Expandable panel and truss system/antenna/solar panel
US4380013A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 17, 1981 |
| Grant date | Apr 12, 1983 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 17, 2001 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S136/292
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Disclosed is an expandable panel and truss structure capable of being stowed in a storage container (canister) for transportation into space and deployed to form structures such as antennas, solar panels or similar space or terrestial structures. The antenna formed comprises the panels stored as hinged pairs (sets) folded in accordian-like fashion together with the expandable trusses and other devices necessary for antenna space operation, such as attitude control and antenna feed. The panel sets are deployed from the canister to form a toroidal ring, circular in cross-section when deployed, for supporting the antenna lens and to form a feed support boom utilizing the canister as part of the antenna structure. The canister is connected to the ring and support boom in the deployed state by the expandable trusses. A fully automatic system is included for deploying the antenna and for holding the antenna structure in its deployed state. By adding a second (back) boom and reflector screen, a paraboloidal antenna is formed. In a second embodiment, utilizing the same storage and deployment principle but with panel sets which are triangular in cross-section, when deployed, either an offse…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.