IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0754293
(2010-04-05)
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등록번호 |
US-8167247
(2012-05-01)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Daily, Dean R.
- Rohweller, David J.
- Glassman, Tiffany
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell & Tummino LLP
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
7 |
초록
▼
A space-based occulter is selectively movable between stowed and deployed configurations. A base hub has a longitudinally oriented center axis. A plurality of petals are provided, each petal extending radially outward from, and spaced radially apart from, the base hub when in the deployed configurat
A space-based occulter is selectively movable between stowed and deployed configurations. A base hub has a longitudinally oriented center axis. A plurality of petals are provided, each petal extending radially outward from, and spaced radially apart from, the base hub when in the deployed configuration. Each petal has a hypergaussian edge made up of a plurality of hypergaussian edge panels. Each hypergaussian edge panel defines a portion of the hypergaussian edge of the petal. Each hypergaussian edge panel is made substantially of a material having a near zero coefficient of thermal expansion. A circular central portion is located radially between the base hub and the plurality of petals. A covering skin extends laterally between the hypergaussian edges of each petal and over the circular central portion. The covering skin defines a substantially planar surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the center axis when the occulter is in the deployed configuration.
대표청구항
▼
1. A space-based occulter, selectively movable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration, the occulter comprising: a base hub having a longitudinally oriented center axis;a plurality of petals, each petal extending radially outward from, and spaced radially apart from, the base hub
1. A space-based occulter, selectively movable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration, the occulter comprising: a base hub having a longitudinally oriented center axis;a plurality of petals, each petal extending radially outward from, and spaced radially apart from, the base hub when in the deployed configuration, each petal having a hypergaussian edge made up of a plurality of hypergaussian edge panels, each hypergaussian edge panel defining a portion of the hypergaussian edge of the petal, and each hypergaussian edge panel being made substantially of a material having a near zero coefficient of thermal expansion;a circular central portion located radially between the base hub and the plurality of petals; anda covering skin extending laterally between the hypergaussian edges of each petal and over the circular central portion, the covering skin defining a substantially planar surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the center axis when the occulter is in the deployed configuration. 2. The space-based occulter of claim 1, wherein the covering skin is a multi-layer insulated blanket. 3. The space-based occulter of claim 1, wherein the occulter further comprises a plurality of telescoping booms having spaced-apart first and second ends, each telescoping boom being associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of petals, and wherein each petal further comprises a tip fitting defining a distalmost portion of the hypergaussian edge relative to the base hub when the space-based occulter is in the deployed configuration, the first end of the telescoping boom being attached to the base hub for pivotal movement in a plane parallel to the center axis, and the second end of the telescoping boom being attached to the tip fitting, wherein telescopic expansion of the telescoping boom moves the tip fitting apart from the base hub as the occulter is moving from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration. 4. The space-based occulter of claim 3, wherein each telescoping boom is oriented substantially parallel to the center axis when the occulter is in the stowed configuration and the second end of each telescoping boom pivots downward and radially outward in the plane parallel to the center axis as the occulter is moving from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration. 5. The space-based occulter of claim 3, wherein each telescoping boom is oriented substantially perpendicular to the center axis and expands radially outward from the center axis to provide motive force to deploy an associated petal from a stowed configuration. 6. The space-based occulter of claim 5, wherein the hypergaussian edge panels and tip fitting of the petal are hingedly connected together to facilitate accordion-type folding of the petal in the stowed configuration, the telescoping boom providing motive force to unfold the petal from the accordion-type folded arrangement into the deployed configuration. 7. The space-based occulter of claim 1, including a launch lock caging system having a plurality of deployable truss segments pivotally attached to the base hub and positioned on a side of the stowed occulter opposite the center axis, each truss segment is configured to help maintain the occulter in the stowed configuration when oriented parallel to the center axis, and each truss segment is configured to pivot radially downward from the center axis to release the occulter for movement to the deployed configuration. 8. The space-based occulter of claim 1, wherein, when the occulter is in the stowed configuration, the plurality of petals are oriented substantially parallel to, and spaced radially apart from, the center axis to define an inner cylindrical volume located radially between the plurality of petals, the covering skin being at least partially located within the inner cylindrical volume in the stowed configuration. 9. The space-based occulter of claim 1, wherein the occulter, when in the stowed configuration, measures no more than 5 meters in diameter across in the radial direction. 10. The space-based occulter of claim 1, wherein the occulter, when in the deployed configuration, measures at least 60 meters in diameter across in the radial direction. 