magnet 105, first docking rod 106, first fixing seat 107, first groove 108, avoidance groove 109, second connecting pin 110, second slot 111, third conical portion 112, fourth conical portion 113, second docking rod 114, second fixing seat 115; Connecting assembly 201, first guide cone 202, first magnet 203, second guide cone 204, third magnet 205, locking device 206, first locking block 207, first locking hole 208, first locking tongue 209, second locking block 210, guide rail 212, first slider 213, second slider 214, housing 215, limit block 216, first fixing plate 217, second fixing plate 218, first elastic member 219, second elastic member 220, third elastic member 221, fourth elastic member 222, first inclined surface 223, second inclined surface 224, bottom plate 225, second locking hole 226; A first antenna module 301 and a second antenna module 302; Robotic arm 401. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and cannot be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0021] Reference Figure 1 As shown, an antenna docking mechanism 1000 provided in an embodiment of the present invention is mainly divided into three parts, including a first connecting pin 101, a second connecting pin 110 and a connecting component 201.

[0022] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, a first slot 102 is provided at one end of the first connecting pin 101, and the other end of the first connecting pin 101 is used to be fixedly connected to the first antenna module 301, and can be fixedly connected by screws, rivets, welding or buckles. The structure of the second connecting pin 110 is the same as that of the first connecting pin 101, and a second slot 111 is provided at one end of the second connecting pin 110, and the other end of the second connecting pin 110 is used to be fixedly connected to the second antenna module 302, and can be fixedly connected by screws, rivets, welding or buckles. The first connecting pin 101 and the second connecting pin 110 can be set as rivets, which have a small mass.

[0023] Reference Figures 1 to 3As shown, the connecting assembly 201 includes a first guide cone 202, a second guide cone 204 and a locking device 206. The locking device 206 includes two first locking blocks 207, two second locking blocks 210, a first elastic component and a second elastic component. A first locking hole 208 is defined between the two first locking blocks 207. The first guide cone 202 is connected to the first locking hole 208. From the end of the first guide cone 202 away from the first locking hole 208 to the end of the first guide cone 202 close to the first locking hole 208, the inner diameter of the first guide cone 202 gradually decreases to guide the end of the first connecting nail 101 provided with the first slot 102 to be inserted into the first locking hole 208. The first locking block 207 is provided with a first locking tongue 209. The first elastic component is used to In order to provide an elastic force for bringing the two first locking blocks 207 closer to each other so that the first locking tongue 209 remains engaged with the first slot 102, a second locking hole 226 is defined between the two second locking blocks 210, and the second guide cone 204 is connected to the second locking hole 226. From the end of the second guide cone 204 away from the second locking hole 226 to the end of the second guide cone 204 close to the second locking hole 226, the inner diameter of the second guide cone 204 gradually decreases to guide the end of the second connecting nail 110 provided with the second slot 111 to be inserted into the second locking hole 226. The second locking block 210 is provided with a second locking tongue, and the second elastic component is used to provide an elastic force for bringing the two second locking blocks 210 closer to each other so that the second locking tongue remains engaged with the second slot 111.

[0024] In this embodiment, the first guide cone 202 and the second guide cone 204 have the same structure, the first guide cone 202 can be a cone or a pyramid, the maximum inner diameter of the first guide cone 202 can be set to 30 mm, and the cone angle is 45°. This ensures that the two guide cones have a sufficiently large envelope space, which can improve the docking accuracy between the connecting pin and the connecting component 201.

[0025] It should be noted that if Figure 5 As shown, the first connecting pin 101 is pre-fixedly connected to the first antenna module 301, and the second connecting pin 110 is pre-fixedly connected to the second antenna module 302. Figures 5 to 7As shown, the robot arm 401 is used to clamp the connection component 201, so that the first guide cone 202 is aligned with the first connecting pin 101, and the second guide cone 204 is aligned with the second connecting pin 110, and then the connection component 201 is moved along the axis of the first guide cone 202. It should be noted that for a flexible aerospace structure such as a modular antenna, a certain contact and collision disturbance will be generated during the clamping operation with the robot arm 401, which will cause a certain position offset between the modular antenna and the preset docking track, increasing the failure rate of the docking, which requires the docking mechanism to have a certain tolerance capability. In the antenna docking mechanism 1000 of the present embodiment, the first guide cone 202 guides the first connecting pin 101, so that it is inserted into the first locking hole 208 and pushes the two first locking blocks 207 away, and finally the first clamping groove 102 is engaged with the first locking tongue 209, thereby fixing the first connecting pin 101, and the second guide cone 204 guides the second connecting pin 110, so that it is inserted into the second locking hole 226 and pushes the two second locking blocks 210 away, and finally the first clamping groove 102 is engaged with the first locking tongue 209, thereby fixing the second connecting pin 110, and the pitch and yaw angles can be corrected in the axial direction to improve the docking accuracy, and the first and second clamping grooves are locked with the first locking tongue and the second locking tongue to ensure that the two antenna modules maintain good connection stiffness after docking, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the flexible aerospace structure, and the entire antenna docking mechanism 1000 of the present embodiment is light in weight and small in size, which can make docking operation more convenient.

