Adjustable holder for an optical element
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
InventorOmer Houle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable holder has a base, a cover and a sphere-like element for supporting a prism or other optical element within a central cavity formed in the base. The base and cover have interior spherical surface portions which are engaged by exterior spherical surface portions on the prism-supporting element so as to allow universal movement of the prism relative to the base for readjusting the angular position of the prism relative thereto in roll, pitch and yaw simultaneously. The cover may be tightened onto the base for clamping the sphere-like element therebetween and holding the prism in the desired adjusted position.
Claims6
An adjustable holder for an optical element, comprising:
- (a) a base having a portion defining a first spherical surface;
- (b) a cover mountable to said base and having a portion defining a second spherical surfaces spaced from, but facing, said first spherical surface when said cover is mounted to said base;
- (c) means for supporting the optical element, said supporting means capable of being disposed between said base and cover and having spherical surface portions at its opposite ends engageable with said first and second spherical surface portions of said base and cover along a common spherical surface for allowing universal movement of said supporting means relative to said base, when said supporting means is disposed between said base and cover;
- and
- (d) means for attaching said cover to said base so as to apply forces through said first and second spherical surface portions of said base and cover and against said opposite end spherical surface portions of said supporting means for clamping the same in a fixed angular position relative to said base, said attaching means being adjustable for varying the magnitude of said forces so applied to allow said supporting means to be universally moved relative to said base to readjust the angular position of said supporting means and optical element therewith relative to said base in roll, pitch and yaw simultaneously.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.