Patents by Inventor Stephen F. White
Stephen F. White 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).
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Patent number: 10239642Abstract: A roll-out solar array includes a first mandrel having first and second ends and a second mandrel having first and second ends. A hinge extends between the first and second mandrels, such that the roll-out solar array can transition between a stowed position where the mandrels are in a substantially parallel configuration and a deployed position where the mandrels are in a series configuration. A latch may be provided to lock the roll-out solar array in the stowed configuration.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2016Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: Deployable Space Systems, Inc.Inventors: Brian R. Spence, Stephen F. White
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Patent number: 10189582Abstract: An elastically deployable panel structure for space solar array applications includes a support structure having a first stowed configuration and a second deployed configuration. The stowed configuration has elastic strain energy that powers deployment of the support structure. The elastically deployable panel structure does not include a boom. Longitudinal edges of the support structure may be curved downward to form an open cylinder when in the deployed configuration. The support structure is configured to be operable as a mounting surface for solar cell arrays.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2015Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: DEPLOYABLE SPACE SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Brian R Spence, Stephen F White, Mark V Douglas
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Patent number: 9899559Abstract: An automated system provides automated manufacturing of photovoltaic standard power modules for utilization in a space solar array, in both rolled blanket and z-folded configurations. The automated system provides robotically controlled systems for CIC-ing, glassing, stringing, laydown and acceptance testing of interconnected photovoltaic devices. A method of manufacturing the photovoltaic standard power modules includes the steps of robotic positioning of diodes, interconnects and busbars onto a SPM stringing tray followed by the robotic positioning of bare cells into position adjacent to the diodes, interconnects and busbars to form strings. The SPM stringing tray is thereafter robotically positioned adjacent to an integral welder for welding of the front side of the string. Cover glass is thereafter robotically placed over the cells. The string is flipped and the backside of the string is robotically positioned for welding.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2016Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Inventors: Brian J Spence, Stephen F White, Tiffany N Allmandinger, Paul Cronin
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Patent number: 9676501Abstract: A large area, deployable flexible blanket photovoltaic solar array architecture for high power applications is disclosed. The structure is a modularized and scalable solar array system that provides high power level scalability. The structure is comprised of repeating, similar modular deployable roll-out solar array wings mounted in an opposing manner and along the length of a rigid, strong and efficiently packaged deployable backbone structure. The deployable roll-out solar array building block modular “winglet” elements can be comprised of either a rolled or z-folded flexible photovoltaic blanket configuration, and their structural deployment is motivated by the elastic strain energy of longitudinal roll-out booms. The backbone structure is comprised of a stiff deployable beam structure articulated that is deployed perpendicular with respect to the spacecraft sidewall and latched out.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2015Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: Deployable Space SystemsInventors: Brian R Spence, Stephen F White, Peter Sorensen
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Patent number: 9620658Abstract: A modular, lightweight, high-survivable, photovoltaic flexible blanket assembly for a space solar array is disclosed. The modular blanket is an accordion foldable or rollable flexible photovoltaic solar panel blanket assembly comprising a plurality of common photovoltaic modules spaced in an orthogonal pattern. Each module is mechanically attached with multiple low profile fasteners on their backside to an open weave mesh tensioned backplane structure. The backplane forms a tensioned dimensionally stable planar surface in the deployed configuration onto which the modules are suspended. Each module is common and comprised of a rectangular substrate that includes solar cell assemblies, circuitry, exposed electrical contacts for integration of blanket-level harnessing, and frontside and rearside shielding and coatings as required for the mission application.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2013Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: Deployable Space Systems, Inc.Inventors: Brian R Spence, Stephen F White, Mark V Douglas, Kevin B Schmid, Ron S Takeda
