A folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism

Abstract

This invention discloses a folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism, relating to the field of aerospace equipment technology, which solves the problems of insufficient conical extension capability and large-area interference in the synchronous inward folding of support plates in existing space folding mechanisms. The invention features a support frame mounted on the main body of the mechanism, equipped with a drive assembly and a retraction assembly. The outer support plate is connected to the retraction assembly, and the inner folding support plate is connected to the main body of the mechanism via the folding assembly. The drive assembly is connected to both the retraction assembly and the folding assembly, driving the outer and inner folding support plates to unfold. The retraction assembly includes a guide rail and a slider mounting base, with the slider mounting base slidably mounted on the guide rail and connected to both the drive assembly and the outer support plate. This invention avoids the large-area interference problem caused by the synchronous inward folding of support plates. The outer support plate slides out via the guide rail, and the inner folding support plate unfolds under the drive of the pyrotechnic drive assembly via a hinge. When the inner folding support plate is in position, it overlaps with the outer support plate through a rib ring and is locked in place.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aerospace equipment technology, specifically to a folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] Deployable structures, as a synthesis of mechanisms and structures, represent a cutting-edge field of engineering research and are among the best solutions to engineering problems in the aerospace industry. Space deployable structure technology is a primary means of resolving the contradiction between large-scale spacecraft structures and rocket launch envelope constraints. Spacecraft structures are initially mounted on a carrier in a folded state with a relatively small volume, and are deployed to a working state in orbit via ground commands. However, currently, few structures can be extended to a conical surface. Given the shortcomings of existing space deployment mechanisms in terms of conical extension capabilities, there is an urgent need to develop a new type of space deployment mechanism. This mechanism should possess reliable conical extension capabilities to improve the adaptability and functionality of spacecraft during mission execution and meet the ever-evolving needs of the aerospace industry. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of existing spatial folding mechanisms in terms of conical extension capacity and the large-area interference caused by the simultaneous inward folding of support plates, this invention proposes a folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism. This invention avoids the large-area interference problem caused by the simultaneous inward folding of support plates. The outer support plate is slidably pushed out via a guide rail, and the inward-folded support plate unfolds under the drive of a pyrotechnic drive assembly via a hinge. When the inward-folded support plate is in place, it overlaps with the outer support plate through a rib ring and is locked in place.

[0004] This invention proposes a folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism, which specifically includes a mechanism body, a support, several driving components, several retraction components, a folding component, several outer support plates, and several inner folding support plates. The support is disposed on the mechanism body, and the driving components and retraction components are disposed on the support. The outer support plates are connected to the retraction components, and the inner folding support plates are connected to the mechanism body through the folding components. The driving components are respectively connected to the retraction components and the folding components, driving the outer support plates and the inner folding support plates to unfold. The retraction component includes a guide rail and a slider mounting seat. The slider mounting seat is slidably disposed on the guide rail, and the slider mounting seat is respectively connected to the driving components and the outer support plates.

[0005] Furthermore, the outer support piece and the inner folded support piece are alternately arranged, and the bottom of the outer support piece and the inner folded support piece are locked together by rib rings.

[0006] Furthermore, the drive assembly includes a pyrotechnic drive assembly and a drive rope. The pyrotechnic drive assembly is mounted on the bracket, and one end of the drive rope is connected to the pyrotechnic drive assembly, while the other end is connected to the folding assembly.

[0007] Furthermore, the drive assembly also includes a second drive rope, a winding wheel, and several guide wheels. The winding wheel is mounted on the main body of the mechanism, and a first guide wheel is coaxially mounted on the winding wheel. The first drive rope is wound around the first guide wheel and then connected to the folding assembly. One end of the second drive rope is wound around the winding wheel, and the other end is guided by several guide wheels and then connected to the slider mounting base.

[0008] Furthermore, the folding assembly includes a folding hinge and a pull rod, and the inner folding support plate is connected to the main body of the mechanism through the folding hinge; the inner folding support plate includes an upper support plate and a lower support plate; one end of the pull rod is connected to the folding hinge, and the other end is connected to the lower support plate.

[0009] Furthermore, the folding hinge includes a female hinge, a male hinge, and a connecting rod structure. The female hinge is disposed on the main body of the mechanism, and the male hinge is disposed on the upper support plate. One end of the connecting rod structure is slidably connected to the female hinge, and the other end is slidably connected to the male hinge. The connecting rod structure is connected to the drive rope.

[0010] Furthermore, the female hinge is locked by a locking pin and a male hinge.

[0011] Furthermore, the slider mounting base is slidably mounted on the guide rail by means of several sliders.

[0012] Furthermore, the slider mounting base is provided with a locking structure.

