A layered rotating modular satellite structure based on hinge lock connection

Abstract

The application provides a layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinge lock connection and belongs to the technical field of satellite structures. The application solves the problems of low total assembly efficiency, cable damage and equipment maintenance difficulty of traditional cabin section type satellites. The application comprises an upper cover plate, a central rotating shaft and cabin sections. The upper cover plate and the bottom surface of the cabin sections are provided with cabin penetrating holes. The cabin sections are divided into upper cabin sections, middle cabin sections and lower cabin sections. The upper cover plate, the upper cabin sections, the middle cabin sections and the lower cabin sections are sequentially arranged from top to bottom. The upper cabin sections, the middle cabin sections and the lower cabin sections are provided with shaft mounting holes penetrating in the vertical direction at the corners. The central rotating shaft penetrates the first bushings on all the cabin sections. The two ends of the central rotating shaft are connected with the second bushings. The outer sides of all the cabin sections are provided with a plurality of hinge locks in the circumferential direction. The application is mainly used for cabin section type satellite structures.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application belongs to the technical field of satellite structure, and particularly relates to a layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinge lock connection. BACKGROUND

[0002] Traditional cabin section type satellites are mostly designed in a bottom-up cabin section stacking mode. When being assembled, each cabin section needs to be hoisted and docked in sequence. This process needs to rely on large equipment such as cranes for high-altitude precision operation. The operation space is narrow, the personnel's field of view is limited, there are risks of equipment collision and personnel safety, and the cabin sections cannot be docked in parallel, which reduces the assembly efficiency. In addition, the cable layout and management of the cabin section type satellite are difficult. In order to connect the equipment in different cabin sections, the cable must be pre-reserved with a long length before assembly. During cabin combination, the cable is easily squeezed, sheared or worn by the mechanical interface. Furthermore, the device installation and later maintenance accessibility is poor. Once the lower cabin section equipment is installed and covered by the upper cabin section, if it needs to be repaired or replaced, it must be disassembled, which is time-consuming, labor-intensive and costly.

[0003] In order to solve the above problems, there are drawer type modules that are pulled laterally or cabin sections that can be docked in orbit in the industry. However, the former still does not solve the cable interference problem and has very high requirements for the guide rail precision. The latter has a complex structure and high cost, and is mainly used for on-orbit services and is not suitable for optimizing the ground assembly process. Therefore, a new satellite structure scheme is needed that can realize convenient, efficient and safe ground assembly, can avoid the risk of cable interference during cabin section docking as much as possible, and is convenient for later maintenance. SUMMARY

[0004] Therefore, the present application aims to provide a layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinge lock connection to solve the problems of low assembly efficiency, cable damage and difficult equipment maintenance of traditional cabin section type satellites.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the present application adopts the following technical scheme: a layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinge lock connection, comprising an upper cover plate, a central rotating shaft and cabin sections, the upper cover plate and the bottom surface of the cabin sections are provided with through cabin holes, the cabin sections are divided into upper cabin sections, middle cabin sections and lower cabin sections, the upper cabin sections, the middle cabin sections and the lower cabin sections are sequentially arranged from top to bottom, the upper cabin sections, the middle cabin sections and the lower cabin sections are provided with through shaft mounting holes at the corners in the vertical direction, the both ends of the shaft mounting holes are provided with flange plate mounting grooves, the upper and lower ends of the shaft mounting holes of the middle cabin sections and the lower end of the shaft mounting hole of the upper cabin section and the upper end of the shaft mounting hole of the lower cabin section are connected with first bushings, the upper end of the shaft mounting hole of the upper cabin section and the lower end of the shaft mounting hole of the lower cabin section are connected with second bushings, the first bushings and the second bushings are provided with flanges at one end, the flanges are embedded in the flange plate mounting grooves, the flange of the first bushing is of an open structure, the flange of the second bushing is of a closed structure, the central rotating shaft penetrates through the first bushings of all the cabin sections, the both ends of the central rotating shaft are connected with the second bushings, all the cabin sections can rotate around the central rotating shaft, the outer sides of all the cabin sections are provided with a plurality of hinge locks in the circumferential direction, the adjacent cabin sections and the upper cabin section and the upper cover plate are connected through the hinge locks.

