US-12617558-B2 - Tram systems for space vehicles

Abstract

Tram systems for space vehicles are movable thereon. When the space vehicle is a nested ring cell, for example, the structural ring portion of the design may be mostly or completely passive and contain conducting parts, such as electrical steel. The moving trams may use field coils instead of magnets to generate the magnetic flux to propel the tram. Additional coils on the tram may steer the magnetic flux to generate the forward or reverse thrust forces. These coils may also add the overall motive flux.

Inventors

• Donald Wayne DENHAM

Assignees

• THE AEROSPACE CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20211011

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A movable tram for a space vehicle, comprising: control electronics configured to control operation of the movable tram, wherein the movable tram comprises a motive side and a connecting side, the movable tram is configured to move along at least a portion of a track on an exterior of the space vehicle via the motive side, the movable tram is configured to make connections to electrical tracks embedded in the track of the space vehicle, and the movable tram is configured to: connect the connecting side of the movable tram to at least one other space vehicle, at least one other tram of another space vehicle, or both, provide data, fuel, heat, or any combination thereof, to at least one other space vehicle, act as a support structure that holds external components that can be articulated, or any combination of the above.
2. 2 . The movable tram of claim 1 , further comprising: a linking mechanism that is configured to linking operations with linking members of other trams, with other structures, or both.
3. 3 . The movable tram of claim 2 , wherein the linking mechanism comprises a layered interface comprising hardware and software that provides visual pose estimation for docking, testing of signals and information to be passed between trams, and security against cyber threats.
4. 4 . The movable tram of claim 2 , wherein the linking mechanism is motorized and comprises a portion of a hinge joint, a pivot joint, a ball and socket joint, an ellipsoid in socket joint, a saddle joint, plane joint, a mechanical and magnetic interlock, or a spring-loaded ball and groove joint.
5. 5 . The movable tram of claim 1 , further comprising: a motorized hinge operably connected to the tram and a device, wherein the hinge enables the device to flip out from the tram and deploy.
6. 6 . The movable tram of claim 5 , wherein the device comprises a lens, a mirror, a shade, a filter, a flip-out sensor, a flip-out angular momentum control device, a patterned electrode that serves as a linear motor, or any combination thereof.
7. 7 . The movable tram of claim 1 , further comprising: a primary coil; a plurality of armature teeth; and motor coils wound around the plurality of armature teeth on an end of the armature teeth closest to a conducting track.
8. 8 . The movable tram of claim 7 , wherein permanent magnets are not used to cause levitation of the movable tram.
9. 9 . The movable tram of claim 7 , wherein the movable tram is configured to move along linear actuators.
10. 10 . The movable tram of claim 7 , wherein the control electronics are configured to control magnetic flux of the primary coil and the motor coils.
11. 11 . A movable tram, comprising: a primary coil; a plurality of armature teeth; respective motor coils wound around the plurality of armature teeth on an end of the armature teeth closest to a conducting track; and control electronics configured to perform motor commutation and control operation of the movable tram, wherein the movable tram is a component of a space vehicle, and the conducting track is on an exterior of the space vehicle.
12. 12 . The movable tram of claim 11 , further comprising: a mechanical system configured to hold the movable tram on the conducting track when the primary coil and the motor coils are not powered on.
13. 13 . The movable tram of claim 12 , further comprising: respective passages for one or more linear bearings of the conducting track, wherein the mechanical system comprises the respective passages and the linear bearings, and the movable tram is configured to move along linear actuators.
14. 14 . The movable tram of claim 11 , wherein permanent magnets are not used to cause levitation of the movable tram.
15. 15 . The movable tram of claim 11 , wherein the control electronics are configured to control magnetic flux of the primary coil and the motor coils.
16. 16 . The movable tram of claim 11 , wherein the control electronics are configured to control the primary coil and the motor coils such that when powered on, the primary coil and the motor coils hold the movable tram on the conducting track.
17. 17 . The movable tram of claim 11 , wherein power for the movable tram is provided exclusively by the conducting track.
18. 18 . The movable tram of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to provide power and communications from the conducting track to a payload attached to the movable tram, and the attached payload comprises a linking mechanism configured to perform linking operations with trams of other space vehicles and/or structures, a sensor, a camera, solar panels, a battery, propellant, a motor, a rocket engine, a mirror, a lens, a transmitter, a receiver, an antenna, a laser, LIDAR, or any combination thereof.
