Single Actuator Satellite Manipulation System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing satellite handling systems in space face reliability issues due to the use of articulated arms, which have high probabilities of failure, significant storage challenges, and complex control requirements, making them unreliable and difficult to manage.
Innovation Solution
A satellite handling system utilizing a fixed supporting structure with a threaded rod, articulated bars, and a rotary actuator, allowing for efficient deployment and grasping of satellites using a three-arm mechanism with gripping appendages, and featuring a storage design that minimizes the risk of failure and simplifies control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If articulated arms with multiple actuators are used for satellite manipulation, then the system can achieve high degrees of freedom and flexibility, but the reliability decreases due to numerous actuators and single points of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes actuators from the articulated arm joints and extracts only the essential function of movement control. Instead of having actuators at each joint, the system uses a single actuator at the base to control the entire arm through cable-driven mechanisms, eliminating multiple failure points while maintaining mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical actuator-joint system with a cable-driven passive articulated arm. The mechanical complexity of multiple actuators is substituted with tension-based cable control from a single actuator, reducing mechanical failure points while achieving the same functional outcomes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If articulated arms are designed with multiple actuators for full control, then manipulation flexibility is improved, but the storage requirements and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements nesting by allowing the articulated arm segments to be stored within each other when not in use. The passive nature of the arm segments allows them to collapse into a compact configuration, significantly reducing storage space requirements compared to traditional articulated arms with multiple actuators.
Solution Approach 2:
By removing actuators from each joint and concentrating control at a single base actuator, the patent extracts the essential control function while eliminating the need for complex distributed actuation systems, thereby reducing overall device complexity and storage requirements.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional articulated arms are used for satellite handling, then the system can perform complex maneuvers, but the control difficulty and programming efforts increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The passive articulated arm design allows the system to self-adjust and self-position through its inherent mechanical properties. The arm segments naturally follow the tension applied by the single actuator through cables, eliminating the need for complex control algorithms to manage multiple actuators and joints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex multi-actuator control systems with a simplified cable-tension-based control mechanism. The mechanical system itself performs the complex coordination that would otherwise require sophisticated programming, reducing control difficulty while maintaining maneuver capability.
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 system provides a reliable, efficient, and space-efficient method for handling satellites in space, reducing the risk of mechanical failure and simplifying control operations while allowing for secure storage and deployment.
Implementation Method 1
uses a screw shaft 7 making it possible to move a mobile element 12 forwards and backwards
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
A system (110) for manipulating a space object in space is disclosed, the system comprising an articulated structure, characterized in that said articulated structure includes a single actuator (117) configured to control both the deployment of said structure in space, the grasping of the space object, and the retraction of said articulated structure. Developments describe the use of a fixed supporting structure (111), a threaded rod (112), a threaded nut (113) guided by the threaded rod, and a set of articulated bars (114) held by pivot joints at their interfaces on the threaded nut and on the fixed supporting structure. Various mechanical configurations are described, including grasping devices comprising rollers for locking and/or unlocking the space object by spreading the articulated bars. Methodological aspects are described, including regulation, control, and adjustment of the manipulation.