[0006] Furthermore, the thickness of the flange of the first bushing is greater than the height of the shaft mounting hole, and the thickness of the flange of the second bushing is the same as the height of the shaft mounting hole.

[0007] Furthermore, the flange end face of the first bushing is inlaid with a wear-resistant ring, and the wear-resistant ring is made of polyimide material.

[0008] Furthermore, the flange end face of the first bushing is provided with a solid lubricating coating.

[0009] Furthermore, the hinge lock comprises a lock plate and a hinge seat, and the lock plate and the hinge seat are connected through a hinge shaft.

[0010] Furthermore, the upper side of the cabin section is provided with a lock fixing hole, the hinge seat is connected to the lock fixing hole through a bolt, the lock plate is provided with an oval connecting hole, the lower side of the upper cabin section and the middle cabin section is provided with a threaded connecting hole, the oval connecting hole and the upper adjacent threaded connecting hole are connected through a bolt, and the side edge of the cabin section is provided with a groove, and the hinge shaft is embedded in the groove.

[0011] Furthermore, the first bushing and the second bushing are self-lubricating bushings, and the first bushing and the second bushing are in interference fit with the shaft mounting hole.

[0012] Furthermore, the shaft mounting hole is a cylindrical through hole, and the axis of the cylindrical through hole is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the cabin section.

[0013] Furthermore, the through-hole has a fan-shaped structure and is located near the outer side of the shaft mounting hole.

[0014] Furthermore, there are multiple intermediate modules, arranged sequentially from top to bottom.

[0015] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are as follows: The layered rotating modular satellite structure proposed in this invention, by setting a central rotating axis and combining it with a hinge lock, significantly improves the efficiency and safety of satellite assembly. Each module is positioned by the central rotating axis, which is fixed by bushings, providing a stable and reliable assembly benchmark and main load-bearing path. Each module can rotate and unfold independently around the central rotating axis, realizing parallel equipment installation and cable laying. Equipment installation, cable laying, and preliminary testing can be carried out simultaneously, followed by rotation locking. This eliminates the need for cranes to perform high-precision three-dimensional movement and alignment between modules, shortening the satellite assembly cycle and reducing operational risks.

[0016] During the docking process, cross-section cables are centrally laid out and managed through fan-shaped through-holes located in the central rotation axis area. This avoids the risk of cable interference between sections during rotation and fundamentally prevents the risk of cables being squeezed, sheared, or worn during docking, thus improving the reliability and standardization of cable layout.

[0017] Furthermore, the structure described in this invention offers excellent accessibility for equipment maintenance. During ground testing and in-orbit operation, if any layer malfunctions, it can be individually unlocked and rotated out for repair, providing an ideal interface for future in-orbit servicing. Space robots can simulate this operation for in-orbit replacement and upgrades. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinged latch connection according to the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the deployed state of a layered rotating modular satellite structure module based on hinged locking connection as described in this invention.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the explosive structure of the lower compartment as described in this invention;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the intermediate compartment described in this invention;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of the hinge latch described in this invention.

[0024] In the picture:

[0025] 1-Upper cover plate, 2-Upper compartment section, 3-Intermediate compartment section, 4-Lower compartment section, 5-Through hole, 6-First bushing, 7-Shaft mounting hole, 8-Hinge lock, 9-Second bushing, 10-Groove, 11-Lock fixing hole, 12-Central rotating shaft, 13-Threaded connection hole, 14-Hinge shaft, 15-Lock plate, 16-Oval connection hole, 17-Hinge seat. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, and the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments.

