A deceleration mechanism and spacecraft

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the field of spacecraft technology, and discloses a deceleration mechanism and a spacecraft. The deceleration mechanism includes a mounting plate, a plurality of brake arms, a connecting assembly, and a gear ring. The mounting plate is coaxially arranged on the rotating shaft of the deployment structure. A plurality of brake arms are evenly distributed on the mounting plate around the axis of the mounting plate. The plurality of brake arms are rotatably connected to the mounting plate through the connecting assembly, and the connecting assembly can elastically push the plurality of brake arms to extend out of the mounting plate. The gear ring is arranged on the fixed part of the deployment structure, and the gear ring is coaxially arranged with the mounting plate. After the plurality of brake arms extend out of the mounting plate, they can abut against the gear ring, and the plurality of brake arms can unidirectionally engage with the gear ring. The deceleration mechanism does not require external energy, and realizes temperature-insensitive damping deceleration and reliable locking through a purely mechanical structure, and prevents reverse rotation through the one-way engagement characteristic, thereby helping to improve the working reliability of the deployment structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of spacecraft, and in particular to a speed reduction mechanism and a spacecraft. Background Art

[0002] Deployable structures on spacecraft, such as solar panels and rolling arms, are typically rolled up and folded during launch to reduce their size. Once in orbit, they are unlocked and deployed via a compression release mechanism. During deployment, the rolling arms provide the driving force, while dampers, speed reduction devices, and other mechanisms ensure a stable and controllable deployment rate, ultimately locking the structure.

[0003] Currently, existing dampers often use damping oil or damping grease as the damping medium. These dampers have significant drawbacks: the viscosity of the damping oil or damping grease is extremely sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Under extreme temperature fluctuations in the space environment, its damping value can fluctuate dramatically, resulting in uncontrollable damping force during deployment. This temperature dependence can lead to problems such as deployment time deviations and increased impact loads. In severe cases, it can even cause the deployment structure to fail to deploy or lock, significantly reducing operational reliability.

[0004] Therefore, the above problems need to be solved urgently. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a deceleration mechanism and a spacecraft to improve the working reliability of the deployment structure.

[0006] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] A speed reduction mechanism, comprising:

[0008] a mounting plate coaxially disposed on the rotation axis of the deployment structure;

[0009] a plurality of brake arms uniformly distributed on the mounting plate around the axis of the mounting plate;

[0010] a connecting assembly, wherein the plurality of brake arms are rotatably connected to the mounting plate via the connecting assembly, and the connecting assembly is capable of elastically pushing the plurality of brake arms out of the mounting plate;

[0011] A gear ring is arranged on the fixed part of the unfolding structure. The gear ring is coaxially arranged with the mounting plate. After the multiple brake arms extend out of the mounting plate, they can abut against the gear ring, and the multiple brake arms can unidirectionally engage with the gear ring.

[0012] Preferably, the connection assembly includes:

[0013] A plurality of mounting shafts are evenly distributed on the mounting plate around the axial direction of the mounting plate, and the plurality of brake arms are rotatably connected to the plurality of mounting shafts in a one-to-one correspondence;

[0014] A plurality of elastic push-pull members are provided, and each brake arm is provided with at least one elastic push-pull member. Each elastic push-pull member is used for elastically pushing the corresponding brake arm to extend out of the mounting plate.

[0015] Preferably, the elastic pushing member is a torsion spring sleeved on the mounting shaft, and two ends of the torsion spring are respectively connected to the mounting plate and the brake arm.

[0016] Preferably, the connecting assembly further comprises a plurality of limiting members, which are evenly distributed on the mounting plate around the axial direction of the mounting plate, and the plurality of limiting members correspond one-to-one to the plurality of brake arms, and both ends of all torsion springs on the same mounting shaft are respectively connected to the corresponding brake arms and the limiting members.

[0017] Preferably, the number of teeth of the gear ring is not in a positive integer ratio with the number of the brake arms.

[0018] Preferably, the brake arm includes a matching portion capable of engaging with the gear ring, and the matching portion is arranged in a teardrop shape.

[0019] Preferably, the deceleration mechanism further comprises a retracting member, and the retracting member is configured to separate the plurality of brake arms from the gear ring.

