Mirror adjustment method and apparatus
AssigneeConcord Camera Corp.
InventorLothar Westerweck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for aligning an optical element in an optical sub-assembly is provided. Pivoting fine tuning plates connected to the main body of the sub-assembly are used to set the height and angle of the optical element. The optical element is connected on a pin through the optical element frame between two portions of the main body. Pivoting the fine tuning plate with a cam causes the optical element pin to cant, adjusting the position and/or angle of the optical element. In one embodiment of the present invention, a laser may be used to better align the optical element.
Claims19
An optical element sub-assembly, comprising:
- a first main body portion;
- a second main body portion fixed substantially parallel to said first main body portion;
- a fine tuning plate moveably fixed to said second main body portion, said fine tuning plate;
- an optical element frame;
- an optical element set in said optical element frame;
- a pin having a first end attached to said first main body portion, an opposite second end attached to said fine tuning plate and said optical element frame attached therebetween;
- a mechanism to move said fine tuning plate relative to said second main body portion;
- and
- whereby movement of said fine tuning plate results in the movement of said optical element frame on said pin.
A method of aligning an optical element in an optical element sub-assembly, comprising the steps of:
- providing an optical element sub-assembly, comprising,
- a first main body portion;
- a second main body portion fixed substantially parallel to said first main body portion;
- a fine tuning plate moveably fixed to said second main body portion;
- an optical element frame;
- an optical element set in said optical element frame;
- a pin having a first end attached to said first main body portion, an opposite second end attached to said fine tuning plate and said optical element frame attached therebetween;
- a mechanism to move said fine tuning plate relative to said second main body portion;
- directing a laser beam at a desired position of said optical element;
- moving said fine tuning plate relative to said second body member with said cam member to bring said optical element in alignment with said laser beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.