Frame type deployable flexible solar wing and its deployment and satellite mounting method

Abstract

The application provides a frame type unfolding flexible solar wing and a method for unfolding and loading a satellite, the solar wing comprising a longitudinal rod assembly, foldable triangular frames distributed on both sides of the longitudinal rod assembly and connected in series, first folding rods connecting adjacent foldable triangular frames, a connecting frame rotatably connected to one end of the longitudinal rod assembly and hingedly connected to the other end, a root hinge connected to a satellite or a driving mechanism, a flexible solar wing plate laid on the surface of the unfolding frame, a compacting and releasing mechanism for compacting and releasing, and a constraint and releasing mechanism for constraining and releasing unfolding degrees of freedom. The longitudinal rod assembly, the foldable triangular frames and the first folding rods form a series structure, and the solar wing has the characteristics of high unfolding stiffness, small compacting envelope, high passive unfolding reliability and high satellite loading efficiency, and meets the requirements of flat plate satellite stacking launch.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of aerospace equipment technology, specifically to a frame-type deployable flexible solar array and its deployment and satellite mounting method. Background Technology

[0002] On-orbit deployment technology for foldable payloads is widely used in the aerospace field, such as for solar panels and antennas. In recent years, with the increasing power demands of spacecraft, the need for larger solar panels has grown, and existing deployment mechanisms suffer from drawbacks such as insufficient rigidity and system complexity. With the development of satellite constellations such as internet constellations, satellite manufacturing is moving towards mass production, requiring solar panels to have higher overall assembly and integration efficiency.

[0003] Existing deployment mechanisms mostly adopt cantilever beam structures, which have the following problems: First, the rigidity after deployment is insufficient, making it difficult to meet the load-bearing requirements of large solar panels; second, the folded envelope size is large, making it difficult to meet the stacked launch requirements of flat-panel internet satellites; third, the integration of the deployment mechanism and the solar panel is low, and the satellite installation operation requires repeated deployment and folding, resulting in low overall assembly efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a flexible solar array solution that can ensure high deployment stiffness while also having a small folded envelope, high passive deployment reliability, and the ability to mount satellites in the folded state. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this invention is to provide a frame-type deployable flexible solar array and its deployment and satellite mounting method.

[0006] A frame-type deployable flexible solar array according to the present invention includes: Longitudinal bar assembly; Multiple foldable triangular frames are distributed on both sides of the vertical rod assembly and connected by the vertical rod assembly. The foldable triangular frames on each side are arranged in series. Each foldable triangular frame has a folded state and an unfolded state. The first folding rod is connected between two adjacent foldable triangular frames and is used to constrain the relative position between the two adjacent foldable triangular frames when unfolded. The connecting frame is rotatably connected at one end to the end of the longitudinal rod assembly, and fixed at the other end to the root hinge; A root hinge is used to connect the connecting frame and the star or drive mechanism; Flexible solar panels are laid on the frame surface formed by the unfolded longitudinal rod assembly and the foldable triangular frame; A clamping and releasing mechanism is used to clamp and fix the components of the frame-type deployable flexible solar array in the retracted state, and to release the clamping constraint when it is deployed. The constraint release mechanism is used to constrain the solar wing main frame formed by the foldable triangular frame, the first folding rod and the longitudinal rod assembly in the folded state, and to release the deployment constraint when unfolded.

[0007] Preferably, the foldable triangular frame comprises two composite rectangular tubes and two folding plates; The two folding plates are hinged together by a second hinge shaft, on which a first torsion spring is installed to drive the two folding plates from a folded state to an unfolded state. Two composite rectangular tubes are hinged together at one end and respectively hinged to the two folded plates at the other end; A first locking hook is installed on one side of the folding plate of the second hinge axis, and a first lock head is provided on the other side of the folding plate. When the unfolded state is reached, the first locking hook hooks onto the first lock head to lock the two folding plates, thereby restricting the foldable triangular frame from folding back.

[0008] Preferably, the foldable triangular frame further includes a second clamping embedded part; the second clamping embedded part is embedded inside the composite rectangular tube and is used to provide a clamping force point for the constraint release mechanism; Preferably, in the unfolded state, the first folding rod unfolds into a rod shape to constrain the spacing and relative angle between two adjacent foldable triangular frames; In the retracted state, the first folding rod folds and retracts to compress the envelope size of the frame-type deployable flexible solar array in the length direction.

