The deployable structures based on origami have been widely utilized in the design of mechanical structures from diverse engineering industries, especially in aerospace. With the advantages of foldability and stowability, origami-inspired structures can be folded into a pre-designed shape to fit into the rocket envelope.In this study, one configuration of the modular expandable capsule was developed. The whole capsule was composed of multiple identical units with origami-type structures. The geometric parameters were chosen as design variables, then their influence on volumetric expansion ratio of each unit was discussed. The unit was separated into two portions and each portion was investigated respectively. The origami creases were treated mathematically as joints in the context of rigid body dynamics. Denavit and Hartenberg (D-H) method was adopted to describe kinematical relation of origami units. Through approaches of axis-shifting and shape-trimming, each unit model with non-zero thickness panels was established. Furthermore, compliant mechanisms with a hyperelastic behavior were employed to resolve issues of geometric compatibilities during the process of folding and deploying. The particular shape of units enables themselves to be connected into a circular configuration with different diameters. Finally, a prototype of the expandable capsule was fabricated to examine its motion behaviors. The results demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of such a design for potential space missions. It made an innovative attempt to design large-scale space architectures, which can be assembled and constructed in orbit, as well as, Lunar or Mars Base.&nbsp;KEY WORDS: Space expandable capsule, Origami-inspired folding structure, Modular design concept, Complaint hinges with a hyperelastic behavior. &nbsp;&nbsp;REFERENCES[1]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Morgan J, Magleby S P, Howell L L. An approach to designing origami-adapted aerospace mechanisms. Journal of Mechanical Design, 2016, 138(5).[2]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Denavit, J., Hartenberg, R.S. A kinematic notation for low pair mechanisms based on matrices. ASME J. Appl. Mech, 1955, 22:215–221.[3]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chen Y, Peng R, You Z. Origami of thick panels. Science, 2015, 349(6246): 396-400.[4]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Edmondson B J, Lang R J, Magleby S P, et al. An offset panel technique for thick rigidly foldable origami. International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 2014, 46377: V05BT08A054.[5]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Fenci G E, Currie N G R. Deployable structures classification: A review. International Journal of Space Structures, 2017, 32(2): 112-130.[6]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Aidy Ali; M. Hosseini; B.B. Sahari. A Review of Constitutive Models for Rubber-Like Materials. American J. of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 2010, 3: 232-239.

Modular Design of Space Expandable Capsule Based on Origami-Inspired Structures and Stretchable Mechanism

Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/IMECE/IMECE2021/volume/85543

ASME 2021 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition (IMECE2021)

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