Patent ID: 8893503

Claim:
A deployable diverging bell for a thruster, the bell comprising a stationary first diverging bell portion suitable for being connected to a stationary support of the thruster; a movable second diverging bell portion that is movable between a refracted position and a deployed position in which said second diverging bell portion is connected to a downstream end of the first diverging bell portion in order to extend said first diverging bell portion; at least one deployment mechanism adapted to move said movable second diverging bell portion relative to said stationary first diverging bell portion in order to deploy said movable second diverging bell portion from the refracted position thereof to the deployed position thereof; the deployment mechanism comprising: at least one arm fastened to a part that is stationary relative to the stationary first diverging bell portion and to a connection part; and at least one rotatable threaded rod fastened to the connection part and to a fitting fastened to the second diverging bell portion; at least one damper for damping vibration coming from at least one of said movable second diverging bell portion and the deployment mechanism, the damper being positioned between the connection part and said arm.