Lever overturning type locking and separating mechanism for rocket interstage separation

Abstract

The invention discloses a lever overturning type locking and separating mechanism for rocket stage separation, relates to the technical field of spaceflight, and aims to solve the problems that a traditional mechanical locking mechanism is large in unlocking force, low in reliability and poor in synchronism. The locking device comprises an upper-stage pressing plate, a lower-stage fixing plate and a rack, and further comprises a locking assembly used for being matched with the upper-stage pressing plate of the rocket to achieve locking. The transmission assembly is connected between the locking assembly and the driving assembly; the driving assembly is used for providing driving force for locking and unlocking; the locking assembly comprises a threaded pre-tightening seat, the threaded pre-tightening seat is connected with a pressing connecting rod through threads and used for adjusting the pre-tightening force of the mechanism, and the pressing connecting rod is hinged to the rack through a first fixing shaft, connected with the transmission assembly through a first rotating shaft and driven by the transmission assembly to turn over around the first fixing shaft to achieve locking or separation of the mechanism. Through the lever principle and the turnover motion design, a more excellent interstage connection and separation solution is provided for the next generation of carrier rockets.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aerospace technology, and more specifically to a lever-flipping locking separation mechanism for interstage separation of rockets. Background Technology

[0002] Interstage separation of a launch vehicle is a critical and irreversible maneuver during flight, demanding extremely high reliability. Its connecting mechanisms must withstand enormous axial overloads, bending moments, and complex vibration loads in the drive phase to ensure zero-gap locking of the interstage structures. Furthermore, after the separation command is issued, all connection points must be synchronously and reliably unlocked within milliseconds to establish interference-free initial separation conditions. Its performance directly determines the success or failure of the mission.

[0003] In current engineering applications, interstage separation commonly employs pyrotechnic-driven separation devices, such as explosive bolts and cutting cables. While these technologies are mature, their reliance on pyrotechnics introduces significant inherent drawbacks: First, severe impact: the high-frequency, high-amplitude impact generated by detonation seriously threatens precision equipment on the rocket; second, contamination and debris risks: explosion products may contaminate the rocket body and generate excess material; third, non-repeatable testing: functional verification cannot be performed after system assembly, posing a "single-point verification" risk; fourth, safety and cost issues: the production, storage, transportation, and operation of pyrotechnics are complex and stringent. To overcome the drawbacks of pyrotechnics and meet the requirements of reusable rockets and high-reliability missions, the industry is actively exploring non-pyrotechnic, low-impact, and retestable mechanical separation solutions. Among these, various mechanical locking and release mechanisms (Marman rings, straps, multi-point locks, etc.) have become a research focus. However, existing mechanical solutions still face a core challenge when applied to interstage connections in large-diameter, heavy-load rockets:

[0004] 1) The contradiction between load-bearing and unlocking forces: In order to ensure that separation or slippage does not occur under extreme loads, the locking mechanism needs to provide huge preload or mechanical interlock, which directly leads to a sharp increase in the driving force required for unlocking (such as actuator output force), posing a severe challenge to the drive system.

[0005] 2) Reliability issues: The unlocking process often involves complex sequential actions of multiple moving parts (such as hooks, sliders, and linkages). Friction, deformation, or jamming in any part can lead to unlocking failure. The longer the action chain, the lower the reliability.

[0006] 3) Synchronization issue: The multi-point locking mechanism needs to achieve synchronous release of all locking points in a very short time. Existing mechanical solutions have a phase difference that is difficult to eliminate when transmitting unlocking commands and movement, which can easily lead to uneven force on the separation surface and cause unexpected attitude disturbances of the rocket body.

[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new mechanical locking and separation configuration that can achieve a balance between high load-bearing reliability and low driving force requirements, while also possessing simple and direct operation, high synchronization, and strong robustness. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This invention addresses the technical problems of high unlocking force, low reliability, and poor synchronization in traditional mechanical locking mechanisms. It proposes a lever-flipping locking and separation mechanism for interstage separation in rockets. This mechanism enables high-strength locking and rapid separation between the upper and lower stages of a rocket. The "lever-flipping" locking and separation mechanism proposed in this invention fundamentally solves the aforementioned problems through a clever lever principle and flipping motion design, providing a superior interstage connection and separation solution for next-generation launch vehicles.

