Modular solar cell morphing system with large deployment ratio and satellite

Abstract

The application provides a modular large-fold-to-deploy solar cell variable configuration system and a satellite, and relates to the technical field of satellites. The modular large-fold-to-deploy solar cell variable configuration system is arranged in a paper-fold configuration with two states of folding and unfolding, and comprises a driving hinge made of a shape memory material, the driving hinge comprising two first connecting portions and a first arc-shaped portion connected between the two first connecting portions; an elastic hinge comprising two second connecting portions and a second arc-shaped portion connected between the two second connecting portions; and a plurality of battery panels arranged in two rows on both sides of a reference direction, in the same row, the plurality of battery panels are arranged at intervals along the reference direction, adjacent two battery panels are connected with the two second connecting portions of the elastic hinge respectively, and the bending directions of the second arc-shaped portions of the elastic hinge are alternately distributed in positive and negative directions along the reference direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of satellite technology, and more specifically, to a modular high-conversion-ratio solar cell variant system and a satellite. Background Technology

[0002] Satellites, as the most important space equipment, are of great significance for fields such as communication, navigation and positioning, remote sensing, and meteorological observation. Solar cell systems are the primary power source for satellites, converting sunlight into electricity. To ensure a stable power supply, these systems need a large unfolded area to maximize sunlight capture efficiency. During launch, the solar power system needs to be folded down to reduce launch costs. Furthermore, the increasing functionality of satellites necessitates improved power supply capacity and launch efficiency, thus requiring extreme reductions in system mass and folded volume while simultaneously maximizing power supply efficiency.

[0003] Current mainstream designs for solar cell systems include Z-shaped mechanical truss structures and wound C-beam structures. While Z-shaped mechanical truss structures offer high deployment stability, their numerous mechanical components and large overall mass result in complex systems and high manufacturing and maintenance costs. Wound C-beam structures, although offering improvements in weight reduction, suffer from insufficient stiffness after deployment, making them susceptible to spatial micro-vibrations and thermal deformation, leading to lower system reliability. Furthermore, their complex internal mechanisms increase the risk of failure. In addition, existing modular solar cell systems generally use motors as drive mechanisms. After the configuration transformation, the motors remain idle for extended periods, introducing additional weight and occupying valuable satellite mounting space, resulting in resource waste. The rise of smart materials technology offers new directions for system optimization. For example, shape memory polymers and their composites, shape memory alloys, and other materials can achieve autonomous configuration transformation through temperature excitation, effectively simplifying system structures, reducing weight, and improving the unfolding ratio. However, shape memory material actuation units face a bottleneck of slow response speed in large-area applications. Due to limited thermal conductivity and material phase transition dynamics, the actuation process takes a long time, which is difficult to meet the timeliness requirements of rapid satellite deployment. This seriously hinders its practical application in large solar cell systems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The problem addressed by this invention is: how to achieve rapid response in a smart material-driven solar cell modification system.

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a modular high-fold-out ratio solar cell configuration system, configured as an origami structure with both folded and unfolded states, and includes:

[0006] A drive hinge made of shape memory material, the drive hinge including two first connecting parts and a first arcuate part connecting the two first connecting parts;

[0007] An elastic hinge, the elastic hinge including two second connecting portions and a second arcuate portion connecting the two second connecting portions;

[0008] Multiple battery panels are arranged in two rows on both sides of the calibration direction; multiple battery panels in the same row are spaced apart along the calibration direction and each pair of adjacent battery panels is connected by a spring hinge, and the two adjacent battery panels are respectively connected to the two second connecting parts of the corresponding spring hinge.

[0009] Each of the two rows of battery panels includes a first battery panel at the end away from the calibration direction. The two first battery panels are respectively connected to the two first connecting parts of a drive hinge. Apart from the first battery panels, every two battery panels in the two rows of battery panels are connected by an elastic hinge along the direction perpendicular to the calibration direction.

