Precision optical mounts

Details Precision optical mounts Precision optical mounts

2000-09-21

2001-10-16

Epps, Georgia (Department: 2873)

Optical: systems and elements

Lens

With support

C359S819000, C359S823000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06304393

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to precision optical mounts that carry and reliably position an optical element (e.g. a mirror or a prism), so that a plurality of such optical mounts can be arranged in a compact and optically efficient system wherein space consumption is minimized without introducing distortion.
2. Background Art
Referring to
FIG. 1
of the drawings, optical mounts
1
are known which include a generally solid, rectangular back plate
2
and a face plate
4
. The back and face plates
2
and
4
are coupled in spaced facing alignment with one another. The face plate
4
carries an optical element
6
(e.g. a mirror) and is adapted to be moved by means of rotatable knobs
8
having threaded shafts
10
that extend through the back plate
2
to be advanced into contact with face plate
4
and thereby impart a tilting or translational movement to the face plate so that the position of the optical element
6
may be correspondingly changed relative to an incident beam of optical energy,.
As a consequence of the solid, rectangular configuration of the face plate
4
, two or more of the optical mounts
1
must be spaced from one another by a relatively large distance. Moreover, a relatively wide angle &agr;
1
is introduced to the reflected beam that is transmitted between the optical element
6
of the opposing optical mounts
1
. The aforementioned large distance d
1
and the large angle of reflection &agr;
1
is caused by the necessity of having to separate the optical mounts
1
and adjust the position of the optical elements
6
to ensure that the reflected optical energy will not be intercepted and blocked by the rectangular face plate
4
. As a result of the foregoing, the space consumed by a plurality of the optical mounts
1
is undesirably large making the optical system inefficient for use in applications where only a small space is available.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first embodiment of the invention, a precision optical mount is disclosed having a generally L-shaped back plate that is coupled in spaced, facing alignment to a generally C-shaped face plate by means of a pair of plate positioning springs. A set of interchangeable modular actuators extends through the back plate to contact the face plate so that the face plate can be moved (i.e. tilted) relative to the back plate. The face plate has a centrally disposed optics carrying seat at which an optical element (e.g. a mirror) is held by a three point kinematic support including a pair of hard optic contacts and a nylon tipped retaining screw so that a movement of the face plate by the actuators is imparted to the optical element. By virtue of the L-shaped back plate and C-shaped face plate, an optical mount is available wherein a common corner or quadrant of each plate is open or clear so that a beam of optical energy can be transmitted therethrough without being intercepted and blocked in order to facilitate the construction of a compact and optically efficient system in which a plurality of opposing optical mounts can be arranged in close proximity to one another.
According to a second embodiment of the invention, a precision optical mount is disclosed having a solid rectangular face plate coupled in spaced facing alignment to the aforementioned L-shaped back plate so as to be moveable relative thereto. A unique adapter disk is affixed to the back plate and cradled between the legs thereof. A threaded hole extends axially through the adapter disk to enable the back plate to be used as a horizontal mounting platform. A threaded rod, or the like, extends from a support surface (e.g. a table or a post) to be attached to the adapter disk at the threaded hole thereof, whereby to retain the face plate above the support surface so as to be advantageously permit an optical element (e.g. a prism) to rest thereupon. The base of a clamp extends through another hole that is formed at a corner of the rectangular face plate by which to permit the optical element to be reliably held on the face plate.
According to a third embodiment of the invention, a precision optical mount is disclosed having the aforementioned L-shaped and C-shaped back and face plates coupled to one another in spaced facing alignment. An optics holder is detachably connected to the moveable face plate by means of a mounting platform that is retained by the three point support at the centrally disposed optics carrying seat of the face plate. The optics holder receives and positions an optical element (e.g. a mirror) such that the front face of the optical element is held in alignment with a plane along which the actuators of the back plate contact the face plate to impart a movement thereto. Moreover, the point at which the optical element is connected to the optics holder is offset relative to the coplanar alignment of the face of the optical element with the contact points of the actuators. By virtue of the foregoing, the optical element is adapted for true gimballed motion when the face plate is moved by a pair of actuators relative to the back plate.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3897139 (1975-07-01), Caruolo et al.
patent: 4842397 (1989-06-01), Eisler
patent: 4913527 (1990-04-01), Jessop
patent: 4988165 (1991-01-01), Ishii et al.
patent: 5140470 (1992-08-01), Luecke
patent: 5757561 (1998-05-01), Sechrist et al.
patent: 5930057 (1999-07-01), Sechrist et al.
patent: 6016230 (2000-01-01), Nunnally et al.
patent: 6198580 (2001-03-01), Dallakian

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