Antenna apparatus and artificial satellite

Abstract

To enable an element holder for supporting an antenna element during storage to be compactly accommodated and to hold the element holder so that the position of the element holder does not shift due to shocks or impacts during launch.SOLUTION: An antenna apparatus 1 can take a stored state in which it is accommodated inside a housing 10 and a deployed state in which it extends outward from the housing 10, and includes: an extension-shaft member 20 extendable in the axial direction from inside the housing 10; a plurality of element holders 30 movable along the extension-shaft member 20; and antenna elements 40 deployable from the element holders 30. The element holder 40 has a recess formed on one surface and a projection formed on the other surface, and the projection of one of two adjacent element holders 40 enters the recess of the other element holder 40 in the stored state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an antenna device and an artificial satellite. [Background technology]

[0002] Artificial satellites are equipped with antenna devices for transmitting and receiving radio signals. Because the antenna devices are very large in the deployed state, they are loaded onto the rocket in a compact, stored state at the time of launch and then expanded to the deployed state in space. As an example of such an antenna device, Patent Document 1 discloses a support structure in which a cylindrical main body is formed with multiple openings to form foldable tape spring hinges, and the tape spring hinges generate a force that biases the antenna toward the deployed state, thereby enabling the antenna to be deployed. Patent Document 1 also discloses an antenna structure using this support structure. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7040874 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] To transmit and receive with the desired beam width and communication efficiency, elements that extend laterally are required, rather than a simple rod-shaped structure. The spacing between elements affects the performance gain (antenna communication efficiency) and reception frequency, so the spacing between each element is designed to achieve the desired frequency and communication efficiency. When using such a support structure to install antenna elements that extend laterally, an element holder is required to support the antenna elements. However, when launching a satellite, the antenna device, including the element holder, must be stored compactly and must be held in a manner that can withstand the shocks and impacts that occur during launch.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to enable an element holder that supports an antenna element when stored to be stored compactly, and to hold the element holder so that its position does not change due to shocks or impacts at launch. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an antenna device that can be in a stored state stored within a housing and in a deployed state extending outward from the housing, the antenna device comprising an extension shaft member that can extend axially from within the housing, a plurality of element holders that can move along the extension shaft member, and antenna elements that can be deployed from the element holders, the element holders having a recess formed on one side and a protrusion formed on the other side, and in the stored state, the protrusion of one element holder fits into the recess of the other adjacent element holder.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an antenna device that can be stored in a housing, the antenna device comprising: an elongated shaft member stored in the housing in an axially retracted state; an opening through which the elongated shaft member is inserted; a plurality of element holders stacked in the housing; and a deployable antenna element held by the element holders, the element holders having a recess formed on one surface and a protrusion formed on the other surface, and in the stored state, the protrusion of one adjacent element holder fits into the recess of the other element holder.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, the antenna element is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the element holder in the stored state, and the element holder is provided with element guides on both axial edges of the outer peripheral surface to guide the antenna element in the stored state, and in the stored state, the element guide on the housing side of one adjacent element holder and the element guide on the tip side of the other adjacent element holder are arranged so as not to interfere with each other.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, the device further includes a retaining member made of a wire that maintains a predetermined spacing between the multiple element holders in the deployed state, and the element holder has a storage portion that stores the retaining member in the stored state.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, the accommodation portion is formed between the recess of one adjacent element holder and the protrusion of the other adjacent element holder that fits into the recess.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, the device further includes a lid member that closes the storage section.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, the cover member is fixed to the holding member and also to the element holder.

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, the element holder has a frame portion through the center of which the extension shaft member is inserted, and protrusions that protrude radially from the portions that correspond to each side of the frame portion, and the convex portions and concave portions are formed on the protrusions.

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, the base end of the antenna element is fixed to the protrusion.

[0015] According to one aspect of the present invention, the housing has a housing main body having an opening on one side, and an opening / closing lid that is rotatably connected to the housing main body and can close the opening, and the central axis of the extension shaft member is located closer to the rotation axis of the opening / closing lid than the central axis of the housing.

