Docking device

Abstract

The application discloses a docking device and relates to the technical field of carrier rockets, wherein the docking device is used for docking two adjacent rocket assemblies, and the docking device comprises two docking mechanisms, one of the rocket assemblies is arranged in one of the docking mechanisms, and the other rocket assembly is arranged in the other docking mechanism. The technical scheme provided by the application avoids the whole attitude adjustment depending on super-large lifting equipment, but the segmented attitude fine adjustment is performed on the rocket assemblies, the requirements for the equipment bearing capacity and the operation precision in the docking process are effectively reduced, the stress concentration point in the docking process is dispersed, the local stress is prevented from being too large to cause the damage of the rocket assembly structure, and the safety and the operation efficiency of the vertical docking of the medium and large solid carrier rockets in the three-horizontal mode are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of launch vehicle technology, and in particular to a docking device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, there are three main launch modes for launch vehicles worldwide: one horizontal and two vertical (horizontal transport, vertical assembly and vertical testing), three vertical (vertical transport, vertical assembly and vertical testing), and three horizontal (horizontal transport, horizontal assembly and horizontal testing). Among them, the three horizontal mode has the advantages of lower requirements for launch site support conditions, simplified operation procedures and higher launch efficiency compared to the three vertical mode, and is the mainstream assembly method for solid launch vehicles.

[0003] The traditional three-level model requires the horizontal assembly and testing of each component to be completed sequentially on the ground. Then, the rocket is transported to the launch pad by a general-purpose transport vehicle. At this time, two erection methods can be used: one is to use a truck-mounted crane to transfer the rocket to the erection frame for erection; the other is to use a special erection transport vehicle to transport the rocket to the launch pad, and carry out the erection operation after the erection frame is connected to the launch pad.

[0004] As solid-propellant launch vehicles develop towards medium and large sizes, their full-load mass has exceeded 500 tons. If the traditional three-horizontal-side lifting method is continued, the overall hoisting of a fully loaded rocket will place higher demands on lifting equipment, process equipment, and operational techniques. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main objective of this invention is to provide a docking device that can effectively reduce the difficulty of erecting and docking medium and large solid launch vehicles in the three-horizontal mode, and improve the safety and efficiency of the erection operation.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a docking device for docking two adjacent rocket assemblies. The docking device includes two docking mechanisms, wherein one rocket assembly is disposed in one of the docking mechanisms and the other rocket assembly is disposed in the other docking mechanism. The docking mechanism includes at least two docking units, which are spaced apart along the length of the rocket assembly. Each docking unit includes: Support components; An adjustment unit is disposed on the support member, and the rocket assembly is installed on the adjustment unit; The adjustment unit can adjust the attitude of the corresponding rocket assembly to enable two adjacent rocket assemblies to dock.

[0007] In one embodiment, the adjustment unit includes a support member and two adjustment members. The support member is used to support the rocket assembly. Each adjustment member includes a drive part and a connecting part. The drive part is mounted on the support member, and the connecting part is connected to the support member. The drive part and the connecting part are connected in a transmission manner. The drive part can drive the connecting part to move up and down to adjust the attitude of the rocket assembly.

[0008] In one embodiment, the adjustment actions of the adjustment units of each docking unit are performed synchronously, and in each docking unit, the two driving parts can synchronously drive the corresponding connecting parts to drive the rocket assembly to move in the vertical direction.

[0009] In one embodiment, the adjustment actions of the adjustment units of each docking unit are performed synchronously, and in each docking unit, the two drive units can asynchronously drive the corresponding connecting parts to drive the rocket assembly to rotate.

[0010] In one embodiment, the adjustment action of the adjustment unit of at least one of the docking units is asynchronous with the adjustment action of the adjustment units of the remaining docking units, and in each docking unit, two driving parts can synchronously drive the corresponding connecting parts, so that there is a height difference between the connecting parts of at least one of the docking units and the connecting parts of the remaining docking units, so that there is a height difference between the two ends of the rocket assembly.

[0011] In one embodiment, the carrier includes a first clamp and a second clamp, the first clamp and the second clamp being connected to form a receiving space, and the rocket assembly being installed in the receiving space.

