Optical alignment device and method of use
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorHoward M. Jamison
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Abstract
An optical alignment device, having a first optical path and a second optl path intersecting the first optical path, includes a positioning means to assure that the first optical path is perpendicular to a radiation sensitive surface at a point when positioned on the surface. The method includes positioning the optical alignment device on the radiation sensitive surface, viewing along the second optical path and adjusting the position of a source of radiation until the source appears centered on the first optical path.
Claims7
A device for optically aligning a source of radiation and a radiation receiver having a planar surface along a selected optical axis comprising:
- a housing,
- a first optical path in said housing,
- means for positioning said housing on said receiver such that said first optical path is coincident with said optical axis, wherein said positioning means includes a substantially planar portion, at least three elements extending from said substantially planar portion and adjustably mounted to said substantially planar portion for positioning said first optical path perpendicular to said planar surface of said receiver, and means for indicating four reference points on a surface of said receiver from which the point at which said optical axis intersects said surface can be determined,
- first port means in said housing along said first optical path for providing optical access for said source to said first optical path,
- means in said housing for producing a second optical path in said housing intersecting at an angle with said first optical path, and
- second port means in said housing along said second optical path for providing optical access to said first optical path via said second optical path.
A method of aligning a source of radiation with a point on a radiation responsive surface comprising the steps of:
- positioning an optical device between said source and said surface so that a first optical path of said optical device is perpendicular to said surface at said point, wherein said positioning step includes the steps of adjusting three elements extending from said optical device so that said first optical path is perpendicular to the plane defined by the ends of said three elements, and placing said ends on said surface,
- viewing along a second optical path of said optical device an indicia of said point,
- adjusting the position of said source of radiation until the axis of said source of radiation appears on said indicia, and
- locating said point by marking two pairs of points indicated by said device, the members of each of said pairs of points are 180 degrees apart, and projecting a line between the members of each pair whereby the intersection of said projected lines locates said point on said surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.