[0010] The bending directions of the second arcuate portions of the plurality of elastic hinges arranged sequentially along the calibration direction are alternately distributed in opposite directions; along the calibration direction, the bending direction of the first arcuate portion of the drive hinge is opposite to that of the second arcuate portion of its adjacent elastic hinge; and the bending direction of the first arcuate portion is consistent with the bending direction of the two second arcuate portions of two adjacent elastic hinges in each row.

[0011] A heating module is attached to the first arc-shaped portion.

[0012] Optionally, along the calibration direction, the straight-line distance between the two first connecting portions of the drive hinge gradually decreases, and the inner diameter of the first arc-shaped portion gradually decreases.

[0013] Optionally, along the calibration direction, the straight-line distance between the two second connecting portions of the elastic hinge is equal, and the inner diameter of the second arc-shaped portion is equal.

[0014] Optionally, it includes a drive module and at least one passive folding module. The drive module includes a drive hinge and three adjacent elastic hinges. The passive folding module includes four elastic hinges for connecting four adjacent battery panels. Multiple passive folding modules are distributed along the calibration direction. Two adjacent passive folding modules are connected by two elastic hinges. The drive module is connected to the adjacent passive folding module by two elastic hinges.

[0015] Optionally, the battery panel has a quadrilateral structure, and the corners of the three adjacent battery panels are chamfered.

[0016] Optionally, the battery panel may include a flexible solar cell panel or a rigid solar cell panel.

[0017] Optionally, the battery panel is provided with positioning holes, and the first connecting part and the second connecting part are respectively connected to the positioning holes so that the axes of the first arc-shaped part and the second arc-shaped part coincide with the creases of the origami configuration.

[0018] Optionally, the drive hinge is made of shape memory polymer and composite materials or shape memory alloy materials.

[0019] Optionally, the elastic hinge is made of epoxy resin-based or polyurethane-based composite material.

[0020] Compared to related technologies, the modular high-fold-to-expansion ratio solar cell configuration system of this invention utilizes an origami-like structure, allowing the system to compress its volume in the folded state and increase its area in the unfolded state. This satisfies the small folded volume requirement during satellite launch and the large unfolded area requirement during operation. Furthermore, the origami-like design enables multi-level adjustment of the unfolded area of ​​multiple battery panels. Combined with the distribution of the bending directions of the first arc-shaped portion of the drive hinge made of shape memory material and the second arc-shaped portion of the elastic hinge, the system can rapidly transition between folded and unfolded configurations based on the bistable characteristics of a pod-like cross-section. Moreover, the drive hinge made of shape memory material serves as the core driving force source. Its first arc-shaped portion provides driving force through thermally triggered deformation, replacing the traditional motor drive method and effectively reducing the system's complexity and overall weight. A heating module is attached to the end of the first arc-shaped portion away from the bending direction, accelerating the triggering of the shape memory effect by targeted heating of a localized area, thereby improving the drive response speed.

[0021] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a satellite including the modular high-contrast solar cell variant system as described above.

[0022] The satellite possesses all the beneficial effects of this modular, high-ratio solar cell variability system, which will not be elaborated here. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the unfolded structure of the high refractive index solar cell variant system in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the elastic hinge structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the drive hinge structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the unfolded structure of the driving hinge in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the adhesion of the heating module in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the drive module in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the passive unfolding module in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the folding process of a high fold-to-width ratio solar cell variability system in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0032] 1-Drive hinge; 11-First connecting part; 12-First arc-shaped part; 2-Elastic hinge; 21-Second connecting part; 22-Second arc-shaped part; 3-Battery panel; 4-Heating module. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] In the accompanying drawings, the X-axis represents left and right positions, with the positive direction of the X-axis representing the right side and the negative direction representing the left side; the Y-axis represents front and back positions, with the positive direction of the Y-axis representing the front and the negative direction representing the back; and the Z-axis represents up and down positions, with the positive direction of the Z-axis representing the top and the negative direction representing the bottom. It should be noted that the aforementioned representations of the X, Y, and Z axes are merely for the convenience of describing the 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, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0035] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein.

