Solar array for satellite vehicles

US5961738A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• AEC-Able Engineering Co., Inc. · US

Inventors

• Max D. Benton · Goleta, US
• P. Alan Jones · Lompoc, US
• Brian R Spence · Solvang, US
• Earl McCutcheon · Santa Ynez, US
• Carl Devillier · Lompoc, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 30, 1997
• Grant date: Oct 5, 1999
• Expiry date: Jul 30, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S136/292
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A solar array with a blanket having solar cells incorporated in modules that can readily be removed, replaced, and accordion-folded to a stowed condition. A scissors array having tracks in which scissors linkages are slidingly fitted enables the array to be stowed or deployed from a container in which the module are interleaved with soft, compressed leaves that protect the blanket from inertial forces during handling and launching.