A capture device for space debris

Abstract

This invention relates to a space debris capture device, comprising a satellite body and solar panels, the solar panels being mounted on the satellite body. It also includes an elephant trunk-like capture mechanism consisting of a tentacle sensing end, a multi-stage scissor mechanism, a multi-segmented outer shell, and a base. The scissor mechanism and the multi-segmented outer shell are connected at both ends to the tentacle sensing end and the base, respectively. The multi-segmented outer shell and the multi-stage scissor mechanism are coaxially arranged, with the multi-stage scissor mechanism located within the multi-segmented outer shell. The base is mounted on the satellite body. The tentacle sensing end is helical and includes a ranging sensor for detecting debris distance and a pressure-sensitive sensor for detecting contact pressure. By employing an elephant trunk-like capture mechanism, mimicking the biological structure of an elephant's trunk, and relying on the internally coaxially arranged multi-stage scissor mechanism to achieve flexible extension, contraction, and bending, the elephant trunk-like capture mechanism can adaptively wrap around space debris, achieving highly flexible bending and wrapping movements. This allows it to adapt to space debris of different shapes and sizes, improving capture success rate and adaptability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of space debris capture technology, and in particular to a space debris capture device. Background Technology

[0002] In the modern space domain, capture mechanisms are indispensable key devices. Based on target characteristics, existing on-orbit capture technologies can be divided into two categories: cooperative target capture and non-cooperative target capture. Taking advantage of the high accuracy, strong anti-interference, and high reliability of cooperative target capture, existing capture methods are mostly designed for cooperative targets, including docking, grabbing, and connection / tethering types. However, these methods heavily rely on pre-set docking interfaces and standard signals, and are insufficiently adaptable to unmarked, non-standard, or unknown non-cooperative targets. In complex scenarios such as space debris cleanup and malfunctioning spacecraft recovery, the autonomy and flexibility of existing technologies face severe challenges. Current capture mechanisms are primarily designed for cooperative targets with pre-set cooperative interfaces, in a stable and controllable state, or with known trajectories.

[0003] Non-cooperative target capture has the significant advantages of wide applicability and high autonomy. For non-cooperative targets, flexible capture nets, robotic arms, and flying net technologies are often used. Flexible capture nets are mainly used to deal with tumbling or irregularly shaped targets, achieving safe retrieval through large-area flexible wrapping. Robotic arms are good at performing precise approach and fixed-point grasping, suitable for tasks requiring stable docking or delicate operations. Flying net technology is used for long-distance rapid launching, which can provide initial restraint on high-speed or unpredictable moving targets under non-contact conditions, creating conditions for subsequent handling.

[0004] Flexible on-orbit capture mechanisms can achieve envelope-style safe capture of non-cooperative targets such as those that are tumbling at high speed, structurally fragile, or out of control. In complex cleanup and maintenance tasks, this mechanism can complete the approach, restraint, and towing of targets with low risk and high efficiency, significantly improving the ability to handle targets in unknown states. Existing flexible on-orbit capture mechanisms mainly include space rope nets and flexible robotic arms, but space rope nets are difficult to accurately reconstruct and control the attitude after deployment, limiting their mission adaptability; while flexible robotic arms rely on complex multibody dynamics modeling and active vibration suppression to achieve stable operation of targets, resulting in high system complexity and challenges in on-orbit reliability and maintenance costs.

[0005] The following problems exist: (1) Existing capture methods are mostly designed for cooperative targets, such as docking, grabbing, and tethering / attachment methods. These methods rely heavily on the target's pre-defined interface and standard signals, making them difficult to adapt to unmarked, non-standard, or non-cooperative targets with unknown motion states. For example, in space debris cleanup, targets often tumble at high speeds and have no grasping structures; during the rescue of malfunctioning spacecraft, targets may lose power and communication capabilities; and during the on-orbit recovery of retired rockets or defunct satellites, their fragile surfaces are easily damaged by rigid operations. These limitations mean that traditional methods often cannot achieve safe and reliable capture when dealing with complex scenarios such as target attitude loss, orbital anomalies, or structural fragility.

[0006] (2) In the existing flexible on-orbit capture mechanisms, the space rope net is difficult to precisely control its shape and correct its trajectory after it is deployed, which limits the flexibility of the mission; while the flexible robotic arm relies on a complex multi-joint collaborative control and vibration suppression system to achieve stable operation of the target. The system is complex, and the on-orbit maintenance cost and reliability face challenges.

