US3715760A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rigid collapsible dish structure
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp
•
Filing: 1971-04-07
•
Granted: 1973-02-06
•
Expires: 1991-04-07
Abstract
Abstract A collapsible dish structure composed of a number of radial petal assemblies spaced circumferentially about a central circular support and having rigid arcuate center petals hinged at their inner ends to the support by means of hinge shafts coupled to the petals and rigid arcuate side panels hinged along their longitudinal edges to one another and the center petals in a manner such that the petal assemblies are foldable inwardly to a compact collapsed configuration wherein the dish structure may be stowed with a space-craft or the like and outwardly to a deployed configuration wherein the petals are disposed edge to edge to form a rigid dish conforming to a surface of revolution generated about the dish axis, such as a parabolic surface.
Inventors
- 👤 W Palmer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 23:36
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01Q; H01Q15/00; H01Q15/14; H01Q15/16; H01Q15/161; H01Q15/162
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
226 words
A collapsible dish structure comprising: a rigid generally circular center support; a number of petal assemblies uniformly spaced about said support each including a rigid center petal with inner and outer ends, side petals along the longitudinal edges of the center petal, and hinge means pivotally joining the center and side petals on hinge axes along the adjacent longitudinal petal edges; hinge means pivotally joining the inner ends of said center petals to said support on pivot axes tangent to a common circle generated about the axis of said support; hinge means pivotally joining the adjacent side petals of adjacent petal assemblies on pivot axes along the adjacent longitudinal edges of the adjacent side petals; said petals being unfoldable outwardly about their hinge axes to deployed positions and having a common compound curvature such that in said deployed positions the petals conform to a common surface of revolution generated about said support axis so as to form a concave-convex dish of given rim diameter; and said petals being foldable inwardly about their hinge axes from said deployed positions to folded positions wherein the adjacent outer petals extend inwardly from and in transverse relation to their respective center petals and in face to face relation with one another, and the petals are contained within a cylindrical envelope having a diameter substantially less than said dish rim diameter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
226 words
A collapsible dish structure comprising: a rigid generally circular center support; a number of petal assemblies uniformly spaced about said support each including a rigid center petal with inner and outer ends, side petals along the longitudinal edges of the center petal, and hinge means pivotally joining the center and side petals on hinge axes along the adjacent longitudinal petal edges; hinge means pivotally joining the inner ends of said center petals to said support on pivot axes tangent to a common circle generated about the axis of said support; hinge means pivotally joining the adjacent side petals of adjacent petal assemblies on pivot axes along the adjacent longitudinal edges of the adjacent side petals; said petals being unfoldable outwardly about their hinge axes to deployed positions and having a common compound curvature such that in said deployed positions the petals conform to a common surface of revolution generated about said support axis so as to form a concave-convex dish of given rim diameter; and said petals being foldable inwardly about their hinge axes from said deployed positions to folded positions wherein the adjacent outer petals extend inwardly from and in transverse relation to their respective center petals and in face to face relation with one another, and the petals are contained within a cylindrical envelope having a diameter substantially less than said dish rim diameter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
226 words
A collapsible dish structure comprising: a rigid generally circular center support; a number of petal assemblies uniformly spaced about said support each including a rigid center petal with inner and outer ends, side petals along the longitudinal edges of the center petal, and hinge means pivotally joining the center and side petals on hinge axes along the adjacent longitudinal petal edges; hinge means pivotally joining the inner ends of said center petals to said support on pivot axes tangent to a common circle generated about the axis of said support; hinge means pivotally joining the adjacent side petals of adjacent petal assemblies on pivot axes along the adjacent longitudinal edges of the adjacent side petals; said petals being unfoldable outwardly about their hinge axes to deployed positions and having a common compound curvature such that in said deployed positions the petals conform to a common surface of revolution generated about said support axis so as to form a concave-convex dish of given rim diameter; and said petals being foldable inwardly about their hinge axes from said deployed positions to folded positions wherein the adjacent outer petals extend inwardly from and in transverse relation to their respective center petals and in face to face relation with one another, and the petals are contained within a cylindrical envelope having a diameter substantially less than said dish rim diameter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
226 words
A collapsible dish structure comprising: a rigid generally circular center support; a number of petal assemblies uniformly spaced about said support each including a rigid center petal with inner and outer ends, side petals along the longitudinal edges of the center petal, and hinge means pivotally joining the center and side petals on hinge axes along the adjacent longitudinal petal edges; hinge means pivotally joining the inner ends of said center petals to said support on pivot axes tangent to a common circle generated about the axis of said support; hinge means pivotally joining the adjacent side petals of adjacent petal assemblies on pivot axes along the adjacent longitudinal edges of the adjacent side petals; said petals being unfoldable outwardly about their hinge axes to deployed positions and having a common compound curvature such that in said deployed positions the petals conform to a common surface of revolution generated about said support axis so as to form a concave-convex dish of given rim diameter; and said petals being foldable inwardly about their hinge axes from said deployed positions to folded positions wherein the adjacent outer petals extend inwardly from and in transverse relation to their respective center petals and in face to face relation with one another, and the petals are contained within a cylindrical envelope having a diameter substantially less than said dish rim diameter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A collapsible dish structure according to claim 1, including: deployment means for unfolding said petals from their folded positions to their deployed positions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A collapsible dish structure according to claim 2, wherein: said deployment means comprise means connected to said center petals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
A collapsible dish structure according to claim 3, wherein: said hinge means joining the center petals to said support comprise pivot shafts rotatably mounted on said support and fixed to said center panels, and coupling means joining the adjacent pivot shafts for deployment of said petals in unison.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A collapsible dish structure according to claim 4, wherein: said deployment means comprise springs connected between said support and certain center petals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A collapsible dish structure according to claim 1, wherein: said hinge means joining the center petals to said support comprise pivot shafts rotatably mounted on said support and fixed to said center panels, and coupling means joining the adjacent pivot shafts for deployment of said petals in unison.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A collapsible dish structure according to claim 6, wherein: said surface of revolution is a parabolic surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A collapsible dish structure according to claim 7, wherein: said support comprises a post along said support axis against which said side petals seat in folded position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
A collapsible dish structure according to claim 1, wherein: said surface of revolution is a parabolic surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-02-06 | 1976-08-07 | 1977-02-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-02-06 | 1980-08-07 | 1981-02-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-02-06 | 1984-08-07 | 1985-02-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |