Southwest Research Institute

Toby J Harvey

Thomas Jeffrey Harvey

Thomas J Rose

Randy J Rose

Mitchell T Wiens

Mark A Bailey

Thomas J Harvey

Shane E Stamm

A passively deployable solar panel array. A truss backing is attached to the back of the solar panels and has longerons and hinge linkages that form a series of moveable parallelograms operable to fold and unfold. The truss backing further has springs and diagonals, with at least one spring and one diagonal associated with each of the parallelograms. The springs are operable to deploy the solar panels from a folded position to a deployed position. Each diagonal is operable to become in tension diagonally across its associated parallelogram once the solar panels are deployed into a final position.

Passively deployable solar panel array with truss backing and synchronizing linkages

A passively deployable solar panel array. A truss backing is attached to the back of the solar panels, and has top segments, bottom segments, and hinge linkages that form a series of moveable parallelograms operable to fold and unfold. The truss backing further has springs and trusses, with at least one spring and one truss associated with each of the parallelograms. The springs are operable to deploy the solar panels from a folded position to a deployed position. Each truss is operable to become in tension diagonally across its associated parallelogram once the solar panels are deployed into a final position.

Passively deployable solar panel array with truss backing

Growing community of inventors

Enoch, UT, United States of America

Toby J Harvey