JPH0145761B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a deployable antenna mounted on an artificial satellite using a plurality of antenna panels and a deployment mechanism for deploying the antenna panels.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there have been antennas of this type shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 as deployable microstrip array antennas for mounting on artificial satellites.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a deployable microstrip array antenna for use on a satellite, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the antenna panel, and Figure 3 shows the state of the antenna after it has been thermally deformed after being deployed in orbit. This is a diagram.

In Figures 1 to 3, 1 and 2 are antenna panels, 3 is a deployment hinge, 4 is a satellite, 5 is a radiating element,
6 is a substrate, 7 is a dielectric core, 8 is a ground conductor, 9 is a core, and 10 is a skin.

Next, the operation will be explained. FIG. 1 shows the satellite 4 in a deployed state in which the antenna panels 1, 2 and the deployment hinge 3 connecting the antenna panels are attached. Figure 2 shows antenna panels 1 and 2.
is a cross-sectional view of an actual example of a microstrip array antenna. In the figure, the antenna panel includes gold on one side of a substrate 6 made of a dielectric material.
A rectangular radiating element 5 made of silver, copper, etc. with extremely high electrical conductivity is deposited on the other surface, and has high electrical conductivity over the entire surface, making it lightweight and highly rigid.
It has a ground conductor 8 made of CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic), and the space between it is filled with a dielectric core 7 made of a lightweight material with a low dielectric constant.In order to increase the rigidity of the entire antenna panel, a lightweight core 9 and a lightweight, rigid material are used. Consists of a double sandwich structure combined with a high CFRP skin 10. The entire antenna panel must be flat due to electrical performance requirements.

However, since conventional microstrip array antennas are configured as described above, each layer has a different coefficient of thermal expansion, so there is a temperature difference between the ground before the satellite is launched and the space after the satellite is launched.
As shown in FIG. 3, thermal deformation of the entire antenna panel occurred. However, due to the electrical performance requirements of the antenna, thermal deformation must be kept small and flat, and it is necessary to consider and change the constituent materials to make each layer have the same coefficient of thermal expansion. It was necessary to consider and change the structure, such as strengthening rigidity, to reduce deformation, and it had drawbacks such as increased weight.

The present invention has been made in order to eliminate these drawbacks, and provides a highly accurate and lightweight deployable antenna for mounting on an artificial satellite.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 10.

4 to 8 are diagrams showing the deployment hinge 3 for explaining the present invention.

Note that FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the shaft portion of FIG. 5. In the figure, 1 and 2 are antenna panels, 11 is a hinge clevis fitting attached to a corner of the antenna panel 1, 12 is a hinge clevis fitting attached to a corner of the panel 2, and 13 is the hinge clevis fitting 11. The hinge pin 14, which is integral with the clevis fitting 12, is a bearing which is integral with the clevis fitting 12. The clevis fitting 12 also has a latch pin 15.
The latch up arm 16 with
The clevis fitting 11 is provided with a latch up guide 18.
Furthermore, the latch up pin 15 slides on the latch up guide 18 and finally fits into the groove provided in the clevis fitting 11.
A spring 19 is provided which pulls 5 towards the hinge pin 13. The shaft 17 is an eccentric shaft as shown in FIG. 6, and the position of the latch pin 15 is changed by rotating the shaft 17, as shown in FIG. Therefore, once the latch-up is completed and the position of the latch-up pin 15 is fixed, the position of the antenna panel can be changed somewhat by rotating the shaft 17, as shown in FIG. Therefore, by utilizing this, it is possible to adjust the flush state of the antenna panels 1 and 2 after the latch-up is completed. Note that 20 is the central axis of the shaft, and 21 is the eccentric axis of the shaft.

In Figure 9, the basic configuration and structure are shown in Figure 1.
Although similar to the figure, in the embodiment of the present invention, the thermal deformation mode after deployment on orbit is determined in advance by using the eccentric axis of the shaft 17 of the latch-up mechanism of the deployment hinge that connects the antenna panels. In anticipation of this, the entire antenna panel is adjusted and decentered to a mode opposite to the thermal deformation mode on the ground as shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 10 shows a diagram after the antenna panel is deployed in space and thermally deformed due to the temperature difference between the ground and space.

As described above, according to the present invention, the entire antenna panel is deformed on the ground by adjusting the eccentric axis of the deployment hinge in consideration of the amount of thermal deformation in space. This has the advantage that the entire antenna panel can be made flat by thermal deformation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 3 are diagrams for explaining a conventional deployable strip array antenna mounted on an artificial satellite. Figures 4 to 8 are diagrams for explaining the deployable hinge in Figure 1. 9 and 10 are diagrams for explaining the features of the antenna of the present invention. In the figure, 1 and 2 are antenna panels, 3 is a deployment hinge, 4 is a satellite, 5 is a radiating element, 6 is a substrate,
7 is a dielectric core, 8 is a ground conductor, 9 is a core, 10 is a skin, 11 and 12 are clevis fittings, 13 is a hinge pin, 14 is a bearing, 15 is a latch up pin, 16 is a latch up arm, 17 is a shaft, and 18 is a Latch up guide, 19 is spring, 2
0 is the central axis of the shaft, and 21 is the eccentric axis of the shaft.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a deployable antenna for use on a satellite that is equipped with a plurality of antenna panels and a deployment mechanism, the antenna is deployed in orbit using an eccentric shaft provided in the latch mechanism of the deployment hinge that connects the plurality of antenna panels. A deployable antenna for use on an artificial satellite, characterized in that the antenna panel is adjusted and decentered on the ground to a mode opposite to the predicted thermal deformation mode after deployment.