Patent ID: 11958638
Assignee: SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 8:
9. A solar array system for a spacecraft, comprising:
a solar array blanket portion moveable from a stowed configuration into a deployed configuration;
an extendable frame coupled to the spacecraft and the blanket portion and moveable from at least a collapsed configuration into an extended configuration to move the solar array blanket portion from the stowed configuration into the deployed configuration, wherein the extendable frame includes at least first and second support arms; and
at least one biasing member extending across an exterior portion of a first hinge assembly that is configured to bias at least a portion of the extendable frame into the deployed configuration, wherein the first hinge assembly pivotally connects a second distal end of the first support arm to a first distal end of the second support arm, and wherein the at least one biasing member is a spring extending between the second and first distal ends of the first and second support arms that wraps around an exterior portion of the first hinge assembly.