[0009] Preferably, it also includes a second folding rod and a root hinge; The two ends of the second folding rod are respectively hinged to the connecting frame and the longitudinal rod assembly, and the second folding rod is in a locked state when it is unfolded into place; The root hinge is located at the end of the connecting frame and includes a female hinge, a male hinge, a rotating shaft, and a spiral spring. The male hinge is hinged to the female hinge through the rotating shaft. The spiral spring is sleeved on the rotating shaft and is used to store elastic potential energy in the retracted state and drive the connecting frame to rotate a certain angle when the constraint is released. The male hinge is used to connect the spacecraft body or the drive mechanism, and the female hinge is used to connect to the connecting frame.

[0010] Preferably, the root hinge further includes a locking groove and a locking pin assembly; The locking groove is disposed on the female hinge, and the locking pin assembly is disposed on the male hinge; When fully extended, the locking pin assembly inserts into the locking groove under the action of elastic force, thereby achieving rigid locking of the root hinge.

[0011] Preferably, the longitudinal rod assembly includes a composite material square tube, a first clamping embedded part, and a first metal joint; The first clamping embedded part is embedded inside the composite material square tube and is used to provide a clamping force point for the clamping release mechanism; The first metal connector is disposed at the end of the composite material square tube and is used to connect with the connecting frame, the first folding rod, or the foldable triangular frame; Preferably, the flexible solar panel includes a solar cell array panel and a reinforcing frame; The solar cell array is laid on the frame surface formed by the longitudinal rod assembly and the foldable triangular frame; The reinforcing frame is disposed at the edge of the solar cell array panel to enhance the structural rigidity of the flexible solar panel.

[0012] Preferably, it also includes a clamping beam and cushioning foam; The clamping and releasing mechanism includes a base, a lower pin, an upper pin, a clamping rope, a guide bushing, a pre-tightening screw, a pre-tightening nut, and a hot knife assembly; The base is fixedly mounted on the celestial structure, the lower pin is fixed to the base, and the upper pin is fixed to the preload screw. The clamping rope is connected to the lower pin and the upper pin respectively. The guide sleeve is fixed to the corresponding first clamping embedded part of the uppermost longitudinal rod assembly in the retracted state and is sleeved on the outer layer of the preload screw. The preload screw and the preload nut are connected by a threaded pair. Rotating the preload nut allows the preload screw to move axially along the guide sleeve, giving the clamping rope a certain preload force to clamp and fix the components of the frame-type deployable flexible solar array in the retracted state. The hot knife assembly is used to cut the clamping rope when deploying to release the clamping constraint. The clamping beam is located on the retracted outer side of the frame-type deployable flexible solar panel, and is used to cooperate with the clamping release mechanism to clamp the components of the frame-type deployable flexible solar panel in the retracted state; the cushioning foam is located between the clamping beam and the frame-type deployable flexible solar panel to protect the solar cells.

[0013] Preferably, the restraint release mechanism includes a support and a restraint rope; The support is fixed to the second clamping embedded part of the lowest layer of the foldable triangular frame in the folded state. One end of the constraint rope is connected to the support, and the other end is connected to the uppermost layer of the foldable triangular frame in the folded state. In the folded state, the constraint rope is in a tensioned state, which restricts the degree of freedom of the frame-type deployable flexible solar wing. When deployed, the constraint rope is cut or released to release the deployment constraint on the frame-type deployable flexible solar wing.

[0014] The present invention provides a method for deploying and mounting a frame-type flexible solar array, comprising: Step S1: Fold the frame-type deployable flexible solar array to the folded state, folding the foldable triangular frame, the first folding rod, and the second folding rod; press and fix the folded frame-type deployable flexible solar array to the side of the spacecraft body through the clamping release mechanism and the clamping beam, and constrain its deployment degree of freedom through the constraint release mechanism. Then, it is installed into the launch vehicle fairing along with the spacecraft body. The thickness envelope of the frame-type deployable flexible solar array in the folded state meets the stacked launch requirements of flat-panel satellites. Step S2: During on-orbit deployment, the clamping constraint is released through the clamping release mechanism, thereby releasing the clamping constraint on each component of the frame-type flexible solar array; the spiral spring of the root hinge releases elastic potential energy, driving the connecting frame to deploy to a preset angle and lock it, while the second folding rod deploys and locks under the action of its own torsion spring, driving the main frame of the solar array to deploy to the preset angle.

