Claims
- 1. An open lattice mirror structure comprising:
an optical face sheet; a supporting isogrid framework supporting the optical face sheet; an isogrid back plane; and a truss core interconnecting the supporting isogrid framework and the isogrid back plane for transferring shear loads evenly between the face sheet and the isogrid back plane.
- 2. The open lattice mirror structure of claim 1 in which the supporting isogrid framework, the isogrid back plane, and the truss core are formed from composite members.
- 3. The open lattice mirror structure of claim 2 in which the composite members include lengthy fibers.
- 4. The open lattice mirror structure of claim 3 in which the fibers are made carbon.
- 5. The open lattice mirror structure of claim 3 in which said fibers are arranged in bundles in a resin matrix.
- 6. The open lattice mirror structure of claim 5 in which said fibers are arranged in an array to produce flat members.
- 7. The open lattice mirror structure of claim 3 in which said fibers are disposed in layers consolidated together.
- 8. The open lattice mirror structure of claim 1 in which said core includes members extending at an angle from the back plane to the supporting framework.
- 9. The open lattice mirror structure of claim 1 in which said core includes members extending perpendicularly between the back plane and the supporting framework.
- 10. The open lattice mirror structure of claim 1 in which the supporting isogrid framework includes six sides and spaced members extending between the sides intersecting to form isosceles triangles.
- 11. The open lattice mirror structure of claim 1 in which the isogrid back plane includes six sides and spaced members extending between the sides intersecting to form isosceles triangles.
- 12. The open lattice mirror structure of claim 1 in which the optical face sheet forms a convex, concave, or planar mirror.
- 13. A method of making a mirror structure, the method comprising:
assembling a supporting isogrid framework; assembling an isogrid back plane; interconnecting the supporting isogrid framework with the isogrid back plane by a truss core; and disposing an optical surface on the supporting isogrid framework.
- 14. The method of claim 13 in which the supporting isogrid framework, the isogrid back plane, and the truss core are formed from composite members.
- 15. The method of claim 14 in which the composite members are made of lengthy fibers in a resin matrix.
- 16. The method of claim 14 in which the fibers are made of carbon.
- 17. The method of claim 11 in which the fibers are bundled.
- 18. The method of claim 13 in which interconnecting includes disposing members at an angle between the back plane and the supporting framework.
- 19. The method of claim 13 in which interconnecting includes disposing members perpendicularly between the back plane and the supporting framework.
- 20. The method of claim 13 in which the supporting isogrid framework includes six sides and spaced members extending between the sides intersecting to form isosceles triangles.
- 21. The method of claim 13 in which the isogrid back plane includes six sides and spaced members extending between the sides intersecting to form isosceles triangles.
- 22. The method of claim 13 in which the optical face sheet forms a convex, concave, or planar mirror.
- 23. The method of claim 13 further including polishing the optical surface.
- 24. The method of claim 23 in which polishing includes filling the truss core with a removable substance, grinding the optical surface, and removing the removable substance.
- 25. The method of claim 24 in which the removable substance includes particles.
- 26. The method of claim 25 in which the particles are selected from glass, fused silica, sand, and granite material.
- 27. The method of claim 26 in which the particles are mixed with a binder material.
- 28. The method of claim 27 in which the binder material is selected from waxes, gypsum, epoxies, and adhesives.
- 29. The method of claim 24 in which the optical surface is turned upside down, the removable substance is poured into the truss core through the isogrid back plane, and cured.
- 30. The method of claim 24 in which the removable substance is removed by a technique selected from melting, dissolving, degaussing, and vibration techniques.
- 31. The method of claim 30 further including the step of fiquring the optical surface after the substance is removed.
- 32. A method of polishing an optical surface supported by a back structure, the method comprising:
filling the back structure with a removable substance; grinding the optical surface; and removing the removable substance.
- 33. The method of claim 32 in which the back structure has an open lattice configuration.
- 34. The method of claim 32 in which the removable substance includes particles.
- 35. The method of claim 34 in which the particles are selected from glass, fused silica, sand, and granite material.
- 36. The method of claim 34 in which the particles are mixed with a binder material.
- 37. The method of claim 36 in which the binder material is selected from waxes, gypsum, epoxies, and adhesives.
- 38. The method of claim 32 in which the optical surface is turned upside down, the substance is poured into the back structure, and cured.
- 39. The method of claim 32 in which the removable substance is removed by a technique selected from melting, dissolving, degaussing, and vibration techniques.
- 40. The method of claim 32 further including the step of fiquring the optical surface after the substance is removed.
- 41. An open lattice optical back structure comprising:
an optical face sheet; a back plane; and a truss core between the back plane and the optical face sheet for transferring shear loads to the back plane.
- 42. The back structure of claim 41 further including a supporting isogrid structure between the optical face sheet and the truss core.
- 43. The back structure of claim 41 in which the back plane is an isogrid structure.
- 44. An open lattice optical back structure comprising:
a supporting isogrid framework supporting an optical face sheet; a back plane; and a core interconnecting the supporting isogrid framework and the back plane for transferring shear loads to the isogrid back plane.
- 45. The back structure of claim 44 in which the core is a truss structure.
- 46. The back structure of claim 44 in which the back plane is an isogrid structure.
- 47. An open lattice optical back structure comprising:
an optical face sheet; an isogrid back plane; and a core between the optical face sheet and the isogrid back plane for transferring shear loads to the isogrid back plane.
- 48. The back structure of claim 47 further including an isogrid framework supporting structure between the core and the optical face sheet.
- 49. The back structure of claim 47 in which the core is a truss core.
- 50. An open lattice optical back structure comprising:
a supporting isogrid framework which supports an optical face sheet; an isogrid back plane; and a core interconnecting the supporting isogrid framework and the isogrid back plane for transferring shear loads to the isogrid back plane.
- 51. The back structure of claim 50 in which the core is a truss core structure.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This invention was made with U.S. Government support under Contract No. F29601-02-C-0149 awarded by the U.S. Airforce. The Government may have certain rights in the subject invention.