Spacecraft Electrical Device Orientation With Cable Guide Forks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spacecraft systems face challenges in orienting electrical devices like ion engines efficiently, particularly due to the need to withstand strong accelerations, vibrations, and the requirement for high reliability and robustness without maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A spacecraft orientation system comprising two rotary actuators connected through a junction part and guided by external guide forks, which support and confine electrical cables, reducing resistive torques and optimizing power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrical cables are confined in a guide path during launch and release phases, then resistance to strong vibrations and thrust forces is improved, but resistive torques on rotary actuators increase during operation phases
Solution Approach 1:
Guide forks are introduced as intermediary elements between the electrical cables and the rotary actuators. These guide forks confine the cables in a guide path during launch phases to resist vibrations, while during operation phases they act as mediators that support the cables and control their position and curvature, thereby limiting the stresses and friction forces transmitted to the rotary actuators.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide forks are designed to dynamically adapt their function based on the operational phase. During launch and release phases, they provide rigid confinement to resist vibrations. During operation phases when actuators are activated, they allow controlled movement and adjust the cable position and curvature to minimize resistive torques on the actuators.
2Adaptability or versatility
If linear actuators with connecting rods are used for orientation, then the orientation system is established, but the system complexity and robustness under strong accelerations are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional linear actuator with connecting rods mechanism with a rotary actuator system. This substitution simplifies the mechanical structure, reduces the number of components, and improves robustness under strong accelerations and vibrations while maintaining the orientation capability through rotational movement about two non-parallel axes.
3Force
If electrical cables are allowed to move freely, then cable stress is reduced, but cable interference with surrounding equipment increases during launch and release phases
Solution Approach 1:
Guide forks serve as intermediary structures that provide a designated guide path for electrical cables. This confined path prevents cables from interfering with surrounding equipment during launch and release phases, while the guide forks themselves are designed to minimize stress on the cables through proper positioning and support.
Data Source
AI summary
A spacecraft is disclosed including a frame, an electrical device powered and/or controlled by electrical cables, and a system for orienting the electrical device, which orientation system includes at least two rotary actuators with non-parallel axes (Δa, Δb), a junction part between the two rotary actuators, one or more guide forks, arranged outside the junction part and fastened to the latter, each guide fork including fingers configured to support the electrical cables and to form a guide path for said cables so that the electrical cables never exert, on the rotary actuators, a torque higher than the torque capacity of the actuators, at least one of the forks having a main axis which passes through the center of intersection of the axes of rotation of the actuators.