IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0373204
(2003-02-26)
|
우선권정보 |
GB-0029599 (2002-12-19) |
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
10 |
초록
▼
A deployable structure includes a structural mechanism consisting of a plurality of rigid links 1 connected together by rotational joints 2 to form an array of Bennett linkages 20. The Bennett linkages 20 are interconnected so that the structural mechanism, including all the Bennett linkages 20, has
A deployable structure includes a structural mechanism consisting of a plurality of rigid links 1 connected together by rotational joints 2 to form an array of Bennett linkages 20. The Bennett linkages 20 are interconnected so that the structural mechanism, including all the Bennett linkages 20, has a single degree of mobility. The structural mechanism has a profile with a curvature that varies during movement to deploy the structure from a state in which its profile is flat to a state in which its profile is curved. This allows is very convenient as the structure may be assembled, stored and/or transported in the flat state, prior to deployment into the curved state. As such the structure has many application including the frame for a tent.
대표청구항
▼
1. A deployable structure including a structural mechanism consisting of a plurality of rigid links connected together by rotational joints, each joint connecting two links and providing for rotation of the connected links relative to each other about a respective axis of rotation, to form an array
1. A deployable structure including a structural mechanism consisting of a plurality of rigid links connected together by rotational joints, each joint connecting two links and providing for rotation of the connected links relative to each other about a respective axis of rotation, to form an array of Bennett linkages, wherein:each Bennett linkage comprises four links connected in a loop by rotational joints, wherein the axes of rotation of the joints connecting each link are skewed relative to each other around an imaginary line perpendicular to the axes of rotation of both joints by a skew angle, where, measuring the skew angles for each link in the same sense around the Bennett linkage, the skew angles for opposite links are equal, defining the length of a link as the length between the joints connecting that link resolved along said imaginary line, the lengths of opposite links are equal, and the length a of a first pair of opposite links, the length b of the second pair of opposite links, the skew angle α for the first pair of opposite links, and the skew angle β for the second pair of opposite links are related by the formula: a/b=sin α/sin β; the ratio of the lengths of the first and second pairs of opposite links is the same for each Bennett linkage; Bennett linkages are arranged in a common orientation in a series of rows along which rows the Bennett linkages are aligned in parallel directions; within each row, the Bennett linkages have equal skew angles for corresponding links; respective pairs of Bennett linkages in their rows are interconnected by two connected links of one of the interconnected Bennett linkages being connected by respective rotational joints to a respective one of two connected links of the other of the interconnected Bennett linkages so that said two connected links of each of the interconnected Bennett linkages are connected in a loop to form an intermediate Bennett linkage, each respective intermediate Bennett linkage being either: (a) arranged inside the interconnected Bennett linkages and having skew angles which are equal to the corresponding skew angles of the interconnected Bennett linkages; or (b) arranged outside the interconnected Bennett linkages and having skew angles which are equal to 180° minus the corresponding skew angles of the interconnected Bennett linkages; and respective pairs of Bennett linkages in adjacent rows are interconnected by two connected links of one of the interconnected Bennett linkages being connected by respective rotational joints to a respective one of two connected links of the other of the interconnected Bennett linkages so that said two connected links of each of the interconnected Bennett linkages are connected in a loop to form an intermediate linkage which is either: (a) a linkage in which the joints all have parallel axes of rotation and, defining the length of a link as the length between the joints connecting that link resolved along an imaginary line perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the joints connecting the link the lengths of opposite links is equal; or (b) a Bennett linkage which is either: (b1) arranged inside the interconnected Bennett linkages and has skew angles which are not equal to the corresponding skew angles of the interconnected Bennett linkages; or (b2) arranged outside the interconnected Bennett linkages and has skew angles which are not equal to 180° minus the corresponding skew angles of the interconnected Bennett linkages. 2. A deployable structure according to claim 1, wherein each respective joint is formed in each respective link it connects at the intersection of the axis of rotation of the respective joint with an imaginary line perpendicular to both the axis of rotation of the respective joint and the axis of rotation of the adjacent joints in the Bennett linkage.3. A deployable structure according to claim 2, wherein each respective link is straight and perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the joints connecting the respective link.4. A tent comprising a deployable structure according to claim 1, in combination with flexible material arranged to cover the structural mechanism when the structural mechanism is in a deployed state.5. A deployable structure including a structural mechanism consisting of a plurality of rigid links connected together by rotational joints, each joint connecting two links and providing for rotation of the connected links relative to each other about a respective axis of rotation, to form an array of Bennett linkages, whereineach Bennett linkage comprises four links connected in a loop by rotational joints each connecting two links and providing for rotation of the connected links relative to each other about a respective axis of rotation, wherein the axes of rotation of the joints connecting each link are skewed relative to each other around an imaginary line perpendicular to the axes of rotation of both joints by a skew angle, where, measuring the skew angles for each link in the same sense around the Bennett linkage, the skew angles for opposite links are equal, defining the length of a link as the length between the joints connecting that link resolved along said imaginary line, the lengths of opposite links are equal, and the length a of a first pair of opposite links, the length b of the second pair of opposite links, the skew angle α for the first pair of opposite links, and the skew angle β for the second pair of opposite links are related by the formula: a/b=sin α/sin β; the ratio of the lengths of the first and second pairs of opposite links is the same for each Bennett linkage; Bennett linkages are arranged in series in a common orientation; respective pairs of Bennett linkages which are adjacent in said series are interconnected by two connected links of one of the interconnected Bennett linkages being connected by respective rotational joints to a respective one of two connected links of the other of the interconnected Bennett linkages so that said two connected links of each of the interconnected Bennett linkages are connected in a loop to form an intermediate linkage which is either: (a) a linkage in which the joints all have parallel axes of rotation and, defining the length of a link as the length between the joints connecting that link resolved along an imaginary line perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the joints connecting the link, the lengths of opposite links is equal; or (b) a Bennett linkage which is either: (b1) arranged inside the interconnected Bennett linkages and has skew angles which are not equal to the corresponding skew angles of the interconnected Bennett linkages; or (b2) arranged outside the interconnected Bennett linkages and has skew angles which are not equal to 180° minus the corresponding skew angles of the interconnected Bennett linkages. 