Messerschmitt-boelkow-blohm Gesellschaft MIT Beschraenkter Haftung

Messerschmitt-bolkow-blohm Gmbh

Daimler-benz Aerospace Ag

Messerschmitt-bolkow-blohm Gesellschaft MIT Beschrankter Haftung

Horst Heinze

Henning Herbig

Franz Drachenberg

Axel Runge

Ernst D Sach

Gunter Stierle

Knud Pontoppidan

Fastening of a thermal protection structure on the airframe of a craft such as a spaceplane, rocket, missile, re-entry capsule, or any hypersonic airplane wherein the thermal protection structure consists of a plurality of highly heat-resistant, mechanically stable panels, which may be provided with an additional gap seal if desired, with a plurality of fastening points per panel, which are arranged at spaced locations from one another and establish a positive-locking connection between the insulation structure and the airframe. The fastening has a first fastening point, which does not permit any movement, or it does permit an at least limited rotary movement of the panel around an axis extending at right angles to the airframe surface; a second fastening point, which permits a limited, linear displacement of the panel in parallel to the airframe surface; and at least one additional fastening point, which permits a limited displacement of the panel in all directions. The first fastening point is designed as a self-locking plug-type or snap connection, which can be released from the panel surface, with an assembling bolt, with a connection element accommodating it, and with a spring element interlocking these two parts. All other fastening points are designed as plug-type connections, with the same direction of plugging in for all fastening points.

Fastening of a thermal insulation structure

An unfoldable and refoldable antenna reflector having support ribs which are linked to a support body, the support ribs being spaced from the latter approximately radially in the unfolded condition, for carrying a reflector screen or a reflector foil and which can be tilted up for refolding, folding elements being attached between adjacent support ribs which extend substantially transversely to the support ribs and are fastened at predeterminable spacings to the reflector screen or to the reflector foil, the spacings between the fastening points being shortened during refolding.

Unfoldable and refoldable antenna reflector

An antenna reflector, for example for a satellite or spacecraft, has ribs urnalled to a central body by a first journal axis. Each rib has a radially inner section tiltable and lockable relative to the central body, and a radially outer section journalled to the inner rib section at a second journal axis for tilting and locking the outer rib section relative to the inner rib section. A motor driven cable drive and respective pulleys are so arranged that the inner rib sections are first partially unfolded before the outer rib sections begin to be unfolded. The outer rib sections then are moved faster than the inner rib sections so that both rib sections reach the fully unfolded state substantially simultaneously. The folding takes place in the reverse order, whereby the outer rib sections are folded first. The reflector netting is stretched out only after the ribs have been locked into the unfolded state.

Foldable and unfoldable antenna reflector

An umbrella type unfoldable antenna reflector net is supported by carrier bs extending radially from a carrier body and by auxiliary ribs extending between adjacent carrier ribs. Bracing wires are connected between the carrier ribs and the auxiliary ribs. The tension of the bracing wires, which in the unfolded state of the reflector net extend substantially in the direction of chords, is adjustable by respective adjustment members so that the bracing tension force has a force component which extends substantially perpendicularly to a plane defined by the unfolded reflector net. The adjustment members permit adjusting the reflector net into a parabolic shape.

Unfoldable antenna reflector

A tension strap to be circumferentially positioned about a body to be tenned includes a strap member and a plurality of longitudinally movable tension blocks carried on the inside circumferential surface of the strap member for engaging the body. Means for maintaining each of the tension blocks in a defined predetermined position relative to the strap member is provided and includes at least one pin fixedly carried by either the tension block or the strap member and extending through a guideway in the other, and an elastic member such as a spring or elastomer acting on the pin of each tension block against longitudinal movement to predetermine its position relative to the strap member.

Growing community of inventors

Feldkirchen-Westerham, Germany

Horst Heinze