[0007] (3) The current limitations of non-cooperative target acquisition technology are mainly reflected in the fact that existing acquisition mechanisms rely heavily on preset interfaces, stable target attitudes and known motion trajectories, which makes them lack sufficient adaptive capabilities and acquisition methods when facing targets that are tumbling at high speed, with unknown structures or completely out of control, and makes it difficult to achieve reliable task execution in complex non-cooperative environments.

[0008] Chinese patent application CN107433618A discloses a bidirectional telescopic robotic arm, comprising a base, a control system, a middle support plate, a robotic arm, an upper support plate, and a robotic hand. The control system is installed inside the base, the middle support plate is positioned above the base, the robotic arm is mounted on the middle support plate and connected to the control system, the upper support plate is mounted at the end of the robotic arm, and the robotic hand is mounted on the upper support plate. The control system drives the robotic arm to undergo lateral bending or telescopic deformation, allowing the robotic hand to reach a predetermined position for grasping. This patent utilizes a scissor-like structure to deform, thereby changing the length of the robotic arm to facilitate approaching the object to be grasped. Grasping the object primarily relies on the grippers on the robotic arm, making it suitable for grasping objects of specific shapes; however, it cannot adapt to grasping objects of various shapes.

[0009] Therefore, how to make the capture device adaptable to grasping fragments of different shapes and sizes is an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a device for capturing space debris.

[0011] The objective of this invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions: According to one aspect of the present invention, a space debris capture device is provided, comprising a satellite body and a solar array, the solar array being disposed on the satellite body, and a trunk-like capture mechanism consisting of a tentacle sensing end, a multi-stage scissor mechanism, a multi-segment shell, and a base. The two ends of the scissor mechanism and the multi-segment shell are respectively connected to the tentacle sensing end and the base. The multi-segment shell and the multi-stage scissor mechanism are coaxially arranged, with the multi-stage scissor mechanism located within the multi-segment shell. The base is disposed on the satellite body. The tentacle sensing end is helical, and includes a ranging sensor for detecting the distance to the debris and a pressure-sensitive sensor for detecting contact pressure. The tentacle sensing end is used to sense the state of the fragment and extends and retracts through a multi-stage scissor mechanism to bend and wrap around the elephant trunk-like capturing mechanism to capture the fragment.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution, the multi-stage scissor lift mechanism includes a power unit and multiple linkage units, which are connected end to end in sequence. The linkage unit at the tail end is connected to the power unit, and the linkage unit at the head end is connected to the touch sensing end. The power unit is mounted on a base.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution, the power unit includes a first motor, a first slider, a bidirectional lead screw, and fixed blocks. The fixed blocks are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the base. The bidirectional lead screw is mounted on the two fixed blocks. The first slider is arranged on both sides of the bidirectional lead screw. The first motor is arranged on the base and is poweredly connected to the bidirectional lead screw.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution, the bidirectional lead screw includes a set of threads with opposite directions of rotation, the threads with opposite directions of rotation are arranged symmetrically around the center of the bidirectional lead screw, and the first slider is movably connected to the threads with opposite directions of rotation respectively.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution, the power unit further includes a transmission component, wherein the first motor is connected to the bidirectional lead screw via the transmission component, or the first motor is coaxially connected to the bidirectional lead screw.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution, each linkage unit includes an X-shaped linkage, a universal joint, and a joint frame. The universal joint is mounted on the X-shaped linkage. One side of the joint frame is connected end to end in sequence. The other side of the joint frame is connected end to end in sequence through the X-shaped linkage and the universal joint. The joint frame at the tail end is connected to the power unit and the base through the X-shaped linkage and the universal joint. The joint frame at the head end is connected to the tactile sensing end.

[0017] As a preferred technical solution, each joint frame includes a first triangular plate, a second triangular plate, a first connecting shaft, and a second connecting shaft. The first and second triangular plates are both right-angled triangular plates. The first and second triangular plates are aligned and connected by the first and second connecting shafts. Adjacent joint frames are connected sequentially by the second connecting shaft. The joint frame located at the head or tail end is connected to the tactile sensing end or base by the second connecting shaft.

[0018] As a preferred technical solution, the joint frame further includes a second slider, which is disposed on the first connecting shaft. The X-shaped link is connected to the second slider via a universal joint. The X-shaped link includes two straight rods, the centers of which intersect and both rotate relative to each other around the center.

