Tiltable Mirror Scanning for Celestial Observation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing observation instruments for celestial bodies, such as spectroheliographs, face challenges in efficiently scanning and recording celestial images due to slow movement and unsatisfactory image quality, particularly when independent of Earth's natural rotation.
Innovation Solution
An observation instrument with a tiltable first reflection element about a scanning axis allows for relative movement of the celestial body image over the input plane, enabling faster and higher-quality image generation, and includes a compact design with a compensating device like a coelostat to manage Earth's rotation, and an electronic image sensor for efficient data processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the celestial body image is moved using Earth's rotation, then the observation instrument can be stationary, but the scanning time becomes very long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the first reflection element tiltable about the scanning axis. This allows the optical path to be dynamically adjusted to move the celestial body image across the entrance slit at a controlled speed, independent of Earth's rotation. The tiltable reflection element creates a dynamic scanning mechanism that significantly reduces scanning time compared to stationary observation relying on natural celestial motion.
2Reliability
If a fixed solar image is generated using a coelostat or heliostat with controllable movement, then independence from Earth's rotation is achieved, but the scanning speed is very slow and image quality is unsatisfactory
Solution Approach 1:
The patent improves scanning speed while maintaining independence from Earth's rotation by implementing a tiltable first reflection element with a defined scanning axis. This dynamic configuration allows rapid movement of the celestial body image across the entrance slit, achieving both reliability (independence from natural motion) and high productivity (fast scanning), overcoming the limitations of slow mechanical shifting of telescopes or slits in conventional systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimensional approach by tilting the first reflection element about an axis that is not the optical axis. This creates motion in a different dimensional space, allowing the celestial body image to be scanned rapidly across the entrance slit without requiring large mechanical displacements of traditional components, thus achieving high scanning speed while maintaining image quality.
3Ease of operation
If the telescope objective or entrance slit is shifted to move the solar image, then the scanning can be controlled, but the scanning process becomes very slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the slow mechanical shifting of heavy components (telescope objective or entrance slit) with a dynamic tilting mechanism for the first reflection element. This lighter, more agile mechanism achieves the same scanning function but at much higher speeds, while maintaining full controllability through the tilting axis configuration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables faster and higher-quality celestial body image scanning and recording, with a compact and portable design that simplifies operation and expands usage, while maintaining image quality across varying light conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an image generation device (22) having a first reflection element (26)... wherein the first reflection element (26) is arranged so as to be tiltable about a scanning axis (24) that a relative movement between the celestial body image and the entrance plane (18) can be generated by tilting the first reflection element (26) about the scanning axis (24)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
AI summary
Observation instrument (10) for observing a celestial body (12) with • an input plane (18) with an input slit (20) for the inlet of at least a part of a celestial body image, • an image generating device (22) for generating the celestial body image on the input plane (18), wherein the image generating device (22) comprises a first reflection element (26), • a scan axis (24), wherein the first reflection element (26) is arranged to be tiltable about the scan axis (24) such that a relative movement between the celestial body image and the input plane (18) can be generated by tilting the first reflection element (26) about the scan axis (24).