Axial-symmetric joint of high thermal load capacity

Details Axial-symmetric joint of high thermal load capacity Axial-symmetric joint of high thermal load capacity

1992-11-18

1995-01-03

Sugarman, Scott J.

Optical: systems and elements

Lens

With support

359819, G02B 702

Patent

active

053791550

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an axial-symmetric joint of high thermal load capacity, especially of a lens and a cylindrical lens mounting.
If a cylindrical body, which is mounted in a ring, expands less than the ring on heating because of different thermal expansion coefficients, an existing gap between ring and cylinder becomes larger with the increase in temperature.
If the gap between the ring and cylinder is filled with cured adhesive for fixing the cylinder, the adhesive is stretched with the change of gap thickness. Stretchings of this kind result in turn in stresses, which are transferred to the cylinder and to the ring. In the case of the cylinder this may be, for example, an optical lens or a shaft and in the case of the ring a lens mounting or a hub.
A mounting for optical lenses is known from German Patent 34 37 228 in which the materials of the four-part mounting are chosen with respect to their respective thermal expansion coefficients in such a manner that a stretching compensation results acting only in the axial direction of the lens. Radial extension differences are compensated in this known mounting by a permanently elastic casting compound and an elastically deformed "O" ring. Depending on the stiffness of these intermediate elements, stresses are caused by the elastic radial stretchings, which prevent an application of this mounting technology, especially for high-quality low-stress or stress-free microoptics for polarization equipment.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a joint in which neither structurally induced internal stresses nor temperature stresses caused by internal or external effects are transmitted to the central cylindrical mounting part in a radial direction (lens).


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This object is achieved with an axial-symmetrical joint of the type stated at the outset by the features stated in the characterizing part of the main claim. Other advantageous embodiments and applications are given in the subclaims.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
invention.


DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is described in the following with the aid of a schematic diagram.
The illustrated three-part joint consists of a cylindrical glass block ("first joint part"), which represents the glass lens 1. The optical axis of the lens 1 to be mounted is coincident with the axis 4 of the complete mounting system. The cylindrical mounting 2 ("second joint part") surrounds the lens 1 whilst maintaining a cylindrical distance space, which is filled by an intermediate ring 3 ("third Joint part"). Adhesive layers, which are not illustrated, may be present between the cylindrical inner wall 5 of the intermediate ring 3 and the lens 1, on the one hand, and between the cylindrical outer wall 6 of the intermediate ring 3 and the cylindrical inner wall of the mounting 2, on the other hand. The different shading chosen in the figure for the three joint parts makes clear the different material selection thereof (from outside towards axis 4): metallic material (mounting 2)--organic material (intermediate ring 3)--nonmetallic/inorganic material (lens 1).
For special configurations of the joint, according to the invention, apart from the mounting 2, the intermediate ring 3 may also consists of a metallic material (metal or metal alloy) for a lens 1 consisting of optical glass. Finally it is possible, with a joint containing a shaft and a hub, to produce the "first joint part" too, that is in the case just discussed the shaft, from, for example, a metallic material.
The joint part designated as intermediate ring 3 could in principle also consist of a very thick adhesive layer, though with the adhesives currently available this would present considerable problems with the mounting technoloy: the reaction shrinkage, which is manifested in the curing of these adhesives--especially with thick adhesive layers--builds up internal stresses. The adhesive layer thickness, which would correspond to the intermediate ring thickness, would

REFERENCES:
patent: 4147413 (1979-04-01), Sims et al.
patent: 4723833 (1988-02-01), Yamada
patent: 4861137 (1989-08-01), Nagata
patent: 5177641 (1993-01-01), Kobayashi et al.
patent: 5313333 (1994-05-01), O'Brien et al.

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