Active/adaptive actuator design of an adaptive optic mirror

Abstract

A method and tool to smooth surface contours uses a fixed back plate mounted at a known distance to an actuator holding plate. Each of the actuators is mounted in said actuation holding plate by a support collar threaded into said actuator holding plate. Threaded with said support collar is an actuator holder with rigidly holds an actuator. A differential threaded adjustment device is then inserted through said fixed back plate and connected to say support collar and actuator holder so that each can be moved independently of the other. The actuator is made of two piezoelectric plates connected in parallel and seperated by a silicon rubber o-ring.

1 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror comprising: 
 A. A case mounted next to said adaptive optic mirror;    B. a holding plate with a preset plurality of openings rigidly mounted within said case;    C. a calibration mounting plate rigidly placed in said case such that said holding plate is between said calibration mounting plate and said adaptive optic mirror, said calibration mounting plate having a plurality of openings matching in number those in said holding plate and axially aligned with said openings in said holding plate;    D. a plurality of support collars, one each mounted in each of said openings in said holding plate;    E. a plurality of differential threads, one each threaded into each of said support collars;    F. a plurality of actuator holders one each threaded into each of said differential threads;    G. a plurality of actuators, one each mounted to each of said actuator holders and operably connected to said adaptive optic mirror;    H. a first adjustment handle which fits through said openings in said calibration mounting plate such that it operably connects to said support collars, one at a time, so as to turn said support collars; and    I. a second adjustment handle which is inserted through said first adjustment handle so it operably connects to said differential thread while said first adjustment handle is operable connected to the support collar threaded to said differential thread so as to turn said differential thread independently of turns to said support collar.    
   
   
       2 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 1  further comprising said case, holding plate, and calibration mounting plate all made of cyanate ester composites with matching coefficients of thermal expansion.  
   
   
       3 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 1  where said actuators are mounted between two push-pull rods to connect each actuator to its respective actuator holder and to said adaptive optic mirror.  
   
   
       4 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 2  where said actuators are mounted between two push-pull rods to connect each actuator to its respective actuator holder and to said adaptive optic mirror.  
   
   
       5 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 1  further comprising said case, holding plate, and calibration mounting plate all made of carbon-silicon-carbon composites with matching coefficients of thermal expansion.  
   
   
       6 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 5  where said actuators are mounted between two push-pull rods to connect each actuator to its respective actuator holder and to said adaptive optic mirror.  
   
   
       7 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 1  wherein each of said plurality of actuators comprises two piezoelectric plates electrically connected in parallel and having a silicon rubber o-ring separating them.  
   
   
       8 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 2  wherein each of said plurality of actuators comprises two piezoelectric plates electrically connected in parallel and having a silicon rubber o-ring separating them.  
   
   
       9 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 3  wherein each of said plurality of actuators comprises two piezoelectric plates electrically connected in parallel and having a silicon rubber o-ring separating them.  
   
   
       10 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 4  wherein each of said plurality of actuators comprises two piezoelectric plates electrically connected in parallel and having a silicon rubber o-ring separating them.  
   
   
       11 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 5  wherein each of said plurality of actuators comprises two piezoelectric plates electrically connected in parallel and having a silicon rubber o-ring separating them.  
   
   
       12 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 6  wherein each of said plurality of actuators comprises two piezoelectric plates electrically connected in parallel and having a silicon rubber o-ring separating them.  
   
   
       13 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror comprising: 
 A. A case mounted next to said adaptive optic mirror;    B. a holding plate with a preset plurality of openings rigidly mounted within said case;    C. a calibration mounting plate rigidly placed in said case such that said holding plate is between said calibration mounting plate and said adaptive optic mirror, said calibration mounting plate having a plurality of openings matching in number those in said holding plate and axially aligned with said openings in said holding plate;    D. a plurality of support collars, one each rigidly mounted in each of said openings in said holding plate;    E. a plurality of differential threads, one each threaded into each of said support collars;    F. a plurality of actuator holders one each threaded into each of said differential threads;    G. a plurality of actuators, one each mounted to each of said actuator holders and operably connected to said adaptive optic mirror;    H. a plurality of first adjustment handles, one each connected to said differential threads so said differential thread may be screwed through a rigidly mounted support collar; and    I. a plurality of second adjustment handles, one each connected to each of said actuator holders such that said actuator holder may be screwed through said differential thread.    
   
   
       14 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 13  further comprising said case, holding plate, and calibration mounting plate all made of cyanate ester composites with matching coefficients of thermal expansion.  
   
   
       15 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 13  where said actuators are mounted between two push-pull rods to connect each actuator to its respective actuator holder and to said adaptive optic mirror.  
   
   
       16 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 14  where said actuators are mounted between two push-pull rods to connect each actuator to its respective actuator holder and to said adaptive optic mirror.  
   
   
       17 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 13  further comprising said case, holding plate, and calibration mounting plate all made of carbon-silicon-carbon composites with matching coefficients of thermal expansion.  
   
   
       18 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 14  where said actuators are mounted between two push-pull rods to connect each actuator to its respective actuator holder and to said adaptive optic mirror.  
   
   
       19 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 13  wherein each of said plurality of actuators comprises two piezoelectric plates electrically connected in parallel and having a silicon rubber o-ring separating them.  
   
   
       20 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 14  wherein each of said plurality of actuators comprises two piezoelectric plates electrically connected in parallel and having a silicon rubber o-ring separating them.  
   
   
       21 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 15  wherein each of said plurality of actuators comprises two piezoelectric plates electrically connected in parallel and having a silicon rubber o-ring separating them.  
   
   
       22 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 16  wherein each of said plurality of actuators comprises two piezoelectric plates electrically connected in parallel and having a silicon rubber o-ring separating them.  
   
   
       23 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 17  wherein each of said plurality of actuators comprises two piezoelectric plates electrically connected in parallel and having a silicon rubber o-ring separating them.  
   
   
       24 . An active/adaptive actuator for an adaptive optic mirror as described in  claim 18  wherein each of said plurality of actuators comprises two piezoelectric plates electrically connected in parallel and having a silicon rubber o-ring separating them.  
   
   
       25 . An actuator comprising a piezoelectric plate with a base material coated with a piezoelectric coating such that when a voltage is applied across said base and said coating that said piezoelectric plate may bend as a bimetallic strip.  
   
   
       26 . An actuator for low voltage use comprising: 
 A. Two piezoelectric plates electrically connected in parallel, and    B. a silicon rubber o-ring placed between said two piezoelectric plates such that two piezoelectric plates may bow towards one another as well as away from one another depending on the voltage applied to them.