[0019] As a preferred technical solution, the base includes a support frame, a floating platform, a vertical displacement component, and a slide rail. The floating platform is slidably connected to the support frame via the slide rail. The vertical displacement component is connected to both the support frame and the floating platform. The multi-stage scissor mechanism is mounted on the floating platform.

[0020] As a preferred technical solution, the vertical displacement assembly includes a second motor, a first lead screw, a connecting sleeve, a horizontal lead screw, and a nut. The nut is disposed on both sides of the floating platform. The horizontal lead screw is connected to the nut and the connecting sleeve respectively. The second motor is disposed on the support frame. The first lead screw is coaxially connected to the second motor and threadedly connected to the connecting sleeve.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention uses an elephant trunk-like capture mechanism, mimicking the biological structure of an elephant's trunk, and relies on a multi-stage scissor mechanism arranged coaxially inside to achieve flexible extension and bending. This allows the elephant trunk-like capture mechanism to adaptively wrap around space debris, achieving highly flexible bending and wrapping movements. It can adapt to space debris of different shapes and sizes, improving the capture success rate and adaptability.

[0022] 2. This invention features a multi-stage scissor mechanism that simultaneously achieves extension and bending. The extension motion drives the entire capture mechanism to bend, providing a continuous and controllable range of motion. The multi-stage design enables a larger extension range. The multi-stage scissor mechanism bends and grips the fragments.

[0023] 3. The power unit in this invention adopts a thread design with opposite rotation directions. A single motor drive can realize the synchronous opposite / separated movement of the sliders on both sides, simplifying the control system, improving reliability, and enabling precise control of the extension and retraction of the scissor mechanism.

[0024] 4. The X-shaped linkage of the present invention realizes scissor-like telescopic movement, the universal joint provides multi-degree-of-freedom connection, enabling the overall mechanism to bend in multiple directions, and the joint frame provides stable connection support, thus achieving flexible movement similar to an elephant trunk.

[0025] 5. The multi-segment shell of the present invention provides protection, protecting the internal scissor mechanism from the influence of the spatial environment. The multi-segment design allows the whole structure to bend without affecting the movement, while providing a smooth outer surface to avoid damage to fragments or itself when entangled.

[0026] 6. The floating platform of the present invention is slidably connected by a slide rail and a support frame, and is powered by a vertical displacement component to make the floating platform slide, thereby causing the multi-stage scissor mechanism to move as a whole, increasing the working space range of the capture device. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the elephant trunk-like capture mechanism of the present invention when it is bent; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the elephant trunk-like capture mechanism of the present invention when it is bent and unfolded. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the elephant trunk-like capture mechanism of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the power unit structure of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the multi-stage scissor lift mechanism of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the articulation frame structure of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the X-shaped connecting rod structure of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the universal joint structure of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the base of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the reference plane structure of the present invention; 1. Elephant trunk-like capture mechanism; 2. Tentacle sensing end; 3. Multi-stage scissor mechanism; 4. Multi-segment shell; 5. Base; 6. Satellite body; 7. Solar array; 31. Power unit; 32. Linkage unit; 311. First motor; 312. First slider; 313. Bidirectional lead screw; 314. Fixing block; 316. Gear; 317. Synchronous belt; 321. X-shaped link; 322. Universal joint; 323. Articulator; 324. Support component; 3231. First triangular plate; 3232. Second triangular plate; 3233. First connecting shaft; 3234. Second connecting shaft; 3235. First end hole; 3236. Second end hole; 3237. Third end hole; 51. Support frame; 52. Second motor; 53. First lead screw; 54. Connecting sleeve; 55. Horizontal lead screw; 56. Nut; 57. Bearing plate. Detailed Implementation

[0028] 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 some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] With the increasing frequency of global space activities and the accelerated development of space resources, the cutting-edge field of on-orbit servicing and maintenance is receiving high attention, and one key technology—the on-orbit capture mechanism—is gradually becoming a research hotspot. The on-orbit capture mechanism undertakes the core task of safely approaching, reliably capturing, and stably controlling target spacecraft or space debris; therefore, its performance directly determines the success of on-orbit operations and overall effectiveness. Currently, the mature and widely used technologies are mainly based on cooperative target capture.

