US20150008303A1 - Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts - Google Patents
Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20150008303A1 US20150008303A1 US14/186,242 US201414186242A US2015008303A1 US 20150008303 A1 US20150008303 A1 US 20150008303A1 US 201414186242 A US201414186242 A US 201414186242A US 2015008303 A1 US2015008303 A1 US 2015008303A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- protruding member
- optical structure
- mount
- grooved
- opening
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B7/00—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements
- G02B7/18—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for prisms; for mirrors
- G02B7/182—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for prisms; for mirrors for mirrors
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16F—SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION
- F16F1/00—Springs
- F16F1/36—Springs made of rubber or other material having high internal friction, e.g. thermoplastic elastomers
- F16F1/371—Springs made of rubber or other material having high internal friction, e.g. thermoplastic elastomers characterised by inserts or auxiliary extension or exterior elements, e.g. for rigidification
- F16F1/3713—Springs made of rubber or other material having high internal friction, e.g. thermoplastic elastomers characterised by inserts or auxiliary extension or exterior elements, e.g. for rigidification with external elements passively influencing spring stiffness, e.g. rings or hoops
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B7/00—Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements
- G02B7/006—Filter holders
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/49826—Assembling or joining
- Y10T29/49947—Assembling or joining by applying separate fastener
- Y10T29/49963—Threaded fastener
Definitions
- This invention relates to the field of mounts for optical structures, including but not limited to, reflective panels, optical filters (absorptive and/or dichroic), hollow retroreflectors and solid retroreflectors.
- Optical structures such as, but not limited to, reflective panels (mirror panels), optical filters (absorptive and/or dichroic), hollow retroreflectors and solid retroreflectors are old in the art.
- Solid retroreflectors are solid tetrahedrons of glass wherein three adjacent sides of the tetrahedron are substantially perpendicular to each other and these three sides that meet at a common corner are polished to have a high degree of flatness.
- Hollow retroreflectors are made of three mirror panels joined together preferably having optically flat reflective surfaces disposed at right angles to each other, and meeting at what can be described as a common inside corner of an imaginary cube. Both solid and hollow retroreflectors in general have the essential property of causing incident and reflected light rays to travel along substantially parallel paths.
- Examples of external stresses that can affect the optical flatness of a reflective panel, an optical filter and/or the perpendicularity of reflective surfaces of abutting reflective panels of a hollow retroreflector, are thermal expansion or contraction of the substrate material from which the panels are made, deflection caused by curing of the adhesives used to join elements together and/or to join the retroreflector to its mount and/or the mass of the panels themselves. Accordingly, it would be desirable to assemble together the elements of a hollow retroreflector or of an optical filter, and/or to assemble a reflective panel to a mount, in such a manner as to reduce these stresses.
- any prior art mounts that may include flexible materials cannot, and do not, maintain the dimensional stability (“DS”) such that various forces working on a connected optical structure may be constantly changing the dimensions of that optical structure.
- DS dimensional stability
- the present mount also achieves secure mounting of the optical structure in a manner designed to help eliminate deflective stresses on the reflective surface(s) of the structure caused by the mounting of the optical structure, such as the optical filter, the reflective panel(s) and/or the retroreflector to its mount.
- One or more aspects of the present mount also achieve dimensional stability (“DS”) such that a “hard mount” is achieved.
- One or more further aspects of the present invention permit the hard mounts to maintain any provided degree of flatness (e.g., at least about ⁇ /4, at least about ⁇ /10, between about ⁇ /4 and about ⁇ /30, etc.) and more particularly, to maintain a high degree of flatness (e.g., at least about ⁇ /20, at least about ⁇ /15, between about ⁇ /15 and about ⁇ /20, between about ⁇ /15 and about ⁇ /30, etc.) after the mount is constructed.
- any provided degree of flatness e.g., at least about ⁇ /4, at least about ⁇ /10, between about ⁇ /4 and about ⁇ /30, etc.
