TWO-DIMENSIONAL DEPLOYMENT OF TRANSFORMABLE LINKED PANEL STRUCTURE

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new concept of a deployable structure and to show its transformation process. This deployable structure is mainly composed of square panels which are linked by rotational actuators and deployed and extended by a link mechanism. Its fundamental unit is already patented in Japan and shown in an international journal. However, the previous paper shows only one-dimensional extension of the fundamental unit, where its two-dimensional extension method has not been shown. The present paper proposes its two-dimensional deployment method for construction of a flat structure such as a solar power satellite.