Landing device of reusable rocket

Abstract

The invention relates to a landing device capable of repeatedly using a rocket, and belongs to the field of aerospace ground support equipment. The device comprises a fixed outer cylinder, a telescopic piece, a locking seat, a locking shell, a locking block and a locking stop piece. The locking seat is fixedly arranged on the inner side of the fixed outer cylinder, and the locking shell is fixedly connected with the telescopic piece and slidably embedded in the inner side of the telescopic piece. A locking inner cylinder with a locking through groove is arranged on the locking shell, a locking outer cylinder with a locking opening is arranged on the locking seat, and the locking inner cylinder is slidably arranged on the inner side of the locking outer cylinder in a sleeved mode. The locking block is embedded in the locking through groove, and the locking blocking piece is arranged in a locking gap between the locking inner cylinder and the telescopic piece in a sliding mode. When the locking block is embedded into the locking opening, the locking base and the locking shell are locked, and movement of the telescopic piece is limited. And when the locking stop piece is far away and the locking block is separated from the locking opening, the locking is released. The split design of the sleeve and the locking structure is adopted, and light weight and high bearing are both considered; and the structure is compact and the action is reliable through passive locking.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aerospace ground support equipment. In particular, it relates to a landing device for a reusable rocket. Background Technology

[0002] The landing system of a reusable rocket is a crucial element in determining the success or failure of a recovery mission. During flight, the system's outriggers and other structures are folded and stowed close to the rocket body; upon receiving a deployment command, they quickly deploy and lock, subsequently completing a soft landing and safe descent. The transition from folded to locked is ultimately confirmed by the action of the locking mechanism, and its reliable function is a prerequisite for forming a stable support structure and achieving energy absorption.

[0003] In the prior art, Chinese invention patent CN107215484A discloses a rocket recovery and landing device. This device adopts a four-legged support structure, consisting of four parts: the rocket stage, the active support, the driven support, and the hydraulic damping rod, forming a crank mechanism. Its working principle is as follows: after the dual-element explosive bolts are unlocked, the driven support naturally unfolds under gravity. A locking device then engages the hydraulic damping rod, locking the support at the dead point of the crank mechanism, thus maintaining its unfolded state. During landing, the hydraulic damping rod and the honeycomb core structure of the landing buffer absorb the impact energy. However, the aforementioned existing technologies still have the following shortcomings: First, their locking method relies on the geometric dead point position of the crank mechanism, which is an external hinged locking system. The locking structure is distributed at the joints of the support, occupying a large overall space, making it difficult to further optimize the layout within the limited storage space of the rocket body. Second, in this scheme, the locking device only limits the hydraulic damping rod, resulting in a single locking point and a long and dispersed load transmission path. When facing the complex impact load at the moment of landing, the stress situation of the locking part is quite complex, placing higher demands on the structural strength and stiffness. In addition, its deployment process relies on gravity, and under special working conditions, it requires motor assistance to fully deploy, increasing the control complexity of the system. Furthermore, if the crank mechanism needs to be retracted after being locked at the dead point, it often requires reverse drive or an additional unlocking mechanism, which is not conducive to rapid reset and reuse.

