Locking and releasing device of rocket landing leg and carrier rocket substage

Abstract

The invention provides a locking and releasing device of a rocket landing leg. The shell assembly comprises a shell and an end cover which are connected in sequence, and two supporting lug pieces which are symmetrically arranged on the outer side of the first end of an opening of the shell in the circumferential direction. The linear driving assembly is located in a cavity of the shell and the end cover. The limiting assembly is arranged at the end cover. The two locking claw pieces are symmetrically arranged in the circumferential direction of the shell assembly, each locking claw piece comprises a claw part and a connecting rod part which form an included angle, the end, away from the claw part, of the connecting rod part is hinged to the linear driving assembly, and the connecting rod part is movably connected with the supporting lug piece through a contained guide groove; in the locking stage, the two locking claw pieces are driven by the linear driving assembly to be close to the end cover and are overturned inwards under limiting and guiding of the corresponding guiding grooves till the two locking claw pieces are hooped on the periphery of the rod piece of the landing leg, and the linear driving assembly is locked by the limiting assembly. The invention aims to improve the enveloping range of two locking claw pieces, reduce the requirement on the mounting precision of a rod piece and facilitate the mounting of the rod piece.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of aerospace technology, and more specifically, to a locking and releasing device for a rocket landing leg and a launch vehicle substage. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional launch vehicles can only fly once and are very expensive. Currently, by adding landing legs to launch vehicles, vertical recovery can be achieved. After simple maintenance and propellant replenishment, the recovered launch vehicle can be quickly put into the next launch, realizing the reuse of launch vehicles and significantly reducing the production cycle and manufacturing cost.

[0003] In existing technologies, such as the "External Electric Retraction and Deployment Landing Mechanism" proposed in Chinese Patent CN105438502A, the locking and release system of this mechanism mainly uses the telescopic cooperation of an electric push rod inside the fairing with linear bearings located on the landing legs to achieve the locking and release of the landing legs. The retraction and deployment system is a highly reliable foldable mechanism that retracts inside the landing legs during the rocket launch phase and is deployed and locked during the rocket landing phase. An electronic control system is used to realize the retraction and deployment functions of the landing device. However, relying solely on electric push rods to achieve the retraction and deployment of the landing legs cannot ensure that the landing legs are tightly locked to the rocket body wall, which will cause additional radial vibration of the launch vehicle. Furthermore, its electric push rods are large in size and heavy, increasing the load on the launch vehicle.

[0004] Chinese patent CN109131949A, entitled "A Locking Device for a Landing Leg of a Reusable Launch Vehicle," describes a locking mechanism that relies on the interaction of a locking rod, a locking hook, a locking latch, a limiting plate, a base, and a tension spring. During locking, the first locking latch is inserted into the limiting groove of the device, and the first locking latch passes through the first locking hook. The first locking rod and the first locking hook mutually support and limit each other, thus limiting the locking of the first locking latch. During unfolding, the unlocking rod moves outward, driving the connecting rod and pulling the first locking rod to overcome the spring tension, releasing the support and limiting of the first locking hook. The first locking hook then rotates out of the first locking latch, completing the unlocking process. However, this device relies solely on the spring tension for locking the landing leg, making the locking method unreliable and prone to mis-locking in vibrating environments.

[0005] Chinese patent CN117704898A proposes a "reusable connection and separation device for rocket recovery." This device uses a drive structure to move a transmission structure and a hook structure, thereby opening and closing the hook structure, locking and releasing the latch, and ultimately locking and releasing the landing legs. The key structural features of this device are: the transmission structure includes a connecting rod and a return spring; the connecting rod is reset by the return spring; the hook moves outwards from a fixed point with a small envelope; a guide groove is provided on the connecting rod, and a second rotating shaft is rotatably and translationally positioned within the guide groove; a limiting telescopic rod is provided in the middle of the support base, abutting against the lower back of the first hook to limit its opening and prevent it from colliding with the support base. When the device locks the landing legs, the control elements need to remain operational for an extended period to control the operation of the drive structure in order to achieve continuous locking of the landing legs. In other words, the control system needs to remain operational for a long time, which affects the lifespan of the control elements. Furthermore, the movement of its pawl is fixed-point outward and fixed-point inward rotation, with a small envelope range, requiring high precision in the installation of the latches on the landing legs.

[0006] Therefore, current launch vehicles use the opening and closing motion of the pawl of the locking and releasing device to lock and release the rods on the landing legs, thereby enabling the landing legs to retract and deploy. However, the existing technology has the above-mentioned shortcomings, and the movement of its pawl is fixed-point outward and fixed-point inward rotation, with a small envelope range, requiring high installation accuracy of the rods on the landing legs. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This application addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies by proposing a locking and releasing device for rocket landing legs and a launch vehicle substage. The proposed solution addresses the technical problems of large structural size and weight, which increase the load on the launch vehicle; unreliable locking; susceptibility to mis-locking in vibration environments; the need for the control system to maintain long-term operation, which affects the lifespan of control components; and the small pawl envelope range, which requires high precision in the installation of the latches on the landing legs.

[0008] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a locking and releasing device for rocket landing legs, used to lock or release the landing legs of a launch vehicle, comprising: The housing assembly includes a housing and an end cap connected in sequence, and two lugs symmetrically arranged circumferentially on the outside of the first end of the housing opening; A linear drive assembly is located within the cavity of the housing and the end cap; A limiting component is provided at the end cap; The locking claw has two claws, which are symmetrically arranged circumferentially along the housing assembly. Each locking claw includes a claw portion and a connecting rod portion at an angle. The end of the connecting rod portion away from the claw portion is hinged to the linear drive assembly. The connecting rod portion is movably connected to the lug through a guide groove. During the locking phase, both locking claws move closer to the end cap under the drive of the linear drive assembly and flip inward under the limiting and guiding of their respective guide grooves until the two locking claws clamp onto the outer periphery of the landing leg's rod and the limiting assembly locks the linear drive assembly.

