Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
  • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
  • B64G1/22—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles
  • B64G1/222—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles for deploying structures between a stowed and deployed state
  • B64G1/2221—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles for deploying structures between a stowed and deployed state characterised by the manner of deployment
  • B64G1/2226—Telescoping
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
  • B64D47/00—Equipment not otherwise provided for
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
  • F16M11/00—Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon ; Stands for scientific apparatus such as gravitational force meters
  • F16M11/02—Heads
  • F16M11/04—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
  • F16M11/043—Allowing translations
  • F16M11/046—Allowing translations adapted to upward-downward translation movement
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
  • F16M13/00—Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles
  • F16M13/02—Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
  • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
  • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
  • B64G1/10—Artificial satellites; Systems of such satellites; Interplanetary vehicles

Definitions

• the present description concerns a structure for fixing equipment intended to be fixed on a machine, for example a mobile machine such as a drone, or a satellite, or even a land machine.
• a mobile machine such as a drone, or a satellite, or even a land machine.
• the aforementioned equipment may include, for example, a sensor such as a camera or the like, or one or more solar panels to power a storage battery of the machine, or even a communication antenna, or others.
• the fixing structure can be applied advantageously, but not limitedly, to fixing on a satellite orbiting in low Earth orbit (or “LEO”). Specifications were required for such an application and more particularly for “nanosatellites”. These are the specifications called “CubeSat” below and created to reduce the launch costs of very small satellites (weighing less than 20kg) and thus enable small and medium-sized businesses or public establishments such as universities to develop and place their own spacecraft in orbit. This standard aims to guarantee the adequacy of satellites with the main payload of the launchers which put them into orbit.
• a 1U cubic base unit can have a mechanical structure to which equipment for the functionality of the satellite is attached (for example photovoltaic panels and/or a battery for its energy, an antenna for its radio communication, sensors for its control of flight, and/or to acquire measurement data, etc.).
• equipment for the functionality of the satellite for example photovoltaic panels and/or a battery for its energy, an antenna for its radio communication, sensors for its control of flight, and/or to acquire measurement data, etc.
• One or more basic units (which can provide different functionalities) can be assembled to attach to a flying machine and thus form 1U, 2U, 3U, 6U, 12U satellites.
• the cost of a 1U cube remains significant, mainly due to the fact that each unit is developed for a single application each time.
• CubeSat elements for attaching equipment usually have a one-piece, or assembled, structure, each structure being specific for the needs of the nanosatellite considered. Such an approach significantly reduces the ease of assembly and post-assembly checks required for satellite certification.
• the structure for fixing at least one piece of equipment intended to be fixed on a machine.
• the structure comprises a first base intended to be fixed to the machine, and comprising a flat fixing base and two symmetrical spacers relative to a plane perpendicular to the base.
• the structure further comprises a second base, identical to the first base and:
• Each spacer of each base has chamfers at lateral ends to allow sliding between the first and second bases, which allows the equipment to be deployed when attached to one of the bases.
• the structure comprises bases which fit into each other and which are identical, which makes it possible to produce such elements of this structure on a large scale and to assemble the structure simply and quickly.
• the structure may further comprise plates covering at least each spacer and each fixed to the exterior of a spacer.
• the structure can be completely closed when it is compact as shown in Figure 2.
• the structure is closed and can protect (in this compact form) equipment housed inside of the structure (a camera, or any sensor).
• equipment housed inside of the structure (a camera, or any sensor).
• the equipment is then discovered, visible and operational to acquire data, for example in the case of a sensor.
• the structure can also include plates fixed to the edges of the bases, not occupied by a spacer, to give the structure a general shape (of a closed parallelepiped) comprising at least two straight blocks sliding one in the 'other.
• the plates can be fixed to the base bases to leave their ends distant from the bases free and thus facilitate the sliding of one block into the other.
• the bases themselves, on the internal faces of the paving stones, can slide relative to each other thanks to the aforementioned chamfers, provided on the lateral edges of the spacers.
• the equipment can then be fixed to one of the bases via at least one of the plates, the plates being configured to accommodate equipment fixing means.
• first and second plates facing each other and belonging to two respective straight blocks cooperate with each other by a slide mechanism to ensure the sliding of a block in the 'other.
• the slide mechanism can be formed by a finger:
• the structure may also include a spring means.
