1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a precision optical mount. It is adjustable with a removable tool set and non-adjustable as removing the tool set. It is a precision adjustable (both tilt-able for angle adjustment and around axis rotate-able), highly compact and solid lockable optical mount that reliably carries an optical element (e.g. a mirror, prism, lens, wave-plate, filter and the like). So that a plurality of such optical mount can be arranged into a compact and optical efficient system wherein the stability is strengthened. The space consumption is minimized. Non-distortion is introduced.
2. Description of Related Arts
Referring to
Referring to
Conventional optical element mounts, such as those typically associated with optical components are generally not suitable to position optical elements utilized in like Laser applications. Typically, conventional adjustable optical element mounts are suspended from a base support structure by a system of screw jacks and springs.
Conventional optical mounts, an optical element are normally affixed to a plate that is suspended from and movable with respect to a backup support plate firmly mounted to an optical bench. If the optical mount setup in a laser system, since laser beams are generally directed to substantially horizontally, the optical element surface are typically perpendicular to gravitational forces. Thus, the optical elements are cantilevered from the surface of a support backup plate and must rigidly support a relatively heavy weight suspended wherefrom.
Conventional optical mounts for adjustment with tilting and rotating is separately operated by different mechanism. Combining the two mechanisms together can operate both tilting and rotating adjustment; the complicate mechanism occupies more space and lowers the reliability.
A series of springs in conventional mounts between the ridged support plate and the moveable plate from which the optical element (e.g. a mirror) is mounted provides a force that maintains one or more optical elements actuators and compression or tension, thereby stabilizing the optical element. However, conventional type spiral springs have little or no resistance to shear forces, which are large and heavy optical elements cantilevered from the rigid mount. Therefore, pins or ball type sockets are generally required to support the moveable plate. These supporting devices introduce frictional hysteresis that inherently reduces the required position accuracy of the optical elements.
Further, where screw type actuation is manually or mechanically manipulated to position the optical elements, some type of locking mechanism is required. During activation of the locking mechanism positioning errors may be introduced. For example, the simple procedure of tightening a setscrew to lock an optical element usually requires much tedious and time-consuming trial and error to align one or more mirrors to a desired setting.
Additionally, for example a laser, the efficiency of a laser is critically dependent on the angular alignment of the optical components defining the laser resonator. Mechanical vibrations and ambient temperature changes unavoidably transmitted to the optical mount assemblies jeopardize the mirror alignment of a field laser system.
There is a need for an optical element mount assembly that provides precision alignment and adjustment of an optical element. Further, there is a need for an optical element mount assembly where vibration, shock and changes in temperature minimally affect the alignment of the optical elements. It would be desirable to provide an optical element mount assembly, which the adjustment as a function mechanism that is removable as the optical element mount is adjusted and the optical elements mount totally are final set to reduce the affect from vibration, shock and temperature and to reduce mechanical hysteresis applied to a thread screws.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an optical mount assembly, which can eliminate the aforesaid disadvantages of known designs, and other problems found within the prior art, for a wide variety of optical device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical mount assembly, which the optical element can be angle adjusted or say tilted in any direction and rotated around the axis with specific tooling.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, a precision optical mount is disclosed having a generally stationary plate with a partial-spherical shaped hole, a generally movable plate with a partial-spherical shaped hole, an external-spherical round shaped circumference optical element carrier plate and a locking ring. By means of a pair of guiding mechanism, the partial-spherical hole of stationary plate is coupled in spacing, facing and co-axis alignment to the partial-spherical hole of the movable plate forms a space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity. The external-spherical round shaped circumference optical element carrier plate mates and fits in the space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity form a ball joint mechanism. The locking ring thread in the thread hole of the stationary plate to push and move the movable plate. Thus the space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity is adjusted and the external-spherical round shaped circumference optical element carrier plate is locked and therefore the optical element that has been carried thereby is locked.
According to a second embodiment of the invention, a precision optical mount is disclosed having a generally stationary plate with a conical shaped hole, a generally movable plate with a conical shaped hole, an external-spherical round shaped circumference optical element carrier plate and a locking ring. By means of a pair of guiding mechanism, the conical shaped hole of stationary plate is coupled in spacing, facing and co-axis alignment to the conical shaped hole of the movable plate forms a space adjustable combined internal-conical cavity. The external-spherical round shaped circumference optical element carrier plate mates and fits in the space adjustable combined internal-conical cavity form a ball joint mechanism. The locking ring thread in the thread hole of the stationary plate to push and move the movable plate. Thus the space adjustable combined internal-conical cavity is adjusted and the external-spherical round shaped circumference optical element carrier plate is locked and therefore the optical element that has been carried thereby is locked.