[0015] When mounting satellites onto ground-based solar arrays, the mounting connection operation of the root hinge and the base of the clamping and release mechanism can be performed in this state, avoiding the deployment and retraction of the entire solar array, thereby greatly improving the mounting efficiency.

[0016] Step S3: The constraint release mechanism releases the deployment constraint, thereby removing the restriction on the deployment degree of freedom of the frame-type flexible solar wing; the foldable triangular frame and the first folding rod are deployed and locked in place, completing the deployment of the frame-type flexible solar wing.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. The frame-type deployable flexible solar array of the present invention forms a triangular cubic unit series structure through the longitudinal rod assembly, the foldable triangular frame and the first folding rod. Compared with the traditional flat solar array, it has higher deployment stiffness and is suitable for larger-scale on-orbit deployment of solar arrays.

[0018] 2. This invention is a passive unfolding method, and the unfolding motion of each triangular cube unit is independent of each other. The failure of a certain triangular cube unit does not affect the unfolding of the other units, resulting in high unfolding reliability.

[0019] 3. The frame-type deployable flexible solar array of the present invention has a rectangular cubic structure in the folded state, which is compact and has a small folded envelope, and is suitable for the stacked launch requirements of flat-panel Internet satellites.

[0020] 4. After the connecting frame of the present invention is unfolded, the main body of the structure can be raised a certain distance away from the star body to prevent structural interference during the subsequent movement of the solar array. At the same time, the satellite installation operation can be carried out in this state, which can greatly improve the satellite installation efficiency of the solar array. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 This is a planar schematic diagram of the frame-type deployable flexible solar array in the deployed state according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a planar schematic diagram of the frame-type deployable flexible solar array in the deployed state from another perspective, according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 This is a planar schematic diagram of the retracted state of the frame-type deployable flexible solar array according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a plan view of the frame-type deployable flexible solar panel connector in the deployed state according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a plan view of the frame-type deployable flexible solar panel clamping and release mechanism according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a plan view of the frame-type deployable flexible solar panel constraint release mechanism according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a plan view of the longitudinal rod assembly according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 8 This is a plan view of the foldable triangular frame according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This is a plan view of the first folding rod according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 10 This is a plan view of the second folding rod according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 11 This is a planar schematic diagram of the root hinge in an embodiment of this application.

[0022] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Longitudinal rod assembly; 11. Composite material square tube; 12. First clamping embedded part; 13. First metal joint; 2. Foldable triangular frame; 21. Composite material rectangular tube; 22. Second clamping embedded part; 23. Second metal joint; 24. Folding plate; 25. Second hinge shaft; 26. First torsion spring; 27. First locking hook; 28. First lock head; 3. First folding rod; 31. First sub-folding rod; 4. Connecting frame; 5. Second folding rod; 51. Second sub-folding plate; 52. Third hinge shaft; 53. Second locking hook; 54. Second lock head; 55. Fourth hinge shaft; 56. Fifth hinge shaft; 57. Second torsion spring; 58. Third torsion spring; 59. Fourth torsion spring; 6. Root hinge; 61. Female hinge; 62. Male hinge; 63. Rotating shaft; 64. Scroll spring; 65. Locking groove; 66. Locking pin assembly; 7. Flexible solar panel; 71. Solar cell array panel; 72. Reinforcing frame; 8. Cushioning foam; 9. Tighten the beam; 10. Compression release mechanism; 101. Base; 102. Lower pin; 103. Upper pin; 104. Compression rope; 105. Guide bushing; 106. Preload screw; 107. Preload nut; 108. Hot knife assembly; 20. Restraint release mechanism; 201. Support; 202. Restraint rope. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the present invention, but do not limit the invention in any way. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several changes and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention. These all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0024] Example 1 like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, this embodiment provides a frame-type deployable flexible solar wing, which includes a longitudinal rod assembly 1, a foldable triangular frame 2, a first folding rod 3, a connecting frame 4, a second folding rod 5, a root hinge 6, a flexible solar panel 7, a cushioning foam 8, a clamping beam 9, a clamping release mechanism 10, and a constraint release mechanism 20. The longitudinal rod assembly 1, the foldable triangular frame 2, and the first folding rod 3 constitute the main structure of the frame-type deployment mechanism. The connecting frame 4 and the second folding rod 5 constitute the proximal connection assembly. The root hinge 6 is located at the proximal end of the connecting frame 4 for connecting the spacecraft body or the drive mechanism. The flexible solar panel 7 is laid on the deployed frame surface. The clamping release mechanism 10 and the constraint release mechanism 20 are used to achieve clamping fixation and deployment constraint in the folded state.