[0012] In one embodiment, the support member includes a support frame and casters connected to the support frame, and the adjustment unit is disposed on the support frame.

[0013] In one embodiment, the docking device further includes a limiting structure located at the bottom of the support member to restrict the movement of the support member.

[0014] In one embodiment, the limiting structure includes a cylinder connected to the support member and in contact with the ground, wherein, driven by the cylinder, there is a height difference between the support member and the ground.

[0015] In one embodiment, the docking device further includes a transfer frame for supporting the rocket assembly to transfer the rocket assembly to the docking device.

[0016] The technical solution of this invention, by setting up two docking mechanisms, can support and adjust the attitude of two adjacent rocket assemblies. Each docking mechanism has at least two docking units, providing multi-point stable support for the rocket assemblies and improving docking stability. The support components and adjustment units adjust the pitch angle, horizontal displacement, and rotation angle around the rocket assembly's axis, enabling adjacent rocket assemblies to quickly achieve axis alignment and end-face contact during docking. Compared to traditional overall hoisting docking methods, this technical solution avoids relying on ultra-large lifting equipment for overall attitude adjustment. Instead, it uses segmented attitude fine-tuning of the rocket assemblies, effectively reducing the requirements for equipment load-bearing capacity and operational precision during docking. It also disperses the stress concentration points during docking, preventing structural damage to the rocket assemblies due to excessive local stress, and improving the safety and operational efficiency of vertical docking in the three-horizontal mode for medium and large solid-propellant launch vehicles. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art 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 the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the docking unit provided by the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating the asynchronous driving of two driving units in the docking unit provided by the present invention; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the docking unit supporting the rocket assembly provided by the present invention.

[0019] Explanation of icon numbers: 1. Docking unit; 2. Support component; 21. Support frame; 22. Casters; 3. Adjustment unit; 31. Bearing component; 311. First clamp; 312. Second clamp; 313. Accommodation space; 32. Adjustment component; 321. Drive unit; 322. Connecting unit; 4. Limiting structure; 41. Cylinder; 5. Transfer frame.

[0020] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0023] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this invention is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0024] Currently, there are three main launch modes for launch vehicles worldwide: one horizontal and two vertical (horizontal transport, vertical assembly and vertical testing), three vertical (vertical transport, vertical assembly and vertical testing), and three horizontal (horizontal transport, horizontal assembly and horizontal testing). Among them, the three horizontal mode has the advantages of lower requirements for launch site support conditions, simplified operation procedures and higher launch efficiency compared to the three vertical mode, and is the mainstream assembly method for solid launch vehicles.

[0025] The traditional three-level model requires the horizontal assembly and testing of each component to be completed sequentially on the ground. Then, the rocket is transported to the launch pad by a general-purpose transport vehicle. At this time, two erection methods can be used: one is to use a truck-mounted crane to transfer the rocket to the erection frame for erection; the other is to use a special erection transport vehicle to transport the rocket to the launch pad, and carry out the erection operation after the erection frame is connected to the launch pad.

[0026] As solid-propellant launch vehicles develop towards medium and large sizes, their full-load mass has exceeded 500 tons. If the traditional three-horizontal-side lifting method is continued, the overall hoisting of a fully loaded rocket will place higher demands on lifting equipment, process equipment, and operational techniques.

[0027] This invention proposes a docking device that aims to effectively reduce the difficulty of erecting and docking medium and large solid launch vehicles in the three-horizontal mode, and improve the safety and efficiency of the erection operation.

[0028] Please see Figures 1 to 3 In one embodiment of the present invention, the docking device is used to dock two adjacent rocket assemblies. The docking device includes two docking mechanisms, one rocket assembly is disposed in one docking mechanism, and the other rocket assembly is disposed in the other docking mechanism. The docking mechanism includes at least two docking units 1, which are spaced apart along the length direction of the rocket assembly. Each docking unit 1 includes a support member 2 and an adjustment unit 3. The adjustment unit 3 is disposed on the support member 2, and the rocket assembly is mounted on the adjustment unit 3. The adjustment unit 3 can adjust the attitude of the corresponding rocket assembly to dock two adjacent rocket assemblies.

