Self-deployable Baffle In The Optical System

Baffle is a key part for stray light suppression of an optical system. Only long baffle performswell enough in stray light suppression for some optical system, like Cassegrain system. However,the volume of a long baffle, which takes much inconvenience for its using in the spaceenvironment, is larger than the form baffles. Therefore, many methods of stray light suppressionare summarized in the article. And a novel method, in which self-deployable structure has beenintroduced to the long baffle, is advanced innovatively. Then a novel self-deployable baffle,which is able to fold in its free time and deploy into the style of long baffles for an optical system,is designed to solve the problem that long baffle takes too much space. The new baffle ensuresthat the long baffle can work normally and solves its using problems in space environment.In this paper, the design principle of baffles and vanes are researched. To achieve thebaffle’s folding and deploy, a method of several baffles nesting with each other is provided.Working principle of the self-deployable baffle is described in details. In the elastic drivingaspect, the relationship of a single spring and a spring’s module is derived. The structural andmechanical characteristics are computed and derived. And a method using deployable beams assupports and tape spring’s module as driving devices is presented to achieve self-lock of thebaffle.Then, design concepts of four different kinds of self-deployable baffles are referredaccording to an example. Two anterior baffles are self-deployable baffles without vane and thelatter two baffles are self-deployable baffles with vanes. Parameters of four baffles are concludedand compared. Software ASAP of stray light analysis is chosen to calculate the Point SourceTransmittances of four baffles. And their abilities of stray light suppression are evaluate andcompared.Finally, a self-deployable baffle without vane and another baffle with vanes are designed bythree-dimensional modeling software UG. The key parts of two baffles, such as sleeves, flexiblebeams, tape spring assembles, and connection boards, are introduced in details. Then, radialforce analysis and modal analysis of two baffles designed before are conducted with Workbench,a tool of Finite Element Method.