[0025] like Figure 7 As shown, the longitudinal rod assembly 1 includes a composite material square tube 11, a first clamping embedded part 12, and a first metal connector 13. Specifically, the longitudinal rod assembly 1 includes three composite material square tubes 11, which are connected in series by two first clamping embedded parts 12. The first clamping embedded parts 12 are embedded inside the composite material square tubes 11 and are used to provide clamping force points for the clamping release mechanism 10. The upper and lower ends of the longitudinal rod assembly 1 are provided with first metal connectors 13, which are hinged to the foldable triangular frame 2 to realize the rotational connection between the longitudinal rod assembly 1 and the foldable triangular frame 2.

[0026] like Figure 8As shown, the foldable triangular frame 2 consists of two equal-length composite rectangular tube assemblies and one foldable metal plate assembly. The composite rectangular tube assembly includes two composite rectangular tube segments 21, connected in series by a second clamping insert 22. Each end of the composite rectangular tube assembly has a second metal connector 23 with hinge holes. The foldable metal plate assembly includes two folding plates 24, each with hinge holes. The two folding plates 24 are hinged together by a second hinge shaft 25, on which a first torsion spring 26 is mounted, enabling the two folding plates 24 to unfold 180 degrees from a folded state to an unfolded state. A first locking hook 27 is mounted on one side of the folding plate of the second hinge shaft 25, and a first lock head 28 is provided on the other side. When the unfolded position is reached, the first locking hook 27 engages with the first lock head 28 to lock the two folding plates 24. The other two ends of the two folding plates 24 are rotatably connected to the two composite rectangular tubes 21. In the unfolded state, the two equal-length composite rectangular tube components and one foldable metal plate component form a stable triangular structure.

[0027] The hinge holes at the three vertices of the foldable triangular frame 2 are respectively hinged to the first metal joint 13 at one end of the three vertical rod assemblies 1. Similarly, the other end of the three vertical rod assemblies 1 is hinged to another foldable triangular frame 2, forming a triangular cube unit. n+1 of the above triangular cube units are connected in series to form the main structure of the frame-type unfolding mechanism of the present invention. Two adjacent triangular cube units are connected in series by sharing one vertical rod assembly 1, that is, sharing the last vertical rod assembly 1 of the previous triangular cube and the first vertical rod assembly 1 of the next triangular cube. The first hinge shafts 15 at both ends of the vertical rod assembly 1 are respectively hinged to the hinge holes at corresponding positions of the two foldable triangular frames 2 on the same side.

[0028] Two flexible solar panels 7 are installed between the upper and lower foldable metal plate assemblies of each triangular cube unit. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the flexible solar panel 7 includes a solar cell array 71 and a reinforcing frame 72. The solar cell array 71 is located on the front of the flexible solar panel 7, and the reinforcing frame 72 is glued and fixed to the back of the flexible solar panel 7. The reinforcing frame 72 is made of carbon fiber or glass fiber. The reinforcing frames 72 at the top and bottom short sides of the flexible solar panel 7 are fixed to the foldable metal plate assembly by screws. The two flexible solar panels 7 are rotatably connected by flexible hinges, and the other two long sides are fixed to the longitudinal rod assembly 1 in the same plane as the triangular cube unit by hinges. Cushioning foam 8 is suspended on the other two longitudinal rectangular planes of the triangular cube unit. In the folded state, the two cushioning foams 8 sandwich the flexible solar panel 7 in the middle to prevent it from being damaged by vibration loads.

[0029] like Figure 9 As shown, the first folding rod 3 includes two first sub-folding rods 31. Each sub-folding rod 31 has hinge holes at both ends. The two sub-folding rods 31 are hinged together by a hinge shaft, on which a torsion spring is mounted. This allows the two sub-folding rods 31 to unfold 180 degrees from a folded state to an unfolded state. A locking hook is provided on one side of the folding plate of the hinge shaft, and a locking head is provided on the other side. When the unfolded position is reached, the locking hook engages with the locking head to lock the two sub-folding rods 31.