• the spring means may comprise a lamella, inflected, semi-rigid and having opposite ends and fixed to the respective bases of the first and second bases (for example by screwing, snap-fastening, welding or other, on each of the bases of base).
• the structure may include a heat-separable wire.
• the section of this wire (by adding heat for example) can then release the spring means to lengthen.
• the base and the spacers of each base are made in one piece, advantageously by 3D printing. Such an achievement makes it possible to limit the material and production costs by using light but strong materials.
• each spacer comprises a form of brace for reinforcing the structure.
• the structure is configured to be fixed on a mobile machine, the aforementioned equipment being intended to be embarked on this mobile machine.
• the structure can be compact (with the two blocks tucked into each other) during maneuvers of the mobile machine, then deployed when the machine is at its destination, for example in orbit for a satellite.
• This description also covers a base comprising a base and two spacers, of a structure according to the present.
• This description also relates to a machine comprising a structure according to the present, this structure being fixed to the machine by one of the aforementioned bases.
• Figure 1 illustrates a first base with a base 11 and two spacers 12 and 13, symmetrical
• Figure 2 illustrates the assembly of the first base 10 and a second base 20, identical to the first base but turned in particular by 90°,
• Figure 3 illustrates the assembly of these bases with protective plates, forming two straight blocks sliding one inside the other
• Figure 4 illustrates a detail of the mechanism for sliding one block into the other, comprising in the example illustrated, a finger D sliding in a long groove RL.
• Figure 5 illustrates an embodiment for a spring means MR allowing the deployment of one block relative to the other when this spring means is released from being held in compression,
• FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary embodiment in which the spacers of a base also include electronic card fixing rails.
• the subject of the present description concerns a mechanical structure which consists of two identical elements which are assembled by fitting onto a slide.
• Each basic element hereinafter called “base” for attaching equipment or machinery, and bearing the reference 10 in Figure 1 includes three faces:
• spacers two identical “sides” (hereinafter called “spacers” and referenced 12 and 13 in Figure 1), and
• base a base (hereinafter called “base” and referenced 11 in Figure 1).
• the machine for example, can be fixed to the base 10 by the base I L
• the fixing base 11 is planar, and the two spacers 12, and 13 are symmetrical with respect to a plane P perpendicular to the base 11.
• the structure further comprises a second base 20, identical to the first base 10 and:
• the second base 20 comprises a base 21, and two symmetrical spacers 22, 23.
• Each spacer 12, 13, 22, 23 is reinforced by a crosspiece shape, visible in Figures 1 and 2.
• the amounts spacers (at the ends of their crosspiece) form the edges of a rectangular parallelepiped which can be a cube, with the bases 11 and 21, as shown in Figure 2.
• each base 11, 21 can have a surface area of 80x80 mm including a large opening allowing good communication between two separate CubeSat units.
• the uprights at the ends of the crosspieces are beveled to each form a chamfer acting as rails for the nesting of the base which closes the cube as illustrated in Figure 2.
• each spacer of each base has chamfers (referenced Cl, C2 in Figure 1), at the lateral ends to allow sliding between the first and second bases 10, 20, which makes it possible to deploy (or uncover) the equipment when it is fixed to one of the bases.
• the equipment can be deployed when it is fixed to the second base 20, or alternatively be fixed to the first base 10 (the same which is fixed to the machine) but be hidden by the second base 20, which uncovers it (for example like a photovoltaic panel) after sliding deploying one of the bases relative to the other.
• Such deployment can typically be carried out after maneuvers at the start of movement of the machine, so as not to hinder these maneuvers.
• the structure can be compact when the machine is on the ground before taking off and then be deployed during the flight.
• the structure can include one or more MR springs (for example with shape memory) to slide one base relative to the other when the spring is released.
• the MR springs can be attached to respective bases via screw passages provided in the plane of each base as visible in Figure 5.
• the bases can be closed by plates (referenced P12, P13, P22, P23 in Figure 3) covering at least each spacer 12,13, 22, 23 and each fixed on the outside of the spacer.
• plates can protect on-board equipment such as smart cards or batteries, or others.
• Electronic cards can in fact be slipped inside a base for example by a slide/fixing mechanism and thus remain protected by the aforementioned plates.
• the spacers 11 and 12 of a base 10 can additionally include means for fixing equipment such as here slides to accommodate electronic cards. More generally, equipment can be fixed to the structure via a plate or directly to a base, possibly to a spacer of such a base since in addition, holes which can be used for this fixing are already provided in the spacers.
