Positioning system for components of optical systems
AssigneeCognex Corporation
InventorsAndrew Goodale, Andrew Parrett, John Filhaber, Benjamin Braker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A positioning system for an optical system can include a support frame and a flexure arrangement. The flexure arrangement can be configured to secure an optical-system component relative to a support frame, with the optical-system component in a first orientation. The flexure arrangement can be configured to resiliently deform, upon application of a transient stress to the optical system, to move the optical-system component relative to the support frame along at least one degree of freedom. The flexure arrangement can be configured to return the optical-system component to the first orientation upon removal of the transient stress.
Claims20
A positioning system for a three-dimensional (3D) measurement system that includes a projection system with a projection target and a projector that defines a projector focal plane, and an imaging system with an imaging sensor and a lens arrangement that defines an imaging focal plane, the imaging system being configured to interoperate with the projection system to execute 3D measurements, the positioning system comprising:
- a support frame;
- a first flexure arrangement configured to secure the projection target relative to the support frame, the first flexure arrangement including a plurality of flexures that permit two-dimensional (2D) movement of the projection target within the projector focal plane and that prevent movement of the projection target out of the projector focal plane, in response to transient stresses on the 3D measurement system;
- and
- a second flexure arrangement, spaced apart from the first flexure arrangement along the support frame, the second flexure arrangement including a fixed constraint and a single flexure arm that direct movement of the imaging sensor substantially along a single movement dimension within the imaging focal plane and that prevent movement of the imaging sensor out of the imaging focal plane, in response to transient stresses on the 3D measurement system.
A positioning system for an optical system that includes an optical-system component that forms part of a projection or imaging system, the positioning system comprising:
- a support frame;
- and
- a flexure arrangement configured to secure the optical-system component relative to the support frame with the optical-system component in a first orientation, to resiliently deform, upon application of a transient stress to the optical system, to move the optical-system component relative to the support frame along at least one degree of freedom, and to return the optical-system component to the first orientation upon removal of the transient stress;
- the flexure arrangement including:
- first and second flexure arms extending in parallel with each other, from respective first and second anchor points at the support frame to respective first and second attachment points at the optical-system component;
- and
- a third flexure arm extending perpendicularly to the first and second flexure arms, from a third anchor point at the support frame to a third attachment point at the optical-system component;
- the first and second attachment points being aligned on a first centerline of the optical-system component;
- and
- the third attachment point being aligned on a second centerline of the optical-system component.
A positioning system for an optical system that includes an optical-system component that forms part of a projection or imaging system, the positioning system comprising:
- a support frame;
- and
- a flexure arrangement configured to secure the optical-system component relative to the support frame with the optical-system component in a first orientation, to resiliently deform, upon application of a transient stress to the optical system, to move the optical-system component relative to the support frame along at least one degree of freedom, and to return the optical-system component to the first orientation upon removal of the transient stress;
- the flexure arrangement including:
- a single flexure arm secured to the optical-system component at a first attachment point;
- and
- a single rigid constraint that secures the optical-system component to the support frame;
- wherein a reference line that extends between the first attachment point and the single rigid constraint extends through an optical axis of the optical system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.