[0009] Optionally, during the unlocking phase, the locking component of the limiting component is released from the linear drive component, and both locking claws are moved away from the end cover under the drive of the linear drive component, and flip outward under the limiting and guiding of their respective guide grooves.

[0010] Optionally, the support member includes a mounting base and a support portion distributed along a first direction. The mounting base is disposed on the outer side of the first end of the housing. The support portion is further away from the end cap than the opening plane of the first end of the housing. The support portion is movably connected to the connecting rod portion through the guide groove. The first direction is the extension direction of the housing.

[0011] Optionally, the locking and releasing device of the rocket landing leg further includes a guide shaft, and the support lug includes two stop sections; The guide groove is parallel to the extension direction of the connecting rod portion and is open along a third direction; the two mounting seats are disposed on the outer side of the first end of the housing along a second direction, and both the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to the first direction. The two stop sections are located on both sides of the connecting rod in the third direction and are integrally formed with the mounting base. The guide shaft passes through the guide groove along the third direction, and the two ends of the guide shaft are rotatably connected to the two stop sections respectively.

[0012] Optionally, the two locking claws include a first locking claw and a second locking claw; the claw portion of the first locking claw includes two first claw portions arranged at a distance along a third direction; the claw portion of the second locking claw includes a second claw portion; A clearance groove is formed between the two first claw portions, and an arc-shaped first groove is provided at the end of the first claw portion away from the corresponding connecting rod portion; an arc-shaped second groove is provided at the end of the second claw portion away from the corresponding connecting rod portion. During the locking phase, when the first claw and the second claw each grip the outer periphery of different sections of the rod, the second locking claw is at least partially located within the clearance groove.

[0013] Optionally, the included angle between the claw portion and the connecting rod portion is a right angle.

[0014] Optionally, the linear drive component includes: The connecting platform is hinged to the end of the connecting rod that is away from the claw. The piston rod is connected at one end to the connecting platform; A piston body is sleeved on the outer periphery of a portion of the piston rod, including a first piston section and a second piston section arranged at intervals along a first direction; the first piston section is located in the cavity of the housing and slides in a sealing manner with the housing; the second piston section is located in the cavity of the end cap and slides in a sealing manner with the end cap. The side wall of the housing is provided with a first conveying end, which is configured to convey a pressure medium into the cavity of the housing; The end cap has a second delivery end on its side wall, which is configured to deliver a pressure medium into the cavity of the end cap.

[0015] Optionally, the cavity of the end cap includes a first cavity, both the cavity of the housing and the first cavity are cylindrical, the second piston section is located in the first cavity, and the radial dimension of the first cavity is smaller than the radial dimension of the cavity of the housing.

[0016] Optionally, the cavity of the end cap further includes a second cavity communicating with the first cavity, and the limiting component includes: The limiting part extends perpendicularly to the first direction and is movably disposed within the second cavity; A plug is provided on the side wall of the end cap to seal the limiting part in the second cavity; An elastic element abuts between the limiting portion and the plug; The linear drive assembly further includes a mating part, which is connected to the other end of the piston rod and forms an annular locking groove spaced apart from the second piston segment along a first direction.

[0017] Optionally, along the first direction, the mating portion gradually expands toward the second piston section, and the second conveying end is located on the side wall of the end cap at a portion farther away from the first piston section than the annular locking groove; The direction of movement of the limiting part is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the piston rod.

[0018] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a launch vehicle stage, including a rocket body, landing legs, and a locking and releasing device for the rocket landing legs. The landing legs are hinged to the outer wall of the rocket body, and the locking and releasing device for the rocket landing legs is installed on the outer wall of the rocket body.

[0019] The beneficial technical effects of the technical solutions provided in this application include: The two locking claws of this application can rotate while moving along the first direction, which can expand the envelope range of the two locking claws. This allows the locking claws to effectively grasp and lock the landing leg rods over a larger range, thereby expanding the area of ​​the landing leg for suitable installation of the rods, giving the rods more installation positions, reducing the requirements for rod installation accuracy, and facilitating rod installation.

[0020] Furthermore, the two locking claws can simultaneously clamp and pull the landing leg rods, facilitating the rapid retraction of the launch vehicle's landing legs, thereby reducing the launch preparation time and improving launch efficiency.

[0021] The technical solution of this application solves the problems of large structural size and heavy weight of related technical solutions, which affect the rocket's carrying capacity, as well as the problems of poor mechanical environment testability and unreliable locking in vibration environment. It also solves the problems of small capture envelope range and high installation accuracy requirements for the target connecting rod on the inside of the landing leg, and the problem of the need for the control system to keep working for a long time, which affects the life of the control components.