[0016] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a satellite including the antenna device described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, the element holder that supports the antenna element when stored can be stored compactly, and the element holder can be held so that its position does not change due to shocks or impacts at launch. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an antenna device in a deployed state according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is an enlarged perspective view of an antenna device in a deployed state according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an antenna device in a stored state according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of an antenna device in a stored state according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of an antenna device in a stored state according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram showing storage sections for various components within an antenna device in a stored state according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a surface of an element holder. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the back surface of the element holder. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a plurality of element holders in a stored state. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the element holder in a housed state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] An embodiment of an antenna device and an artificial satellite according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that in the following description, the terms "up" and "down" and other terms relating to the up and down directions are used for convenience of explanation, and the antenna device may be in any position.

[0020] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an antenna device in a deployed state according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of an antenna device in a deployed state according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an antenna device in a stored state according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the internal configuration of an antenna device in a stored state according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of an antenna device in a stored state according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing storage sections for each component within an antenna device in a stored state according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] The antenna device 1 of this embodiment is a device that is incorporated into an artificial satellite and is used to transmit and receive radio waves. The antenna device 1 can be in a retracted state where the antenna is housed within a housing 10, and in an extended state where the antenna is extended from the housing 10.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the antenna device 1 includes a housing 10, an elongated shaft member 20, a plurality of element holders 30, antenna elements 40 connected to the element holders 30, and a holding member 50.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 10 comprises a housing body 11 and an opening / closing lid 12 connected to the housing body 11. The housing body 11 is a rectangular parallelepiped with one side open. The opening / closing lid 12 is rotatably attached to the edge of the opening of the housing body 11 with a hinge 15 as the rotation axis. This allows the opening / closing lid 12 to be in a state where the opening of the housing body 11 is closed and a state where the opening of the housing body 11 is open. In the stored state, the opening / closing lid 12 closes the opening of the housing body 11, and in the unfolded state, the opening / closing lid 12 opens the opening of the housing body 11. The hinge 15 is spring-loaded and biases the opening / closing lid 12 to open.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the unfolded state, the extension shaft member 20 extends linearly in the axial direction from within the housing 10. The extension shaft member 20 is formed of a pair of metal convex tapes 20A. The convex tape 20A is a thin, plate-like member that extends linearly and has an arc-shaped cross section. When the fixing force is released from the rolled-up state, a restoring force acts on the convex tape 20A, causing it to return to a linear shape. In this embodiment, the extension shaft member 20 is configured by overlapping the pair of convex tapes 20A so that the concave sides thereof face each other, and connecting both side edges.

[0025] The multiple element holders 30 are arranged along the elongated shaft member 20 at predetermined intervals set by design when in the expanded state. In the expanded state, the element holders 30 are held in position by the holding member 50, but are movable along the elongated shaft member 20 during transition from the contracted state to the expanded state. In this embodiment, four element holders 30 are arranged along the elongated shaft member 20. The element holders 30 are, for example, plate-shaped members made of resin. The fourth element holder 30, which is the fourth (most distal) element holder from the housing 10, is fixed to the tip of the elongated shaft member 20. In addition, the first to third element holders 30, which are the first to third element holders from the housing 10, have openings 304 ( FIG. 7 ) formed in their centers, through which the elongated shaft member 20 can be inserted. The elongated shaft member 20 is inserted through the openings 304 of the element holders 30.

[0026] In the unfolded state, the antenna elements 40 each extend linearly outward from the element holder 30 perpendicular to the direction in which the extension shaft member 20 extends (axial direction). Each antenna element 40 is formed from a single piece of metal convex tape. Four antenna elements 40 are connected to each element holder 30. In the unfolded state, the four antenna elements 40 connected to each element holder 30 are arranged at equal angular intervals (90°) and extend perpendicular to the axial direction. In other words, the antenna elements 40 extend in a cross shape in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction.

