Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Optical or pre-photocell system
Patent
1988-03-30
1989-11-07
Nelms, David C.
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Optical or pre-photocell system
250216, G01J 120
Patent
active
048794600
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a gyrostabilized optical deflection device for use for in the transmission path from/to a transmitter and/or receiver of radiant energy, preferably electromagnetic radiation, to provide transmission and/or reception of the said energy in a directed radiation sensitivity lobe, which device is mounted within an envelope which during operation of the device may be subjected to motions relative to fixed spatial reference directions. Such device comprises a movable deflection body having a spherical outer contour and which is seated in a spherical recess in a housing fixedly connected to the envelope, so that it is free to move in three rotational degrees of freedom in such recess, means being provided for imparting to the said body a rapid spin rotation about a spin axis which substantially coincides with the direction of the transmitted or received radiation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a device used in a target seeker for projectiles is described in Swedish Pat. No. SE 8502509-6. The movable deflection body therein has a reflecting plane surface or mirror adapted to reflect outgoing or incoming electromagnetic energy from/to a transmitter and/or receiver. In order to be able to direct the radiation sensitivity lobe of such reflection in any desired direction, the said body is adapted to cooperate with a two-axis magnetic torque generator which can transfer torques to the body about two mutually perpendicular axes relative to the spin axis. By its rotation about the spin axis the said deflection body at the same time serves as a gyrostabilized platform. Such a gyro stabilized platform used as deflection device for outgoing or incoming radiation can be utilized in many applications. One application is that mentioned in the said patent, namely as a gyrostabilized platform in target seekers for projectiles. Another application is anti-aircraft sights mounted on guns and also other types of sights. In common to these applications is that it is a desired that outgoing and/or incoming radiation shall remain in a fixed direction despite small angular movements of the envelope in which the device is mounted. In many applications it is furthermore a requirement that it shall be possible to adjust the radiation sensitivity lobe to any desired direction by controlled movement of the platform relative to its own space reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to solve these problems by means of a deflection device which is mechanically more simple and less bulky than that described in the Swedish Pat. No. SE 8502509-6.
According to the invention this is achieved by means of a device of the kind as described in the opening paragraph, characterized in, that the deflection body rotating about the spin axis, is a gyro rotor which in combination with the housing seat which supports the rotor constitutes an adjustable diffraction prism for the radiation. At least a central part of the gyro rotor and the said seat, where the radiation passes, is a prism transparent to the radiation, the seat having a fixed prism wall serving as an input/output surface for the radiation and the gyro rotor having an adjustable prism wall also serving as an output/input surface. The refractive index of the materials said parts of the of which the said parts of the rotor and seat prisms are made is selected so that an angular change in direction of the spin axis of the gyro rotor results in a corresponding angular change in direction of the radiation sensitivity lobe for the outgoing and/or incoming radiation.
By its free support in the spherical recess the gyro rotor will serve as a so called two-axis gyroscope, in which besides its spin rotation the rotor is free to make angular motions about two mutually perpendicular axes relative to the spin axis perpendicular axes. In such a two-axis gyroscope the rotor tends to maintain its angular position in a fixed spatial coordinate system independently of small angular motions of the en
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Astrom Anders F.
Engding Alf E.
Schleimann-Jensen Lars J.
Eason Leroy
Nelms David C.
Oen William L.
Tamoshunas Algy
U.S. Philips Corporation
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