[0022] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will become apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the locking and releasing device of the rocket landing leg in the unlocked state, provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a launch vehicle substage provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of the locking and releasing device for the rocket landing legs provided in this embodiment of the application when the two locking claws and clamping rods are in use; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the locking and releasing device for the rod and rocket landing leg provided in the embodiments of this application in the unlocked state; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the linear drive assembly and the limiting assembly of the locking and releasing device for the rocket landing leg provided in this application embodiment, in the locked state; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the linear drive assembly and the limiting assembly of the locking and releasing device for the rocket landing leg provided in this application embodiment, in the unlocked state; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the housing assembly provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 8 for Figure 5 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the linear drive component and the limiting component; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the end cap structure provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first locking claw provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second locking claw provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the connection platform provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the linear drive component provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 100 - Housing assembly; 110 - Housing; 111 - First conveying end; 112 - First conveying hole; 113 - Flange; 120 - End cap; 121 - Second conveying end; 122 - First cavity; 123 - Second cavity; 124 - Second conveying hole; 130 - Support lug; 131 - Mounting base; 132 - Support lug; 1321 - Stop section; 13211 - First mounting hole; 140 - Guide shaft; 200-Linear drive assembly; 210 - Connecting platform; 211 - Hinge base; 212 - Hinge hole; 220 - Piston rod; 230 - Piston body; 231 - First piston section; 2311 - First annular groove; 232 - Second piston section; 2321 - Second annular groove; 240 - Annular locking groove; 250 - Mating part; 300-Limit Component; 310 - End cap; 320 - Limiting part; 330 - Elastic element; 400-Claw component; 410 - Connecting rod section; 411 - Guide groove; 420-Claw; 430 - First locking claw; 431 - First connecting rod; 4311 - First guide groove; 4312 - First through hole; 432 - First claw; 4321 - First groove; 433 - Clearance groove; 440 - Second locking claw; 441 - Second connecting rod; 4411 - Second guide groove; 4412 - Second through hole; 442 - Second claw; 4421 - Second groove; 500 - Launch vehicle stage; 510 - Installation platform; 600-bar. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary descriptions for explaining the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0026] Those skilled in the art will understand that, unless specifically stated otherwise, the terms "described" and "the" as used herein may also include plural forms. It should be further understood that the term "comprising" as used in this application's specification means the presence of described, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but does not exclude other features, information, data, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof supported by this art. The term "and / or" as used herein refers to at least one of the items defined by the term; for example, "A and / or B" can be implemented as "A," or as "B," or as "A and B."

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] In related technologies, the pawl of the locking and releasing device locks the landing leg of the launch vehicle by clamping the latch on the landing leg. However, the movement of the pawl is fixed-point outward rotation and fixed-point inward rotation, with a small envelope range, and high requirements for the installation accuracy of the latch on the landing leg.

[0029] To solve the above technical problems, refer to Figures 1-13 This application provides a locking and releasing device for a rocket landing leg, used to lock or release the landing leg of a launch vehicle, including a shell assembly 100, a linear drive assembly 200, a limiting assembly 300, and a locking claw 400.

[0030] The housing assembly 100 includes a housing 110 and an end cap 120 connected in sequence, and two lugs 130 symmetrically arranged circumferentially on the outside of the first end of the opening of the housing 110; The linear drive assembly 200 is located within the cavity of the housing 110 and the end cap 120; A limiting component 300 is located at end cap 120; The locking claw 400 has two parts, which are symmetrically arranged around the circumference of the housing 110 assembly 100. The locking claw 400 includes a claw portion 420 and a connecting rod portion 410 at an angle. The end of the connecting rod portion 410 away from the claw portion 420 is hinged to the linear drive assembly 200. The connecting rod portion 410 is movably connected to the lug 130 through a guide groove 411. During the locking phase, both locking claws 400 approach the end cap 120 under the drive of the linear drive assembly 200 and flip inward under the limiting and guiding of their respective guide grooves 411 until the two locking claws 400 clamp onto the outer periphery of the landing leg rod 600 and the limiting assembly 300 locks the linear drive assembly 200.

[0031] It should be noted that the two lugs 130 and the two locking claws are circumferentially symmetrical about the housing 110 assembly 100, enabling the two locking claws to stably grip the landing leg rod 600. Optionally, the claw portions 420 of the two locking claws 400 can be used to jointly clamp the landing leg rod 600. The two locking claws 400 are flipped inward, that is, the two locking claws 400 are flipped in a straight line direction close to the geometric center of the housing 110, which is parallel to the extension direction of the housing 110; that is, the two locking claws 400 are flipped in a direction close to the central axis of the housing 110. The housing 110 and the end cap 120 are connected sequentially along a first direction, which is the extension direction of the housing 110. The end of the housing 110 is located in the first direction, and the sides of the housing 110 are located in a second direction and a third direction, both of which are perpendicular to the first direction.

[0032] In this embodiment, the locking and releasing device for the rocket landing legs is installed on the outer peripheral wall of the launch vehicle. It can capture and release the rod 600 located on the inner side of the landing legs. When the locking and releasing device captures the rod 600, the landing legs retract and lock to the outer wall of the launch vehicle. When the locking and releasing device releases the rod 600, the landing legs quickly deploy to provide support for the returning launch vehicle. Before launch, the deployed landing legs need to be retracted and locked to the outer wall of the launch vehicle to reduce air resistance during flight and prevent serious impact on the flight process.

[0033] When the landing legs of the launch vehicle are to be retracted and locked, that is, during the locking phase of the locking and releasing device of the rocket landing legs, the linear drive assembly 200 will move linearly along the first direction within the cavity of the housing 110 and the cavity of the end cover 120. In conjunction with the guide grooves 411 of the two lugs 130 and each connecting rod 410, the two locking claws 400 can rotate inward and move towards the end cover 120 along the first direction. After the two locking claws 400 clamp the outer peripheral wall of the landing leg rod 600, they can also pull the landing leg rod 600 towards the outer wall of the launch vehicle. After the launch vehicle landing legs are retracted and abut against the outer wall of the launch vehicle, the limiting assembly 300 can restrict the movement of the linear drive assembly 200, thereby locking the launch vehicle landing legs to the outer wall of the launch vehicle.

[0034] The two locking claws 400 can rotate while moving along the first direction, expanding their envelope range. This allows them to effectively grasp and lock the landing leg rods over a wider area, thereby expanding the suitable installation area for the landing leg rods 600. This provides more installation positions for the rods 600, reducing the precision requirements for installation and facilitating their installation. Furthermore, the two locking claws 400 can simultaneously clamp and pull the landing leg rods 600, facilitating rapid retraction of the launch vehicle's landing legs. This reduces launch preparation time and improves launch efficiency.

[0035] The two locking claws 400 can radially lock the landing legs of the launch vehicle to the outer wall of the launch vehicle, which can effectively prevent the retracted landing legs from causing radial vibrations during the flight of the launch vehicle.

