Supports – Stand – To hold a particular article
Patent
1982-03-04
1985-12-03
Foss, J. Franklin
Supports
Stand
To hold a particular article
403 51, 403160, 74 181, 343882, F16M 1300
Patent
active
045561826
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mechanism whose role is to orientate, position or move a useful load sensitive to the orientation, in a precise specific direction or to position or to transmit motion to a useful load in a specific way with respect to a fixed platform.
The different functions fulfilled by such a mechanism, which will be described further on, whether their purpose is to position a useful load in a given angular position or to synchronize the movement, in consequence of the initial angular movement because the device is supported on a structure, or whether their purpose is to transmit motion to the useful load in opposition to a resistance or inertia or to supply a force directed against a second device, all these functions will be named in what follows "orientation and positioning of the useful load".
It is generally required of mechanisms which ensure the orientation and the positioning of a useful load, that they present a certain number of characteristics. Among these characteristics there is included, for example, the ability to support the device before, during and after orientation and positioning of the useful load, the ability to provide an orientation and positioning method which has the required accuracy either because of their own performance or because of their ability to respond to orders coming from an external control means, the characteristics represented by a small mass and a small volume, their ease of fixing to a mounting point and to the useful load, their reliability and the face that the break-downs to which these mechanisms may be subjected must nevertheless allow the useful load to maintain favorable orientation and positioning, as well as other characteristics required by the specific application.
Such mechanisms which provide orientation and positioning of the useful load, present applications which extend from aiming large telescopes to the positioning of delicate instruments. Such applications may comprise, for example, gyroscope and flight instrument tables in aircraft, orientation supports for telescopes, vertical reference platforms, elbow or cranked joints for articulated apparatus or robot devices and numerous other applications. In satellites, positioning and orientation devices for useful loads are needed to fulfill numerous functions, for example aiming and orientating solar panels, aiming masts and antennae, the orientation of inertial moment wheels, the aiming of instruments, the orientation of thrust devices and other exploration and positioning services.
The application of the basic principle of the present invention to these different functions may be easily understood with reference to the example given and to the corresponding descriptions. One example of an application in which the advantages of the invention are evident is that of antennae aiming in satellites. Such devices are commonly called "antenna pointing mechanism" and the abbreviation "APM" will be used to designate them in what follows.
The state of the art comprises antenna pointing devices of different generic types whose general diagram shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate two widely used systems.
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an antenna pointing device of the gimbal type. The essential structural parts of this device are the basic structure 1, the gimbal structure 2 and the useful load structure. The gimbal structure 2 is connected to the base structure 1 by means of a bearing or pivot suspension (not shown), and it is driven by an actuating device which may be in the form of a direct electromagnetic control or connected through a gear box, between the two structural parts, or by means of a linear actuating device applied between the two structures so as to define a relative rotation about axis A. The antenna structure is mounted on the gimbal structure by means of which it is driven, which allows it to acquire its position along two axes with respect to the interface of the satellite.
FIG. 2 is a schematical representation of an antenna pointing
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Bentall Richard H.
Briscoe Henry M.
Agence Spatiale Europeenne
Foss J. Franklin
Olson Robert A.
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