JPS6324880B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a solar light collection device suitable for use onboard a spacecraft.

Prior Art The applicant first focused sunlight using a lens or the like and introduced it into a light guide, and transmitted it through the light guide to any desired location for illumination or other purposes, such as a light source for cultivating chlorella or the like. Various proposals have been made regarding its use as a light source for photosynthetic reactions. Recently, with the development of space engineering, it has become necessary for astronauts and others to stay in spacecraft for long periods of time, but one of the problems in this case is the supply of oxygen and food inside the spacecraft. There is a problem. Of course, it would be sufficient to launch the oxygen cylinder and food together with the rocket when it is launched, but in the future, it is expected that there will be a large number of crew members and that they will stay on the spacecraft for a long time. There are limits to the ability to launch oxygen cylinders and fresh food, and it is necessary to take measures to make the spacecraft self-sufficient in oxygen and fresh food. In this case, sunlight is the most effective energy source.

Purpose The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and particularly aims to provide a sunlight collection device suitable for use in space.

Configuration FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the solar collector according to the present invention when it is not in use, and FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view when it is in use. In the figure, 100 indicates the spacecraft body;
110 is a cylindrical body provided to protrude from at least a part of the spacecraft; 120 is a cylindrical body slidably provided on the outer peripheral wall of the cylindrical body;
When in use (when collecting sunlight), it is retracted to the spacecraft 100 side as shown in Figure 2, and when not in use,
As shown in FIG. 1, it is configured to extend from a spacecraft 100 and cover a sunlight collecting device 10, which will be described later. In the illustrated example, a part of the spacecraft is provided with a hexagonal cylindrical body, but the cylindrical body does not necessarily have to be hexagonal, but may be hexagonal. Of course, it is also possible to construct the entire spacecraft in a hexagonal shape, and when constructed in a hexagonal shape, each wall surface becomes a flat surface, making it easy to use and making effective use of the inside of the spacecraft.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the sunlight collecting surface when the solar collecting device according to the present invention is in use, and Fig. 4 is a side sectional view when it is not in use. , 12 ₁ to 12 ₆ are triangular sunlight collecting parts, 13 is a shaft hanging downward from the sunlight collecting part 11, 14 is a first rotating shaft, and 15 is a rotatable support for the rotating shaft 14. Support arm for
6 is a second rotation axis; 17 is a sunlight direction sensor provided in a part of the sunlight collection unit 11; when in use, the sunlight direction sensor 17 detects the direction of the sun and the rotation axis 14 and 16 are controlled so that the light-receiving surface of the sunlight collecting section always faces the direction of the sun. Various types of sunlight direction sensors have already been proposed, and for example, it is possible to use the sensor described in Japanese Patent Application No. 139298/1988, which was previously proposed by the applicant of the present invention. In addition, the sunlight collecting units 11 and 12 ₁ to 12 ₆ are equipped with a large number of lenses having a small diameter (for example, about 4 cm) and a focal position of each lens, as previously proposed by the applicant. It consists of an optical fiber with a diameter of about 0.5 mm with a light-receiving end, and sunlight focused by each lens is introduced into each optical fiber.
Through the optical fibers or all of these optical fibers are connected to one or more large diameter light guides, through which the light can be transmitted to any desired location for illumination or other uses. ing. Therefore, in the present invention,
The triangular solar collectors 12 ₁ to 12 ₆ are each attached adjacent to each side of the hexagonal solar collector 11 so as to be rotatable around an axis parallel to each side, and when not in use. As shown in FIG. 4, the hexagonal solar collector 11 is folded and housed in a hexagonal cylindrical body 120, and when in use, the cylindrical body 120 is attached to the spacecraft 100. It is used by being retracted to the side and opened so that the light-receiving surface becomes a plane parallel to the light-receiving surface of the hexagonal sunlight collector 11, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the space used when not in use (when stored) is approximately half of that when in use, and in other words, it is possible to collect sunlight with approximately twice the efficiency of the space when stored. However, this configuration is possible because gravity does not act in outer space, and no large force acts on the connection between the hexagonal sunlight collecting section and the triangular sunlight collecting section.

Returning to FIG. 4, the shaft 13 is configured to be slidable in the direction of arrow A with respect to the first rotating shaft 14. For example, as shown in FIG.
The inside of the first rotating shaft 14 is penetrated, or as shown in b, each shaft 13 is composed of 13a and 13b, and both sides of the first rotating shaft 14 are parallel to the parallel surfaces 14.
a, 14b, and an axis 13 along the parallel planes.
By configuring a and 13b to slide, the shaft 13 can be made to follow the rotation of the rotating shaft 14, thereby minimizing the length of the storage space when not in use. I have to.
For example, if the height D of the light-receiving surface when stored is spacecraft 100,
When the radius R of There is a risk that the light collecting surface may hit the spacecraft. However, as described above, the shaft 13 is configured to be slidable with respect to the rotating shaft 14, and when in use,
If the shaft 13 is extended as shown in FIG. 7, the light receiving surface will not hit the spacecraft, but this configuration is possible because there is no gravity in outer space and gravity is This is because there is no need to consider balance.