[0027] The holding member 50 is made of a flexible wire such as a string, and is fixed to each element holder 30. The attachment positions of each element holder 30 to the holding member 50 are set at predetermined intervals. In addition, the end of the holding member 50 is fixed to the bottom of the element storage section 10A in the housing 10. This ensures that the spacing between the element holders 30 is maintained at a predetermined interval when the extension shaft member 20 transforms from the stored state to the deployed state. Here, "predetermined spacing" does not mean equal spacing, but rather spacing that is preset in the design. The spacing between the antenna elements 40 affects the performance gain (antenna communication efficiency) and reception frequency, so it is designed to achieve a desired frequency and communication efficiency. In this embodiment, the attachment positions of the element holders 30 on the holding member 50 are adjusted so that, when the string constituting the holding member 50 is tensioned, the distance between the first element holder 30 and the second element holder 30, the distance between the second element holder 30 and the third element holder 30, and the distance between the third element holder 30 and the fourth element holder 30 are each set to a predetermined distance. Furthermore, a portion of the extension shaft member 20 is held without stretching within the extension shaft member storage section 10B, maintaining a stretching force that stretches it in the axial direction. This keeps the string constituting the holding member 50 in a tensioned state, preventing it from sagging due to the stretching force, and enabling the set predetermined distance to be stably maintained. While an antenna formed solely by the free length of a spring can change its overall length due to disturbances such as satellite movement, this configuration is resistant to such disturbances. Therefore, the distances between the portions of the holding member 50 where adjacent element holders 30 are fixed are each set to a predetermined distance. In this embodiment, four holding members 50 are provided, but the number is not limited to this, and it is sufficient to provide at least one. With this configuration, the antenna device 1 forms a cross Yagi antenna in the deployed state.

[0028] 2, an antenna feed board 60 is attached to the second element holder 30B, which is the second from the housing 10. One end of a feed cable 62 extending from inside the housing 10 is connected to the antenna feed board 60. The other end of the feed cable 62 extends to the outside of the antenna device 1 and is electrically connected to another base of the satellite, and an electrical signal is supplied to the antenna feed board 60 via the feed cable 62.

[0029] The feeder cable 62 extends from inside the housing 10 to the second element holder 30B along the extension shaft member 20. As a result, the antenna element 40 connected to the first element holder 30A, which is the first from the housing 10, functions as a reflector, the antenna element 40 connected to the second element holder 30B, which is the second from the housing 10, functions as a radiator, and the antenna elements 40 connected to the third and fourth element holders 30C, 30D, which are the third and fourth from the housing 10, function as directors.

[0030] In this embodiment, four element holders 30 are provided, but the third and fourth element holders 30C and 30D can be omitted, and five or more element holders 30 can be provided.If multiple element holders 30 to which antenna elements 40 are connected are provided, the device can function as an antenna device.

[0031] 4 to 6, an element storage section 10A, an extension shaft member storage section 10B, a power supply cable storage section 10C, and an opening mechanism storage section 10D are formed inside the housing 10. The element storage section 10A is a space that opens upward, and in the stored state, the upper opening is closed by an opening / closing lid 12. In addition, a spring 13 (FIG. 2) is attached to the bottom of the element storage section 10A.

[0032] The elongated shaft member storage section 10B is disposed below the element storage section 10A. An opening is formed between the element storage section 10A and the elongated shaft member storage section 10B to connect these spaces, and the elongated shaft member 20 stored in the elongated shaft member storage section 10B advances into the element storage section 10A through this opening.

[0033] The stretching shaft member storage section 10B is provided with a stretching shaft member storage device 18. The stretching shaft member storage device 18 is a device that winds up and stores a stretching shaft member 20. The stretching shaft member storage device 18 has a rotatable shaft portion 18A, and one end of the stretching shaft member 20 is connected to a connecting member 18B fixed to the shaft portion 18A. In the stored state, the stretching shaft member 20 is stored in the housing 10 in a state where it is wound around the shaft portion 18A. Furthermore, the stretching shaft member storage device 18 is configured to restrict rotation of the shaft portion 18A when the opening / closing lid is closed.

[0034] The power feed cable storage section 10C is disposed below the element storage section 10A and to the side of the extension shaft member storage section 10B. An opening is formed between the power feed cable storage section 10C and the element storage section 10A to connect these spaces, and the power feed cable 62 enters the element storage section 10A through this opening.

