Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1 21S9398
Description
OPTICAL BENCH SYSTEM
Technical Field
This invention relates to optical bench system
sets and includes a plurality of optical bench
components in each set that may be used together to
construct a multiplicity of optical instruments.
Background Art
Of interest in the prior art is the German
Offenlegungsschrift 26 36 657. Its elements include
optical mounts which are implemented as square plates
having perforations through which rods may extend at
each corner. The optical mounts provide a relatively
large opening in which optical elements such as
lenses, mirrors, gratings and the like can be
positioned at the center thereof. Pins are provided
for the purpose of securing the optical mounts to the
rods at selected positions. The plates are clamped
together at right angles by means of corner connectors
and separate pins. Although this apparatus and method
for assembly is effective for rough, temporary set-up,
sufficient rigidity is not maintained for precise
optical alignment and additionally, the square shape
of the plates limits the number of configurations in
which the plates may be assembled.
The prior art also includes United States Patent
number 5,035,333 to Hartmut Klingner for ARRANGEMENT
FOR CONSTRUCTING A MICRO-OPTIC BENCH issued July 30,
1991, and reference patents and documents cited
therein. The device described in the Klingner patent
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provides mounts for holding optical elements that
preferably are manufactured out of injection-molded
plastic. It appears that this technique has been
employed in order to provide an elastic snap-together
feature between the rods and the optical mounts. The
- perforations through the mounts have elevations that
have been called knobs or ribs distributed along their
circumferences in order to establish this snap-
together fastening facility. Although this system does
not require set screws and is inexpensive to
manufacture, it must be fabricated out of plastic and
it does not offer any solution for mounting the plates
together.
Of lesser import but still of interest are two
Swiss patents numbered 340675 and 465238 provided
herewith as being of interest in the general field.
In the prior art, the square shape of the optical
mounting plates limits the angles at which the plates
can be mounted together. Plates are conventionally
fastened together by means of screws, therefore, all
four sides of the plates have to be provided with some
threaded bores, whether the bores are used in every
assembly or not. Further, the plates are joined
together by corner connectors which must have equal
numbers of bores through which the screws are secured.
The plates are ,therefore, highly labor intensive to
produce. With the square shape, optical components
must be held at four points since the retaining screws
must be placed at each side of the plate. Three-point
positional adjustment is more advantageous while at
the same time allowing easier removal of the optical
component. It should also be again especially noted
that square plates are much more labor-intensive to
manufacture than round plates. Square plates must be
machined at four sides in order to achieve precise
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right angles at all corners whereas the machining of
round plates only requires a simple lathe operation.
The prior art devices presented, including those
cited in the Klingner patent, are commendable and show
a creative spirit for their times. The inventors and
their inventions have contributed remarkably to the
technology involved. However, these prior art
structures do not include those combined elements of
the instant invention that provide greater facility of
use and ingenious arrangement of components and that
make the instant invention the high culmination in the
art.
` 4 21593~8
Disclosure of Invention
Components in the field of optics are usually
manufactured to strict tolerances and meticulously
positioned by means of precision threads and screws.
These optical components must, in certain
applications, operate with high precision, thus
justifying the high fabrication costs that prohibit
these devices from being used in applications in which
less~accuracy is required. The present invention is
intended as a development of an arrangement or optical
system set that can be assembled as a high precision
optical bench with maximum flexibility. Through the
advantages of the invention, it will be possible to
construct a much wider range of optical setups than is
possible with the use of conventional square plates.
The openings in the plates are symmetrically spaced
apart so as to allow the plates to be mounted together
at different angles with small increments and actually
at any angle using separate plates with slight
modification. Thus the system set can be employed in
any application where high precision is a prerequisite
and can be utilized in combinations with conventional
optical elements.
In accordance with the instant invention, optical
mounting plates are provided by means of which a
multiplicity of optical experiments and configurations
may be assembled, verified and tested and otherwise
examined at the pleasure of a user. A significant
feature of the present invention is the non-
rectangular aspect of the optical mounting plates.
Greater precision and accuracy in adjustment and near
continuous vis a vis discrete variations in optical
alignment and positioning have been provided. More
economical fabrication costs and greater flexibility
are achieved in accordance with the invention by the
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provision of unthreaded, radially positioned openings
in the mounting plates and providing threaded bores on
the corner connectors instead thus effectively
reducing the costs of the mounting sets. Where high
precision is not required, because the openings in the
plates are not threaded, the plates can be made out of
plastic thereby making them even less expensive to
manufacture.
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Brief Description of Drawing~
Further advantages and features of the instant
invention will be more fully apparent to those skilled
in the art to which the invention pertains from the
ensuing detailed description thereof, regarded in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein
like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout
and in which:
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an
assembly in accordance with the invention.