11. The space-based occulter of claim 1, including a plurality of flexible tension links, each tension link extending radially from the base hub, extending radially across the circular central portion, and being attached to at least one hypergaussian edge panel to exert tension between at least one petal and the base hub. 12. The space-based occulter of claim 1, wherein each petal includes: a petal axis located in a lateral center of the petal such that the hypergaussian edge of the petal is substantially laterally symmetrical about the petal axis,a plurality of hinges, each hinge being located radially between two adjacent hypergaussian edge panels, anda plurality of accordion fold lines, each accordion fold line being defined by two laterally spaced hinges, the hinges being operative to allow pivotal movement between two adjacent hypergaussian edge panels about the accordion fold line; andwherein, during movement of each petal from the deployed to the stowed configurations, the petal is accordion-folded about the plurality of accordion fold lines to radially collapse the petal directly inward toward the center axis and the petal is longitudinally folded about the petal axis to laterally collapse the petal into at least a portion of a fin that reduces the total width of the petal in a lateral direction. 13. The space-based occulter of claim 12, wherein, during movement of each petal from the stowed to the deployed configurations, the petal is longitudinally unfolded about the petal axis to laterally expand the petal and disassemble each fin, and the petal is radially unfolded about the plurality of accordion fold lines to radially expand the petal directly outward from the center axis. 14. A space-based occulter, selectively movable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration, the occulter comprising: a base hub having a longitudinally oriented center axis;a plurality of petals, each petal extending radially outward from, and spaced radially apart from, the base hub when in the deployed configuration, each petal including: a petal edge made up of a plurality of edge panels, each edge panel defining a portion of the petal edge,a petal axis located in a lateral center of the petal such that the petal edge is substantially laterally symmetrical about the petal axis,a plurality of hinges, each hinge being located radially between two adjacent edge panels, anda plurality of accordion fold lines, each accordion fold line being defined by two laterally spaced hinges, the hinges being operative to allow pivotal movement between two adjacent edge panels about the accordion fold line;a circular central portion located radially between the base hub and the plurality of petals; anda covering skin extending laterally between the petal edges and over the circular central portion, the covering skin defining a substantially planar surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the center axis when the occulter is in the deployed configuration;wherein, during movement of each petal from the deployed to the stowed configurations, the petal is accordion-folded about the plurality of accordion fold lines to radially collapse the petal directly inward toward the center axis and the petal is longitudinally folded about the petal axis to laterally collapse the petal into at least a portion of a fin that reduces the total width of the panel in a lateral direction. 15. The space-based occulter of claim 14, wherein the covering skin is a multi-layer insulated blanket. 16. The space-based occulter of claim 14, wherein the occulter further comprises a plurality of telescoping booms having spaced-apart first and second ends, each telescoping boom being associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of petals, and wherein each petal further comprises a tip fitting defining a distalmost portion of the petal edge relative to the base hub when the space-based occulter is in the deployed configuration, the first end of the telescoping boom being attached to the base hub for pivotal movement in a plane parallel to the center axis, and the second end of the telescoping boom being attached to the tip fitting, wherein telescopic expansion of the telescoping boom moves the tip fitting apart from the base hub as the occulter is moving from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration. 17. The space-based occulter of claim 16, wherein each telescoping boom is oriented substantially parallel to the center axis when the occulter is in the stowed configuration and the second end of each telescoping boom pivots downward and radially outward in the plane parallel to the center axis as the occulter is moving from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration. 18. The space-based occulter of claim 16, wherein each telescoping boom is oriented substantially perpendicular to the center axis and expands radially outward from the center axis to provide motive force to deploy an associated petal from a stowed configuration. 19. The space-based occulter of claim 18, wherein the edge panels and tip fitting of the petal are hingedly connected together to facilitate accordion-type folding of the petal in the stowed configuration, the telescoping boom providing motive force to unfold the petal from the accordion-type folded arrangement into the deployed configuration. 20. The space-based occulter of claim 14, including a launch lock caging system having a plurality of deployable truss segments pivotally attached to the base hub and positioned on a side of the stowed occulter opposite the center axis, each truss segment is configured to help maintain the occulter in the stowed configuration when oriented parallel to the center axis, and each truss segment is configured to pivot radially downward from the center axis to release the occulter for movement to the deployed configuration. 21. The space-based occulter of claim 14, wherein, when the occulter is in the stowed configuration, the plurality of petals are oriented substantially parallel to, and spaced radially apart from, the center axis to define an inner cylindrical volume located radially between the plurality of petals, the covering skin being at least partially located within the inner cylindrical volume in the stowed configuration. 22. The space-based occulter of claim 14, wherein the occulter, when in the stowed configuration, measures no more than 5 meters in diameter across in the radial direction. 23. The space-based occulter of claim 14, wherein the occulter, when in the deployed configuration, measures at least 60 meters in diameter across in the radial direction. 24. The space-based occulter of claim 14, including a plurality of flexible tension links, each tension link extending radially from the base hub, extending radially across the circular central portion, and being attached to at least one edge panel to exert tension between at least one petal and the base hub. 25. The space-based occulter of claim 14, wherein each edge panel is made substantially of a material having a near zero coefficient of thermal expansion. 26. The space-based occulter of claim 14, wherein each petal edge is a hypergaussian petal edge and each edge panel is a hypergaussian edge panel. 