[0009] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above problems is as follows: This invention proposes a lever-flipping locking and separation mechanism for interstage separation of rockets, comprising an upper stage pressure plate, a lower stage fixing plate, and a frame. The locking and separation mechanism further includes: a locking assembly for cooperating with the upper stage pressure plate to achieve locking; a transmission assembly connected between the locking assembly and the drive assembly; and a drive assembly for providing driving force for locking and unlocking. The locking assembly includes a threaded preload seat, which is connected to a pressure rod via threads for adjusting the preload of the mechanism. The pressure rod is hinged to the frame via a first fixed shaft and connected to the transmission assembly via a first rotating shaft. Under the drive of the transmission assembly, the pressure rod rotates around the first fixed shaft, causing the threaded preload seat at the end of the pressure rod to press against or disengage from the upper stage pressure plate, thereby achieving connection or release between the two stages.

[0010] Furthermore, the transmission assembly includes a second rotating shaft, a transmission link, a third rotating shaft, a second fixed shaft, and a dead-point link. The transmission link is hinged to the frame via the second fixed shaft, connected to the drive assembly via the third rotating shaft, and hinged to the dead-point link via the second rotating shaft. The dead-point link is hinged to the locking assembly via the first rotating shaft.

[0011] Furthermore, the drive assembly includes a pneumatic piston rod, a cylinder, and a third fixed shaft. The pneumatic piston rod is connected to the transmission connecting rod via the third rotating shaft to provide locking driving force; the cylinder is connected to the frame via the third fixed shaft.

[0012] Furthermore, a tension spring is provided between the clamping connecting rod and the second rotating shaft.

[0013] Furthermore, the first fixed shaft, the second fixed shaft, and the third fixed shaft are each provided with a torsion spring.

[0014] Furthermore, multiple of the aforementioned mechanisms are evenly arranged circumferentially between rocket stages to achieve synchronous locking or separation.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are: 1. This invention combines the lever principle with a flipping motion. When locked, the dead point link is in the "dead point" position, which can effectively transfer the load of the arrow body to the load-bearing structure, ensuring extremely high connection rigidity, while ensuring that the drive component only needs to provide a small driving force to achieve reliable locking.

[0016] 2. The dead point position is biased towards the direction of flipping and unlocking. Therefore, as long as the support force of the pneumatic piston rod is released, the mechanism can achieve flipping and unlocking under the action of the separation force of the separation surface. The unlocking margin is large, which fundamentally solves the contradiction of excessive unlocking force requirements of traditional mechanical locking mechanisms.

[0017] 3. This invention uses a "single-degree-of-freedom flipping" motion, simplifying the unlocking process to a single-degree-of-freedom, large-angle flipping motion of the clamping link around the first fixed axis. Compared to complex mechanisms requiring sliders, links, and multiple hinges in series, this invention has an extremely simple motion chain and the fewest kinematic pairs. This design eliminates motion interference, accumulated errors, and jamming risks common in multi-stage transmissions, making the unlocking action more deterministic and reliable, and significantly improving the inherent reliability of the mechanism.

[0018] 4. This invention employs a "geometric constraint self-locking-synchronous separation" configuration. The locking state relies on the geometric over-center design of the dead-point link and the transmission link, eliminating the need for continuous external energy (such as hydraulic or pneumatic pressure holding) to maintain the locking, resulting in high static reliability. Furthermore, when multiple such mechanisms are evenly distributed on the circumference, the highly consistent flipping response time of each mechanism and the simultaneous triggering of the unlocking signal naturally ensure millisecond-level synchronization of each locking point, thereby ensuring smooth unlocking of the separation surface and avoiding the generation of harmful torques. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention in the locked state; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention in its separated state; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the locking state of the locking assembly of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the locking assembly in the separated state of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the locking state of the transmission component and the drive component of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the separation state of the transmission component and the drive component of the present invention.