[0036] When retracting and deploying the landing legs of the launch vehicle, the locking and releasing device of the rocket landing leg in this embodiment does not need to be directly connected to the launch vehicle landing leg. It only needs to be connected to the launch vehicle landing leg through the rod 600. Therefore, there is no need to increase the overall size of the locking and releasing device of the rocket landing leg to connect to the launch vehicle landing leg. A smaller locking and releasing device of the rocket landing leg can be installed on the outer wall of the launch vehicle and connected to the landing leg only through the rod 600. There is no need to realize the retraction and deployment of the landing leg through a transmission mechanism with a size close to that of the landing leg, which can reduce the load on the launch vehicle.

[0037] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 7 As shown, the outer peripheral wall of the shell 110 is connected to the outer wall of the launch vehicle stage 500. The shell 110 can be connected to the outer wall of the launch vehicle via flange 113. An installation platform 510 is provided on the outer wall of the launch vehicle stage 500. The installation platform 510 can be used to install the locking and releasing device of the rocket landing legs; that is, the installation platform 510 can be connected to flange 113. The extension direction of the shell assembly 100 can be perpendicular to the axial direction of the launch vehicle body. The rods 600 on the inner side of the launch vehicle landing legs are U-shaped.

[0038] Optionally, such as Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, during the unlocking phase, the locking component 300 releases the linear drive component 200, and the two locking claws 400 move away from the end cover 120 under the drive of the linear drive component 200, and flip outward under the limiting and guiding of their respective guide grooves 411.

[0039] It should be noted that the two locking claws 400 are flipped outward, that is, the two locking claws 400 are flipped in a straight line away from the geometric center of the housing 110, and this straight line is parallel to the extension direction of the housing 110; that is, the two locking claws 400 are flipped in a direction away from the central axis of the housing 110.

[0040] When the launch vehicle needs to land during the return phase, the limiting component 300 releases the linear drive component 200, removing the restriction on the movement of the linear drive component 200. The linear drive component 200 moves along the first direction toward the first end of the housing 110 within the cavity of the end cap 120 and the housing 110, and, in conjunction with the lug component 130 and the guide groove 411, drives the connecting rod portion 410 of the locking claw component 400 to flip outward, thereby causing the two claw portions 420 clamped on the outer periphery of the landing leg component 600 to disengage from the landing leg component 600. While disengaging from the landing leg component 600, the two claw portions 420 can also push the landing leg component 600 away from the outer wall of the launch vehicle, facilitating the rapid deployment of the landing legs and supporting the vertical launch vehicle.

[0041] Optionally, the two locking claw members 400 may each include a first locking claw member 430 and a second locking claw member 440. The first locking claw member 430 includes a first claw portion 432 and a first connecting rod portion 431 at an angle. The end of the first connecting rod portion 431 away from the first claw portion 432 is hinged to the linear drive assembly 200. The first connecting rod portion 431 is movably connected to a support member 130 through a first guide groove 4311. The second locking claw member 440 includes a second claw portion 442 at an angle and a second connecting rod portion 441. The end of the second connecting rod portion 441 away from the second claw portion 442 is hinged to the linear drive assembly 200. The second connecting rod portion 441 is movably connected to another support member 130 through a second guide groove 4411. During the locking phase, the first locking claw 430 and the second locking claw 440 approach the end cap 120 under the drive of the linear drive assembly 200, and flip inward under the limiting and guiding of the first guide groove 4311 and the second guide groove 4411 until they clamp onto the outer periphery of the landing leg rod 600, thereby locking the linear drive assembly 200 with the limiting assembly 300. During the unlocking phase, the first locking claw 430 and the second locking claw 440 move away from the end cap 120 under the drive of the linear drive assembly 200, and flip outward under the limiting and guiding of the first guide groove 4311 and the second guide groove 4411.

[0042] Optionally, such as Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the support member 130 includes a mounting base 131 and a support portion 132 distributed along a first direction. The mounting base 131 is disposed on the outer side of the first end of the housing 110. The support portion 132 is further away from the end cap 120 than the opening plane of the first end of the housing 110. The support portion 132 is movably connected to the connecting rod portion 410 through a guide groove. The first direction is the extension direction of the housing 110.

[0043] The lug 132 is further away from the end cap 120 than the plane where the first end opening of the housing 110 is located, which can prevent the edge of the first end opening of the housing 110 from affecting the flipping of the connecting rod 410, thereby ensuring that the two connecting rods 410 can flip inward smoothly and clamp onto the rod 600 on the landing leg.

[0044] Mounting base 131 can contact the outer side wall of housing 110 in the second direction and also in the third direction. Mounting base 131 and lug 132 are both distributed in the first direction, so that lug 132 is also close to housing 110 in the second direction or in the third direction. In this way, compared with lug 132 being far away from housing 110 in the second direction or in the third direction, the extension length of guide groove 411 and the size of connecting rod 410 can be reduced while ensuring a large envelope range of the two locking claws. This reduces the space occupied by the locking and releasing device of the entire rocket landing leg on the outer wall of the launch vehicle, reduces the weight of the locking and releasing device of the entire rocket landing leg, and reduces the load of the launch vehicle.

[0045] Optionally, such as Figure 7 As shown, the locking and releasing device of the rocket landing legs also includes a guide shaft 140, and the support lug 132 includes two stop sections 1321. The guide groove 411 is parallel to the extending direction of the connecting rod 410 and is open along a third direction. Two mounting seats 131 are disposed on the outer side of the first end of the housing 110 along a second direction, and both the second direction and the third direction are perpendicular to the first direction. The two stop sections 1321 are located on both sides of the connecting rod 410 in the third direction and are integrally formed with the mounting seats 131. The guide shaft 140 passes through the guide groove 411 along the third direction, and both ends of the guide shaft 140 are rotatably connected to the two stop sections 1321 respectively. Among them, the stop section 1321 is provided with a first mounting hole 13211 for one end of the guide shaft 140 to pass through, and one end of the guide shaft 140 can be rotatably connected to the inner wall of the first mounting hole 13211.