27. The space-based occulter of claim 14, wherein, during movement of each petal from the stowed to the deployed configurations, the petal is longitudinally unfolded about the petal axis to laterally expand the petal and disassemble each fin, and the petal is radially unfolded about the plurality of accordion fold lines to radially expand the petal directly outward from the center axis. 28. A space-based occulter, comprising: a base hub defining a longitudinally oriented center axis;a plurality of petals, each petal extending radially outward from, and spaced radially apart from, the base hub when in the deployed configuration, each petal having a hypergaussian edge made up of a plurality of hypergaussian edge panels and a tip fitting, each hypergaussian edge panel defining a portion of the hypergaussian edge of the petal;a plurality of flexible tension links extending radially between at least one hypergaussian edge and the base hub, each tension link being configured to exert a tensile force between at least one petal and the base hub;a plurality of telescoping booms, each telescoping boom extending between a tip fitting and the base hub, each telescoping boom being pivotally attached to the base hub for selective movement between radial and longitudinal orientations with respect to the base hub, each telescoping boom being configured to selectively provide motive force oriented in the radial direction to facilitate at least one of reduction and expansion of each petal in cooperation with the hinged attachment of the hypergaussian edge panels, and each telescoping boom being configured to resist the tensile force exerted on a respective petal by the tension link;a circular central portion located radially between the base hub and at least one petal; anda covering skin extending laterally between the hypergaussian edges of each petal and over the circular central portion, the covering skin defining a substantially planar surface oriented perpendicular to the center axis. 29. The space-based occulter of claim 28, wherein the covering skin is a multi-layer insulated blanket. 30. The space-based occulter of claim 28, including a plurality of joints, each joint located between two adjacent petals, the joints facilitating relative pivoting of at least a portion of the hypergaussian edge of a first petal with respect to at least a portion of the hypergaussian edge of a second petal. 31. The space-based occulter of claim 28, wherein each telescoping boom has spaced-apart first and second ends, the first end of the telescoping boom being attached to the base hub for pivotal movement in a plane parallel to the center axis, and the second end of the telescoping boom being attached to the tip fitting, wherein telescopic expansion and contraction of the telescoping boom moves the tip fitting apart from and closer to the base hub, respectively. 32. The space-based occulter of claim 31, wherein each of the hypergaussian edge panels is hingedly attached to at least one of another hypergaussian edge panel and the tip fitting, the hinged attachment of the hypergaussian edge panels facilitating accordion folding of each petal to selectively reduce the length of each petal in the radial direction. 33. The space-based occulter of claim 32, wherein the accordion folding of each petal, the motive force oriented in the radial direction provided by the telescoping booms to facilitate at least one of reduction and expansion of each petal in cooperation with the hinged attachment of the hypergaussian edge panels, and the pivotal attachment of each telescoping boom to the base hub for selective movement between radial and longitudinal orientations with respect to the base hub cooperatively facilitate movement of the space-based occulter between stowed and deployed configurations, wherein: the space-based occulter, when in the stowed configuration, is configured to compact the petals, covering skin, and base hub into a longitudinally oriented, substantially cylindrical bundle; andthe space-based occulter, when in the deployed configuration, is configured to expand the petals, covering skin, and base hub into a substantially planar structure extending radially outward from, and substantially perpendicular to, the center axis. 34. The space-based occulter of claim 33, including a launch lock caging system having a plurality of deployable truss segments pivotally attached to the base hub, each truss segment configured to help maintain the occulter in the stowed configuration when oriented parallel to the center axis, and each truss segment configured to pivot radially downward from the center axis to release the occulter for movement to the deployed configuration. 35. The space-based occulter of claim 33, wherein, when the occulter is in the stowed configuration, the plurality of petals are oriented substantially parallel to, and spaced radially apart from, the center axis to define an inner cylindrical volume located radially between the plurality of petals, the covering skin being at least partially located within the inner cylindrical volume in the stowed configuration. 36. The space-based occulter of claim 28, wherein the occulter, when in the stowed configuration, measures no more than 5 meters in diameter across in the radial direction. 37. The space-based occulter of claim 28, wherein the occulter, when in the deployed configuration, measures at least 60 meters in diameter across in the radial direction. 38. The space-based occulter of claim 28, wherein each hypergaussian edge panel is made substantially of a material having a near zero coefficient of thermal expansion. 39. The space-based occulter of claim 28, wherein each petal includes: a petal axis located in a lateral center of the petal such that the hypergaussian edge of the petal is substantially laterally symmetrical about the petal axis,a plurality of hinges, each hinge being located radially between two adjacent hypergaussian edge panels, anda plurality of accordion fold lines, each accordion fold line being defined by two laterally spaced hinges, the hinges being operative to allow pivotal movement between two adjacent hypergaussian edge panels about the accordion fold line; andwherein, during movement of each petal from the deployed to the stowed configurations, the petal is accordion-folded about the plurality of accordion fold lines to radially collapse the petal directly inward toward the center axis and the petal is longitudinally folded about the petal axis to laterally collapse the petal into at least a portion of a fin that reduces the total width of the petal in a lateral direction. 40. The space-based occulter of claim 39, wherein, during movement of each petal from the stowed to the deployed configurations, the petal is longitudinally unfolded about the petal axis to laterally expand the petal and disassemble each fin, and the petal is radially unfolded about the plurality of accordion fold lines to radially expand the petal directly outward from the center axis.
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