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US 6,664,553 B2Granted
Trap blackbody
AssigneeITT Defense & Electronics
InventorsD. Allan Roberts, Doug Cohen, David S. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for simulating a blackbody utilizes several plates to absorb and reflect electromagnetic radiation. Electromagnetic radiation entering the apparatus from a certain view is reflected from one plate to another, until the direction of travel of the electromagnetic radiation is reversed. Each time the electromagnetic radiation is reflected, the majority of the electromagnetic radiation is absorbed resulting in a negligible amount of incoming electromagnetic radiation escaping the apparatus.
Claims20
An electromagnetic radiation trap comprising:
- at least three substantially flat plates;
- and
- structure to hold the substantially flat plates in angled relation to one another;
- wherein:
- one plate is a primary plate;
- electromagnetic radiation striking a surface of the primary plate is substantially absorbed by the primary plate with the remainder of the electromagnetic radiation being reflected onto a surface of another substantially flat plate;
- and
- the substantially flat plates are arranged so that the diminishing electromagnetic radiation is reflected onto at least a surface of each substantially flat plate and eventually strikes a substantially flat plate substantially orthogonally, causing the remaining electromagnetic radiation to substantially retrace its path from plate to plate and emerge from the electromagnetic radiation trap traveling in the general direction from which the electromagnetic radiation entered the trap.
5 more elements
An electromagnetic radiation trap comprising:
- substantially flat plates;
- and
- structure to hold the substantially flat plates in angled relation to one another;
- wherein:
- one plate is a primary plate;
- electromagnetic radiation striking a surface of the primary plate is substantially absorbed by the primary plate with the remainder of the electromagnetic radiation being reflected onto a surface of another flat plate;
- and
- the flat plates are arranged so that the diminishing electromagnetic radiation is reflected onto at least a surface of each flat plate and eventually strikes a flat plate substantially orthogonally, causing the remaining electromagnetic radiation to substantially retrace its path from plate to plate and emerge from the electromagnetic radiation trap traveling in the general direction from which the electromagnetic radiation entered the trap;
- and
- the structure to hold the substantially flat plates in angled relation to one another comprises:
- additional plates that do not substantially affect the electromagnetic radiation striking and reflected from the primary plate;
- wherein
- each additional plate is rigidly connected to two or more of the substantially flat plates.
10 more elements
An electromagnetic radiation trap comprising:
- a first substantially flat plate, a second substantially flat plate, and a third substantially flat plate, each having a top surface and a bottom surface;
- a finish on the bottom surface of the first plate that absorbs electromagnetic radiation and reflects remaining electromagnetic radiation without scattering the remaining electromagnetic radiation;
- a finish on the top surface of the second plate that absorbs electromagnetic radiation and reflects remaining electromagnetic radiation without scattering the remaining electromagnetic radiation;
- a finish on the top surface of the third plate that absorbs electromagnetic radiation and reflects remaining electromagnetic radiation without scattering the remaining electromagnetic radiation;
- and
- structure to hold the substantially flat plates in angled relation to one another;
- wherein:
- the first plate and the second plate are tilted at approximately the same angle with respect to a common plane;
- the top surface of the second plate views the bottom surface of the first plate;
- the top and bottom surfaces of the third plate are substantially orthogonal to the common plane;
- and
- the top surface of the third plate views the top surface of the second plate.
9 more elements
An infrared detecting apparatus comprising:
- an infrared detector;
- and
- an electromagnetic radiation trap comprising:
- at least three substantially flat plates;
- and
- structure to hold the substantially flat plates in angled relation to one another;
- wherein:
- one plate is a primary plate;
- electromagnetic radiation striking a surface of the primary plate is substantially absorbed by the primary plate with the remainder of the electromagnetic radiation being reflected onto a surface of another substantially flat plate;
- and
- the substantially flat plates are arranged so that the diminishing electromagnetic radiation is reflected onto at least a surface of each substantially flat plate and eventually strikes a substantially flat plate substantially orthogonally, causing the remaining electromagnetic radiation to substantially retrace its path from plate to plate and emerge from the electromagnetic radiation trap traveling in the general direction from which the electromagnetic radiation entered the trap.
8 more elements
An infrared detecting apparatus comprising:
- an infrared detector;
- and
- an electromagnetic radiation trap comprising:
- a first substantially flat plate, a second substantially flat plate, and a third substantially flat plate, each having a top surface and a bottom surface;
- a finish on the bottom surface of the first plate that absorbs electromagnetic radiation and reflects remaining electromagnetic radiation without scattering the remaining electromagnetic radiation;
- a finish on the top surface of the second plate that absorbs electromagnetic radiation and reflects remaining electromagnetic radiation without scattering the remaining electromagnetic radiation;
- a finish on the top surface of the third plate that absorbs electromagnetic radiation and reflects remaining electromagnetic radiation without scattering the remaining electromagnetic radiation;
- and
- structure to hold the substantially flat plates in angled relation to one another;
- wherein:
- the first plate and the second plate are tilted at approximately the same angle with respect to a common plane;
- the top surface of the second plate views the bottom surface of the first plate;
- the top and bottom surfaces of the third plate are substantially orthogonal to the common plane;
- and
- the top surface of the third plate views the top surface of the second plate.
12 more elements
An electromagnetic radiation trap comprising:
- at least three substantially flat plates;
- and
- structure to hold the substantially flat plates in angled relation to one another;
- wherein:
- one plate is a primary plate;
- electromagnetic radiation striking a surface of the primary plate is substantially absorbed by the primary plate with the remainder of the electromagnetic radiation being reflected onto a surface of another substantially flat plate;
- and
- the substantially flat plates are arranged so that the diminishing electromagnetic radiation is substantially absorbed by each substantially flat plate with the remainder of the electromagnetic radiation being reflected onto at least a surface of each substantially flat plate and eventually strikes a substantially flat plate substantially orthogonally, causing the remaining electromagnetic radiation to substantially retrace its path from plate to plate and emerge from the electromagnetic radiation trap traveling in the general direction from which the electromagnetic radiation entered the trap.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.