6. A tent comprising a deployable structure according to claim 5, in combination with flexible material arranged to cover the structural mechanism when the structural mechanism is in a deployed state.7. A deployable structure according to claim 5, wherein the intermediate linkages include Bennett linkages in which each either:is arranged inside the interconnected Bennett linkages and has skew angles which are of opposite sign to the corresponding skew angles of the interconnected Bennett linkages; or is arranged outside the interconnected Bennett linkages and has skew angles which are of the same sign as the corresponding skew angles of the interconnected Bennett linkages. 8. A deployable structure according to claim 5, wherein each respective joint is formed in each respective link it connects at the intersection of the axis of rotation of the respective joint with an imaginary line perpendicular to both the axis of rotation of the respective joint and the axis of rotation of the adjacent joints in the Bennett linkage.9. A deployable structure according to claim 8, wherein each respective link is straight and perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the joints connecting the respective link.10. A deployable structure including a structural mechanism consisting of a plurality of rigid links connected together by rotational joints, each joint connecting two links and providing for rotation of the connected links relative to each other about a respective axis of rotation, to form an array of Bennett linkages, wherein:each Bennett linkage comprises four links connected in a loop by rotational joints each connecting two links and providing for rotation of the connected links relative to each other about a respective axis of rotation, wherein the axes of rotation of the joints connecting each link are skewed relative to each other around an imaginary line perpendicular to the axes of rotation of both joints by a skew angle, where, measuring the skew angles for each link in the same sense around the Bennett linkage, the skew angles for opposite links are equal, defining the length of a link as the length between the joints connecting that link resolved along said imaginary line, the lengths of opposite links are equal, and the length a of a first pair of opposite links, the length b of the other pair of opposite links, the skew angle α for the first pair of opposite links, and the skew angle β for the second pair of opposite links are related by the formula: a/b=sin α/sin β; the ratio of the lengths of the first and second pairs of opposite links is the same for each Bennett linkage; the array of Bennett linkages includes a series of Bennett linkages arranged in series in a common orientation and having equal skew angles for corresponding links; respective pairs of Bennett linkages which are adjacent in said series being interconnected by an intermediate linkage which has a single degree of mobility and is mobile with both the interconnected Bennett linkages. 11. A deployable structure according to claim 10, wherein the intermediate linkage is formed by two connected links of one of the interconnected Bennett linkages being connected by respective rotational joints to a respective one of two connected links of the other of the interconnected Bennett linkages so that said two connected links of each of the interconnected Bennett linkages are connected in a loop.12. A deployable structure according to claim 11, wherein the intermediate linkage is a linkage in which the joints all have parallel axes of rotation and, defining the length of a link as the length between the joints connecting that link resolved along an imaginary line perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the joints connecting the link, the lengths of opposite links are equal.13. A deployable structure according to claim 11, wherein the intermediate linkage is a Bennett linkage.14. A deployable structure according to claim 13, wherein the intermediate Bennett linkage is arranged inside the interconnected Bennett linkages and has skew angles which are not equal to the corresponding skew angles of the interconnected Bennett linkages.15. A deployable structure according to claim 13, wherein the intermediate Bennett linkage is arranged outside the interconnected Bennett linkages and has skew angles which are not equal to 180° minus the corresponding skew angles of the interconnected Bennett linkages.16. A deployable structure according to claim 10, wherein the array of Bennett linkages includes a series of rows of Bennett linkages all in a common orientation and having equal skew angles for corresponding links, the Bennett linkages in each row being aligned along a direction which is parallel for each row, respective pairs of Bennett linkages which are adjacent in said row being interconnected by an intermediate linkage which has a single degree of mobility and is mobile with both the interconnected Bennett linkages.17. A deployable structure according to claim 16, wherein said intermediate linkage is formed by two connected links of one of the interconnected Bennett linkages being connected by respective rotational joints to a respective one of two connected links of the other of the interconnected Bennett linkages so that said two connected links of each of the interconnected Bennett linkages are connected in a loop to form an intermediate Bennett linkage.18. A deployable structure according to claim 17, wherein the intermediate Bennett linkage is arranged inside the interconnected Bennett linkages and has skew angles which are equal to the corresponding skew angles of the interconnected Bennett linkages.19. A deployable structure according to claim 17, wherein the intermediate Bennett linkage is arranged outside the interconnected Bennett linkages and having skew angles which are equal to 180° minus the corresponding skew angles of the interconnected Bennett linkages.20. A deployable structure according to claim 10, wherein each respective joint is formed in each respective link it connects at the intersection of the axis of rotation of the respective joint with an imaginary line perpendicular to both the axis of rotation of the respective joint and the axis of rotation of the adjacent joints in the Bennett linkage.21. A deployable structure according to claim 20, wherein each respective link is straight and perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the joints connecting the respective link.22. A tent comprising a deployable structure according to claim 10, in combination with flexible material arranged to cover the structural mechanism when the structural mechanism is in a deployed state.
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