U.S. patent application number 17/352058 was filed with the patent office on 2021-10-07 for satellite deployer door with clutch bearing.
The applicant listed for this patent is Rocket Lab USA, Inc.. Invention is credited to Peter Barlow, Peter Beck, Ben Malcolm, David Yoon.
Application Number | 20210309393 17/352058 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005666302 |
Filed Date | 2021-10-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210309393 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Beck; Peter ; et
al. |
October 7, 2021 |
SATELLITE DEPLOYER DOOR WITH CLUTCH BEARING
Abstract
A satellite dispenser door assembly is disclosed. In various
embodiments, a satellite dispenser door assembly as disclosed
herein includes a dispenser door having a hinge pin; and a one way
clutch bearing within which the hinge pin is free to rotate in a
first rotational direction associated with a transition from a
closed position of the dispenser door to an open position of the
dispenser door.
Inventors: |
Beck; Peter; (Auckland,
NZ) ; Barlow; Peter; (Huntington Beach, CA) ;
Yoon; David; (La Crescenta, CA) ; Malcolm; Ben;
(Huntington Beach, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. |
Huntington Beach |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005666302 |
Appl. No.: |
17/352058 |
Filed: |
June 18, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16051267 |
Jul 31, 2018 |
11066192 |
|
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17352058 |
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62541493 |
Aug 4, 2017 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05F 3/20 20130101; F42B
3/006 20130101; E05D 3/08 20130101; E05Y 2201/426 20130101; E05F
1/105 20130101; B60P 7/135 20130101; F16C 33/24 20130101; E05Y
2900/531 20130101; B26D 5/12 20130101; F16C 29/005 20130101; B64G
1/645 20130101; B64G 1/007 20130101; E05Y 2201/216 20130101; F16C
2326/47 20130101; F16C 2208/82 20130101; B60P 7/16 20130101; E05Y
2900/50 20130101; B64G 1/22 20130101; F16C 2223/32 20130101; E05D
7/00 20130101; B64G 1/222 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B64G 1/22 20060101
B64G001/22; F16C 29/00 20060101 F16C029/00; F16C 33/24 20060101
F16C033/24; E05D 3/08 20060101 E05D003/08; E05D 7/00 20060101
E05D007/00; E05F 3/20 20060101 E05F003/20; B60P 7/135 20060101
B60P007/135; B60P 7/16 20060101 B60P007/16; B26D 5/12 20060101
B26D005/12; E05F 1/10 20060101 E05F001/10 |
Goverment Interests
GOVERNMENT LICENSE RIGHTS
[0002] This invention was made with Government support under
Contract No. 2014-14031000011 awarded by a United States Government
Agency. The United States Government has certain rights in the
invention.
Claims
1. A satellite dispenser door assembly, comprising: a dispenser
door having a hinge pin; a one way clutch bearing within which the
hinge pin is free to rotate in a first rotational direction
associated with a transition from a closed position of the
dispenser door to an open position of the dispenser door; and a
structure that is configured to act as a stop to the dispenser door
to prevent the dispenser door from opening past a configured extent
of opening, wherein the extent of opening is greater than or equal
to 90 degrees.
2. The satellite dispenser door assembly of claim 1, wherein the
dispenser door rotates to the open position in response to the
dispenser door being engaged by the door release mechanism.
3. The satellite dispenser door assembly of claim 1, further
comprising a clutch nut configured to hold a non-rotating portion
of the one way clutch bearing in place relative to a stationary
structure comprising a dispenser with which the dispenser door is
associated.
4. The satellite dispenser door assembly of claim 1, wherein: the
hinge pin comprises a first hinge pin positioned at one end of a
hinged end of the dispenser door; and the dispenser door further
includes a second hinge pin at an opposite end of the hinged end of
the dispenser door.
