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US 4,288,146 AGranted
Curved reflector with adjustable focal length
AssigneeLaJet Energy Company
InventorsAlfred L. Johnson, Jr., Victor A. Peckham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A curved reflector of electro-magnetic radiation formed of an elastic, reflective membrane which utilizes a partial vacuum to provide the curvature to the membrane and an adjustable valve to vary such curvature, and therefore the focal length of the reflector. The valve comprises a central aperture in the membrane and a body adjustably mounted above the aperture with a flow restricting surface thereon which overlies the aperture.
Claims18
A reflector comprising:
- a hollow housing having an opening;
- a flexible, elastic reflective membrane;
- means for coupling said membrane over said opening in a gas-tight manner;
- evacuation means, coupled to said housing, for creating a partial vacuum in said housing tending to deflect said membrane below a reference plane and into said housing;
- and
- valve means, coupled to said housing, for controlling the depth of the deflection of said membrane,
- said valve means comprising
- an aperture located in said membrane, and
- a body mounted adjacent said aperture and having a flow restricting surface extending into said housing a depth equal to the depth of the desired deflection of said membrane relative to the reference plane and overlying said aperture.
6 more elements
A reflector comprising:
- a hollow housing having first and second openings;
- a first flexible, elastic membrane;
- a second flexible, elastic reflective membrane;
- first means for coupling said first membrane over said first opening in a gas-tight manner;
- second means for coupling said second membrane over said second opening in a gas-tight manner;
- evacuation means, coupled to said housing, for creating a partial vacuum in said housing tending to deflect said first and second membranes relative to a reference plane and into said housing;
- and
- valve means, coupled to said housing, for controlling the depth of the deflection of said membranes,
- said valve means comprising
- an aperture located in said first membrane, and
- a body mounted adjacent said aperture and having a flow restricting surface extending into said housing a depth equal to the depth of the desired deflection of said first membrane relative to the reference plane and overlying said aperture.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.