Lens assembly for solar furnace or solar simulato

Lorell, K. R.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

REPLY TO 
G p  
FROMt 
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 
WASHINOTON. D.C. 20546 
us~ / sc i en t i f i c  & Technical Information Division 
Attentiont M i s s  Winnie M. Morgan 
~ ~ / 0 f f i c e  of Assistapt General Counsel for  
Patent Matters 
SUBJECTS ~ n n o ~ c e m e n t  of NASA-Owned U. S . Patents i n  STAR 
I n  accordance with the procedures agreed upon by Code GP 
and Code U S I ,  the attached NASA-owned U. S. Patent, is being 
forwarded fo r  abstracting and announcement i n  NASA STAR. 
The f ollowfng inf ornation ie provided: 
U. S. Patent No. 
Government or 
Corporate Employee , California Ins t i tu te  Technology 
Supplementary Corporate 
Source (if applicable) a Je t  Prppulsion Laboratory 
XNP-04111 NASA Patent Case No. t 
NOTE - If t h i s  patent: covers an invention made by a corporate 
employee of a NASA Contractor, the following is applicablet 
yes lj;l NO O 
Pursuant to Section 305(a) of the National AeronauBics and 
Space Act ,  the name of the Administrator of NASA apbears on 
the f i r s t  page of the patent; however, the name of the actual 
inventor (author) appears a t  the heading of Column No. 1 of 
I the Specification, following the words a. . . w i t h  respect t o  
ion of a 
-. 
, . 
8 I 
I 
Enclosure 4 IL (PAGES) 
3 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19710006147 2020-03-17T02:39:49+00:00Z
KENNEW HR, MRELL 
INVENTOR. 
Feb, 3, 1970 JAMES E. 
ABMiNISTWATOR OF THE NAT19NkL 
3,493,29 1 
A E W N A U T I C S  A N D  SPACE 
ADMINiSTWA+!BN 
H I G H  TEMPERATURE LENS CONSTRUCTION 
Fi led  dune 22, 1935 2 Sheetsake00 s 
3,493,281 
8llGH TEXIPEHATURE I,liNS CONSTaZCC. FIOI' ' 
Iimcs E. Webb, Adnlini\$rutor of Ihs National Aerts- 
nlautirs and Space Adnni!%lrtraflun wdfh respect (as .se: 
invention oh Kennel& BP. Idorell, Alladena, Calif, 
Filsd dune 22, 8966, Ser. No. 560,969 
k t .  Ci. C02b 3/00,  9 /02 
U S .  C'I. 350-213 1 Clr a ii 
lilgll jemperafureh and niinirnizes itrterference with the 
1 8  tr lf:~l+ion uf ioIor ciief t;y 
Ac~ord tng~y ,  tt I \  an o h j e ~ t  of this tnvention to provide 
A Ici~r 'r\sernhly w h l ~ h  can kc \t$hjc~Lctl to high Lcn1pcr:l- 
lute wtlhout %tr~rcttrial failure. 
I t  I \  In addieional object of the present ~nvcnfion f o  
rriov~cle s. strtrcrurally stable Len% assernbly with a mini- 
nrunj Inter ference to  solar enercv. 
I t  i5 a further object oi. Ihi, inCenlion to provide a lens 
aswnbly which will admit a maximum amount of solar 
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE enelgy Lhtough an  established opening wrth a minimum 
An assembled lens formed of  a plurality of adjaceritiii jn te r fe rence .  
disposed, individual lens blocks, each having an articu. Er is still a further object of the present invention to  
lated peripheral including a plurality of subsran- provide a lens assembly such that heat absorbed by the 
tially flat segments terminating along lines defining a 15 i ~ p i l t  suifiace will not cause the destruction of a lens 
plurality of corners disposed between adjacent segments 
and each corner being midway between the ends The" and further objects of this invention will be 
thereof by an  defining a transvewe extending ZlsPalent to those shilled in the art upon consideration of 
between the adjacent flat segrnents of  the pr iphera l  sur- the acccnlpan~ing specification, claim, and drawings of 
face so that as  the blocks are assembled an expanded 20 vdhicil: 
recess common to the adjacent blocks is established at FIG. I is a plan view of one embodiment of the present 
the corners theleof for receiving a spherical key seated inventlon silowing a complete lens assembly and having a 
therein and adapted to preclude dispiacemenl of ~ectiollai area showing a spherical inte~lock member in 
the lens block\, -and a retainer ring having an articulated place; 
surface adapted to circumscribe and to mate with the zj FIG 2 i\ a sections! view taken through 2-2 of FIG. 