[0036] Satellites, as the most important space equipment, are of great significance for fields such as communication, navigation and positioning, remote sensing, and meteorological observation. Solar cell systems are the primary power source for satellites, converting sunlight into electricity. To ensure a stable power supply, these systems need a large unfolded area to maximize sunlight capture efficiency. During launch, the solar power system needs to be folded down to reduce launch costs. Furthermore, the increasing functionality of satellites necessitates improved power supply capacity and launch efficiency, thus requiring extreme reductions in system mass and folded volume while simultaneously maximizing power supply efficiency.

[0037] Currently, mainstream designs for solar cell systems include Z-shaped mechanical trusses and coiled C-beams. The former suffers from high mass and complex structure, while the latter, although enabling lightweight design, suffers from low unfolding stiffness and system complexity. Current modular solar cell systems are driven by motors, which are no longer used after completing the command, resulting in wasted capacity. However, with the development of smart materials, such as shape memory polymers and their composites, and shape memory alloys, the configuration transformation of flexible solar cell systems driven by smart materials can effectively reduce system complexity, achieving lightweight design while maintaining the unfolding-to-recovery ratio of the solar cell system. However, the slow response speed of current shape memory material driving units limits their application in large-area solar cell systems.

[0038] Furthermore, current solar cell systems cannot achieve modular design, and their load capacity cannot be controlled. Therefore, there is a need to design a smart material-driven solar cell configuration system that can achieve modular assembly.

[0039] Combination Figures 1 to 8 As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a modular high-fold-out ratio solar cell configuration system, configured as an origami structure with two states: folded and unfolded, and includes:

[0040] A drive hinge 1 made of shape memory material includes two first connecting parts 11 and a first arc-shaped part 12 connected between the two first connecting parts 11;

[0041] The elastic hinge 2 includes two second connecting parts 21 and a second arc-shaped part 22 connected between the two second connecting parts 21;

[0042] Multiple battery panels 3 are arranged in two rows on both sides of the calibration direction; multiple battery panels 3 in the same row are arranged at intervals along the calibration direction and each pair of adjacent battery panels 3 are connected by an elastic hinge 2, and the two adjacent battery panels 3 are respectively connected to the two second connecting parts 21 of the corresponding elastic hinge 2.

[0043] Each of the two rows of battery panels 3 includes a first battery panel at the end away from the calibration direction. The two first battery panels are respectively connected to the two first connecting parts 11 of a drive hinge 1. Apart from the first battery panels, every two battery panels 3 in the two rows of battery panels 3 along the direction perpendicular to the calibration direction are connected by an elastic hinge 2.

[0044] The bending directions of the second arc-shaped portions 22 of the multiple elastic hinges 2 arranged sequentially along the calibration direction are alternately distributed in opposite directions; along the calibration direction, the bending direction of the first arc-shaped portion 12 of the driving hinge 1 is opposite to that of the second arc-shaped portion 22 of its adjacent elastic hinge 2; and the bending direction of the first arc-shaped portion 12 is consistent with the bending direction of the two second arc-shaped portions 22 of the two adjacent elastic hinges 2 in each row.

[0045] Heating module 4 is attached to the first arc-shaped part 12.

[0046] Specifically, the drive hinge 1 is a structural component that utilizes the shape memory effect to achieve deformation, and it can generate a predetermined shape change through thermal triggering. For example, the drive hinge 1 can use shape memory alloy wire or shape memory polymer film as the base material, and by local heating, it can undergo controllable bending or stretching movements, thereby driving the battery panel 3 connected to it to complete the unfolding action. Furthermore, the design of the first arc-shaped part 12 can be realized in various geometric forms, such as circular arc, parabola, or other smoothly transitioning curves, the main purpose of which is to provide a uniform stress distribution and reduce local stress concentration during deformation.

[0047] The elastic hinge 2 is a flexible connector used to transfer force and store elastic potential energy between the battery panels 3. Specifically, the elastic hinge 2 can be formed by stacking multiple layers of composite materials, such as carbon fiber reinforced resin matrix composites or multilayer metal foil composite structures, to achieve the required flexibility and strength characteristics. As a preferred embodiment, the bending direction of the second arcuate portion 22 can be controlled by adjusting the material thickness distribution or preset stress, thereby ensuring coordinated movement of adjacent battery panels 3 during the unfolding process.

