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US 9,491,863 B2Granted
Mounting system that maintains stability of optics as temperature changes
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorRami Boltanski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical system comprises a detector to determine one or more intensities of light impinging on one or more locations of the detector and an optical element to redirect light towards the detector along a detection axis. The detector and optical element are coupled together by three or more substantially flat flexures respectively defining three or more flexure planes parallel to the detection axis.
Claims21
A scanner comprising:
- a light source to generate light;
- a microlens array to split the light into an array of light beams;
- a base;
- a detector, mounted to the base, comprising an array of sensors, wherein each sensor of the array of sensors determines an intensity of light impinging on the sensor;
- and
- a beam splitter to transmit the array of light beams towards a target and redirect a reflected array of light beams from the target towards the detector along a detection axis in a first direction,
- wherein the beam splitter is coupled to the base by three or more flexures, and wherein thermal expansion or contraction of the beam splitter with respect to at least one of the detector or the base bends each flexure of the three or more flexures in a second direction radiating from the detection axis without bending the flexure in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, wherein the three or more flexures maintain an alignment of the microlens array to the detector to a sub-micron level of accuracy.
4 more elements
A system comprising:
- a base having a substantially flat surface defining a base plane;
- and
- three or more substantially flat flexures protruding from the base, the three or more substantially flat flexures respectively defining three or more flexure planes approximately perpendicular to the base plane, the three or more flexure planes respectively defining three or more flexure lines perpendicular to the flexure planes, wherein each of the three or more substantially flat flexures is flexible along a respective flexure line of the three or more flexure lines and is rigid perpendicular to the respective flexure line, wherein the three or more flexure lines meet at an intersection point, and wherein the intersection point is maintained with changes in temperature.
An optical system comprising:
- a detector to determine one or more intensities of light impinging on one or more locations of the detector;
- an optical element to redirect light towards the detector along a detection axis;
- and
- three or more substantially flat flexures indirectly coupling the optical element to the detector, the three or more substantially flat flexures respectively defining three or more flexure planes parallel to the detection axis, each of the three or more substantially flat flexures being rigid along a respective first axis and flexible along a respective second axis, the respective first axis and the respective second axis being generally parallel to a face of the detector, wherein the three or more substantially flat flexures maintain an alignment of the optical element to the detector to a sub-micron level of accuracy.
1 more element
An optical system comprising:
- a detector to determine one or more intensities of light impinging on one or more locations of the detector;
- an optical element to redirect light towards the detector along a detection axis;
- and
- three or more substantially flat flexures indirectly coupling the optical element to the detector, the three or more substantially flat flexures comprising:
- a first substantially flat flexure that defines a first flexure plane parallel to the detection axis, the first substantially flat flexure being rigid along a first axis and flexible along a second axis that defines a first flexure line that is perpendicular to the first flexure plane;
- a second substantially flat flexure that defines a second flexure plane parallel to the detection axis, the second substantially flat flexure being rigid along a third axis and flexible along a fourth axis that defines a second flexure line that is perpendicular to the second flexure plane;
- and
- a third substantially flat flexure that defines a third flexure plane parallel to the detection axis, the third substantially flat flexure being rigid along a fifth axis and flexible along a sixth axis that defines a third flexure line that is perpendicular to the second flexure plane, wherein the first flexure line, the second flexure line and the third flexure line meet at an intersection point that is maintained with changes in temperature.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.