[0035] 4, the antenna device 1 also includes an opening section 14 for opening the opening-closing cover 12, and an opening section drive board 16 for driving the opening section 14. The opening section 14 is housed in the opening mechanism housing section 10D. In the housed state, the opening section 14 holds the opening-closing cover 12 in a closed state, and when the opening section drive board 16 drives the opening section 14, the opening section 14 releases the opening-closing cover 12, allowing the opening-closing cover 12 to rotate.

[0036] 6, in the antenna device 1 of this embodiment, an element storage section 10A is arranged on the upper hinge 15 (rotation axis) side within the housing 10, and an extension shaft member storage section 10B is arranged on the lower hinge side. As a result, the central axis CL2 of the extension shaft member 20 is positioned on the hinge 15 side with respect to the central axis CL1 in the width direction of the housing 10 (the left-right direction in FIG. 6). By shifting the central axis CL1 of the housing 10 and the central axis CL2 of the extension shaft member 20 in the horizontal direction in this way, it is possible to arrange the opening mechanism storage section 10D on the upper side of the housing 10 opposite the hinge 15, and to arrange the power feed cable storage section 10C on the lower side of the housing 10 opposite the hinge 15, thereby making effective use of the space within the housing 10.

[0037] Next, the basic configuration of the element holder 30 will be described. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the front surface of the element holder. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the back surface of the element holder. Note that the front surface of the element holder here refers to the surface on the tip side of the extension shaft member 20, and the back surface of the element holder refers to the surface on the housing 10 side. Figs. 7 and 8 show a second element holder. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the element holder 30 has a central frame portion 300 and protrusions 310 connected to each of the four sides of the frame portion 300. The protrusions 310 are formed near one end of each side of the frame portion 300.

[0038] The frame 300 is a square portion having a predetermined thickness. A flat plate 302 is provided inside the frame 300. An opening 304 is formed in the flat plate 302 of the element holder 30. The opening 304 has a shape that is line-symmetrical with one diagonal line as the axis of symmetry, and is a shape that combines two arcs. The shape of this opening 304 corresponds to the shape of the extension shaft member 20 formed by combining a pair of convex tapes. A closing plate 360 ​​(FIG. 8) that closes the opening 304 is attached to the tip side of the first element holder 30. The shape of the frame 300 is not limited to a square, and may be other polygonal, circular, elliptical, etc.

[0039] A front surface convex portion 314 having a substantially rectangular cross section is erected on the front surface of the protrusion 310. A front surface groove portion 312 having a substantially rectangular cross section is formed within the front surface convex portion 314. A rear surface recess portion 316 having a substantially rectangular shape is formed on the rear surface of the protrusion 310 at a location corresponding to the front surface groove portion 312. The shape of the inner surface of the rear surface recess portion 316 corresponds to the shape of the outer surface of the front surface convex portion 314. A through hole 318 is formed to connect the front surface groove portion 312 and the rear surface recess portion 316.

[0040] Although not shown in Figures 7 and 8, in the stored state, a lid member 340 (Figure 9) is attached to the bottom of the rear surface recess 316. The lid member 340 has a wide portion 342 and a narrow portion 344. The wide portion 324 is plate-shaped and its outer shape is approximately the same as the outer shape of the front surface protrusion 314. The narrow portion 344 protrudes from one side of the wide portion 342 and its outer shape is approximately the same as the inner shape of the front surface protrusion 314. The lid member 340 has two through holes 346, and the holding member 50 is fixed to the lid member 340 with the holding member 50 inserted through the through holes 346. The lid member 340 is fixed to the bottom of the rear surface recess 316 with screws or the like. As will be described later, when the element holders 30 are stacked in the stored state, the narrow width portion 344 of the cover member 340 fits into the surface groove portion 312 of the adjacent element holder 30, closing the surface groove portion 312.

[0041] The side surface of each protrusion 310 on the center side of the side of frame 300 is perpendicular to the radially outer surface of frame 300. The base end of antenna element 40 is fixed to the side surface of each protrusion 310. The radially outer surface of each protrusion 310 is formed in an arc shape.

[0042] Additionally, a first element guide 330 is attached to the surface of each protruding portion 310. The first element guide 330 is a plate material and protrudes radially outward from the protruding portion 310. In this embodiment, four first element guides 330 are attached to each element holder 30. The first element guides 330 are provided at positions corresponding to the centers of each side of the frame portion 300 so as to extend in the circumferential direction.