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Patent number: 9611056Abstract: An elastic roll out boom includes a thin wall, tubular, elongate structure having a plurality of interlocking elements disposed in spaced-apart relation along the surface thereof. The elastic roll out boom is configured to be flattened and rolled tightly to form a roll in a stowed configuration. The plurality of interlocking elements are positioned such that a first interlocking element engages a second interlocking element when the elastic roll out boom is in the stowed configuration. This prevents shear displacement between layers of the roll out boom.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2016Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: DEPLOYABLE SPACE SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Brian R. Spence, Stephen F. White
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Patent number: 9604737Abstract: A directionally-controlled roll-out elastically deployable solar array structure is disclosed. The structure includes one or more longitudinal elastic roll out booms that may be closed section or open section to allow for efficient rolled packaging onto a lateral mandrel. A flexible photovoltaic blanket is attached to a tip structure and to a lateral base support structure, but remains uncoupled from the longitudinal booms. The solar array system may be stowed simultaneously into a rolled package comprised of the roll out booms and the flexible planar blanket together, or onto independent rolls. Alternatively, the system may be stowed by rolling the booms, and accordion Z-folding the hinged flexible photovoltaic blanket into a flat stack. Structural deployment is motivated by the elastic strain energy of the roll out booms, and several methods of deployment direction control are provided to ensure a known, controlled, and unidirectional deployment path of the elastically unrolling booms.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2014Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: Deployable Space Systems, Inc.Inventors: Brian R Spence, Stephen F White
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Publication number: 20170081046Abstract: A deployable root stiffness mechanism and method increases the bending and torsional stiffness and strength of a tubular slit boom while allowing the slit boom to be flattened and rolled to a compact stowage volume. The slit booms may be flattened and rolled into a compact cylindrical stowage volume and once released, elastically and immediately deploy from the rolled stowed configuration to the final structural tube shape. An embodiment of the disclosed apparatus comprises a base member which is engaging contact with a bottom surface of the tubular slit boom and a reaction member which translates along the base member as the tubular slit boom transitions between the storage configuration to the deployed configuration and between the deployed configuration to the storage configuration. The reaction member provides an opposing reactive force to a load conveyed through the thin-wall construction of the boom.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2016Publication date: March 23, 2017Inventors: Brian R. Spence, Stephen F. White, Mark Douglas
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Patent number: 9580190Abstract: A deployable root stiffness mechanism and method increases the bending and torsional stiffness and strength of a tubular slit boom while allowing the slit boom to be flattened and rolled to a compact stowage volume. The slit booms may be flattened and rolled into a compact cylindrical stowage volume and once released, elastically and immediately deploy from the rolled stowed configuration to the final structural tube shape. An embodiment of the disclosed apparatus comprises a base member which is engaging contact with a bottom surface of the tubular slit boom and a reaction member which translates along the base member as the tubular slit boom transitions between the storage configuration to the deployed configuration and between the deployed configuration to the storage configuration. The reaction member provides an opposing reactive force to a load conveyed through the thin-wall construction of the boom.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2015Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: Deployable Space SystemsInventors: Brian R Spence, Stephen F White, Mark Douglas
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Publication number: 20160351746Abstract: An automated system provides automated manufacturing of photovoltaic standard power modules for utilization in a space solar array, in both rolled blanket and z-folded configurations. The automated system provides robotically controlled systems for CIC-ing, glassing, stringing, laydown and acceptance testing of interconnected photovoltaic devices. A method of manufacturing the photovoltaic standard power modules includes the steps of robotic positioning of diodes, interconnects and busbars onto a SPM stringing tray followed by the robotic positioning of bare cells into position adjacent to the diodes, interconnects and busbars to form strings. The SPM stringing tray is thereafter robotically positioned adjacent to an integral welder for welding of the front side of the string. Cover glass is thereafter robotically placed over the cells. The string is flipped and the backside of the string is robotically positioned for welding.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2016Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventors: Brian J. Spence, Stephen F. White, Tiffany N. Allmandinger, Paul Cronin
