US 5,397,898 A · Optical component exchanger and method

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for the exchange of an optical component 20 is proposed in which a storage housing 1 exhibits a lower opening with a first gate means 21 adapted for sealing the lower opening. A second stopping means 6 attached to a driving means 5 and a first stop attached to the storage housing 1 are adapted to assume two states, a first state in which a optical component 20 is completely within the storage housing 1, and a second state in which an optical component 20 is completely removed from the storage housing 1. A pivoted mounting 4 of a lifting means 2 onto the driving means 5 in combination with a rotation of said driving means 5 allows for the force of gravity to guide the removal and introduction of the optical component 20 out of and into a spectrometer housing 24.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An apparatus for the exchange of an optical component comprising:

a storage housing means having a lower opening, a first gate means adapted for sealing the lower opening, and a first stopping means;
a driving means pivotably mounted to the housing means having second stopping means and a pivot means;
and
a lifting means rotatably mounted to the pivot means having attachment means at a first end, whereby a stored optical component is positioned in the housing means with the first gate means sealing the storage housing opening by hanging from the attachment means with the driving means rotated to secure the lifting means with the first and the second stopping means.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical component exchanger and method

Life of this patent

Optical component exchanger and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10