[0043] In addition, a second element guide 332 is attached to the back surface of the protruding portion 310. The second element guide 332 is a plate material and protrudes radially outward from the protruding portion 310. The thickness of the second element guide 332 is the same as that of the first element guide 330. In this embodiment, four second element guides 332 are attached to each element holder 30. The second element guides 332 are provided at positions corresponding to the corners of each side of the frame portion 300. The first element guide 330 and the second element guides 332 are shaped and arranged so that they do not overlap when viewed in the axial direction.

[0044] The first to fourth element holders do not need to have the same configuration. For example, the thickness of the flat plate 302 may be the same as the thickness of the frame portion 300. Also, a cylindrical guide portion that guides the extension shaft member 20 may be provided along the periphery of the opening 304.

[0045] The configuration of the antenna device in the retracted state will be described below. As shown in Figures 3 to 5, in the storage state, the opening / closing lid 12 is closed, and the top of the element storage section 10A is closed. The stretch shaft member 20 is stored in the stretch shaft member storage section 10B in a retracted (retracted) state, wrapped around the shaft portion 18A of the stretch shaft member storage device 18. The tip end of the stretch shaft member 20 advances into the element storage section 10A, and the tip end abuts the opening / closing lid 12. In this state, the shaft portion 18A of the stretch shaft member storage device 18 is restricted from rotating. Since the stretch shaft member 20 is formed by joining two convex tapes, a restoring force is generated in the stretch shaft member 20 by being wrapped flat around the shaft portion 18A of the stretch shaft member storage device 18, and a force is generated that causes the stretch shaft member 20 to advance upward from the stretch shaft member storage device 18.

[0046] In the stored state, the power feed cable 62 is spirally wound and stored in the power feed cable storage section 10C. The tip of the power feed cable 62 advances to the element storage section 10A, passes through the opening of the element holder 30, and reaches the power feed board 60 fixed to the second element holder 30.

[0047] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing multiple element holders in a stored state. FIG. 10 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the element holder in the stored state. As shown in FIG. 9, multiple element holders 30 are stored in a stacked state within the element storage section 10A. As shown in FIG. 10, adjacent element holders 30 are stacked with the front surface convex portion 314 of one (lower) element holder 30 inserted into the rear surface concave portion 316 of the other (upper) element holder 30. As a result, a cover member 340 attached to the bottom of the rear surface concave portion 316 of the other element holder 30 closes the front surface groove portion 312 of the adjacent element holder 30. As a result, a storage section 350 for the holding member 50 is formed within the space surrounded by the front surface groove portion 312 and the cover member 340. Within the storage section 350, the portion of the holding member 50 located between the adjacent element holders 30 is stored in a spirally wound state, for example.

[0048] As described above, the first element guide 330 and the second element guide 332 are arranged so as not to interfere with each other. As a result, the second element guide 332 of one of the stacked adjacent element holders 30 is positioned between the first element guide 330 of the other element holder 30. As a result, the adjacent element holders 30 are stacked in closer proximity to each other.

[0049] The antenna elements 40 are held in a state where they are wound around the outer peripheral surface in the radial direction of the element holder 30. The antenna elements 40 are wound along the outer peripheral surface of the protrusion 310 of the element holder 30, thereby assuming a circular shape. Furthermore, the antenna elements 40 are guided by the first element guide 330 and the second element guide 332 so as to follow the outer peripheral surface of the element holder 30. Each antenna element 40 is held in a retracted state around the element holder 30 by abutting its tip against the inner wall of the element storage section 10A. The antenna elements 40 are made of convex tape, and therefore can be deployed outward from the element holder 30.

[0050] In the stored state, the element holders 30 are stored in a stacked manner in the element storage section 10A. In this state, the element holders 30 are biased toward the opening by the springs 13 attached to the bottom of the element storage section 10A. In addition, a force is generated in the extension shaft member 20 that causes it to advance upward.

