Optical mounting apparatus
AssigneeNew Focus, Inc.
InventorFrancis S. Luecke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical mounting apparatus comprises an upper support assembly and a lower post assembly. The upper support assembly includes a stageplate mounted on a backing plate by a three point suspension mechanism. By locating an optical element mounting region at the corner of a rectangle defined by the three suspension points, a datum point within the region can be rotationally adjusted without simultaneous translational adjustment by manipulating only two of the three suspension points. The baseplate is mounted on a support rod which is slidably received in a casing. A lever arm having a surface which engages the support rod can be moved relative to the casing for selectively locking the rod in place.
Claims21
An apparatus for adjustably mounting an optical element, said apparatus comprising:
- a stage plate having at least four coplanar locations arranged in a rectangular pattern;
- means at a first of the four coplanar locations for removably securing the optical element;
- a base plate disposed generally parallel to but spaced-apart from the stage plate;
- means on the base plate for securing the base plate to a surface;
- and
- means at each of a second, third, and fourth of the four coplanar locations for selectively adjusting the perpendicular distance between the location and the base plate.
An apparatus as in claim i, wherein the four coplanar locations are arranged in a square pattern.
An apparatus for adjustably mounting an optical element, said apparatus comprising:
- a stage plate having four coplanar locations arranged in a rectangular pattern;
- means at a first of the four coplanar locations for removably securing the optical element;
- a base plate;
- means on the base plate for securing the base plate to a surface;
- elastic means for holding the stage plate and base plate together in a generally parallel but spaced-apart orientation;
- and
- three adjustment screws threadably mounted in the base plate and positioned to engage the stage plate at each of the second, third, and fourth of the coplanar locations, whereby the perpendicular distance between the location and the stage plate may be independently adjusted.
In an improved apparatus for adjustably mounting an optical element, said apparatus being of the type including a stage plate and a three-point suspension system for said stage plate, wherein the three points lie along a first pair of lines which intersect at a common suspension point, the improvement comprising means on the stage plate for removably securing the optical element disposed at an intersection between a second pair of lines parallel to the first pair of lines and passing through the non-common suspension points.
An adjustable height mounting post comprising:
- a casing having an axial cylindrical hole with a distal opening and a side aperture;
- means at a proximal end of the casing for mounting the casing on a surface;
- a rod slidably received through the distal opening of the cylindrical hole;
- a lever arm having a shoulder at a proximal end thereof, said shoulder pivotably attached within the aperture of the casing so that the shoulder cants against the rod to hold said rod in place when a distal end of the lever arm is moved away from the casing;
- and
- a compressed spring disposed to move the distal end of the lever arm away from the casing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.