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Patent number: 9450131Abstract: A rollable and accordion foldable refractive lens concentrator flexible solar array blanket structure assembly for a spacecraft/satellite application consisting of at least one or more rows of electrically interconnected solar cells and at least one or more rows of deployable elongated refractive lenses elevated and aligned from the top surface of the solar cells. The entire blanket assembly, inclusive of lenses and solar cell substrates, kinematically deploys by unrolling or unfolding the assembly for its stowed package configuration, and the final tensioning of the blanket assembly produces an aligned assembly where the solar cell substrate subassembly and the lens subassembly are coplanar. Deployment of the integrated blanket assembly (with refractive lenses) is directly coupled through the unrolling or the accordion unfolding deployment kinematics of the concentrator blanket assembly.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2013Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: Deployable Space Systems, Inc.Inventors: Brian R Spence, Stephen F White, Kevin Schmid
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Patent number: 9444004Abstract: An automated system provides automated manufacturing of photovoltaic standard power modules for utilization in a space solar array, in both rolled blanket and z-folded configurations. The automated system provides robotically controlled systems for CIC-ing, glassing, stringing, laydown and acceptance testing of interconnected photovoltaic devices. A method of manufacturing the photovoltaic standard power modules includes the steps of robotic positioning of diodes, interconnects and busbars onto a SPM stringing tray followed by the robotic positioning of bare cells into position adjacent to the diodes, interconnects and busbars to form strings. The SPM stringing tray is thereafter robotically positioned adjacent to an integral welder for welding of the front side of the string. Cover glass is thereafter robotically placed over the cells. The string is flipped and the backside of the string is robotically positioned for welding.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2015Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: Deployable Space Systems, Inc.Inventors: Brian R Spence, Stephen F White, Tiffany N Allmandinger, Paul Cronin
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Patent number: 9346566Abstract: A directionally-controlled roll-out elastically deployable solar array structure is disclosed. The structure includes one or more longitudinal elastic roll out booms that may be closed section or open section to allow for efficient rolled packaging onto a lateral mandrel. A flexible photovoltaic blanket is attached to a tip structure and to a lateral base support structure, but remains uncoupled from the longitudinal booms. The solar array system may be stowed simultaneously into a rolled package comprised of the roll out booms and the flexible planar blanket together, or onto independent rolls. Alternatively, the system may be stowed by rolling the booms, and accordion Z-folding the hinged flexible photovoltaic blanket into a flat stack. Structural deployment is motivated by the elastic strain energy of the roll out booms, and several methods of deployment direction control are provided to ensure a known, controlled, and unidirectional deployment path of the elastically unrolling booms.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2014Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: Deployable Space Systems, Inc.Inventors: Brian R Spence, Stephen F White
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Patent number: 9214892Abstract: A solar array including a solar array assembly, hub assembly, and wing assembly.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2007Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: Orbital ATK, Inc.Inventors: Stephen F. White, Mark V. Douglas, Ronald S. Takeda, Brian R. Spence, Noel T. Gregory, Jason Z. Schmidt, Peter Sorensen, T. Jeffrey Harvey
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Patent number: 9156568Abstract: An elastically deployable three-dimensional panel structure for a solar array that can be collapsed to a flattened state and subsequently rolled, bended, or folded to achieve a compact stowage volume. The panel structure has top facing planar surface region on which one or more photovoltaic modules are attached, and other non-planar regions, located at the structure edges, that increase the deployed stiffness and strength of the structure. The deployable structure may include one or more panel structure modules mechanically interconnected in series and one or more photovoltaic modules electrically interconnected and mechanically adhered to the panel structure surface or tensioned within an openings within in the panel structure. Structural deployment is motivated by the elastic strain energy of the one or more panel structures from their stowed state. Deployment control is provided to ensure a known and repeatable deployment path through interlocking strips attached to one or more panel structures.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2013Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: Deployable Space Systems, Inc.Inventors: Brian R Spence, Stephen F White, Mark V Douglas