[0020] In the diagram: 1-1, upper stage clamping plate; 1-2, lower stage fixing plate; 1-3, frame; 2. Locking assembly; 2-1. Threaded preload seat; 2-2. Pressing rod; 2-3. First fixed shaft; 2-4. First rotating shaft; 3. Transmission components; 3-1. Second rotating shaft; 3-2. Transmission connecting rod; 3-3. Third rotating shaft; 3-4. Second fixed shaft; 3-5. Dead-point connecting rod; 4. Drive assembly; 4-1. Pneumatic piston rod; 4-2. Cylinder; 4-3. Third fixed shaft. Detailed Implementation

[0021] This embodiment proposes a lever-flipping locking separation mechanism for interstage separation of rockets, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, it includes an upper stage clamping plate 1-1, a lower stage fixing plate 1-2, a frame 1-3, a locking assembly 2, a transmission assembly 3, and a drive assembly 4. The locking assembly 2 provides locking force to the rocket, and the transmission assembly 3 drives the locking assembly 2 to move under the action of the drive assembly 4, thereby realizing the conversion between the locking and unlocking states of the mechanism.

[0022] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the locking assembly 2 includes a threaded preload seat 2-1, a pressing rod 2-2, a first fixed shaft 2-3, and a first rotating shaft 2-4. The threaded preload seat 2-1 is connected to the pressing rod 2-2 by threads, and its engagement length can be adjusted by selectively tightening the threaded preload seat 2-1 to further adjust the preload force of the mechanism. The pressing rod 2-2 is hinged to the frame 1-3 through the first fixed shaft 2-3 and connected to the transmission assembly 3 through the first rotating shaft 2-4. When locking, the pressing rod 2-2 rotates around the first fixed shaft 2-3 under the kinematic constraint of the transmission assembly 3. After rotating into position, the pressing rod 2-2 presses against the upper pressing plate 1-1 to achieve locking.

[0023] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the transmission assembly 3 includes a second rotating shaft 3-1, a transmission connecting rod 3-2, a third rotating shaft 3-3, a second fixed shaft 3-4, and a dead-point connecting rod 3-5. The transmission connecting rod 3-2 is L-shaped, with one end hinged to the frame 1-3 via the second fixed shaft 3-4 and the other end connected to the drive assembly 4 via the third rotating shaft 3-3. Its right angle is hinged to the dead-point connecting rod 3-5 via the second rotating shaft 3-1, and the dead-point connecting rod 3-5 is hinged to the locking assembly 2 via the first rotating shaft 2-4.

[0024] The drive assembly 4 includes a pneumatic piston rod 4-1, a cylinder 4-2, and a third fixed shaft 4-3. The pneumatic piston rod 4-1 is connected to the transmission connecting rod 3-2 via the third rotating shaft 3-3, providing locking driving force. The cylinder 4-2 is connected to the frame 1-3 via the third fixed shaft 4-3.

[0025] In some embodiments, a tension spring can be added between the clamping link 2-2 and the second rotating shaft 3-1 to provide additional support torque; In some embodiments, a torsion spring is provided on at least one of the first fixed shaft 2-3, the second fixed shaft 3-4, and the third fixed shaft 4-3 to provide auxiliary torque for the flipping or resetting of the corresponding linkage during unlocking, thereby ensuring the reliability of the unlocking action.

[0026] The locking process of this invention is as follows: After the upper stage pressing plate 1-1 and the lower stage fixing plate 1-2 are brought close together, the cylinder 4-2 is inflated, pushing the pneumatic piston rod 4-1 to extend outward, driving the transmission connecting rod 3-2 and the dead point connecting rod 3-5 to move, which in turn drives the pressing connecting rod 2-2 to complete the flipping motion around the fixed shaft 12-3. After flipping into place, the pressing connecting rod 2-2 is pressed and fitted with the upper stage pressing plate 1-1 to achieve locking.

[0027] During locking, because the three hinge axes of the dead-point connecting rod 3-5 and the transmission connecting rod 3-2 are coplanar under the compression state, forming a dead-point state of the connecting rod, the separation load on the interface is transmitted to the axes of the dead-point connecting rod 3-5 and the transmission connecting rod 3-2 through the dead-point state. The load is achieved by the connecting rod structure and will not exert a force on the pneumatic piston rod 4-1. Even if there is a small included angle between the dead-point connecting rod 3-5 and the transmission connecting rod 3-2 due to deformation and cumulative tolerance, and some load will be transmitted to the pneumatic piston rod 4-1 as a result, there is a lever arm conversion relationship in the transmission assembly 3, which ensures that the pneumatic piston rod 4-1 is only subjected to a small load under the ultimate load-bearing condition.

