The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 28, 1995
Filed:
Nov. 10, 1993
Martin Roth, Taufkirchen, DE;
Helmut Kiendl, Munchen, DE;
Deutsche Aerospace AG, , DE;
Abstract
A joint is provided for the unfolding and locking of space elements, such as solar generator panels. On one joint half, a detent lever is swivellably connected having a clamping nose as well as a finger as the guiding element. During the unfolding operation, the finger slides on a guiding contour of the other joint half. Shortly before the fully unfolded condition is reached, the finger engages in a depression, and the clamping nose runs up onto a cam and clamps down on the latter under the effect of the spring tension directed to the common axis of rotation. A movable stop element, e.g. universal ball joint, simultaneously presses against a stop surface so that both joint halves are braced with respect to one another. An arrangement of high stiffness which is as free from play as possible results.