- a high degree of flatness e.g., at least about ⁇ /20, at least about ⁇ /15, between about ⁇ /15 and about ⁇ /20, between about ⁇ /15 and about ⁇ /30, etc.
- the mount also allows for easy and secure mounting of the optical structure onto a support structure.
- an improved mount for, and method of mounting an optical structure has a protruding member extending from a surface of the optical structure, a base element having a mounting structure for mounting the mount to another structure and an upper element extending from the base element having a first opening extending therethrough for receipt therein of at least a portion of the protruding member.
- the mount has a protruding member extending from a surface of the optical structure and an upper element having a first opening extending therethrough for receipt therein of at least a portion of the protruding member.
- the mount may further include a base element having a mounting structure for mounting the mount to another structure where the upper element may extend from the base element.
- the first opening defines first and second arms, each of the arms comprising a head portion and each of the head portions ending at an end.
- a second opening in the upper element extends through one of the head portions and the end thereof in a direction toward the other head portion, while a third opening exists in the upper element through the end of the other head portion in an orientation substantially opposite to and in communication with the second opening so that a tightening mechanism received through the second opening can be received into the third opening. Tightening of the tightening mechanism into the third opening causes the ends of the head portions to draw toward each other so that the first opening of the upper element tightens around the at least a portion of the protruding member.
- the protruding member may have a first portion extending from a surface of the optical structure, a second portion, and a groove defining the first and second portions on each side of the groove, thereby permitting the groove and/or the protruding member to dissipate and/or eliminate one or more stresses passing through the mount and affecting the optical structure. Tightening of the tightening mechanism into the third opening may cause the ends of the head portions to draw toward each other so that the first opening of the upper element tightens around the at least second portion of the protruding member.
- the groove may be disposed on the protruding member such that the first portion is smaller than the second portion.
- the groove may be constructed on the protruding member such that the groove is spaced away from the optical structure and is located on the protruding member at a predetermined distance from the optical structure and/or from the top surface of the protruding member.
- the first portion of the protruding member may be smaller, substantially equal to, or larger than the second portion of the protruding member.
- the method of mounting the optical structure onto the mount is to form an optical structure having a reflective surface and a portion of the mount comprising a protruding member extending from a back surface of the optical structure, wherein the protruding member is either integrally formed with, or bonded to, the back surface of the optical structure.
- Forming the remainder of the mount comprising a base element having a construction for allowing the mount to be mounted to another structure, the mount further having an upper element having a first opening extending therethrough, such first opening forming two arms each having a head portion and ending at ends thereof.
- the remainder of the mount may comprise the upper element having a first opening extending therethrough, such first opening forming two arms each having a head portion and ending at ends thereof (e.g., without a base element), and the upper element may operate to allow the mount to be mounted to another structure (e.g., the upper element may include structure similar to the structure disclosed herein for the base element (e.g., threaded holes and/or members attached thereto); the upper element may include structure operating to permit the upper element to be attached or connected to a base element as disclosed herein; etc.). Sliding the first opening of the mount over at least a portion of the protruding member.
- Tightening the first opening of the mount around the protruding member by inserting a tightening mechanism into a second opening located through one of the head portions of the mount and by further inserting and tightening the tightening member into a third opening in the other head portion of the mount so that the tightening member draws the two ends of the head portions toward each other thereby contracting the first opening of the mount around the protruding member of the optical structure.
- the method of mounting the optical structure onto the mount is to form an optical structure having a reflective surface and a portion of the mount comprising a protruding member extending from a back surface of the optical structure, wherein the protruding member is either integrally formed with, or bonded to, the back surface of the optical structure.
- the protruding member may have a first portion extending from the back surface of the optical structure, a second portion, and a groove defining the first and second portions on each side of the groove, thereby permitting the groove and/or the protruding member to dissipate and/or eliminate one or more stresses passing through the mount and affecting the optical structure.