[0026] Exemplarily, a structure such as a flying robot or a crawling robot may be used to drive the robotic arm 401 to clamp the connection assembly 201 .

[0027] Reference Figures 9 to 11 As shown, or, refer to Figure 12 to Figure 14 As shown, in some embodiments, three antenna docking mechanisms 1000 may be used to dock two first antenna modules 301 and one second antenna module 302, and the three antenna modules are in a hexagonal planar structure.

[0028] Reference Figures 15 to 17 As shown, in some other embodiments, multiple antenna docking mechanisms 1000 may be used to dock the first antenna module 301 and the second antenna module 302, wherein the first antenna module 301 and the second antenna module 302 are irregular planar structures.

[0029] Reference Figure 2As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the locking device 206 also includes a guide rail 212 and a shell 215, the first locking block 207 and the second locking block 210 are both slidably connected to the guide rail 212, and the shell 215 covers the first locking block 207 and the second locking block 210. When the first card slot 102 is locked with the first locking tongue 209 and the second card slot 111 is locked with the second locking tongue, the end of the first connecting nail 101 provided with the first card slot 102 and the end of the second connecting nail 110 provided with the second card slot 111 are both in contact with the shell 215, thereby limiting the first connecting nail 101 and the second connecting nail 110.

[0030] In addition, in this embodiment, since the first locking block 207 and the second locking block 210 are both slidably connected to the guide rail 212, the positions of the first locking hole 208 and the second locking hole 226 can be moved a short distance along the length direction of the guide rail 212, so that they can accurately match the positions of the first connecting pin 101 and the second connecting pin 110, thereby improving the fault tolerance and ensuring that the antenna module docking can be completed smoothly.

[0031] Reference Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the locking device 206 includes a bottom plate 225, a guide rail 212 is installed on the top of the bottom plate 225, a first through hole and a second through hole are provided at the bottom of the bottom plate 225, the number of the guide rails 212 is two or more, the first through hole and the second through hole are located between the two guide rails 212 to avoid blocking the first through hole and the second through hole, the first through hole is connected to the first locking hole 208, the second through hole is connected to the second locking hole 226, the first connecting nail 101 first passes through the first through hole and then enters the first locking hole 208, and the second connecting nail 110 first passes through the second through hole and then enters the second locking hole 226. The first guide cone 202 is threadedly connected to the first through hole to ensure that the first guide cone 202 is coaxially arranged with the first through hole, and the second guide cone 204 is threadedly connected to the second through hole to ensure that the second guide cone 204 is coaxially arranged with the second through hole, or the first guide cone 202 can be connected to the first through hole by a buckle, and the second guide cone 204 can be connected to the second through hole by a buckle.

[0032] The layout of this embodiment can make the structure of the connection component 201 more compact, thereby reducing the space occupied by the connection component 201. The connection component 201 is configured as a rectangular parallelepiped structure, which can facilitate the robot arm 401 to clamp the connection component 201.

[0033] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the guide rail 212 is provided with a fixed position limit block 216, the limit block 216 is located in the middle position, and the limit block 216 is located between the first locking block 207 and the second locking block 210. The guide rail 212 is provided with a first fixing plate 217 and a second fixing plate 218 at both ends along the long queue direction, respectively. The first elastic component includes a first elastic member 219 and a second elastic member 220. The first elastic member 219 is connected between the first fixing plate 217 and one of the first locking blocks 207, and the second elastic member 220 is connected between the other first locking block 207 and the limit block 216, so that the two first locking blocks 207 can be kept clamped. The second elastic component includes a third elastic member 221 and a fourth elastic member 222. The third elastic member 221 is connected between the second fixing plate 218 and one of the second locking blocks 210, and the fourth elastic member 222 is connected between the other second locking block 210 and the limit block 216, so that the two second locking blocks 210 can be kept clamped.