[0051] Next, the transition of the antenna device from the stored state to the deployed state will be described. When the antenna device 1 is transitioned to the deployed state, first, the satellite's control device sends a signal to the opening section drive board 16 instructing it to transition to the deployed state. When the opening section drive board 16 receives this signal, it drives the opening section 14, which then releases the closure of the opening / closing cover 12, making the opening / closing cover 12 rotatable. In conjunction with this, the locking member of the extension shaft member storage device 18 releases the restriction on the rotation of the shaft.

[0052] When the opening / closing lid 12 becomes rotatable, the opening / closing lid 12 opens due to a spring (not shown) provided on the hinge 15. At the same time, the extension shaft member 20 has a restoring force that tries to return it to a straight line as described above, and due to this restoring force, it extends outward from the housing 10, and the element holder 30 is released outward from the housing 10 by the restoring force of the extension shaft member 20 and the spring force of the assisting spring 13. As a result, the extension shaft member 20 advances outward from the housing 10, and the element holder 30 is released outward from the housing 10.

[0053] As the extension shaft member 20 extends, the first element holder 30 advances outward. Since each element holder 30 is fixed to the holding member 50, the element holder 30 is pulled by the holding member 50 and moves along the extension shaft member 20.

[0054] Then, extension of the extension shaft member 20 stops when the holding members between each element holder 30 and between the fourth element holder 30 and the housing 10 are in a tensioned state. With the holding members 50 in this tensioned state, the element holders 30 are positioned at a predetermined interval determined by the design.

[0055] Furthermore, as the element holders 30 are released from the element storage sections 10A, the constraint on the antenna elements 40 wound around the outer peripheral surfaces of the element holders 30 is released. Since the antenna elements 40 are made of convex tape, they unfold to a state in which they extend outward from the element holders 30.

[0056] When the antenna device is deployed, the extension shaft member 20 extends linearly from within the housing 10. An excess length remains at the base end of the extension shaft member 20, and this excess length is wound around the shaft portion 18A of the extension shaft member storage device 18. As a result, a force acts on the extension shaft member 20 in the direction in which it advances. Furthermore, because a force acts in the direction in which the extension shaft member 20 advances, the holding members 50 between each element holder 30 are in a tensioned state. As a result, the plurality of element holders 30 are spaced apart at predetermined intervals.

[0057] According to this embodiment, the following effects are achieved. In this embodiment, in the stored state, the front surface convex portion 314 of one adjacent element holder 30 fits into the rear surface concave portion 316 of the other adjacent element holder 30. This allows the element holders 30 that support the antenna elements 40 in the stored state to be stored compactly, and the element holders 30 can be supported so that their positions do not change due to impacts at launch.

[0058] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the stored state, the first element guide 330 on the housing 10 side of one adjacent element holder 30 and the second element guide 332 on the tip side of the other adjacent element holder 30 are arranged so as not to interfere with each other. This allows the adjacent element holders 30 to be stored in closer proximity to each other.

[0059] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the element holder 30 is provided with a holding member 50 made of a line that maintains a predetermined distance between the plurality of element holders 30 in the deployed state, and the element holder 30 has a housing portion that houses the holding member 50 in the stored state. By housing the holding member 50 made of a line in the housing portion in this way, it is possible to prevent the holding member 50 from becoming entangled with other members.

[0060] Moreover, according to this embodiment, the storage section is further provided with a lid member 340 that closes the storage section. By closing the storage section with the lid member 340 in this manner, the operation of storing the holding member 50 can be carried out smoothly.

[0061] Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the cover member 340 is fixed to the holding member 50 and also to the element holder 30. With this configuration, the operation of fixing the holding member 50 to the element holder 30 can be carried out smoothly.

[0062] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the element holder 30 has a frame portion 300 through the center of which the extension shaft member 20 is inserted, and protrusions 310 that protrude in radial directions from portions that correspond to each side of the frame portion 300, and the front surface convex portions 314 and the back surface concave portions 316 are formed on the protrusions 310. With this configuration, adjacent element holders are held on the outer side of the antenna holder 30 in the radial direction, and the antenna holder 30 can be held in an accurate positional relationship when stored.

