Micro-arc mirror forming apparatus and method

Abstract

Micro-arc mirror forming apparatus and method. This invention relates to an apparatus for producing mirrors with micro-arcs, which mainly includes a support bracket, a curved surface conforming to the working surface, and a vacuum system. The mirror is initially fixed on the curved surface conforming to the working surface, and the vacuum system is used to completely conform the mirror to the curved surface conforming to the working surface, ultimately forming a mirror with micro-arcs. Compared with common micro-arc mirror production methods, the micro-arc forming apparatus of this invention can significantly reduce the breakage rate, significantly simplify operation, and significantly improve surface accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of solar energy technology, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for producing mirrors with micro-arcs. Background Technology

[0002] Micro-arc mirrors are frequently used in the solar energy field. These micro-arc mirrors are currently widely used in Fresnel solar thermal power plants to collect solar thermal energy. They have a higher collection efficiency than flat mirrors, and the collected solar thermal energy can ultimately be used to generate electricity.

[0003] The common method for manufacturing micro-arc mirrors involves mechanically bending the mirror during installation and then fixing it to a bracket. This mechanical bending imparts a slight curvature to the mirror. To control the surface shape, the thickness of the adhesive must be strictly controlled. Existing fully mechanical manufacturing methods have the following drawbacks: low surface shape accuracy, poor surface shape stability, high operational difficulty, and low production efficiency.

[0004] The content of the background section is merely the technology known to the inventor and does not necessarily represent the prior art in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In response to one or more of the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a micro-arc mirror forming apparatus, comprising: a support; a conforming worktable mounted on the support, wherein the working surface of the conforming worktable is a surface corresponding to the surface of the micro-arc mirror and is configured to place the lens to be formed thereon; wherein the conforming worktable is provided with an air extraction channel, the air extraction channel being configured to be connected to an external suction device to extract air from the working surface of the conforming worktable.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a plurality of positioning constraint blocks are provided around the periphery of the conforming worktable to fix the lens to be formed.

[0007] According to one aspect of the invention, the micro-arc forming apparatus further includes a sealing ring, which is fixed to the periphery of the conforming worktable by the positioning constraint block and configured to maintain an airtight seal between the lens to be formed and the working surface of the conforming worktable when air is drawn in.

[0008] According to one aspect of the invention, the evacuation channel includes a vacuum port, for example, a perforation along the thickness direction of the conforming worktable.

[0009] According to one aspect of the invention, the vacuum channel further includes an exhaust groove located on the working surface of the conforming worktable, the exhaust groove being in communication with the vacuum port.

[0010] According to one aspect of the invention, the micro-arc forming apparatus further includes a vacuum pump that can be connected to the vacuum port.

[0011] According to one aspect of the invention, the conforming worktable is made of a metallic material.

[0012] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a micro-arc mirror, comprising:

[0013] The lens to be formed is bonded to a bonding worktable with a target surface and an air extraction channel;

[0014] A vacuum is drawn between the lens to be formed and the fitting worktable;

[0015] Maintain this state for a certain period of time until the lens to be formed aligns with the target surface.

[0016] According to one aspect of the invention, the method for manufacturing the micro-arc mirror is carried out using the micro-arc mirror forming apparatus as described in any one of claims 1-7.

[0017] According to one aspect of the present invention, the method for manufacturing the micro-arc mirror further includes:

[0018] After maintaining the position for a certain period of time, the micro-arc mirror support is bonded to the lens to be formed using adhesive; and

[0019] Once the glue has solidified, release the vacuum.

[0020] According to the present invention, the curved surface conforms to the working surface, which is a curved surface of the target micro-arc polishing and is equipped with vacuum pipes and exhaust grooves, while the lower surface is a flat surface supported by a bracket. The vacuum pipes are connected to an external vacuum pumping system, and the vacuum negative pressure pressing technology significantly shortens the cycle time of the cold forming process. The reasonable configuration of the vacuum pumping system and its pipes through a series-parallel structure is conducive to the construction of a micro-arc mirror cold forming process production line. The evenly distributed exhaust groove design ensures the uniformity of force during the pressing of large-area glass curved surfaces, further improving the surface accuracy and forming consistency of the micro-arc mirror.

[0021] Positioning constraint blocks, made of metal, are set around the curved surface conforming to the working surface to limit the size of the plane mirror being processed and to keep the plane mirror in a fixed state during the vacuuming process. At the same time, the positioning constraint blocks are equipped with rubber rings to ensure that there is no air leakage between the plane mirror and the curved surface conforming to the working surface during the vacuuming process, ensuring the effective operation of the vacuuming system.

