Deployable truss beam with orthogonally-hinged folding diagonals

• US 7,028,442 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CPI Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Donald V. Merrifield
• Inventors: Merrifield, Donald V.
• Primary Examiner(s): A, PHI DIEU TRAN
• Application Number:
  US10/188,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20030041548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 526/46, 526/45, 521/21, 526/32, 521/09, 521/17, 521/18, 526/511, 244/158.R, 182/141
• US Class Current: 52/651.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/222 for deploying structures between a stowed and deployed state
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 3/005 Girders or columns that are rollable, collapsible or otherwise adjustable in length or height girders as supporting members for forms E04G11/54

Abstract

A deployable single truss with folding or removable chordal members and diagonals and orthogonal hinge joints for continuous and synchronous retraction and extension, in straight and curved configurations. One or more endframes may be used to close off or mount one of more ends of the deployable trusses. A primary orthogonal hinge joint is used to connect the chordal members and diagonals of the deployable trusses along each primary chord. A secondary orthogonal hinge joint to connect the chordal members and diagonals of the deployable trusses along each secondary chord.

Claims

1. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends, comprising:

a. a plurality of framesets, each frameset having a base diagonal member and a first and second side diagonal members, said base and side diagonal members each having a first and second end, said first side diagonal member being rigidly connected at its first end adjacent to said first end of said base diagonal member at a first base joint, and the second side diagonal member being rigidly connected at its first end adjacent to said second end of said base diagonal member at a second base joint;

b. a plurality of framebay subassemblies, each framebay subassembly comprising a first and second frameset connected to each other at a first major joint and a first minor joint, said first major joint comprising the connection of the first base joint of the first frameset to the first base joint of the second frameset, and said first minor joint comprising the connection of the second end of the second side diagonal of the first frameset to the second end of the second side diagonal of the second frameset; and

c. a plurality of framebays, each framebay comprising a framebay subassembly, a first primary chord member connected at its ends to the second base joints of the first and second framesets comprising the framebay subassembly to form second and third major joints, and a first secondary chord member connected at its ends to the second ends of the first side diagonals of the first and second framesets comprising the framebay subassembly to form second and third minor joints, wherein adjacent framebays are connected directly to each other at their respective second and third major joints and at their respective second and third minor joints, and further wherein adjacent framebays are connected by means of a second primary chord member connected at its ends to the respective first major joints of said adjacent framebays and by means of a second secondary chord member connected at its ends to the respective first minor joints of said adjacent framebays;

d. further wherein said major joints comprise a female half and a male half, said female half comprising two ends, a first end comprising two parallel lugs with a sequence of one or more matching holes in each lug for providing a hinged connection to the male half, and a second end comprising a pair of angled connection features for connecting diagonal members, and said male half comprising two ends, a first end comprising two parallel lugs with a sequence of one or more matching holes in each lug for providing a hinged connection to the female half, and a second end comprising a pair of angled connection features for connecting diagonal members;

e. further wherein said minor joints comprise a female half and a male half, said female half comprising two ends, a first end comprising one or more lugs with a sequence of one or more matching holes in each lug for providing a hinged connection to the second half, and a second end comprising a single angled fitting for rigidly connecting a diagonal member, and said male half comprising two ends, a first end comprising one or more lugs with a sequence of one or more matching holes in each lug for providing a hinged connection to the female half, and a second end comprising a single angled fitting for rigidly connecting a diagonal member;

f. further wherein said truss, when extended, forms a U-shape in cross-section with a first, second, and third side, with a first primary chord and second primary chord formed by said primary chordal members extending through the two adjacent corners of the base of said U-shape, and with a first secondary chord and a second secondary chord formed by said secondary chordal members extending through the two ends of said U-shape, wherein the two primary chords are connected by a plurality of said base diagonal members to form the first side as the base of the U-shape, the first primary chord and the first secondary chord are connected by a plurality of said side diagonal members to form the second side, and the second primary chord and the second secondary chord are connected by a plurality of said side diagonal members to form the third side, further wherein there are no diagonal members, chordal members, or any other structural members connecting the first secondary chord and second secondary chord, and further wherein the first and second sides, and the first and third sides, meet at substantially ninety degree angles;

g. further wherein the side diagonal members of the second and third sides at all times during extension or retraction of the truss are rigidly connected to the respective angled connection features of the major joints such that no diagonal, chordal or other structural members extend between the diametrically opposing first primary chord and second secondary chord, or between the diametrically opposing second primary chord and second secondary chord.

2. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, further comprising

a. an end frame connected to the framebay adjacent to one of said proximal and distal ends at one of the respective second or third major joints and one of said second or third minor joints of said framebay;

b. a primary strut with two ends, connected at one end adjacent to said end frame and at the other end adjacent to the first major joint of the framebay adjacent to one of said proximal and distal ends; and

c. a secondary strut with two ends, connected at one end adjacent to said end frame and at the other end adjacent to the first minor joint of the framebay adjacent to one of said proximal and distal ends.

3. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 2, further comprising:

a. a second end frame connected to the framebay adjacent to the other of said proximal and distal ends at one of the respective second or third major joints and one of said second or third minor joints of said framebay;

b. an additional primary strut with two ends, connected at one end adjacent to said second end frame and at the other end adjacent to the first major joint of the framebay adjacent to one of said proximal and distal ends; and

c. an additional secondary strut with two ends, connected at one end adjacent to said second end frame and at the other end adjacent to the first minor joint of the framebay adjacent to one of said proximal and distal ends.

4. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 2 wherein the connection between a major joint and the respective end frame comprises a two-axis pivot fitting that permits rotational movement of the joint during deployment of the truss.

5. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 2, further wherein the end frame is connected to the framebay at the respective major joint by means of a two-axis fitting, and at the respective minor joint by means of a hinge fitting.

6. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, wherein said primary chord members further comprise a centrally-hinged folding member that locks at full extension of the truss, a fixed rigid member connected after full extension of the truss, or a structure adapted to provide compressive strength.

7. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, wherein said secondary chord members further comprise a centrally-hinged folding member that locks at full extension of the truss, a fixed rigid member connected after full extension of the truss, or a structure adapted to provide compressive strength.

8. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, wherein said primary chord members further comprise a flexible member, a centrally-hinged folding member, a cable, or a structure adapted to provide tensile strength.

9. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, wherein said secondary chord members further comprise a flexible member, a centrally-hinged folding member, a cable, or a structure adapted to provide tensile strength.

10. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, wherein said base diagonal members are adapted to be selectively rotated relative to their connections or are rotatably connected to said first and second major joints.

11. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, wherein said base diagonal members comprise two rigid portions rotatably connected.

12. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, wherein respective framesets are adapted to collapse and expand in a coordinated, synchronous manner through action of the major and minor joints wherein the axis of the hinge connections of said major and minor joints remain orthogonal to the truss longitudinal axis.

13. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, further wherein the two parallel lugs of the male half of a major joint are designed to fit with the two parallel lugs of the female half of said major joint, and the male half is hingedly connected to the female half by a main hinge pin inserted through matching holes in the lugs.

14. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, wherein the means for connecting the male or female half of a major joint to one end of a primary chord member comprises a hinge pin inserted through one or more holes in the end of the primary chord member and a pair of matching holes in the lugs of the respective half of the major joint.

15. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, further wherein the axes of the hinge connections between the halves of said major and minor joints are orthogonal to each other when the truss is at full extension.

16. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, further wherein the axis of the hinge connection between the halves of each major joint are co-planar and parallel with the axes of the hinge connections between each half of said major joint and the respective primary chord members when the truss is at full extension.

17. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, further wherein the corresponding diagonal members of adjacent framesets nest parallel and adjacent to each other when the truss is fully collapsed.

18. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 17, further wherein the corresponding chord members of adjacent framesets nest parallel and adjacent to each other and in the same transverse space as the diagonal members when the truss is fully collapsed.

19. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, further wherein the second end of each major joint half has a space between its angled connection features to permit parallel nesting of a primary chord member when the truss is collapsed.

20. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, wherein the male and female halves of said major joints each comprise means for connecting to one end of a primary chord member, and the male and female halves of said minor joints each comprise means for connecting to one end of a secondary chord member.

21. A deployable truss with proximal and distal ends as in claim 1, further wherein the angled connection features of the second end of the female half of said major joints are co-planar, and the angled connection features of the second end of the male half of said major joints are co-planar.