[0013] Furthermore, the slider mounting bases are interconnected by folding rods.

[0014] The beneficial effects of the folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism described in this invention are as follows:

[0015] (1) The folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism of the present invention is provided with a rope drive structure for the drive component. The folding component is driven by the first drive rope to unfold the inner support piece outward. The first drive rope drives the winding wheel and then drives the retraction component through the second drive rope. The pulling direction of the second drive rope is opposite to the moving direction of the outer support piece, so that the outer support piece slides along the guide rail and is pushed outward. The drive method of the present invention effectively avoids the large-area interference problem of the support piece folding inward at the same time, and the drive structure is simple and occupies little space.

[0016] (2) The folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism of the present invention adopts a double linear guide rail structure to ensure the stability of the sliding of the slider mounting seat; the guide rail is arranged at an incline angle along the root of the main body of the mechanism to push the outer support plate outward; the slider mounting seats are connected to each other by folding rods to ensure the synchronicity of the movement of several outer support plates.

[0017] (3) In the folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism of the present invention, the outer support plate and the inner folding support plate are initially locked by the pyrotechnic drive assembly in the initial state. After unfolding into place, both sets of motion mechanisms have locking functions. The inner folding support plate completes the unfolding lock by the folding hinge, and the outer support plate completes the position lock by the locking structure on the slider mounting seat. After the inner folding support plate and the outer support plate are in place, they are overlapped by the rib ring set at the bottom and locked. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, 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 improper limitation of the invention.

[0019] In the attached diagram:

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the folded state structure of a folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the unfolded state structure of a folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the drive assembly of a folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the second drive rope in a folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to the present invention.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the slider mounting base of a folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the folding assembly of a folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to the present invention in a folded state.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a structural schematic diagram of the unfolded state of the folding component of a folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to the present invention.

[0027] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the folding component of a folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to the present invention;

[0028] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the initial state of the folding rod of the folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism described in this invention;

[0029] Figure 10This is a structural schematic diagram of the folding rod in the final position state of a folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to the present invention.

[0030] The components are: 1-Main body of the mechanism, 2-Support, 3-Drive assembly, 31-Pyrotechnic drive assembly, 32-Drive rope one, 33-Drive rope two, 34-Rope winding wheel, 35-Guide wheel one, 36-Guide wheel two, 37-Guide wheel three, 38-Guide wheel four, 4-Retraction assembly, 41-Guide rail, 42-Slider mounting base, 43-Slider, 44-Locking structure, 45-Rope preload screw one, 46-Guide wheel five, 5 - Folding assembly, 51- Folding hinge, 511- Female hinge, 512- Male hinge, 513- Drive rod, 514- Double connecting rod, 515- Rotating shaft, 516- Moving sub-shaft system, 517- Locking pin, 518- Rope preload screw two, 52- Pull rod, 53- Pull rod rotating shaft, 6- Outer support plate, 7- Inner folding support plate, 71- Upper support plate, 72- Lower support plate, 8- Folding rod, 9- Bearing, 10- Rib ring. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solution of this invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of, and not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0032] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0033] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0034] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0035] Specific implementation method one: See Figures 1-10 This embodiment is described in detail. The folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism described in this embodiment specifically includes a mechanism body 1, a support 2, several driving components 3, several retraction components 4, a folding component 5, four outer support pieces 6, and four inner folding support pieces 7. The support 2 is mounted on the mechanism body 1, and the driving components 3 and retraction components 4 are mounted on the support 2. The outer support pieces 6 are connected to the retraction components 4. The inner folding support pieces 7 are connected to the mechanism body 1 through the folding components 5. The driving components 3 are connected to the retraction components 4 and the folding components 5 respectively, driving the outer support pieces 6 and the inner folding support pieces 7 to move and unfold. Furthermore, the outer support pieces 6 and the inner folding support pieces 7 are alternately arranged. After the outer support pieces 6 and the inner folding support pieces 7 have moved and unfolded, they are locked together by the rib rings 10 at the bottom.

[0036] The drive assembly 3 includes a pyrotechnic drive assembly 31, a drive rope 32, a drive rope 33, a winding wheel 34, a guide wheel 35, a guide wheel 36, a guide wheel 37, and a guide wheel 38. The winding wheel 34 and the guide wheel 35 are supported on the main body 1 of the mechanism, and the guide wheel 35 and the winding wheel 34 are coaxially connected. The pyrotechnic drive assembly 31 is located on the upper end of the bracket 2. One end of the drive rope 32 is connected to the pyrotechnic drive assembly 31, and the other end is wound around the guide wheel 35 and then connected to the folding assembly 5. When the pyrotechnic drive assembly 31 pulls the drive rope 32, the friction causes the winding wheel 34 and the guide wheel 35 to rotate simultaneously. The other end of the drive rope 32 pulls the folding assembly 5 to unfold the inner folded support piece 7.