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention proposes a novel locking device that integrates the locking structure inside the sleeve. It employs a split design and a passive locking mechanism, fundamentally solving the problems of low space utilization, complex load-bearing paths, and inconvenient unlocking and resetting in existing technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a landing device for a reusable rocket to solve one or all of the technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: This invention provides a landing device for a reusable rocket, comprising: The outer cylinder is fixed and has a hollow structure. The telescopic component has one end slidably embedded in the fixed outer cylinder, and the other end protruding from the fixed outer cylinder; A locking seat is fixedly installed on the inner side of the fixed outer cylinder; The locking shell is slidably embedded inside the telescopic component and is fixedly connected to the telescopic component; A locking inner cylinder is provided on the side of the locking shell near the locking seat. The side wall of the locking inner cylinder is provided with a through locking groove, and a locking gap is formed between the locking inner cylinder and the telescopic member. A locking outer cylinder is disposed on the side of the locking seat near the locking shell, and the locking inner cylinder is slidably sleeved on the inner side of the locking outer cylinder. The side wall of the locking outer cylinder is provided with a locking opening corresponding to the locking through groove. A locking block is embedded in the locking through slot and can slide relative to the locking through slot in the radial direction; A locking stop is slidably fitted into the locking gap, and is used to achieve locking by sliding the locking block into the locking port by pushing the locking block into the radially inner side of the locking block; When the locking block slides into the locking slot, the locking seat and the locking shell are locked, restricting the axial movement of the telescopic member; when the locking stop moves away from the locking slot and the locking block separates from the locking slot, the locking seat and the locking shell are unlocked, allowing the telescopic member to move axially.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a return spring is further included, which is embedded in the inner side of the locking seat, with one end abutting against the locking stop, for driving the locking stop to move toward the locking shell, so that the locking stop remains close to the locking through groove.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it further includes a spring support member disposed within the locking seat, the spring support member being provided with a spring groove, and the reset spring being embedded in the spring groove.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the reset spring is provided as a plurality of springs, which are circumferentially spaced on the inner side of the locking seat; The spring support is arranged in a ring shape, and a number of spring grooves are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the spring support. Each spring groove is embedded with a corresponding reset spring, and one end of each of the reset springs abuts against the locking stop.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a sealing cover is further included, the sealing cover being disposed at one end of the fixed outer cylinder away from the locking shell, the sealing cover having a through hole along the axial direction, and the telescopic member extending out from the through hole.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the locking through slots are provided in a plurality of manner, which are equally spaced along the circumference of the locking inner cylinder; The number of locking blocks is the same as the number of locking slots, and they are embedded in each locking slot in a one-to-one correspondence. The number of locking ports is the same as the number of locking slots, and their positions correspond one-to-one.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the locking seat is provided with a first chamfer on the side near the locking housing for guiding the locking housing to be inserted.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the locking stop is provided with a second chamfer on the side near the locking housing for guiding the locking block to slide into the locking opening.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a third chamfer is provided on the side of the locking opening near the locking housing for pushing the locking block away from the locking opening when unlocking.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the corners of the locking block are all provided with chamfers.

[0016] Beneficial effects This invention has at least one of the following technical effects: Firstly, this design physically separates the support and guiding sleeve from the locking core component that bears concentrated loads. This split architecture offers two advantages: on the one hand, the main sleeve structure can be made of lighter materials with lower density for extreme weight reduction; on the other hand, the impact-bearing locking structure can be independently made of ultra-high-strength materials to ensure compressive and bending resistance. Each component performs its specific function, achieving overall lightweighting while ensuring extreme reliability of critical load-bearing parts.

[0017] Secondly, this solution highly integrates multiple functional units such as drive, transmission, locking, and reset. The reset spring continuously acts on the locking stop, ensuring it always maintains a tendency to push the locking block into the locking slot. This passive design eliminates the need for complex active control logic and additional drive sources, automatically completing the locking action when the locking block reaches the predetermined position. This greatly simplifies the complexity of the control system, avoids the risk of locking failure due to control signal errors or actuator malfunctions, and fundamentally improves the reliability and ease of use of the locking action. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the landing device for a reusable rocket; Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the return spring in the landing device of a reusable rocket; Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the locking outer cylinder, locking inner cylinder, and locking stop portion of the landing device for a reusable rocket along the locking through groove; Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing the disassembled structure of the locking block in the landing device of a reusable rocket; Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the operational status of the landing device for a reusable rocket. Figure 1 ; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the operational status of the landing device for a reusable rocket. Figure 2 ; Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the operational status of the landing device for a reusable rocket. Figure 3 ; Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the operational status of the landing device for a reusable rocket. Figure 4 ; Figure 9 for Figure 8 A magnified structural diagram of point A in the middle.

[0020] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1-Fixed outer cylinder; 2-Telescopic component; 3-Locking seat; 31-Locking outer cylinder; 32-Locking port; 321-Third chamfer; 33-First chamfer; 4-Locking shell; 41-Locking inner cylinder; 42-Locking through groove; 43-Locking gap; 5-Locking block; 6-Locking stop; 61-Second chamfer; 7-Reset spring; 8-Spring support; 81-Spring groove; 9-Sealing cover. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of the present invention will now be described in detail. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only configured to explain the present invention and to exemplify the principles of the present invention, and are not configured to limit the present invention. In addition, the structural components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some structural components or regions in the drawings may be enlarged for other structural components or regions to aid in the understanding of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0022] The directional terms used in the following description refer to the directions shown in the figures and are not intended to limit the specific structure of the embodiments of the present invention. In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise stated, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0023] Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," "having," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a structure or component that includes a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other structural elements that are not expressly listed or inherent to the structure or component. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the article or apparatus that includes the element.