- the groove may be constructed in between the first and the second portions of the protruding member such that the first portion is smaller than, substantially equal to and/or larger than the second portion.
- the groove may be constructed on the protruding member such that the groove is spaced away from the optical structure and is located on the protruding member at a predetermined distance from the optical structure and/or from the top surface of the protruding member.
- At least one embodiment of the mount may further involve one or more reliefs (also referred to as notches or depressions) that may be formed in and/or on (e.g., in communication with, as part of, etc.) the perimeter of the recess of the mount or may be formed on/in/around the perimeter (e.g., in communication with, as part of, etc.) in the bottom portion of the protruding member, thereby reducing physical contact, and, thus, the transfer of pressure or stresses/forces between the mount and the protruding member.
- reliefs also referred to as notches or depressions
- the one or more reliefs may be in communication with at least one of: (i) the first opening, the one or more reliefs being positioned in and/or on a perimeter of the first opening and the one or more reliefs operating to reduce physical contact between one or more surfaces of the protruding member and one or more surfaces of the upper element of the mount, thereby reducing and/or eliminating transfer of one or more stresses between the upper element of the mount and the protruding member; and (ii) at least the second portion of the protruding member, the one or more reliefs being positioned in and/or on a perimeter of at least the second portion of the protruding member and the one or more reliefs operating to reduce physical contact between one or more surfaces of the protruding member and one or more surfaces of the upper element of the mount, thereby reducing and/or eliminating transfer of one or more stresses between the upper element of the mount and the protruding member.
- the one or more reliefs are radial reliefs (e.g., extending from an outside surface inwardly towards the center of the protruding member, extending from an interior surface of the recess in the mount outwardly towards an outside surface of the mount, etc.).
- the one or more reliefs may extend a predetermined distance radially from the first opening towards an exterior of the upper element when the one or more reliefs are positioned in and/or on the perimeter of the first opening.
- the one or more reliefs may extend a predetermined distance radially from the at least second portion of the protruding member towards an interior of the protruding member when the one or more reliefs are positioned in and/or on the perimeter of at least the second portion of the protruding member.
- At least one embodiment of the mount may further involve and/or include a damping ring disposed in, connected to and/or adhered to at least one of the groove, the protruding member and the optical structure.
- One or more embodiments of the mount, and the method of mounting may include at least one of: (i) the damping ring operates to dampen said one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member, thereby improving the stress resistance of the grooved protruding member; (ii) the damping ring operates to handle tension and to stretch and/or flex at and/or on one portion of the damping ring while compressing at and/or on another portion of the damping ring, thereby improving the stress resistance of the grooved protruding member; (iii) the damping ring is flexibly resilient such that the damping ring operates to return to its rest position and/or original configuration in the grooved protruding member when said one or more stresses are not acting on the damping ring; (iv) the damping ring comprises polyurethane and/or any other compound or material which shows one or more large mechanical losses, thereby at least one of reducing motion, dampening the one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member and damping one
- the damping ring may have at least one of the following structural features or attributes: (i) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member; (ii) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the optical structure; (iii) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least one surface of the damping ring; (iv) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least two surfaces of the damping ring; (v) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least one surface of the damping ring and to the optical structure on and/or at at least another surface of the damping ring; (vi) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least two surfaces of the damping ring and to the optical structure on
- the present invention and one or more components thereof are operable and adaptable to be used in conjunction with any suitable optical mount including, but not limited to, U.S. Pat. No. 8,092,030, issued on Jan. 10, 2012, having the same assignee as the present application, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
- the present invention and one or more components thereof also may be used in conjunction with any suitable optical assembly including, but not limited to, optical assembly structures, interferometers, and/or retroreflectors such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,335,111; 5,949,543; 6,141,101; 6,473,185; 6,729,735; 6,752,503; 6,786,608; 6,827,455; 6,945,661; 7,168,817; 7,995,208; 8,092,030; 8,454,176; 8,567,968 to Bleier; U.S. Pat. No. 7,268,960 to Vishnia; U.S. Pat. Nos.
- Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mount for an optical structure which causes minimal external stresses to the reflective surfaces of the optical structure.
- Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved mount for an optical structure wherein the mount achieves reductions in movement of the optical structure in order to achieve higher-accuracy distance measurements.
- Yet a further object of the invention is to provide an improved mount for an optical structure wherein the mounting of the mount and optical structure to a support structure is easy and secure.
- FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a mount, optical structure and screw, made in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the structures of FIG. 1 as joined together;
- FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3 - 3 of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3 - 3 of FIG. 1 of an alternative embodiment of a tightening mechanism and holes for same that may be used with the structures of FIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention
- FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3 - 3 of FIG. 1 of another alternative embodiment of a tightening mechanism and holes for same that may be used with the structures of FIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention
- FIG. 4A is a side view of the mount 10 of FIG. 1 along with another structure having a threaded member extending therefrom in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention
- FIG. 4B is a side view of an alternative embodiment for a mount having a threaded member extending therefrom along with another structure having a threaded opening therethrough in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a roof mirror having a pin extending therefrom in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention
- FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a mount, optical structure and screw, made in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the structures of FIG. 6 as joined together;
- FIG. 8 is a perspective view of yet a further embodiment of a mount, optical structure comprising an optical filter and screw, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.
- FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the structures of FIG. 8 ;
- FIGS. 10A-10F are cross-sectional views taken along the diameter of various embodiments of the protruding member employing different geometrical shapes for the groove/relieved portion thereof in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention
- FIG. 11A is a perspective view of at least an additional aspect of the protruding member having a groove spaced away from the optical structure, where the optical structure is shown in an exploded view from the protruding member, and used in tandem with a mount having radial reliefs spaced around, and in communication with, a recess of the mount in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention;
- FIG. 11B is a perspective view of at least an additional aspect of the protruding member having a groove spaced away from the optical structure, where the optical structure is shown in an exploded view from the protruding member, and having radial reliefs disposed around a bottom portion of the protruding member placed in recess of the mount in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention;
- FIGS. 12A-12B are graphs illustrating the unexpected and critical reduction and/or elimination of various forces/stresses on the optical structure by the experiment performed to compare the torque, and mirror (or optical) distortion resulting therefrom, affecting an optical structure having a protruding member without a groove (also referred to as a “Solid Post”; data shown in FIG. 12A ) with the torque, and mirror (or optical) distortion resulting therefrom, affecting an optical structure having a protruding member with a groove (also referred to as a “Relieved Post”; data shown in FIG. 12B );
- FIG. 13 is a graph illustrating the unexpected and critical reduction and/or elimination of various forces/stresses on the optical structure by another experiment performed to compare the torque, and mirror (or optical) distortion resulting therefrom, affecting an optical structure having a protruding member without a groove (also referred to as a “Solid Post”; data shown in curve 1300 of FIG. 13 ) with the torque, and mirror (or optical) distortion resulting therefrom, affecting an optical structure having a protruding member with a groove spaced away from the optical structure (also referred to as a “Relieved Post”; data shown in curve 1310 of FIG. 13 );
- FIG. 14 is a perspective view of at least one embodiment of an interferometer having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove for use with a mount in accordance with at least one aspect of the present invention
- FIG. 15 is a perspective view of at least one embodiment of a retroreflector having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove for use with a mount in accordance with at least one aspect of the present invention.
- FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic view of at least one embodiment of a grooved protruding member having a damping ring adhered in, to or on the groove in accordance with at least one aspect of the present invention.
- the mount may have the grooved/relieved protruding member extending from a surface of the optical structure, a base element for mounting the mount to another structure and an upper element extending from the base element having a first opening extending therethrough for receipt therein of at least a portion of the grooved/relieved member.
