Manufacturing transparent mirrored mini-balls for solar energy concentration and analogous applications
OwnerMario Rabinowitzinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method and apparatus are presented for manufacturing transparent mirrored spheroidal mini-balls for solar energy and related applications such as optical switches. For these applications it is imperative to provide accurate specular reflection from the mirror. Various means are described for maintaining the desired mirror flatness and avoiding warping, buckling, etc. of the mirror surface during manufacture. The mini-balls are in the size range of 4 microns (4×10−6 m) to 10 centimeters (10−1 m), and are transparent in at least one hemisphere. They preferably have a reflecting mid-plane mirror, though they can also be mirrored on a flat top of the ball.
Claims22
A method for fabricating mirrored spheroidal balls using a plurality of pipettes, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a periodic first liquid flow from said pipettes onto a moving metallic first plate;
- b) forming a first regular array of transparent partial-hemispheres adhering to said first plate;
- c) providing a periodic second liquid flow from the pipettes onto a moving metallic second plate;
- d) forming a second regular array of partial-hemispheres adhering to said second plate, said second regular array matching the first regular array;
- e) bonding in allignment said first and second plates to form mirrored spheroidal balls;
- and
- f) removing said mirrored spheroidal balls from the joined plates to form rotationally free balls.
A method for fabricating top-mirrored quasi-hemisphere balls using a plurality of pipettes, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a periodic first liquid flow from said pipettes onto a moving metallic plate;
- b) forming a first regular array of quasi-hemispheres adhering to said metallic plate;
- c) removing said quasi-hemisphere balls from said metallic plate to provide rotationally free, mirrored quasi-hemisphere balls.
A method of manufacturing mirrored balls consisting of the steps of:
- a) providing a first ridged cellular structure for holding the balls;
- and
- b) coating the tops of said balls with metal;
A method for fabricating mirrored mid-plane spheroidal balls using a plurality of nuggets bonded to a plate, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) bonding a first dielectric plate and a second dielectric plate to both sides of a metallic plate;
- b) cross cutting said first and second dielectric plates to form an array of evenly spaced nuggets on said metallic plate;
- c) heat treating said nuggets to form hemispheres on both sides of said metallic plate;
- d) removing the combination of adjoining hemispheres with sandwiched metallic plate between them to form rotationally free mirrored midplane spheroidal balls.
A method for fabricating mirrored mid-plane spheroidal balls, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) discharging liquid flow to solidify as partial-hemispheres in a plurality of hemispherical molds;
- b) providing a metallic coating on the flat top surface of said partial-hemispheres;
- and
- e) bonding in allignment said hemispheres to form mirrored midplane spheroidal balls;
A method for fabricating mirrored partial-hemisphere balls, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) discharging liquid flow to solidify as partial-hemispheres in a plurality of hemispherical molds;
- and
- b) providing a metallic coating on the flat top surface of said partial-hemispheres.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.