[0028] The separation process is as follows: When the launch vehicle reaches the designated position, cylinder 4-2 releases pressure, and the thrust of the gas-driven piston rod 4-1 disappears. Since the dead point position is biased towards the direction of flipping and unlocking, under the action of the separation force of the upper stage clamping plate 1-1, the clamping connecting rod 2-2 flips and unlocks around the fixed shaft 12-3, thereby driving the transmission component 3 to move. Finally, when the clamping connecting rod 2-2 moves to the vertical position, the mechanism is fully opened, realizing the separation action.

[0029] During unlocking, since the dead point is biased towards the direction of flipping and unlocking, it is only necessary to release the reaction force of the pneumatic piston rod 4-1. The mechanism can then achieve flipping and unlocking under the separation force of the separation surface, with a large unlocking margin. If necessary, the unlocking time and synchronization of each unlocking mechanism can be controlled by driving the pneumatic piston rod 4-1.

[0030] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, based on the technical essence of the present invention and within the spirit and principles of the present invention, shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lever-flipping locking separation mechanism for interstage separation of a rocket, comprising an upper stage clamping plate (1-1), a lower stage fixing plate (1-2), and a frame (1-3), characterized in that, The locking and disengaging mechanism further includes: Locking assembly (2) is used to cooperate with the upper stage pressure plate (1-1) of the rocket to achieve locking; The transmission assembly (3) is connected between the locking assembly (2) and the drive assembly (4); Drive component (4) is used to provide the driving force for locking and unlocking; The locking assembly (2) includes a threaded preload seat (2-1), which is connected to the pressing rod (2-2) by a thread and is used to adjust the preload of the mechanism. The pressing rod (2-2) is hinged to the frame (1-3) through a first fixed shaft (2-3) and connected to the transmission assembly (3) through a first rotating shaft (2-4). Under the drive of the transmission assembly (3), it rotates around the first fixed shaft (2-3) to press or disengage the threaded preload seat (2-1) at the end of the pressing rod (2-2) from the upper pressing plate (1-1), thereby realizing the connection or release between the two stages.

2. The lever-flipping locking separation mechanism for interstage separation of rockets according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transmission assembly (3) includes a second rotating shaft (3-1), a transmission link (3-2), a third rotating shaft (3-3), a second fixed shaft (3-4), and a dead-point link (3-5). The transmission link (3-2) is hinged to the frame (1-3) through the second fixed shaft (3-4), connected to the drive assembly (4) through the third rotating shaft (3-3), and hinged to the dead-point link (3-5) through the second rotating shaft (3-1). The dead-point link (3-5) is hinged to the locking assembly (2) through the first rotating shaft (2-4).

3. A lever-flipping locking separation mechanism for interstage separation of rockets according to claim 2, characterized in that: The drive assembly (4) includes a pneumatic piston rod (4-1), a cylinder (4-2), and a third fixed shaft (4-3). The pneumatic piston rod (4-1) is connected to the transmission connecting rod (3-2) via the third rotating shaft (3-3) to provide locking driving force. The cylinder (4-2) is connected to the frame (1-3) via the third fixed shaft (4-3).

4. A lever-flipping locking separation mechanism for interstage separation of rockets according to claim 3, characterized in that: A tension spring is provided between the clamping connecting rod (2-2) and the second rotating shaft (3-1).

5. A lever-flipping locking separation mechanism for interstage separation of rockets according to claim 4, characterized in that: The mechanism is further provided with a torsion spring, which is mounted on a first fixed shaft (2-3), a second fixed shaft (3-4), or a third fixed shaft (4-3).

6. A lever-flipping locking separation mechanism for interstage separation of rockets according to claim 5, characterized in that: Multiple of the aforementioned mechanisms are evenly arranged circumferentially between rocket stages to achieve synchronous locking or separation.

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