[0046] When the two locking claws grip the outer periphery of the landing leg member 600, the outer peripheral wall of the guide shaft 140 abuts against the inner wall of the guide groove 411 near the linear drive assembly 200. When unlocking the landing leg member 600, the two connecting rods 410 move along the first direction and flip outward. As the connecting rods 410 move, the outer peripheral wall of the guide shaft 140 gradually abuts against various parts of the inner wall of the guide groove 411 and finally abuts against the part of the inner wall of the guide groove 411 near the locking claws. The reciprocating abutment of the guide shaft 140 against the inner wall of the guide groove 411 along the extension direction of the guide groove 411 allows the locking and unlocking device of the rocket landing leg to continuously switch between the locking and unlocking stages. The two stop sections 1321 can limit and constrain the connecting rods 410 in the third direction, preventing the guide groove 411 of the connecting rods 410 from disengaging from the guide shaft 140.

[0047] Optionally, the guide groove 411 of the connecting rod portion of the first locking claw 430 includes a first guide groove 4311; the first guide groove 4311 is parallel to the extension direction of the connecting rod portion of the first locking claw 430 and is open in a third direction, a guide shaft 140 passes through the first guide groove 4311 in a third direction, and the two ends of the guide shaft 140 are rotatably connected to a support portion 132. A second guide groove 4411 is provided along the extension direction of the second connecting rod portion 441 and is open in a third direction; another guide shaft 140 passes through the second guide groove 4411 in a third direction and is rotatably connected to another support portion 132.

[0048] Optionally, such as Figure 1 , Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the two locking claws include a first locking claw 430 and a second locking claw 440. The claw portion of the first locking claw 430 includes two first claw portions 432 arranged at a distance along a third direction; the claw portion of the second locking claw 440 includes a second claw portion 442. A clearance groove 433 is formed between the two first claw portions 432. The end of the first claw portion 432 away from the corresponding connecting rod portion 410 is provided with an arc-shaped first groove 4321; the end of the second claw portion 442 away from the corresponding connecting rod portion 410 is provided with an arc-shaped second groove 4421. During the locking stage, when the first claw portion 432 and the second claw portion 442 are respectively clamped around the outer periphery of different sections of the rod 600, the second locking claw 440 is at least partially located within the clearance groove 433. The inner walls of the first groove 4321 and the second groove 4421 can abut against the outer peripheral wall of the landing leg rod 600, enabling the first locking claw 430 and the second locking claw 440 to grip the landing leg rod 600.

[0049] The clearance groove 433 can limit the second locking claw 440 in the third direction, and the second locking claw 440 can limit the two first claw parts 432 in the third direction. That is, the second locking claw 440 and the first locking claw 430 can limit each other in the third direction, thereby improving the clamping stability of the two locking claws on the landing leg rod 600.

[0050] The distance between the two first claw portions 432 can be relatively large, and the two first claw portions 432 and the second claw portion 442 are spaced at the same distance. When the landing leg member 600 is divided into three segments of the same size in the third-direction gripping section, the two first claw portions 432 and the second claw portion 442 can grip the three segments of the same size of the landing leg member 600. This allows the two first claw portions 432 and the second claw portion 442 to grip the landing leg member 600 evenly, reducing the stress concentration when the two locking claws pull on the landing leg member 600 after gripping it, and preventing damage to the landing leg member 600.

[0051] The clearance groove 433 allows the two connecting rods 410 to smoothly grip the landing leg rods 600 even when the hinges of the two connecting rods 410 and the linear drive assembly 200 are radially symmetrical along the shell 110. This eliminates the need for a larger linear drive assembly 200 to allow the two connecting rods 410 to be staggered along a third direction and to ensure that the two claws 420 smoothly grip the landing leg rods 600 at different sections in the third direction. Thus, only a smaller linear drive assembly 200 and shell 110 assembly 100 are needed, which can reduce the load on the launch vehicle.

[0052] When the included angle between the claw portion 420 and the connecting rod portion 410 is set to an obtuse angle, the envelope range of the two locking claws on the landing leg's rod 600 can be further increased. However, this also increases the time it takes for the two locking claws to grip the landing leg's rod 600, reducing the retraction efficiency of the launch vehicle's landing leg. Furthermore, when the included angle between the claw portion 420 and the connecting rod portion 410 is set to an obtuse angle, a larger connecting rod portion 410 is required to allow for a longer guide groove in order for the claw portion 420 to successfully grip the landing leg's rod 600.

[0053] When the included angle between the claw part 420 and the connecting rod part 410 is set to an acute angle, the two locking claw parts 400 can grip the landing leg rod 600 more quickly, but the envelope range of the two locking claw parts 400 on the landing leg rod 600 will be reduced.

[0054] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 As shown, the included angle between the claw portion 420 and the connecting rod portion 410 is a right angle. In this way, not only can the two locking claws 400 have a larger envelope range, but the two locking claws 400 can also quickly grip the landing leg rod 600.

[0055] Optionally, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the linear drive assembly 200 includes a connecting platform 210, a piston rod 220, and a piston body 230. The connecting platform 210 is hinged to the end of the connecting rod portion 410 away from the claw portion 420. One end of the piston rod 220 is connected to the connecting platform 210. The piston body 230 is sleeved on the outer periphery of a portion of the piston rod 220 and includes a first piston section 231 and a second piston section 232 arranged at intervals along a first direction. The first piston section 231 is located in the cavity of the housing 110 and slides in a sealed manner with the housing 110. The second piston section 232 is located in the cavity of the end cap 120 and slides in a sealed manner with the end cap 120. The side wall of the housing 110 is provided with a first conveying end 111, which is configured to convey a pressure medium into the cavity of the housing 110. The side wall of the end cap 120 is provided with a second conveying end 121, which is configured to convey a pressure medium into the cavity of the end cap 120.