expo5ed 5egnlents of the blocks for clamainc the lens 1 andiilluslrating the interlock features o f  the lens 
- 
block into rugged unitary lens mcniber. a\sembly; 
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, Fragmcnta~y, sectional view taken 
throvfih 3-3 of FIG. 1 fo r  the nurnose of illustratinn 
- 
ORICJIN OF lNVFNTlON the chan~fered portion of the lens block\: 
FIG 4 is a fragmentary, partially sectioned plan view, 
The invention de5crlbed herein was made In the pel- on an enj;,rged scale of the area designated 4 in 1; formance of work under a NASA contract and IS ltrtbje~t FIG, 5 i., an  fragmented view of a selected 
to the provlsrons of Sect~on 305 of the Nat~onal  Aero- porljon of the lens block assembly; 
nautic\ and S p a ~ c  Act of 1958, Public Law 85-568 ( 7 2  :I,? FIG 5 is a partially sectioned eievational view of a 
Stat. 435, 42 U.S.C. 2457).  portion of a typical solar f u r n a e  with which the dis- 
This lnventron relates to a lens assembly and, more closed crnbodiment of  the present invention may be  
particularly, to improvements thereof. employed. 
Solar furnaces and solar sirnulators normally require Reference 1s now made to the drawings, particularly 
a source of solar er~ergy either from the bun o r  from an 40 to FIG. I ,  wherein there is illustrated the lens assembly 
artificral source. The solar energy must have an entiance 10 ernbodying the principles of the presertt invention. The 
to the furnace o r  simulator through an o ~ n i n g .  rhe lcn5 asxmbly is made up of  a multiplicity of identical 
opening of the furnace o r  simulator normally is provi,!ed lens blocks 11 fabricated from quartz and carefully 
with a lens inserted therein so that the internal environ- clllstered togetller in a <ide-by-side, contiguous relation- 
ment of the furnace or simulator may be controlled. 45 ihip tvithin a cornnxon plane to form a compact lens unit. 
As the lens in operation is sublected to high heat, a Each of the Ieirs blocks 11 is of a hexagonal configurati.on 
clear material that can ~ i t h s t a n d  high heat murt be used havlrlg an articulated pelipheral surfase including a plu- As a practical matter qLlartz has been found to  be i'siity of planar side stirfaces 11o, FIG. 5, terminating at  
material that i.; clear and can viithstand high heat wlthotir aile;aes or $ 3  at the junctures of the permanent deform~t) or de\tructron Also, due to tibe hrah t o  side surfaces A reilei. opening o r  $foe It is formed mid- 
operairve temperatures encountered, inaterial eXp;in5lOn 
,,y, and traver%gs of the corners 13 $0 extend 
and contraction must be accommodated. Fuflher, srnce herMeen adlacen( side s,irfacef, w h e n  *he blocks have 
the solar energy enters the chamber of the sinltllaior at been a\4einhled i n t o  ;I unitary .;tructure, the slots 12 of 
the input side o f  the lens and exits from the oPpo5!te9 the v:iriou\ hlctck\ 11 arc brought into alignment in a 
or output s ~ d e  of the ten% an uneven heat d~st r ibut~on 1r2 53 cornnlon plane to form recesses IZo. FIG. 4, 
the lens IS experrenced T o  prevent !en$ de~triiclroir, the cornnton to fhe atljaccnt blockc and within which an  inter- lens often rs airembled by irslllg severs! sm'iiier q t i c l r : i  lot  k r n e  or qphi.rical key $4 ji seated. blocks ~n a gioup or cluster The  ~nterlocking memher BB prefcrahly i.; formed of 
In the prlor art o f  constrtici~ng a lens assernblv h v  
.app~:k~e 2nd is of 3 spheric::! configu:alion, FIGS, 4 a r ~ d  
using ce\e!al srnail blocks, the j 7 1 0 ~ k 4  of @ h e  lens ;rs\en~bli 00 i; Each ipherlcaI key i s  provitied with a diamelPg 
u r r e  held Irr pl rce by c.einent1ri:: thrr;i fogether or Py $Inat the rnrrntpr  14 is of a qtrEcient <ire Lo exiend into 
~nsertrng the blocks in < t ~ t i t r i r i \  oi d n  invar weir l'he sta,f aqd ~t~bsranra,illy f i l l  itre rece\scr, 12n X-lence, it can be 
deslgnt aorhed sdirr :,i:torrl,j a i  long 3s the ~crrrpsr.jiilrc: aylsiecj,tt:,i that the Inteiimkiny merrubers 14, in practice. 