19. 19 . The tram of claim 11 , wherein the movable tram, when powered, is configured to move at least 1,000 kilograms (kg) of payload for each Newton meter (Nm) of force generated by the movable tram via the primary coil and the motor coils using 20 watts (W) of power or less, facilitating maneuvers of a payload attached to the movable tram in space.
20. 20 . A movable tram, comprising: a primary coil; a plurality of armature teeth; respective motor coils wound around the plurality of armature teeth on an end of the armature teeth closest to a conducting track; control electronics configured to perform motor commutation and control operation of the movable tram; and a mechanical system configured to hold the tram on the conducting track when the primary coil and the motor coils are not powered on, wherein the movable tram is a component of a space vehicle, and the conducting track is on an exterior of the space vehicle.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 15/945,617 filed Apr. 4, 2018, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 15/655,972 filed Jul. 21, 2017. The subject matter of these earlier filed applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. FIELD The present invention generally pertains to space systems, and more particularly, to tram systems for space vehicles. BACKGROUND Existing electromagnetic drive systems for space application typically utilize brushless direct current (DC) motors. These motors are usually built with a wound stator and a permanent magnet rotor. The motors for space applications can have various configurations, including three-phase permanent magnet (PM) rotary or linear brushless DC (BLDC), hybrid steppers, two-phase and three-phase alternating current (AC) synchronous motors, etc. Three-phase and stepper motors have been used for over 50 years. Some space vehicles, such as cell-type space vehicles with nested rings or hoops, use a drive system to position trams at various points around the rings. Current linear motors can be thought of as a traditional rotary motor that is split and laid flat or along the curve of a ring. These linear motors typically have the coils on one side and magnets on the other. To use linear motors for trams of a cell-type space vehicle with nested rings, the tram would have to include either the coils or the magnets and the ring would have to include the other component not included in the tram. However, this arrangement requires the ring to have a large number of exposed magnets or a complex system of coils. Both options are complex. Accordingly, an improved mechanism may be beneficial. SUMMARY Certain embodiments of the present invention may be implemented and provide solutions to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by existing space vehicle tram mechanisms. For example, some embodiments pertain to tram systems for space vehicles, such as satellites, spacecraft, space stations, etc. In an embodiment, a movable tram for a space vehicle includes control electronics configured to control operation of the movable tram. The movable tram is configured to move along at least a portion of a track of a space vehicle. The movable tram is also configured to connect to at least one other space vehicle, at least one other tram of another space vehicle, at least one other structure, or any combination thereof, provide power, data, fuel, heat, or any combination thereof, to at least one other space vehicle, act as a support structure that holds external components that can be articulated, or any combination thereof. In another embodiment, a movable tram includes a primary coil, a plurality of armature teeth, and respective motor coils wound around the plurality of armature teeth on an end of the armature teeth closest to a conducting track. The movable tram also includes control electronics configured to perform motor commutation and control operation of the movable tram. The movable tram is a component of a space vehicle. In yet another embodiment, a movable tram includes a primary coil, a plurality of armature teeth, and respective motor coils wound around the plurality of armature teeth on an end of the armature teeth closest to a conducting track. The movable tram also includes control electronics configured to perform motor commutation and control operation of the movable tram and a mechanical system configured to hold the tram on the conducting track when the primary coil and the motor coils are not powered on. The movable tram is a component of a space vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the advantages of certain embodiments of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. While it should be understood that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1A is a top view illustrating a nested-ring cell, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1B is a top cutaway view illustrating a wiring scheme in the nested-cell ring, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a perspective cutaway view illustrating a tram system, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2B is a perspective view illustrating the tram system of FIG. 2A, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2C is another perspective view illustrating the tram system of FIG. 2A, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2D is yet anot