[0030] Existing cooperative target acquisition technologies mostly rely on pre-set standardized interfaces and pre-set beacon signals, and are usually composed of sophisticated active docking mechanisms or dedicated robotic arms. Therefore, they have poor adaptability to target states and mission autonomy, and their flexibility is relatively limited. They are helpless against spacecraft in unstable states or that have lost their ability to cooperate. Moreover, existing mature acquisition systems are mostly designed for cooperative targets and heavily rely on the cooperation and stable attitude of the target, making it difficult to safely and efficiently deal with non-cooperative targets that are tumbling at high speeds, have unknown structures, or have fragile surfaces.

[0031] Therefore, this invention addresses the requirements for the safe capture of non-cooperative targets in complex space environments by proposing a flexible on-orbit capture mechanism that mimics an elephant's trunk. This mechanism can achieve adaptive envelope and stable restraint for targets with irregular shapes, lack of prior information, or high-speed tumbling. It has significant implications for improving the automation level of on-orbit missions and promoting technological breakthroughs in fields such as space debris cleanup and satellite maintenance.

[0032] Example 1 like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, a space debris capture device includes a satellite body 6 and a solar array 7. The solar array 7 is mounted on the satellite body 6. It also includes an elephant trunk-like capture mechanism 1 composed of a tentacle sensing end 2, a multi-stage scissor mechanism 3, a multi-segment shell 4, and a base 5. The two ends of the scissor mechanism 3 and the multi-segment shell 4 are respectively connected to the tentacle sensing end 2 and the base 5. The multi-segment shell 4 and the multi-stage scissor mechanism 3 are coaxially arranged, with the multi-stage scissor mechanism 3 located inside the multi-segment shell 4. The base 5 is mounted on the satellite body. The tentacle sensing end 2 is helical and includes a ranging sensor for detecting the distance to debris and a pressure-sensitive sensor for detecting contact pressure. The tentacle sensing end 2 is used to sense the state of the fragment and extends and retracts through the multi-stage scissor mechanism 3 to bend and wrap around the elephant trunk-like capturing mechanism 1 to capture the fragment.

[0033] In this embodiment, the solar panels 7 are arranged on both sides of the satellite body 6; the elephant trunk-like capture mechanism 1 is arranged at the front end of the satellite body 6, specifically two elephant trunk-like capture mechanisms 1 are arranged symmetrically on the front end of the satellite body 6.

[0034] The elephant trunk-like capture mechanism 1 includes a tentacle sensing end 2, a multi-stage scissor mechanism 3, a multi-segment housing 4, and a base 5. The base 5 is mounted on the satellite body 6. One end of the multi-stage scissor mechanism 3 is mounted on the base 5, and the other end of the multi-stage scissor mechanism 3 has the tentacle sensing end 2. The multi-segment housing 4 is located outside the multi-stage scissor mechanism 3 and is connected to both the tentacle sensing end 2 and the base 5. A control module is installed on the satellite body 6 to control the start and stop of the multi-stage scissor mechanism 3 and to receive data from the ranging sensor and the pressure sensor.

[0035] The tentacle sensing end 2 has an overall conical spiral structure with a large end and a small end. The large end is connected to the connecting rod unit 32 at the head end. The tentacle sensing end 2 extends outward from the large end to the small end and gradually narrows. This spiral design is beneficial for hooking or wrapping around the protruding parts of the target object by rotating or laterally curling when approaching space debris. The tentacle sensing end 2 is also equipped with a distance sensor and a pressure sensor. The distance sensor is used to detect the distance to the debris, and the pressure sensor is used to detect the contact pressure.

[0036] The overall working principle of the touch sensing terminal 2: Near-field guidance phase: When the elephant trunk-like capture mechanism 1 approaches the target under the drive of the base 5 and the scissor mechanism 3, the ranging sensor at the top of the tentacle sensing end 2 starts to work, monitors the distance and orientation deviation with the debris in real time, and feeds the data back to the control system of the satellite body.

[0037] Touch perception stage: When the sensor end 2 of the tentacle makes initial physical contact with the fragment, the pressure sensor on the inner side detects the contact force signal. At this time, the control system determines that it has entered the "capture lock" state and stops the linear extension of the scissor mechanism.

[0038] Collaborative parcel stage: With stable contact feedback provided by the tentacle sensing end 2, the first motor 311 continues to drive the scissor mechanism 3 to rotate in multiple stages. Due to the interlocking between the spiral shape of the tentacle sensing end 2 and the geometric features of the fragment, and in conjunction with the subsequent step-by-step wrapping action of the scissor linkage, the fragment is finally firmly locked within the inner curved space of the elephant trunk mechanism.