[0024] Spatial relation terms such as "below," "under," "under," "low," "above," "on," and "high" are used for descriptive convenience to explain the positioning of one element relative to a second element, indicating that these terms are intended to cover different orientations of the device, in addition to those different from those shown in the figure. Furthermore, phrases such as "one element on / below another element" can indicate that two elements are in direct contact, or that there are other elements between the two elements. In addition, terms such as "first" and "second" are also used to describe individual elements, areas, parts, etc., without specifically indicating order or sequence, and should not be considered restrictive. Similar terms are used throughout the description to represent similar elements.

[0025] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be practiced without requiring some of these specific details. The following description of embodiments is merely intended to provide a better understanding of the invention by illustrating examples of the invention.

[0026] In the following embodiments, there may be descriptions such as "this device". Those skilled in the art should understand that "this device" refers to a landing device for a reusable rocket provided by the present invention.

[0027] like Figure 1-9 As shown, a preferred embodiment of a landing device for a reusable rocket is provided. The device mainly includes components such as a fixed outer cylinder 1, a telescopic component 2, a locking seat 3, a locking shell 4, a locking block 5, a locking stop 6, a return spring 7, a spring support 8, and a sealing cover 9.

[0028] The fixed outer cylinder 1 is a hollow tubular structure and forms the outer main body of the entire device. One end of the telescopic component 2 is slidably embedded inside the fixed outer cylinder 1, while the other end extends out from the end of the fixed outer cylinder 1 for connection with other components of the landing system. To guide and seal the telescopic component 2, a sealing cover 9 is fixedly installed at the end of the fixed outer cylinder 1 away from the locking shell 4. The sealing cover 9 has a through hole in its center, through which the telescopic component 2 passes and extends.

[0029] The locking seat 3 is fixedly installed on the inner wall of the fixed outer cylinder 1 and is a key load-bearing component. The locking shell 4 is slidably embedded in the inner side of the fixed outer cylinder 1 and is fixedly connected to the telescopic member 2. The locking seat 3 is fixedly installed near the end of the fixed outer cylinder 1, and the locking shell 4 is installed on the inner side of that end of the fixed outer cylinder 1, that is, the locking seat 3 and the locking shell 4 are arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the fixed outer cylinder 1. On the side of the locking shell 4 facing the locking seat 3, a locking inner cylinder 41 is integrally provided. The locking inner cylinder 41 has a cylindrical structure, and its side wall has multiple through locking slots 42 circumferentially opened. Correspondingly, on the side of the locking seat 3 facing the locking shell 4, a locking outer cylinder 31 is integrally provided. After assembly, the locking inner cylinder 41 can be slidably fitted inside the locking outer cylinder 31. On the side wall of the locking outer cylinder 31, a locking opening 32 is opened at a position corresponding to each locking slot 42.

[0030] In the above embodiments, the plurality of locking holes 32 can be connected to each other to form a complete annular opening, thereby reducing processing costs.

[0031] The number of locking blocks 5 is the same as the number of locking slots 42. After locking, each locking block 5 is embedded in a corresponding locking slot 42 and can slide within the locking slot 42. An annular locking gap 43 is left between the locking inner cylinder 41 and the telescopic member 2. The locking stop 6 is an annular structure and is slidably embedded in the locking gap 43. The function of the locking stop 6 is to restrict the sliding of the locking block 5. When the locking stop 6 slides to the locking slot 42, it blocks the locking slot 42. At this time, the locking block 5 is limited to the locking opening 32 and the locking slot 42 and cannot be disengaged. In the current state, the locking shell 4 and the locking seat 3 are in a relatively fixed state to achieve the locking of the telescopic member 2. When the locking stop 6 slides away from the locking slot 42, the locking block 5 can be pulled out from the locking opening 32. In the current state, the locking shell 4 and the locking seat 3 lose the limiting cooperation, and the telescopic member 2 can slide axially.

[0032] The return spring 7 is used to drive the locking stop 6. In this embodiment, in order to provide a uniform thrust and adapt to the annular structure, a scheme of multiple small springs is adopted. Specifically, an annular spring support 8 is also fixedly installed on the inner side of the locking seat 3. The spring support 8 has multiple spring grooves 81 spaced apart along the circumference, and a return spring 7 is installed in each spring groove 81. One end of all the return springs 7 abuts against the bottom of the groove of the spring support 8, and the other end abuts against the locking stop 6, thereby applying a continuous thrust towards the locking shell 4 to the locking stop 6, so that the locking stop 6 always tends to be close to the locking through groove 42.