[0027] See Figures 1-5 This embodiment describes a layered rotating modular satellite structure based on hinged locking connections. It includes an upper cover plate 1, a central rotating shaft 12, and compartments. Both the upper cover plate 1 and the bottom surfaces of the compartments have through holes 5. The compartments are divided into an upper compartment 2, a middle compartment 3, and a lower compartment 4, arranged sequentially from top to bottom. Each of the upper compartment 2, middle compartment 3, and lower compartment 4 has vertically extending shaft mounting holes 7 at its corners. Flange mounting grooves are provided at both ends of the shaft mounting holes 7. The upper and lower ends of the shaft mounting holes 7 in the middle compartment 3, the lower end of the shaft mounting holes 7 in the upper compartment 2, and the upper end of the shaft mounting holes 7 in the lower compartment 4 are all connected to a first... A bushing 6 is provided. The upper end of the shaft mounting hole 7 of the upper compartment 2 and the lower end of the shaft mounting hole 7 of the lower compartment 4 are both connected to a second bushing 9. A flange is provided at one end of the first bushing 6 and the second bushing 9. The flange is embedded in the flange mounting groove. The flange on the first bushing 6 is an open structure, and the flange on the second bushing 9 is a closed structure. The central rotating shaft 12 passes through the first bushing 6 on all compartments. The two ends of the central rotating shaft 12 are connected to the second bushing 9. All compartments can rotate around the central rotating shaft 12. Several hinge latches 8 are provided circumferentially on the outer side of all compartments. Adjacent compartments and the upper compartment 2 and the upper cover plate 1 are connected by hinge latches 8.

[0028] In this embodiment, the flange thickness of the first bushing 6 is greater than the height of the shaft mounting hole 7, causing the flange surface of the first bushing 6 to protrude approximately 1 mm from the surface of the compartment. This prevents interference due to machining tolerances when the compartments rotate around the central rotation axis 12. The flange thickness of the second bushing 9 is the same as the height of the shaft mounting hole 7. After installation, the flange surface of the second bushing 9 is flush with the surface of its respective compartment. A wear-resistant ring, made of polyimide, can be embedded on the flange end face of the first bushing 6. The wear-resistant ring slides in contact with the end faces of adjacent bushings to avoid direct metal-to-metal friction. Alternatively, a solid lubricating coating can be applied to the flange end face of the first bushing 6 through processes such as spraying or coating, which can also provide lubrication between adjacent bushings.

[0029] In this embodiment, the hinge lock 8 includes a lock plate 15 and a hinge seat 17. The lock plate 15 and the hinge seat 17 are rotatably connected by a hinge shaft 14. A lock fixing hole 11 is provided on the upper side of the compartment. The hinge seat 17 is connected to the lock fixing hole 11 by bolts. An elliptical connecting hole 16 is provided on the lock plate 15. Threaded connecting holes 13 are provided on the lower side of the upper cover plate 1, the upper compartment 2, and the middle compartment 3. The elliptical connecting hole 16 is connected to the adjacent threaded connecting hole 13 above by bolts. A groove 10 is provided on the side of the compartment, and the hinge shaft 14 is embedded in the groove 10.

[0030] In this embodiment, both the first bushing 6 and the second bushing 9 are self-lubricating bushings. The first bushing 6 and the second bushing 9 are interference-fitted with the shaft mounting hole 7. The shaft mounting hole 7 is a cylindrical through hole with its axis perpendicular to the bottom surface of the compartment. The through hole 5 has a fan-shaped structure and is located near the outer side of the shaft mounting hole 7, facilitating the laying of cables across compartments and the laying of cables for external equipment. The size of the fan-shaped through hole 5 is determined according to the size of the equipment connector. There are multiple intermediate compartments 3, arranged sequentially from top to bottom.

