Wrinkle free foldable reflectors made with composite materials

A doubly curved reflector for compact storage in a folded state and a locked open state comprising:

• a plurality of gores, each gore having on either long side a gore side curve, adjacent gores being coupled to each other by a hinge;
• a perimeter structure comprising a curved deformable spring,
• a stowed doubly curved reflector structure state wherein adjacent gores fold along respective hinges disposed therebetween such that a face surface of each gore folds against an adjacent face surface of another gore into a substantially cylindrical structure, and said perimeter structure is folded and deforms around said substantially cylindrical structure;
• and
• a deployed doubly curved reflector structure locked open state wherein each hinge is open such that a face surface of each gore is disposed in a doubly curved reflector surface and said perimeter structure spring biases said doubly curved reflector surface towards said deployed doubly curved reflector structure locked open state.

A reflector apparatus, which comprises:

• a plurality of reflective gores arranged about a central axis, adjacent reflective gores being foldably coupled to each other by a living hinge to enable the reflective gores to transition between an open reflected condition and a closed stowed condition;
• wherein, in the open reflected condition, the reflective gores are open and extend outwardly relative to the central axis whereby at least some of the reflective gores define a double curved reflector surface;
• wherein, in the closed stowed condition, adjacent gores fold onto each other to define a substantially nested cylindrical structure;
• wherein at least one pair of adjacent reflective gores include a slot disposed therebetween in general alignment with the living hinge;
• and
• wherein the slot is generally T-shaped.

A reflector apparatus, which comprises:

• a plurality of reflective gores arranged about a central axis, adjacent reflective gores being foldably coupled to each other by a hinge to enable the reflective gores to transition between an open reflected condition and a closed stowed condition;
• wherein, in the open reflected condition, the reflective gores are open and extend outwardly relative to the central axis whereby at least some of the reflective gores define a double curved reflector surface;
• wherein, in the closed stowed condition, adjacent gores fold onto each other to define a substantially nested cylindrical structure;
• and
• wherein the hinge extends along a major portion of the length of the adjacent reflective gores.