Spaceborne antenna with rolling flex hinges and associated methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12347937-B2
Application number	US-202318325662-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2023
Priority date	May 30, 2023
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

A spaceborne antenna for a satellite may include antenna sections for the satellite, and at least one rolling flex hinge rotatably coupling first and second antenna sections together and permitting rotation between a stored position and a deployed position. The first and second antenna sections may be stacked in the stored position and extended in end-to-end relation in the deployed position. The at least one rolling flex hinge may include a first hinge body coupled to an end of the first antenna section, a second hinge body coupled to an end of the second antenna section, and a flexible strap arrangement coupling the first hinge body and second hinge body together to permit rolling contact therebetween. At least one locking linkage may be coupled between the first and second hinge bodies to lock the first and second hinge bodies when the first and second antenna sections are in the deployed position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A spaceborne antenna for a satellite comprising:
a plurality of antenna sections for the satellite; and
at least one rolling flex hinge rotatably coupling first and second antenna sections together and permitting rotation between a stored position and a deployed position, the first and second antenna sections being stacked in the stored position and extended in end-to-end relation in the deployed position, the at least one rolling flex hinge comprising
a first hinge body coupled to an end of the first antenna section,
a second hinge body coupled to an end of the second antenna section,
a flexible strap arrangement coupling the first hinge body and second hinge body together to permit rolling contact therebetween, the flexible strap arrangement comprising at least one flexible strap having opposing ends fixed to respective ones of the first and second hinge bodies, and
at least one locking linkage coupled between the first and second hinge bodies to lock the first and second hinge bodies when the first and second antenna sections are in the deployed position.

2. The spaceborne antenna according to claim 1 wherein the at least one locking linkage comprises a plurality of spaced apart locking linkages, with each locking linkage comprising:
a first linkage pivotally coupled to the first hinge body;
a second linkage pivotally coupled to the second hinge body; and
the first and second linkages being pivotally coupled together.

3. The spaceborne antenna according to claim 2 wherein each locking linkage comprises:
a first magnet carried by the first linkage;
a second magnet carried by the second linkage; and
the first and second magnets coupling together to lock the first and second hinge bodies when the first and second antenna sections are in the deployed position.

4. The spaceborne antenna according to claim 1 wherein the at least one rolling flex hinge comprises a stop to stop the rolling contact between the first and second hinge bodies when the first and second hinge bodies are locked.

5. The spaceborne antenna according to claim 4 wherein the stop comprises:
a dowel pin carried by a rolling surface of the first hinge body; and
a set screw carried by a rolling surface of the second hinge body.

6. The spaceborne antenna according to claim 1 wherein the at least one flexible strap comprises:
at least one first flexible strap coupled between the first and second hinge bodies; and
at least one second flexible strap coupled between the first and second hinge bodies and non-overlapping with the at least one first flexible strap.

7. The spaceborne antenna according to claim 6 wherein respective rolling surfaces of the first and second hinge bodies include grooves for receiving the at least one first and second flexible straps.

8. The spaceborne antenna according to claim 1 wherein the at least one rolling flex hinge comprises a plurality of spaced apart rolling flex hinges rotatably coupling the first and second antenna sections together.

9. A rolling flex hinge for a spaceborne antenna comprising first and second antenna sections, the rolling flex hinge permitting rotation of the first and second antenna sections between a stored position and a deployed position, comprising:
a first hinge body to be coupled to an end of the first antenna section;
a second hinge body to be coupled to an end of the second antenna section;
a flexible strap arrangement coupling the first hinge body and second hinge body together to permit rolling contact therebetween, the flexible strap arrangement comprising at least one flexible strap having opposing ends fixed to respective ones of the first and second hinge bodies, with the first and second antenna sections being stacked in the stored position and extended in end-to-end relation in the deployed position; and
at least one locking linkage coupled between the first and second hinge bodies to lock the first and second hinge bodies when the first and second antenna sections are in the deployed position.

10. The rolling flex hinge according to claim 9 wherein the at least one locking linkage comprises a plurality of spaced apart locking linkages, with each locking linkage comprising:
a first linkage pivotally coupled to the first hinge body;
a second linkage pivotally coupled to the second hinge body; and
the first and second linkages being pivotally coupled together.

11. The rolling flex hinge according to claim 10 wherein each locking linkage comprises:
a first magnet carried by the first linkage;
a second magnet carried by the second linkage; and
with the first and second magnets coupling together to lock the first and second hinge bodies.

12. The rolling flex hinge according to claim 9 comprises a stop to stop the rolling contact between the first and second hinge bodies when the first and second hinge bodies are locked.

13. The rolling flex hinge according to claim 12 wherein the stop comprises:
a dowel pin carried by a rolling surface of the first hinge body; and
a set screw carried by a rolling surface of the second hinge body.

14. The rolling flex hinge according to claim 9 wherein the at least one flexible strap comprises:
at least one first flexible strap coupled between the first and second hinge bodies; and
at least one second flexible strap coupled between the first and second hinge bodies and non-overlapping with the at least one first flexible strap.

15. The rolling flex hinge according to claim 14 wherein respective rolling surfaces of the first and second hinge bodies include grooves for receiving the at least one first and second flexible straps.

16. A method for making a rolling flex hinge for a spaceborne antenna comprising first and second antenna sections, the rolling flex hinge permitting rotation of the first and second antenna sections between a stored position and a deployed position, comprising:
coupling a first hinge body and a second hinge body together using a flexible strap arrangement to permit rolling contact therebetween, the flexible strap arrangement comprising at least one flexible strap having opposing ends fixed to respective ones of the first and second hinge bodies, the first hinge body to be coupled to an end of the first antenna section and the second hinge body to be coupled to an end of the second antenna section, and with the first and second antenna sections being stacked in the stored position and extended in end-to-end relation in the deployed position; and
coupling at least one locking linkage between the first and second hinge bodies to lock the first and second hinge bodies when the first and second antenna sections are in the deployed position.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the at least one locking linkage comprises a plurality of spaced apart locking linkages, with each locking linkage comprising:
a first linkage pivotally coupled to the first hinge body;
a second linkage pivotally coupled to the second hinge body; and
the first and second linkages being pivotally coupled together.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein each locking linkage comprises a first magnet carried by the first linkage, a second magnet carried by the second linkage, and with the first and second magnets coupling together to lock the first and second hinge bodies.

19. The method according to claim 16 comprises providing a stop for the rolling flex hinge to stop the rolling contact between the first and second hinge bodies when the first and second hinge bodies are locked.

Assignees

• Eagle Tech Llc

Inventors

• Ache Michael J
• Jenkins Stephen
• Taylor Robert M
• Guenther Alec
• Whybrew Kyle

Classifications

• H01Q1/08 Primary

  Means for collapsing antennas or parts thereof (collapsible loop antennas H01Q7/02; means for collapsing H-antennas or Yagi antennas H01Q19/04) · CPC title

• H01Q1/288

  Satellite antennas · CPC title

• F16C2326/47

  Cosmonautic vehicles, i.e. bearings adapted for use in outer-space · CPC title

• F16C2380/00

  Electrical apparatus · CPC title

• F16C11/10

  Arrangements for locking · CPC title