5. The satellite dispenser door assembly of claim 4, wherein the
one way clutch bearing comprises a first one way clutch bearing and
further comprising a second one way clutch bearing within which the
second hinge pin is free to rotate in a second rotational direction
associated with the transition from the closed position of the
dispenser door to the open position of the dispenser door.
6. The satellite dispenser door assembly of claim 1, wherein the
door assembly further comprises a foot configured to be mounted
fixedly to a dispenser body of a dispenser with which the dispenser
door assembly is associated, and the foot includes the structure
that acts as the stop.
7. The satellite dispenser door assembly of claim 1, wherein the
door assembly further includes a door release mechanism.
8. The satellite dispenser door assembly of claim 1, wherein the
door release mechanism includes a spring loaded pusher configured
to push the dispenser door from the closed position towards the
open position of the dispenser door.
9. The satellite dispenser door assembly of claim 1, wherein a
control module is configured to cause a driving voltage or a
driving current to be provided to the door release mechanism in
response to a determination that the payload is to be deployed.
10. The satellite dispenser door assembly of claim 9, wherein in
response to receipt of the driving voltage or the driving current,
the door release mechanism engages the dispenser door in response
to a determination that the payload is to be deployed.
11. The satellite dispenser door assembly of claim 1, wherein the
satellite dispenser door is further configured to ensure that the
dispenser door does not wholly return to the closed position in
relation to the dispenser body without manual intervention.
12. The satellite dispenser assembly of claim 1, wherein the extent
of opening is configured to prevent the dispenser door from
interfering with deployment of a payload from an adjacent satellite
dispenser.
13. The satellite dispenser assembly of claim 1, wherein the extent
of opening is adjustable.
14. A satellite dispenser, comprising: a dispenser body defining a
cavity; a satellite door assembly, comprising: a dispenser door
having a hinge pin; a one way clutch bearing within which the hinge
pin is free to rotate in a first rotational direction associated
with a transition from a closed position of the dispenser door to
an open position of the dispenser door; and a structure that is
configured to act as a stop to the dispenser door to prevent the
dispenser door from opening past a configured extent of opening,
wherein the extent of opening is greater than or equal to 90
degrees; and a door release mechanism that maintains the dispenser
door in the closed position with respect to a dispenser body before
deployment of a payload the dispenser body is configured to hold,
and that engages the dispenser door in response to receipt of a
driving voltage or driving current from a control module.
15. The satellite dispenser of claim 14, wherein the satellite
dispenser is positioned adjacent to one or more other satellite
dispensers, a distance between the satellite dispenser and the one
or more other satellite dispensers being sufficient that when the
dispenser door is opened to the configured extent of opening
relative to the closed position the dispenser door does not
interfere with the ejection or deployment of one or more payloads
from the one or more other dispensers.
16. The satellite dispenser of claim 14, wherein the structure that
is configured to act as the stop is configured to allow the
dispenser door to open at least 110 degrees from the closed
position, and the satellite door assembly is configured to ensure
that the dispenser door does not wholly return to the closed
position without manual intervention.
17. The satellite dispenser of claim 14, wherein the extent of
opening is configured to prevent the dispenser door from
interfering with deployment of a payload from an adjacent satellite
dispenser.
18. The satellite dispenser of claim 14, wherein the extent of
opening is adjustable.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 16/051,267, entitled SATELLITE DEPLOYER DOOR
WITH CLUTCH BEARING filed Jul. 31, 2018 which is incorporated
herein by reference for all purposes, which claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Application No. 62/541,493, entitled SMALL SCALE
SATELLITE DEPLOYER filed Aug. 4, 2017 which is incorporated herein
by reference for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Small scale satellites, such as CubeSat or other small
satellites, may be launched into space in a launch vehicle that
includes a plurality of such satellites, each contained in a
"dispenser" device, sometimes referred to as a small scale
satellite "deployer", configured to deploy the small scale
satellite in a controlled manner, e.g., to achieve a target orbit.
The terms "dispenser" and "deployer" are used interchangeably in
this specification.