[0063] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the base end of the antenna element 40 is fixed to the protruding portion 310. With this configuration, the antenna element 40 can be fixed to the element holder 30 without forming a new portion for fixing the antenna element 40, and therefore the antenna device 1 can be made compact.

[0064] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the housing 10 has a housing main body 11 having an opening on one side, and an opening / closing lid 12 that is rotatably connected to the housing main body 11 and can close the opening, and the central axis CL2 of the extension shaft member 20 is positioned closer to the hinge 15 (rotation axis) of the opening / closing lid 12 than the central axis CL1 of the housing 10. This makes it possible to arrange the opening mechanism housing section 10D on the opposite side of the hinge 15 at the top inside the housing 10, and to arrange the power supply cable housing section 10C on the opposite side of the hinge 15 at the bottom inside the housing 10, thereby making it possible to effectively utilize the space inside the housing 10. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1: Antenna device 10: Housing 10A: Element storage section 10B: Extension shaft member storage section 10C: Power cable storage area 10D: Opening mechanism storage section 11: Housing body 12: Opening and closing lid 13: Spring 14:Open part 15: Hinge 16: Open section drive board 18: Extension shaft member storage device 18A:Shaft part 18B: Connecting member 20: Extension shaft member 20A: Convex tape 30, 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D: Element holder 40: Antenna element 50: Holding member 60: Power supply board 62: Power supply cable 300: Frame 302: Flat plate 304: Opening 310:Protrusion 312: Surface groove 314: Surface convexity 316: Back recess 318:Through hole 324: Wide section 330: First Element Guide 332: Second Element Guide 340: Lid member 342: Wide section 344: Narrow part 346: Through hole 350: Storage unit

Claims

1. An antenna device that can be in a stored state in which it is stored in a housing and in a deployed state in which it extends outward from the housing, an extension shaft member that can be extended in an axial direction from within the housing; a plurality of element holders movable along the extension shaft member; an antenna element deployable from the element holder; Equipped with the element holder has a recess formed on one surface and a protrusion formed on the other surface, In the stored state, the convex portion of one adjacent element holder fits into the concave portion of the other element holder.

2. An antenna device that can be in a stored state in which it is stored in a housing and in a deployed state in which it extends outward from the housing, an elongated shaft member housed within the housing in a state where it is axially retracted relative to the opening of the housing; a plurality of element holders each having an opening and stacked in the housing with the extension shaft member inserted through the opening; a deployable antenna element held by the element holder; Equipped with the element holder has a recess formed on one surface and a protrusion formed on the other surface, In the stored state, the convex portion of one adjacent element holder fits into the concave portion of the other element holder.

3. The antenna element is wound around the outer circumferential surface of the element holder in a stored state, the element holder is provided with element guides on both axial edges of the outer peripheral surface for guiding the antenna element in a housed state, In a housed state, the element guide on the housing side of one of the adjacent element holders and the element guide on the tip side of the other adjacent element holder are arranged so as not to interfere with each other.

3. The antenna device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Further, a holding member made of a line that holds the plurality of element holders at a predetermined interval in the deployed state is provided, the element holder has an accommodating portion that accommodates the holding member in the accommodated state.

3. The antenna device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. the accommodation portion is formed between the recess of one adjacent element holder and the protrusion of the other adjacent element holder that fits into the recess, 5. The antenna device according to claim 4.

6. Further provided is a lid member that closes the storage section.

6. The antenna device according to claim 5.

7. The cover member is fixed to the holding member and also to the element holder.

7. The antenna device according to claim 6.

8. The element holder includes a frame portion through the center of which the extension shaft member is inserted; a protrusion protruding in a radial direction from a portion corresponding to each side of the frame portion; The convex portion and the concave portion are formed on the protruding portion.

3. The antenna device according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The base end of the antenna element is fixed to the protrusion.

9. The antenna device according to claim 8.

10. the housing has a housing body having an opening on one side, and an opening / closing cover rotatably connected to the housing body and capable of closing the opening, 3. The antenna device according to claim 1, wherein a central axis of the extension shaft member is positioned closer to a rotation axis of the opening / closing cover than a central axis of the housing.

11. An artificial satellite comprising the antenna device according to claim 1 or 2.

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