Novel astronomical telescope manufacturing technology

Abstract

According to the invention, glass is replaced by transparent plastic materials such as transparent resin with very good light transmission to manufacture large and ultra-large objective lens convex lenses, so that large and ultra-large telescopes can be easily manufactured.

Description

1. Technical Field Astronomical telescope objective lens manufacturing technology 2. Background Technology Traditional astronomical telescope objectives are made of highly transparent glass. However, this traditional manufacturing technology is limited by glassmaking and polishing techniques, making it difficult to produce large convex lenses. Convex lenses with a diameter exceeding 5 meters are extremely difficult to manufacture, making the production of large and super-large astronomical telescopes very challenging. In October 2023, my country manufactured an objective lens for an astronomical telescope with a diameter of 2.44 meters, capable of observing some galaxies and nebulae. 3. Summary of the Invention This innovative invention uses transparent plastic materials such as transparent resin with excellent light transmittance to replace glass in the manufacture of large and super-large objective lenses, which can easily produce large and extra-large telescopes.

[0001] This innovative invention utilizes high-quality transparent resin and other plastics with good light transmittance, requiring a one-time molding process free of air bubbles and other impurities. This invention primarily uses resin to manufacture large convex lenses. A characteristic of resin is that before solidification, it is generally composed of two or more components, stored separately in a liquid state. These components are only fully mixed in a specific ratio before use, resulting in a chemical reaction and solidification. Utilizing the liquid state of resin before solidification, it can be shaped into the desired form, which is highly advantageous for manufacturing convex lenses. The mixture of transparent resin before solidification can be placed in a standard convex lens mold to solidify, resulting in a standard convex lens. This innovative invention employs a simpler method for manufacturing convex lenses: the mixture of transparent resin before solidification is placed on a circular, horizontally placed flexible material such as a rubber or plastic film. Under the natural force of gravity and the elasticity of the rubber film, it falls downwards and convexes downwards. After solidification, it forms a spherical convex lens with a horizontal top and a convex bottom, essentially a hemispherical convex lens. This hemispherical convex lens, after polishing, can be used as a telescope objective lens. Most nearsighted and farsighted glasses are currently made of transparent resin, and people haven't experienced any problems using them. These resin glasses contain some tiny air bubbles and other impurities, but these are invisible to the human eye and therefore don't affect their use. However, if these tiny air bubbles and impurities are present in the convex lenses of large astronomical telescopes, the impact is significant. Therefore, to eliminate these tiny air bubbles and impurities during manufacturing, two methods are necessary: ​​first, using high-quality resin materials; and second, employing a sealed vacuum space during the convex lens manufacturing process. Convex lenses manufactured in this way can rival, and even surpass, those made of glass. 4. Description of the attached drawings

[0002] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of convex lens fabrication

[0003] Illustration: Construction platform. Support frame. Level (3A, 3B, etc., represent levels for both longitudinal and transverse directions). Height adjuster. Casters.

[0004] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the side section of the circular mold platform

[0005] Legend:

[0006] 1A. Circular mold: This hemispherical mold is an important component of the platform. Different diameter circular molds are needed to manufacture convex lenses of varying diameters. 2. Support frame. 3. Level. 4. Height adjuster. 5. Casters.

[0007] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the side section of the circular frame platform

[0008] 1B. Circular frame for securing rubber film, plastic film, etc. 2. Bracket. 3. Level. 4. Height adjuster. 5. Casters. 6. Rubber film.

[0009] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the side cross-section of the circular frame after resin liquid has been injected.

[0010] Legend:

[0011] 1B, circular frame. 2. Bracket. 3. Level. 4. Height adjuster. 5. Casters.

[0012] 6. The scenario where flexible materials such as rubber film and plastic film are injected with resin liquid and then fall to form a convex lens.

[0013] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the side section of the sealed space

[0014] Legend:

[0015] 1. Convex lens manufacturing platform.

