Claims
- 1. An adjustable link for a kinematic mounting system, comprising:
- a pair of internally threaded spheres,
- a pair of socket support members for retaining said spheres,
- a pair of adjustable means for retaining said spheres in said socket support members, and
- a connecting link having threads at each end thereof, said threaded ends of said connecting link being adjustably mounted in said internally threaded spheres,
- said connecting link being provided with a constrained layer damping arrangement for dissipating vibrational energy.
- 2. The adjustable link of claim 1, wherein said connecting link includes at least a hollow section, a rod positioned in said hollow section, and a viscoelastic layer separating said hollow section of said connecting link and said rod, thereby forming said constrained layer damping arrangement.
- 3. The adjustable link of claim 1, wherein each of said socket support members includes a curved surface for providing a thin ring of contact with said sphere.
- 4. The adjustable link of claim 3, wherein each of said socket support members is of a gothic arch configuration.
- 5. The adjustable link of claim 1, wherein each of said adjustable retaining means comprises a clamping nut having an opening therethrough through which said connecting link extends, said opening including a curved surface in contact with said sphere.
- 6. The adjustable link of claim 1, wherein each of said socket support members includes a plurality of spaced apertures for attachment thereof to a point of use, and an opening having a plurality of different diameter sections, said opening including a curved surface interconnecting two of said plurality of different diameter sections, said curved surface forming a thin ring of contact with said sphere.
- 7. The adjustable link of claim 6, wherein an outer section of one of said plurality of different diameter sections is threaded.
- 8. The adjustable link of claim 7, wherein each of said adjustable retaining means comprises a clamping nut having a central opening and at least a partially threaded outer side surface, said central opening including a curved surface for contact with said sphere, said threaded outer side surface of said clamping nut being threaded into said threaded section of said socket support member.
- 9. The adjustable link of claim 1, wherein each of said spheres includes a threaded opening extending therethrough, whereby said threaded ends of said connecting link may be adjustably threaded through and extend from said threaded opening in said sphere.
- 10. An adjustable link for a kinematic mounting system, comprising:
- a pair of internally thread spheres,
- a pair of socket support members for retaining said spheres,
- a pair of adjustable means for retaining said spheres in said socket support members, and
- a connecting link having threads at each end thereof, said threaded ends of said connecting link being adjustably mounted in said internally threaded spheres;
- each of said spheres including flexural cuts for providing preloading of the sphere in the socket support member and preloading of the threads therein.
- 11. In a kinematic mounting device having a pair of support members and a linkage therebetween, the improvement comprising:
- a pair of spheres adjustably secured in the support members, each of said spheres having a threaded opening therein,
- a link having threaded end sections, said threaded end sections being adjustably poisitioned in said threaded openings in said spheres; and
- adjustable clamping means for adjustably securing said spheres in said support members;
- said link being provided with a constrained layer damping arrangement for dissipating vibrational energy.
- 12. The improvement of claim 11, wherein each of said spheres includes flexural cuts for providing preloading of the spheres and the threads of the threaded openings.
- 13. In the kinematic mounting device of claim 11, said support members each being provided with an opening defining a socket in which said spheres are retained, each of said opening including a curved surface to provide a thin ring of contact with said spheres.
- 14. In the kinematic mounting device of claim 13, said support members each defining a gothic arch shaped socket having a plurality of apertures for mounting said support members to a point of use.
- 15. The improvement of claim 11, wherein said link includes at least a hollow section, a rod positioned in said hollow section, and a viscoelastic separation layer, defining said constrained layer damping arrangement.
Government Interests
The United States Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. W-7405-ENG-48 between the United States Department of Energy and the University of California for the operation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2660714 |
Oct 1991 |
FRX |