Patent ID: 8757554
Filing Date: 2014-06-24
Classification: B64G

Abstract:
1. A deployable and tracked solar array mechanism for restraining and releasing deployable solar panel arrays on a spacecraft, the spacecraft having a first side surface, a second side surface, a third side surface opposite the first side surface, a fourth side surface opposite the second side surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface, the mechanism comprising: a solar array drive assembly mountable to the top side surface of the spacecraft; a first solar panel array having a first center panel, a first panel pivotally attached to one side edge of the first center panel, and a second panel pivotally attached to the other side edge of the first center panel opposite the first panel, the first center panel pivotally attached to the solar array drive assembly, the first solar panel array positionable against the first side surface of the spacecraft; at least one first notch formed in at least one of the side edges of each of the first, second, and first center panels, the notches aligning with one another when the panels are folded; a first frame slidably mountable to the first side surface of the spacecraft; at least one tab extending from the first frame and over the first solar panel array when the first, second, and first center panels are folded and in an undeployed position substantially parallel and adjacent to the first frame, the at least one tab releasably restraining the first solar panel array in a folded and undeployed position substantially parallel and adjacent to the first frame; a first spring actuator for urging the first frame from a first position at which the at least one tab is unaligned with the at least one first notch in each of the first, second, and first center panels when the first, second, and first center panels are in a folded and undeployed position substantially parallel and adjacent to the first frame to a second position at which the at least one tab is aligned with the at least one first notch in each of the first, second, and first center panels to allow the first, second, and first center panels to deploy away from the first frame; and a first release mechanism, wherein the first release mechanism is capable of being in a first state in which the first spring actuator has stored energy and the first frame is in the first position and a second state in which the first spring actuator is allowed to apply at least some of the stored energy to the first frame to move the first frame from the first position to the second position, wherein the first release mechanism disintegrates in transitioning from the first state to the second state.