Toroidal support structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional support structures face challenges in fitting within complex geometries, such as between cylindrical and spherical objects, and suffer from thermal deformations due to temperature fluctuations, leading to misalignment and mechanical distortion in environments like spacecraft cryogenic tanks.
Innovation Solution
A toroidal support structure comprising a tubular ring and planar ring with isolating linear support components connected to a mounting base, providing thermal isolation and preventing mechanical distortion, while allowing for flexible installation and stress reduction through pivotable connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional support structures are used in complex geometries between cylindrical and spherical objects, then the space utilization is poor, but the structural complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure employs a toroidal (doughnut-shaped) geometry that naturally conforms to the curved surfaces of cylindrical and spherical objects. This curved design allows the structure to fit efficiently in the annular space between a cryogenic tank and the spacecraft wall, maximizing space utilization while maintaining structural integrity through its inherent geometric strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The toroidal support structure is divided into multiple modular segments or panels that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows for easier manufacturing of complex curved surfaces, simplifies assembly in the confined spacecraft environment, and enables the structure to adapt to varying geometric requirements while maintaining overall structural coherence.
2Strength
If rigid support structures are used to maintain stability, then the structural strength is high, but thermal deformations cause misalignment and mechanical distortion in temperature fluctuation environments
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure incorporates materials and design features that allow controlled thermal expansion and contraction. By designing joints and connections that can accommodate dimensional changes within certain parameter ranges, the structure maintains its overall integrity and functionality despite temperature fluctuations, preventing misalignment and mechanical distortion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary elements such as flexible joints, expansion joints, or compliant mechanisms between rigid structural components. These intermediaries act as buffers that absorb thermal deformations, allowing the rigid parts to maintain their strength while the intermediaries accommodate the dimensional changes, thus preventing misalignment and mechanical distortion.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the support structure is firmly fixed to prevent rotation, then the positional stability is improved, but stress concentrations increase under high acceleration conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure employs dynamic mounting mechanisms that allow controlled movement or adjustment during high acceleration events. Rather than being completely rigidly fixed, the structure can dynamically adapt its position or orientation within certain limits, distributing stresses more evenly across the mounting points and reducing stress concentrations while maintaining adequate positional stability.
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 toroidal design enhances stiffness and stability, enabling the support structure to withstand high accelerations and temperature fluctuations, providing a higher load-bearing capacity with reduced mass and stress concentrations, while maintaining orientation and preventing rotation relative to the mounting base.
Implementation Method 1
providing thermal isolation to the rings and preventing their mechanical distortion
Implementation Method 2
Temperature fluctuations may cause different levels of thermal expansions and/or contractions on different components of support structures causing deformations and misalignment
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
Provided are toroidal support structures and assemblies comprising these structures. A toroidal support structure comprises one or more side panels forming a tubular ring and one or more floor panels forming a planar ring. These rings define the toroidal shape of the structure. The structure also comprises multiple isolating linear support components connected to a top edge of the tubular ring. During installation of the structure, the isolating linear support components are attached to a mounting base for supporting the structure relative to the base, while providing thermal isolation to the rings and preventing their mechanical distortion. As such, a toroidal support structure can be attached to various types of mounting bases, such as a cryogenic tank of a spacecraft. Both rings provide supporting and mounting surfaces for equipment, cables, and pipes, while the toroidal opening allows external components to protrude through the support structure.