Optical: systems and elements – Mirror – With support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-10
2001-09-25
Sikder, Mohammad (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Mirror
With support
C359S872000, C359S873000, C359S846000, C359S847000, C359S848000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293682
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active support mechanism for supporting a thin reflecting panel included in, for example, a radio telescope and, more particularly, to a reflecting panel adjusting mechanism capable of adjusting the inclination and height of a thin, lightweight reflecting panel without adversely affecting the accuracy of the reflecting panel and of absorbing the thermal distortion of the reflecting panel without forcibly restraining the reflecting panel from moving.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 8A
is a schematic plan view of a conventional reflecting panel adjusting mechanism.
FIG. 8B
is a sectional view taken on a line passing parts
35
a
and
36
in FIG.
8
A.
FIG. 8C
is a schematic sectional view taken on a vertical line passing a part
34
. The reflecting panel adjusting mechanism supports a reflecting panel at four points on two thin, leaf springs, one rod spring and a fixed member.
Shown in
FIGS. 8A
,
8
B and
8
C are a reflecting panel
1
, a fixed point
34
for restraining the reflecting panel
1
from movement in a horizontal plane and from rotation, holding points
35
a
and
35
b
of leaf springs for absorbing the thermal distortion of the reflecting panel
1
in the directions of the arrows
46
and
47
, respectively. The leaf spring provided at the holding point
35
b
has a low rigidity with respect to the directions of the arrows
39
and a high rigidity with respect to the directions of the arrows
40
.
Reference numeral
36
denotes a rod spring as a supporting portion that absorbs the thermal distortion of the reflecting panel
1
in all directions including the direction of the arrow
48
. The rod spring
36
has a low rigidity with respect to directions indicated by the arrows
41
and
42
. Reference numeral
9
denotes jacks for adjusting the inclination and height of the reflecting panel
1
.
Reference numeral
44
denotes a leaf spring. The leaf spring
44
is easy to bend in the directions of the arrow
37
, and the same is difficult to bend in the directions of the arrow
38
. Reference numeral
45
denotes a large-diameter rigid rod for fixation.
When adjusting the height of the reflecting panel
1
, the jacks
9
are operated simultaneously to move the reflecting panel
1
vertically. When adjusting the inclination of the reflecting panel
1
, jacks
9
are extended or contracted according to necessity. A spherical washer
49
is interposed between the jack
9
and the leaf spring
44
to enable the leaf spring
44
to tilt. In this time, the springs are distorted to absorb a change in the inclination of the reflecting panel
1
and changes in distances between the support points.
The reflecting panel
1
makes thermal expansion in the directions of the arrows
46
,
47
and
48
from the fixed point
34
to relieve thermal stress induced therein by thermal distortion. Since the reflecting panel
1
is supported by the springs having a low rigidity with respect to those directions, the reflecting panel
1
is able to make uniform thermal expansion without being significantly distorted. Therefore, the accuracy of the reflecting mirror surface is not significantly deteriorated.
When adjusting the inclination of the reflecting panel by the reflecting panel adjusting mechanism thus constructed, the reflecting panel is distorted by the reactive forces of the distorted leaf springs and the rod spring if the reflecting panel is very thin and lightweight and is required to have a high accuracy, whereby the accuracy of the reflecting mirror surface is deteriorated.
Similarly to the case of relieving thermal stress, if the reflecting panel is thin and lightweight and has a low rigidity susceptible to the rigidities at the support points, the thermal distortion of the reflecting panel cannot be properly absorbed and the accuracy of the reflecting mirror surface is deteriorated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to solve the foregoing problems and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a reflecting panel adjusting mechanism capable of tilting a precision, thin, lightweight reflecting panel without exerting detrimental forces from support points to the reflecting panel and of maintaining the accuracy of the mirror surfaces of the reflecting panel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a reflecting panel adjusting mechanism capable of relieving thermal stress induced in a reflecting panel due to the thermal distortion thereof, of allowing the reflecting panel to move as a rigid body when the same is distorted by heat, of preventing the action of reactive forces of the supports on the reflecting panel and of keeping the accuracy of the mirror surface of the reflecting panel unchanged.
The above objects of the present invention are achieved by a reflecting panel adjusting mechanism described below. The mechanism includes a support device for supporting a reflecting panel at three points through spherical bearings. Each of the spherical bearings is rotatable in all directions and provided on turning axes each of which turns only in a certain direction. The mechanism also includes an adjusting device for moving the turning axes of the support device vertically so as to adjust inclination and height of the reflecting panel.
The above objects of the present invention are achieved by a reflecting panel adjusting mechanism described below. The mechanism includes a support device for supporting a reflecting panel at four points so that the reflecting panel is able to turn in all directions. The mechanism also includes an adjusting device for vertically moving the support device. One of the four points corresponding to a center of the reflecting panel is kept stationary while the other three points are moved vertically by the adjusting device when adjusting the inclination of the reflecting panel. The four points are moved simultaneously vertically by the adjusting device when adjusting the height of the reflecting panel.
Other objects and further features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4632523 (1986-12-01), Knohl
patent: 5035497 (1991-07-01), Itoh
patent: 5411617 (1995-05-01), La Fiandra
patent: 5642237 (1997-06-01), Miyawaki et al.
patent: 5831780 (1998-11-01), Krim
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Sikder Mohammad
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