[0033] like Figures 7-8 As shown, in the unlocked state, the telescopic member 2 is in the retracted position, and the locking inner cylinder 41 slides within the locking outer cylinder 31. At this time, the locking block 5 is located in the locking through groove 42, but its outer side does not enter the locking opening 32. The locking stop 6, pushed by the return spring 7, always abuts against the end or vicinity of the locking inner cylinder 41.

[0034] like Figure 5 As shown, when locking is required, an external driving force drives the telescopic member 2 to extend from the fixed outer cylinder 1. The telescopic member 2 drives the locking shell 4 and the locking inner cylinder 41, which are fixed to it, to move together toward the locking seat 3. During the movement, the locking inner cylinder 41 carries the locking block 5 and moves synchronously. When the locking through groove 42 on the locking inner cylinder 41 moves to a position aligned with the locking opening 32 on the locking outer cylinder 31, the locking block 5 is exactly outside the locking opening 32.

[0035] The aforementioned external driving force can be hydraulic or pneumatic, used to control the extension and retraction stroke.

[0036] At this point, due to the continuous action of the return spring 7, the locking stop 6 closely follows the end face of the locking inner cylinder 41. When the locking through groove 42 aligns with the locking opening 32, the locking block 5 has space to move radially outward. Under the action of the spring force, the locking stop 6 continues to move towards the locking shell 4, and its front end face will contact the inner inclined surface or edge of the locking block 5, pushing the locking block 5 to slide radially outward along the locking through groove 42 until the outer part of the locking block 5 is completely embedded in the locking opening 32.

[0037] like Figure 5 As shown, this is the locked state. The inner side of the locking block 5 is limited by the locking stop 6, and the outer side is limited by the side wall of the locking port 32, thus firmly locking the locking seat 3 and the locking shell 4 together axially. Since the locking shell 4 is fixed to the telescopic member 2, the telescopic member 2 is locked and cannot retract, ensuring the structural stability of the landing system after deployment. In this state, the axial pressure is transmitted to the locking block 5 through the locking seat 3, and then to the telescopic member 2 and the fixed outer cylinder 1 through the locking stop 6 and the locking shell 4, forming a complete force transmission path.

[0038] When unlocking is required, an external air source or mechanical device can be used to apply a force to the locking stop 6, overcoming the elasticity of the return spring 7, causing it to move away from the locking housing 4. After the locking stop 6 moves, its restriction on the inner side of the locking block 5 is released. At this time, if a retracting force is applied to the telescopic member 2, the inner locking cylinder 41 will move away from the locking seat 3 along with the locking housing 4. In the initial stage of movement, the third chamfer 321 of the locking port 32 near the locking housing 4 will contact the locking block 5 and generate a radial component force, pushing the locking block 5 out of the locking port 32 and back into the locking through groove 42. Afterward, the locking block 5 is completely separated from the locking port 32, the locking relationship between the locking seat 3 and the locking housing 4 is released, and the telescopic member 2 can then freely retract into the fixed outer cylinder 1 under the action of external force, completing the unlocking.

[0039] Throughout the entire process described above, to ensure smooth movement, this embodiment also incorporates guide structures on multiple components. For example, a first chamfer 33 is provided on the side of the locking seat 3 near the locking housing 4 to facilitate the smooth insertion of the locking housing 4 during relative movement between the locking seat 3 and the locking housing 4. A second chamfer 61 is provided on the side of the locking stop 6 near the locking housing 4 to more smoothly guide the locking block 5 into the locking slot 32 when pushed. Additionally, chamfers are provided at the corners of all locking blocks 5 to prevent any possible jamming.

[0040] In this embodiment, the locking block 5 can be designed in various shapes, such as a cube or a steel ball, as long as it can achieve radial sliding and locking functions. The number and form of the return spring 7 can also be varied, for example, replacing multiple small springs with a single large annular spring. These simple modifications based on the concept of this invention should all be considered within the protection scope of this invention.

[0041] The locking device proposed in this invention serves as the core locking unit in a reusable rocket landing system. Its overall layout and operation process are as follows: The locking device is integrated inside the landing system's outrigger assembly. The fixed outer cylinder 1 serves as the outer support structure, with one end fixedly connected to the landing system base on the rocket body. The telescopic component 2 serves as the inner moving structure, with one end extending from the fixed outer cylinder 1 connected to the landing outrigger's buffer or footpad mechanism. The locking seat is fixedly installed on the inner wall of the fixed outer cylinder 1 and is the key load-bearing component in the entire locking device; the locking shell is fixedly connected to the telescopic component 2 and moves with it.

