A passive, controllable speed deployment lifting mechanism for space

Abstract

A kind of passive, controllable speed deployment lifting mechanism for space, including middle connecting rod, big base, lower connecting rod, upper connecting rod, damper, clockwork spring, lock hook, lock shaft, limiting screw, micro switch, spring fixing column;Middle connecting rod, big base, lower connecting rod, upper connecting rod form parallelogram mechanism, the inside end of clockwork spring is connected to big base, and the outside end is connected to spring fixing column fixed on upper connecting rod;Under the spring force of clockwork spring, middle connecting rod is lifted upward;In the lifting process, the lifting speed of damper control mechanism;After lifting in place, lock hook and lock shaft complete locking, limiting screw triggers micro switch, and gives in-place locking signal.The spring is used as driving source in the application, which provides the power for the lifting mechanism to lift components, and the lifting speed of the lifting mechanism is controlled by using damper, the whole lifting mechanism has simple overall structure, and can better adapt to complex on-board environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a passive, controllable speed-deployable lifting mechanism for space applications, belonging to the field of space mechanism product manufacturing. Background Technology

[0002] During installation or movement, spacecraft components or payloads may sometimes interfere with other parts, necessitating changes to their position or trajectory to prevent interference. Changing component position typically requires a lifting mechanism. However, existing lifting mechanisms usually employ motors for lifting and require complex control systems for control, resulting in a complex overall structure that is difficult to adapt to the complex onboard environment. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem solved by this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and provide a passive, speed-controllable lifting mechanism for space applications. This lifting mechanism uses a spring as the driving source and a damper to control the lifting speed, simplifying the overall structure and solving the problems of complex structures and difficulty in adapting to complex space environments in existing lifting mechanisms.

[0004] The technical solution of this invention is:

[0005] A passive, speed-controllable lifting mechanism for space applications, characterized by comprising: an intermediate connecting rod, a large base, a lower connecting rod, an upper connecting rod, a damper, a spring-loaded spring, a locking hook, a locking shaft, and a spring fixing post;

[0006] The large base is a rectangular plate, with one side fixed to the spacecraft and the other side having a mounting lug protruding at each of the four corners, the mounting lugs being perpendicular to the large base. The two mounting lugs near the top of the large base are defined as upper mounting lugs, and the two mounting lugs near the bottom of the large base are defined as lower mounting lugs. Each of the two upper mounting lugs is fixed with a mounting shaft, the axes of which are parallel to the large base. One end of the upper connecting rod has a mounting through hole, and a spring-loaded fixing post is fixed in the middle. The two upper connecting rods are nested on the two mounting shafts through the mounting through holes, and the two upper connecting rods rotate around their respective mounting shafts. The other ends of the two upper connecting rods are fixed to the two sides of the middle connecting rod near the top. The portions of the two mounting shafts of the large base extending from the mounting through holes of the upper connecting rods are each nested with multiple... A clockwork spring has its inner end fixed to a mounting shaft and its outer end fixed to a spring fixing post. Two lower mounting ears on the large base each hold a damper, with the output shaft of the damper extending from a pre-drilled through-hole in the corresponding lower mounting ear. One end of each of the two lower connecting rods has a keyway hole, which connects to the portion of the damper output shaft extending from the lower mounting ear via the keyway. The two lower connecting rods rotate around their respective output shafts. The other ends of the two lower connecting rods are connected to the sides of the intermediate connecting rod near the bottom. Two upper mounting ears on the large base extend upwards, with locking shafts mounted on the extended portions. Locking hooks are mounted on the end faces of the two upper connecting rods near the connection to the intermediate connecting rod. The locking shafts formed by the upper mounting ears correspond to the locking hooks on the intermediate connecting rod.

[0007] The component that needs to be lifted is fixed to the intermediate connecting rod, which is then lifted upwards by the spring force of the spring. When the intermediate connecting rod is lifted to its highest position, the locking hooks installed on the two upper connecting rods hook onto the locking shafts of the upper mounting ears, thereby fixing the intermediate connecting rod in place.

