| 摘要 |
1,268,841. Spacecraft unit. MESSERSCHMITT - BOLKOW BLOHM G.m.b.H. 27 June, 1969 [8 Oct., 1968], No. 32652/69. Heading F4U. [Also in Divisions H1 and H4] An arm assembly extensible to a substantially planar position and serving as an aerial or reflector or for supporting solar cells or a spacecraft or satellite, is stored before use by folding and/or winding close to the exterior of the spacecraft. The assembly comprises a number of rigid parts connected together so as to fold and forms a main extensible arm, with further lateral arms provided which fold on to the rigid parts and extend at a right angle to the main arm. In one embodiment, each of two main arms of a rectangular spacecraft is divided into parts 3, Fig. 2, of equal length which are connected by hinges 4 and which are openable by pre-stressed springs 5. To each of the parts 3 is fixed on opposite sides, by securing clips 8, lateral arms 6 each with two stabilization tubes 7. Tubes 7 are made of laminates of glass fibre and gelatine and rendered flexible and foldable by impregnating the laminates by water or glycol. Polyamide tubes (15, Figs. 4, 5) are inserted into tubes 7 to accommodate pressurized gas which effects unfolding of the lateral arms. Solar cells (not shown) are mounted on a flexible polyimide film 9 which is stretched between the tubes 7 and inflatable polyamide spacing tubes 10 and which also surrounds tubes 7 to prevent the impregnating agent from freezing but allows its evaporation in space with consequent stiffening of the tubes 7. Each of the lateral arms on either side of the part 3 is folded in zig-zag fashion on to part 3 to fit into box-like compartments as shown in Fig. 3. The arms 3 fold on to themselves, Fig. 1 (not shown). In another embodiment the main arms, instead of being folded, are wound round the exterior of an octagonal spacecraft (Fig. 6, not shown). In a further embodiment, (Figs. 7, 8, not shown), the lateral arms are folded down in interleaved formation on the same side of each of three main arms and wound round the exterior of the spacecraft. In the final embodiment, (Fig. 9, not shown), each extending lateral arm forms a single cohesive structure, the arms again folding down in interleaved fashion and the main arm being finally wound on to itself, (Figs. 10, 11, not shown).
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