SOLAR BATTERY OPENING TEST BENCH Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC B64G7/00 

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to surface testing of space equipment, primarily, opening solar batteries. Test bench comprises frame 3 mounted on base 2 and provided with balance weight 4 and standard solar battery seats 5. Total moment of inertia of frame 3 and weight 4 equals that of solar battery 6 with respect to common axis T. Beam 7 with pivoted levers 8 is secured on the frame. Appropriate flap of solar battery is suspended to every lever 8 by cable 9 with damper 10. Compensator made up of cable 11 and spring 12 is arranged test bench bed to interact via cable 11 with R-radius sector of cam 13 secured on frame 3. Cam follows shaft 14 supporting solar battery 6 and frame 3. Strut 15 is attached to frame 3 by one link and to solar battery 6 by another link. Frame interacts with strut hinge by spring 16. In simulation of solar battery opening, cable 11 is wound on cam 13 to damp energy of strut motion by spring 12. Spring stiffness is selected to make work performed by struts 15 equal that of spring 12. Opened solar panels 6 are locked by standard latches and controlled by telemetry pickups.

EFFECT: optimum simulation of opening conditions.

3 dwg