[0056] During the locking phase, the first conveying end 111 delivers pressure medium into the cavity of the housing 110. The pressure medium pushes the first piston section 231 along the extension direction of the housing 110 toward the end cover 120, thereby causing the piston rod 220 and the connecting platform 210 to move toward the end cover 120 along the first direction. This allows the two locking claws 400 to flip inward while also moving along the first direction. During the unlocking phase, the second conveying end 121 delivers pressure medium into the cavity of the cover. The pressure medium pushes the second piston section 232 along the extension direction of the housing 110 toward the first end opening of the housing 110, thereby causing the piston rod 220 and the connecting platform 210 to move along the first direction toward the first end opening of the housing 110. This allows the two locking claws 400 to flip outward while also moving along the first direction.

[0057] The first piston section 231 and the second piston section 232 can serve as backups for each other. Even if the seal of one piston section fails, the pressure medium can still push the other piston section to move and make the piston rod 220 and the connecting platform 210 move along the first direction. This ensures that the two locking claws 400 can smoothly clamp and release the landing leg rods 600, improve the fault tolerance of the landing leg retraction and deployment, and make the launch vehicle landing legs retract and deploy more smoothly.

[0058] It should be noted that the first conveying end 111 may include a first conveying pipe, a first pipe connector, and a first conveying hole 112 disposed on the side wall of the housing 110. The first conveying pipe is connected to the first pipe connector, and the portion of the first pipe connector away from the first conveying pipe is installed in the first conveying hole 112. The second conveying end 121 may include a second conveying pipe, a second pipe connector, and a second conveying hole 124 disposed on the side wall of the end cover 120. The second conveying pipe is connected to the second pipe connector, and the portion of the second pipe connector away from the second conveying pipe is installed in the second conveying hole 124. The pressure medium flowing in the first conveying pipe can flow into the cavity of the housing 110 through the first pipe connector, and the pressure medium flowing in the second conveying pipe can flow into the cavity of the end cover 120 through the second pipe connector. The pressure medium may be a gaseous medium or a liquid medium.

[0059] The outer peripheral wall of the first piston section 231 is provided with a first annular groove 2311, and the outer peripheral wall of the second piston section 232 is provided with a second annular groove 2321. A first sealing ring is provided in both the first annular groove 2311 and the second annular groove 2321. Two sets of hinge seats 211 are provided on the connecting platform 210, with two hinge seats in each set. Each hinge seat 211 has a hinge hole 212. The portion of the first connecting rod portion 431 away from the first claw portion 432 has a first through hole 4312, and the portion of the second connecting rod portion 441 away from the second claw portion 442 has a second through hole 4412. A first hinge rod is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the hinge hole 212 of one set of hinge seats 211, passing through the first through hole 4312. A second hinge rod is rotatably connected to the inner wall of the hinge hole 212 of the other set of hinge seats 211, passing through the second through hole 4412.

[0060] Optionally, such as Figure 1 and Figure 6 As shown, the cavity of the end cap 120 includes a first cavity 122. Both the cavity of the housing 110 and the first cavity 122 are cylindrical. The second piston section 232 is located inside the first cavity 122. The radial dimension of the first cavity 122 is smaller than the radial dimension of the cavity of the housing 110.

[0061] In this way, the pressure medium can quickly fill the first cavity 122 and push the second piston section 232 to move rapidly in the direction of the first end opening of the housing 110, thereby enabling the two locking claws 400 to quickly release the landing leg rods 600, which facilitates the rapid deployment of the landing legs.

[0062] Optionally, such as Figure 1 and Figure 5As shown, the cavity of the end cap 120 also includes a second cavity 123 communicating with the first cavity 122. The limiting assembly 300 includes a limiting part 320, a plug 310, and an elastic member 330. The extending direction of the limiting part 320 is perpendicular to the first direction and is movably disposed within the second cavity 123. The plug 310 is disposed on the side wall of the end cap 120 and is used to seal the limiting part 320 within the second cavity 123. The elastic member 330 abuts between the limiting part 320 and the plug 310. The linear drive assembly 200 also includes a mating part 250, which is connected to the other end of the piston rod 220 and forms an annular locking groove 240 spaced apart from the second piston section 232 along the first direction.

[0063] During the locking phase, the first delivery end 111 delivers pressure medium into the cavity of the housing 110. The pressure medium enters between the first piston section 231 and the second piston section 232 within the housing 110, causing the second piston section 232 to drive the piston rod 220 and the mating part 250 to move along the first direction away from the first end opening of the housing 110. When the mating part 250 abuts against the limiting part 320 and continues to move, the limiting part 320 compresses the elastic member 330. Subsequently, the limiting part 320 moves into the annular groove 2311 under the elastic force of the elastic member 330, thereby limiting the second piston section 232 and the mating part 250 in the first direction, preventing the first piston section 231 and the piston rod 220 from continuing to move, thus locking the linear drive assembly 200. Once the limiting part 320 locks the linear drive assembly 200, it is no longer necessary to continuously deliver pressure medium into the cavity of the housing 110 to provide locking force.

[0064] During the unlocking phase, after the second delivery end 121 delivers pressure medium into the first cavity 122, it pushes the limiting part 320 into the second cavity 123, causing the limiting part 320 to disengage from the annular locking groove 240, thereby releasing the lock on the linear drive assembly 200. After the pressure medium continues to be delivered, the pressure medium will push the second piston section 232 to drive the piston rod 220 and the mating part 250 to move along the first direction toward the opening at the first end of the housing 110, which can cause the two locking claws to release the landing leg rods 600.

[0065] The plug 310 not only seals the portion of the second cavity 123 away from the first cavity 122, preventing the pressure medium from flowing out of the second cavity 123, but also facilitates the installation of the limiting part 320 and the elastic member 330 into the second cavity 123. Optionally, a second sealing ring is fitted on the outer peripheral wall of the limiting part 320.

[0066] Optionally, such as Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, along the first direction, the mating portion 250 gradually expands towards the second piston section 232, and the second conveying end 121 is located on the side wall of the end cover 120 at a portion farther from the first piston section 231 than the annular locking groove 240. The direction of movement of the limiting portion 320 is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the piston rod 220.