encounteied wer- ~ O V /  cnuugh ,o that tire supporltcg d r u ~  5er veii ic letdin dd~dcefit block\ in a common plane and 
Lures did not deform nor fall, o i  (lie crn~ertt  dicf no* r:lLif " 5  to pieidsnr :he i nd iv i i r t a i  lens block 11 from being diq- 
Thotigh changes In the Invar *eb n#alerral or in the plzced teiative to the plane of the lens assembly 10. 
cement may satrdy conditions for a predeterrnrnsd tenr- iFl'btEI the spherrc.il interlocking or key members 14 in 
peratlire range, the wgportlng matei-la1 is of such sizc or piace within *ire rrlessei 12a, ?he lens blocks 11 are care- 
quant~ty  as t s  catise ~nterfcrence with Iransii~tsiron of :he ft i l ly ~~rcrnmscrtbeci by an articulated retair~er ring 15. 
iolar energy. I t  I \ ,  therefore, desirable to develop and 70 The rrng 15 is formed of any 3ttitable number of  beg- 
provtde a len? '15semhIy that rs stahie and nondcifructive n-ienti and 1s Fsbr icated from a suitahb material such as 
:;,4 !#312:1  
3 4 
,ilcirlt~nttrri hlrrlLe the  I t i i f :  15 r \  lo ergyiiye 5IJc \ t , r  S,).' 9 f~orim ii,r~oai;;ctrli, pres\tn;e ilidletentialb is iapplictl lo the 
of tile ~L'X,~~OTI~SI  Icn4 I7i0cLi 11 t h ~  r:ng 1" p p ~ ~ ~ d c c !  s ~ ) l t i i  Pciii, liXi~ t , 11 hlowcwe~~ d ~ ~ p I a ~ e m e n t  of the individtta! 
,r pltir,llrty pl , t i~,~r zulE,rics 15a, icpdr,t~$ 1-y ~ ~ C A C ' I  blot b) i i  I2 iiun? the plane of the lens asembiy 10, and 
or corner3 in d in tnr ier  sulki ih,ii tile pTi4r1~r s u r f d ~ ~  - i r C  i t f , j . '~vi .  10 e a ~ h  other, 1s eftectively precluded due to the 
the ring I5 may he bro~~ght  into mating efigagement witt. ;~itcrl;i.G~ng eRect of the i n ~ r l o c k  or spherical key mem- 
the surfaces of rile ien5 ~ iocks  Further, the rtnr! 45 1s bers 84 spaled uilthtn the recesses 1%. 
provlded with a plurality of recesses or siots 16 disposed As solar energy from either a natural or ardficial source 
at the corners provided between the planar surfaces there- is caused 80 strike the lens a e m b I y  24, the energy is 
of and adapted to be aligned with the slots 12, whereby allowed to Row through the assembly with a minimum 
the slots 12 and 16 serve to establish a plurality of recess-s of  rnterkrence. Use of the interlock members 14 seated 
5imilar in nature and function to the recesses B2n, aforr; within the slot5 12 pmvides an Interlocking mechanism 
described. which provides for minimum interferenw with the BOW 
A circumccribing band 17 i~ placed about the outer of solar energy. Solar energy striking the lens assembty 
periphery of the ring 45 to apply a confining pressure to g@ effects a rise in temperature within the blocks 11. This 
the lens assembly PO for forcing the blocks !ill together 1,; rise in tempetalure, in practice, is no( uniform through- 
and to retain the individual blocks as a unit having a o t ~ t  he thickness of the blocks 81, therefore a non-uniform 
plurality of input surfaces 21 and exit surfaces 22. 111 expansion of the block is achieved, with the greater degree 
the embodiment illustrated in FIG. I ,  the band 97 jc of expansion occurring near the input surfaces 21. This 
received in a groove 23 recessed or formed into the outer nort-uniform expansion, however, is accommodated by 
periphery of the retainer ring 15. The band k7 is adapted 20 the chamfer 20, adjacent to the input s u l f a ~ s  28 which 
to be tightened through the use oE conventionally screw- cooperate lo provide a ~ I u r a l i t ~  of expansion sPaws fE9. 
