Parabolic Membrane Surface Assembly Using Precision Mandrels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inflatable membrane antennas with flat gores struggle to achieve precise parabolic surfaces due to inherent inaccuracies from flat gore construction, leading to surface inaccuracies that cannot be fully mitigated by increasing gore number or internal pressure.
Innovation Solution
The use of precisely machined, identical mandrels with curved working surfaces to accurately seam and shape flat gores into a membrane surface of revolution, reducing errors in gore width, length, and seaming gaps to achieve surface accuracy within one ten thousandth of an inch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If flat gores are used to construct membrane surfaces, then manufacturing cost is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but surface accuracy and manufacturing precision deteriorate due to inherent inaccuracies in flat gore construction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-curving the gores along the meridional direction before assembly. This pre-curving action compensates for the inherent inaccuracies of flat gores, allowing the final assembled surface to achieve the required parabolic accuracy while still using relatively simple manufacturing processes for individual gore production
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the gores by curving them in the meridional direction while maintaining flatness in the circumferential direction. This parameter transformation allows the gores to contribute to the three-dimensional parabolic surface accuracy without requiring complex doubly-curved manufacturing, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and surface precision
2Manufacturing precision
If the number of gores is increased to improve surface accuracy, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
By pre-curving each gore in the meridional direction before assembly, the patent reduces the number of gores needed to achieve a given surface accuracy. This preliminary curving action allows fewer, simpler gores to create an accurate parabolic surface, avoiding the complexity that would arise from assembling many flat gores
3Manufacturing precision
If internal pressure is increased to provide missing curvature and improve surface accuracy, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the inherent inaccuracies from flat gore construction remain and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary curving action to the gores in the meridional direction, which provides the necessary curvature without relying on internal pressure. This eliminates the need for pressure-dependent curvature generation, reducing device complexity while achieving the required surface accuracy through the pre-shaped gore geometry
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary embodiments include systems and method for making a membrane surface having an axis of revolution using first and second mandrel having precise and accurate working surfaces. The systems and methods may also use gore material that are cut and positioned using the first and second mandrels and seamed together to create the membrane surface.