Release Ring Damping for Reusable Satellite Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing separation devices for satellites or microsatellites from a rocket suffer from shock-related reliability issues due to rapid release ring movements, and the addition of damping mechanisms compromises their reusability and reliability.
Innovation Solution
A separation device with a release ring that slides along a segmented nut, incorporating a damping element that engages after the nut segments are released, allowing for controlled damping during the final stage of the release process, ensuring high reliability and reusability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a solid damper is fixed to one end of the device to reduce shock upon impact, then shock reduction is improved, but device size significantly increases and reusability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The damping function is extracted from a separate solid damper component and integrated into the release ring itself through a damping groove. This eliminates the need for a large external damper while maintaining shock reduction capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping element is nested within the release ring structure through a groove carved into the ring. This allows the damping functionality to be contained within the existing component boundaries without increasing overall device volume.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If damping pins and a damping plate are added to limit shocks during release ring movement, then shock reduction is improved, but reliability decreases and reusability is compromised due to plastic deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The damping groove allows the release ring to dynamically interact with the damping element during operation. The groove geometry enables controlled deformation and recovery, providing shock absorption while maintaining component integrity for reuse.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping effect is achieved through controlled elastic deformation parameters of the release ring material and groove geometry rather than permanent plastic deformation. This allows the ring to return to its original state after damping, ensuring reusability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If damping pins strike and plastically deform the damping plate to dampen shocks, then shock reduction is improved, but the device loses its reusable nature
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using expensive reusable damping plates that suffer permanent deformation, the invention uses a disposable-like damping element within the groove that can be replaced or that naturally recovers, making the overall system reusable while maintaining effective shock damping.
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 effectively dampens shocks during the release process without compromising reliability, enabling the device to be reused and improving the success rate of separation operations.
Implementation Method 1
the release ring is configured to compress the damping element over a determined non-zero distance in the axial direction between the third position and a fourth position
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a separation device (1) comprising a release ring (5) able to slide along a segmented nut (7), the release ring (5) being configured to move between a first position, in which the segments of the nut (7) are maintained around a fastening screw (16), and a second position, in which the segments of the nut (7) are released, the device (1) being characterized in that the release ring (5) is further configured to move over a predetermined distance (d2)) between the second position and a third position, in which the ring (5) is in contact with a damping element (10) present between the ring (5) and an annular closure (3), the release ring (5) not being in contact with the damping element (10) between the second position and the third position.