[0039] like Figure 4 As shown, the multi-stage scissor mechanism 3 includes a power unit 31 and multiple linkage units 32. The multiple linkage units 32 are connected end to end in sequence. The linkage unit 32 at the tail end is connected to the power unit 31, and the linkage unit 32 at the head end is connected to the touch sensing end 2. The power unit 31 is mounted on the base 5.

[0040] In this embodiment, the multi-stage scissor mechanism 3 includes a power unit 31 and multiple linkage units 32; the multiple linkage units 32 are connected end to end in sequence, the linkage unit 32 at the tail end is connected to the power unit 31, and the connection unit 32 at the head end is connected to the touch sensing end 2.

[0041] like Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the power unit 31 includes a first motor 311, a first slider 312, a bidirectional lead screw 313, and a fixing block 314. The fixing blocks 314 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the base 5. The bidirectional lead screw 313 is mounted on the two fixing blocks 314. The first slider 312 is arranged on both sides of the bidirectional lead screw 313. The first motor 311 is arranged on the base 5 and is poweredly connected to the bidirectional lead screw 313.

[0042] The bidirectional lead screw 313 includes a set of threads with opposite directions of rotation, which are arranged symmetrically around the center of the bidirectional lead screw 313. The first slider 312 is movably connected to the threads with opposite directions of rotation.

[0043] The power unit 31 also includes a transmission assembly. The first motor 311 is connected to the bidirectional lead screw 313 via the transmission assembly, or the first motor 311 is connected to the bidirectional lead screw 313 via a coaxial transmission.

[0044] In this embodiment, the power unit 31 includes a first motor 311, a first slider 312, a bidirectional lead screw 313, and a fixing block 314. The first motor 311 is mounted in the base 5. There are two fixing blocks 314, symmetrically arranged on the end face of the base 5, and the bidirectional lead screw 313 is mounted on the two fixing blocks 314. The bidirectional lead screw 313 is provided with a set of opposite-direction threads, which are symmetrically arranged around the center of the bidirectional lead screw 313. The first slider 312 is provided with threads and is mounted on the opposite-direction threads of the bidirectional lead screw 313, that is, there are two first sliders 312. The first motor 311 and the bidirectional lead screw 313 are connected by a drive, allowing the first motor 311 and the bidirectional lead screw 313 to rotate coaxially. This can be achieved by setting a gear 316 at the center of the bidirectional lead screw 313, with the output shaft of the first motor 311 meshing with the gear 316 for transmission. Alternatively, a synchronous belt 317 can be provided, with the output shaft of the first motor 311 being driven by the synchronous belt 317 and the gear 316.

[0045] Start the first motor 311 to drive the bidirectional lead screw 313 to rotate. When the bidirectional lead screw 313 rotates, it drives the two first sliders 312 to move on the bidirectional lead screw 313. Since the bidirectional lead screw 313 is provided with a set of threads with opposite directions, the rotation of the bidirectional lead screw 313 drives the two first sliders 312 to move simultaneously toward the middle or both ends of the bidirectional lead screw 313.

[0046] like Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, each linkage unit 32 includes an X-shaped linkage 321, a universal joint 322, and a joint frame 323. The universal joint 322 is mounted on the X-shaped linkage 321. One side of the joint frame 323 is connected end to end in sequence. The other side of the joint frame 323 is connected end to end in sequence through the X-shaped linkage 321 and the universal joint 322. The joint frame 323 at the tail end is connected to the power unit 31 and the base 5 through the X-shaped linkage 321 and the universal joint 322. The joint frame 323 at the head end is connected to the tentacle sensing end 2.

[0047] Each articulation frame 323 includes a first triangular plate 3231, a second triangular plate 3232, a first connecting shaft 3233, and a second connecting shaft 3234. The first triangular plate 3231 and the second triangular plate 3232 are both right-angled triangular plates. The first triangular plate 3231 and the second triangular plate 3232 are aligned and connected by the first connecting shaft 3233 and the second connecting shaft 3234. Adjacent articulation frames 323 are connected sequentially by the second connecting shaft 3234. The articulation frame 323 located at the first or last end is connected to the tentacle sensing end 2 or the base 5 by the second connecting shaft 3234.