[0020] Preferably, the folding member includes:

[0021] A folding plate, which can be coaxially detachably connected to the mounting plate;

[0022] A plurality of abutting portions are evenly distributed on the abutting portion around the axial direction of the folding disk. The plurality of abutting portions correspond to the plurality of brake arms one by one, so that the connecting assembly elastically pushes the plurality of brake arms onto the plurality of abutting portions.

[0023] Preferably, the reduction mechanism further comprises a housing provided on the gear ring, and the housing can be covered on the mounting plate.

[0024] A spacecraft comprises a deployment structure and the above-mentioned deceleration mechanism, wherein the deceleration mechanism is configured to control the deployment rate of the deployment structure and lock the deployed structure.

[0025] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0026] The deceleration mechanism provided by the present invention does not require external energy, and achieves temperature-insensitive damping deceleration and reliable locking through a purely mechanical structure, and prevents reverse rotation through a one-way engagement characteristic, thereby helping to improve the working reliability of the deployment structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the speed reduction mechanism provided by the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the speed reduction mechanism provided by the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0029] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the deceleration mechanism provided by the present invention when using the retracting member Figure 1 ;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the deceleration mechanism provided by the present invention when using the retracting member Figure 2

[0032] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of the folding member provided by the present invention.

[0033] In the picture:

[0034] 1. Mounting plate; 2. Brake arm; 3. Connecting assembly; 31. Mounting shaft; 32. Elastic push member; 33. Limiting member; 4. Gear ring; 5. Folding member; 51. Folding plate; 52. Abutment portion; 6. Housing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Before any embodiments of the present application are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the application is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the foregoing drawings.

[0036] In this application, the terms "comprises," "includes," "has," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that includes a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not preclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0037] In this application, the term "and / or" is a description of the association relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, a centrifugal vortex magnetic pump and / or a centrifugal vortex magnetic pump can represent three situations: the existence of a centrifugal vortex magnetic pump alone, the existence of a centrifugal vortex magnetic pump and a centrifugal vortex magnetic pump at the same time, and the existence of a centrifugal vortex magnetic pump alone. In addition, the character " / " in this application generally indicates that the related objects are in an "and / or" relationship.

[0038] In this application, the terms "connect," "combine," "couple," and "install" may refer to direct connection, combination, coupling, or installation, or indirect connection, combination, coupling, or installation. For example, a direct connection refers to two parts or components being connected together without an intermediary, and an indirect connection refers to two parts or components being connected to at least one intermediary, with the two parts or components being connected via the intermediary. Furthermore, "connect" and "couple" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections or couplings and may include electrical connections or couplings.

[0039] In this application, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that relative terms (e.g., "about," "approximately," "substantially," etc.) used in conjunction with quantities or conditions include the values ​​and have the meaning indicated by the context. For example, the relative terms include at least the degree of error associated with the measurement of a specific value, the tolerance caused by manufacturing, assembly, use, etc. associated with a specific value. Such terms should also be considered to disclose a range defined by the absolute values ​​of the two endpoints. Relative terms may refer to plus or minus a certain percentage (e.g., 1%, 5%, 10% or more) of the indicated value. Numerical values ​​that do not use relative terms should also be disclosed as specific values ​​with tolerances. In addition, "substantially" may refer to plus or minus a certain degree (e.g., 1 degree, 5 degrees, 10 degrees or more) on the basis of the indicated angle when expressing a relative angular position relationship (e.g., substantially parallel, substantially perpendicular).

[0040] In this application, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the function performed by an assembly can be performed by one assembly, multiple assemblies, one part, or multiple parts. Similarly, the function performed by a part can also be performed by one part, one assembly, or a combination of multiple parts.

[0041] In the present application, the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "back" and other directional words are described based on the orientation and positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and should not be understood as limiting the embodiments of the present application. In addition, in the context, it is also necessary to understand that when it is mentioned that an element is connected to another element "upper" or "lower", it can not only be directly connected to the other element "upper" or "lower", but also be indirectly connected to the other element "upper" or "lower" through an intermediate element. It should also be understood that directional words such as upper side, lower side, left side, right side, front side, back side, etc. not only represent the positive orientation, but can also be understood as the lateral orientation. For example, below can include directly below, lower left, lower right, lower front and lower back, etc.