- the first opening defines first and second arms, each of the arms comprising a head portion and each of the head portions ending at an end.
- a second opening in the upper element extends through one of the head portions and the end thereof in a direction toward the other head portion, while a third opening exists in the upper element through the end of the other head portion in an orientation substantially opposite to and in communication with the second opening so that a tightening mechanism may be received through the second opening and the third opening. Tightening of the tightening mechanism into the third opening causes the ends of the head portions to draw toward each other so that the first opening of the upper element tightens around the at least a portion of the grooved/relieved protruding member.
- the mount With the grooved/relieved protruding member, the mount provides the aforementioned advantages of providing a “hard mount” with dimensional stability and a high degree of optical flatness while also substantially reducing and/or eliminating stresses/forces from affecting the connected optical structure.
- FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a mount in accordance with at least one aspect of the present invention.
- a mount for an optical structure made in accordance with the invention is generally designated at 10 (best seen in FIGS. 1-2 ).
- the optical structure portrayed is that of a hollow retroreflector, which will hereinafter generally be designated in the figures at 20 .
- mount 10 includes roof mirrors (see e.g., roof mirror 520 of FIG. 5 ), optical filters and/or individual refractive/reflective/mirror panels (see e.g., optical filter 820 of FIGS. 8-9 ), and/or solid retroreflectors (not shown).
- Retroreflector 20 is preferably made of fused quartz/fused silica or fine annealed Pyrex (i.e., any type of borosilicate glass or glasses having a low coefficient of thermal expansion) or glass ceramics, while mount 10 is preferably made of a metal alloy having a very low coefficient of thermal expansion, such as INVAR (e.g., a nickel iron alloy having a low coefficient of thermal expansion) or aluminum.
- INVAR e.g., a nickel iron alloy having a low coefficient of thermal expansion
- Hollow retroreflector 20 is comprised of a first panel 30 , a second panel 40 , and a third panel 50 .
- Each of the panels 30 , 40 and 50 has a corresponding reflective surface 32 , 42 and 52 .
- the higher the degree of optical flatness achieved in surfaces 32 , 42 and 52 will in part determine the accuracy of the corresponding panels 30 , 40 and 50 .
- Panels 30 , 40 and 50 are disposed substantially at right angles to each other so that reflective surfaces 32 , 42 and 52 are also disposed substantially at right angles to each other.
- Each of panels 30 , 40 and 50 also has non-reflective, back surfaces 34 , 44 and 54 which are opposite to reflective surfaces 32 , 42 and 52 .
- retroreflector 20 is designed to receive an incoming (incident) light ray (not shown) and reflect the light ray off of the reflective surfaces 32 , 42 and 52 and out from retroreflector 20 along a path substantially parallel to the incident light ray.
- incident light ray can initially strike any one of the reflective surfaces without bearing upon the accuracy of the parallelism of the reflected light ray.
- the accuracy tolerances for retroreflector 20 will almost always depend upon the function to be performed by retroreflector 20 .
- retroreflector 20 If high degrees of accuracy, i.e., parallelism of the incident and reflected light rays, is a primary purpose of retroreflector 20 , then high degrees of precision must be created and maintained with respect to the flatness of and perpendicularity of reflective surfaces 32 , 42 and 52 .
- each of panels 30 , 40 and 50 of hollow retroreflector 20 has at least first and second sides 36 and 38 , 46 and 48 and 56 and 58 , respectively.
- the first and second sides of each of the panels are substantially perpendicular to each other and to each of the other sides of the other panels.
- second side 48 of panel 40 is abutted against and adhered to reflective surface 32 of panel 30
- second side 38 of panel 30 is abutted against and adhered to reflective surface 52 of panel 50
- second side 58 of panel 50 is abutted against and adhered to reflective surface 42 of panel 40 .
- each of panels 30 , 40 and 50 is simultaneously an abutting panel at second sides 38 , 48 and 58 , and an adjacent panel at first sides 36 , 46 and 56 .