[0067] In this way, the area between the portion of the first cavity 122 that is farther away from the first piston section 231 than the annular locking groove 240 and the outer peripheral wall of the mating part 250 gradually narrows towards the second piston section 232 in the first direction. As a result, the flow velocity of the pressure medium increases after flowing from this area to the portion of the first cavity 122 that accommodates the second piston section 232. This allows the pressure medium to push the limiting part 320 into the second cavity 123 more quickly and fill the first cavity 122 more quickly, thereby enabling the landing legs to deploy more rapidly.

[0068] After the limiting part 320 is partially inserted into the annular locking groove 240, the limiting part 320 can limit the second piston section 232 and the mating part 250 in the first direction. The force generated in the vibration environment will be transmitted to the limiting part 320 through the piston rod 220, the second piston section 232 and the mating part 250, so that the force on the limiting part 320 is perpendicular to its direction of movement, which can prevent the limiting part 320 from disengaging from the annular locking groove 240 and reduce the possibility of the limiting part 320 mis-locking the linear drive assembly 200 in the vibration environment.

[0069] Optionally, the outer peripheral wall of the mating part 250 is arc-shaped, and the end of the limiting part 320 near the first cavity 122 is arc-shaped. In this way, multiple limiting components 300 can be provided on the side wall of the end cover 120 along the circumference of the mating part 250, and the outer periphery of the mating part 250 can simultaneously abut against the arc-shaped ends of multiple limiting parts 320, causing the limiting parts 320 to compress the elastic member 330. Under the action of the elastic member 330, the limiting part 320 will automatically enter the annular locking groove 240, thereby locking the linear drive component 200 with multiple limiting components 300 and improving the locking effect.

[0070] This application embodiment also provides a launch vehicle stage 500, including a rocket body, landing legs, and a locking and releasing device for the rocket landing legs. The landing legs are hinged to the outer wall of the rocket body, and the locking and releasing device for the rocket landing legs is installed on the outer wall of the rocket body.

[0071] The landing legs are hinged to the outer wall of the rocket body, allowing them to fold and retract. The landing legs are equipped with rods 600, and the locking and releasing device for the rocket landing legs can retract and extend the landing legs via clamps and releasing rods 600.

[0072] The beneficial technical effects of the technical solutions provided in this application include: The locking and releasing device of the rocket landing legs has a simple and compact structure, is lightweight, and can be opened and closed by pneumatic or hydraulic control. It is reusable.

[0073] Through a rational structural design, the locking claw 400 can achieve a rotating and outward extending motion, resulting in a larger grasping envelope and less stringent installation precision requirements for the rods on the inner side of the rocket landing legs. Specifically, the two locking claws 400 can rotate while moving along the first direction, expanding their envelope range. This allows the locking claws 400 to effectively grasp and lock the landing leg rods 600 over a larger area, thereby expanding the suitable installation area for the rods 600. This provides more installation positions for the rods, reduces the precision requirements for rod installation, and facilitates installation.

[0074] Furthermore, the two locking claws 400 can simultaneously clamp and pull on the landing leg rods, facilitating the rapid retraction of the launch vehicle's landing legs. This reduces the launch preparation time and improves launch efficiency. This application features a redundant locking design. During locking, the piston body 230 can be restricted by at least two limiting parts 320, making the locking operation more reliable. Specifically, multiple limiting components 300 can be set on the side wall of the end cover 120 along the circumference of the mating part 250, and the outer periphery of the mating part 250 can simultaneously abut against the arc-shaped ends of multiple limiting parts 320, causing the limiting parts 320 to compress the elastic element 330. Under the action of the elastic element 330, the limiting parts 320 will automatically enter the annular locking groove 240, realizing the locking of the linear drive component 200 by multiple limiting components 300, improving the locking effect. Furthermore, after the limiting parts 320 automatically lock the linear drive component 200, there is no need to continuously supply pressure medium to the cavity of the housing 110 to provide locking force, effectively preventing the device from malfunctioning due to vibration environment, resulting in high mechanical environment adaptability and improving the service life of the pressure control system. The pressure control system is connected to the first delivery pipe and the second delivery pipe to deliver pressure medium.

[0075] The first locking claw 430 and the second locking claw 440 are hinged to the connecting platform 210 and cooperate with the guide shaft 140 to achieve flipping and outward movement through their own guide grooves, thereby increasing the envelope range of the capture target. The second groove 4421, together with the first groove 4321, pulls the rod 600 installed on the inside of the landing leg, causing the rod 600 to move closer to the outer wall of the rocket body.

[0076] When locking, the second piston section 232 of the linear drive assembly 200 enters the cylindrical cavity of the end cover 120, and the mating part 250 pushes the two limiting parts 320 to retract and avoid it. Then, under the restoring force of the elastic member 330, the two limiting parts 320 enter the annular locking groove 240 of the linear drive assembly 200, restricting the movement of the linear drive assembly 200 and providing locking force. The locking force is not required to be continuously provided by the pressure medium. The pressure control system ends its work and cuts off the power, thus improving the service life of the control element.

[0077] After locking, the limiting part 320 extends into the annular locking groove 240 and is perpendicular to the piston rod 220. The compressive force generated by the vibration environment is perpendicular to the limiting part 320, and the limiting part 320 will not retract to unlock, thus avoiding false locking due to vibration. The mechanical locking through the limiting part 320 is more reliable, and two or more limiting parts 320 can form a redundant design to improve the locking reliability. That is, it can prevent the limiting part 320 from disengaging from the annular locking groove 240 in the vibration environment, reducing the possibility of the limiting part 320 falsely locking the linear drive assembly 200 in the vibration environment.

[0078] During unlocking, the pressure medium can push the limiting part 320 to retract, completing the unlocking of the piston body 230. Then, the pressure medium continues to push the piston body 230 to move, completing the outward turning and outward extension of the first locking claw 430 and the second locking claw 440, thereby completing the unlocking and release of the locking release device of the rocket landing leg.