Figure 2 is a detail plan view in cross section
of a typical specification of an optical mounting
plate.
Figure 3 is another detail plan view in cross
section of a different optical mounting platé.
Figure 4 is a plan view in cross section of yet
another optical mounting plate.
Figure 5 is a plan view in cross section of a
specially modified optical mounting plate.
Figure 6 is a plan view in cross section of a
specially modified optical mounting plate.
Figure 7 is a plan view in cross section of
another specially modified optical mounting plate.
Figure 8 is an exploded plan view in cross
section of a specially modified optical mounting plate
showing a securing means.
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Figure 9 is a plan view of a specially modified
optical mounting plate in accordance with the
invention.
Figure 10 is a plan view in cross section of a
specially modified optical mounting plate in
accordance with the invention.
Figure 11 is a plan view in cross section of a
specially modified optical mounting plate showing
means for continuous angular adjustment.
Figure 12 is a perspective view exemplifying a
typical assembly of various optical mounting plates.
Figure 13 is a perspective much like Figure 12
also showing the assembly of various optical mounting
plates.
Figure 14 is a plan view in cross section of
another optical mounting plate in accordance with the
invention.
Figure 15 is a perspective view of a corner
connector.
- Figure 16 is a perspective view of a corner
connector different from that shown in Figure 15.
Figure 17 is a perspective view exemplifying the
assembly of full or half cubes through the utilization
of various plates and corner connectors and including
a light shield.
Figure 18 is a plan view of a corner connector
showing radially positioned bores for use in
positioning elements.
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Figure 19 is a perspective view of the corner
connector of Figure 18 with the bores shown in
phantom.
Figure 20 is a view of an optical mount in
accordance with the invention.
Figure 21 is a perspective view of an assembly
showing the use of the corner connector of Figures 18
and 19.
Figure 22 is a perspective view showing how two
different sizes of optical construction plates may be
joined together and also showing the use of support
rods to construct a half cube.
Figure 23 is a plan view in cross section of an
polygonal optical mounting plate such that an
inscribed circle will have the same circumference as
the optical mounting plates having circular cross
section as depicted heretofore.
Figure 24 is a perspective view showing how the
optical element shown in Figure 23 may be utilized in
the configuration of speclal optical cubes and the
like.
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g
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
Although specific embodiments of the invention
will now be described with reference to the drawings,
it should be understood that such embodiments are by
way of example only and merely illustrative of but a
small number of the many possible specific embodiments
which can represent applications of the principles of
the invention. Various changes and modifications,
obvious to one skilled in the art to which the
invention pertains, are deemed to be within the
spirit, scope and contemplation of the invention as
further defined in the appended claims.
Referring to the drawing and to Figures 1 through
11 and 14 and 20 with greater particularity, optical
mounting plate components of the Optical Bench System
have been depicted.
Particularly noting Figure 1 at this time, an
exploded view of a typical configuration showing how a
first generally truncated, circular cylindrical
optical mounting plate 12, having a plate thickness
dimension such that threaded bores may be fabricated
therein in a radial direction and having axially
directed rod accepting apertures or passages 30 and
plate retaining rods 10 fed therethrough, may be
fashioned. A corner connector 16, having third
threaded bores or apertures 36 may connect another
optical mounting plate 12 to a second generally
truncated cylindrical optical mounting plate 14 by
means of fastening screws 18 and counter-bored
apertures 28 adapted to accept said screws. Rods 10
have been shown as threaded at the ends thereof so as
to be secured to plate 14 by means of a second set of
fastening screws 26. A first set of set screws 20
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along with first threaded apertures or bores 32,
adapted to accept said set screws, may be used to
secure the positions of plates 12 along rods 10. A
typical optical component 24 may be mounted and
secured within the concentric central bore of an
optical mounting plate by means of a second set of set
screws 22 along with second threaded apertures or
bores 34. In greater particularity, Figure 1 shows how
three fundamental arrangements of the optical mounting
plates may be assembled in accordance with the
invention. In a first configuration, a plurality of
mounts 12 can be slid onto rods 10 and locked into
position by means of set screws 20. Thus any of the
plates so assembled can be securely positioned at any
point along the rods. In a second configuration, a
mount such as 14 can be fastened to the threaded ends
of the rods 10 by means of the screws 26, therefore,
mounts such as 14 may be fixed at either ends of the
rods so that the rods may be fastened to any of the
holes 28 around the mount. In a third construction,
any two mounts may be secured together at right angles
with a corner connector 16 which has threaded bores
36~ Screws 18 secure the mounts to the corner
connector 16 through the holes 28. By replication of
this assembly procedure at the sides of each plate, an
entire optical cube or even multiple cubes can be
constructed as has been shown in Figure 17. A simple
optical element 24 may be secured in the mount by set
screws 22 in threaded bores 34 and positioned so as to
allow a user to center the optical element 24.
