IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0305429
(2005-12-15)
|
등록번호 |
US-7445183
(2008-11-04)
|
우선권정보 |
DE-10 2004 063 115(2004-12-23) |
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- EADS Space Transportation GmbH
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
5 |
초록
▼
An apparatus for ejecting a flying body (e.g. payload recovery container) from a spacecraft includes a first ring to be secured to the spacecraft, a cable winding device that is arranged on a second ring and that is releasably engageable with the flying body, and tension cables extending between the
An apparatus for ejecting a flying body (e.g. payload recovery container) from a spacecraft includes a first ring to be secured to the spacecraft, a cable winding device that is arranged on a second ring and that is releasably engageable with the flying body, and tension cables extending between the two rings. The cable winding device is spring-biased to wind-up the cables, which extend axis-parallel along the cylindrical outer shell of the flying body. Holding and guide elements on the first ring hold and guide the flying body. Catch elements on the cable winding device releasably engage receivers on the flying body. When the holding elements are released, the cables are retracted by the cable winding device, and the rotation of the cable winding device is transmitted to the flying body via the engaged catch elements and receivers. Thereby, the flying body is rotated and translationally ejected.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for ejecting a spin-stabilized flying body from a spacecraft, said apparatus comprising: a first ring element to be secured to the spacecraft, wherein said first ring element has an open inner diameter corresponding to or larger than an outer diameter of a portio
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for ejecting a spin-stabilized flying body from a spacecraft, said apparatus comprising: a first ring element to be secured to the spacecraft, wherein said first ring element has an open inner diameter corresponding to or larger than an outer diameter of a portion of the flying body to allow the portion to be inserted through said open inner diameter of said first ring element; a second ring element; a cable winding device that is arranged on said second ring element and that is releasably engageable with the flying body; a plurality of tension cables extending between and interconnecting said first and second ring elements, wherein each respective one of said tension cables has a respective first cable end thereof connected to said first ring element and a respective second cable end thereof connected to and selectively wound-up on said cable winding device arranged on said second ring element; a plurality of holding elements mounted on said first ring element and adapted to selectively hold the flying body; and a plurality of guide elements mounted on said first ring element and adapted to position and guide the flying body within said open inner diameter of said first ring element. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, including only a single said cable winding device, and wherein said respective second cable ends of all of said tension cables in common are connected to and selectively wound-up on said single cable winding device. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein all of said tension cables extend parallel to each other and parallel to a central axis of said ring elements between said first and second ring elements. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each one of said tension cables has a length corresponding to 75% to 100% of an axial length of the flying body. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of tension cables includes a total of exactly eight of said tension cables. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said tension cables are uniformly distributed and spaced apart from one another around a circumference of said first ring element and a circumference of said second ring element. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said tension cables are metal wire cables. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said tension cables provide the only interconnection between said first and second ring elements. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cable winding device has a winding rotation axis that coincides with a central axis of said ring elements. 10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said cable winding device comprises a rotatable body that is rotatable about said winding rotation axis, and catch elements that are connected to and rotatable with said rotatable body about said winding rotation axis and that are exposed, positioned and configured to releasably engage receivers of the flying body. 11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cable winding device is a spring-loaded cable winding device. 12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cable winding device comprises no active powered drive. 13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cable winding device comprises a cable winding spool rotatably arranged about a center of said second ring element, and a torsion spring connected to and rotationally biasing said cable winding spool. 14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said cable winding device further comprises a locking pin arranged and adapted to selectively lock and release a cable winding rotation of said cable winding spool. 15. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cable deflection devices arranged distributed around a perimeter of said second ring elements, wherein said tension cables respectively deflect over said cable deflection devices, from whence said respective second cable ends of said tension cables extend to said cable winding device. 16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said holding elements comprise selectively actuatable magnetic actuators or solenoids. 17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said guide elements comprise roller balls that are freely rotatably supported in ball sockets and that face radially inwardly in said open inner diameter of said first ring element. 18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cable winding device is spring-loaded by a torsion spring, and said apparatus is selectively configurable in a loaded state and an unloaded state, wherein: in said loaded state, said first and second ring elements are axially displaced apart from one another, said tension cables are paid out of said cable winding device and respectively extend axis-parallel along a cylindrical contour between said first and second ring elements, and said torsion spring is stressed in a loaded spring condition; and in said unloaded state, said first and second ring elements are contacting one another or immediately close together, said tension cables are wound-up in or on said cable winding device, and said torsion spring is relaxed to an unloaded spring condition of lower spring stress than said loaded spring condition. 19. The apparatus according to claim 1, expressly excluding all explosive devices and explosive materials. 20. A spacecraft system comprising a spacecraft having an ejection bay, a flying body that is received in said ejection bay and that is to be ejected in a spin-stabilized manner out of said ejection bay, and an ejection apparatus that is arranged in said ejection bay and that is adapted to eject said flying body with a translation motion and a rotation motion out of said ejection bay, wherein said ejection apparatus comprises: a first ring element secured to the spacecraft, wherein said first ring element has an open inner diameter corresponding to or larger than an outer diameter of a portion of said flying body, which is received in and extends through said open inner diameter; a second ring element; a cable winding device arranged on said second ring element; a plurality of tension cables extending between and interconnecting said first and second ring elements, wherein each respective one of said tension cables has a respective first cable end thereof connected to said first ring element and a respective second cable end thereof connected to said cable winding device arranged on said second ring element; a plurality of holding elements mounted on said first ring element and releasably holding said flying body; and a plurality of guide elements mounted on said first ring element and positioning and guiding said flying body within said open inner diameter of said first ring element; wherein said tension cables extend parallel to each other and parallel to a central axis of said ring elements between said first and second ring elements; and wherein said cable winding device comprises a rotatable body that is rotatable about a winding rotation axis that coincides with a central axis of said ring elements and of said flying body, and catch elements that are connected to and rotatable with said rotatable body about said winding rotation axis and that are releasably engaged with receivers of said flying body.
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