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.

Date of Patent:
Oct. 13, 1998

Filed:

Apr. 24, 1997
Applicant:
Inventor:

John P Harrell, Mission Viejo, CA (US);

Assignee:

Hughes Electronics, Los Angeles, CA (US);

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
F16F / ; B64D / ; B64G / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
244165 ; 244 54 ; 248556 ;
Abstract

An apparatus for mounting a momentum wheel assembly (10) to a spacecraft (54). The momentum wheel assembly (10) includes a momentum wheel which has a primary spin axis coinciding with the primary spin axis of the spacecraft and spins in a direction opposite that of the spacecraft (54). Suspension isolation struts (20) attach the momentum wheel assembly (10) to the spacecraft (54) and provide substantial vibration isolation between the spacecraft (54) and the momentum wheel assembly (10). Voice coil actuators (40) attach to an adaptor ring (14) which in turn attaches to the spacecraft (54). The voice coil actuators (40) magnetically interact with a magnetically conductive element (42) attached to the momentum wheel assembly case (12). Interaction between the voice coil actuators (40) and the magnetic element (42) provides forces which displace the momentum wheel assembly case (12) in two axes orthogonal to the primary spin axis.


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…