Attachment device for a cryogenic satellite tank

US6499700B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• EADS Deutschland GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Christian Schlosser · Clausthal-Zellerfeld, DE
• Heinz Voggenreiter · Vaucresson, FR
• Axel Runge · Ottobrunn, DE
• Joachim Schupp · Munich, DE
• Andreas Schuster · Annaberg-Buchholz, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 21, 2000
• Grant date: Dec 31, 2002
• Expiry date: Jul 21, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F16B2200/77
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The present invention relates to an attachment device for a cryogenic satellite tank. In order to achieve adequate rigidity in such an attachment device while reducing the thermal conductivity and at the same time ensuring simple construction which is easy to realize from a technical point of view, so-called shape memory alloy elements are used. Due to suitable arrangement or interaction between a support element (1) and a connecting component (2) or a thermally controlled connection arranged in the support element (1) it is achieved that after the launch of the rocket, the SMA element automatically expands significantly in the cold space environment as a result of phase transformation, thus reducing surface pressure at respective connection points of the attachment device, and partly disengaging the contact. Consequently, the thermal flow via these connection points is reduced or completely eliminated.