Figure 2 is a detail drawing showing a typical
specification of an optical plate 12 in a set such as
is described in Figure 1 and Figure 3 shows a like
detail of an optical plate 14 such as has been shown
in Figure 1. The cross-sectional aspect illustrated
in both Figures 2 and 3, shows an outer radius and a
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11
concentric central bore adapted for the mounting of
optical elements, and defining a differential radial
dimension having holes bored therein. The holes 28 and
30 are positioned in thirty degree increments around
the mount and in a set, their distance to the center
is a fixed radial value r (Figure 3). Mount 14 may be
used to carry an optical element or it might be used
as an intermediate plate with corner connectors to
bend the optical axis of a system in predetermined
angular increments as illustrated in Figure 21. The
typical detailed illustrations shown in Figures 2 and
3 are presented for illustrative purposes only and are
not intended to limit the scope, spirit and
contemplation of the invention.
Figure 4 shows mount 44 having spaced, enlarged
holes 50, operative to isolate the mount from rods 10.
This mount 44 is intended to be used in conjunction
with ball-bearing guides fastened to holes 46 by means
of set screws in threaded bores 126. When used in a
four-rod arrangement as shown at Figure 12, mount 44
rides on bearings 122 for a smooth axial movement so
as to provide focusing or any other functions
requiring precisely controlled movement in the
direction of the rods. Fine positional adjustments can
be achieved by a fine adjustment screw micrometer 124
shown as fastened at 48 (Figures 4 and 12) and used in
conjunction with micrometer push return spring 138.
When turned in one direction, say clockwise, the tip
of this micrometer screw forces against mount 12
causing mount 44 to move in a first direction, i.e.,
to the right, when turned in the opposite direction,
mount 44 moves in the opposite direction under the
action of micrometer push return spring 138.
Figure 5 shows a mount 52 which is adapted to be
easily inserted into or removed from an assembly
12 21~9398
having only two rods 10. At Figure 12, the mount 52 is
shown so attached. First insertable opening 104 is
initially inserted on the top rod 10 and then the
mount is rotated clockwise until second insertable
opening 106 sits on the other rod 10. Mount 52 is then
locked into position using a set screw in threaded
bore 32 (Figure 5) near opening 104. Mount 52
additionally affords easy insertion and removal of
optical components as a concomitant of the
discontinuity or gap in its circumference.
In Figure 6 there is depicted a mount 54 which
can be easily inserted or removed from a four-rod
system as further illustrated in Figure 12. To insert
mount 54 as shown, a rod 10 is introduced into third
insertable opening 108 and the mount is turned
clockwise until fourth insertable opening llo and
fifth insertable opening 112 sit on the other two
rods. Mount 54 is then locked into position by means
of a set screw in threaded bore 32 in the vicinity of
fifth insertable opening 112.
An optical mount denoted by numeral 56 is shown
in Figure 7. A major portion of the differential
radial material has been removed from the mount
leaving two opposed portions and a thin ring-like
portion containing the inner radial dimension. Mount
56 can be inserted into an assembled set utilizing
four rods lo as shown in Figure 12. Mount 56 has
beveled edges 114 that facilitate its assembly into a
four-rod system. Figure 12 shows mount 56 supported by
thin rods 118 and locked into position by means of set
screws in threaded bores 128. Figure 17 shows mount 56
types used with corner connectors 16 and screws 18 in
the construction of partial optical cubes while Figure
13 shows mount 56 with corner connector 16 used in
another construction scheme.
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13
A modification of mount 56 denoted by the numeral
142 is shown in Figure 13. Mount 142 has four rod
accepting apertures 30 which accept the pass-through
of rods 10 with provision for securing at any point
along said rods by means of set screws at 32. Optical
mounting plate 56 may then be secured to the ends of
the rods 10 by means of long set screws 140 through
corner connector 16.
Figure 8 depicts an optical mounting plate
denoted by the numeral 58. Mount 58 also possesses the
facility of being insertable into a two-rod system.
Figure 12 shows a typical construction with mount 58's
insertable openings 116 directly engaging rods 10.
Locking plate 60, shown in cross section in Figure 8
as a segment of the circle, may then be employed to
secure the mount 58 by means of locking plate securing
screw 64 through flex washer 62 into the threads so
provided. The flex washer 62 allows the plate 58 to
rotate around the screw 64 thus allowing its insertion
into the assembly as shown in Figure 12. Locking plate
60 is then rotated until it is in line with mount 58.