[0048] The articulator 323 further includes a second slider, which is disposed on the first connecting shaft 3233. The X-shaped link 321 is connected to the second slider through a universal joint 322. The X-shaped link 321 includes two straight rods, the centers of which intersect and both rotate relative to each other around the center.

[0049] In this embodiment, the linkage unit 32 includes an X-shaped linkage 321, a universal joint 322, and a joint frame 323. The joint frame 323 includes a first triangular plate 3231, a second triangular plate 3232, a first connecting shaft 3233, and a second connecting shaft 3234. The triangular plates are right-angled triangles. Both the first triangular plate 3231 and the second triangular plate 3232 include a first end hole 3235, a second end hole 3236, and a third end hole 3237. The end holes are used to install the connecting shaft, wherein the second end hole 3236 is located at the right angle. The first triangular plate 3231 and the second triangular plate 3232 are arranged in parallel, and the first end hole 3235 and the second end hole 3237 are... 236. The third end hole 3237 are respectively aligned. The first end hole 3235 of the first triangle plate 3231 and the second triangle plate 3232 in the same linkage unit 32 is connected by the first connecting shaft 3233. The second end hole 3236 of the first triangle plate 3231 and the second triangle plate 3232 is connected by the second connecting shaft 3234. The axes of the first end hole 3235 and the second end hole 3236 are on the same plane. The axes of the second end hole 3236 and the third end hole 3237 are on the same plane.

[0050] The third end hole 3237 of the first triangle 3231 and the second triangle 3232 is connected to the second connecting shaft 3234 of the adjacent first triangle 3231 and second triangle 3232. The first connecting shaft 3233 is provided with two second sliders, which are not threaded. The two second sliders can move along the first connecting shaft 3233 towards the middle or towards both ends.

[0051] Universal joints 322 are installed on the four vertices of the X-shaped link 321. Two vertices on the same side of the X-shaped link 321 are connected to the second slider on the first connecting shaft 3233 through universal joints 322. Two vertices on the other side of the X-shaped link 321 are connected to the second slider on the first connecting shaft 3233 in the adjacent link unit 32 through universal joints 322. In summary, the connection between adjacent link units 32 is realized. This multi-degree-of-freedom connection is the key to realizing the elephant trunk-shaped free bending. It can compensate for the angular deviation of the link when moving in three-dimensional space and prevent the mechanism from jamming.

[0052] For the tail-end linkage unit 32, the second slider on its first connecting rod 3233 is connected to the first slider 312 on the bidirectional lead screw 313 via an X-shaped connecting rod 321 and a universal joint 322. The linkage unit 32 also includes a support member 324, which is disposed on the end face of the support base 315, and the other end of the support member 324 is connected to the second connecting shaft 3234 of the linkage unit 32. For the head-end linkage unit 32, its third end hole 3237 is connected to the tactile sensing end 2. Both the first connecting shaft 3233 and the second connecting shaft 3234 can rotate arbitrarily; the X-shaped connecting rod 321 rotates around its center.

[0053] The working principle is as follows: The first motor 311 drives the bidirectional lead screw 313 to rotate, which causes the first slider 312 to move towards the middle or both ends. The power passes sequentially through the universal joint 322, the X-shaped connecting rod 321, and the universal joint 322, causing the second slider to move towards the middle or both ends of the first connecting shaft 3233, thus causing the tail-end connecting rod unit 32 to rotate with the support member 324. At the same time, the power is transmitted sequentially from the second slider on the first connecting shaft 3233 in the connecting unit 32, the X-shaped connecting rod 321, and the second slider on the first connecting shaft 3233 in the next-level connecting rod unit 32. The next-level connecting rod unit 32 rotates with its second connecting shaft 3234. The power transmission process is repeated in this way to achieve control of multiple adjacent connecting rod units 32. The third end hole 3237 in the first-end connecting rod unit 32 is movably connected to the tentacle sensing end 2, ultimately achieving the elephant trunk-like bending. Due to the use of a multi-segment shell 4, it can unfold itself when bending, avoiding affecting the movement of the elephant trunk-like capture mechanism 1.

[0054] like Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the base 5 includes a support frame 51, a floating platform, a vertical displacement component, and a slide rail. The floating platform is slidably connected to the support frame 51 via the slide rail. The vertical displacement component is connected to both the support frame 51 and the floating platform. The multi-stage scissor mechanism 3 is mounted on the floating platform.

