Deployable crew quarters

Details Deployable crew quarters Deployable crew quarters

1999-10-29

2001-09-18

Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)

Aeronautics and astronautics

Spacecraft

Reusable or returnable

C244S137200, C244S164000, C244S118500

Reexamination Certificate

active

06290181

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invent ion relates in general to a crew quarters for a space vehicle that provides a private area for personnel aboard the space vehicle. More specifically, the crew quarters collapses to a compact size during launch and incorporates fold out wall and ceiling panels that can be deployed in orbit to provide a personal pressurized crew quarters for crew members.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The advent of long duration space flight aboard orbiting space stations has lead to a recognition of the need for a private pressurized cabin areas for crew members. The lack of private space that can be personalized to the needs of a particular individual can lead to difficulties in moral among crew members. Prior attempts to utilize sleeping bags deployed in normal work space have proven less than satisfactory, as they do not provide crew members with permanent space that can be utilized for private use, and they do not isolate the crew members from the noise associated with station operation. The incorporation of hard shell crew cabins would overcome the problems associated with utilizing sleeping bags, but such cabins would result in the addition of undesirable weight and unutilized volume during launch operations.
In view of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide a lightweight crew quarters that can be collapsed to minimize launch volume and then deployed in orbit. It is a further object of the invention to provide a lightweight deployable crew quarters that will provide a private personalized space for crew members that is acoustically insulated to isolate crew members from station noise when resting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a deployable crew quarters that incorporates folding panels and acoustic panels to provide a lightweight on-orbit crew quarter. The deployable crew quarters preferably includes a frame and a plurality of panels mounted to the frame. At least one of the panels is hinged to the frame to allow movement between a stowed position and a deployed position.
More specifically, the panels include a front panel coupled to the frame and two side panels moveable coupled to the frame. The two side panels are moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position. Still further, a top panel is also preferably moveable coupled to the frame, wherein the top panel is moveable between a stowed position and a pop-up deployed position. The front panel includes a sliding door panel to allow crew access to the deployable crew quarters. The front panel also preferably extends outward from the frame, which provides space in which a ventilation mechanism can be mounted. Further, fabric panels are attached to the side panels and over the rear opening of the deployable crew quarters to dampen noise.
Other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention and the accompanying drawings.


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patent: 6007025 (1999-12-01), Coughren et al.
patent: 6101766 (2000-08-01), Mogensen

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