Foldable Tube Unitary Hinge Composite Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The storage and deployment of solar arrays and other components in space and terrestrial applications face challenges such as weight and volume constraints, exposure to extreme temperatures, and spacecraft maneuvering loads, requiring innovative solutions for efficient folding and unfolding mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The development of foldable tube sections with unitary hinges, made from composite materials like carbon fiber, featuring longitudinal and lateral hinge regions with apertures and relief slots, allowing for transverse and parallel folding, and integrated wire harnesses for lateral flexibility, enabling compact stowage and efficient deployment without moving mechanical parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional mechanical hinge systems are used for foldable structures, then the structure can achieve folding capability, but the device complexity and part count increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the hinge functionality directly into the tube structure by creating unitary hinge regions within the composite material layers. Instead of separate mechanical hinge components, the hinge action is achieved through strategically placed apertures and material layer configurations that allow controlled folding at specific locations along the tube, eliminating multiple discrete parts while maintaining folding capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating specific hinge regions with different structural properties at predetermined locations along the tube. These unitary hinge regions have apertures and material arrangements that differ from the rest of the tube structure, enabling folding only at these localized areas while maintaining structural integrity elsewhere, thus achieving complexity reduction without sacrificing functionality
2Volume of moving object
If foldable tube sections are designed with unitary hinge regions, then the stowed volume is minimized, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates hinge apertures and structural features directly into the composite material layers during the initial tube fabrication process. By pre-forming these critical hinge regions as integral parts of the tube structure rather than adding them separately, the manufacturing precision is managed within the existing composite layup and curing processes, avoiding the need for additional high-precision assembly steps
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes composite material properties and layering techniques to create unitary hinge regions. The multi-layer composite structure allows for controlled flexibility at hinge locations through strategic placement of materials with different stiffness properties, enabling precise folding behavior to be achieved through material selection and layer configuration rather than complex mechanical tolerances
3Weight of moving object
If carbon fiber composite layers are used in hinge regions, then the weight is reduced, but the flexibility during folding becomes constrained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the composite material structure by creating discrete apertures and separating material layers at hinge regions. This segmentation allows the carbon fiber composite to maintain its lightweight properties while introducing controlled discontinuities that enable flexibility. The apertures act as stress relief points that allow the rigid composite material to bend without fracture, reconciling weight reduction with folding flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the structural parameters of the carbon fiber composite by varying layer orientation, thickness, and material composition specifically at hinge regions. These parameter changes create zones of controlled flexibility within the otherwise rigid composite structure, allowing the tube to fold while maintaining overall structural integrity and minimizing weight
4Ease of operation
If relief slots are added to hinge regions, then the deployment smoothness is improved, but the structural strength is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces relief slots that create a controlled porous or open structure at hinge regions. These slots allow stress to be distributed and relieved during folding and deployment, preventing stress concentration that would otherwise lead to failure. The controlled porosity through slot placement enables smooth deployment while maintaining sufficient structural strength through the surrounding intact material
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for foldable tube with unitary hinge are provided in accordance with various embodiments. Some embodiments include a device that may include one or more foldable tube sections configured to facilitate the deployment of an object with respect to an end portion of at least one of the one or more foldable tube sections; each of the one or more foldable tube sections may include one or more unitary hinge regions. The unitary hinge regions may include one or more longitudinal hinge regions configured to enable folding that is transverse to a primary axis of a respective foldable tube section. The unitary hinge regions may include a lateral hinge region configured to enable flattening that is parallel to a primary axis of a respective foldable tube section. Some embodiments may include a wire harness disposed within an interior portion of one or more foldable tube sections.