[0008] Furthermore, when the intermediate connecting rod is in its lowest position, the spring fixing post on the intermediate connecting rod pulls the outer end of the mainspring, the mainspring is in its maximum deformation position, and the driving force provided by the mainspring to the intermediate connecting rod is the greatest during the process of the intermediate connecting rod rising from its lowest position; when the intermediate connecting rod is in its highest position, the driving force provided by the mainspring to the intermediate connecting rod is the smallest during the process of the intermediate connecting rod rising from its lowest position.

[0009] Furthermore, after the component to be lifted is fixed to the intermediate connecting rod, the spring is deformed under the pull of the spring fixing post, thus generating elastic force. The elastic force of the spring acts on the spring fixing post, providing an upward pulling force to the spring fixing post, causing the spring fixing post to move upward. The upward movement of the spring fixing post, in turn, drives the upper connecting rod to rotate upward around the mounting shaft. During the upward rotation of the upper connecting rod, it drives the intermediate connecting rod to move upward, thereby completing the lifting of the component.

[0010] Furthermore, as the intermediate connecting rod is lifted upward under the elastic force of the spring, it drives the lower connecting rod to rotate upward around the output shaft of the damper. During the upward rotation of the lower connecting rod, the damper is connected to the lower connecting rod via a key and applies a damping force to the lower connecting rod. By adjusting the damping ratio of the damper, the magnitude of the damping force applied to the lower connecting rod is adjusted, thereby controlling the upward lifting speed of the intermediate connecting rod. This prevents the lifted object from rising too quickly, generating a large impact load, and causing damage to the lifted object.

[0011] Furthermore, a heating element is attached to the surface of the damper. The temperature of the damper is adjusted by the heating element, thereby changing the characteristics of the medium inside the damper, which in turn changes the damping rate of the damper, and thus changes the magnitude of the damping force applied to the lower connecting rod.

[0012] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism also includes a limit screw and a micro switch; the micro switch is mounted on the locking shaft, and the limit screw is screwed onto the upper connecting rod; when the intermediate connecting rod is raised to its highest position and the locking hook hooks onto the locking shaft, the limit screw on the upper connecting rod abuts against the micro switch.

[0013] Furthermore, when the limit screw contacts the micro switch, the limit screw pushes the spring plate of the micro switch, causing the internal contacts of the micro switch to open, thereby converting the physical displacement of the limit screw into an electrical signal; this electrical signal is regarded as the positioning lock signal; the positioning lock signal is transmitted to the external control system for the experimenter to judge the lifting status of the lifting mechanism.

[0014] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism can adjust the driving force provided by the springs to the intermediate connecting rod by changing the specifications of the springs or changing the number of springs on the two mounting shafts of the large base, so as to adapt to the lifting requirements of products of different weights.

[0015] This invention also proposes a spacecraft space mechanism lifting method based on a lifting mechanism. The lifting method is implemented based on the aforementioned passive, controllable speed-deployable lifting mechanism for space use, and the specific process is as follows:

[0016] The large base of the lifting mechanism is fixed to the spacecraft, and the spacecraft mechanism that needs to be lifted is fixed to the middle connecting rod;

[0017] The spring of the lifting mechanism applies a spring force to the spring fixing column, causing the spring fixing column to move upward; the upward movement of the spring fixing column, in turn, drives the upper connecting rod to rotate upward around the mounting shaft; during the upward rotation of the upper connecting rod, it drives the intermediate connecting rod to move upward, thereby completing the lifting of the spacecraft component;

[0018] During the lifting process of the spacecraft mechanism, the damper applies a damping force to the lower connecting rod through the output shaft; by adjusting the magnitude of the damping force applied to the lower connecting rod by the damper, the upward lifting speed of the intermediate connecting rod is controlled;

[0019] When the spacecraft is raised to its highest position, the locking hooks on the two upper connecting rods hook onto the locking shafts of the upper mounting ears, thereby fixing the middle connecting rod.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention compared to the prior art are:

[0021] (1) The present invention uses a spring as a driving source to provide the lifting mechanism with the power to lift the components. At the same time, a damper is used to control the lifting speed of the lifting mechanism. The entire lifting mechanism does not require a motor and a complex control system. The overall structure is simple and can better adapt to the complex space environment.