- mount 10 has an upper element 60 and a base element 100 .
- base element 100 has extending therein an opening 110 .
- Opening 110 preferably extends through a bottom surface 112 of base 100 , but may be placed anywhere on base 100 .
- Opening 110 is preferably threaded to receive a correspondingly threaded member (see e.g., threaded extending member 123 of FIG. 4A ) extending from some type of support structure (see e.g., support structure 140 of FIG. 4A ).
- a base element 100 a having a bottom surface 112 a may have an outwardly extending member (see e.g., threaded extending member 123 a of FIG. 4B ) which would in turn be received into a cooperating opening 110 a on a support structure (see e.g., support structure 140 a of FIG. 4B ).
- a support structure see e.g., support structure 140 a of FIG. 4B
- the extending member and support opening both be threaded to allow for a more secure connection between the two.
- mounting constructions are intended to be encompassed in the invention, such as the use of a clamp from the support structure to securely hold base element 100 , 100 a , 100 b , other structural arrangements for the base element 100 , 100 a , 100 b and the upper element 60 , 60 a , 60 b (see e.g., FIGS. 8-9 further discussed below), as are other constructions.
- upper element 60 of mount 10 has an opening 62 extending therethrough.
- opening 62 is circular and such a circular opening is preferred, but not mandatory, it being anticipated by the invention herein that opening 62 may be any geometric shape.
- opening 62 of upper element 60 creates two arms 64 and 65 , each having a respective head portion 67 and 69 . Head portion 67 ends at end 70 , while head portion 69 ends at end 72 . Ends 70 and 72 do not touch and have a gap 68 extending therebetween.
- Opening 74 extends completely through head 69 and end 72 of head 69 .
- a corresponding and communicating opening 75 extends through end 70 of head 67 , so that element 80 is able to be received therein. Assuming element 80 is threaded (along a predetermined length or portion of the element 80 ) and that at least opening 75 is also threaded, then as element 80 is tightened into opening 75 , ends 70 and 72 are drawn together.
- opening 62 of element 60 becomes smaller; i.e., the diameter lessens, thereby creating a clamping force against protruding member 90 of panel 30 , discussed in more detail below.
- opening 74 may be correspondingly threaded (as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3C ) to receive element 80 (e.g., the element 80 may be threaded along the length thereof to engage the threads in the hole 75 but the hole 74 may not include threads as shown in FIG.
- the element 80 may be threaded at a portion thereof that extends into the opening 75 and may not include threads at a portion thereof that is disposed or rests in the opening 74 when the element 80 is completely tightened into the opening 74 such that the threaded portion of the element 80 operates to draw the ends 70 and 72 together as shown in FIG. 3C ; etc.). Additionally or alternatively, a substantial portion of the holes 74 , 75 may be threaded such that the element 80 may lock the ends 70 and 72 in a predetermined orientation to each other (best seen in FIG. 3A ). Additionally, a mount, and method for constructing same, that is the subject of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/674,315, filed on Feb.
- opening 74 may also be correspondingly threaded (e.g., the threads in the opening 74 may direct the threaded portion of the element 80 towards, and into, the opening 75 to draw the ends 70 and 72 together as aforementioned).
- element 80 is a threaded bolt having an Alan wrench opening in its head for tightening and loosening element 80 , as is known in the art.
- Other elements 80 are anticipated herein; such as, but not limited to, screws and/or bolts having Philips or flat head openings.
- Tightening mechanism or element 80 may be made from any material known to one skilled in the art, including, but not limited to, glass, metals, metal alloys, polymers, one or more materials having a low coefficient of thermal expansion, etc.
- panel 30 may be formed such that member 90 is an integrally extending part of panel 30 or member 90 may be a separate member that is bonded to back surface 34 of panel 30 .
- bonding refers to fusing or adhering member 90 to back surface 34 of panel 30 .
