Patents Assigned to The United States of America as represented by the secretary of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • Patent number: 4578920
    Abstract: A collapsible-expandable truss structure 16 including first and second spaced surface truss layers (18, 20) having an attached core layer 22 is disclosed. The surface truss layers are composed of a plurality of linear struts 40 arranged in multiple triangular configurations with each linear strut being hinged at its center 41 and hingedly connected at each end thereof to a nodular joint 25. A passive spring 64 serves as the expansion force to move the folded struts from a stowed collapsed position to a deployed operative final truss configuration. Damper 62 controls the rate of spring 64 expansion for synchronized deployment of truss 16 as the folded configuration is released for deployment by restraint belts 72a and 73a synchronously extending under the control of motor (71) driven spools 72 and 73.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1986
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the secretary of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Harold G. Bush, Martin M. Mikulas, Jr., Richard E. Wallsom