[0022] The support for the curved working surface is composed of evenly distributed columns welded to the bottom plate, which saves materials while ensuring support strength and stability of the device during the vacuuming process.

[0023] This device refers to a device for producing mirrors with micro-arcs. In this device, the mirror is first initially fixed on a curved surface according to a specific position. Then, the air between the mirror and the curved surface is removed by a vacuum system. Under atmospheric pressure, the mirror is completely attached to the curved surface, and finally a mirror with micro-arcs is formed.

[0024] Compared with common micro-arc mirror production methods, the advantages of micro-arc forming devices are their significantly reduced breakage rate, significantly simplified operation, and significantly improved surface accuracy.

[0025] In addition, other methods of producing micro-arc mirrors also include the direct production of micro-arc mirror products.

[0026] The surface accuracy of the micro-arc forming device described here mainly depends on the curved surface conforming to the working surface, and the applied external force mainly comes from the atmospheric pressure brought about by vacuuming. Therefore, it is reasonable to improve the accuracy of the curved surface conforming to the working surface, which can improve the surface accuracy. The vacuuming system is easy to operate and controllable, and the breakage rate is reduced.

[0027] These and other advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The present invention can be better understood by referring to the description given below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same or similar reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to denote the same or similar parts. These drawings, together with the following detailed description, are incorporated in and form part of this specification, and are used to further illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and explain the principles and advantages of the invention. Wherein:

[0029] Figure 1 A front view of a micro-arc mirror forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0030] Figure 2 A side view of a micro-arc mirror forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; and

[0031] Figure 3 A diagram showing the distribution of vacuum exhaust channels and vacuum ports of a micro-arc mirror forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, for clarity, representations and descriptions of components and processes known to those skilled in the art that are not closely related to the present invention have been omitted from the drawings and description.

[0033] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0034] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows for communication; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0035] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0036] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of the invention. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. These are merely examples and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed. In addition, examples of various specific processes and materials are provided in this invention, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0037] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0038] Figure 1 A front view of a micro-arc mirror forming apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 A side view of a micro-arc mirror forming apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 A diagram showing the distribution of the vacuum exhaust groove and vacuum port of the micro-arc mirror forming apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided.

[0039] according to Figure 1 As shown, the micro-arc forming apparatus 10 includes a support 3 and a conforming worktable 1 mounted on the support 3. The conforming worktable 1 is a mold with a target curved surface shape, its working surface corresponding to the surface of the micro-arc mirror, and configured to place the lens to be formed thereon. For example, if a concave micro-arc mirror is required, then the working surface will be convex. The conforming worktable is provided with an air extraction channel configured to connect to an external suction device to extract air from the upper surface of the conforming worktable.

[0040] Note that the working surface in this invention can be either the upper or lower surface of the curved surface conforming worktable 1, depending on the placement position and working method of the lens to be formed, all of which are within the scope of protection of this invention. The lens to be formed can be, for example, a plane mirror or a curved mirror.

[0041] The conforming worktable 1 is made of a metal material that meets structural strength requirements, such as carbon tool steel T9, T12, etc.

[0042] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of positioning constraint blocks 2 are provided around the periphery of the conforming worktable 1 to fix the lens to be formed. The positioning constraint blocks 2 are made of, for example, metal material, so that the lens being processed is in a fixed state during the vacuuming process.

[0043] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the micro-arc forming device 10 further includes a sealing ring (not shown), which is, for example, a rubber ring, fixed to the periphery of the bonding worktable 1 by the positioning constraint block 2, and configured to maintain an airtight seal between the lens to be formed and the working surface of the bonding worktable 1 during vacuum extraction. The length and width of the sealing ring can be determined by the size of the positioning constraint block 2, and the diameter of the rubber ring is determined by the power parameters of the vacuum pump.

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, the air extraction channel is, for example, a vacuum port 4, which can be a perforation along the thickness direction of the bonding worktable 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the vacuum port 4 can be set in other locations, such as at the edge of the bonding worktable 1, as long as air can be drawn from the upper surface of the bonding worktable.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the present invention, such as Figure 3 As shown, the vacuum channel may further include exhaust grooves 5 located on the working surface of the bonding worktable 1. The exhaust grooves 5 are connected to the vacuum port 4, thereby allowing for more uniform vacuum extraction between the working surface of the bonding worktable 1 and the lens to be processed. The exhaust grooves 5 can be evenly distributed proportionally according to the transverse and longitudinal dimensions of the working surface of the bonding worktable 1 and the vacuum pump power parameters. Figure 3 As shown, according to one embodiment, the bonding worktable 1 has multiple vacuum ports 4, preferably multiple uniformly distributed vacuum ports 4, so that the entire mirror surface can be subjected to uniform force, while improving production efficiency.