Furthermore, FIG.
This is a cross-sectional view when the solar collecting device is stored in the interior, but in order to put the solar collector into use from this state, when the operating rod 130 is retracted toward the spacecraft, the lid 140 hits the tip of the cylindrical body 120. The lid 140 is pulled toward the spacecraft 100 by the operating rod 130, and then the projection 14 provided at the tip of the lid 140 is pulled toward the spacecraft 100.
0a hits the tip of the cylindrical body 120 and the cylindrical body 120
is pushed down, and finally, the protrusion 120a provided at the tip of the cylinder 120 hits the spacecraft and stops. Thereafter, the second rotating shaft 16 and/or the shaft 13
Push out and use. When storing, the cylindrical body 120 is extended by a predetermined amount (an amount equal to the retraction amount), and then the operating rod 130 is pushed out by a predetermined amount (an amount equal to the length of the lid body 140 or an amount equal to the radius of the cylindrical body 120). The lid body 140 is closed, and then retracted accordingly to the state shown in the figure. Note that the triangular lid body 1
40 is connected to the operating rod via a hinge that acts to close the lid, so that it can be closed at any time unless disturbed by the storage tube 110.

FIG. 8 shows the first rotating shaft 14 and the second rotating shaft 1.
6 is a diagram showing another example of the coupling mechanism with the first rotating shaft 14. As shown in the figure, it is also possible to allow the first rotating shaft 14 to slidably pass through the tip 16a of the second rotating shaft 16. Even in this case, since gravity does not act in outer space, mechanical strength can be sufficiently guaranteed. In addition, in this case, the first motor 18 for rotating the first rotating shaft 14 and the second motor 19 for rotating the second rotating shaft 16 are connected to the tip 16a of the second rotating shaft 16. Can be installed.
Furthermore, it is also possible to configure the second rotating shaft 16 to be telescopic as shown in the figure, and in this way,
The length of the second rotating shaft 16 when not in use can be shortened, and the second rotating shaft 16 will not rush into the spacecraft.
You can make full use of the space on your spacecraft.

In the above explanation, an example was shown in which a cylinder and a lid were provided to cover the sunlight collecting section, but if this was done, objects could hit the sunlight collecting section during assembly, etc. Although it is possible to prevent the light collection unit from being damaged and furthermore to be prevented from being hit by rocks or the like in outer space, this is not always necessary.

Effects As is clear from the above explanation, according to the present invention, sunlight can be collected in a state most suitable for the spacecraft.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic overall perspective view of the sunlight collecting device according to the present invention in a non-use state, FIG. 2 is a schematic overall perspective view in a using state, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sunlight collecting section in use. FIG. 4 is a side sectional view when not in use, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the sliding shaft 13 and the rotating shaft 14, and FIG. 6 is the operation of the solar collector without the present invention. Diagram showing an example,
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the sunlight collecting device according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the coupling mechanism between the first rotation shaft and the second rotation shaft. 10...Solar collection device, 11, 12 ₁ to 12 ₆
...Solar light collection unit, 13...Sliding axis, 14...First rotation axis, 15...Support arm, 16...Second rotation axis, 17...Sunlight direction sensor, 100...Space Ship, 110...Cylinder part, 120...Cylinder body, 13
0... Operating rod, 140... Lid body.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A sunlight collecting device used on a spacecraft, which comprises: a sunlight collecting section having a hexagonal light receiving surface; a first rotation axis for rotation; and a second rotation axis protruding from the spacecraft for rotating the first rotation axis about an axis orthogonal to the first rotation axis. , a triangular sunlight collecting section is provided on each side of the hexagonal light receiving surface so as to be foldable with respect to the light receiving surface, and when in use, the triangular sunlight collecting section is opened to collect sunlight. 1. A solar light collecting device for a spacecraft, which collects light and is characterized in that when not in use, the triangular sunlight collecting section is folded onto the hexagonal sunlight collecting section. 2. The sunlight collecting device in a spacecraft according to claim 1, wherein the second rotation shaft is configured to be expandable and retractable. 3. A sliding shaft extending vertically downward from the hexagonal sunlight collection part and configured to be slidable on the first rotating shaft and to follow the rotation of the first rotating shaft, Claim 1, characterized in that the sliding shaft is configured to extend from the first rotating shaft when in use, and to retract to the vicinity of the first rotating shaft when not in use. A solar light collecting device in a spacecraft according to item 1 or 2. 4. At least a part of the spacecraft has a hexagonal cylindrical body part, and the second rotating shaft protrudes from an end face of the cylindrical body part, and the sunlight collecting part is disposed therein. A sunlight collecting device in a spacecraft according to claim 1, 2, or 3. 5. A hexagonal cylindrical body that is slidable on the outside of the hexagonal cylindrical body of the spacecraft, and when not in use, the cylindrical body protrudes from the cylindrical body to cover the sunlight collecting section. A sunlight collecting device in a spacecraft according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the device is configured as follows.