Patents by Inventor Fabrice Mena

Fabrice Mena has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230166484
    Abstract: A heat-insulating multi-layer blanket for a spacecraft is disclosed including a stack of numerous heat-insulating layers, and an external layer superimposed on the stack. The external layer includes a second surface mirror (SSM) film, including a mirror layer placed under a fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) layer, and a polyimide layer joined to the SSM film. The blanket has two different configurations depending on the side of the external layer that is exposed to space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Fabrice MENA, Eric BEAUFUMÉ, Arthur VAN DEN BERG, Philippe CLAVIÈRES, Marion SODE
  • Patent number: 11299296
    Abstract: Disclosed is a spacecraft including: a housing defining an exterior space, the housing having a first face and a second face; and first and second radiators carried by the first and second faces, the first and second radiators each having an inner main face, an outer main face, and side faces. The spacecraft includes a first auxiliary radiator and a first auxiliary heat transfer device thermally connecting the first auxiliary radiator to the inner main face of the second radiator, the first auxiliary radiator being arranged in a first portion of the exterior space defined by the outer main face of the first radiator and by first planes containing the side faces of the first radiator. The first auxiliary heat transfer device includes a heat conducting device. The first auxiliary radiator is composed solely of one or two radiating panels supporting the heat conducting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS
    Inventors: Fabrice Mena, Jean-Christophe Dunat
  • Patent number: 11254452
    Abstract: A radiative fin for a spacecraft is disclosed having an end fitting of heat conductive material, configured to be mounted on the spacecraft, a flexible radiative laminate, connected to the end fitting at one end and having an opposite free end, at least one pyrolytic graphite sheet, and at least one heat emission layer in contact with the pyrolythic graphite sheet on at least part of the surface of the pyrolythic graphite sheet, and a flexible rod, extending from the end fitting along at least part of a side of the flexible radiative laminate and being affixed to the latter. The flexible rod is adapted to occupy a folded position and a deployed position and to exert, while in the folded position, a deployment torque adapted to bring the flexible rod back to the deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignees: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS, AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE NETHERLANDS B.V
    Inventors: Fabrice Mena, Bruin Benthem
  • Publication number: 20200024008
    Abstract: A radiative fin for a spacecraft is disclosed having an end fitting of heat conductive material, configured to be mounted on the spacecraft, a flexible radiative laminate, connected to the end fitting at one end and having an opposite free end, at least one pyrolytic graphite sheet, and at least one heat emission layer in contact with the pyrolythic graphite sheet on at least part of the surface of the pyrolythic graphite sheet, and a flexible rod, extending from the end fitting along at least part of a side of the flexible radiative laminate and being affixed to the latter. The flexible rod is adapted to occupy a folded position and a deployed position and to exert, while in the folded position, a deployment torque adapted to bring the flexible rod back to the deployed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Fabrice MENA, Bruin BENTHEM
  • Publication number: 20190263542
    Abstract: Disclosed is a spacecraft including: a housing defining an exterior space, the housing having a first face and a second face; and first and second radiators carried by the first and second faces, the first and second radiators each having an inner main face, an outer main face, and side faces. The spacecraft includes a first auxiliary radiator and a first auxiliary heat transfer device thermally connecting the first auxiliary radiator to the inner main face of the second radiator, the first auxiliary radiator being arranged in a first portion of the exterior space defined by the outer main face of the first radiator and by first planes containing the side faces of the first radiator. The first auxiliary heat transfer device includes a heat conducting device. The first auxiliary radiator is composed solely of one or two radiating panels supporting the heat conducting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Fabrice MENA, Jean-Christophe DUNAT
  • Patent number: 10155597
    Abstract: Disclosed is an artificial satellite including one face from the North face and the South face supporting at least one main radiator having an outer face turned towards space and an inner face opposite the outer face. The satellite includes a bearing structure carrying the North face, the South face, the East face and the West face. At least one part of the at least one main radiator protrudes from at least one face from the East face and the West face. The inner face of the at least one protruding part is covered with a high infrared emissivity material. The value of the dimension of the at least one protruding part is between 19% and 50% of the value of the distance between the East and West faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS
    Inventors: Philippe Cael, Andrew Walker, Fabrice Mena
  • Patent number: 10144534