[0037] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, guide wheel 2 36 is located on the upper end of bracket 2 and to the right of pyrotechnic drive assembly 31, and guide wheel 37 is located on the upper end of bracket 2 and between the two guide rails 41; as Figure 4 As shown, guide wheel 4 38 is located at the lower end of bracket 2 and in the middle of two guide rails 41. Guide wheel 5 46 is provided on the slider mounting seat 42 of the retraction assembly 4. One end of drive rope 2 33 is wound around the rope winding wheel 34, and the other end is connected to the slider mounting seat 42 after being guided by guide wheel 2 36, guide wheel 37, guide wheel 4 38 and guide wheel 5 46. After drive rope 1 32 drives guide wheel 1 35 and rope winding wheel 34 to rotate, the rope winding wheel 34 rotates to tighten drive rope 2 33, thereby driving slider mounting seat 42 to move downward along guide rail 41.

[0038] The retraction assembly 4 includes a guide rail 41, a slider mounting base 42, and several sliders 43. The guide rail 41 is a double linear guide rail, which can ensure a certain rigidity under load during movement. Several sliders 43 are mounted on the slider mounting base 42, which is slidably mounted on the guide rail 41 via the sliders 43. The slider mounting base 42 is connected to the second drive rope 33 of the drive assembly 3 and the outer support plate 6. The second drive rope 33 drives the slider mounting base 42 to slide on the guide rail 41, thereby causing the outer support plate 6 to move along the guide rail. The direction of movement of the outer support plate 6 is opposite to the direction of pull of the second drive rope 33. Simultaneously, as... Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, a folding rod 8 is also provided between two adjacent slider mounting seats 42. The folding rod 8 is hinged to the slider mounting seat 42 through the bearing 9. Multiple slider mounting seats 42 are connected into a whole by several folding rods 8, thereby ensuring the synchronicity of several outer support plates 6 during the movement. Since the guide rail 41 is arranged in a centripetal inclination along the outer circumference of the main body 1, the trajectory swept by the slider 43 on each slider mounting seat 42 from the initial position to the last position is a cone. From the axial analysis, the initial and last positions are two circles with varying curvatures formed by the sliders.

[0039] like Figure 5 As shown, the slider mounting base 42 is provided with a locking structure 44. When the outer support piece 6 moves to a preset position, the locking structure 44 locks the slider mounting base 42 and the main body 1 together. The slider mounting base 42 is provided with a rope pre-tightening screw 45, and the drive rope 33 is connected to the rope pre-tightening screw 45.

[0040] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the folding assembly 5 includes a folding hinge 51 and a pull rod 52. The inner folding support plate 7 is connected to the main body 1 of the mechanism through the folding hinge 51. The inner folding support plate 7 includes an upper support plate 71 and a lower support plate 72. One end of the pull rod 52 is connected to the folding hinge 51, and the other end is hinged to the lower support plate 72 through the pull rod pivot 53.

[0041] like Figure 8As shown, the folding hinge 51 includes a female hinge 511, a male hinge 512, and a connecting rod structure. The female hinge 511 is disposed on the main body 1 of the mechanism, and the male hinge 512 is disposed on the upper support plate 71. A certain gap is maintained between the male hinge 512 and the female hinge 511 to prevent interference between the inner lining of the upper support plate 71 and the inner lining of the main body 1. One end of the connecting rod structure is slidably connected to the female hinge 511, and the other end is slidably connected to the male hinge 512. One end of the connecting rod structure is provided with a rope preload screw 2 518, which is connected to the drive rope 1 32. The linkage structure includes a drive rod 513 and a double connecting rod 514. One end of the drive rod 513 is rotatably connected to a shaft, which is slidably disposed in a groove on the male hinge 512, forming a sliding secondary shaft system 516. The other end of the drive rod 513 is hinged to one end of the double connecting rod 514 via a rotating shaft 515. The other end of the double connecting rod 514 is rotatably connected to a shaft, which is slidably disposed in a groove on the female hinge 511. During the unfolding process, the drive rope 32 pulls the drive rod 513, which pulls the double connecting rod 514, which in turn pulls the female hinge 511 to move, thereby achieving the docking of the female hinge 511 and the male hinge 512. During the movement, the female hinge 511 causes the upper support plate 71 to flip, and at the same time, under the action of the pull rod 52, it pushes the lower support plate 72 to unfold downwards. After the unfolding is completed and the female hinge 511 and the male hinge 512 are docked, the female hinge 511 is locked to the male hinge 512 by a locking pin 517 provided on it. The driving direction of the folding hinge 51 is opposite to the unfolding direction of the inward folding support piece 7.

