DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, the present invention is shown in one particular embodiment although there are a number of other potential embodiments that could be employed by one of ordinary skill in accordance with the principals of the present invention.
Referring to FIG.
1, there is shown in perspective a basic cellular unit 10 of the present invention.
This cellular unit comprises two pyramidal structures 11 which are connected by a common base section 12.
This unit 10 is the minimum structure which can be supported in the biaxial scissors fold embodiment of the present invention.
Each of the pyramidal structures 11 include four leg elements 14, 15, 16, 17 joined at one of the two apex points 13 of basic unit 10.
Leg elements 14, 15, 16, 17 extend downwardly and outwardly from apex 13 toward the four corners of common base 12.
The structural elements, i.
e.
legs 14, 15, 16 and 17 of both structures 11 of basic cell 10 are joined at common base points 18, 19, 20, 21 which base points form the corners of common base 12.
In addition common base 12 is composed of hinged elements 22, 23, 24, 25 having the hinge points 26, 27, 28, 29, respectively, at approximately their mid-point, and each hinged element 22, 23, 24, 25 is joined between two adjacent common base points 18, 19, 20, 21 such that together they define common base 12 at the plane of basic cell unit 10 defining the base of two mirror-image pyramids, structures 11.
For each pair of structures 11 thus formed there is a diagonally disposed member 30 connecting between the two apex points 13 of structures 11, which is adapted to act as an actuator and hold structure 10 in a deployed state, as shown by applying a force inwardly as per arrows A and B.
The structural or leg elements 14, 15, 16, 17 which are all similar in design and concept may be of differing lengths depending on the particular sub-cell structure that is being designed
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