[0034] In this embodiment, by arranging various elastic members, when the first locking block 207 and the second locking block 210 are in a locked state, a certain clamping strength can be maintained to avoid loosening or falling off between the connecting pin and the corresponding locking block due to certain vibrations, thereby ensuring the reliability and stability of maintaining the connection component 201 connected to the antenna module.

[0035] In this embodiment, when the first locking block 207 and the second locking block 210 are both in a locked state, they can limit the displacement of each elastic member, thereby preventing each elastic member from popping out from the upper position of the guide rail 212 due to excessive collision force of the connecting nails.

[0036] It is understandable that the elastic member mentioned above can be a spring, a spring sheet or other structures.

[0037] Reference Figure 5 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the first locking tongues 209 of the two first locking blocks 207 are respectively provided with a first inclined surface 223 and a second inclined surface 224 on the side close to each other, and along the direction in which the first connecting nail 101 is inserted into the first locking hole 208, the distance from the first inclined surface 223 to the second inclined surface 224 gradually decreases, and one end of the first connecting nail 101 is provided with a first conical portion 103 and a second conical portion 104 arranged in sequence, and along the direction in which the first connecting nail 101 is inserted into the first locking hole 208, the outer diameter of the first conical portion 103 and the outer diameter of the second conical portion 104 gradually decrease, and a first slot 102 is defined between the first conical portion 103 and the second conical portion 104.

[0038] In this embodiment, the first inclined surface 223 and the second inclined surface 224 are used to cooperate with the first conical portion 103 and the second conical portion 104. When the first connecting nail 101 is inserted into the first locking hole 208, the first conical portion 103 first abuts against the first inclined surface 223 and the second inclined surface 224. The first inclined surface 223 and the second inclined surface 224 play a guiding role, so that the first conical portion 103 can push the two first locking blocks 207 apart, and the first conical portion 103 can pass over the first inclined surface 223 and the first locking block 207. The second conical portion 104 then abuts against the first bevel 223 and the second bevel 224. At this time, the end of the first connecting nail 101 abuts against the shell 215, and the first connecting nail 101 can no longer continue to be inserted into the first locking hole 208 along the axial direction. Since the first bevel 223 and the second bevel 224 clamp the second conical portion 104, the first connecting nail 101 cannot reversely detach from the first locking hole 208, that is, the locking function is realized, thereby locking the first connecting nail 101.

[0039] Similarly, refer to Figure 5 , Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, a third inclined plane and a fourth inclined plane are respectively provided on the side where the second locking tongues of the two second locking blocks 210 are close to each other, and along the direction in which the second connecting nail 110 is inserted into the second locking hole 226, the distance from the third inclined plane to the fourth inclined plane gradually decreases, and one end of the second connecting nail 110 is provided with a third conical portion 112 and a fourth conical portion 113 arranged in sequence, and along the direction in which the second connecting nail 110 is inserted into the second locking hole 226, the outer diameter of the third conical portion 112 and the outer diameter of the fourth conical portion 113 gradually decrease, and a second slot 111 is defined between the third conical portion 112 and the fourth conical portion 113.

[0040] The locking principle of this embodiment is the same as that of the above embodiment and will not be described again here.

[0041] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, according to some embodiments of the present invention, a first ring-shaped first magnet 203 is provided in the first guide cone 202, the first connecting pin 101 is passed through the first magnet 203, the first connecting pin 101 is provided with a second magnet 105, and the second magnet 105 is magnetically attracted to the first magnet 203.

[0042] The first magnet 203 and the second magnet 105 are used to generate magnetic force / magnetic torque, so that when the first connecting pin 101 is inserted into the first guide cone 202, the first guide cone 202 can attract the first connecting pin 101 through the first magnet 203 to accurately align with the first locking hole 208, and the relative position and speed posture of the first antenna module 301 and the second antenna module 302 can be adjusted.

[0043] Similarly, refer to Figure 2and Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, a third annular magnet 205 is provided in the second guide cone 204, the second connecting pin 110 passes through the third magnet 205, the second connecting pin 110 is provided with a fourth magnet, and the third magnet 205 and the fourth magnet are magnetically attracted to each other.

[0044] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the first connecting pin 101 includes a first docking rod 106 and a first fixing seat 107, the first docking rod 106 is provided with a first groove 108, the first magnet 203 is disposed in the first groove 108, the first fixing seat 107 is covered in the notch of the first groove 108, and the first connecting pin 101 is fixedly connected to the first antenna module 301 through the first fixing seat 107.

[0045] Similarly, in some embodiments, the second connecting pin 110 includes a second docking rod 114 and a second fixing seat 115, the second docking rod 114 is provided with a second groove, the fourth magnet is disposed in the second groove, the second fixing seat 115 is covered in the notch of the second groove, and the second connecting pin 110 is fixedly connected to the second antenna module 302 through the second fixing seat 115.