[0022] (2) The present invention uses a locking hook and a locking shaft to lock and limit the lifting mechanism after it is lifted into place. At the same time, after the lifting mechanism is lifted into place, a locking signal is sent through a micro switch, so that the test personnel can keep track of the lifting status of the lifting mechanism in a timely manner.

[0023] (3) This invention can be applied to spacecraft working on other extraterrestrial bodies such as the moon and Mars. By adjusting the driving force of the spring, the gravity on the surface of extraterrestrial bodies can be overcome. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the unlifted component of a passive, speed-controlled deployment lifting mechanism for space applications according to the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the unlifted component of a passive, speed-controlled deployment lifting mechanism for space applications according to the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting mechanism for space applications of the present invention after the lifting component has been lifted. Figure 1 ;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting mechanism for space applications of the present invention after the lifting component has been lifted. Figure 2 ;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the microswitch state after the lifting mechanism for space use, which is a passive and speed-controllable lifting mechanism of the present invention, has been lifted. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the present invention provides a passive, speed-controllable lifting mechanism for space applications, comprising: an intermediate connecting rod 1, a large base 2, a lower connecting rod 3, an upper connecting rod 4, a damper 5, a spring 6, a locking hook 7, a locking shaft 8, and a spring fixing post 11.

[0031] The large base 2 is a rectangular plate. One side of its surface is fixed to the spacecraft, and the other side has a mounting lug protruding at each of its four corners. The mounting lugs are perpendicular to the large base 2. The two mounting lugs near the top of the large base 2 are defined as upper mounting lugs, and the two mounting lugs near the bottom of the large base 2 are defined as lower mounting lugs. Each of the two upper mounting lugs is fixed with a mounting shaft, and the axes of the two mounting shafts are parallel to the large base 2. One end of the upper connecting rod 4 has a mounting through hole, and a spring fixing post 11 is fixed in the middle position. The two upper connecting rods 4 are nested on the two mounting shafts through the mounting through hole. The other ends of the two upper connecting rods 4 are fixed to the two sides of the middle connecting rod 1 near the top. The two mounting shafts of the large base 2, extending from the mounting through hole of the upper connecting rod 4, are each nested with a multiple spring spring 6. The inner end of the large base 2 is fixed to the mounting shaft, and the outer end is fixed to the spring fixing post 11. A damper 5 is fixedly installed on each of the two lower mounting ears of the large base 2. The output shaft of the damper 5 extends out from the pre-set through hole of the corresponding lower mounting ear. One end of each of the two lower connecting rods 3 is provided with a keyway hole, and is connected to the part of the output shaft of the damper 5 extending out from the lower mounting ear through the keyway. The two lower connecting rods 3 rotate around the corresponding output shaft. The other end of the two lower connecting rods 3 is connected to the two sides of the middle connecting rod 1 near the bottom. The two upper mounting ears of the large base 2 extend upward, and the extended part is equipped with a locking shaft 8. The two upper connecting rods 4 are equipped with locking hooks 7 on the end face near the position of connecting the middle connecting rod 1. The locking shaft 8 formed by the upper mounting ears corresponds to the locking hook 7 set on the middle connecting rod 1.

[0032] The component that needs to be lifted is fixed on the intermediate connecting rod 1. The intermediate connecting rod 1 is lifted upward under the elastic force of the spring 6. When the intermediate connecting rod 1 is lifted to the highest position, the locking hooks 7 installed on the two upper connecting rods 4 hook onto the locking shafts 8 of the upper mounting ears, thereby fixing the intermediate connecting rod 1.

[0033] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, when the intermediate connecting rod 1 is in its lowest position, the spring fixing post 11 on the intermediate connecting rod 1 pulls the outer end of the mainspring spring 6, the mainspring spring 6 is in its maximum deformation position, and the driving force provided by the mainspring spring 6 to the intermediate connecting rod 1 is at its maximum during the process of the intermediate connecting rod 1 rising from its lowest position; as Figure 3 andFigure 4 As shown, when the intermediate connecting rod 1 is in the highest position, the driving force provided by the spring spring 6 to the intermediate connecting rod 1 is minimal as the intermediate connecting rod 1 rises from the lowest position.