- member 90 is circular and/or disk-shaped in cross section to conform to opening 62 of mount 10 .
- opening 62 takes a different shape
- member 90 would take the same shape as that of opening 62 .
- the protruding member 90 may include a first surface 91 (e.g., on a first end of the protruding member 90 ) and a second surface 93 (e.g., on a second end of the protruding member 90 ).
- the protruding member 90 may include a third surface (e.g., the outer surface 92 of the protruding member) extending between the first and second surfaces 91 , 93 .
- the protruding member 90 may be substantially circular and/or disk-shaped in cross section to conform to the opening 62 of the mount 10 when the opening 62 of the mount 10 is circular and/or disk-shaped.
- one surface (e.g., such as the first surface 91 ) may be either integral with the panel 30 or bonded, fused and/or adhered to the back surface 34 of the panel.
- the one surface (e.g., such as the first surface 91 ) and/or the protruding member 90 may be sized and shaped such that the protruding member 90 extends through the hole 62 so that the tightening mechanism (such as, but not limited to, the screw/bolt/tightening mechanism 80 ) may draw the ends 70 , 72 of the heads 67 , 69 together such that the opening 62 may be at least one of substantially on, in connection with and contracted around the protruding member 90 .
- the protruding member 90 may be cylindrical.
- the first surface 91 of the protruding member 90 may comprise at least one of: a surface bonded, fused and/or adhered to the back surface 34 of the panel 30 ; the back surface 34 of the panel 30 ; a surface of the panel 30 when the member 90 is integrally formed with the panel 30 ; the top surface of a cylinder (e.g., when the protruding member 90 is cylindrical); and any other surface known to those skilled in the art to include the structural attributes of the first surface 91 discussed herein.
- the second surface 93 of the protruding member 90 may comprise at least one of: a surface on the opposite side of the protruding member 90 from the first surface 91 ; a surface in contact with the third surface (e.g., the outer surface 92 ) of the protruding member 90 and spaced away from the panel 30 and/or the back surface 34 of the panel 30 ; the bottom surface of a cylinder (e.g., when the protruding member 90 is cylindrical); a surface of the cylinder that is inserted into and/or disposed within the opening 62 ; a surface of the protruding member 90 that is aligned with or substantially aligned with a surface of the arms 64 , 65 (e.g., the surface of the arms 64 , 65 that is on the opposite side of the upper element 60 of the mount 10 away from the panel 30 ); and any other surface known to those skilled in the art to include the structural attributes of the second surface 93 discussed herein.
- the opening 62 may be disposed at least one of substantially on, in connection with and around at least one of a third surface (e.g., the outer surface 92 of the protruding member 90 ) and the second surface 93 .
- a third surface e.g., the outer surface 92 of the protruding member 90
- Any of the first, second and third surfaces 91 , 93 , 92 of the protruding member 90 may be solid (see e.g., FIGS. 1-2 ).
- the first, second and third surfaces 91 , 93 , 92 of the protruding member 90 may define a solid cylinder.
- the first and second surfaces 91 , 93 of the protruding member 90 may be substantially parallel or parallel to each other.
- the method of mounting optical structure 20 onto mount 10 is to form an optical structure having a reflective surface and a protruding member extending from a back surface of the optical structure, wherein the protruding member is either integrally formed from, or bonded to, the back surface of the optical structure.
- the tightening member preferably being a threaded bolt which is received into the third opening and the third opening also being threaded.
- the second opening of the mounting member may also be threaded in whole or in part along its length.
- the manner of mounting described herein is an improvement over prior mounting manners and is equally good, if not better, at preventing distortion of reflective surface 32 (and therefore of reflective surfaces 42 and 52 ) so as to help maintain reflective surfaces 32 , 42 and 52 in their substantially flat and substantially perpendicular relationship to each other.