[0048] like Figure 8 As shown, taking the Miura origami structure as an example, based on the kinematic model of Miura origami, the required crease angle φ is designed according to the unfolding ratio required in practical applications, and the size a of the middle notch is designed by referring to the structure of the insect's "midwing". The connecting hinge is designed based on the pod-like cross-section structure, and the hinge is arranged according to the deformation direction of the crease. According to the bistable deformation law of the pod-like cross-section, the opening direction of the hinge is made to face the solar cell panel.

[0049] For example, such as Figure 1As shown, two rows of battery panels 3 are arranged on both sides of the calibration direction (positive Y-axis). Each row includes five battery panels 3, which are sequentially named as first battery panel, second battery panel, third battery panel, fourth battery panel, and fifth battery panel along the calibration direction. The second arc-shaped portion 22 of the elastic hinge 2 between the first and second battery panels bends upward, the second arc-shaped portion 22 of the elastic hinge 2 between the second and third battery panels bends downward, the second arc-shaped portion 22 of the elastic hinge 2 between the third and fourth battery panels bends upward, and the second arc-shaped portion 22 of the elastic hinge 2 between the fourth and fifth battery panels bends downward. In the two rows of battery panels 3, the first arc-shaped portion 12 of the drive hinge 1 between two first battery panels bends upward, the second arc-shaped portion 22 of the elastic hinge 2 between two second battery panels bends downward, the second arc-shaped portion 22 of the elastic hinge 2 between two third battery panels bends upward, the second arc-shaped portion 22 of the elastic hinge 2 between two fourth battery panels bends downward, and the second arc-shaped portion 22 of the elastic hinge 2 between two fifth battery panels bends upward. Figure 8 As shown, by utilizing the specific arrangement of multiple elastic hinges 2, the two rows of battery panels 3 can be folded in a Z-shape from the first battery panel to the fifth battery panel, folding from a five-column arrangement to a single-column arrangement. Then, the driving hinge 1 is used to fold the two stacks of battery panels in this column (each stack of battery panels is a row of folded battery panels) again, thereby making the volume of the folded solar cell variant system very small. When it needs to be unfolded, the first arc-shaped part 12 of the driving hinge 1 is heated by the heating module 4, and the driving hinge 1 unfolds. The driving force is transmitted to the entire system through the elastic hinges 2. In addition, the elastic restoring force of the elastic hinges 2 themselves can make the second arc-shaped parts 22 of the multiple elastic hinges 2 unfold in sequence, realizing the complete unfolding of the entire system.

[0050] Therefore, in this embodiment, the origami-like configuration allows the system to compress its volume in the folded state and increase its area in the unfolded state, thus meeting the requirements of small folded volume during satellite launch and large unfolded area during operation. Furthermore, the origami-like design enables multi-level adjustment of the unfolded area of ​​multiple battery panels 3. Combined with the distribution of the bending directions of the first arc-shaped portion 12 of the drive hinge 1 made of shape memory material and the second arc-shaped portion 22 of the elastic hinge 2, the bistable characteristics of the pod-like cross-section allow for rapid transitions between the folded and unfolded configurations of the large fold-to-unfold multidimensional variable-configuration solar cell system. Moreover, the drive hinge 1, made of shape memory material, serves as the core driving force source. Its first arc-shaped portion 12 provides driving force through thermally triggered deformation, replacing the traditional motor drive method and effectively reducing the system's complexity and overall weight. The heating module 4 is attached to the end of the first arc-shaped portion 12 opposite to the bending direction. By selectively heating a localized area, it accelerates the triggering of the shape memory effect, thereby improving the driving response speed.

[0051] Optionally, combined Figures 3 to 4 As shown, along the calibration direction, the straight-line distance between the two first connecting parts 11 of the drive hinge 1 gradually decreases, and the inner diameter of the first arc-shaped part 12 gradually decreases.