[0042] See also Figures 1 to 6 The present embodiment provides a deceleration mechanism, which includes a mounting disc 1, a plurality of brake arms 2, a connecting assembly 3, and a gear ring 4. The mounting disc 1 is coaxially arranged on the rotation axis of the deployment structure. The plurality of brake arms 2 are evenly distributed on the mounting disc 1 around the axis of the mounting disc 1. The plurality of brake arms 2 are rotatably connected to the mounting disc 1 through the connecting assembly 3, and the connecting assembly 3 can elastically push the plurality of brake arms 2 out of the mounting disc 1. The gear ring 4 is arranged on the fixed part of the deployment structure, and the gear ring 4 is coaxially arranged with the mounting disc 1. After the plurality of brake arms 2 extend out of the mounting disc 1, they can abut against the gear ring 4, and the plurality of brake arms 2 can engage with the gear ring 4 in one direction.

[0043] When the deployment structure's rotating shaft rotates under external force, the mounting plate 1 rotates synchronously, and the evenly distributed brake arms 2, elastically pushed by the connecting assembly 3, constantly abut the gear ring 4. During deployment, the frictional damping force between the brake arms 2 and the gear ring 4 continuously acts on the shaft, achieving stable deceleration. When the driving force is removed, the elastic force of the connecting assembly 3 maintains the brake arms 2 in contact with the gear ring 4, keeping the shaft stationary and locking it. Furthermore, the one-way meshing structure between the gear ring 4 and the brake arms 2 allows the shaft to rotate in one direction; when rotating in the opposite direction, the brake arms 2 engage with the gear ring 4 to form a lock.

[0044] It can be understood that the deceleration mechanism does not require external energy, and achieves temperature-insensitive damping deceleration and reliable locking through a purely mechanical structure, and prevents reverse rotation through a one-way engagement feature, thereby helping to improve the working reliability of the deployment structure.

[0045] Specifically, the connecting assembly 3 includes multiple mounting shafts 31 and multiple elastic push members 32. The multiple mounting shafts 31 are evenly distributed around the axial direction of the mounting plate 1. The multiple brake arms 2 are rotatably connected to the multiple mounting shafts 31 in a one-to-one manner. Each brake arm 2 is provided with at least one elastic push member 32, and each elastic push member 32 is used to elastically push the corresponding brake arm 2 out of the mounting plate 1.

[0046] With this configuration, the elastic pusher 32 compensates for dimensional changes caused by thermal expansion and contraction of the material under extreme temperatures through its own elastic deformation, maintaining a stable contact pressure between the brake arm 2 and the gear ring 4, ensuring consistent damping force and eliminating the effects of temperature on the damping characteristics. Furthermore, the elastic pusher 32 continuously provides a pushing force based on its own preload, maintaining the engagement between the brake arm 2 and the gear ring 4 without the need for external energy input. This results in a simple structure and low cost. More importantly, the multiple independent mounting shafts 31 and elastic pusher 32 form a redundant configuration. If one shaft fails, the others can still maintain the normal operation of the brake arm 2, thereby improving the reliability of the reduction mechanism.

[0047] In this embodiment, the elastic push member 32 is a torsion spring sleeved around the mounting shaft 31, with its ends connected to the mounting plate 1 and the brake arm 2, respectively. As will be appreciated, the torsion spring's axial sleeve integration into the mounting shaft 31 eliminates the need for additional radial space, significantly improving the compactness of the reduction mechanism and meeting the requirements for lightweight and miniaturized aerospace equipment. Furthermore, the torsion spring provides constant torque through pre-compression deformation, ensuring stable contact pressure between the brake arm 2 and the gear ring 4. This maintains consistent damping force even in extreme temperature ranges, overcoming the temperature sensitivity of traditional damping media.

