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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
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SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM
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The invention described herein is related to the field of optics experiments and engineering. In these applications, especially optic experiments, the alignment of each individual component must be extremely accurate. Optical tables serve as moveable mounting surface for precision optical instruments, providing an extremely flat work surface for such instruments. The table is constructed of high quality materials which prevent to resonating transmission of vibrations, provide extreme rigid stability for the attached instruments, and have high accuracy in repeatability for said experiments and engineering applications.
The device provides high precision X- and Z-axis motion using high load capacity positioning stages. The work surface can be precisely moved vertically and horizontally. Experimental apparatus' mounted on the work surface can therefore be positioned and oriented anywhere these dimensions within the limits of travel. These movements are accomplished by the combination of vertical linear actuators, utility jacks, and linear slides. These actuators combined comprise the manipulation system for the optical table. Each actuator is equipped with linear encoders.
The invention as described herein with references to subsequent drawings, contains similar reference characters intended to designate like elements throughout the depictions and several views of the depictions. It is understood that in some cases, various aspects and views of the invention may be exaggerated or blown up (enlarged) in order to facilitate a common understanding of the invention and its associated parts.
Provided herein is a detailed description of one embodiment of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied with various dimensions. Therefore, specific details enclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure, or manner.
As seen in
The breadboard used in this embodiment is the highest grade, research grade, from Newport Corporation to provide rock-solid stability and rigidity to support demanding research applications. When installed in this optical table application, it is mounted to four breadboard mounting surfaces 8, seen in
The system base frame 9 is comprised of welded tubular steel with a powder coated finish. To work in conjunction with the damping layers in the breadboard, the frame base is filled with sand to provide extra damping effects. The table comes with three casters the facilitate movement and positioning of the table. The frame is supported on four feet 10 when the table is in use. The feet are attached to the four table legs 11. As seen in
The table provides high precision X- and Z-axis motion using high capacity positioning stages. The work surface can be precisely moved vertically and horizontally. The experimental apparatus' that will be mounted to the work surface can therefore be positioned and oriented anywhere these dimensions within the limits of travel. These movements are accomplished by an arrangement of two arrangements of stepper-motor-actuated jacks and slides, two free slides, and two separate jacks attached via spherical bearings 8, seen in
The stepper-motor-actuated jacks 16 used in this embodiment are four precision crossed roller jacks, seen in
The stepper-motor-actuated slides 17 used in this embodiment are two precision crossed roller slides, seen in
The stepper motor controllers used for both the high precision jacks and high precision slides are high-performance, integrated motion controllers and drivers offering outstanding trajectory accuracy and exceptional programming functionality. The controller and driver combines simplicity of operation with advanced features to precisely control the most diverse displacement and synchronize them via measurement, command, or external acquisition strings. Supplying 500 Watts of motor driver power, the stepper motor controller and driver can handle up to four axes of motion using any combination of slides and jacks, although in this application, only two axes are required.
This table facilitates to use of linear encoders, sensors which encode a position, which can be decoded into a position by a motion controller. The linear encoders used in this application are Numerik Jena LIK21 series encoders, considered to be in the compact model range. These encoders have extremely small dimensions of scanning head for crowded installation conditions, high insensitivity to contamination of scale tapes due to two optical sensors in the scanning head, as well as high resolution and accuracy [2]. The use of encoders ensures accuracy and repeatability of jacks and slides positioning to a resolution of 0.1 microns.
The overall table has a load capacity of 454 kilograms (approximately 1000 pounds) when the load is centered. The travel limits of the slides and jacks are set to specification based upon the movement required of the optical equipment attached to the breadboard work surface and experimental requirements, but change with table position in the X- and Z-direction. The pitch (rotation in the vertical plane) has a resolution of 0.1 μrad range +/−100 μrad. The roll (rotation in the horizontal plane) has a resolution of 0.1 μrad range +/−100 μrad. The yaw (rotation around the vertical axis) has a resolution of 0.1 μrad range +/−100 μrad. Vertical travel maximum is ten inches. Horizontal travel maximum is two inches. The slides horizontal actuator full step resolution is 5 microns. The jacks horizontal actuator full step resolution is 1.25 microns.