[0029] The technical solution of this invention, by setting up two docking mechanisms, can support and adjust the attitude of two adjacent rocket assemblies. Each docking mechanism has at least two docking units 1, providing multi-point stable support for the rocket assemblies and improving docking stability. The support components 2 and adjustment units 3 adjust the pitch angle, horizontal displacement, and rotation angle around the rocket assembly's axis, enabling adjacent rocket assemblies to quickly achieve axis alignment and end-face contact during docking. Compared to traditional overall hoisting docking methods, this technical solution avoids relying on ultra-large lifting equipment for overall attitude adjustment. Instead, it uses segmented attitude fine-tuning of the rocket assemblies, effectively reducing the requirements for equipment load-bearing capacity and operational precision during docking. It also disperses the stress concentration points during docking, preventing structural damage to the rocket assemblies due to excessive local stress, and improving the safety and operational efficiency of vertical docking in the three-horizontal mode for medium and large solid-propellant launch vehicles.

[0030] In some implementations, considering the different lengths of different rocket assemblies, the number of docking units 1 can be appropriately set according to the length of the rocket assembly. For example, if the first-stage assembly is longer, three docking units 1 can be set at intervals; if the second-stage rocket assembly is shorter than the first-stage assembly, two docking units 1 can be set at intervals.

[0031] To achieve the adjustment function of the adjustment unit 3, in one embodiment, the adjustment unit 3 includes a support member 31 and two adjustment members 32. The support member 31 supports the rocket assembly. The adjustment member 32 includes a drive part 321 and a connecting part 322. The drive part 321 is mounted on the support member 2, and the connecting part 322 is connected to the support member 31. The drive part 321 and the connecting part 322 are connected by a transmission connection. The drive part 321 can drive the connecting part 322 to move up and down to adjust the attitude of the rocket assembly. In this way, the two adjustment members 32 can independently control the up and down movement of their respective connecting parts 322. By adjusting the displacement difference between the two, the tilt angle or rotation angle of the support member 31 can be flexibly changed, thereby precisely adjusting the pitch attitude or horizontal tilt angle of the rocket assembly, improving the flexibility and accuracy of attitude adjustment. At the same time, the support member 31 can ensure the stability of the support for the rocket assembly during the adjustment process, avoiding shaking or displacement deviation caused by the adjustment action, further improving the safety and efficiency of the docking operation.

[0032] Specifically, in one embodiment, the adjustment actions of the adjustment units 3 in each docking unit 1 are performed synchronously. In each docking unit 1, two drive units 321 can synchronously drive the corresponding connecting parts 322 to move the rocket assembly in the vertical direction. This ensures that the rocket assembly maintains the consistency of its overall attitude when moving vertically, reducing problems such as uneven local force, tilting, or swaying caused by asynchronous actions of the drive units 321 in each docking unit 1 or a single docking unit 1, and ensuring precise alignment of the rocket assembly with the docking target in the height direction. At the same time, synchronous driving improves the efficiency of overall lifting and lowering adjustment, reduces the accumulation of errors during multi-unit coordinated adjustment, shortens the height matching time, further optimizes the docking operation process, and enhances its practicality and reliability in actual applications.

[0033] To facilitate the securing of the rocket assembly, in one embodiment, the carrier 31 includes a first clamp 311 and a second clamp 312. The first clamp 311 and the second clamp 312 are connected to form a receiving space 313, within which the rocket assembly is installed. Thus, the first clamp 311 and the second clamp 312 can be detachably connected using bolts or other fasteners, allowing personnel to quickly complete the clamping and releasing operations of the rocket assembly, significantly improving the efficiency of pre-docking preparation and post-docking evacuation.

[0034] It is worth mentioning that, in some embodiments, the inner wall of the clamp can be provided with an elastic buffer pad, which is made of wear-resistant and impact-resistant material. This buffer pad can not only fit tightly against the outer surface of the rocket assembly to enhance support stability, but also effectively avoid scratches or damage to the rocket shell caused by rigid contact.