[0042] In summary, the folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism of this invention employs a rope-driven structure for its drive component 3. Drive rope 32 drives the folding component 5, causing the inwardly folded support piece 7 to unfold outwards. Drive rope 32 drives the winding wheel 34, which in turn drives the retraction component 4 via drive rope 33. The pulling direction of drive rope 33 is opposite to the moving direction of the outer support piece 6, causing the outer support piece 6 to slide along the guide rail 41 and be pushed outwards. This driving method effectively avoids the large-area interference problem caused by the synchronous inward folding of the support pieces, and the drive structure is simple and occupies little space. The folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism of this invention uses a double linear guide rail structure to ensure the stability of the sliding of the slider mounting base 42. The guide rail 41 is arranged at a centripetal angle along the root of the main body 1, pushing the outer support piece 6 outwards. The slider mounting bases 42 are interconnected by folding rods 8, ensuring the synchronicity of the movement of several outer support pieces 6. The folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism of the present invention has an outer support plate 6 and an inner folding support plate 7 initially locked by a fire-driven component 31. After unfolding into place, both sets of motion mechanisms have a locking function. The inner folding support plate 7 completes the unfolding locking through the folding hinge 51, and the outer support plate 6 completes the position locking through the locking structure 44 on the slider mounting base 42. After both the inner folding support plate 7 and the outer support plate 6 are in place, they are overlapped and locked by the rib ring 10 set at the bottom.

[0043] The specific embodiments described above further illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of the present invention. It should be understood that the above descriptions are merely specific embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. They can also be reasonable combinations of the features described in the above embodiments. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism, characterized in that: The mechanism includes a main body (1), a support (2), several drive components (3), several retraction components (4), a folding component (5), several outer support pieces (6), and several inner folding support pieces (7). The support (2) is mounted on the main body (1). The drive components (3) and retraction components (4) are mounted on the support (2). The outer support pieces (6) are connected to the retraction components (4). The inner folding support pieces (7) are connected to the main body (1) through the folding components (5). The drive components (3) are connected to the retraction components (4) and the folding components (5) respectively, driving the outer support pieces (6) and the inner folding support pieces (7) to unfold. The retraction assembly (4) includes a guide rail (41) and a slider mounting base (42). The slider mounting base (42) is slidably mounted on the guide rail (41). The slider mounting base (42) is connected to the drive assembly (3) and the outer support plate (6) respectively. The drive assembly (3) includes a pyrotechnic drive assembly (31) and a drive rope (32). The pyrotechnic drive assembly (31) is mounted on the bracket (2). One end of the drive rope (32) is connected to the pyrotechnic drive assembly (31), and the other end is connected to the folding assembly (5). The drive assembly (3) also includes a second drive rope (33), a winding wheel (34) and several guide wheels. The winding wheel (34) is mounted on the main body (1) of the mechanism. A guide wheel (35) is coaxially mounted on the winding wheel (34). The first drive rope (32) is wound around the guide wheel (35) once and then connected to the folding assembly (5). One end of the second drive rope (33) is wound around the winding wheel (34), and the other end is guided by several guide wheels and then connected to the slider mounting base (42).

2. The folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer support plate (6) and the inner folded support plate (7) are alternately arranged, and the bottom of the outer support plate (6) and the inner folded support plate (7) are locked together by rib rings (10).

3. The folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The folding assembly (5) includes a folding hinge (51) and a pull rod (52). The inner folding support plate (7) is connected to the main body of the mechanism (1) through the folding hinge (51). The inner folding support plate (7) includes an upper support plate (71) and a lower support plate (72). One end of the pull rod (52) is connected to the folding hinge (51), and the other end is connected to the lower support plate (72).

4. The folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The folding hinge (51) includes a female hinge (511), a male hinge (512) and a connecting rod structure. The female hinge (511) is set on the main body (1) of the mechanism, and the male hinge (512) is set on the upper support plate (71). One end of the connecting rod structure is slidably connected to the female hinge (511), and the other end is slidably connected to the male hinge (512). The connecting rod structure is connected to the drive rope (32).

5. The folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The female hinge (511) is locked by a locking pin (517) and a male hinge (512).

6. The folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The slider mounting base (42) is slidably mounted on the guide rail (41) by a number of sliders (43).

7. The folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The slider mounting base (42) is provided with a locking structure (44).

8. A folding slide rail type conical extension mechanism according to claim 1, 6 or 7, characterized in that: The slider mounting bases (42) are connected to each other by folding rods (8).

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