Patent ID: 7028442
Filing Date: 2006-04-18
Classification: B64G,E04C

Abstract:
1. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends, comprising: a. a plurality of framesets, each frameset having a base diagonal member and a first and second side diagonal members, said base and side diagonal members each having a first and second end, said first side diagonal member being rigidly connected at its first end adjacent to said first end of said base diagonal member at a first base joint, and the second side diagonal member being rigidly connected at its first end adjacent to said second end of said base diagonal member at a second base joint; b. a plurality of framebay subassemblies, each framebay subassembly comprising a first and second frameset connected to each other at a first major joint and a first minor joint, said first major joint comprising the connection of the first base joint of the first frameset to the first base joint of the second frameset, and said first minor joint comprising the connection of the second end of the second side diagonal of the first frameset to the second end of the second side diagonal of the second frameset; and c. a plurality of framebays, each framebay comprising a framebay subassembly, a first primary chord member connected at its ends to the second base joints of the first and second framesets comprising the framebay subassembly to form second and third major joints, and a first secondary chord member connected at its ends to the second ends of the first side diagonals of the first and second framesets comprising the framebay subassembly to form second and third minor joints, wherein adjacent framebays are connected directly to each other at their respective second and third major joints and at their respective second and third minor joints, and further wherein adjacent framebays are connected by means of a second primary chord member connected at its ends to the respective first major joints of said adjacent framebays and by means of a second secondary chord member connected at its ends to the respective first minor joints of said adjacent framebays; d. further wherein said major joints comprise a female half and a male half, said female half comprising two ends, a first end comprising two parallel lugs with a sequence of one or more matching holes in each lug for providing a hinged connection to the male half, and a second end comprising a pair of angled connection features for connecting diagonal members, and said male half comprising two ends, a first end comprising two parallel lugs with a sequence of one or more matching holes in each lug for providing a hinged connection to the female half, and a second end comprising a pair of angled connection features for connecting diagonal members; e. further wherein said minor joints comprise a female half and a male half, said female half comprising two ends, a first end comprising one or more lugs with a sequence of one or more matching holes in each lug for providing a hinged connection to the second half, and a second end comprising a single angled fitting for rigidly connecting a diagonal member, and said male half comprising two ends, a first end comprising one or more lugs with a sequence of one or more matching holes in each lug for providing a hinged connection to the female half, and a second end comprising a single angled fitting for rigidly connecting a diagonal member; f. further wherein said truss, when extended, forms a U-shape in cross-section with a first, second, and third side, with a first primary chord and second primary chord formed by said primary chordal members extending through the two adjacent corners of the base of said U-shape, and with a first secondary chord and a second secondary chord formed by said secondary chordal members extending through the two ends of said U-shape, wherein the two primary chords are connected by a plurality of said base diagonal members to form the first side as the base of the U-shape, the first primary chord and the first secondary chord are connected by a plurality of said side diagonal members to form the second side, and the second primary chord and the second secondary chord are connected by a plurality of said side diagonal members to form the third side, further wherein there are no diagonal members, chordal members, or any other structural members connecting the first secondary chord and second secondary chord, and further wherein the first and second sides, and the first and third sides, meet at substantially ninety degree angles; g. further wherein the side diagonal members of the second and third sides at all times during extension or retraction of the truss are rigidly connected to the respective angled connection features of the major joints such that no diagonal, chordal or other structural members extend between the diametrically opposing first primary chord and second secondary chord, or between the diametrically opposing second primary chord and second secondary chord.