[0016] 7. Containers. Multiple containers are provided to hold the various components of the resin before mixing. In this example, there are no containers such as 7A, 7B, and 7C. They are located outside the sealed space and are mainly used to inject the various components of the resin into the sealed space one by one.

[0017] 8. Electric valves are used to control the injection of resin components from the relevant containers into the sealed space. Because the sealed space is a vacuum or near-vacuum, as soon as the valve is opened, the resin components in the container will automatically flow into the sealed space under atmospheric pressure, controlling the injection volume.

[0018] 9. Container. Located in a sealed space, with an electric stirring blade installed inside. The resin from the container outside the sealed space is injected into the sealed space for mixing and is thoroughly stirred by the stirring blade.

[0019] 10. Video camera, used to view the situation inside an enclosed space; multiple video cameras can be installed as needed.

[0020] 11. Electric valve, used to control the injection of resin solution from the sealed space container into the circular mold or circular frame of the convex lens manufacturing platform.

[0021] 12. Lights: Some are ordinary lighting lamps, while others are equipped with ultraviolet lamps, which can accelerate resin solidification when turned on.

[0022] 13. Intake valve, used to release gas into a sealed space to balance the internal and external air pressure.

[0023] 14. Vacuum pump, used to extract air from a sealed space to create a vacuum environment or near-vacuum.

[0024] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the side of the finished convex lens

[0025] Illustration: The finished convex lens has one flat side and one convex curved spherical side.

[0026] Figure 7 Overall schematic diagram of the astronomical telescope

[0027] Legend:

[0028] 15. Objective lens cover, used to protect the objective lens.

[0029] 16. Objective lens (convex lens).

[0030] 17. Eyepiece (convex lens).

[0031] 18. Eyepiece Concave Lens. The convex and concave lenses of the eyepiece are equipped with a track adjustment system, which can adjust the distance between the convex and concave lenses of the eyepiece. This adjustment can be electric or manual, thereby adjusting the viewing distance and clarity of the astronomical telescope.

[0032] 19. Stand. Made of iron, stainless steel, plastic, etc., equipped with casters for easy movement and adjustable tilt for convenient viewing of the telescope. 5. Detailed Implementation Methods

[0033] 5.1 Manufacturing a convex lens

[0034] Manufacturing platform for convex lenses, such as Figure 1The production platform is mainly supported by a bracket to support a convex lens production operation platform. A level (3) is mounted on the four legs of the bracket. The level is in four directions to ensure that the platform is in a horizontal position. A height adjuster (4) is used to adjust the legs that are not in a horizontal position to make them in a horizontal position. A caster wheel (5) is used to facilitate the movement of the production platform.

[0035] There are two types of production platforms:

[0036] The first type consists of a hemispherical mold and a support (2), such as Figure 2 To make a convex lens, the mixture of resin before it solidifies is poured into a circular mold (1A), and once solidified, a standard convex lens is formed. Different circular molds (1A) are needed to make convex lenses of different diameters and curvatures.

[0037] The second type consists of a circular frame (1B) and a support (2), such as Figure 3 Compared to the first type of platform, the platform for making convex lenses at this time is different in that the circular mold (1A) is replaced with a circular frame (1B). The circular frame (1B) is a cylinder without a bottom or top, and it is not closed at the top or bottom. When making the convex lens, the rubber film (6) is fixed to the bottom of the circular frame (1B) to form the bottom of the circular frame. When making the convex lens, the mixed liquid before the resin solidifies is injected into it. Under the combined action of the Earth's gravity and the contraction elasticity of the rubber film (6), the rubber film (6) falls down to form the shape of a convex lens, such as... Figure 4 The amount of resin injected varies depending on the diameter and curvature of the convex lens being made, and different diameter circular frame platforms are required.

[0038] 5.2. To create a sealable cubic space, such as... Figure 5 .