[0034] Furthermore, after the component to be lifted is fixed to the intermediate connecting rod 1, the spring 6 deforms under the pull of the spring fixing post 11, thereby generating elastic force. The elastic force of the spring 6 acts on the spring fixing post 11, providing an upward pulling force to the spring fixing post 11, causing the spring fixing post 11 to move upward. The upward movement of the spring fixing post 11, in turn, drives the upper connecting rod 4 to rotate upward around the mounting shaft. During the upward rotation of the upper connecting rod 4, it drives the intermediate connecting rod 1 to move upward, thereby completing the lifting of the component.

[0035] Furthermore, during the upward lifting of the intermediate connecting rod 1 under the elastic force of the spring 6, the intermediate connecting rod 1 drives the lower connecting rod 3 to rotate upward around the output shaft of the damper 5. During the upward rotation of the lower connecting rod 3, the damper 5 is connected to the lower connecting rod 3 via a key and applies a damping force to the lower connecting rod 3. By adjusting the damping ratio of the damper 5, the magnitude of the damping force applied to the lower connecting rod 3 is adjusted, thereby controlling the upward lifting speed of the intermediate connecting rod 1. This prevents the lifted object from rising too quickly and generating a large impact load, which could damage the lifted object.

[0036] Through the above design, the present invention uses a spring as a driving source to provide power for the lifting mechanism to lift the components, while using a damper to control the lifting speed of the lifting mechanism. The entire lifting structure does not require a motor or a complex control system, and the overall structure is simple and can better adapt to the complex space environment.

[0037] Furthermore, a heating element is attached to the surface of the damper 5. The temperature of the damper 5 is adjusted by the heating element, thereby changing the characteristics of the medium inside the damper 5, and thus changing the damping rate of the damper 5, thereby changing the magnitude of the damping force applied to the lower connecting rod 3.

[0038] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 As shown, the lifting mechanism also includes a limit screw 9 and a micro switch 10; the micro switch 10 is mounted on the locking shaft 8, and the limit screw 9 is screwed onto the upper connecting rod 4; when the intermediate connecting rod 1 is lifted to the highest position and the locking hook 7 hooks onto the locking shaft 8, the limit screw 9 on the upper connecting rod 4 abuts against the micro switch 10.

[0039] Furthermore, when the limit screw 9 abuts against the micro switch 10, the limit screw 9 pushes the spring plate of the micro switch 10, causing the internal contacts of the micro switch 10 to disconnect, thereby converting the physical displacement of the limit screw 9 into an electrical signal; this electrical signal is regarded as the positioning locking signal; the positioning locking signal is transmitted to the external control system for the experimenter to judge the lifting status of the lifting mechanism; based on this, the present invention realizes the locking and limiting of the lifting mechanism after it is lifted into position through the locking hook and locking shaft, and at the same time, the lifting mechanism sends a locking signal through the micro switch after it is lifted into position, so that the experimenter can grasp the lifting status of the lifting mechanism in a timely manner.

[0040] Furthermore, the lifting mechanism can adjust the driving force provided by the spring 6 to the intermediate connecting rod 1 by changing the specifications of the spring 6 or changing the number of spring 6 on the two mounting shafts of the large base 2, so as to adapt to the lifting requirements of products of different weights.

[0041] This invention also proposes a spacecraft space mechanism lifting method based on a lifting mechanism. The lifting method is implemented based on the aforementioned passive, controllable speed-deployable lifting mechanism for space use, and the specific process is as follows:

[0042] The large base 2 of the lifting mechanism is fixed on the spacecraft, and the spacecraft mechanism that needs to be lifted is fixed on the intermediate connecting rod 1;

[0043] The spring 6 of the lifting mechanism applies a spring force to the spring fixing column 11, causing the spring fixing column 11 to move upward; the upward movement of the spring fixing column 11 drives the upper connecting rod 4 to rotate upward around the mounting shaft; during the upward rotation of the upper connecting rod 4, it drives the intermediate connecting rod 1 to move upward, thereby completing the lifting of the spacecraft component;

[0044] During the lifting process of the spacecraft mechanism, the damper 5 applies a damping force to the lower connecting rod 3 through the output shaft; by adjusting the magnitude of the damping force applied to the lower connecting rod 3 by the damper 5, the upward lifting speed of the intermediate connecting rod 1 is controlled.