[0052] Specifically, for the driving hinge 1, optimization is needed based on the structural design of the pod-shaped cross-section hinge. That is, after the driving hinge 1 is laid flat, the cross-sectional width tilt angle β is designed to achieve a gradient change in the cross-sectional width of the driving hinge, thereby increasing the driving torque and accelerating the response speed. At the same time, the crease of the solar panel where the driving hinge 1 is located also needs to be designed with variable width to accommodate the deformation path of the hinge. For example, the gradual decrease in the straight-line distance between the two first connecting parts 11 can be understood as the two first connecting parts 11 gradually approaching each other along the calibration direction, and the gradual decrease in the inner diameter of the first arc-shaped part 12 can be understood as the cross-sectional shape in its radial direction gradually becoming smaller.

[0053] Thus, along the calibration direction, the straight-line distance between the two first connecting parts 11 of the drive hinge 1 gradually decreases, and the inner diameter of the first arc-shaped part 12 gradually decreases. When the system unfolds, the gradually decreasing straight-line distance between the two first connecting parts 11 allows stress to be released gradually rather than concentrated in a certain part, thereby avoiding local stress concentration. At the same time, the gradual change in the inner diameter of the first arc-shaped part 12 is highly matched with the unfolding sequence of the origami configuration, allowing the arc-shaped part to generate corresponding bending curvature according to positional differences when deformed by heat. This ensures that the shape memory material achieves more uniform strain transmission under the action of the heating module 4, and also significantly improves the synchronicity and smoothness of the drive response. The coordinated gradual change design of the straight-line distance and inner diameter complements the dynamic characteristics of the origami configuration, increasing the driving torque and accelerating the response speed.

[0054] Optionally, combined Figure 2 As shown, along the calibration direction, the straight-line distance between the two second connecting parts 21 of the elastic hinge 2 is equal, and the inner diameter of the second arc-shaped part 22 is equal.

[0055] Specifically, the geometric dimensions of the elastic hinge 2 are as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the crease width (2R1+2R2) and the offset dimension (d) of the middle arc segment are designed according to the actual required unfolding stiffness to construct a dynamic model of the origami structure. This model allows for the analysis of the torque required to drive the structural configuration transformation based on the crease strain energy at the driving hinge during the folding process of the curved surface. After the elastic hinge 2 is unfolded, any two opposite sides are parallel to each other. In the design of the elastic hinge 2, the equal straight-line distance between the two second connecting parts 21 means that the two second connecting parts 21 are parallel, ensuring a uniform distribution of driving force during unfolding and avoiding local stress concentration. The equal inner diameter of the second arc-shaped part 22 can be understood as the identical cross-sectional shape along its radial direction, ensuring that all hinges have a coordinated deformation response under the same driving conditions.

[0056] Thus, by ensuring that the straight-line distance between the two second connecting parts 21 of the elastic hinge 2 is equal along the calibration direction, and that the inner diameter of the second arc-shaped part 22 is equal, the key geometric dimensions of the elastic hinge 2 are standardized, avoiding uneven deformation caused by inconsistent hinge parameters during the folding and unfolding process. In the origami configuration, the alternating distribution of the bending direction of the elastic hinge 2 and the consistency of its inner diameter ensure that all elastic hinges 2 can respond synchronously under the same driving conditions. This further avoids the phenomenon of some elastic hinges 2 bending excessively while others respond slowly due to differences in stiffness, enabling the system to achieve a large folding-to-unfold ratio efficiently and smoothly, thereby ensuring the synchronicity and stability of the system's unfolding and retracting processes. Furthermore, the collaborative design of the drive hinge 1 made of shape memory material and the heating module 4 further enhances the overall structural reliability and folding-to-unfolding efficiency.

[0057] Optionally, combined Figures 6 to 7 As shown, it includes a drive module and at least one passive folding module. The drive module includes a drive hinge 1 and three adjacent elastic hinges 2. The passive folding module includes four elastic hinges 2 for connecting four adjacent battery panels 3. Multiple passive folding modules are distributed along the calibration direction. Two adjacent passive folding modules are connected by two elastic hinges 2. The drive module is connected to the adjacent passive folding module by two elastic hinges 2.