[0030] To maintain the stability of the main structure, each pair of adjacent triangular cube units on the same side is connected to a first folding rod 3 at both ends. Specifically, a first folding rod 3 connects one of the longitudinal rod assemblies 1 in the middle of each pair of adjacent triangular cube units. The two ends of the first folding rod 3 are hinged to the first metal joint 13 of the aforementioned longitudinal rod assembly 1 on the same side. The two first folding rods 3 at the top and bottom are symmetrically arranged. When folded, the upper first folding rod 3 folds downwards, and the lower first folding rod 3 folds upwards. The hinge axis of the first folding rod 3 is spatially orthogonal to the second hinge axis 25 of the aforementioned foldable metal plate assembly; that is, the hinge axis of the first folding rod 3 is perpendicular to the longitudinal rod assembly 1, and the second hinge axis 25 of the foldable metal plate assembly is parallel to the longitudinal rod assembly 1.

[0031] The connecting frame 4 is a triangular structure made of composite rectangular tubes bonded together, with metal joints at each of its three vertices. Two vertices of the long side of the connecting frame 4 have hinge holes, which are respectively hinged to the first metal joints 13 at both ends of the longitudinal rod assembly 1 in the middle of the triangular cube unit near the near end (the end closest to the root hinge 6). The remaining metal joint of the connecting frame 4 has a through hole, which is fixedly connected to the root hinge 6.

[0032] like Figure 10As shown, the second folding rod 5 includes two second sub-folding plates 51 (51-1 and 51-2 in the figure). Each sub-folding plate 51 has hinge holes at both ends, and the two sub-folding plates 51 are hinged together by a third hinge shaft 52. A second locking hook 53 is provided on one side of the folding plate of the third hinge shaft 52, and a second locking head 54 is provided on the other side. When the rod reaches the unfolded position, the second locking hook 53 engages with the second locking head 54 to lock the two sub-folding plates 51. A fourth hinge shaft 55 and a fifth hinge shaft 56 are respectively installed in the hinge holes at both ends of the second folding rod 5, and these shafts are mounted on a third bracket. A second torsion spring 57, a third torsion spring 58, and a fourth torsion spring 59 are respectively installed on the three hinge shafts (third hinge shaft 52, fourth hinge shaft 55, and fifth hinge shaft 56) to improve the reliability of the unfolding and locking mechanism. The third brackets at both ends of the second folding rod 5 are fixed at one end to the longitudinal rod assembly 1 at the near end and at the other end to the connecting frame 4.

[0033] like Figure 11 As shown, the root hinge 6 includes a female hinge 61 and a male hinge 62, which are rotatably connected by a rotating shaft 63. A spiral spring 64 is mounted on the rotating shaft 63, providing a driving torque for the rotation of the female hinge 61 relative to the male hinge 62. The female hinge 61 has a locking groove 65, and the male hinge 62 is equipped with a locking pin assembly 66. After being extended to a predetermined angle, the locking shaft of the locking pin assembly 66 enters the locking groove 65, thereby locking the male hinge 62 and the female hinge 61. The female hinge 61 is fixedly connected to the connecting frame 4, and the male hinge 62 is connected to the onboard structure or a single unit (e.g., a drive mechanism).

[0034] like Figure 5As shown, the clamping and releasing mechanism 10 includes a base 101, a lower pin 102, an upper pin 103, a clamping rope 104, a guide sleeve 105, a pre-tightening screw 106, a pre-tightening nut 107, and a hot knife assembly 108. The base 101 is fixedly mounted on the celestial structure, the lower pin 102 is fixed on the base 101, the upper pin 103 is fixed on the pre-tightening screw 106, and the guide sleeve 105 is fixedly mounted on the corresponding first clamping insert 12 of the outermost longitudinal rod assembly 1 in the retracted state. The clamping rope 104 is a Kevlar rope or Dyneema rope, which is U-shaped and passes around the lower pin 102, through the clamping holes on the first clamping inserts 12 of all longitudinal rod assemblies 1 at the corresponding positions, and the two ends of the rope are fixed to the upper pin 103. The preload screw 106 and the preload nut 107 are connected by a threaded pair. Rotating the preload nut 107 allows the preload screw 106 to move axially along the guide sleeve 105, applying a certain preload force to the clamping rope 104, thereby pressing the retracted frame-type deployable flexible solar array onto the celestial structure. A hot knife assembly 108 is installed on the base 101. After entering the orbit, power is supplied to the hot knife assembly 108 to cut the clamping rope 104, releasing the constraint on the clamped structure. This embodiment preferably uses a total of 4 clamping and releasing mechanisms 10.