[0055] The vertical displacement assembly includes a second motor 52, a first lead screw 53, a connecting sleeve 54, a horizontal lead screw 55, and a nut 56. The nut 56 is disposed on both sides of the floating platform. The horizontal lead screw 55 is connected to the nut 56 and the connecting sleeve 54 respectively. The second motor 52 is disposed on the support frame 51. The first lead screw 53 is coaxially connected to the second motor 52 and threadedly connected to the connecting sleeve 54.

[0056] In this embodiment, the base 5 includes a support frame 51, a vertical displacement unit, and a floating platform; the vertical displacement assembly includes a second drive motor 52 and a first lead screw 53. The second drive motor 52 is disposed at the bottom of the support frame 51, and the first lead screw 53 is coaxially connected to the second drive motor 52 with its axis perpendicular to the bottom.

[0057] The vertical displacement assembly also includes a connecting sleeve 54, a horizontal lead screw 55, and a nut 56. The connecting sleeve 54 is fitted onto the first lead screw 53, and the inner wall of the connecting sleeve 54 is threaded. The horizontal lead screw 55 is connected to both the connecting sleeve 54 and the floating platform. The nut 56 is located on the side wall near the floating platform and is connected to the horizontal lead screw 55. The floating platform and the support frame 51 are connected via a slide rail (not shown in the figure). When the second drive motor 52 is started, the first lead screw 53 is rotated, causing the connecting sleeve 54 to move up and down within the first lead screw 53, ultimately driving the floating platform to move up and down relative to the support frame 51. The multi-stage scissor mechanism 3 is installed on the support platform 57 of the floating platform. The multi-stage scissor mechanism 3 is fixedly installed on the floating platform, enabling the first motor 311 and its driven bidirectional lead screw 313 to move synchronously in the vertical direction along with the floating platform under the drive of the first lead screw 53.

[0058] When the vertical displacement unit drives the floating platform to move up and down, the entire elephant trunk-like capture mechanism 1 adjusts its spatial height synchronously, thereby achieving decoupled control of the capture mechanism in two degrees of freedom: vertical displacement (Z-axis height) and radial bending (shape control).

[0059] Overall workflow description: Phase 1: Spatial Height Pre-positioning (Vertical Displacement) Start the second drive motor 52: The rotation of the motor drives the first lead screw 53, which is coaxially connected to it, to rotate.

[0060] Platform lifting: Since the connecting sleeve 54 is threadedly engaged with the first lead screw 53, the rotation of the lead screw drives the connecting sleeve 54 and its connected floating drive platform to move smoothly in the vertical direction.

[0061] Benchmark Establishment: After the platform moves to the predetermined capture height, the second drive motor 52 stops. At this point, the entire elephant trunk-like capture mechanism 1 mounted on the platform reaches the optimal starting position for operation.

[0062] Phase Two: Bionic Bending Capture (Radial Control) Power start-up: The first motor 311 starts, and the torque is transmitted to the horizontally arranged double-acting screw 313 through the synchronous belt 317 and the toothed pulley 316.

[0063] Symmetrical motion: The rotation of the bidirectional lead screw 313 drives the two first sliders 312 to simultaneously converge toward the center or open to both ends.

[0064] Stress transmission: The displacement of the first slider 312 is transmitted to the multi-stage scissor mechanism 3 through the universal joint 322.

[0065] The power flows sequentially through the connecting rod units 32, which are linked end to end. In each connecting rod unit, the X-shaped connecting rod 321 changes its opening and closing angle, causing the articulated frame 323 to rotate around the second connecting shaft 3234. Due to the cumulative rotational effect of the multi-stage connecting rods, the overall mechanism exhibits a smooth, curved shape resembling an elephant's trunk. Figure 3 As shown; the tentacle sensing end 2 at the head gradually approaches and eventually envelops the space fragment during the bending process.

[0066] The continuous bending and winding motion of the capture trunk is achieved by a series of multi-stage scissor mechanisms 3 along the axial direction; through the cumulative deformation and coordinated action of multiple sets of scissor mechanisms 3, the continuous bending and elephant trunk-like spiral winding motion of the capture trunk as a whole are achieved.

