European Space Agency

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Elguja Medzmariashvili

Leri Datashvili

Julian B Santiago Prowald

Cornelis G Van't Klooster

Nikoloz Medzmariashvili

Alexander Ihle

Shota Tserodze

Cornelis VAN'T Klooster

A multi-faceted deployable antenna frame including a six-bar linkage structure in a lateral facet of the antenna frame, the six-bar linkage structure being convertible from a folded state into a deployed state and having two first bars and four second bars, each bar being coupled to two others by a hinge to form a closed loop, where in the deployed state, the six-bar linkage structure has a quadrilateral shape. The antenna frame also includes a deployment means for deploying the antenna frame by moving the six-bar linkage structures from the folded state into the deployed state, the deployment means including: a flexible, elongated member of a substantially inextensible material; a first guiding means provided at an end portion of one of the first bars and coupled to the elongated member; a storage means provided at the first bar that includes the first guiding means for storing a part of the elongated member; a driving means that is coupled to the elongated member to pull the elongated member to the storing means when deploying the antenna frame; and a second guiding means between two adjacent second bars, the elongated member being coupled to the second guiding means. A first end of the elongated member is attached to the storing means and a second end of the elongated member is coupled to another first bar, and wherein the elongated member is extending between said first end and said second end along a plurality of second bars.

Deployable antenna frame

A mechanical support ring structure for supporting a deployable space reflector antenna. The mechanical support ring structure is convertible from a folded state into a deployed state and includes a ring-shaped pantograph having a plurality of circumferentially arranged pantograph sections which are deployable for converting the mechanical support ring structure from the folded state into the deployed state, and a plurality of circumferentially arranged support rods, each pantograph section being arranged between a respective pair of support rods, wherein each pantograph section includes one or more pairs of pantograph rods which intersect crosswise with each other at a respective crossing position.

Mechanical support ring structure

Growing community of inventors

Tbilisi, Georgia

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