[0035] like Figure 6 As shown, the constraint release mechanism 20 includes a support 201 and a constraint rope 202. The support 201 is installed on the corresponding first clamping embedded part 12 of the innermost longitudinal rod assembly 1. The constraint rope 202 is a Kevlar rope or Dyneema rope, which is U-shaped and passes around the lower pin shaft, through the clamping holes on the first clamping embedded parts 12 of all longitudinal rod assemblies 1 at the corresponding positions, and the two ends of the rope are fixed to the upper pin shaft. The preload screw and the preload nut are connected by a threaded pair. Rotating the preload nut allows the preload screw to move axially along the guide sleeve, giving the constraint rope 202 a certain preload force, thereby constraining all the triangular cubic units in the folded state together. A hot knife assembly is installed on the corresponding first clamping embedded part 12 of the outermost longitudinal rod assembly 1. After entering the rail, power is supplied to the hot knife assembly to cut the constraint rope 202 and release the constraint on the clamped structure. In this embodiment, two constraint release mechanisms 20 are preferably used.

[0036] like Figure 3 As shown, several clamping beams 9 are installed on the longitudinal rectangular surface of the triangular cube unit at the farthest end (the end furthest from the root hinge 6). Each clamping beam 9 includes a clamping longitudinal beam and a clamping transverse beam. The upper and lower ends of the clamping longitudinal beam are fixedly connected to the composite material rectangular tube 21 of the corresponding foldable triangular frame 2, and the two ends of the clamping transverse beam are hinged to the hinge holes on the first clamping embedded part 12 of the corresponding longitudinal rod assembly 1. The clamping beams 9 are composite material rectangular tubes. In the retracted state, the clamping beams 9 cooperate with the clamping release mechanism 10 to clamp and fix each component of the frame-type deployable flexible solar array to the celestial structure. A cushioning foam 8 is placed between the clamping beams 9 and the frame-type deployable flexible solar array to protect the flexible solar array plate 7 from damage.

[0037] Example 2 This embodiment provides a method for deploying and mounting a frame-type flexible solar array. This method is applied to the frame-type flexible solar array described in Embodiment 1, and specifically includes the following steps: Step S1: Gather and press the star.

[0038] The frame-type deployable flexible solar array is retracted to its retracted state, causing the folding plate 24 of the foldable triangular frame 2 to fold, the first sub-folding rod 31 of the first folding rod 3 to fold, the second sub-folding plate 51 of the second folding rod 5 to fold, and the longitudinal rod assembly 1 and the root hinge 6 to fold and retract. At this time, the flexible solar panel 7 retracts together with the triangular cube unit, and the cushioning foam 8 clamps the flexible solar panel 7 in the middle. The retracted frame-type deployable flexible solar array is pressed and fixed to the side of the spacecraft body by four pressing and releasing mechanisms 10 and pressing beams 9, and its deployment degree of freedom is constrained by two constraint releasing mechanisms 20. Subsequently, the pressed and fixed frame-type deployable flexible solar array is loaded into the launch vehicle fairing along with the spacecraft body. The thickness envelope of the frame-type deployable flexible solar array in the retracted state meets the requirements for stacked launch of flat-panel satellites.

[0039] Step S2: Release the constraint of the clamping release mechanism.

[0040] During in-orbit deployment, power is first supplied to the hot knife assembly 108 of the clamping release mechanism 10. The hot knife assembly 108 cuts the clamping rope 104, releasing the clamping and fixing of each component of the frame-type flexible solar array. The spiral spring 64 of the root hinge 6 releases its elastic potential energy, driving the connecting frame 4 to rotate and unfold relative to the female hinge 61. After reaching a preset angle, the locking pin assembly 66 of the root hinge 6 enters the locking groove 65, achieving a rigid lock between the male hinge 62 and the female hinge 61. At the same time, the second folding rod 5 unfolds under the action of its own second torsion spring 57, third torsion spring 58, and fourth torsion spring 59. After driving the main frame of the solar array to unfold to a preset angle, the second locking hook 53 hooks the second locking head 54 to lock the second folding rod 5. This is the connected frame unfolded state. In this state, the connecting frame 4 raises the main structure a certain distance from the star body to prevent structural interference during subsequent movement of the solar array.

[0041] At this time, because the constraint rope 202 of the constraint release mechanism 20 is still in a taut state, the deployment freedom of the main frame of the solar array is still constrained and it will not deploy.