[0042] During the initial phase of rocket flight and recovery, the landing legs are in the retracted state, and the telescopic component 2 retracts into the fixed outer cylinder 1, with the locking device in the unlocked state. When the rocket's control system issues an deployment command, the drive mechanism pushes the telescopic component 2 out of the fixed outer cylinder 1 to engage with the ground base, thus deploying and locking the landing legs and providing stable support for the rocket body's landing.

[0043] In summary, this invention, through its ingenious structural design, separates the high-load-bearing locking component from the lightweight sleeve component, and integrates passive locking and unlocking functions within a confined space. This achieves the beneficial effects of compact structure, light weight, strong load-bearing capacity, and high reliability, making it highly suitable for landing systems of reusable rockets.

[0044] It should be understood that the above-described embodiments or examples of the present invention can be combined with each other and have corresponding technical effects.

[0045] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A landing device for a reusable rocket, characterized in that, include: The outer cylinder (1) is a hollow structure; The telescopic component (2) has one end slidably embedded in the fixed outer cylinder (1) and the other end protruding from the fixed outer cylinder (1); The locking seat (3) is fixedly installed on the inner side of the fixed outer cylinder (1); The locking shell (4) is slidably embedded in the inner side of the telescopic member (2) and is fixedly connected to the telescopic member (2); The locking inner cylinder (41) is located on the side of the locking shell (4) near the locking seat (3). The side wall of the locking inner cylinder (41) is provided with a through locking groove (42). The locking inner cylinder (41) and the telescopic member (2) form a locking gap (43). The locking outer cylinder (31) is located on the side of the locking seat (3) near the locking shell (4). The locking inner cylinder (41) is slidably sleeved on the inner side of the locking outer cylinder (31). The side wall of the locking outer cylinder (31) is provided with a locking opening (32) corresponding to the locking through groove (42). The locking block (5) is embedded in the locking through groove (42) and can slide relative to the locking through groove (42) in the radial direction; A locking stop (6) is slidably embedded in the locking gap (43) and is used to lock the locking block (5) by sliding it on the radially inner side of the locking block (5) and pushing the locking block (5) into the locking port (32). When the locking block (5) slides into the locking opening (32), the locking seat (3) and the locking shell (4) are locked, restricting the axial movement of the telescopic member (2); when the locking stop (6) moves away from the locking through slot (42) and the locking block (5) separates from the locking opening (32), the locking seat (3) and the locking shell (4) are unlocked, allowing the telescopic member (2) to move axially.

2. The landing device for a reusable rocket according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a return spring (7), which is embedded in the inner side of the locking seat (3), with one end abutting against the locking stop (6), for driving the locking stop (6) to move toward the locking shell (4), so that the locking stop (6) remains close to the locking through groove (42).

3. The landing device for a reusable rocket according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a spring support (8) disposed in the locking seat (3), the spring support (8) being provided with a spring groove (81), and the reset spring (7) being embedded in the spring groove (81).

4. The landing device for a reusable rocket according to claim 3, characterized in that, The reset spring (7) is provided in a plurality of units, and the plurality of reset springs (7) are arranged circumferentially at intervals on the inner side of the locking seat (3); The spring support (8) is arranged in a ring shape, and a number of spring grooves (81) are arranged circumferentially. Each spring groove (81) is embedded with a corresponding reset spring (7), and one end of each of the reset springs (7) abuts against the locking stop (6).

5. The landing device for a reusable rocket according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a sealing cover (9), which is located at one end of the fixed outer cylinder (1) away from the locking shell (4). The sealing cover (9) has a through hole along the axial direction, and the telescopic member (2) extends out from the through hole.

6. The landing device for a reusable rocket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking through slots (42) are configured as a plurality of slots, which are evenly distributed along the circumference of the locking inner cylinder (41); The number of locking blocks (5) is the same as the number of locking slots (42), and they are embedded in each locking slot (42) in a one-to-one correspondence; The number of locking ports (32) is the same as the number of locking slots (42), and their positions correspond one-to-one.

7. The landing device for a reusable rocket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking seat (3) has a first chamfer (33) on the side near the locking shell (4) for guiding the locking shell (4) to be inserted.

8. The landing device for a reusable rocket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking stop (6) has a second chamfer (61) on the side near the locking shell (4) to guide the locking block (5) into the locking opening (32).

9. The landing device for a reusable rocket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking port (32) has a third chamfer (321) on the side near the locking shell (4) for pushing the locking block (5) away from the locking port (32) when unlocking.

10. The landing device for a reusable rocket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The corners of the locking block (5) are all chamfered.

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