[0046] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the micro-arc forming device 10 further includes a vacuum pump, which can be connected to the vacuum port 4 or the air extraction channel.

[0047] According to one embodiment of the invention, the conforming worktable 1 is made of, for example, a metal material.

[0048] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the working surface of the curved surface conforming worktable 1 is a curved surface ground according to the micro-arc of the target micro-arc mirror. The lower surface can be flat and placed on the support 3. The support 3 is composed of columns evenly distributed by welding a bottom flat plate. The number of columns in the width direction is preferably three, and the number in the length direction is determined according to the length of the conforming worktable, which saves materials while ensuring support strength. Positioning constraint blocks 2 are set around the conforming worktable 1, which are made of metal material, so that the plane mirror is fixed in a fixed state during the vacuuming process. The positioning constraint blocks 2 are equipped with rubber rings to ensure that there is no air leakage between the plane mirror and the curved surface conforming worktable during the vacuuming process, and to ensure that the vacuuming system works effectively. Vacuuming pipes 4 are set at specific positions of the curved surface conforming worktable 1. Vacuuming pipes 4 are connected to an external vacuum pumping system to realize vacuuming operation. The reasonable configuration of the vacuum pumping system and its pipes through the series and parallel structure is conducive to the construction of a micro-arc mirror cold forming process production line.

[0049] according to Figure 3 The upper surface of the curved surface bonding worktable 1 is provided with exhaust grooves 5 and vacuum ports 4 evenly distributed in a regular pattern. During vacuuming, the gas between the plane mirror and the curved surface bonding worktable 1 is drawn away along the exhaust grooves 5. The evenly distributed exhaust groove design ensures the uniformity of force during the large-area glass curved surface pressing process, further improving the surface accuracy and forming consistency of the micro-arc mirror.

[0050] use Figure 1-3 The micro-arc mirror manufacturing apparatus 10 shown can produce a mirror with a micro-arc by using a mold and vacuum negative pressure pressing method.

[0051] The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing a micro-arc mirror, comprising:

[0052] The lens to be formed is bonded to a bonding worktable with a target surface and an air extraction channel;

[0053] A vacuum is drawn between the lens to be formed and the fitting worktable;

[0054] Maintain this state for a certain period of time until the lens to be formed aligns with the target surface.

[0055] The micro-arc mirror manufacturing method can, for example, utilize... Figure 1-3 The micro-arc mirror forming device shown is used to implement this.

[0056] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the micro-arc mirror manufacturing method further includes providing a bonding stage having a target surface and an air extraction channel, wherein the air extraction channel of the bonding stage is, for example, an exhaust groove and a vacuum port, the exhaust groove being, for example, a uniformly distributed exhaust groove, and the vacuum port being, for example, a uniformly distributed vacuum port.

[0057] When vacuuming, the vacuum level needs to be determined based on the thickness and strength of the lens to be formed. It is essential to ensure that the lens is subjected to sufficient pressure to deform without causing it to break.

[0058] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a vacuum is maintained for a certain period of time. After the lens to be formed aligns with the target surface, the mirror deforms. However, to prevent possible rebound, the vacuum bonding state is maintained. Adhesive is applied to the micro-arc mirror support, and then the micro-arc mirror support is attached to the micro-arc mirror to bond them together. Depending on the degree of adhesive curing, the vacuum is released after the adhesive has completely cured, and the micro-arc mirror support and micro-arc mirror are removed. This further reduces the possible rebound of the lens and further increases the surface accuracy of the micro-arc of the final engineering product.

[0059] The micro-arc mirror support is, for example, a support that can support the micro-arc mirror on the rotating shaft of the solar heating device. It has a mounting surface for attaching with the micro-arc mirror, and the two are bonded together with adhesive. Bonding the micro-arc mirror support to the micro-arc mirror at the end of the micro-arc mirror manufacturing process effectively reduces the rebound of the micro-arc mirror.

[0060] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a vacuum is drawn between the lens to be formed and the bonding worktable through the exhaust groove and the vacuum port.