[0035] In addition, the curvature of the first clamp 311 and the second clamp 312 can be customized according to the outer diameter of different rocket assemblies, so that the carrier 31 can be adapted to rockets of various specifications, improve the versatility and applicability of the docking device, and further optimize its flexibility in practical engineering applications.

[0036] In one embodiment, the adjustment actions of the adjustment unit 3 in each docking unit 1 are performed synchronously. In each docking unit 1, the two drive units 321 can asynchronously drive the corresponding connecting parts 322 to rotate the rocket assembly. In this way, by adjusting the two drive units 321, a displacement difference can be generated between the two connecting parts 322 to rotate the rocket assembly around its own axis, thereby adjusting its attitude to match the angle requirements of the docking target.

[0037] It should be explained that the rocket assembly is raised, lowered, or rotated by adjusting the docking unit 1. The drive method in each docking unit 1 is the same, reducing the need for additional drive settings and achieving efficient use.

[0038] In one embodiment, the adjustment action of the adjustment unit 3 of at least one docking unit 1 is asynchronous with the adjustment actions of the adjustment units 3 of the remaining docking units 1. Furthermore, in each docking unit 1, two drive units 321 can synchronously drive the corresponding connecting parts 322, creating a height difference between the connecting parts 322 of at least one docking unit 1 and the connecting parts 322 of the remaining docking units 1, thus creating a height difference between the two ends of the rocket assembly. This allows the rocket assembly to produce precise and controllable pitch angle changes, thereby flexibly adjusting its pitch attitude deviation from the docking target and ensuring that the parallelism of the docking surfaces meets the requirements. This asynchronous adjustment method can specifically correct local attitude tilts of the rocket assembly in the height direction, effectively compensating for attitude deviation problems that cannot be solved by overall synchronous adjustment, and further enhancing the adaptability of the docking device to complex working conditions.

[0039] It should be noted that, taking a rocket assembly with two docking units 1 as an example, the two docking units 1 can be designated as the first docking unit 1 and the second docking unit 1, respectively. The first docking unit 1 can be driven to rise or fall while the second docking unit 1 remains stationary, creating a height difference between them and causing the rocket assembly to pitch. Alternatively, the second docking unit 1 can be driven to rise or fall while the first docking unit 1 remains stationary, creating a height difference between them and causing the rocket assembly to pitch.

[0040] It is worth mentioning that there are multiple ways to set up the drive unit 321. For example, in the case of a winch, the adjustment component 32 can be set up using flexible components such as ropes to cooperate with the use of the winch. For example, when the two drive units 321 are driven synchronously, the rope can be wound up or unwound by starting the two winches at the same time to achieve vertical lifting and lowering. When the two drive units 321 are driven asynchronously, one winch can be started to rotate forward to achieve winding, and the other winch can rotate in the opposite direction to achieve unwinding, so that there is a height difference between the two adjustment components 32, so as to realize the rotation of the rocket assembly along its own axis.

[0041] In one embodiment, the support member 2 includes a support frame 21 and casters 22 connected to the support frame 21, with the adjustment unit 3 mounted on the support frame 21. Thus, the casters 22 enable flexible movement of the support member 2, such as axial movement or rotation along the ground, facilitating rapid adjustment of the initial position of the rocket assembly according to docking requirements and providing convenient conditions for subsequent precise attitude adjustments. Simultaneously, integrating the adjustment unit 3 onto the support frame 21 ensures a stable overall structure between the adjustment unit 3 and the support member 2, making the transmission of adjustment actions more direct and reliable, effectively improving the accuracy and response speed of attitude adjustments, and further enhancing the adaptability and stability of the docking device under complex working conditions.

[0042] To maintain stability during docking and reduce movement of the support member 2, in one embodiment, the docking device further includes a limiting structure 4 located at the bottom of the support member 2 to restrict its movement. Thus, the limiting structure 4 can contact the ground to position and lock the support member 2.

