Patents Assigned to Astrium SAS
  • Patent number: 10094441
    Abstract: An electromechanical actuator (10), comprising a movable member (14) provided with connecting means (20) and translationally movable with respect to a frame (12), and an energy absorbing-dissipating structure (28, 30) located on a strain path between said connecting means (20) and said frame (12) and comprising a porous capillary matrix (40) having an apparent porosity and an associated liquid (42) having a wetting angle higher than 90 degrees relative to said matrix (40) and selected such that part of said liquid (42) penetrates the pores of said matrix (40), when said chamber is subjected to a pressure equal to or higher than a first pressure level P1, and is spontaneously rejected off the pores of said matrix (40) by capillary action, when said structure is subjected to a pressure lower than a second pressure level P2 itself lower than said first pressure level P1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventors: Thierry Abensur, Gérald Pignie, Alizée Vergnol, Susana Perez-Diago
  • Patent number: 9854660
    Abstract: An ion accelerator includes: an inner magnet having a channel extending through it in an axial direction; an outer magnet extending around the inner magnet, the magnets having like polarities so as to produce a magnetic field having two locations of zero magnetic field strength. The locations are spaced apart in the axial direction; and an anode and a cathode are arranged to generate an electrical potential difference between the locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignees: ASTRIUM SAS, ASTRIUM LIMITED
    Inventor: Aaron Kombai Knoll
  • Patent number: 9643367
    Abstract: A method for producing a composite mirror. It comprises the steps of providing a glass blank with low coefficient of expansion, machining a convex shape (4) in the glass blank, laying a front skin (6) impregnated with resin over the convex shape (4) of the glass blank (2), machining in a rear supporting structure (8) a concave shape matching the convex shape machined in the glass blank (2), gluing the concave shape (10) of the supporting structure (8) onto the convex shape of the glass blank (2), machining a convex shape in the supporting structure, laying a rear skin (14) impregnated with resin on a mold, gluing the rear skin (14) onto the convex shape of the supporting structure (8), turning over the assembly so that the blank (2) lies in the upper portion of the assembly, machining and polishing a mirror in the glass blank (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventors: Christian Desagulier, Stephane Baril
  • Patent number: 9624953
    Abstract: An assembly comprising two parts temporarily connected by a connecting element surrounding the assembly. The connecting element being subjected to an internal deformation stress. The assembly having stress-keeping means with controlled stress relief, which connect two opposite ends of the connecting element so as to counteract the internal deformation stress. The assembly includes attaching means for attaching the connecting element to each of the parts. The attaching means includes at least two layers of cured adhesive which respectively coat the parts and make a surface connection between each of these parts and the connecting element. The internal deformation stress is at a sufficient level to enable the connecting element to be unsecured from the parts by extending to a rest position, when the stress-keeping means are controlled so as to release the ends of the connecting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventor: Frédéric Veilleraud
  • Patent number: 9562870
    Abstract: The method CND of non-destructive testing of a wind turbine blade includes: stressing the structure of the blade through a modification of a physical characteristic of a fluid filling the hollow interior volume of the blade; observing zones to be tested of the exterior surface of the blade, with the contactless measurement of a physical parameter on points of the exterior surface of the blade; and comparing the map of the values of the physical parameter measured with a reference map. A corresponding system CND for checking the structural integrity of a wind turbine blade includes an aerothermic device for modifying the physical conditions, temperature or pressure, of a fluid filling the hollow interior volume of the blade, a device for contactless measurement of a physical parameter, temperature or dimensions, of the exterior surface of the blade, and a device for processing the measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventors: Jacques Bouteyre, Pascal Jouan
  • Patent number: 9556370
    Abstract: A material for protecting a surface from heat made of a mixture comprising cork granules and resin as a binding agent, which also includes short fibers of heat-resistant material, and phenolic resin or epoxy resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventors: Cédric Plaindoux, Jean-Marc Bouilly
  • Patent number: 9546007
    Abstract: According to the invention, a link is established between the fixed part (4A) and the removable part (4B) of an enclosure (4) in which the second satellite is previously enclosed, said link being such that said removable part (4B) remains attached to said fixed part (4A) when said removable part (4B), initially in a first position for which said enclosure (4) is closed and encloses said second satellite, lies in a second position for which said enclosure (4) is open and able to release said satellite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventor: Patrick Comtesse
  • Patent number: 9398678
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for forming a plasma beam. According to the invention: the quality of the electroneutrality of the plasma beam (PB) is detected (in 12 and/or 13); and the alternating polarization potentials of the extraction and acceleration grid (4) are adjusted such that the plasma beam (PB) is at least approximately electrically neutral.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignees: ASTRIUM SAS, ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventors: Ane Aanesland, Pascal Chabert, Michael Irzyk, Stéphane Mazouffre
  • Patent number: 9381719
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of assembling pre-impregnated plies by local isolated polymerization of the assembly region (30) under the action of a radiation to which the resin of the prepreg is sensitive. The assembly method makes it possible in particular to produce very large sized gossamer structures (7) in the form of a concertina-folded tube which is deployed by injecting pressurized gas once in space then stiffened by polymerization under the effect of the same radiation. The pylon concerned (7) thus comprises two structural elements (10, 20) secured end to end while at the same time maintaining its flexibility and firmness qualities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventors: Brigitte Defoort, Dominique Lacour, Olivier Le-Couls
  • Patent number: 9290279
    Abstract: A landing system of a body and a space probe provided with such a system for landing on a bearing ground. The landing system includes landing legs (5), each with a footpad (6) at the end thereof, intended for braking the landing impact of the body when coming into contact with the ground and for supporting the body on the ground after landing. The footpads (6) are not coplanar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventors: Christophe Balemboy, Mark Kinnersley, Robert Andre Laine, Xavier Sembely