[0061] The micro-arc mirror forming apparatus and method of the present invention improve the surface accuracy of micro-arc mirrors, significantly reduce the manufacturing cost of micro-arc mirrors, reduce labor intensity, significantly shorten the cycle time of cold forming process, and facilitate the construction of process production lines.

[0062] Although the invention has been disclosed above through the description of specific embodiments, it should be understood that those skilled in the art can devise various modifications, improvements, or equivalents to the invention within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. These modifications, improvements, or equivalents should also be considered to be included within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a micro-arc mirror, comprising: adhering a to-be-shaped mirror to a conformable workbench having a target surface and an air extraction channel; vacuumizing between the to-be-shaped mirror and the conformable workbench; keeping for a certain time until the to-be-shaped mirror is consistent with the target surface; after keeping for a certain time, bonding a micro-arc mirror support and the to-be-shaped mirror together by glue, the micro-arc mirror support being a support that can support a micro-arc mirror on a rotating shaft of a solar heating device; and after the glue solidifies, releasing the vacuum, and removing the micro-arc mirror support and the to-be-shaped mirror, wherein the method for manufacturing a micro-arc mirror is implemented by using a micro-arc mirror forming device, the micro-arc mirror forming device comprising: a support; a conformable workbench mounted on the support, wherein a working surface of the conformable workbench is a surface corresponding to a surface of a micro-arc mirror, and is configured to place a to-be-shaped mirror thereon, and a lower surface of the conformable workbench is a plane and is placed on the support; wherein the conformable workbench is provided with an air extraction channel, and the air extraction channel is configured to be connected with an external suction device to extract air from the working surface of the conformable workbench; wherein a periphery of the conformable workbench is provided with a plurality of positioning constraint blocks to fix the to-be-shaped mirror; wherein the micro-arc forming device further comprises a sealing ring, the sealing ring being a rubber ring, the sealing ring being fixed on the periphery of the conformable workbench by the positioning constraint blocks, and being configured to keep air-tight between the to-be-shaped mirror and the working surface of the conformable workbench when air is extracted; wherein the air extraction channel comprises a vacuum extraction port along a thickness direction of the conformable workbench and an air exhaust groove on the working surface of the conformable workbench, wherein the vacuum extraction port is provided with a plurality of vacuum extraction ports uniformly distributed on the working surface, and the air exhaust groove is in communication with the vacuum extraction port, and the air exhaust groove is uniformly distributed on the working surface of the conformable workbench; the micro-arc forming device further comprises a vacuum pump connected to the vacuum extraction port, and when vacuumizing, the vacuum degree is determined according to the thickness and bearing strength of the to-be-shaped mirror. further comprising:

2. The micro-arc mirror manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein providing a conformable workbench having a target surface and an air extraction channel, wherein the air extraction channel of the conformable workbench comprises a vacuum extraction port and an air exhaust groove. vacuumizing between the to-be-shaped mirror and the conformable workbench through the vacuum extraction port and the air exhaust groove.

3. The micro-arc mirror manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein 4. A micro-arc mirror forming device for implementing the method for manufacturing a micro-arc mirror according to any one of claims 1-3, comprising: a support; a conformable workbench mounted on the support, wherein a working surface of the conformable workbench is a surface corresponding to a surface of a micro-arc mirror, and is configured to place a to-be-shaped mirror thereon, and a lower surface of the conformable workbench is a plane and is placed on the support; wherein the conformable workbench is provided with an air extraction channel, and the air extraction channel is configured to be connected with an external suction device to extract air from the working surface of the conformable workbench; wherein a periphery of the conformable workbench is provided with a plurality of positioning constraint blocks to fix the to-be-shaped mirror; ​ The micro-arc forming device further comprises a sealing ring, which is a rubber ring, fixed on the periphery of the conforming workbench by the positioning constraint block and configured to keep airtightness between the to-be-formed lens and the working surface of the conforming workbench when air is sucked. The air suction channel comprises a vacuum suction port along the thickness direction of the conforming workbench and an exhaust groove on the working surface of the conforming workbench, wherein the vacuum suction port is provided with a plurality of vacuum suction ports uniformly distributed on the working surface, the exhaust groove is in communication with the vacuum suction port, and the exhaust groove is uniformly distributed on the working surface of the conforming workbench. The micro-arc forming device further comprises a vacuum pump connected to the vacuum suction port, and the vacuum degree is determined according to the thickness and bearing strength of the to-be-formed lens when vacuumizing.

5. The micro-arc mirror forming device according to claim 4, wherein, The conforming workbench is made of a metal material.

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