Patents by Inventor J. Wayne Simonton

J. Wayne Simonton 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).

  • Deployable geodesic truss structure
    Patent number: 4677803
    Abstract: A deployable geodesic truss structure can be deployed from a stowed state to an erected state. The truss structure includes a series of bays, each bay having sets of battens connected by longitudinal cross members which give the bay its axial and torsional stiffness. The cross members are hinged at their mid point by a joint so that the cross members are foldable for deployment or collapsing. The bays are deployed and stabilized by actuator means connected between the mid point joints of the cross members. Hinged longerons may be provided to also connect the sets of battens and to collapse for stowing with the rest of the truss structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1987
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Martin M. Mikulas, Jr., Marvin D. Rhodes, J. Wayne Simonton