Capturing Plate Surface Treatment for On-Orbit Adhesive Bonding

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing adhesive-based capturing techniques for on-orbit devices face challenges in achieving 100% successful capture due to non-flat surfaces or thermal control films on target satellites, leading to unreliable bonding.

Innovation Solution

A capturing plate with a surface-treated layer is attached to the on-orbit device, enhancing adhesiveness and providing features like rotational speed detection, thermal control, and sunlight reflection for improved capture accuracy, regardless of the device's structure or material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If adhesive-based capturing is used on target satellites, then the capturing mechanism becomes simpler, but the bonding reliability deteriorates due to non-flat surfaces or thermal control films

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapturing mechanism complexityVSAvoidbonding reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The capturing plate is pre-installed on the target satellite before the adhesive-based capturing device attempts to bond. This preliminary placement provides a guaranteed bonding surface that the adhesive can reliably attach to, eliminating the uncertainty of bonding directly to the satellite's complex surface structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The capturing plate serves as an intermediary component between the adhesive-based capturing device and the target satellite. It mediates the bonding process by providing a standardized interface that both the adhesive and the satellite can reliably interact with, regardless of the satellite's original surface conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If adhesive-based capturing is used, then the capturing device structure becomes simpler, but the adaptability to different surface structures and materials deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapturing device structureVSAvoidadaptability to surface structures
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The capturing plate is designed as a universal interface that can be installed on various types of satellites regardless of their surface structures or materials. Once the plate is installed, the same adhesive-based capturing device can reliably bond to it, making the system universally adaptable across different satellite types without requiring device modification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

By pre-installing the capturing plate on the target satellite, the system adapts to different satellite surfaces through a standardized preparation step rather than requiring the capturing device itself to adapt to each surface type, simplifying the device while maintaining universal compatibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The capturing plate enables reliable bonding with a capturing device containing adhesive, facilitating easier and more accurate capture of on-orbit devices, even with complex surfaces, and supports various operations like disposal and orbit correction.

Implementation Method 1

the bonding component including adhesive

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesive bonding: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP3248889B1Capturing plate, on-orbit device and method for capturing
Publication Date: 2021.02.17 ASTROSCALE JAPAN
  • EP3248889B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3248889B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP3248889B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Provided are a means and a method capable of improving the performance of capturing of an on-orbit device 2 in space by a capturing device 100 including a bonding component 110 made up of adhesive. In one aspect of the present invention, a capturing plate 1 is attached to an on-orbit device, and the capturing plate is attached to a part of the on-orbit device where a capturing device bonds to the on-orbit device in space with an bonding component, including adhesive, of the capturing device.