[0045] When the spacecraft mechanism is raised to its highest position, the locking hooks 7 on the two upper connecting rods 4 hook onto the locking shafts 8 of the upper mounting ears, thereby fixing the intermediate connecting rod 1.

[0046] In summary, this invention can be applied to spacecraft operating on the Moon, Mars, or other extraterrestrial bodies. By adjusting the driving force of the spring, the gravity on the surface of the extraterrestrial body can be overcome.

[0047] The parts of this invention not described in detail are common knowledge to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A passive, speed-controllable lifting mechanism for space applications, characterized in that... include: Intermediate connecting rod (1), large base (2), lower connecting rod (3), upper connecting rod (4), damper (5), spring (6), lock hook (7), lock shaft (8) and spring fixing post (11); The large base (2) is a rectangular plate, one side of which is fixed to the spacecraft, and the other side has a mounting ear protruding at each of the four corners. The mounting ears are perpendicular to the large base (2). The two mounting ears near the top of the large base (2) are defined as upper mounting ears, and the two mounting ears near the bottom of the large base (2) are defined as lower mounting ears. Each of the two upper mounting ears is fixed with a mounting shaft, and the axes of the two mounting shafts are parallel to the large base (2). One end of the upper connecting rod (4) is provided with a mounting through hole, and a spring fixing post (11) is fixed in the middle position. The two upper connecting rods (4) are nested on the two mounting shafts through the mounting through hole, and the two upper connecting rods (4) rotate around the corresponding mounting shafts. The other ends of the two upper connecting rods (4) are fixed on the two sides of the middle connecting rod (1) near the top. The two mounting shafts of the large base (2) protrude from the mounting through hole of the upper connecting rod (4) and are respectively nested with multiple clock springs (6). The inner end of the spring (6) is fixed to the mounting shaft, and the outer end is fixed to the spring fixing post (11); a damper (5) is fixedly installed on each of the two lower mounting ears of the large base (2), and the output shaft of the damper (5) extends out from the pre-set through hole of the corresponding lower mounting ear; one end of each of the two lower connecting rods (3) is provided with a keyway hole, and is connected to the part of the output shaft of the damper (5) extending out from the lower mounting ear through the keyway, and the two lower connecting rods (3) rotate around the corresponding output shaft; the other end of the two lower connecting rods (3) is respectively connected to the two sides of the middle connecting rod (1) near the bottom end; the two upper mounting ears of the large base (2) extend upward respectively, and the extended part is equipped with a locking shaft (8), and the two upper connecting rods (4) are equipped with a locking hook (7) on the end face near the position of connecting the middle connecting rod (1); the locking shaft (8) formed by the upper mounting ear corresponds to the locking hook (7) set on the middle connecting rod (1) above it; The component that needs to be lifted is fixed on the intermediate connecting rod (1), and the intermediate connecting rod (1) is lifted upward under the elastic force of the spring (6); when the intermediate connecting rod (1) is lifted to the highest position, the locking hooks (7) installed on the two upper connecting rods (4) hook onto the locking shaft (8) of the upper mounting ear, thereby fixing the intermediate connecting rod (1).

2. The passive, speed-controllable lifting mechanism for space applications according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the intermediate connecting rod (1) is in the lowest position, the spring fixing post (11) on the intermediate connecting rod (1) pulls the outer end of the spring spring (6), the spring spring (6) is in the maximum deformation position, and the driving force provided by the spring spring (6) to the intermediate connecting rod (1) is the maximum during the process of the intermediate connecting rod (1) rising from the lowest position; when the intermediate connecting rod (1) is in the highest position, the driving force provided by the spring spring (6) to the intermediate connecting rod (1) is the minimum during the process of the intermediate connecting rod (1) rising from the lowest position.