[0058] Specifically, the drive module consists of a structural unit composed of one drive hinge 1 and three elastic hinges 2, and the passive adaptive characteristics of the elastic hinges 2 are combined to achieve modular drive. The passive folding module consists of a structural unit composed of four elastic hinges 2, which can achieve rapid response and automatic folding function through elastic deformation.

[0059] Thus, the drive hinge 1 in the drive module actively triggers the module's movement by utilizing the controllable deformation characteristics of the shape memory material during heating, while the three elastic hinges 2 provide passive adaptability, ensuring the flexibility and stability of the module's movement. The passive folding and unfolding module relies entirely on the rapid elastic deformation of the elastic hinges 2 to achieve automatic folding and unfolding, requiring no external energy input, thereby avoiding additional drive requirements. The design of multiple passive folding and unfolding modules arranged continuously along the calibration direction allows the action of the drive module to be efficiently transmitted to the entire structure, significantly improving the system's unfolding and unfolding efficiency. Two adjacent passive folding and unfolding modules are symmetrically connected by two elastic hinges 2, which can evenly distribute stress during the folding and unfolding process, reduce the risk of local deformation, and ensure reliability in multiple cycles. The design of the drive module connecting with adjacent passive folding and unfolding modules through two elastic hinges 2 allows the drive action to be amplified and synchronously drive the passive modules, thereby achieving the effect of a few drive units controlling a large area. This allows for superposition according to the requirements of the unfolding and unfolding ratio to achieve different unfolding areas and unfolding and unfolding ratios.

[0060] Optionally, combined Figure 1 As shown, the battery panel 3 has a quadrilateral structure, and the corners of the three adjacent battery panels 3 are chamfered.

[0061] Specifically, in a modular high fold-to-spread solar cell configuration system, multiple solar panels 3 are arranged in two rows along a calibration direction and folded and unfolded via a drive hinge 1 and a flexible hinge 2. Since the edges of the solar panels 3 contact or approach adjacent solar panels 3, chamfering on these edges significantly improves the relative motion characteristics between the panels. The chamfers make the edge transitions smoother, avoiding sharp-corner collisions and stress concentrations caused by right-angled edges during folding, thus ensuring smooth folding action. Furthermore, the chamfers reduce hard friction and the risk of jamming between panels, extending the system's lifespan. Simultaneously, the combination of the chamfers with the bending direction distribution of the first arc-shaped portion 12 of the drive hinge 1 and the second arc-shaped portion 22 of the flexible hinge 2 further enhances the overall structural coordination and stability, ensuring efficient switching between folded and unfolded states.

[0062] Thus, by making the battery panel 3 a quadrilateral structure, and the quadrilateral structure including the chamfers of the three adjacent battery panels 3, the chamfers achieve the optimized design of the battery panel 3, which not only solves the physical interference problem in the folding and unfolding process, but also significantly improves the compactness, stability and operational reliability of the system, providing key support for achieving a large folding-to-unfolding ratio.

[0063] Optionally, the battery panel 3 may include a flexible solar cell panel or a rigid solar cell panel.

[0064] Specifically, rigid panels include, but are not limited to, honeycomb panels and tempered glass, while flexible panels include, but are not limited to, polyimide and polyester materials. For flexible solar cell panels, reinforcement is required at the contours to ensure the flatness of the flexible panel. Reinforcement methods include, but are not limited to, riveting fiber-reinforced composite material sheets to thicken the edges and attaching fiber-reinforced composite material tubes.

[0065] Thus, the battery panel 3 can be selected as either a flexible or rigid solar cell panel. Combined with the drive hinge 1 and the elastic hinge 2, the selection of materials for the battery panel 3 is convenient, thereby expanding its application range.

[0066] Optionally, combined Figure 1 As shown, the battery panel 3 is provided with positioning holes, and the first connecting part 11 and the second connecting part 21 are respectively connected to the positioning holes so that the axes of the first arc-shaped part 12 and the second arc-shaped part 22 coincide with the creases of the origami configuration.