According to a third embodiment of the invention, a precision optical mount is disclosed having a generally stationary plate with a partial-spherical shaped hole, a generally movable plate with a partial-spherical shaped hole, an external-round column circumference and chamfered edges optical element carrier plate and a locking ring. By means of a pair of guiding mechanism, the partial-spherical hole of stationary plate is coupled in spacing, facing and co-axis alignment to the partial-spherical hole of the movable plate forms a space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity. An external-round column circumference and chamfered edges optical element carrier plate mates and fits in the space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity forms an angle tilt-able & around axis rotate-able joint pair mechanism. The locking ring thread in the thread hole of the stationary plate to push and move the movable plate. Thus the space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity is adjusted and the external-round column circumference and chamfered edges optical element carrier plate is locked and therefore the optical element that has been carried thereby is locked.
Advantages of these optical mounts according to the present invention include the aspect that an external-spherical round shaped circumference optical element carrier plate, which is constituted by a precision-machined external-spherical circumference shape and relative optical element carrier interface adapt, or external-round column circumference and chamfered edges optical element carrier plate, which is constituted by precision-machined external-round column circumference and chamfered edges and relative optical element carrier interface adapt, and the aspect that a space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity is formed by a movable plate, which is constituted by a precision machined partial-spherical shaped hole, and a stationary plate, which is constituted by a precision machined partial-spherical shaped hole, or a space adjustable combined internal-conical shaped cavity which is formed by a movable plate, which is constituted by a precision machined conical shaped hole, and a stationary plate, which is constituted by a precision machined conical shaped hole. It is necessary that any spring and/or ball for suspension are superfluous for a highly accurately position, highly precision, super-stability and reproducibility optical mount. A specially designed angle adjustable (or say tilt-able) and rotation around axis implement mechanism can be attached onto and removed from the optical element mount, so any threaded screws and springs for adjustment are not needed.
Another advantage of the present invention is the gravity center of optical element is overlap or close to the support centre to eliminate cantilever structure that the weight, vibration and shock will cause torsion and cause instability. Another advantage of the present invention is locking mechanism, which will keep the optical element in an accurate position and not affected by shock, vibration and temperature change. Also this locking will not cause any stress on optical element. Another advantage of the present invention has a very simple assembly structure for operating and maintenances.
The invention will now be described with reference to the Figures.
a & 3b are perspective views of the adjustable/non-adjustable precision optical mount according to a first embodiment of this invention.
The Adjustable/Non-adjustable Precision Optical Mounts 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is disclosed while referring concurrently to
As an important detail of the optical mount 100, the stationary plate has a partial-spherical shaped hole 240 (Best shown in
As another important detail of the optical mount 100, the movable plate 400 has a partial-spherical shaped hole 436 (Best shown in
Except for a partial-spherical shaped hole 240, the stationary plate has a non-circle step hole 252 as a guiding mechanism, a thread hole 262 as a locking ring guiding mechanism and a step mechanism 256 for position limit.
For the movable plate 400, except for the partial-spherical shaped hole 436, the movable plate has an external non-circle as a guiding mechanism 452 (Best shown in
For description accurately, suppose the larger side 235 of the partial-spherical shaped hole 240 of stationary plate 200 and the large side 425 of the partial-spherical shaped hole 436 of movable plate 400 are the bases of the partial-spherical shaped holes.
The Adjustable/Non-Adjustable Precision Optical Mounts 101 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is disclosed while referring concurrently to
As an important detail of the optical mount 101, the stationary plate has a conical shaped hole 210 (Best shown in
As another important detail of the optical mount 101, the movable plate 401 has a conical shaped hole 437 (Best shown in
Except for a conical shaped hole 210 of the stationary plate 201, the stationary plate 201 has a non-circle step hole 252 as a guiding mechanism, a thread hole 262 as locking ring guiding mechanism and a step mechanism 256 for position limit.
For the movable plate 401, except for the conical shaped hole 437, the movable plate has an external non-circle guiding mechanism 452 (Best shown in
For description accurately, suppose the larger side 236 of the conical shaped hole of stationary plate 201 and the large side 426 of conical shaped hole of movable plate 401 are the bases of the conical shaped holes.
The
The Adjustable/Non-adjustable Precision Optical Mounts 102 according to a third embodiment of the present invention is disclosed while referring concurrently to
The description of space adjustable combined internal-spherical cavity 250 references in [0041]
While the invention has illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character it being understood that only the preferred embodiment have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected. The articles “a”, “an”, “said” and “the” are not limited to a singular element, and include one or more element.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,757,561 “PRECISION OPTICAL MOUNTS” by Paul F. Sechrist etc. (Newport) shows Precision Optical Mounts that the L-shape back plate coupled in spaced, facing alignment to a generally C-shaped faceplate by means of a pair of plate positioning springs. A set of interchangeable modular actuators extends through the back plate to contact the faceplate so that the faceplate can be moved (i.e. tilted) relative to the back plate.