[0031] The specific implementation method is described below:

[0032] A layered, rotating, modular satellite structure based on hinged latch connections mainly includes an upper cover plate 1, an upper section 2, an intermediate section 3, a lower section 4, a central rotating shaft 12, and hinge latches 8. Each section has a through-hole 7 vertically extending from its corner. The shaft mounting hole 7 is a cylindrical through hole with its axis perpendicular to the bottom surface of the section. Flange mounting grooves are provided at both ends of the shaft mounting hole 7 for installing a first bushing 6 and a second bushing 9. The shaft mounting holes 7 of the intermediate section 3, the upper and lower ends of the shaft mounting holes 7 of the upper section 2, and the upper end of the shaft mounting holes 7 of the lower section 4 are all connected to first bushings 6. The upper ends of the shaft mounting holes 7 of the upper section 2 and the lower ends of the shaft mounting holes 7 of the lower section 4 are connected to second bushings 9. Specifically, the upper end of the shaft mounting holes 7 of the upper section 2 is connected to the second bushing 9, and the lower end of the shaft mounting holes 7 of the upper section 2 is connected to the first bushing 6. The shaft mounting holes 7 of the intermediate section 3 are connected to the first bushing 6 at both ends, the upper end of the shaft mounting holes 7 of the lower section 4 is connected to the first bushing 6, and the lower end of the shaft mounting holes 7 of the lower section 4 is connected to the second bushing 9. The flange of the first bushing 6 is an open structure, and the flange of the second bushing 9 is a closed structure. The flanges of each bushing are embedded in the corresponding flange mounting grooves and fixed with bolts. The central rotation axis 12 passes through the first bushing 6 on all compartments, and its two ends are connected to the upper compartment 2 and the second bushing 9 and the lower compartment 4 and the second bushing 9 respectively, forming a stable main load-bearing path and providing a rotation reference for each compartment.

[0033] To facilitate cable laying and management, the top cover plate 1 and each compartment near the shaft mounting hole 7 are provided with fan-shaped through-cabin holes 5 for centralized arrangement of cross-cabin cables and cables for external equipment. The opening size of the fan-shaped through-cabin holes 5 can be flexibly determined according to the size of the equipment connectors to ensure that the cable layout is standardized and safe and reliable.

[0034] Several hinge latches 8 are distributed circumferentially on the outer side of each compartment to connect and fix adjacent compartments and between the upper compartment 2 and the upper cover plate 1. Each hinge latch 8 includes a latch plate 15, a hinge seat 17, and a hinge shaft 14. The latch plate 15 is hinged to the hinge seat 17 via the hinge shaft 14, and the latch plate 15 has an elliptical connecting hole 16. The hinge seat 17 is fixed to the latch fixing hole 11 on the upper side of each compartment by bolts. The hinge shaft 14 is embedded in a groove 10 on the side of the compartment, allowing the latch plate 15 to rotate around the hinge shaft 14 between a naturally drooping position and a horizontally locked position. Threaded connecting holes 13 are provided at corresponding positions on the lower side of the upper cover plate 1, upper compartment 2, and intermediate compartment 3. When the compartment rotates to the closed position, the latch plate 15 is flipped to a horizontal state, aligning the elliptical connecting hole 16 with the threaded connecting hole 13 of the adjacent compartment, and the compartments are fixed together by bolts.

[0035] To ensure that the various compartments do not interfere with each other during rotation, the flange thickness of the first bushing 6 is designed to be greater than the height of the shaft mounting hole 7, so that the flange surfaces of the first bushing 6 at both ends of the intermediate compartment 3 protrude approximately 1 mm from the upper and lower surfaces of the compartment, thus preventing rotational jamming due to machining tolerances. To further reduce friction, a wear-resistant ring made of polyimide material can be embedded in the flange end face of the first bushing 6, or a solid lubricating coating can be applied through spraying or plating processes.

[0036] During the satellite assembly phase, each module can be independently rotated and unfolded around the central rotation axis 12, enabling parallel equipment installation and cable laying. Cross-module cables are centrally laid through fan-shaped through-holes 5, effectively preventing cable compression or wear during the rotation and closure process. After equipment installation and initial testing, each module is rotated sequentially to the closure position and locked to adjacent modules via hinge latches 8, forming a complete satellite structure. In later maintenance or troubleshooting, the hinge latches 8 of a specific module can be unlocked individually, allowing for rotation and unfolding for equipment replacement or repair without disassembling the entire satellite, significantly improving operational efficiency and safety. This structure not only optimizes the ground assembly process but also provides ideal interface support for future on-orbit services.