[0039] The primary function of a sealed space is to remove all air, creating a vacuum or near-vacuum environment. This environment is free of dust and other floating particles, ensuring the resulting resin convex lens is free of dust, impurities, and air bubbles. The size of the sealed space depends on the diameter of the convex lens. For example, to produce a 5m diameter convex lens, the space must be large enough to accommodate a 5m production platform. However, if producing an excessively large diameter lens makes it impossible to create a suitable sealed space, or if such a large sealed space is difficult to construct, a single, suitable sealed space can be used to mix and stir the resin solution. Using such a resin solution to produce the convex lens reduces the risk of contamination from air bubbles and other impurities.

[0040] 5.3 Making a convex lens.

[0041] Select a high-quality transparent resin with good light transmittance, and place its corresponding components in different containers 7A, 7B, 7C... of the container (7) outside the sealed space. At the same time, turn on the vacuum pump (14) to extract the air in the sealed space. When the sealed space forms a vacuum or is close to a vacuum, open the corresponding electric valve (8). The corresponding resin components in the container (7) are automatically sucked into the container (9) in the vacuum environment. When a sufficient amount is injected, the electric valve (8) should be closed immediately. When the required proportion of each component is reached, turn on the electric stirring blade in the container (9) to mix the resin components thoroughly. Because it is in a vacuum environment, stirring will not produce bubbles, and there will be no dust or other floating matter, reducing the pollution of the convex lens by bubbles and other impurities. After mixing, open the electric valve (11) to inject the fully mixed resin solution (before solidification) into the circular frame (1B) or circular mold (1A) of the lens making platform, allowing it to solidify naturally, or turn on the ultraviolet lamp (12) to accelerate solidification. After solidification, open the air inlet valve (13) to allow air to enter the sealed space, balancing the internal and external pressures. Then open the sealed space door, push out the making platform, and finely grind and polish the solidified convex lens resin to produce a convex lens. If necessary, the convex lens can be coated to promote corresponding light transmittance. The finished convex lens is as follows: Figure 6 It is a hemispherical convex lens with a horizontal top and a protruding spherical bottom.

[0042] 5.4. Fabricate the shell. For example... Figure 7 The entire shell can be made of sheet metal, stainless steel film, plastic, etc.

[0043] 5.5. Fabricate the eyepiece system, such as... Figure 7 The eyepiece system consists of convex lenses (17), concave lenses (18), etc., and can be composed of varying numbers of convex lenses, concave lenses, glass right-angle mirrors, etc., as needed. It is equipped with a track system to adjust the relevant convex lenses and concave lenses, thereby adjusting the distance and clarity of the target viewed by the astronomical telescope.

[0044] 6. Advantages of this invention

[0045] 6.1. Convex lenses are made using transparent resin and other transparent plastic materials, including transparent resin, transparent paint, transparent acrylic, transparent plastic, etc., to make large, super-large, and extra-large convex lenses, thereby making large, super-large, and extra-large telescopes and astronomical telescopes.

[0046] 6.2 After thoroughly mixing the various components of the resin in the specified proportions, the mixture is injected into a convex lens mold or onto a horizontally placed flexible material such as a rubber film or plastic film. Under the combined action of gravity and film shrinkage, the mixture hangs down to form a convex lens.

[0047] 6.3. Fabricate resin convex lenses in a sealed space, and use a vacuum pump to create a vacuum or near-vacuum to eliminate contamination of the resin convex lenses by air, dust and other impurities, thereby improving quality.

Claims

1. The present invention is characterized in that a convex lens is made of a transparent plastic material such as transparent resin, transparent paint, transparent acrylic, transparent plastic, and the like, and a large, super large, and extra large convex lens is made, thereby making a large, super large, and extra large telescope and astronomical telescope. The use of a transparent plastic material such as transparent resin, transparent paint, transparent acrylic, transparent plastic, and the like, for making a convex lens, and the making of a large, super large, and extra large convex lens, thereby making a large, super large, and extra large telescope and astronomical telescope, is required to be protected.

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