Figure 9 shows details of an optical mounting
plate 66 having incorporated within its incomplete
annular outer member, a tilting lens mount 70. Figure
13 illustrates a typical assembly of mount 66 into a
construction scheme. The lens mount 70 is spherical on
its exterior surface and cylindrical interiorly, said
cylindrical interior surface being adapted to hold
optical elements. Mount 70 is secured by two securing
screws 68, located 180 degrees apart. Rods 10 pass
tangent to mount 70 at the outside and to mount 66 on
the inside as shown in Figures g and 13. Optical
elements are intended to be secured by means of set
screws at threaded bores 72. Lens mount 70 can be
tilted around the axis passing through the two screws
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14
68 (Figure 13) while its spherical outside surface
remains in contact with rods 10 at four points. The
entire tilting lens assembly can also be rotated about
the center of an optical axis parallel with rods lo
and passing through the center of mounts 12.
Figure 10 shows an optical mounting plate denoted
by the numeral 78. Mount 78 can be assembled outside
of the optical path in a given construction scheme. A
cutout portion 76 has been removed from the generally
circular cross section to eliminate obstruction of the
light path as shown in Figure 13. The side of the
mount 78 opposite to the cutout portion 76 has a
threaded bore that allows it to be supported by
mounting devices such as vertical posts and like
devices as used in optical benches.
Figure 11 shows an optical mounting plate which
is somewhat similar to the second mount 14 of Figure 3
but modified in that ten of its twelve holes have been
joined together so as to form incomplete annular
aperture 84 thus to permit continuous change of angle
in the optical axis as further shown in Figure 13. The
optical axis of mount 56 can be positioned at any
point along the annular path provided by annular
aperture 84. Because of its small dimension, mount 56
can be positioned at angles less than ninety degrees
to the optical axis of the mount 12. Mount 82 is shown
as connected to corner connector 16 by means of screws
18.
Figure 14 shows an optical mounting plate 86
intended to be used with a modified type of corner
connector. Mount 86 is intended to be used with corner
connector 42 (Figure 16) for the purpose of joining
two optical cubes together as illustrated in Figure
17. Figure 15 shows detail of the corner connector 16.
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Figure 17 shows an optical cube and use of cover
plate 88 to light seal the cube. The cover plate may
be constructed of opaque plastic and may be secured by
snap-in press fit. The components making up the
optical cube illustrated in Figure 17 have been
described supra.
Also as has been described supra, Figures 18 and
19 show detail views of a corner connector 130 having
threaded bores 134 radially spaced and with threaded
- bores 36 adapted to register with counter bores 28 of
optical mounting plates.
Because the threaded bores are positioned with
the same radius as in all mounting plates in a set,
connector 130 may be utilized similarly to connector
16, employing only threaded bores 36. Alternatively,
connector 130 can be used to rotate the optical axis
of a perpendicularly mounted optical plate by forty-
five degrees as shown in Figure 21.
Mount 132 allows the entire optical axis to be
rotated as illustrated in Figure 21. Mount 132
presents a modification of mount 12 in which counter
bored apertures 28 are joined together in circular
arcs 136 so as to allow axial adjustment of the plate.
Rods shown to the right of mount 132 are held by mount
86 and these two mounts are shown as held together by
four screws through openings 136. By loosening these
four screws in mount 132, mount 86 can rotate thirty
degrees and can be secured at any position
therebetween.
Figure 22 illustrates the facility of joining
different sized sets of optical construction plates by
means of an intermediate mount 144 and screws 26. The
ends of rods 148 have been cut at forty-five degree
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16
angles and have threaded bores 150. Plate retaining
rods 146 apply to a larger optical mounting plate set.
Figure 23 presents an optical mounting plate 152
having a polygonal outer shape, however, an inscribed
circle therein has the same diameter dimension as the
priorly described optical mounting plates. Tapped
bores 154 are utilized in the arrangement shown in
Figure 24 showing the connection of two or more
optical cubes. Mount 152 simplifies the making of
optical cubes that would otherwise require the use of
a large number of corner connectors. The sides of
mount 152 have tapped bores 154 which have the same
spacing as the bores in the corner connectors,
15 therefore, allowing the mount to be fastened directly
to any other mount in a set. In figure 24 mount 152 is
further shown as being used to connect two or more
cubes in a similar arrangement as with mount 86 in
Figure 17. Mount 152 is shown as directly fastened to
20 mounts 12 of the rear cube and is secured to the front
cube by the use of four corner connectors 16. Since
the angle between all adjacent sides of mount 152 is
one hundred and thirty five degrees, this mount can be
used to rotate the optical axis in forty-five degree
25 increments which adjustment is not possible by other
mounts with the exception of mount 82, Figure ll. With
the use of mounts 152 and 86, adjacent cubes can be
fastened at angles of thirty degree increments with
mount 86 and thirty and forty-five degree increments
with mount 152.
Industrial Applicability
In particular, the system may be used in the teaching
35 of optics at any level of sophistication in addition
to its applications in constructing prototypical and
experimental optical instruments and measuring
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17
devi ce s