  • Patent number: 9279876
    Abstract: A transmitting beacon (4) having at least two transmitting current loops (6.1, 6.2, 6.3) that are mutually orthogonal and capable of transmitting electromagnetic waves (5.1, 5.2, 5.3), as well as means (7) for supplying power to the transmitting current loops (6.1, 6.2, 6.3) in series is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventor: Robert Laine
  • Patent number: 9180980
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system in space for reinforcing photosynthesis on earth, comprising a satellite with at least one first optical assembly intended for collecting sunlight, the position of which is stationary; a second optical assembly, smaller in size and with less inertia than the first optical element, intended for retransmitting the collected light with higher density of the retransmitted flux density than the collected flux density, and with an adjustable orientation; a remotely controllable means capable of adjusting the orientation of the second optical assembly; and a light-transmitting means which transmits the collected light from the first optical assembly to the second optical assembly. The second optical assembly retransmits light only in specified frequency hands around 450 nm and 660 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventors: Robert André Lainé, Pierre Parrot
  • Patent number: 9174749
    Abstract: A propulsion module configured to launch a craft into space including a recoverable module and a non-recovered part, which is secured to the recoverable module at launch. The recoverable module includes a propulsive system to launch the craft, systems for command and control of the propulsive system, a subsonic flight propulsion motor, airfoils for the subsonic flight, a landing gear, and a braking parachute. The recoverable module is installed in a lower position of the craft when the craft is in the launch position. The non-recovered part includes at least one tank to feed the propulsive system. The recoverable module and the non-recovered part are configured to be separated when the propulsion module reaches a given altitude, and the recoverable module is capable of landing in a controlled fashion after a coasting flight, for example for a return to the launch site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventors: Marco Prampolini, Olivier Gogdet
  • Patent number: 9169825
    Abstract: A device for assembling sections of wind-turbine blades provided with casings, including at least one tie including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being a portion for assembly with a casing of a first section and the second portion being a portion for mounting with a complementary tie supported by a casing of a second section, wherein the first portion includes at least one composite/metal shear link provided with a continuous fitting element on at least one surface of the casing which receives one end of the aformentioned surface of the casing, provided with attachment pins passing through the fitting and the end of the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventors: Marcel Auberon, Nicolas Petermann
  • Patent number: 9145215
    Abstract: An aircraft having propulsion units for both conventional aircraft flight in the atmosphere and for high-altitude operation as a rocket. The aircraft is divided into a payload compartment and a compartment containing rocket propulsion unit propellant or fuel, and includes a long transverse wing with a small back-sweep to favor lift in the dense layers of the atmosphere and to thus make it possible to climb to high altitudes at a subsonic speed before using the rocket propulsion units. The return flight portion is performed by gliding or controlled as for a conventional aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventors: Christophe Chavagnac, Jerome Bertrand, Hugues Laporte-Weywada, Olivier Poulain, Philippe Matharan, Robert Laine
  • Patent number: 9129074
    Abstract: A method of making a mechanical multishear link includes sizing the multishear link by breaking down a system comprised by the link into as many subassemblies as there are simple shear interfaces, defining the subassemblies around each shear interface, describing each shear by its stiffness, and applying the mechanical relationships to achieve a system of equations for a computer-assisted resolution by applying the Huth method to each shear interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: ASTRIUM, SAS
    Inventors: Marcel Auberon, Nicolas Petermann
  • Patent number: 9121704
    Abstract: An optical system for surveillance systems for space surveillance systems includes at least one telescope with a field greater than or equal to 5° mounted on a mobile mount along two axes, and coupled with an image sensor, whose sensitivity is designed for an integration time of the order of magnitude of a hundred milliseconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: ASTRIUM, SAS
    Inventors: Bernard Martin, François Le Berre, Damien Caillau, Louis Leveque
  • Patent number: 9086260
    Abstract: According to the invention, the component to be ruptured comprises an alternation of oblong pre-cut zones and of non-pre-cut zones and the pyrotechnique rupture device (1) with detonating cord (2) comprises an alternation of sections (1.1) for rupturing said non-pre-cut zones and of inflatable sections (1.2) for parting the broken parts of said component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventors: Thomas Kister, Luc Preaud
  • Patent number: 9079661
    Abstract: The invention concerns an ultra-rapid air vehicle together with a method of aerial locomotion by means of an ultra-rapid air vehicle, where the air vehicle is propelled by a system of motors formed of turbojets (TB1, TB2), ramjets (ST1, ST2) and a rocket motor which can be made streamlined to reduce the drag of the base during the cruise phase, and where the vehicle has a gothic delta wing (A) fitted with moving fins (a1, a2) at both outer ends of the trailing edge of the delta wing (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignees: ASTRIUM SAS, EUROPEAN AERONAUTIC DEFENCE AND SPACE COMPANY—EADS FRANCE
    Inventors: Marco Prampolini, Yohann Coraboeuf
  • Patent number: 9081077
    Abstract: The system comprises terminals that are mounted onto a predetermined number of feeder vessels, comprises means for detecting identification signals sent by surrounding ships, and moreover comprises means for recording identification information that include the detected identification signals and the current position of the feeder vessel. Said system also comprises a system for transmitting data via satellites, said data transmitting system making it possible to transmit data between the terminals and a monitoring center, said monitoring center including a means for generating requests intended for the terminals in order to ask said terminals to provide the recorded identification information. Said monitoring center also includes a means for analyzing the received identification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Astrium SAS
    Inventor: Robert Laine