Deployable Structural Assemblies with Discrete Flex Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing deployable structural assemblies lack efficient, simplified, and reliable deployment and retraction mechanisms, with suboptimal strength-to-weight ratios, scalability, and packing efficiency, making them unsuitable for various applications, especially in aerospace and dynamic environments.
Innovation Solution
A deployable structural assembly featuring hingedly coupled components with discrete flex joints, allowing for compact storage and easy deployment, with a deployment mechanism that transitions the assembly from a coiled state to a longitudinally extending state, providing high strength, stiffness, and scalability while minimizing stowed size and thermal distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a deployable structural assembly is designed to be highly compact for storage, then the stowed size is reduced, but the deployment and retraction mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The structural assembly is divided into multiple segments or sections that can be independently folded and collapsed. Each segment contains its own set of structural members and connection joints, allowing the entire assembly to be segmented into a compact configuration for storage while maintaining the ability to deploy each segment sequentially through a simplified mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural members are arranged in a nested configuration where inner members are positioned within or adjacent to outer members during the stowed state. This nesting allows multiple structural components to occupy minimal space when collapsed, reducing the overall stowed volume while the nested arrangement naturally guides the deployment sequence when the release mechanism is activated.
2Strength
If the structural assembly uses more material to increase strength and stiffness, then the strength-to-weight ratio improves, but the stowed size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The structural members are constructed from composite materials that combine materials with different properties to achieve high strength and stiffness-to-weight ratios. This allows the assembly to achieve the required mechanical performance with minimal material usage, maintaining a compact stowed size while providing sufficient strength for deployment operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural members incorporate curved or tapered geometries that optimize the distribution of material to achieve maximum strength and stiffness with minimum material usage. The curved profiles of the structural members provide inherent structural efficiency, allowing the assembly to achieve high strength-to-weight ratios without increasing the overall stowed volume.
3Ease of operation
If the assembly is designed for easy deployment and retraction, then the ease of operation improves, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The structural assembly is designed to be self-deploying through a spring-loaded or elastic recovery mechanism that automatically extends the structure when the release mechanism is activated. The structural members are pre-stressed or spring-loaded to automatically assume their deployed configuration, eliminating the need for complex manual or motorized deployment mechanisms while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection joints and structural members are designed with dynamic characteristics that allow smooth transition between stowed and deployed states. The joints incorporate flexible connections and controlled movement mechanisms that enable easy deployment through minimal input force, while the dynamic design allows the structure to adapt to loading conditions during deployment without requiring complex control systems.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the structural assembly is made scalable for different applications, then the adaptability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The structural assembly employs universal connection joints and standardized structural members that can be configured for different lengths, diameters, and applications through simple variation in the number and arrangement of segments. The same basic joint design and structural member geometry can be used across multiple applications, allowing scalability without requiring complex redesigns or multiple specialized components.
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 solution enables efficient deployment and retraction with improved strength-to-weight ratio, reduced stowed size, and scalability, making it suitable for diverse applications, including aerospace, with low thermal distortion and flexible design for various uses.
Implementation Method 1
A first plurality of discrete flex joints couple a first edge of the first structural component and a first edge of the second structural component. A second plurality of discrete flex joints couple a second edge of the first structural component and a second edge of the second structural component.
Data Source
AI summary
A deployable structural assembly is provided along with associated deployment mechanisms and associated methods of forming and deploying the deployable structural assembly. In one exemplary embodiment, the deployable structural assembly includes a first structural component and a second structural component. The two structural components have their respective longitudinal edges hingedly coupled to one another. In one embodiment, the hinged connections may include a plurality of discrete flex joints, each having a titanium or other high strength foldable component. In one embodiment of the invention, the structural components each include longitudinal members which, when the deployable structural assembly is collapsed and stored in a coiled rolled configuration, are laterally offset from one another such that they do not become radially stacked. Such a configuration enables storage to the structural assembly with reduced stress in the longitudinal members.