[0046] Reference Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, when the first fixing seat 107 is connected to the first docking rod 106 by screws, the first fixing seat 107 is provided with an avoidance groove 109 for avoiding the screws, and if the first fixing seat 107 is also connected to the first antenna module 301 by screws, the avoidance groove 109 can avoid hindering the assembly of the first fixing seat 107 and the first antenna module 301. Similarly, the avoidance groove 109 can also be provided on the second fixing seat 115.

[0047] Reference Fig.18 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention further provides an on-orbit assembly method, which is applied to assembling the antenna docking mechanism of the above embodiment, and the on-orbit assembly method includes step S100, step S200 and step S300.

[0048] Step S100: installing a first connecting pin and a second connecting pin on the first antenna module and the second upper antenna module to be connected respectively; Step S200: using a robotic arm to grab the connection component close to the first connection pin and the second connection pin; Step S300: Adjust the pitch angle and yaw angle of the connecting component. After the posture of the connecting component is corrected, grab the connecting component and continue to move along the axis of the first docking cone until the first locking tongue is engaged with the first slot and the second locking tongue is engaged with the second slot.

[0049] When docking in this way, the guide cone can be used to guide the connecting pins. The pitch angle and yaw angle can be adjusted during docking to achieve posture correction, so that the docking process has a radial tolerance effect, reducing the difficulty of docking assembly and improving accuracy and stability.

[0050] For traditional aerospace structure assembly, the two parts of the docking mechanism are generally installed on two spacecrafts, mostly between large compartments. The docking method of the present application is suitable for docking the antenna docking mechanism with different antenna modules, and can complete any assembly of irregular shapes and spacings between multiple antenna modules.

[0051] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientations, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., and orientations or positional relationships indicated are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0052] In the description of the present invention, "several" means one or more, "more" means more than two, "greater than", "less than", "exceed" etc. are understood as not including the number itself, and "above", "below", "within" etc. are understood as including the number itself. If there is a description of "first" or "second", it is only used for the purpose of distinguishing the technical features, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0053] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, connecting, etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific content of the technical solution.

[0054] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can be made within the knowledge scope of ordinary technicians in the relevant technical field without departing from the purpose of the present invention.

Claims

1. An antenna docking mechanism (1000), characterized in that: Used to dock a first antenna module (301) and a second antenna module (302), the antenna docking mechanism (1000) comprising: A first connecting pin (101), one end of which is provided with a first slot (102), and the other end of which is used for fixed connection with the first antenna module (301); A second connecting pin (110), one end of which is provided with a second slot (111), and the other end of which is used for fixed connection with the second antenna module (302); A connecting assembly (201) comprises a first guide cone (202), a second guide cone (204) and a locking device (206), wherein the locking device (206) comprises two first locking blocks (207), two second locking blocks (210), a first elastic component and a second elastic component, a first locking hole (208) is defined between the two first locking blocks (207), the first guide cone (202) is connected to the first locking hole (208), and the inner diameter of the first guide cone (202) gradually decreases from the end of the first guide cone (202) away from the first locking hole (208) to the end of the first guide cone (202) close to the first locking hole (208) to guide the end of the first connecting nail (101) provided with the first slot (102) to be inserted into the first locking hole (208), the first locking block (207) is provided with a first locking tongue (209), and the first elastic component is used to provide a locking mechanism for the two first locking blocks (207) to be locked. The first locking blocks (207) are provided with an elastic force to bring the first locking tongue (209) closer to each other, so that the first locking tongue (209) remains engaged with the first locking groove (102); a second locking hole (226) is defined between the two second locking blocks (210); the second guide cone (204) is connected to the second locking hole (226); the inner diameter of the second guide cone (204) gradually decreases from the end of the second guide cone (204) away from the second locking hole (226) to the end of the second guide cone (204) closer to the second locking hole (226) to guide the end of the second connecting nail (110) provided with the second locking groove (111) to be inserted into the second locking hole (226); the second locking block (210) is provided with a second locking tongue (211); and the second elastic component is used to provide an elastic force to bring the two second locking blocks (210) closer to each other, so that the second locking tongue (211) remains engaged with the second locking groove (111).

2. The antenna docking mechanism (1000) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The locking device (206) comprises a guide rail (212) and a shell (215); the first locking block (207) and the second locking block (210) are both slidably connected to the guide rail (212); the shell (215) covers the first locking block (207) and the second locking block (210); one end of the first connecting pin (101) provided with the first card slot (102) and one end of the second connecting pin (110) provided with the second card slot (111) are both in contact with the shell (215).