[0067] Specifically, positioning holes are machined on the battery panel 3. The first connecting part 11 and the second connecting part 21 are precisely and tightly connected to the battery panel 3 by means of positioning pins and adhesive, ensuring that the rotation axis of the hinge coincides with the center of the crease. For example, positioning holes can be set on the battery panel 3 by means of mechanical drilling, laser cutting or chemical etching. The positioning holes serve as assembly reference points, so that the first connecting part 11 and the second connecting part 21 can be accurately positioned according to the reference during installation. It is ensured that the axes of the first arc-shaped part 12 and the second arc-shaped part 22 are consistent with the crease of the origami configuration, thereby ensuring that the bending axis of the hinge completely matches the designed crease during folding and unfolding operations. Especially in the space application environment, it significantly improves the repeatability and stability of the system in multiple transformation cycles, effectively reduces the risk of local stress concentration and structural deformation, and can also ensure the geometric consistency of the solar cell transformation system when switching between folded and unfolded states, providing a reliable foundation for achieving high fold-to-unfold ratio operation.

[0068] In this way, by connecting the first connecting part 11 and the second connecting part 21 to the positioning hole respectively, the axes of the first arc-shaped part 12 and the second arc-shaped part 22 coincide with the crease of the origami configuration, avoiding the problems of inaccurate folding, stress concentration and reduced system reliability caused by insufficient connection accuracy. Moreover, by cooperating with the drive hinge 1 and the elastic hinge 2 made of shape memory material, the performance of the entire system is further improved.

[0069] Optionally, the drive hinge 1 is made of shape memory polymer and composite materials or shape memory alloy materials.

[0070] Specifically, shape memory polymers and composite materials are achieved using epoxy resin-based shape memory polymers, polyurethane-based shape memory polymers, or composites thereof with fiber-reinforced materials. These shape memory polymers and composite materials provide excellent flexibility and tunable phase transition temperature characteristics, thus adapting to the thermal excitation of the heating module 4. Shape memory alloy materials are metallic materials capable of recovering a preset shape under certain temperature conditions. These can be achieved using nickel-titanium-based, copper-based, or iron-based shape memory alloys. The high elastic modulus and rapid thermal response of these shape memory alloy materials ensure that the drive hinge 1 possesses sufficient mechanical strength and instant recovery performance in the space environment.

[0071] Thus, the drive hinge 1, made of shape memory polymers and composite materials or shape memory alloys, achieves efficient folding and unfolding of the solar cell system. During satellite launch, the drive hinge 1 is in a retracted state. Once in orbit, the heating module 4 heats the first arc-shaped portion 12. Due to the characteristics of the shape memory material, the drive hinge 1 can quickly deform, causing the two rows of battery panels 3 to unfold. During this process, the shape memory polymers and composite materials provide good flexibility, allowing the first arc-shaped portion 12 to complete the phase transition at a lower temperature, while the shape memory alloy material ensures the rigidity and recovery accuracy of the structure. This enables the drive hinge 1 to stably and efficiently complete configuration conversion during both satellite launch and on-orbit operation, significantly improving the overall adaptability and reliability of the solar cell configuration system. In particular, the coordinated work of the drive module and the passive folding and unfolding module further improves the system's unfolding-to-retract ratio and operational stability.

[0072] Optionally, the flexible hinge 2 is made of epoxy resin-based or polyurethane-based composite material.

[0073] Specifically, epoxy resin-based composites offer high specific strength and excellent creep resistance, ensuring that the elastic hinge 2 effectively suppresses permanent deformation during repeated folding and unfolding. Polyurethane-based composites can leverage their high elastic recovery rate and low density to significantly reduce local mass and improve bending flexibility.

[0074] Thus, by using an epoxy resin-based flexible hinge 2, the excellent mechanical properties of the epoxy resin composite material allow the hinge 2 to maintain high motion accuracy and long-term durability under repeated folding stress, thereby adapting to the harsh conditions of temperature fluctuations and radiation exposure in the space environment. Alternatively, the hinge 2 can be made of a polyurethane-based composite material. The polyurethane-based composite material enhances energy dissipation capacity through its molecular structure characteristics, ensuring the hinge's bending flexibility while avoiding the problem of increased system inertia due to excessive material weight. This alleviates the conflict between lightweight and high stiffness requirements of traditional metals or single polymer materials, enabling the solar cell system to achieve minimum volume during the launch phase and maximize stiffness in the deployed state during on-orbit operation, thereby improving the stability of the flexible hinge 2 during on-orbit operation and its overall folding-to-spread ratio performance.