[0004] Satellites conforming to the CubeSat Design Specification
may have a size and form factor of a corresponding type or class of
CubeSat as defined by the standard. The size and form factor of a
CubeSat is based on a standard 10.times.10.times.11.35 cm3 unit
designed to provide 10.times.10.times.10 cm3 (or 1 liter) of useful
volume. CubeSats of different types may comprise a different number
of such units. For example, CubeSats comprising 1, 3, 6, or 12
units, sometimes designated as 1 U, 3 U, 6 U, and 12 U CubeSats,
respectively, may be encountered. Other satellites comprising other
whole or fractional numbers of standard units may be launched and
deployed.
[0005] Small scale satellite dispensers typically have a shape,
size, and form factor to accommodate a corresponding small scale
satellite, and commonly have a door that provides access to a
payload area of the dispenser. The small scale satellite (payload)
is loaded into the dispenser through the opening associated with
the door, with the door in the open position. The door is closed
and secured in the closed position. The dispenser may be arranged
with other dispensers in a chassis configured to accommodate
multiple dispensers. The chassis is loaded into a launch vehicle,
such as a rocket, and launched into space. Control circuits
initiate deployment of the small scale satellite at a time,
orientation, etc. associated with the target orbit of each
respective small scale satellite. Typically, a satellite is
deployed by causing the dispenser door to open at a precise time,
resulting in the small scale satellite being ejected from the
dispenser and into orbit. Solar panels, antennae, and other
appendages and auxiliary equipment may open, extend, or otherwise
deploy once the small scale satellite has been ejected from the
dispenser.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the
following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
[0007] FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a small
scale satellite dispenser.
[0008] FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the small
scale satellite dispenser 100 of FIG. 1A with the door 104
open.
[0009] FIG. 1C is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the small
scale satellite dispenser 100 of FIG. 1A with the door 104 open and
the payload 106 ejected from the payload area defined by dispenser
body 102.
[0010] FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a small
scale satellite dispenser provided with a pyrotechnic cutter door
release mechanism prior to cutter activation.
[0011] FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a small
scale satellite dispenser provided with a pyrotechnic cutter door
release mechanism after cutter activation.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a
satellite deployer (dispenser) door having a one way clutch bearing
to prevent dispenser door bounce back.
[0013] FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a
satellite deployer (dispenser) door having a one way clutch bearing
to prevent dispenser door bounce back.
[0014] FIG. 4B shows the door 302 of the assembly shown in FIG. 4A
once the door 302 has opened.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including
as a process; an apparatus; a system; a composition of matter; a
computer program product embodied on a computer readable storage
medium; and/or a processor, such as a processor configured to
execute instructions stored on and/or provided by a memory coupled
to the processor. In this specification, these implementations, or
any other form that the invention may take, may be referred to as
techniques. In general, the order of the steps of disclosed
processes may be altered within the scope of the invention. Unless
stated otherwise, a component such as a processor or a memory
described as being configured to perform a task may be implemented
as a general component that is temporarily configured to perform
the task at a given time or a specific component that is
manufactured to perform the task. As used herein, the term
`processor` refers to one or more devices, circuits, and/or
processing cores configured to process data, such as computer
program instructions.
[0016] A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the
invention is provided below along with accompanying figures that
illustrate the principles of the invention. The invention is
described in connection with such embodiments, but the invention is
not limited to any embodiment. The scope of the invention is
limited only by the claims and the invention encompasses numerous
alternatives, modifications and equivalents. Numerous specific
details are set forth in the following description in order to
provide a thorough understanding of the invention. These details
are provided for the purpose of example and the invention may be
practiced according to the claims without some or all of these
specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material
that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has
not been described in detail so that the invention is not
unnecessarily obscured.