[0048] It should be pointed out that the braking force applied by the reduction mechanism to the rotating shaft is mainly provided by the torsion spring force, and the braking force provided by different types of torsion springs is also different. Therefore, the type of torsion spring needs to be selected according to the actual use scenario. This embodiment does not make specific requirements and restrictions on this. In addition, in some scenarios, multiple torsion springs can be mounted on the same mounting shaft 31, so that multiple torsion springs elastically push against the same brake arm 2. With this arrangement, if a single torsion spring breaks or fails due to fatigue, the remaining torsion springs can still provide basic braking force to avoid complete loss of braking function. At the same time, multiple torsion springs share the elastic deformation, reduce the stress concentration of a single torsion spring, and extend the overall service life. Furthermore, torsion springs of different stiffness can be combined (such as a main torsion spring to provide basic elastic force, and an auxiliary torsion spring to intervene when overloaded) to achieve segmented force characteristics during the braking process and avoid rigid impact.

[0049] It should be noted that in other embodiments, the elastic push member 32 can also be made of rubber or a similar elastic material into a specific shape (such as a columnar or block shape) and installed between the brake arm 2 and the mounting plate 1. Depending on the specific usage scenario, a structure composed of multiple stacked disc springs can also be used, installed between the brake arm 2 and the mounting plate 1. Therefore, this embodiment does not impose any specific requirements or restrictions on the structure of the elastic push member 32.

[0050] Specifically, the connecting assembly 3 further includes a plurality of stoppers 33, evenly distributed along the axial direction of the mounting plate 1. Each of the stoppers 33 corresponds to a plurality of brake arms 2. The ends of all torsion springs on the same mounting shaft 31 are connected to their corresponding brake arms 2 and stoppers 33, respectively. The connection between the torsion springs and the stoppers 33 provides a reliable support point, preventing them from shifting, shaking, or falling out during operation, and ensuring they can continuously and stably provide elastic support to the brake arms 2. In this embodiment, the stoppers 33 are stopper bosses threaded onto the mounting plate 1.

[0051] It should be noted that if the number of teeth is an integer multiple of the number of brake arms 2, the same brake arm 2 will periodically contact the same tooth position on the gear ring 4, resulting in increased wear on specific tooth surfaces. To this end, in this embodiment, the number of teeth on the gear ring 4 and the number of brake arms 2 are not in a positive integer ratio. This allows each brake arm 2 to evenly contact different tooth positions on the gear ring 4, distributing wear and extending the service life of the gear ring 4 and brake arms 2.

[0052] To further extend the service life of the brake arm 2, the brake arm 2 includes a mating portion that engages with the gear ring 4. This mating portion is designed in a teardrop shape, allowing the tip of the mating portion to precisely fit between the teeth of the gear ring 4. The rounded tail creates a larger contact area with the tooth surface, avoiding localized stress concentration, thereby reducing tooth surface wear and extending the service life of the gear ring 4 and the brake arm 2. Furthermore, the tip of the mating portion facilitates alignment between the teeth during engagement, reducing the risk of sticking and ensuring quick and stable engagement between the brake arm 2 and the gear ring 4. Furthermore, the oblique contact between the tip and the tooth surface enhances the one-way locking effect, preventing accidental unlocking due to vibration or impact, and improving the safety of the deployed structure.

[0053] Generally speaking, if the brake arms 2 and the gear ring 4 accidentally lock during assembly, assembly efficiency will be affected. To address this, in this embodiment, the deceleration mechanism also includes a retracting member 5, which is configured to separate the multiple brake arms 2 from the gear ring 4. This arrangement keeps the brake arms 2 and the gear ring 4 separated during assembly, preventing them from accidentally locking. Furthermore, during maintenance, the retracting member 5 can be used to separate the multiple brake arms 2 from the gear ring 4, improving operational convenience.

[0054] Preferably, the folding member 5 includes a folding disk 51 and a plurality of abutting portions 52. The folding disk 51 can be coaxially detachably connected to the mounting disk 1. The plurality of abutting portions 52 are evenly distributed on the abutting portion 52 around the axial direction of the folding disk 51, and the plurality of abutting portions 52 correspond one-to-one to the plurality of brake arms 2, so that the connecting assembly 3 elastically pushes the plurality of brake arms 2 onto the plurality of abutting portions 52. It can be understood that the folding disk 51 is detachably connected to the mounting disk 1 and can be quickly separated or replaced, which facilitates maintenance of internal components such as the brake arms 2 and the gear ring 4. In addition, the evenly distributed plurality of abutting portions 52 can ensure that all brake arms 2 are synchronously disengaged from the gear ring 4, preventing motion interference or structural damage caused by incomplete separation of individual brake arms 2. It should be noted that the folding disk 51 and the mounting disk 1 can adopt any existing detachable connection structure such as bolts and snaps, so they will not be described in detail.

