Kinematic mount

A coupling between a support and an element having a center and lying generally in a plane within the support for relieving any stresses between the element and the support and any distortions on the element, comprising:

• first means comprising three seats spaced 120.degree. apart, each having a surface comprising a segment of a sphere to form collectively a spherical surface and having a sliding engagement with the support for movement in the element plane towards and away from the element center, said spherical surface being centered within a plane which is normal to the element plane;
• and
• second means coupled to the element and provided with a spherical surface in engagement with said first means spherical surface, said seats being in surrounding engagement with said second means spherical surface,
• the support including three concave surfaces configured as portions of circular cylinders and spaced 120.degree. apart and each of said seats being shaped generally as a half of a solid right circular cylinder having a first surface along its diameter configured as said spherical segment and a second surface along its half circular periphery having a cylindrical configuration, with each of said second surfaces being respectively placed in each of said support concave surfaces to form said first means slidable engagement.

Apparatus including a mounting and aligning device comprising:

• an element lying generally in a plane;
• a support surrounding said element;
• and
• a plurality of disc members and seats therefor positioned in the plane of and supporting said element and respectively coupled to said support, each said disc member having a center and a spherically curved outer surface and each said seat having a spherically curved surface conforming to and engageable with said disc member outer surface to provide three degrees of freedom of rotatable engagement therebetween and each of said seats having a cylindrical fit with said support for linear movement therein perpendicular to the plane of said element.

An apparatus for maintaining an optical element in a substantially fixed orientation about an axis and substantially immune to environmentally-induced stresses and strains in members adjacent thereto, comprising, in combination:

• a support provided with means therein defining a plurality of selectively spaced openings;
• a plurality of retaining seat pads, each respectively mounted in the openings and movable linearly perpendicular to the optical element axis, each pad having a spherical inner surface;
• a plurality of cylindrical disc members each having a spherical outer surface which is slidably mounted respectively within each of said pads for angular rotation about three major axes through each disc member, and having parallel opposing surfaces;
• and wherein
• said optical element is mounted within said support, and is affixed to each disc member at one of the parallel surfaces thereof, whereby angular and linear stresses and strains imparted between said optical element and said support are absorbed by said disc members and are translated into angular and linear motion of said disc members and said pads, thereby to enable the orientation of said optical element within said support to remain fixed.