Thales

Jean Dupuis

Laurent Blanchard

Frédéric Falzon

A device supporting a first and a second element of a piece of space equipment. The device includes at least two deployable flexible arms each having a first end and a second end, the ends are secured respectively to the first and second elements and each designed to adopt at least one initial position folded in curves and an unfolded final position, in which positions they hold the first element away from the second element by first and second chosen distances respectively, the second distance being greater than the first.

Support device for elements on a piece of space equipment with flexible deploying arms

A device for damping of vibrations for an item of equipment comprising a structure to which a first element and a second fragile element having to be protected from the vibrations are coupled. The device comprises first piezoelectric transducer means inserted between the structure and the first element and charged with converting energy of vibration of the structure into electric energy, at least one sensor coupled to the structure and arranged to deliver measurement signals representative of vibrations, control means electrically supplied by the electric energy generated and charged with deducing at least one amplitude of movement to compensate at least partially for the vibration, and to deliver control signals representative of each determined amplitude, and second piezoelectric transducer means inserted between the structure and the second element and charged with converting the control signals into movement to damp at least partially for the second element the vibrations.

Device for the active damping of the vibrations experienced by a fragile part of moving equipment, with autonomous power supply

A device (D) is dedicated to fixing a first piece of equipment (E) relative to a second piece of equipment (E). The device has (i) a structure having a rigid central body (CC) prolonged by two approximately identical terminal bodies (CT, CT) each having a neck defining a flexible intermediate part (PD, PD) that is symmetric relative to a symmetry element, prolonged by a rigid internal part (PI, PI) that is symmetric relative to the symmetry element and joined to one of the ends of the central body (CC), and by a rigid external part (PE, PE) that is symmetric relative to a symmetry element, spaced from the internal part, and intended to be joined to the first (E) or second (E) piece of equipment. The device has (ii) at least two piezoelectric transducers (T-T) with each responsible for converting either an axial dimensional change into a measurement current representing the amplitude of the change, or a control current into a corresponding axial dimensional change. The device has (iii) control means (MC) responsible for determining at least one axial dimensional change to locate the first piece of equipment (E) relative to the second piece of equipment (E).

Device for fixing a first equipment item to a second equipment item, with active micropositioning

A deformable mirror comprises i) an electrically insulative substrate having a substantially plane front face, ii) a first stage comprising at least two plane electrodes placed at chosen places on top of said front face of the substrate, iii) a first layer of electro-active material placed in contact with the front face of the electrodes of said first stage and adapted to be deformed locally under the action of a chosen local difference of electric potential, iv) an electrically conductive reflecting layer, defining a ground electrode connected to an electric ground and placed on top of the front face of said first electro-active layer, and v) first electric power supply circuits each connected, on the one hand, to said electric ground and, on the other hand, to at least one of the electrodes of said first stage in such a manner as to impose locally, on command, a chosen potential difference adapted to deform locally an area of the first electro-active layer placed substantially in line with said electrode.

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Auribeau sur Siagne, France

Jean Dupuis