Kinematic mount
US4929073A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 12, 1988 |
| Grant date | May 29, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 12, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T403/32057
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical element (10) is mounted and aligned with minimum strain and distortion within a support (12) to which at least three mounts (14) are attached and spaced 120.degree. about the periphery of the optical element. Each mount comprises a spherical disc (16) spherically contacting a spherical surface (30) on a seat (20) which is linearly moveable within a housing (18). Each disc abuts and supports the optical element. Any loading exerted on the support causes the discs to rotate with respect to the seats and the seats to reciprocate with respect to the annular disc-retaining housings to prevent such loadings from being transmitted to the optical element, thereby enabling the optical element to maintain a chosen, strain-free orientation with pressure on the spherical disc being evenly distributed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.