Claims
- 1. A synchronously deployable structural unit comprising:
- eight connection nodes, arranged so as to form the corners of a parallelepiped, each connection node being provided with means for one rigid connection and three hinged connections located in a plane perpendicular to the axes of a rigidly connected member and arranged at 90.degree.--90.degree. C. intervals around the rigid connection;
- four rigid structural members, each rigidly connecting two separate connection nodes; and
- eight rigid structural members, each connecting two connection nodes by means of hinged connections.
- 2. A structural unit according to claim 1 which is interconnected with a plurality of other structural units according to claim 1, so that the connection nodes and rigid structural members on adjoining sides of adjoining structural units are shared by said adjoining structural units.
- 3. The structural unit of claim 1 wherein four of the eight connection nodes are further provided with means for five additional hinged connections, each additional hinged connection point being located between two of the connection points recited in claim 1 and in the plane formed by the two connection points between which it is located, for a total capability of up to eight hinged connections and one fixed connection on each of said four nodes, and each eight hinge connection node being located so that it is not adjacent to another eight hinge connection node.
- 4. The structural unit of claim 3 further comprising five diagonal folding structural members the ends of each of which are not a fixed distance apart, each diagonal folding structural member connecting two of the eight hinge connection nodes utilizing directly opposed connection points.
- 5. The structural unit of claim 4 wherein each of the five diagonal structural members is equipped with a lockable hinge, whereby the structural unit is made self-supporting.
- 6. A structural unit according to claim 5 which is interconnected with a plurality of other structural units according to claim 5 so that the connection nodes, rigid structural members and diagonal folding structural members on adjoining sides of adjoining structural units are shared by said adjoining structural units.
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION
The invention described herein was made in the performance of work under a NASA Contract and is subject to the provisions of Section 305 of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, Public Law 85-568 (72 Stat. 435; 42 USC 2457).
US Referenced Citations (4)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2434 |
Jun 1985 |
WOX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Deployable Structures for Large Space Platform Systems pp. 1-39 .COPYRGT.NASA Aug. 1982. |