    Abstract: Disclosed is a spacecraft including:—a housing defining an inner space and an outer space, the housing having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; a first radiator and a second radiator supported by the first surface and the second surface, respectively, the first radiator and the second radiator each having a main inner surface, a main outer surface opposite the main inner surface and side surfaces. The spacecraft further includes a first auxiliary radiator and a first auxiliary heat-transfer device thermally connecting the first auxiliary radiator to the main inner surface of the second radiator, the first auxiliary radiator being arranged in a first portion of the outer space, the first portion being defined by the main outer surface of the first radiator and by the first planes containing the side surfaces of the first radiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS
    Inventor: Fabrice Mena
  • Publication number: 20180265226
    Abstract: The invention relates to a spacecraft (1) comprising: a housing (2) defining an inner space and an outer space, the housing having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a first radiator (16) and a second radiator (18) supported by the first surface and the second surface, respectively, the first radiator (16) and the second radiator (18) each having a main inner surface, a main outer surface opposite the main inner surface and side surfaces (19). The spacecraft (1) further comprises a first auxiliary radiator (32) and a first auxiliary heat-transfer device (34) thermally connecting said first auxiliary radiator (32) to the main inner surface of the second radiator (36), the first auxiliary radiator (18) being arranged in a first portion of the outer space (13), said first portion being defined by the main outer surface of the first radiator and by the first planes (48, 50, 52, 54) containing the side surfaces (19) of the first radiator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventor: Fabrice MENA
  • Publication number: 20180237168
    Abstract: Disclosed is an artificial satellite including one face from the North face and the South face supporting at least one main radiator having an outer face turned towards space and an inner face opposite the outer face. The satellite includes a bearing structure carrying the North face, the South face, the East face and the West face. At least one part of the at least one main radiator protrudes from at least one face from the East face and the West face. The inner face of the at least one protruding part is covered with a high infrared emissivity material. The value of the dimension of the at least one protruding part is between 19% and 50% of the value of the distance between the East and West faces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Philippe CAEL, Andrew WALKER, Fabrice MENA
  • Publication number: 20170341781
    Abstract: The invention relates to a spacecraft comprising a body having two opposite faces; a first radiator carried by at least one face; the first radiator having an outer face; a first supporting arm extending substantially perpendicularly to the outer face of the first radiator; a drive motor suitable for rotating the first supporting arm about its longitudinal axis a first assembly carried by the first supporting arm, said first assembly comprising a plurality of slats stationary with respect to the first supporting arm; said slats being attached one above the other and separated from each other by a free space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Fabrice Mena, Patrick Coutal
  • Patent number: 9828116
    Abstract: The invention relates to a spacecraft comprising a body having two opposite faces; a first radiator carried by at least one face; the first radiator having an outer face; a first supporting arm extending substantially perpendicularly to the outer face of the first radiator; a drive motor suitable for rotating the first supporting arm about its longitudinal axis a first assembly carried by the first supporting arm, said first assembly comprising a plurality of slats stationary with respect to the first supporting arm; said slats being attached one above the other and separated from each other by a free space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS
    Inventors: Fabrice Mena, Patrick Coutal
  • Patent number: 8240612
    Abstract: A device for controlling heat flow in a spacecraft which always has the same face facing towards the earth, a pair of mutually parallel opposed North and South faces perpendicular to the North-South axis of the earth and two pairs of mutually parallel opposed East/West and Earth/Anti-earth faces, heat-dissipating or -transmitting equipment being provided on the internal walls of the North and South faces, this device comprising a plurality of heat pipes connecting the North and South faces of said craft to another pair of opposed faces of said craft and forming a heat-pipe loop in thermal-conduction contact with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Astrium SAS
    Inventors: Laurence Jondeau, Christian Flemin, Fabrice Mena
  • Publication number: 20100001141
    Abstract: A device for controlling heat flow in a spacecraft which always has the same face facing towards the earth, a pair of mutually parallel opposed North and South faces perpendicular to the North-South axis of the earth and two pairs of mutually parallel opposed East/West and Earth/Anti-earth faces, heat-dissipating or -transmitting equipment being provided on the internal walls of the North and South faces, this device comprising a plurality of heat pipes connecting the North and South faces of said craft to another pair of opposed faces of said craft and forming a heat-pipe loop in thermal-conduction contact with one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: ASTRIUM SAS
    Inventors: Laurence Jondeau, Christian Flemin, Fabrice Mena