[0017] A satellite dispenser having a door that is able to swing
open but not rotate back in the direction opposite of the open
direction is disclosed. In various embodiments, a dispenser as
disclosed herein includes a substantially square or other
rectangular door hinged at one side/end. A release mechanism
releases the door and spring force pushes/drives the door towards
an open position. In various embodiments, to prevent the door from
bouncing back or otherwise returning to a closed or partially
closed position, a one way clutch bearing or equivalent structure
is provided to allow the hinged end to rotate only in the open
direction, and not to rotate back in the closed direction.
[0018] In some embodiments, the dispenser and/or door includes a
hard stop, which is adjustable in some embodiments, to prevent the
door from opening beyond a desired maximum extent, e.g., to avoid
interfering with any adjacent dispenser in the same launch
vehicle.
[0019] FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a small
scale satellite dispenser. In the example shown, dispenser 100
includes a dispenser casing or body 102 with a door 104 at one end.
In the state shown in FIG. 1A, the dispenser door 104 is closed, as
it would be subsequent to a small scale satellite being loaded into
the dispenser 100 but before deployment.
[0020] FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the small
scale satellite dispenser 100 of FIG. 1A with the door 104 open. A
small scale satellite 106 is visible in the payload area defined by
dispenser body 102. The state shown in FIG. 1B may be associated
with loading the payload 106 into the dispenser 100, but prior to
the door 104 being closed, and/or just prior to ejection of payload
106 after the door 104 being opened.
[0021] FIG. 1C is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the small
scale satellite dispenser 100 of FIG. 1A with the door 104 open and
the payload 106 ejected from the payload area defined by dispenser
body 102. In various embodiments, the payload 106 may have been
ejected at least in part by a spring-loaded pusher plate against
which the payload 106 had been pressed against during loading of
payload 106 into dispenser 100, thereby compressing one or more
springs associated with the pusher plate.
[0022] In various embodiments, the state of dispenser 100 as shown
in FIGS. 1B and 1C is attained at least in part by activating a
door release mechanism (not shown in FIGS. 1A through 1C)
configured to hold door 104 in the closed position prior to
activation. Upon activation of the door release mechanism, the door
104 is no longer held in the closed position. In various
embodiments, one or more springs compressed by closing door 104 and
securing door 104 in the closed position may, upon activation of
the door release mechanism, cause the door 104 to be pushed open,
as in FIGS. 1B and 1C, allowing the payload 106 to be ejected, as
shown in FIG. 1C.
[0023] FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a small
scale satellite dispenser provided with a pyrotechnic cutter door
release mechanism prior to cutter activation. In the example shown,
satellite dispenser 200 includes a dispenser body 202 and door 204.
The door 204 is held closed in the state shown by a door release
mechanism 206 which in this example includes a wire or cable (not
shown in FIG. 2A) to hold the door closed prior to deployment and
two pyrotechnic cutters positioned and configured to cut the wire
or cable to release the door 204 to enable the door 204 to open. In
the example shown, electrical leads 208 are connected to the
pyrotechnic cutters included in door release mechanism 206. In
various embodiments, signals and/or power to activate the
pyrotechnic cutters is/are provided via leads 208, e.g., from a
driver or similar component comprising and/or otherwise associated
with the dispenser 200.
[0024] FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a small
scale satellite dispenser provided with a pyrotechnic cutter door
release mechanism after cutter activation. In the state shown in
FIG. 2B, the pyrotechnic cutters comprising door release mechanism
206 have been fired resulting in the cable or wire holding door 204
closed being cut. In the example shown, the door 204 has been
assisted in opening by a spring-loaded pusher 210 being pushed out
from the door release mechanism 206 once the wire or cable holding
the door 204 shut had been cut. Also shown in FIG. 2B is a recess
or cavity 212 into which a door side portion of the wire or cable
that had been holding the door 204 closed has been pulled, e.g., by
a spring-loaded plunger configured to extend into the cavity 212
pulling the door end of the cut wire or cable into cavity 212. In
various embodiments, the wire or cable retraction mechanism
configured to pull the free end of the cut wire or cable into
cavity 212 ensures the loose (door) end of the cut wire or cable
does not interfere with ejection and/or deployment of the small
scale satellite from dispenser 200.