[0042] Step S3: Release the constraint of the constraint release mechanism Subsequently, power is supplied to the hot blade assembly of the constraint release mechanism 20. The hot blade assembly cuts the constraint rope 202, releasing the constraint on the deployment degree of freedom of the solar wing main frame. Each triangular cube unit unfolds under the torsion spring drive of the first torsion spring 26 and the first folding rod 3 of its foldable metal plate assembly. The folding plate 24 of the foldable triangular frame 2 unfolds 180 degrees under the drive of the first torsion spring 26, and the first locking hook 27 hooks the first lock head 28 to achieve locking; the first sub-folding rod 31 of the first folding rod 3 unfolds 180 degrees under the drive of the torsion spring, and the locking hook hooks the lock head to achieve locking, completing the deployment of the frame-type flexible solar wing.

[0043] In the solar array mounting stage, the mounting connection operation of the root hinge 6 and the base 101 of the clamping release mechanism 10 can be performed while the connecting frame is in the unfolded state, avoiding the unfolding and retraction operation of the entire solar array, thereby greatly improving the mounting efficiency.

[0044] It should be noted that the specific parameters, such as the number of segments of the longitudinal rod assembly 1, the number of foldable triangular frames 2, and the number of clamping release mechanisms 10 and restraint release mechanisms 20 involved in the above embodiments, are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to limit the technical solution of this application. For example, the number of segments of the longitudinal rod assembly 1 can be adjusted to 2 or more segments depending on the size of the solar panel; the number of foldable triangular frames 2 can be adjusted according to the required unfolded area; and the number of clamping release mechanisms 10 and restraint release mechanisms 20 can be adjusted according to the required clamping force. As long as its function, effect, and result are substantially the same as the technical solution described in the claims of this application, they should be considered as equivalent implementations of this application.

[0045] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0046] Specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications within the scope of the claims, which do not affect the essence of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be arbitrarily combined with each other.

Claims

1. A frame-type deployable flexible solar panel, characterized in that, include: Longitudinal bar assembly; Multiple foldable triangular frames are distributed on both sides of the vertical rod assembly and connected by the vertical rod assembly. The foldable triangular frames on each side are arranged in series. Each foldable triangular frame has a folded state and an unfolded state. The first folding rod is connected between two adjacent foldable triangular frames and is used to constrain the relative position between the two adjacent foldable triangular frames when unfolded. The connecting frame is rotatably connected at one end to the end of the longitudinal rod assembly and at the other end to the root hinge; Flexible solar panels are laid on the frame surface formed by the unfolded longitudinal rod assembly and the foldable triangular frame; A root hinge is used to connect the connecting frame and the star or drive mechanism; A clamping and releasing mechanism is used to clamp and fix the components of the frame-type deployable flexible solar array in the retracted state, and to release the clamping constraint when it is deployed. The constraint release mechanism is used to constrain the solar wing main frame formed by the foldable triangular frame, the first folding rod and the longitudinal rod assembly in the folded state, and to release the deployment constraint when unfolded.

2. The frame-type deployable flexible solar array according to claim 1, characterized in that, The foldable triangular frame includes two composite rectangular tubes and two folding plates; The two folding plates are hinged together by a second hinge shaft, on which a first torsion spring is installed to drive the two folding plates from a folded state to an unfolded state. Two composite rectangular tubes are hinged together at one end and respectively hinged to two folded plates at the other end; A first locking hook is installed on one side of the folding plate of the second hinge axis, and a first lock head is provided on the other side of the folding plate. When the unfolded state is reached, the first locking hook hooks onto the first lock head to lock the two folding plates, thereby restricting the foldable triangular frame from folding back.

3. The frame-type deployable flexible solar array according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the unfolded state, the first folding rod unfolds into a rod shape to constrain the spacing and relative angle between two adjacent foldable triangular frames; In the retracted state, the first folding rod folds and retracts to compress the envelope size of the frame-type deployable flexible solar array in the length direction.

4. The frame-type deployable flexible solar array according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a second folding bar; The two ends of the second folding rod are respectively hinged to the connecting frame and the longitudinal rod assembly, and the second folding rod is in a locked state when it is unfolded into place; The root hinge is located at the end of the connecting frame and includes a female hinge, a male hinge, a rotating shaft, and a spiral spring. The male hinge is hinged to the female hinge through the rotating shaft. The spiral spring is sleeved on the rotating shaft and is used to store elastic potential energy in the retracted state and drive the connecting frame to unfold when the constraint is released. The male hinge is used to connect the spacecraft body or the drive mechanism, and the female hinge is used to connect to the connecting frame.

