Deployable solar cell array

Claim 2

The solar cell array of claim 2 wherein said panel segments are adapted to be deployed into a substantially coplanar relationship.

Claim 3

The solar cell array of claim 2 further comprising: A. means defining a rigid base; B. a pair of base tracks mounted on the rigid base; and C. means displaceably seated in the base tracks supporting said articulated panel and said articulated track.

Claim 4

The deployable solar cell array of claim 2 wherein the adjacent track segments of said articulated track are arranged in a mutually perpendicular relationship, when deployed, and the adjacent segments of the panel are arranged in a substantially coplanar relationship, when deployed.

Claim 5

The solar cell array of claim 5 wherein each of the panel segments is of a substantially trapezoidal configuration.

Claim 6

The solar cell array of claim 6 wherein one of said segments of the panel is deployed into a planar configuration from a substantially corrugated configuration.

Claim 7

The solar cell array of claim 7 wherein each elongated track of each track segment includes means defining therein an elongated slot, and said suspension means includes a plurality of casters fixed to said panel segments and seated in said slots.

Claim 8

The solar cell array according to claim 8 wherein one of said panel segments is inverted as it is deployed.

Claim 9

The solar cell array of claim 2 wherein said plurality of actuators includes a gas generator.

Claim 10

A segmented, deployable solar cell array including a support for supporting solar cells aboard a spacecraft and adapted to be stowed in a collapsed configuration and deployed into an expanded cantilever configuration including: A. a pair of base tracks fixed to an external surface of the spacecraft; B. a displaceable module support fixed to said base tracks and supported for rectilinear reciprocation; C. a pair of module support tracks fixed to said module support; D. a panel module mounted for rectilinear reciprocation along said module support track and including therein a plurality of deployable panel segments adapted to be deployed into a substantially coplanar relationship at least one of said panel segments including an array of solar cells disposed along one planar surface thereof and E. deployment means for effecting deployment of said panel segments, including an actuator for displacing said module support along said pair of base tracks and an actuator for displacing said panel module along said module support tracks.

Claim 11

The solar cell array of claim 11, wherein said plurality of panel segments includes: A. an inboard segment adapted to be deployed by the deployment means in a plane extended normal to a given axis of the spacecraft and an outboard segment adapted to be deployed by the deployment means into a substantially coplanar relationship with the inboard segment; and B. a pair of wing panels adapted to deploy into a substantially coplanar relationship with said inboard segment, at opposite sides thereof.

Claim 12

The solar cell array of claim 12 wherein each of said panel segments is of a substantially trapezoidal configuration having converging side edge surfaces.

Claim 13

The solar cell array of claim 13 wherein the outboard panel is stowed in a corrugated configuration adapted to be deployed into a substantially planar configuration.

Claim 14

The solar cell array of claim 14, further comprising means for inverting said outboard panel as it is deployed.

Claim 15

A deployable solAr array cell including a support adapted to be stowed in a collapsed configuration within a plurality of diametrically related modules substantially circumscribing a spacecraft having a given axis and to be deployed into an expanded configuration extended laterally from the axis, said support comprising, a plurality of panel segments arranged within each of said modules including an inboard panel segment, an outboard panel segment, and a pair of wing panel segments, coupled with the inboard segment, each of said segments being of a trapezoidal configuration and adapted to be deployed in a manner such that the wing segments and the inboard segments are contiguously related for establishing a substantially continuous planar surface circumscribing the spacecraft and at least one of said segments including a plurality of solar cells.

Claim 16

The solar cell array of claim 16 wherein said outboard segments are deployed from a corrugated configuration into a planar configuration extending outwardly from inboard segments in a substantially coplanar relationship therewith.

Claim 17

The solar cell array of claim 17 further comprising means for deploying said panels including: A. an articulated track adapted to be deployed from a folded configuration into a cantilever track configuration; B. a plurality of casters coupling said panel segments with said track in a manner such that the panel segments are supported for displacement along the track; and C. a plurality of actuators interconnected with said track and with said panel segments adapted to concurrently deploy said panels and said track.

Claim 18

The solar cell array 18 wherein said articulated track includes: A. a first track segment having a pair of tracks extended in a plane substantially parallel to the given axis of the spacecraft; B. a second track segment having a pair of tracks adapted to be extended in a plane substantially normal to the plane of the first track segment; C. a third track segment having a pair of tracks extended in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the first track segment; C. a third track segment having a pair of tracks extended in a plane substantially parallel to the plane to the first track segment; D. means interconnecting the inboard end of the inboard panel segment with the pair of tracks of the first track segment; E. first coupling means coupling the outboard end of the outboard panel segment with the second track segment in a manner such that the first coupling means is caused substantially to traverse the length of the second track segment as the outboard panel segment is deployed: F. second coupling means coupling the inboard end of said outboard panel segment with the tracks of the said third track segment in a manner such that the second coupling means is caused to substantially traverse the length of the tracks of the third track segment as the outboard panel segment is deployed; and G an operable panel carriage adapted to receive therein said first coupling means and to transport the outboard end of the outboard panel segment from the tracks of the second track segment for thus causing the coupling means coupling the inboard end of said outboard panel segment to reverse direction of travel along the tracks of said third track segment and to cause the outboard end of the outboard panel segment to be deployed into a substantially coplanar relationship with the inboard panel segment.

Claim 19

The solar cell array of claim 19 further comprising a plurality of spring-loaded hinges operatively suspending the wing panel segments from the inboard panel segments in a manner such that the wing panel segments are pivoted about the hinges into a coplanar, cantilevered relationship with the inboard panel segment.

Claim 20

The solar cell array of claim 20 further comprising means adapted to explosively sever the third track segment once the panel segments are deployed into a substantially coplanar relationship.

Claim 21

The Solar cell array of claim 18 wherein deployment of said panels is achieved in sequential phases of operation, and said actuators include means adapted to impose an inverting artificial gravity environment on said panel segments during their deployment, whereby deployment of the panel segments is enhanced.

Claim 22

The solar cell array of claim 18 wherein each of said modules includes a module support displaceably mounted on a pair of tracks substantially paralleling the given axis, and said plurality of actuators includes means adapted to impart reciprocation to said module support as said panel segments are deployed, whereby a series of inverting artificial gravity environments are imposed on said support for enhancing deployment of said panels.