Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Roll-up contamination cover
- Patent Title (中): 卷起污染盖
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Application No.: US13665717Application Date: 2012-10-31
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Publication No.: US08973641B1Publication Date: 2015-03-10
- Inventor: Varouj G. Baghdasarian
- Applicant: Space Systems/Loral, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US CA Palo Alto
- Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, LLC
- Current Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, LLC
- Current Assignee Address: US CA Palo Alto
- Agency: Weaver Austin Villeneuve & Sampson
- Main IPC: G03B11/04
- IPC: G03B11/04

Abstract:
Various roll-up contamination covers for shielding sensors and other sensitive equipment from particulate contamination are provided. Such covers may be provided by using a sheet of flexible material that has an elastically stable state of a spiral torsion spring, e.g., a clock spring shape. The spiral torsion spring may be anchored to a frame along one end that is substantially parallel to the center axis of the spiral torsion spring, and may be unrolled into a substantially unrolled state so as to cover an aperture in the frame. A movable release mechanism may be engaged with the unrolled end of the spiral torsion spring to prevent the spiral torsion spring from returning to the elastically stable state. When the release mechanism is moved to release the unrolled end of the spiral torsion spring, the spiral torsion spring may roll back into the elastically stable state and uncover the aperture.
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