[0025] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a
satellite deployer (dispenser) door having a one way clutch bearing
to prevent dispenser door bounce back. In the example shown, door
assembly 300 includes a door 302 having hinge pins 304 and 306. One
way clutch bearings 308 and 310 are assembled onto hinge pins 304
and 306. Hinge extensions 312 and 318 are place over the one way
clutch bears 308 and 310. The hinge extensions 312, 318 extend
through openings in dispenser feet 314, 320 and are held in place
by clutch nuts 316, 322. Once assembled, the one way clutch
bearings 308, 310 allow the door 302 to swing open (roughly
clockwise as shown in FIG. 3) but not back towards the closed
position. In various embodiments, the one way bearings 308, 310
allow the door to spring open once the door release mechanism,
e.g., as described herein, has been activated, but prevent the door
from bouncing or being knocked back towards the closed position,
which could prevent ejection of the payload, interfere with
complete deployment of the payload, and/or damage the payload.
[0026] In some embodiments, the feet 314, 320 include a structure
that acts as a hard stop to prevent the door 302 from opening past
a design extent of opening. For example, in some embodiments hard
stops comprising the feet 314, 320, combined with the one way
clutch bearings 308, 310, operate to allow the door 302 to open to
110 degrees from the original closed position, and to remain open
to the designed extent without return wholly or partly to the
closed position. In some embodiments, the stops prevent the door
302 from opening so far as to potentially interfere with the
opening of doors of other dispenser that may be mounted adjacent to
the dispenser, e.g., in a launch and/or deployment vehicle
configured to hold and deploy satellites from multiple
dispensers.
[0027] FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a
satellite deployer (dispenser) door having a one way clutch bearing
to prevent dispenser door bounce back. In the example shown, the
door 302 is in vertical or closed position relative to the side and
top walls of the dispenser body 402. A black mark at the 12 o'clock
(top) position on the hinge pin 304 shows that the hinge and door
are in the closed position. A stop 404 is shown at bottom, which in
various embodiments may be included in a foot or similar structure
attached to the dispenser body 402, such as feet 314, 320 of FIG.
3.
[0028] FIG. 4B shows the door 302 of the assembly shown in FIG. 4A
once the door 302 has opened. In the example shown, the door 302
has opened to a point at which it has engaged the stop 404. The
hinge pin 304 and the inner race of one way clutch bearing 308 have
rotated to the position as shown. The structures of one way clutch
bearing 308 that prevent rotation back towards the closed position,
i.e., counter-clockwise as shown, prevent the door 302 from
returning wholly or partly to the closed position, while the stop
404 prevents the door 302 from opening further.
[0029] In various embodiments, the combination of a one way clutch
bearing such as bearing 308 and a physical stop such as stop 404
ensures the door 302 opens to the desired extent and remains fully
opened at that extent. This ensure the dispenser payload is ejected
and deploys without interference from the door 302 while also
ensuring the opened door 302 does not interfere with the ejection
and deployment of payloads from adjacent dispensers, if any.
[0030] While in certain example embodiments illustrated and
described herein a one way clutch bearing is provided to ensure the
dispenser door does not bounce back, potentially damaging the
satellite and/or interfering with proper deployment, in various
embodiments other equivalent structures are used to prevent the
dispenser door from bouncing or being pushed back, including by way
of example and without limitation one or more of a ratchet, such as
pawl and ratchet wheel; a Sprague clutch or other one way clutch;
etc.
[0031] Although the foregoing embodiments have been described in
some detail for purposes of clarity of understanding, the invention
is not limited to the details provided. There are many alternative
ways of implementing the invention. The disclosed embodiments are
illustrative and not restrictive.
* * * * *