Integrated telescope baffle and mirror support
AssigneeBAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
InventorsWilliam E. Shaw, Michael E DeFlumere, Brian Foley, Walter P. Watson
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Abstract
A telescope design having an integrated baffle is disclosed herein. The integrated baffle is configured as both a baffle and a mirror support. The integrated baffle can be shaped to the F-cone between the primary and secondary mirrors of a given telescope design. The baffle design can be adjusted to minimize or otherwise reduce the total obscuration of the baffle to improve the optical throughput. The interior facing surfaces of the integrated baffle can be configured with corner reflectors, so that the detector views itself, instead of the baffle.
Claims20
An optical system having an optical axis, comprising:
- a mirror for reflecting on-axis radiation;
- and
- an integrated baffle for preventing passage of off-axis radiation, and for supporting the mirror in place on the optical axis, wherein the integrated baffle includes a plurality of channels each having a length and a diameter, and the integrated baffle is shaped to an F-cone of the system such that channel length tapers down from longer outer channels to shorter inner channels.
An optical system having an optical axis, comprising:
- a telescope housing having an optical aperture;
- a primary mirror and a secondary mirror within the telescope housing, the primary mirror for reflecting radiation that passes through the optical aperture toward the secondary mirror, and the secondary mirror for reflecting radiation from the primary mirror to a hole in the primary mirror;
- an integrated baffle within the telescope housing for preventing passage of off-axis radiation, and for supporting the secondary mirror in place on the optical axis, wherein the integrated baffle includes a plurality of channels each having a length and a diameter, and the integrated baffle is shaped to an F-cone between the primary and secondary mirrors such that channel length tapers down from longer outer channels to shorter inner channels;
- and
- a detector for detecting on-axis radiation reflected by the secondary mirror.
An optical system having an optical axis, comprising:
- a telescope housing having an optical aperture;
- a primary mirror and a secondary mirror within the telescope housing, the primary mirror for reflecting radiation that passes through the optical aperture toward the secondary mirror, and the secondary mirror for reflecting radiation from the primary mirror to a hole in the primary mirror;
- an integrated baffle within the telescope housing for preventing passage of off-axis radiation, and for supporting the secondary mirror in place on the optical axis, wherein the integrated baffle includes a plurality of channels which selectively pass on-axis radiation but eliminate off-axis radiation, and is shaped to an F-cone between the primary and secondary mirrors such that channel length tapers down from longer outer channels to shorter inner channels;
- and
- a detector for detecting on-axis radiation reflected by the secondary mirror.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.