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US 7,119,895 B2Granted
Method of and apparatus for adjusting optical component, and optical unit
AssigneeHonda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsKeiji Otsuka, Hirofumi Morita
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for adjusting an optical component has a reference beam unit for emitting a reference laser beam L whose optical axis has established, and an optical axis unit detecting the optical axis and focal point of a reflected beam La from a parabolic mirror to which the reference laser beam L is applied. The optical axis unit comprises first and second pinhole plates spaced a given distance from each other and having respective small holes defined therein.
Claims33
A method of adjusting an optical component comprising the step of adjusting an optical axis of a reference laser beam emitted from a reference beam unit before aligning said optical component by applying said reference laser beam to said optical component, said adjusting step comprising the steps of:
- placing an optical axis detecting unit in a first position in the optical axis of said reference beam unit, emitting a reference laser beam from a laser oscillator incorporated in a laser beam unit of said reference beam unit, rotating said laser beam unit to detect an optical axis position of the reference laser beam through said optical axis detecting unit, thereby adjusting said laser beam unit;
- and
- placing said optical axis detecting unit in a second position different from said first position in the optical axis of the reference beam unit, emitting the reference laser beam from the laser oscillator, rotating said laser beam unit to detect an optical axis position of the reference laser beam through said optical axis detecting unit, thereby adjusting the laser beam unit.
A method of adjusting an optical component, comprising the steps of:
- applying a reference laser beam whose optical axis has been established to the optical component and applying a reflected beam from said optical component to an optical axis unit;
- passing said reflected beam through respective holes defined respectively in first and second pinhole plates which are mounted on said optical axis unit and spaced a given distance from each other to determine whether said reflected beam is detected on a measurement point or not;
- and
- adjusting said optical component at least in position or angle if the reflected beam is not detected on said measurement point.
1 more element
A method of adjusting an optical component, comprising the steps of:
- placing an optical axis detecting unit between a reference beam unit for emitting a reference laser beam whose optical axis has been established and the optical component, applying said reference laser beam to said optical axis detecting unit, and detecting a first optical axis position of said reference laser beam;
- retracting said optical axis detecting unit from an optical path, thereafter introducing a reflected beam produced from the optical component when said reference laser beam is applied to said optical component, into said optical axis detecting unit, and detecting a second optical axis position of said reference laser beam;
- and
- positionally adjusting said optical component to align said first optical axis position and said second optical axis position with each other.
1 more element
A method of adjusting an optical component, comprising the steps of:
- introducing a reflected beam produced from the optical component when a reference laser beam whose optical axis has been established is applied to said optical component, into an optical axis detecting unit, and detecting a first optical axis position of said reference laser beam;
- moving said optical axis detecting unit along the optical axis of said reference laser beam, thereafter applying said reference laser beam to said optical component, introducing a reflected beam from said optical component into said optical axis detecting unit, and detecting a second optical axis position of said reference laser beam;
- and
- positionally adjusting said optical component to align said first optical axis position and said second optical axis position with each other.
1 more element
A method of adjusting an optical component, comprising the steps of:
- translating or tilting a reference beam unit for emitting a reference laser beam whose optical axis has been established, with respect to said optical axis, and applying said reference laser beam from said reference beam unit to a curved mirror as the optical component;
- applying a reflected beam from said curved mirror to which said reference laser beam is applied, to an optical axis detecting unit;
- and
- moving said optical axis detecting unit along the optical axis of said reference laser beam, and establishing a position where the movement of the optical axis of said reflected beam detected by said optical axis detecting unit is minimum, as the focal point of said curved mirror.
1 more element
A method of adjusting an optical component, comprising the steps of:
- preparing a reference beam unit for emitting a reference laser beam whose optical axis has been established as a collimated beam, and applying said collimated beam from said reference beam unit to a curved mirror as the optical component;
- applying a reflected beam from said curved mirror to which said reference laser beam is applied, to an optical axis detecting unit;
- and
- moving said optical axis detecting unit along the optical axis of said reference laser beam, and establishing a position where the movement of the optical axis of said reflected beam detected by said optical axis detecting unit is minimum, as the focal point of said curved mirror.
1 more element
A method of adjusting an optical component, comprising the steps of:
- aligning the optical axis of a reference laser beam emitted from a laser beam unit incorporating a laser oscillator with the rotational center of a reference beam unit incorporating said laser beam unit;
- adjusting the optical axis position of said reference laser beam;
- applying said reference laser beam whose optical axis has been established to a curved mirror as the optical component, and measuring a reflected beam from said curved mirror to detect the optical axis and focal point of said curved mirror;
- and
- adjusting at least the position or angle of said curved mirror based on the detected optical axis and focal point of said curved mirror.
2 more elements
An apparatus for adjusting an optical component by applying a reference laser beam emitted from a reference beam unit to said optical component, comprising:
- a reference beam unit for applying a reference laser beam to the optical component;
- said reference beam unit comprising:
- a laser beam unit incorporating a laser oscillator for emitting said reference laser beam;
- a rotating mechanism for rotating said laser beam unit about the optical axis thereof with respect to a base;
- and
- a beam center adjusting mechanism for aligning the optical axis of said reference laser beam emitted from said laser beam unit with the rotational center of said reference beam unit.
3 more elements
An apparatus for adjusting an optical component of a laser optical instrument, comprising:
- a reference beam unit for emitting a reference laser beam whose optical axis has been established;
- an optical axis unit for detecting the optical axis of the optical component by applying said reference laser beam to said optical component to obtain a reflected beam used therefor;
- said optical axis unit comprising:
- first and second pinhole plates having respective small holes defined therein and spaced a given distance from each other;
- and
- a small hole position adjusting mechanism for positionally adjusting said first and second pinhole plates in a direction perpendicular to said optical axis.
3 more elements
An apparatus for adjusting an optical component of a laser optical instrument, comprising;
- a reference beam unit for emitting a reference laser beam whose optical axis has been established;
- an optical axis detecting unit for detecting the optical axis position of said optical component with said reference laser beam;
- and
- a rotating mechanism for rotating an optical axis measurement surface of said optical axis detecting unit about an axis perpendicular to the optical axis of said reference laser beam.
1 more element
An apparatus for adjusting an optical component of a laser optical instrument, comprising:
- a reference beam unit for emitting a reference laser beam whose optical axis has been established;
- and
- an optical axis detecting unit for detecting the optical axis position of a reflected beam from the optical component to which said reference laser beam is applied;
- said optical axis detecting unit having a moving mechanism for moving the said optical axis detecting unit along the optical axis of said reference laser beam.
1 more element
An apparatus for adjusting an optical component of a laser optical instrument, comprising:
- a reference beam unit for emitting a reference laser beam, said reference beam unit being capable of establishing the optical axis of said reference laser beam;
- and
- at least an optical axis unit or an optical axis detecting unit for adjusting the optical axis of said reference laser beam and detecting the optical axis and focal point of a reflected beam from a curved mirror as the optical component to which said reference laser beam is applied.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.