threaded band-clamps or collplings 190 which may be Hence the spaces 19 permit the material of the lens 
adjusted for tightening or tensioning the band and toll- blocks 5 1  to expand for thus allowing non-uniform ex- 
sequently for forcing the ring 15 into engagement with pansion to occur thioughoue the lens bIocks 11 without 
the lens blocks PI. During use within :t solar furnace or 25 damaging the assembly 10, 
solar simuiato~, a solar energy source. represenkd by What is claimed is: 4' 
arrow 18, is cau\etl to strike the input surface 21 of the 1. A !ens assembly to be employed in a high-tempera- 
lens blockn 1 1 .  The energy from the energy 5ource causes t1Ke envirunment For transmitting solar-like energy there- 
ztn increase in tempetalt~re at the input surface. The lens thlough comprising: 
hlocbn 1 1 ,  thus i s  c.tused to experience a temperature dlf- .:i) ( A )  a plurality of mated hexagonat lensblocksatranged 
ferenlial between the inpti~ surface 21 and the output in co-planar relationship, each block including: 
surface 22, which results in an expansion occurring in a ( 1  ) an input and output surface, the surfaces being 
nun-uniform manner. Due to the non-uniform expansion in parallel relaaionsMp, 
of lens blocks 11, provisions must be rnade For accorn- (2) slx side surfaces normal to said input and 
modating the non-uniform expansion to prevent destnul- 35 output surfaces; 
tion of the lens blocks 11. This is achieved by providing ( E l )  a slot in each block at each of the apex junctures 
the sides of the lens blocks 1 4 with a slight, approximately between adjoined side s u e a ~ s ,  the slots kina; sub- 
five degree, straight chamfer 20 extending inwardly and stantially parallel to said input annd output sullaces; 
diagonally from the input surface 21 to provide an expan- said slots combining at  each optical juncture of 
sion space 19, arranged adjacent the input surface 21. 40 adjaenf blocks to form a common recess; 
In the assembly of the lens, the spherical interlock ( C )  a pluraiity of spherical key members, one disposed 
members 14 are inserted into the slots 12 of the lens in each recess to lock the mated blocks against rela- 
blocks 11 as the blocks are carefully grouped into a tive movemmts; 
compact cluster. The retainer ring 15 is placed about tZle (29) a segmented ring circumscribing and in intimate 
cluster of blocks in a manner such that the recesses 16 45 mated engagement tvi& the peripherally located 
provided in the retainer ring between the surfaces 15rr mated blocks and keyed to said peripherally localed 
serve to cooperate with the adjacent slots 12 of the blocks blocks in the same manner as the blocks are keyed 
11 to form an enlarged recess which receives therein an lo each other; 
interlocking or spherical key 14. The retainer ring 15 (Eb n bevel on each side of each block adjacent the 
subsequently is banded by the band 17 seated in groove 50 input surface thereof to provide a chamfer with 
23 and secured in place through the assistance of the adjacent mating blocks for accommsdathg thermal 
tightening clamp 17u, whereby a unit;;red lens asgmbly expansion iinwsed on the blocks; and J 
10 is provided to be employed in any desired manner. (F) a "ond circumscribing said ring including an adjust 
The lens assembly 10, as illustrated in FIG. 6, it] prac- able band-tensioning means for lensioning the bend 
tice, is inserted within an input opening of a solar furnace 55 to thereby apply radially directed pmssure to the 
or simulator 25. In this environment, the lens assembly assembly. 
allows solar energy, Prom an external source, to enter Refere~tes~ Cit& 
the chamber normally provided for the solar furnaw or 
simulator 25 for u~iiization in a manner well known to UNITED STATES PATENTS 
those involved in solar experiments. When the lens (10 5 3 1 p 9 9 a  1/1895 Gaehmann --- ------- 3 5 G 2  13 
assembly 10 ir utilized in a solar furnace or sirnulator 586,256 4/11(97 W~PSBIOW ------------ 3f0--259 
25, wherein the &amber thereof is to be vacuuinized, it 59E,466 10/%88'9 Gathmann ---------, 3 5 G 2 l 3  
is preferred that for sealing ptlrp~ws the -.sriou5 contact- Z.RMo,6'o 4!1859 Frasei. - m - r a - - - r - - - -  35-2114 
ing surfaces I l n  of the blocks 11 of the len.: ?\.;cmhly 3.184,339 6/1965 --------------- 350-213 
10 be ground to "malcld," however. if desired, 3hs ~nat ing  116 
surfaces of rhe blocks I I  may be coated wjtkt a 'jllitzgbli J'P"V'D FckiONBEE?Q* prim as^ 
epoxy and cured tliv\ o proti& an air-tight se,,i Once R$>W.al D f I-rEWN, A:si tant Exanliner 
lhc internal prcs,su ~s txiillrlg vtithlni: the  solan firrnace 
or  simulator 25 are seduced to a \alui: below the extertgai U.S. C1. X.R. 
plessures: existing wttholit the simulator, a force rkjsultlng 70 11-6--2'70; 35%-253 


High temperature lens construction Patent

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