Patent · US Expired

Fabrication of aspheric surfaces through controlled deformation of the figure of spherical reflective surfaces

US5089915A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
6References
53Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 11, 1990
Grant dateFeb 18, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 11, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB29L2011/0058
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An aspheric mirror, for example in the form of an off-axis parabolic mirror or a toric mirror, that includes a first element having a front surface which defines a spherical reflector and a spaced apart rear surface. The spherical reflector includes a constant radius of curvature, an X-axis with an X-axis radius of curvature and a Y-axis with a Y-axis radius of curvature. The first element possesses a first rigidity factor. A second element includes a front surface sized to mate with the rear surface of the first element along an interface zone. The second element possesses a second rigidity factor. An interface contour device produces a differential contour within the interface zone between the first and second elements. The interface contour device is aligned to modify the X-axis radius of curvature of the shperical reflector without significantly modifying the Y-axis radius of curvature. A compression device compresses the first and second elements together to deflect the first element relative to the second element to modify the X-axis radius of curvature without substantially modifying its Y-axis radius of curvature to produce an aspheric mirror.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.