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:
Apr. 18, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 21, 1997
Ray A Stribling, Jr, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Hughes Electronics Corporation, El Segundo, CA (US);
Abstract
A reflector system for a solar wing is provided in which adjacent reflector panels are inhibited from relative movement by coupling tethers. Each reflector panel rotates to be in a stored position adjacent a backface of a respective solar panel. From this stored position, each reflector panel then rotates to be in a deployed position in which it forms a reflection angle with a solar cell face of the respective solar panel. Because of the inhibition of the tethers, the reflector panels deploy together so that one of them does not move past another of them and damage its reflection surface. Upon deployment of a solar wing, a set of spring-biased reflector sheets are automatically urged to cover respective apertures which facilitate installation of restraint structures that maintain the solar wing in its stored configuration.