5. The frame-type deployable flexible solar array according to claim 4, characterized in that, The root hinge also includes a locking groove and a locking pin assembly; The locking groove is disposed on the female hinge, and the locking pin assembly is disposed on the male hinge; When the longitudinal rod assembly is deployed into position, the locking pin assembly is inserted into the locking groove under the action of elastic force, thereby achieving rigid locking of the root hinge.

6. The frame-type deployable flexible solar array according to claim 1, characterized in that, The longitudinal rod assembly includes a composite material square tube, a first clamping embedded part, and a first metal joint; The first clamping embedded part is embedded inside the composite material square tube and is used to provide a clamping force point for the clamping release mechanism; The first metal connector is disposed at the end of the composite square tube and is used to connect with the root hinge, the first folding rod, or the foldable triangular frame.

7. The frame-type deployable flexible solar array according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible solar panel includes a solar cell array and a reinforcing frame; The solar cell array is laid on the frame surface formed by the longitudinal rod assembly and the foldable triangular frame; The reinforcing frame is disposed at the edge of the solar array panel to provide an installation interface for the solar array panel; it also enhances the structural rigidity of the flexible solar panel.

8. The frame-type deployable flexible solar array according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a compression release mechanism, a compression beam, and cushioning foam; The clamping and releasing mechanism includes a base, a lower pin, an upper pin, a clamping rope, a guide bushing, a pre-tightening screw, a pre-tightening nut, and a hot knife assembly; The base is fixedly mounted on the celestial structure, the lower pin is fixed on the base, the upper pin is fixed on the preload screw, and the clamping rope is connected to the lower pin and the upper pin respectively. The guide sleeve is fixed on the corresponding first clamping embedded part of the uppermost longitudinal rod assembly in the retracted state and is sleeved on the outer layer of the preload screw. The preload screw and the preload nut are connected by a threaded pair. Rotating the preload nut allows the preload screw to move axially along the guide sleeve, giving the clamping rope a certain preload force to clamp and fix the components of the frame-type deployable flexible solar array in the retracted state. The hot knife assembly is used to cut the clamping rope during deployment to release the clamping constraint. The clamping beam is located on the retracted outer side of the frame-type deployable flexible solar panel, and is used to cooperate with the clamping release mechanism to clamp the components of the frame-type deployable flexible solar panel in the retracted state; the cushioning foam is located between the clamping beam and the frame-type deployable flexible solar panel to protect the solar cells.

9. The frame-type deployable flexible solar array according to claim 1, characterized in that, The restraint release mechanism includes a support and a restraint rope; The support is fixed to the second clamping embedded part of the lowest layer of the foldable triangular frame in the folded state. In the folded state, the constraint rope is in a tensioned state, which restricts the degree of freedom of the frame-type deployable flexible solar wing. When deployed, the constraint rope is cut or released to release the deployment constraint on the frame-type deployable flexible solar wing.

10. A method for deploying and mounting a frame-type flexible solar array, based on the frame-type flexible solar array according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, include: Step S1: Fold the frame-type flexible solar panel to the folded state, so that the foldable triangular frame, the first folding rod, and the second folding rod are folded and folded together; The retracted frame-type deployable flexible solar array is pressed and fixed to the side of the spacecraft body by the pressing and releasing mechanism and the pressing beam, and its deployment degree of freedom is constrained by the constraint release mechanism. Then, it is installed into the launch vehicle fairing along with the spacecraft body. The thickness envelope of the frame-type deployable flexible solar array in the retracted state meets the requirements for stacked launch of flat-panel satellites. Step S2: During on-orbit deployment, the clamping constraint is released through the clamping release mechanism, thereby releasing the clamping constraint on each component of the frame-type flexible solar array; the spiral spring of the root hinge releases elastic potential energy, driving the connecting frame to deploy to a preset angle and lock it, while the second folding rod deploys and locks under the action of its own torsion spring, driving the main frame of the solar array to deploy to the preset angle. When mounting satellites onto ground-based solar arrays, the mounting connection operation of the root hinge and the base of the clamping and release mechanism can be performed in this state, avoiding the deployment and retraction of the entire solar array, thereby greatly improving the mounting efficiency. Step S3: The constraint release mechanism releases the deployment constraint, thereby removing the restriction on the deployment degree of freedom of the frame-type flexible solar wing; the foldable triangular frame and the first folding rod are deployed and locked in place, completing the deployment of the frame-type flexible solar wing.

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