Thermal compensator assembly

Details Thermal compensator assembly Thermal compensator assembly

1977-12-14

1979-08-28

Evans, F. L.

G02B 702

Patent

active

041659180

ABSTRACT:
A thermal compensator assembly employed in an optical system to adjust the relative location of lens elements to maintain a preset focus as the ambient temperature changes. A serpentine channel, having several elongated channel portions parallel to the optic axis, contains a plurality of spherical elements throughout most of its length. The serpentine channel is formed on the surface of a first lens barrel, having a relatively high linear coefficient of expansion, and changes in length as the first lens barrel changes in response to ambient temperature change. The spherical elements are made of a material such as Kovar or Invar, having a relatively low linear coefficient of expansion, and therefore occupy a substantially fixed length with respect to the responsively changing length of the serpentine channel. A second lens barrel is bias mounted for movement with respect to the first lens barrel so as to abut the spherical elements within the serpentine channel.

REFERENCES:
patent: 1325936 (1919-12-01), Fouasse
patent: 2533478 (1950-12-01), Lee et al.
patent: 2537900 (1951-01-01), Lee et al.
patent: 3205774 (1965-09-01), Estes
patent: 3484718 (1969-12-01), Foster
patent: 3612664 (1971-10-01), Berman
patent: 3671108 (1972-06-01), Kilgus

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