3. The passive, speed-controllable lifting mechanism for space applications according to claim 2, characterized in that: After the component to be lifted is fixed on the intermediate connecting rod (1), the spring (6) deforms under the pull of the spring fixing post (11), thus generating elastic force. The elastic force of the spring (6) acts on the spring fixing post (11), providing an upward pulling force to the spring fixing post (11), causing the spring fixing post (11) to move upward. The upward movement of the spring fixing post (11) then drives the upper connecting rod (4) to rotate upward around the mounting shaft. During the upward rotation of the upper connecting rod (4), the intermediate connecting rod (1) moves upward, thus completing the lifting of the component.

4. The passive, speed-controllable lifting mechanism for space applications according to claim 1, characterized in that: During the process of the intermediate connecting rod (1) being lifted upward under the elastic force of the spring (6), the intermediate connecting rod (1) drives the lower connecting rod (3) to rotate upward around the output shaft of the damper (5). During the upward rotation of the lower connecting rod (3), the damper (5) is connected to the lower connecting rod (3) through a key and applies a damping force to the lower connecting rod (3). By adjusting the damping rate of the damper (5), the magnitude of the damping force applied to the lower connecting rod (3) is adjusted, thereby controlling the upward lifting speed of the intermediate connecting rod (1), so as to avoid the object being lifted rising too fast and generating a large impact load, which would cause damage to the object being lifted.

5. A passive, speed-controllable lifting mechanism for space applications according to claim 4, characterized in that: The damper (5) has a heating element attached to its surface. The temperature of the damper (5) is adjusted by the heating element, thereby changing the characteristics of the medium inside the damper (5) and thus changing the damping rate of the damper (5), thereby changing the magnitude of the damping force applied to the lower connecting rod (3).

6. A passive, speed-controllable lifting mechanism for space applications according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism also includes a limit screw (9) and a micro switch (10); the micro switch (10) is set on the locking shaft (8), and the limit screw (9) is screwed on the upper connecting rod (4); when the intermediate connecting rod (1) is lifted to the highest position and the locking hook (7) hooks onto the locking shaft (8), the limit screw (9) on the upper connecting rod (4) abuts against the micro switch (10).

7. A passive, speed-controllable lifting mechanism for space applications according to claim 6, characterized in that: When the limit screw (9) abuts against the micro switch (10), the limit screw (9) pushes the spring plate of the micro switch (10), causing the contacts inside the micro switch (10) to open, thereby converting the physical displacement of the limit screw (9) into an electrical signal; this electrical signal is regarded as the position locking signal; the position locking signal is transmitted to the external control system for the experimenter to judge the lifting status of the lifting mechanism.

8. A passive, speed-controllable lifting mechanism for space applications according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism adjusts the driving force provided by the spring (6) to the intermediate connecting rod (1) by changing the specifications of the spring (6) or changing the number of springs (6) on the two mounting shafts of the large base (2), so as to adapt to the lifting needs of products of different weights.

9. A method for lifting spacecraft space mechanisms based on a lifting mechanism, characterized in that: The lifting method is based on a passive, speed-controllable lifting mechanism for spatial applications as described in any one of claims 1-8, and the specific process is as follows: The large base (2) of the lifting mechanism is fixed on the spacecraft, and the spacecraft mechanism that needs to be lifted is fixed on the intermediate connecting rod (1); The spring (6) of the lifting mechanism applies a spring force to the spring fixing column (11), causing the spring fixing column (11) to move upward; the spring fixing column (11) moves upward, thereby driving the upper connecting rod (4) to rotate upward around the mounting shaft; during the upward rotation of the upper connecting rod (4), it drives the intermediate connecting rod (1) to move upward, thereby completing the lifting of the spacecraft component; During the lifting process of the spacecraft mechanism, the damper (5) applies a damping force to the lower connecting rod (3) through the output shaft; by adjusting the magnitude of the damping force applied to the lower connecting rod (3) by the damper (5), the upward lifting speed of the intermediate connecting rod (1) is controlled; When the spacecraft is raised to its highest position, the locking hooks (7) on the two upper connecting rods (4) hook onto the locking shafts (8) of the upper mounting ears, thereby fixing the middle connecting rod (1).

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