IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,338,006
Granted Patent B2
US 12,338,006 · App. 17/990,245 · Granted Jun 24, 2025

Movable platforms for vehicle capture assemblies and related devices, assemblies, systems, and methods

Inventors: Emmanuel Simpri (Sterling, VA); Jack Purcell (Sterling, VA); Matthew Alan Michel (Oak Hill, VA); Michael J. Foster (Sterling, VA); Quentin Williams (Sterling, VA)
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
B64G1/6464
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,338,006
App. No.
17/990,245
Granted
Jun 24, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Movable platforms for use with a vehicle capture assembly of a capture vehicle and related devices, systems, and methods include floors with rotatable legs extending between the floors. The rotation of the legs relative to one or more of the floors enables the movable platform to move from an initial position to a displaced position as one or more of the floors move relative to each other.

Claims (56)

1. A movable platform for use with a vehicle capture assembly of a capture vehicle, the movable platform comprising:

a first floor configured to be coupled with a portion of the vehicle capture assembly proximate the capture vehicle;

a second floor configured to be coupled with a probe assembly of the vehicle capture assembly;

at least one set of legs positioned between the first floor and the second floor, the at least one set of legs being rotationally coupled to at least one of the first floor or the second floor and configured to rotate relative to the at least one of the first floor or the second floor; and

a biasing mechanism configured to bias the movable platform in an initial position;

wherein rotation of the at least one set of legs relative to the at least one of the first floor or the second floor enables the movable platform to move from the initial position to a displaced position as the first floor translates laterally relative to the second floor in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the movable platform; and

wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a floating stop, the floating stop configured to rotate against a biasing force of the biasing mechanism when the at least one set of legs rotate in one rotational direction relative to the at least one of the first floor or the second floor.

2. The movable platform of claim 1 , further comprising at least one intermediate floor between the first floor and the second floor, the first floor coupled to the at least one intermediate floor on a first side of the at least one intermediate floor with a first set of the at least one set of legs, the second floor coupled to the at least one intermediate floor on a second side of the at least one intermediate floor with a second set of the at least one set of legs.

3. The movable platform of claim 2 , wherein the first set of the at least one set of legs is offset from the second set of the at least one set of legs about the longitudinal axis of the movable platform.

4. The movable platform of claim 2 , wherein the first set of the at least one set of legs and the second set of the at least one set of legs partially overlap along the longitudinal axis of the movable platform.

5. The movable platform of claim 2 , wherein the first set of the at least one set of legs and the second set of the at least one set of legs exhibit a nested configuration where a portion of the first set of the at least one set of legs extends along the longitudinal axis of the movable platform past a portion of the second set of the at least one set of legs.

6. The movable platform of claim 1 , wherein the biasing mechanism comprises torsion springs positioned at a joint between the at least one set of legs and the at least one of the first floor or the second floor.

7. The movable platform of claim 1 , wherein the floating stop is configured to remain stationary when the at least one set of legs rotate against the biasing force of the biasing mechanism in another rotational direction relative to the at least one of the first floor or the second floor, the another rotational direction opposing the one rotational direction.

8. The movable platform of claim 1 , wherein one or more portions of the movable platform define at least one hardstop configured to stop rotation of the at least one set of legs relative to the at least one of the first floor or the second floor.

9. The movable platform of claim 1 , wherein the movable platform is configured to maintain a rotational orientation of the first floor relative to the second floor as the second floor translates relative to the first floor.

10. A movable platform for use with a vehicle capture assembly of a capture vehicle, the movable platform comprising:

a first floor configured to be coupled proximate the capture vehicle;

a second floor configured to be coupled with a probe assembly of the vehicle capture assembly;

at least one set of legs extending between the first floor and the second floor, the at least one set of legs being rotationally coupled to at least one of the first floor or the second floor and configured to rotate relative to the at least one of the first floor or the second floor, wherein rotation of the at least one set of legs relative to the at least one of the first floor or the second floor enables the movable platform to move from an initial position to a displaced position as the first floor moves relative to the second floor in a lateral direction; and

a floating stop configured to rotate when the at least one set of legs rotate in one rotational direction relative to the at least one of the first floor or the second floor.

11. The movable platform of claim 10 , wherein a portion of the at least one set of legs is configured to rotate the floating stop by overcoming a biasing mechanism biasing the floating stop in an initial position.

12. The movable platform of claim 11 , wherein the floating stop is configured to remain stationary when the at least one set of legs rotate in another rotational direction relative to the at least one of the first floor or the second floor, the another rotational direction opposing the one rotational direction.

13. The movable platform of claim 12 , wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to secure the floating stop in an initial position when the at least one set of legs rotate in the another rotational direction relative to the at least one of the first floor or the second floor.

14. The movable platform of claim 10 , further comprising a biasing mechanism coupled between a portion of the at least one set of legs and the floating stop, the biasing mechanism and the floating stop configured to secure the movable platform in the initial position and to enable the movable platform to move to the displaced position when a threshold force is exceeded.

