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Three-dimensional multi-shell insulation

  • US 10,408,378 B2
  • Filed: 07/17/2017
  • Issued: 09/10/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2017
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A three-dimensional multi-shell insulation for insulating at least one portion of a spacecraft, the insulation comprising:

  • a plurality of nested shell layers of progressively increasing size that are configured to at least partially surround the at least one portion of the spacecraft, each of the plurality of shell layers having layer edge portions on opposite sides of said each of the plurality of the shell layers, and said each of the plurality of shell layers having a layer major portion extending between the layer edge portions; and

    at least one edge clamp operatively coupled to the plurality of shell layers at the respective layer edge portions on at least one side of the shell layers;

    wherein each layer major portion has at least one layer major surface configured to be spaced apart from an opposing layer major surface of an adjacent shell layer for minimizing thermal conduction between the shell layers; and

    wherein the respective layer major surfaces of each of the plurality of nested shell layers are configured to be spaced apart when the insulation is in use in a low-gravity and/or low-pressure environment;

    wherein the at least one edge clamp is configured to maintain spacing between the respective layer major surfaces of the shell layers when the insulation is in use in a low-gravity and/or low-pressure environment; and

    wherein each of the layer major portions of the plurality of shell layers has at least one abutment, the respective abutments of the adjacent shell layers being configured to provide a stop when engaging each other, thereby restricting the amount of relative lateral displacement between the adjacent shell layers.

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