[0055] To further extend the service life of the reduction mechanism, the reduction mechanism further includes a housing 6 disposed on the gear ring 4, and the housing 6 can be covered on the mounting plate 1. This arrangement effectively prevents dust, debris, or liquid from entering its interior, protecting precision components such as the gear ring 4, brake arm 2, and torsion spring from contamination, thereby extending the service life.

[0056] This embodiment further provides a spacecraft comprising a deployment structure and the aforementioned deceleration mechanism, wherein the deceleration mechanism is configured to control the deployment rate of the deployment structure and lock the deployed structure after deployment. It is understood that the deployment structure of a spacecraft comprising the aforementioned deceleration mechanism has a higher operational reliability.

[0057] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for the purpose of clearly illustrating the present invention and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention. A person skilled in the art would be able to make various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. It is not necessary and impossible to enumerate all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A speed reduction mechanism, characterized in that: The deceleration mechanism comprises: A mounting plate (1) coaxially arranged on the rotation axis of the deployment structure; A plurality of brake arms (2) are evenly distributed on the mounting plate (1) around the axis of the mounting plate (1); A connecting assembly (3), wherein the plurality of brake arms (2) are rotatably connected to the mounting plate (1) via the connecting assembly (3), and the connecting assembly (3) is capable of elastically pushing the plurality of brake arms (2) out of the mounting plate (1); A gear ring (4) is provided on the fixed portion of the deployment structure, the gear ring (4) is coaxially arranged with the mounting plate (1), and the plurality of brake arms (2) are able to abut against the gear ring (4) after extending from the mounting plate (1), and the plurality of brake arms (2) are able to unidirectionally mesh with the gear ring (4). A plurality of mounting shafts (31) are evenly distributed on the mounting plate (1) around the axial direction of the mounting plate (1), and the plurality of brake arms (2) are rotatably connected to the plurality of mounting shafts (31) in a one-to-one correspondence; A plurality of elastic push-pull members (32), each brake arm (2) being provided with at least one elastic push-pull member (32), each elastic push-pull member (32) being used to elastically push the corresponding brake arm (2) out of the mounting plate (1); The number of teeth of the gear ring (4) and the number of the brake arms (2) are not in a positive integer ratio; The deceleration mechanism further comprises a retracting member (5), wherein the retracting member (5) is configured to separate the plurality of brake arms (2) from the gear ring (4).

2. A speed reduction mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic push member (32) is a torsion spring sleeved on the mounting shaft (31), and two ends of the torsion spring are respectively connected to the mounting plate (1) and the brake arm (2).

3. A speed reduction mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The connecting assembly (3) further comprises a plurality of limiting members (33), wherein the plurality of limiting members (33) are evenly distributed on the mounting plate (1) in an axial direction around the mounting plate (1), and the plurality of limiting members (33) correspond one-to-one to the plurality of brake arms (2). Both ends of all torsion springs on the same mounting shaft (31) are respectively connected to the corresponding brake arms (2) and the limiting members (33).

4. A speed reduction mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The brake arm (2) comprises a matching portion capable of engaging with the gear ring (4), and the matching portion is arranged in a water drop shape.

5. The speed reduction mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The folding member (5) comprises: A folding plate (51) can be coaxially and detachably connected to the mounting plate (1); A plurality of abutment portions (52) are evenly distributed on the abutment portions (52) around the axial direction of the folding disk (51), and the plurality of abutment portions (52) correspond one-to-one to the plurality of brake arms (2), so that the connecting assembly (3) elastically pushes the plurality of brake arms (2) onto the plurality of abutment portions (52).

6. The speed reduction mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The speed reduction mechanism further comprises a housing (6) arranged on the gear ring (4), and the housing (6) can be covered on the mounting plate (1).

7. A spacecraft, characterized in that: It comprises an expansion structure and a deceleration mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the deceleration mechanism is configured to control the expansion rate of the expansion structure and lock the expansion structure after expansion.

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