[0067] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A space debris capture device, comprising a satellite body (6) and solar panels (7), said solar panels (7) being disposed on the satellite body (6), characterized in that, It also includes an elephant trunk-like capture mechanism (1) consisting of a tentacle sensing end (2), a multi-stage scissor mechanism (3), a multi-segment shell (4), and a base (5). The two ends of the scissor mechanism (3) and the multi-segment shell (4) are connected to the tentacle sensing end (2) and the base (5), respectively. The multi-segment shell (4) and the multi-stage scissor mechanism (3) are coaxially arranged and the multi-stage scissor mechanism (3) is located inside the multi-segment shell (4). The base (5) is set on the satellite body (6). The tentacle sensing end (2) is spiral-shaped and includes a ranging sensor for detecting the distance of debris and a pressure sensor for detecting contact pressure. The tentacle sensing end (2) is used to sense the state of the fragment and extend and retract through the multi-stage scissor mechanism (3) to bend and wrap the elephant trunk-like capturing mechanism (1) around the fragment for capture.

2. The space debris capture device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multi-stage scissor mechanism (3) includes a power unit (31) and multiple linkage units (32). The multiple linkage units (32) are connected end to end in sequence. The linkage unit (32) at the tail end is connected to the power unit (31), and the connection unit (32) at the head end is connected to the touch sensing end (2). The power unit (31) is set on the base (5).

3. A space debris capture device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The power unit (31) includes a first motor (311), a first slider (312), a bidirectional lead screw (313), and a fixing block (314). The fixing blocks (314) are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the base (5). The bidirectional lead screw (313) is mounted on the two fixing blocks (314). The first slider (312) is arranged on both sides of the bidirectional lead screw (313). The first motor (311) is arranged on the base (5) and is poweredly connected to the bidirectional lead screw (313).

4. A space debris capture device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bidirectional lead screw (313) includes a set of threads with opposite directions of rotation, which are arranged symmetrically around the center of the bidirectional lead screw (313). The first slider (312) is movably connected to the threads with opposite directions of rotation respectively.

5. A space debris capture device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The power unit (31) further includes a transmission assembly. The first motor (311) is connected to the bidirectional lead screw (313) via the transmission assembly, or the first motor (311) and the bidirectional lead screw (313) are connected to each other on the same axis.

6. A space debris capture device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each linkage unit (32) includes an X-shaped linkage (321), a universal joint (322), and a joint frame (323). The universal joint (322) is installed on the X-shaped linkage (321). One side of the joint frame (323) is connected end to end in sequence. The other side of the joint frame (323) is connected end to end in sequence through the X-shaped linkage (321) and the universal joint (322). The joint frame (323) at the tail end is connected to the power unit (31) and the base (5) through the X-shaped linkage (321) and the universal joint (322). The joint frame (323) at the head end is connected to the tentacle sensing end (2).

7. A space debris capture device according to claim 6, characterized in that, Each articulation frame (323) includes a first triangular plate (3231), a second triangular plate (3232), a first connecting shaft (3233), and a second connecting shaft (3234). The first triangular plate (3231) and the second triangular plate (3232) are both right-angled triangular plates. The first triangular plate (3231) and the second triangular plate (3232) are aligned and connected by the first connecting shaft (3233) and the second connecting shaft (3234). Adjacent articulation frames (323) are connected sequentially by the second connecting shaft (3234). The articulation frame (323) located at the head end or tail end is connected to the tentacle sensing end (2) or the base (5) by the second connecting shaft (3234).

8. A space debris capture device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The articulator (323) also includes a second slider, which is disposed on the first connecting shaft (3233). The X-shaped link (321) is connected to the second slider through a universal joint (322). The X-shaped link (321) includes two straight rods, which intersect at their centers and rotate relative to each other around the center.

9. A space debris capture device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base (5) includes a support frame (51), a floating platform, a vertical displacement component and a slide rail. The floating platform is slidably connected to the support frame (51) via the slide rail. The vertical displacement component is connected to the support frame (51) and the floating platform respectively. The multi-stage scissor mechanism (3) is set on the floating platform.

10. A space debris capture device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The vertical displacement assembly includes a second motor (52), a first lead screw (53), a connecting sleeve (54), a horizontal lead screw (55), and a nut (56). The nut (56) is disposed on both sides of the floating platform. The horizontal lead screw (55) is connected to the nut (56) and the connecting sleeve (54) respectively. The second motor (52) is disposed on the support frame (51). The first lead screw (53) is coaxially connected to the second motor (52) and threadedly connected to the connecting sleeve (54).

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