IP Library Granted Patent US 9,956,587
Granted Patent B2
US 9,956,587 · App. 15/250,823 · Granted May 1, 2018

Fabrication assembly and methods for fabricating composite mirror objects

Inventors: Rafael J. Zaldivar (Huntington Beach, CA); Geena L. Ferrelli (Los Angeles, CA); Hyun I. Kim (Brea, CA); Dhruv N. Patel (Cerritos, CA)
Assignee: The Aerospace Corporation
B05D3/06B05C9/02B05D3/145
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,956,587
App. No.
15/250,823
Granted
May 1, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A fabrication assembly comprises an apparatus that receives a composite substrate and a glass substrate having a surface with a release coating layer. A resin layer is deposited between the composite and glass substrates such that a first portion of the resin layer is positioned adjacent to a surface of the composite substrate and a second portion of the resin layer is positioned adjacent to the surface with the release coating layer to prevent aperture(s) from forming. A curing of the resin layer is conducted using electromagnetic radiation. A post-processing chamber receives the resin layer positioned between the composite substrate and the glass substrate and conducts another curing of the resin layer. The resin layer and the composite substrate are released from the glass substrate. Another deposition apparatus receives the resin layer and the composite substrate. A metallic coating is deposited to form a composite mirror object.

Claims (39)

1. A fabrication assembly comprising:

a first deposition apparatus configured to:

receive a composite substrate;

receive a glass substrate that includes a surface with a release coating layer;

deposit a resin layer between the composite substrate and the glass substrate such that a first portion of the resin layer is positioned adjacent to a surface of the composite substrate and a second portion of the resin layer is positioned adjacent to the surface with the release coating layer of the glass substrate to prevent at least one aperture from forming on the first and second portions of the resin layer; and

conduct a first curing of the resin layer using electromagnetic radiation for a predefined period of time;

a post-processing chamber coupled to said first deposition apparatus, wherein said post-processing chamber is configured to:

receive the resin layer positioned between the composite substrate and the glass substrate;

conduct a second curing of the resin layer; and

release the resin layer attached to the composite substrate from the glass substrate; and

a second deposition apparatus coupled to said post-processing chamber, wherein said second deposition apparatus is configured to receive the resin layer attached to the composite substrate and to deposit a metallic coating onto at least a portion of the resin layer attached to the composite substrate to form a composite mirror object.

2. The fabrication assembly of claim 1 , wherein the resin layer includes an ultraviolet resin layer.

3. The fabrication assembly of claim 1 , wherein said first deposition apparatus is configured to facilitate a spreading of the resin layer between the composite substrate and the glass substrate.

4. The fabrication assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure vessel coupled to said first deposition apparatus, wherein said pressure vessel is configured to combine at least one matrix material and at least one fiber material between a first steel substrate and a second steel substrate to generate the composite substrate.

5. The fabrication assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a treatment chamber coupled to said pressure vessel and to said first deposition apparatus, wherein said treatment chamber is configured to receive the composite substrate and to activate at least a portion of the composite substrate.

6. The fabrication assembly of claim 5 , wherein said treatment chamber is configured to activate at least a portion of the composite substrate using a plasma treatment.

7. The fabrication assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a third deposition apparatus coupled to said first deposition apparatus, wherein said third deposition apparatus is configured to:

combine a plurality of optical flat components to generate the glass substrate;

deposit a first coating on at least a portion of the glass substrate, wherein the first coating includes a long chain polymer coating to form the release coating layer; and

deposit a second coating on at least a portion of the glass substrate, wherein the second coating includes a short chain polymer coating to adjust at least one defective element in the release coating layer.

8. A fabrication assembly comprising:

a pressure vessel comprising at least one portion configured to combine at least one matrix material and at least one fiber material between a first steel substrate and a second steel substrate to generate a composite substrate;

a treatment chamber coupled to said pressure vessel, wherein said treatment chamber is configured to receive the composite substrate and to activate at least a portion of the composite substrate;

a first deposition apparatus coupled to said treatment chamber, wherein said first deposition apparatus is configured to:

receive the composite substrate;

receive a glass substrate that includes a release coating layer;

deposit a resin layer between the composite substrate and the glass substrate such that a first portion of the resin layer is positioned adjacent to a surface of the composite substrate and a second portion of the resin layer is positioned adjacent to the surface with the release coating layer of the glass substrate to prevent at least one aperture from forming on the first and second portions of the resin layer; and

conduct a curing of the resin layer using electromagnetic radiation for a predefined period of time;

a post-processing chamber coupled to said deposition apparatus, wherein said post-processing chamber is configured to:

receive the resin layer positioned between the composite substrate and the glass substrate;

conduct further curing of the resin layer; and

release the resin layer attached to the composite substrate from the glass substrate; and

a second deposition apparatus coupled to said post-processing chamber, wherein said second deposition apparatus is configured to receive the resin layer attached to the composite substrate and to deposit a metallic coating onto at least a portion of the resin layer attached to the composite substrate to form a composite mirror object.

9. The fabrication assembly of claim 8 , wherein the resin layer includes an ultraviolet resin layer.

10. The fabrication assembly of claim 8 , wherein said first deposition apparatus is configured to facilitate a spreading of the resin layer between the composite substrate and the glass substrate.

11. The fabrication assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a third deposition apparatus coupled to said first deposition apparatus, wherein said third deposition apparatus is configured to:

combine a plurality of optical flat components to generate the glass substrate;

deposit a first coating on at least a portion of the glass substrate, wherein the first coating includes a long chain polymer coating to form the release coating layer; and

deposit a second coating on at least a portion of the glass substrate, wherein the second coating includes a short chain polymer coating to adjust at least one defective element in the release coating layer.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Apr 10, 2019
From: THE AEROSPACE CORPORATION
To: GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
Reel/Frame 048845/0341 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2016
From: ZALDIVAR, RAFAEL J.; FERRELLI, GEENA L.; KIM, HYUN I.; PATEL, DHRUV N.
To: THE AEROSPACE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039570/0009 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180056327A1 · Mar 1, 2018