[0079] The technical solution of this application solves the problems of large structural size and heavy weight of related technical solutions, which affect the rocket's carrying capacity, as well as the problems of poor mechanical environment testability and unreliable locking in vibration environment. It also solves the problems of small capture envelope range and high installation accuracy requirements for the target connecting rod on the inside of the landing leg, and the problem of the need for the control system to keep working for a long time, which affects the life of the control components.

[0080] In the description of this application, the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate directions or positional relationships based on the exemplary directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used to facilitate the description or simplification of the embodiments of this application and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or component 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 application.

[0081] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0082] In the description of this specification, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0083] The above description is only a partial implementation of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, other similar implementation methods based on the technical concept of this application, without departing from the technical concept of this application, also fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A lock release device for a rocket landing leg, comprising: A landing leg for locking or releasing a launch vehicle, comprising: a housing assembly comprising a housing and an end cover connected in sequence, and two support lug members arranged symmetrically along the circumference of the housing assembly outside the first end of the housing opening; a linear drive assembly located in the cavity of the housing and the end cover; a limiting assembly arranged at the end cover; two locking jaw members arranged symmetrically along the circumference of the housing assembly, each comprising an angled jaw portion and a connecting rod portion, the connecting rod portion being hingedly connected to the linear drive assembly at the end away from the jaw portion, and the connecting rod portion being movably connected to the support lug member through a guide slot contained therein; in the locking stage, both of the locking jaw members are turned inward under the driving of the linear drive assembly, and are limited and guided by the guide slot, until both of the locking jaw members are clamped around the outer periphery of the rod member of the landing leg and the limiting assembly locks the linear drive assembly.

2. The rocket landing leg lock release device of claim 1, wherein, Further comprising: in the unlocking stage, the locking of the linear drive assembly by the limiting assembly is released, and both of the locking jaw members are turned outward away from the end cover under the driving of the linear drive assembly, and are limited and guided by the guide slot.

3. The rocket landing leg lock release device of claim 1, wherein, The support lug member comprises a mounting seat and a lug portion distributed along a first direction, the mounting seat is arranged outside the first end of the housing, the lug portion is away from the end cover than the opening plane of the first end of the housing, the lug portion is movably connected to the connecting rod portion through the guide slot, and the first direction is the extension direction of the housing.

4. The rocket landing leg lock release device of claim 3, wherein, Further comprising a guide shaft, the lug portion comprises two stop segments; the guide slot is parallel to the extension direction of the connecting rod portion, and the guide slot penetrates along a third direction; the two mounting seats are arranged outside the first end of the housing along a second direction, and the second direction and the third direction are both perpendicular to the first direction; the two stop segments are located on both sides of the connecting rod portion in the third direction and are integrally formed with the mounting seat, the guide shaft penetrates the guide slot along the third direction, and both ends of the guide shaft are rotatably connected to the two stop segments.

5. The rocket landing leg lock release device of claim 1, wherein, The two locking jaw members comprise a first locking jaw member and a second locking jaw member; the jaw portion of the first locking jaw member comprises two first jaw portions spaced apart along the third direction; the jaw portion of the second locking jaw member comprises a second jaw portion; an avoidance slot is formed between the two first jaw portions, and an arc-shaped first groove is arranged at the end of the first jaw portion away from the corresponding connecting rod portion; an arc-shaped second groove is arranged at the end of the second jaw portion away from the corresponding connecting rod portion; in the locking stage, when the first jaw portion and the second jaw portion each clamps around the outer periphery of different segments of the rod member, the second locking jaw member is at least partially located in the avoidance slot.

6. The rocket landing leg lock release device of claim 1, wherein, The included angle between the jaw portion and the connecting rod portion is a right angle.

7. The rocket landing leg lock release device of claim 1, wherein, The linear drive assembly comprises: a connecting platform hingedly connected to the end of the connecting rod portion away from the jaw portion; a piston rod connected at one end to the connecting platform; The piston body is sleeved on the outer periphery of the piston rod and comprises a first piston segment and a second piston segment arranged at intervals along a first direction; the first piston segment is located in the cavity of the shell and is in sealed sliding fit with the shell; the second piston segment is located in the cavity of the end cover and is in sealed sliding fit with the end cover; The side wall of the shell is provided with a first delivery end configured to deliver pressure medium into the cavity of the shell; The side wall of the end cover is provided with a second delivery end configured to deliver pressure medium into the cavity of the end cover.

8. The rocket landing leg lock release device of claim 7, wherein, The cavity of the end cover comprises a first cavity, the cavity of the shell and the first cavity are both cylindrical, the second piston segment is located in the first cavity, and the radial dimension of the first cavity is smaller than that of the cavity of the shell.

9. The rocket landing leg lock release device of claim 8, wherein, The cavity of the end cover further comprises a second cavity in communication with the first cavity, and the limiting assembly comprises: A limiting part extending in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and movably arranged in the second cavity; A plug arranged at the side wall of the end cover for plugging the limiting part in the second cavity; An elastic member abutting between the limiting part and the plug; The linear driving assembly further comprises a fitting part connected with the other end of the piston rod and spaced from the second piston segment along the first direction to form an annular locking groove.

10. The rocket landing leg lock release device of claim 9, wherein, At least one of the following is included: Along the first direction, the fitting part gradually expands towards the second piston segment, and the second delivery end is arranged at a part of the side wall of the end cover farther away from the annular locking groove than the first piston segment; The movement direction of the limiting part is perpendicular to the movement direction of the piston rod.

11. A launch vehicle stage, characterized by, The rocket landing leg locking release device comprises an arrow body, a landing leg and a rocket landing leg locking release device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, the landing leg is hinged to the outer wall of the arrow body, and the rocket landing leg locking release device is installed on the outer wall of the arrow body.

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