[0075] Another embodiment of the present invention provides a satellite including the modular high-contrast solar cell variability system as described above.

[0076] The satellite possesses all the beneficial effects of this modular, high-ratio solar cell variability system, which will not be elaborated here.

[0077] While the present invention has been disclosed above, its scope of protection is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such changes and modifications will fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A modular high refractive index solar cell configuration system, characterized in that, The origami configuration is designed to have both folded and unfolded states, and includes: A drive hinge (1) made of shape memory material, the drive hinge (1) including two first connecting parts (11) and a first arcuate part (12) connected between the two first connecting parts (11); The elastic hinge (2) includes two second connecting parts (21) and a second arcuate part (22) connected between the two second connecting parts (21). Multiple battery panels (3) are arranged in two rows on both sides of the calibration direction; multiple battery panels (3) in the same row are spaced apart along the calibration direction and each pair of adjacent battery panels (3) are connected by an elastic hinge (2), and the two adjacent battery panels (3) are respectively connected to the two second connecting parts (21) of the corresponding elastic hinge (2). Each of the two rows of battery panels (3) includes a first battery panel at one end away from the calibration direction. The two first battery panels are respectively connected to the two first connecting parts (11) of a drive hinge (1). Apart from the first battery panels, every two battery panels (3) in the two rows of battery panels (3) are connected by an elastic hinge (2) along the direction perpendicular to the calibration direction. The bending directions of the second arcuate portions (22) of the plurality of elastic hinges (2) arranged sequentially along the calibration direction are alternately distributed in opposite directions; along the calibration direction, the bending direction of the first arcuate portion (12) of the drive hinge (1) is opposite to that of the second arcuate portion (22) of its adjacent elastic hinge (2); and the bending direction of the first arcuate portion (12) is consistent with the bending direction of the two second arcuate portions (22) of the two adjacent elastic hinges (2) in each row; Heating module (4) is attached to the first arc-shaped part (12); along the calibration direction, the straight distance between the two first connecting parts (11) of the drive hinge (1) gradually decreases, and the inner diameter of the first arc-shaped part (12) gradually decreases.

2. The modular high refractive index solar cell configuration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the calibration direction, the straight-line distance between the two second connecting parts (21) of the elastic hinge (2) is equal, and the inner diameter of the second arc-shaped part (22) is equal.

3. The modular high refractive index solar cell configuration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It includes a drive module and at least one passive folding module. The drive module includes a drive hinge (1) and three adjacent elastic hinges (2). The passive folding module includes four elastic hinges (2) for connecting four adjacent battery panels (3). Multiple passive folding modules are distributed along the calibration direction. Two adjacent passive folding modules are connected by two elastic hinges (2). The drive module is connected to the adjacent passive folding module by two elastic hinges (2).

4. The modular high refractive index solar cell configuration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery panel (3) has a quadrilateral structure, and the corners of the three adjacent battery panels (3) are chamfered.

5. The modular high refractive index solar cell configuration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery panel (3) includes a flexible solar cell panel or a rigid solar cell panel.

6. The modular high refractive index solar cell configuration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery panel (3) is provided with a positioning hole, and the first connecting part (11) and the second connecting part (21) are respectively connected to the positioning hole so that the axes of the first arc-shaped part (12) and the second arc-shaped part (22) coincide with the crease of the origami configuration.

7. The modular high refractive index solar cell configuration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive hinge (1) is made of shape memory polymer and composite material or shape memory alloy material.

8. The modular high refractive index solar cell configuration system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic hinge (2) is made of epoxy resin-based or polyurethane-based composite material.

9. A satellite, characterized in that, Including the modular high refractive index solar cell variability system as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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