[0043] In some implementations, for example, the limiting structure 4 can be a pin assembly with a locking function. When the support member 2 moves to the target position, the pin is inserted and locked to restrict the horizontal movement of the support member 2; or a magnetic limiting device can be used to fix the support member 2 to the metal ground by electromagnetic attraction force, ensuring that the support member 2 will not shift during the docking process, effectively avoiding attitude deviation caused by the accidental movement of the support member 2 during the docking process, and ensuring the accuracy and safety of the rocket assembly docking.

[0044] In this embodiment, the limiting structure 4 is equipped with a cylinder 41. Specifically, the limiting structure 4 includes a cylinder 41, which is connected to the support member 2 and in contact with the ground. Under the drive of the cylinder 41, there is a height difference between the support member 2 and the ground. Thus, by driving the limiting block to extend and contact the ground through the cylinder 41, the support member 2 is rigidly locked. This structure responds quickly, and the locking force is stable and uniform, effectively resisting the horizontal thrust and vertical load transmitted by the rocket assembly during docking, and preventing minor displacement of the support member 2. At the same time, the control of the cylinder 41 can be integrated into the overall control system of the docking device to realize automatic locking and unlocking, improve operational efficiency, and further enhance the applicability of the docking device in scenarios of frequent adjustments and long-term stable support.

[0045] In one embodiment, the docking device further includes a transfer frame 5, which supports the rocket assembly to transport it to the docking device. Thus, the transfer frame 5 can move smoothly over the ground, ensuring the rocket assembly maintains a stable attitude during transport. When the transfer frame 5 carrying the rocket assembly arrives at the designated docking position of the docking device, the positioning pins on the transfer frame 5 automatically align with the positioning holes of the docking device, completing initial positioning. Simultaneously, the support surface of the transfer frame 5 and the support member 2 of the docking device can achieve seamless connection, providing a reliable prerequisite for the subsequent limiting and locking of the support member 2 and the precise docking of the rocket assembly.

[0046] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A docking device for docking two adjacent rocket assemblies, characterized in that, The docking device includes two docking mechanisms, with one rocket assembly disposed in one of the docking mechanisms and the other rocket assembly disposed in the other docking mechanism; The docking mechanism includes at least two docking units, which are spaced apart along the length of the rocket assembly. Each docking unit includes: Support components; An adjustment unit is disposed on the support member, and the rocket assembly is installed on the adjustment unit; The adjustment unit can adjust the attitude of the corresponding rocket assembly to enable two adjacent rocket assemblies to dock.

2. The docking device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The adjustment unit includes a support member and two adjustment members. The support member is used to support the rocket assembly. The adjustment member includes a drive part and a connecting part. The drive part is installed on the support member, and the connecting part is connected to the support member. The drive part and the connecting part are connected in a transmission manner. The drive part can drive the connecting part to move up and down to adjust the attitude of the rocket assembly.

3. The docking device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The adjustment actions of the adjustment units of each docking unit are performed synchronously. In each docking unit, the two driving parts can synchronously drive the corresponding connecting parts to drive the rocket assembly to move in the vertical direction.

4. The docking device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The adjustment actions of the adjustment units of each docking unit are performed synchronously. In each docking unit, the two drive units can asynchronously drive the corresponding connecting parts to drive the rocket assembly to rotate.

5. The docking device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The adjustment action of the adjustment unit of at least one of the docking units is asynchronous with the adjustment action of the adjustment units of the remaining docking units, and in each docking unit, two driving parts can synchronously drive the corresponding connecting parts, so that there is a height difference between the connecting parts of at least one of the docking units and the connecting parts of the remaining docking units, so that there is a height difference between the two ends of the rocket assembly.

6. The docking device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The carrier includes a first clamp and a second clamp, the first clamp and the second clamp are connected to form a receiving space, and the rocket assembly is installed in the receiving space.

7. The docking device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The support includes a support frame and casters connected to the support frame, and the adjustment unit is located on the support frame.

8. The docking device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The docking device also includes a limiting structure located at the bottom of the support member to restrict the movement of the support member.

9. The docking device as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The limiting structure includes a cylinder connected to the support member and in contact with the ground, wherein, driven by the cylinder, there is a height difference between the support member and the ground.

10. The docking device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The docking device also includes a transfer frame for supporting the rocket assembly to transfer the rocket assembly to the docking device.

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