Adapted torque motorisation system for deployable spatial structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9309011-B2
Application number	US-201113312779-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2011
Priority date	Dec 7, 2010
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

A motorization device comprises two substantially parallel winding cylinders, and at least one longitudinal linking element able to maintain a predetermined distance between the winding cylinders and wound around winding tracks, the linking element consequently having a crossing point located between the winding cylinders. The motorization device includes two flexible tracks, fixed on each of the winding cylinders and arranged to face and to touch eachother at the contact point, a pre-stressing force being applied to the contact point under the effect of said linking element. The flexible tracks are spiral shaped and arranged such that the contact point between the two spiral-shaped flexible tracks, located between the winding cylinders, is offset relative to the crossing point of the linking element, such that a torque dependent on the distance between the contact point and the crossing point is applied to the contact point, causing reciprocal rotation of the flexible tracks.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A motorization device, comprising:
two substantially parallel winding cylinders,
at least one linking element, the linking element being wound around said winding cylinders in a figure-of-eight shape such that the linking element has a figure-of-eight configuration defining a crossing point located between said winding cylinders, and
two spiral-shaped flexible tracks, each one of the two spiral-shaped flexible tracks being fixed on and encircling a respective one of the two substantially parallel winding cylinders, the two spiral-shaped flexible tracks being arranged to face and touch one another at a contact point, a pre-stressing force being applied to the contact point of the flexible tracks under the effect of the linking element,
the two spiral-shaped flexible tracks being arranged such that the contact point between the two spiral-shaped flexible tracks forms an axis parallel to axes of rotation of the winding cylinders, the axis of the contact point being offset relative to the crossing point of the linking element such that a torque generated by the pre-stressing force and a distance between the contact point and the crossing point is applied to the contact point, said torque being able to cause rotation of the flexible tracks.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the spiral shape is arranged such that the distance between the contact point between the flexible tracks and the crossing point of the linking element is equal to a predetermined value and wherein the elasticity and rigidity of the flexible tracks are configured such as to control said torque exerted on the contact point between the flexible tracks.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the two spiral-shaped flexible tracks are configured such that said torque generated is constant.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the two spiral-shaped flexible tracks are operable to change a distance between said winding cylinders to vary the torque generated by the pre-stressing force.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the linking element comprises two flexible winding strips.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the linking element comprises a set of cables.

7. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising an end-of-travel stop.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the two spiral-shaped flexible tracks each have a variable radius.

9. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the two spiral-shaped flexible tracks each include an Archimedean spiral.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein each one of the two spiral-shaped flexible tracks encircling the respective one of the two substantially parallel winding cylinders revolves at least 360° around the respective one of the two substantially parallel winding cylinders thereof.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein an angular limit of deployment of the two substantially parallel winding cylinders is greater than 180°.

Assignees

• Baudasse Yannick
• Vezain Stéphane
• Thales Sa

Inventors

• Baudasse Yannick
• Vezain Stéphane

Classifications

• E05D3/06 Primary

  with two or more pins (E05D7/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64G1/2229 Primary

  characterised by the deployment actuating mechanism (inflating B64G1/2227) · CPC title

• B64G1/2225

  Rolling or unfurling (B64G1/2227 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T74/18792

  including worm · CPC title

• B64G1/222 Primary

  for deploying structures between a stowed and deployed state · CPC title