| The Challenge |
| A NASA funded Jet Propulsion laboratory's assignment was to develop a Martian data-gathering vehicle. The project successfully launched December 4, 1996 at 10:58 p.m. PST. The project name is "Mars Pathfinder," and one aspect of it is the Rover Sojourner Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer deployment system. The Rover Sojourner is a small radio controlled cart (5 inch wheels) that can roam around the surface of Mars, back up against a rock, allow the APXS transducer head to align to the rock, radiate the rock, gather the reflected radiation and determine the composition of the rock. This application requires conformance to the Martian surface by the transducer. |
| The Solution |
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The most common way to accomplish a compliance motion is by using a gimbaled, spherical joint. Such a device is typical, but requires clean, sliding surfaces and is relatively heavy. One of the customer's development engineers decided to try something different: a totally elastic device. The plan was to use three machined springs situated at the three corners of an equilateral triangle. The springs would be subject dominantly to lateral bending, but small compression deflections are also possible. The spring designed is made from 15-5PH CRES for optimized weight, with threaded end attachments. The small .063 inch diameter holes are for a hook spanner to tighten the threads. The total weight is 6 grams. |
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HELI-CAL® Flexure # 2421
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