Appeal No. 97-1703
Application 08/382,432
The invention relates to a method for forming the primary
and tertiary mirrors of a three-mirror optical system. Claim 9
is illustrative and reads as follows:
9. A method of fabricating the primary and tertiary
mirrors of a three-mirror optical system having a primary mirror,
a second mirror and a tertiary mirror, the primary and tertiary
mirrors having different surface contours, the method comprising
the steps of:
a) selecting a pre-shaped substrate of suitable material
and defining a common vertex on said substrate for said primary
and tertiary mirrors;
b) turning said substrate about an axis through said
vertex and applying a cutting tool to a selected surface of said
substrate;
c) controlling the axial position of said cutting tool
while moving said cutting tool radially relative to said axis to
form a selected surface shape of said primary mirror;
d) controlling the axial position of said cutting tool
while continuing to move said cutting tool radially relative to
said axis to form a selected surface shape of said tertiary
mirror; thereby leaving a unitary substrate having said primary
and tertiary mirrors formed integrally thereon.
The references relied upon by the examiner as evidence of
obviousness are:
Douglass et al. (Douglass) 4,343,206 Aug. 10, 1982
Korsch 4,737,021 Apr. 12, 1988
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