A directionally-controlled roll-out elastically deployable solar array structure is disclosed. The structure includes one or more longitudinal elastic roll out booms that may be closed section or open section to allow for efficient rolled packaging onto a lateral mandrel. A flexible photovoltaic blanket is attached to a tip structure and to a lateral base support structure, but remains uncoupled from the longitudinal booms. The solar array system may be stowed simultaneously into a rolled package comprised of the roll out booms and the flexible planar blanket together, or onto independent rolls. Alternatively, the system may be stowed by rolling the booms, and accordion Z-folding the hinged flexible photovoltaic blanket into a flat stack. Structural deployment is motivated by the elastic strain energy of the roll out booms, and several methods of deployment direction control are provided to ensure a known, controlled, and unidirectional deployment path of the elastically unrolling booms.


    Access

    Download


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Directionally controlled elastically deployable roll-out array


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2016-05-24


    Type of media :

    Patent


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English


    Classification :

    IPC:    B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS / E04H Gebäude oder ähnliche Bauwerke für besondere Zwecke , BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES / H02S GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRA-RED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, E.G. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES , Erzeugung elektrischer Energie durch Umwandlung von Infrarot-Strahlung, sichtbarem Licht oder ultraviolettem Licht, z.B. unter Verwendung von Photovoltaik [PV]-Modulen



    Directionally controlled elastically deployable roll-out solar array

    SPENCE BRIAN R / WHITE STEPHEN F | European Patent Office | 2017

    Free access

    Directionally controlled elastically deployable roll-out solar array

    SPENCE BRIAN R / WHITE STEPHEN F | European Patent Office | 2017

    Free access

    Elastically deployable panel structure solar array

    SPENCE BRIAN R / WHITE STEPHEN F / DOUGLAS MARK V | European Patent Office | 2019

    Free access

    Elastically deployable panel structure solar arrays

    SPENCE BRIAN R / WHITE STEPHEN F / DOUGLAS MARK V | European Patent Office | 2015

    Free access

    Dynamics of an Elastically Deployable Solar Array: Ground Test Model Validation

    Jorgensen, Joni / Louis, Ehlias / Hinkle, Jason et al. | AIAA | 2005