15. A vehicle capture system for use with a capture vehicle, the vehicle capture system comprising:

a probe assembly including one or more retention elements for engaging with and securing a target vehicle; and

the movable platform of claim 10 coupled to at least a portion of the probe assembly.

16. A method of capturing a spacecraft, the method comprising:

extending a probe of a vehicle capture assembly toward a target spacecraft on a boom, the vehicle capture assembly being coupled to a capture vehicle;

enabling motion of the probe relative to the capture vehicle with the movable platform of claim 10 , the enabling motion of the probe relative to the capture vehicle with the movable platform comprising:

translating the first floor relative to the second floor by rotating the at least one set of legs relative to the first floor and the second floor; and

while translating the first floor relative to the second floor, substantially maintaining a rotational position of the probe; and

engaging the probe of the vehicle capture assembly with the target spacecraft.

17. A method of moving a vehicle capture assembly of a capture vehicle with the movable platform of claim 1 , the method comprising:

minimizing deadband in the movable platform by securing the movable platform in the initial position with the biasing mechanism and enabling the movable platform to move to a displaced position when a force threshold is exceeded; and

once the force threshold is exceeded, translating the first floor of the movable platform coupled to the vehicle capture assembly relative the second floor of the movable platform.

18. A movable platform for use with a vehicle capture assembly of a capture vehicle, the movable platform comprising:

a first lateral section configured to be coupled with a portion of the capture vehicle;

a second lateral section configured to be coupled with a probe assembly including one or more retention elements for engaging with and securing a target vehicle;

legs extending between the first lateral section and the second lateral section, the legs being rotationally coupled to at least one of the first lateral section or the second lateral section and configured to rotate relative to the at least one of the first lateral section or the second lateral section, wherein rotation of the legs relative to the at least one of the first lateral section or the second lateral section enables the movable platform to move from an initial position to a displaced position as the second lateral section translates relative to the first lateral section, the legs exhibiting a nested configuration where a first set of the legs longitudinally overlaps with a second set of the legs; and

a floating stop configured to rotate when the legs rotate in one rotational direction relative to the at least one of the first lateral section or the second lateral section.

19. The movable platform of claim 18 , wherein the floating stop is configured to remain stationary when the legs rotate in another rotational direction relative to the at least one of the first lateral section or the second lateral section, the another rotational direction opposing the one rotational direction.

20. The movable platform of claim 18 , further comprising a biasing mechanism configured to bias the movable platform in the initial position.

21. A movable platform for use with a vehicle capture assembly of a capture vehicle, the movable platform comprising:

a first lateral section configured to be coupled with a portion of the capture vehicle;

a second lateral section configured to be coupled with a probe assembly including one or more retention elements for engaging with and securing a target vehicle;

legs extending between the first lateral section and the second lateral section, the legs being rotationally coupled to at least one of the first lateral section or the second lateral section and configured to rotate relative to the at least one of the first lateral section or the second lateral section, wherein rotation of the legs relative to the at least one of the first lateral section or the second lateral section enables the movable platform to move from an initial position to a displaced position as the second lateral section translates relative to the first lateral section, wherein each of the legs is coupled to one of the first lateral section or the second lateral section at a location longitudinally and laterally spaced from any adjacent leg of the legs; and

a biasing mechanism configured to bias the movable platform in the initial position. wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a floating stop, the floating stop configured to rotate against a biasing force of the biasing mechanism when the legs rotate in one rotational direction relative to the at least one of the first lateral section or the second lateral section.

22. The movable platform of claim 21 , wherein the legs exhibit a nested configuration where a first set of the legs longitudinally overlaps with a second set of the legs.

23. A movable platform for use with a vehicle capture assembly of a capture vehicle, the movable platform comprising:

a first floor configured to be coupled with a portion of the vehicle capture assembly proximate the capture vehicle;

a second floor configured to be coupled with a probe assembly of the vehicle capture assembly; and

at least one intermediate floor between the first floor and the second floor, the first floor coupled to the at least one intermediate floor on a first side of the at least one intermediate floor with a first set of legs, the second floor coupled to the at least one intermediate floor on a second side of the at least one intermediate floor with a second set of legs, wherein the first side of the at least one intermediate floor is positioned distal to the first floor and relatively closer to the second floor, and wherein the second side of the at least one intermediate floor is positioned distal to the second floor and relatively closer to the first floor;

wherein rotation of the first set of legs or the second set of legs enables the movable platform to move from an initial position to a displaced position as the first floor translates laterally relative to the second floor in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the movable platform.

24. The movable platform of claim 23 , wherein each of the first set of legs is offset from each of the second set of legs about a longitudinal axis of the movable platform.

25. The movable platform of claim 24 , wherein the first set of legs and the second set of legs partially overlap along the longitudinal axis of the movable platform.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2023
From: SIMPRI, EMMANUEL; PURCELL, JACK; MICHEL, MATTHEW ALAN; FOSTER, MATTHEW J.; WILLIAMS, QUENTIN
To: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062322/0459 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240166379A1 · May 23, 2024
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