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:
May. 01, 2007
Filed:
Apr. 05, 2002
David Michael Murphy, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
David Michael Murphy, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
AEC-Able Engineering Co., Inc., Goleta, CA (US);
Abstract
A lightweight structure for space application is deployable from a compact bundle of interconnected struts into a plurality of tiled substantially rectangular bays. Each bay preferably comprises four or six hinged strut members having substantially rectangular cross sections, such that a solar or other suitable blanket may be compactly nested within the bundled struts. In one aspect of the invention, the blanket is attached to two opposed strut members of a six-member strut bundle, such that the blanket is unfolded during deployment of the strut bundle into a substantially rectangular bay. In another aspect of the invention, the blanket is attached to, and held against, a single strut in a strut bundle. After the strut bundle is deployed into a substantially rectangular bay, the blanket is spread across the bay via a cable mechanism or other deployment mechanism.