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Publication number: 20140326833Abstract: A directionally-controlled roll-out elastically deployable solar array structure is disclosed. The structure includes one or more longitudinal elastic roll out booms that may be closed section or open section to allow for efficient rolled packaging onto a lateral mandrel. A flexible photovoltaic blanket is attached to a tip structure and to a lateral base support structure, but remains uncoupled from the longitudinal booms. The solar array system may be stowed simultaneously into a rolled package comprised of the roll out booms and the flexible planar blanket together, or onto independent rolls. Alternatively, the system may be stowed by rolling the booms, and accordion Z-folding the hinged flexible photovoltaic blanket into a flat stack. Structural deployment is motivated by the elastic strain energy of the roll out booms, and several methods of deployment direction control are provided to ensure a known, controlled, and unidirectional deployment path of the elastically unrolling booms.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2014Publication date: November 6, 2014Inventors: Brian R. Spence, Stephen F. White
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Publication number: 20140150863Abstract: A directionally-controlled roll-out elastically deployable solar array structure is disclosed. The structure includes one or more longitudinal elastic roll out booms that may be closed section or open section to allow for efficient rolled packaging onto a lateral mandrel. A flexible photovoltaic blanket is attached to a tip structure and to a lateral base support structure, but remains uncoupled from the longitudinal booms. The solar array system may be stowed simultaneously into a rolled package comprised of the roll out booms and the flexible planar blanket together, or onto independent rolls. Alternatively, the system may be stowed by rolling the booms, and accordion Z-folding the hinged flexible photovoltaic blanket into a flat stack. Structural deployment is motivated by the elastic strain energy of the roll out booms, and several methods of deployment direction control are provided to ensure a known, controlled, and unidirectional deployment path of the elastically unrolling booms.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2014Publication date: June 5, 2014Applicant: Deployable Space Systems, Inc.Inventors: Brian R. Spence, Stephen F. White
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Patent number: 8683755Abstract: A directionally-controlled roll-out elastically deployable solar array structure is disclosed. The structure includes one or more longitudinal elastic roll out booms that may be closed section or open section to allow for efficient rolled packaging onto a lateral mandrel. A flexible photovoltaic blanket is attached to a tip structure and to a lateral base support structure, but remains uncoupled from the longitudinal booms. The solar array system may be stowed simultaneously into a rolled package comprised of the roll out booms and the flexible planar blanket together, or onto independent rolls. Alternatively, the system may be stowed by rolling the booms, and accordion Z-folding the hinged flexible photovoltaic blanket into a flat stack. Structural deployment is motivated by the elastic strain energy of the roll out booms, and several methods of deployment direction control are provided to ensure a known, controlled, and unidirectional deployment path of the elastically unrolling booms.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2011Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Deployable Space Systems, Inc.Inventors: Brian R Spence, Stephen F White
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Patent number: 8636253Abstract: A rollable and accordion foldable refractive lens concentrator flexible solar array blanket structure assembly for a spacecraft/satellite application consisting of at least one or more rows of electrically interconnected solar cells and at least one or more rows of deployable elongated refractive lenses elevated and aligned from the top surface of the solar cells. The entire blanket assembly, inclusive of lenses and solar cell substrates, kinematically deploys by unrolling or unfolding the assembly for its stowed package configuration, and the final tensioning of the blanket assembly produces an aligned assembly where the solar cell substrate subassembly and the lens subassembly are coplanar. Deployment of the integrated blanket assembly (with refractive lenses) is directly coupled through the unrolling or the accordion unfolding deployment kinematics of the concentrator blanket assembly.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2012Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Deployable Space SystemsInventors: Brian R Spence, Stephen F White, Kevin Schmid
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Publication number: 20090126775Abstract: A solar array including a solar array assembly, hub assembly, and wing assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2007Publication date: May 21, 2009Applicant: ALLIANT TECHSYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Stephen F. White, Mark V. Douglas, Ronald S. Takeda, Brian R. Spence, Noel T. Gregory, Jason Z. Schmidt, Peter Sorensen