• At least part of the plates of the internal base can be replaced by photovoltaic panels of the same dimensions, and thus the deployment of one base relative to the other allows to discover one or more photovoltaic panels to be operational, typically in flight. Of course, such panels can also be fixed on these plates.
• the structure comprises in particular plates referenced P14, P15, P24, P25 in Figure 3 and fixed on the edges of the bases which are not occupied by a spacer, to completely close the cubes and give the structure a shape general of two straight blocks sliding one inside the other.
• the equipment can then be fixed to one of the bases via at least one of the plates, the plates comprising holes configured to accommodate equipment fixing means.
• the equipment may include one or more photovoltaic panels for power supply to the mobile machine, or even sensors such as a camera or the like. It will thus be understood that the deployment of one base relative to the other allows to free surfaces of the small right block, sliding in the large right block, and thus leave such equipment free to fulfill their function (capturing solar radiation or an optical field, for example).
• the plates P12 to P15 of the exterior block are only fixed on the base 11 of the lower base 10.
• the plates P12 to P15 are left free, however, in the upper part (distal of base 11).
• a clearance is thus left allowing the inner block (of the upper base 20) to fit by sliding into the outer block (of the lower base 10).
• the interior pad can fit into the exterior pad to form the base of a 1U cube.
• this interlocking can be ensured by a sliding mechanism of a finger D fitted in each plate of the inner block (P22 to P25) in a slide RL fitted in each plate of the outer block (P12 to P15) .
• the holes in a base for attaching a plate can have, for example, a few millimeters in diameter.
• the bases of the respective cubes can be fixed together via holes made in each plane of a base (as visible on the top part of figures 2 and 3).
• First and second plates (pair P12, P25 of Figure 3; pair P14, P22 of Figure 3; pair P15, P23 of Figure 3; pair P13, P24 of Figure 3) facing one of the other and belonging to two respective straight blocks cooperate with each other by a slide mechanism for sliding.
• this slide mechanism is formed by a finger D:
• the spring means MR comprises a strip, inflected, semi-rigid and having opposite ends and fixed to the respective bases of the first and second bases.
• a heat-separable wire can be provided to retain the spring means, in compression before deploying the equipment.
• a section of this wire can be controlled electronically (by release of heat from a resistance for example), thus freeing the spring means to extend.
• a shape memory material extending or retracting by applying a suitable control voltage, or even a motor (jack, worm screw, or cable) to deploy a base in relation to to the other.
• shape memory materials are commonly used in the aerospace field.
• the current refinement of their design and use makes it possible to offer a wide range of possible candidates for producing the MR spring means.
• the structure within the meaning of this description has two identical parts (the bases), one turned relative to the other by 90°.
• These parts (as well as the plates that cover them in Figure 3) can be produced in large quantities and at low cost, for example by additional manufacturing or “3D printing”.
• superplastics with properties close to metal for a mass twice as low can be used to make the base and the spacers of each base, without screws or welding, because in fact, as visible in Figures 1 and 2 the base and the spacers of each base can be made in one piece.
• the entire structure can thus be additively printed using almost all of the materials available for this purpose, particularly for aeronautical applications. Furthermore, additive manufacturing allows for material savings. Typically, in comparison with the structure presented in document EP3339188 introduced above, the loss of material must be of the order of 90%, whereas with 3D printing of the structure within the meaning of the present description, that -this can be considered null.
• CubeSat a usual limitation of the CubeSat lies in the authorized volume, which is quite small, which certainly allows the production of spacecraft at low costs, but also prevents the sending into orbit of certain devices requiring larger volumes such as solar panels or certain sensors for specific scientific experiments.
• the structure within the meaning of this application provides a mechanical solution allowing for example to double the surface area of solar panels for a single cube.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Remote Sensing (AREA)
• Connection Of Plates (AREA)
• Casings For Electric Apparatus (AREA)
• Clamps And Clips (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=86852065

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2023
  • 2023-01-24 FR FR2300661A patent/FR3145201B1/fr active Active
• 2024
  • 2024-01-24 EP EP24711254.3A patent/EP4655210A1/de active Pending
  • 2024-01-24 WO PCT/FR2024/050093 patent/WO2024156962A1/fr not_active Ceased

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