Tape spring deployable structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9669949-B2
Application number	US-201514805317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2015
Priority date	Jul 25, 2014
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

A deployable structure comprises: a support, a tape spring fixed to the support, able to pass from a wound configuration wound about an axis Z, to a deployed configuration, and a mobile arm able to rotate with respect to the support about the Z-axis, able to form a first contact with the tape spring so as to control the deployment of the tape spring.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A deployable structure, comprising:
a support,
a tape spring fixed to the support, able to pass from a wound configuration wound about an axis Z, to a deployed configuration, the tape spring having two ends,
a mobile arm able to rotate with respect to the support about the Z-axis, able to form a first contact with the tape spring so as to control the deployment of the tape spring, wherein the tape spring is fixed between its two ends to a single fixing point on the support,
wherein the arm is able to form a second contact with the tape spring so as to control the deployment of the tape spring,
wherein a first end of the tape spring is able to deploy with respect to the single fixing point along a first axis perpendicular to the Z axis in a first direction, and
a second end of the tape spring is able to simultaneously unfold along a second axis perpendicular to the Z axis in a second direction different from the first direction.

2. The deployable structure according to claim 1 , wherein the arm bears two rollers, the rollers being in contact with the tape spring and in that the rollers are able to guide the tape spring.

3. The deployable structure according to claim 2 , further comprising a locking means for locking the degree of freedom of rotation of the arm about the Z axis.

4. The deployable structure according to claim 3 , the arm comprising two ends and a mandrel comprising two ends, wherein the structure comprises two secondary tape springs each one comprising two ends, a first end of one of the two secondary tape springs is fixed some distance away from a first end of the tape spring and a second end of the secondary tape spring is fixed to one end of the mandrel.

5. The deployable structure according to claim 4 , wherein the secondary tape springs are flat blades.

Assignees

• Thales Sa

Inventors

• Baudasse Yannick
• Vezain Stéphane
• Guinot François

Classifications

• E04C3/005 Primary

  Girders or columns that are rollable, collapsible or otherwise adjustable in length or height (girders as supporting members for forms E04G11/54) · CPC title

• B64G1/44

  using radiation, e.g. deployable solar arrays · CPC title

• B65H2701/528

  Heating or cooling devices · CPC title

• B65H75/4402

  Guiding arrangements to control paying-out and re-storing of the material (guides per se B65H57/00) · CPC title

• B65H75/285

  Holding devices to prevent the wound material from unwinding · CPC title