[0037] The specific embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are merely illustrative of the invention. These embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the invention to the specific embodiments described. Many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this specification. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments to better explain the principles and practical applications of the invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the invention.

Claims

1. A layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinged locking connections, characterized in that: It includes an upper cover plate (1), a central rotating shaft (12), and a compartment. Both the upper cover plate (1) and the bottom surface of the compartment have through holes (5). The compartment is divided into an upper compartment (2), a middle compartment (3), and a lower compartment (4). The upper cover plate (1), upper compartment (2), middle compartment (3), and lower compartment (4) are arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The upper compartment (2), middle compartment (3), and lower compartment (4) have vertically extending shaft mounting holes (7) at their corners. Both ends of the shaft mounting holes (7) have flange mounting grooves. The upper and lower ends of the shaft mounting holes (7) in the middle compartment (3), the lower end of the shaft mounting holes (7) in the upper compartment (2), and the upper end of the shaft mounting holes (7) in the lower compartment (4) are all connected to first bushings (6). The upper compartment (12) The upper end of the shaft mounting hole (7) of the 2) and the lower end of the shaft mounting hole (7) of the lower compartment (4) are both connected to the second bushing (9). The first bushing (6) and the second bushing (9) are both provided with a flange at one end. The flange is embedded in the flange mounting groove. The flange on the first bushing (6) is an open structure, and the flange on the second bushing (9) is a closed structure. The central rotating shaft (12) passes through the first bushing (6) on all compartments. The two ends of the central rotating shaft (12) are connected to the second bushing (9). All compartments can rotate around the central rotating shaft (12). Several hinge latches (8) are provided on the outer side of all compartments along the circumferential direction. Adjacent compartments and the upper compartment (2) and the upper cover plate (1) are connected by hinge latches (8).

2. The layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinged locking connection according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flange thickness of the first bushing (6) is greater than the height of the shaft mounting hole (7), and the flange thickness of the second bushing (9) is the same as the height of the shaft mounting hole (7).

3. A layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinged locking connection according to claim 2, characterized in that: The flange end face of the first bushing (6) is inlaid with a wear-resistant ring, which is made of polyimide material.

4. A layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinged locking connection according to claim 2, characterized in that: A solid lubricating coating is provided on the flange end face of the first bushing (6).

5. A layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinged locking connection according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hinge lock (8) includes a lock plate (15) and a hinge seat (17), which are rotatably connected by a hinge shaft (14).

6. A layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinged locking connection according to claim 5, characterized in that: The upper side of the compartment is provided with a locking hole (11), the hinge seat (17) is connected to the locking hole (11) by bolts, the locking plate (15) is provided with an elliptical connecting hole (16), the lower side of the upper cover plate (1), the upper compartment (2) and the middle compartment (3) are provided with threaded connecting holes (13), the elliptical connecting hole (16) is connected to the adjacent threaded connecting hole (13) above by bolts, the side of the compartment is provided with a groove (10), and the hinge shaft (14) is embedded in the groove (10).

7. A layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinged locking connection according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first bushing (6) and the second bushing (9) are both self-lubricating bushings, and the first bushing (6) and the second bushing (9) are interference fit with the shaft mounting hole (7).

8. A layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinged locking connection according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shaft mounting hole (7) is a cylindrical through hole, and the axis of the cylindrical through hole is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the compartment.

9. A layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinged locking connection according to claim 1, characterized in that: The through-hole (5) is a fan-shaped structure, and the through-hole (5) is located near the outside of the shaft mounting hole (7).

10. A layered rotary modular satellite structure based on hinged locking connection according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of intermediate modules (3) is multiple, and the multiple intermediate modules (3) are arranged sequentially from top to bottom.

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