3. The antenna docking mechanism (1000) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The guide rail (212) is provided with a position-fixed limit block (216), and the limit block (216) is located between the first locking block (207) and the second locking block (210). The guide rail (212) is provided with a first fixing plate (217) and a second fixing plate (218) at both ends along the length direction, respectively. The first elastic component includes a first elastic member (219) and a second elastic member (220). The first elastic member (219) is connected to the first fixing plate (217) and one of the first fixing plates (218). The second elastic member (220) is connected between another of the first locking blocks (207) and the limiting block (216), the second elastic member comprises a third elastic member (221) and a fourth elastic member (222), the third elastic member (221) is connected between the second fixing plate (218) and one of the second locking blocks (210), and the fourth elastic member (222) is connected between another of the second locking blocks (210) and the limiting block (216).

4. The antenna docking mechanism (1000) according to claim 2, characterized in that: A first inclined surface (223) and a second inclined surface (224) are respectively provided on the sides of the first locking tongues (209) of the two first locking blocks (207) that are close to each other. Along the direction in which the first connecting nail (101) is inserted into the first locking hole (208), the distance from the first inclined surface (223) to the second inclined surface (224) gradually decreases. One end of the first connecting nail (101) is provided with a first conical portion (103) and a second conical portion (104) arranged in sequence. Along the direction in which the first connecting nail (101) is inserted into the first locking hole (208), the outer diameters of the first conical portion (103) and the second conical portion (104) gradually decrease. The first clamping groove (102) is defined between the first conical portion (103) and the second conical portion (104).

5. The antenna docking mechanism (1000) according to claim 2, characterized in that: A third inclined surface and a fourth inclined surface are respectively provided on the sides of the second locking tongues (211) of the two second locking blocks (210) that are close to each other. Along the direction in which the second connecting nail (110) is inserted into the second locking hole (226), the distance from the third inclined surface to the fourth inclined surface gradually decreases. One end of the second connecting nail (110) is provided with a third conical portion (112) and a fourth conical portion (113) arranged in sequence. Along the direction in which the second connecting nail (110) is inserted into the second locking hole (226), the outer diameter of the third conical portion (112) and the outer diameter of the fourth conical portion (113) both gradually decrease. The second clamping groove (111) is defined between the third conical portion (112) and the fourth conical portion (113).

6. The antenna docking mechanism (1000) according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first ring-shaped first magnet (203) is arranged inside the first guide cone (202), the first connecting pin (101) is penetrated by the first magnet (203), the first connecting pin (101) is provided with a second magnet (105), and the second magnet (105) is magnetically matched with the first magnet (203).

7. The antenna docking mechanism (1000) according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first connecting pin (101) comprises a first docking rod (106) and a first fixing seat (107); the first docking rod (106) is provided with a first groove (108); the first magnet (203) is arranged in the first groove (108); the first fixing seat (107) covers the notch of the first groove (108); the first connecting pin (101) is fixedly connected to the first antenna module (301) via the first fixing seat (107).

8. The antenna docking mechanism (1000) according to claim 1, characterized in that: A third annular magnet (205) is arranged inside the second guide cone (204), the second connecting pin (110) is passed through the third magnet (205), the second connecting pin (110) is provided with a fourth magnet, and the third magnet (205) is magnetically matched with the fourth magnet.

9. The antenna docking mechanism (1000) according to claim 8, characterized in that: The second connecting pin (110) comprises a second docking rod (114) and a second fixing seat (115); the second docking rod (114) is provided with a second groove; the fourth magnet is arranged in the second groove; the second fixing seat (115) covers the notch of the second groove; the second connecting pin (110) is fixedly connected to the second antenna module (302) via the second fixing seat (115).

10. An on-orbit assembly method of an antenna docking mechanism (1000), characterized in that: Applied to the antenna docking mechanism (1000) of claim 1, the on-orbit assembly method comprises: The first connecting pin (101) and the second connecting pin (110) are respectively installed on the first antenna module (301) and the second antenna module (302) to be connected; Using a mechanical arm to grab the connection component (201) close to the first connection nail (101) and the second connection nail (110); The pitch angle and yaw angle of the connection component (201) are adjusted, and after the posture of the connection component (201) is corrected, the connection component (201) is grasped and continues to move along the axis of the first docking cone until the first locking tongue (209) is engaged with the first slot (102) and the second locking tongue (211) is engaged with the second slot (111).

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