- the upper element 60 and/or the opening 62 of the upper element 60 may be disposed at least one of substantially on, in connection with and around at least one of the third surface (e.g., the outer surface 92 ) of the protruding member 90 and the second surface 93 .
- the third surface e.g., the outer surface 92
- any such contracting or distortional forces exerted on member 90 from the mounting member are applied in directions/planes that are parallel to reflective surface 32 , and not perpendicular to it, such forces will only nominally, if at all, affect the optical flatness of surface 32 .
- the manner of mounting described herein achieves substantial rigidity between optical structure 20 and mount 10 .
- the preferred low coefficient of thermal expansion metal alloy material which makes up mount 10 significantly reduces the effects of thermal expansion/contraction of mount 10 so as to substantially minimize these effects on the accuracy of optical structure 20 .
- a critical, structural improvement to the aforementioned protruding member 90 structure has been unexpectedly achieved by the modification of the member 90 to include a relief or groove to further dissipate pressure on any connected optical structure and to more optimally maintain dimensional stability of the optical structure, protruding member and mount assembly. As illustrated in FIGS.
- the modified pin or protruding member 90 a having an outer surface 92 a includes a relief or groove 94 a such that a top surface 97 a (also referred to as a first portion 97 a while the phrase “a first portion 97 a ” may refer to another portion, or a portion including the top surface 97 a of member 90 a , e.g., the portion of member 90 a that is located above the second portion 96 a discussed below) of the member 90 a that operates to be connected (e.g., via fusing, adhering, bonding, etc.) to an optical structure, such as retroreflector 20 , may be smaller than a lateral cross-section, such as bottom surface 98 a , of a base portion 96 a (also referred to as a second portion 96 a ) of the member 90 a that operates to be located, and locked/tightened, within opening 62 of the mount 10 .
- a top surface 97 a also referred
- the first portion 97 a may, alternatively, be substantially the same size as or larger than the second portion 96 a .
- the groove 94 a extends laterally along the protruding member 90 a and defines the first portion 97 a and the second portion 96 a on each side of the groove 94 a . While bonding may be used, permanently fusing the pin 90 , 90 a having the groove 94 a to the bottom of the optical structure 20 provides the advantage of eliminating the need for use of a bonding technique and, thus, enables a much more stable and durable mounting method for achieving a “hard mount” with dimensional stability and/or maintaining a provided degree of optical flatness or a high degree of optical flatness.
- the top surface 97 a is “smaller” than the lateral cross-section, such as the bottom surface 98 a , (e.g., may be done in such a way that the structural integrity of the protruding member 90 , 90 a is preserved) including, but not limited to, the top surface 97 a having a smaller surface area than the lateral cross-section, such as the bottom surface 98 a , the top surface 97 a having a smaller diameter than the lateral cross-section, such as the bottom surface 98 a , etc.
- the diameter and/or the surface area of the top surface 97 a is substantially smaller than the diameter and/or the surface area of the lateral cross-section, such as the bottom surface 98 a , such that the diameter of the top surface 97 a is equal to or lesser than about the diameter of the lateral cross-section, such as the bottom surface 98 a , minus ten percent (10%).
- the groove 94 a may be various sizes. Preferably, the groove 94 a does not extend more than about 10% of the optical component size, or does not extend more than about 15% of the optical component size.
- the groove 94 a may be about 50,000ths of an inch from a perimeter of the base portion of the protruding member 90 , 90 a (e.g., the depth of the groove may be: (i) about 5% to about 15% from the outer diameter of the protruding member 90 , 90 a (ii) about 10% to about 15% from the outer diameter of the protruding member 90 , 90 a ; etc.).
- a 2 inch diameter post 90 , 90 a may have a groove 94 a that is about 200,000ths to about 250,000ths of an inch from the outer diameter of the protruding member 90 , 90 a .
- the groove 94 may be spaced at least one of: about 50,000ths of an inch from the optical structure 20 ; about 200,000ths to about 250,000ths of an inch from the optical structure 20 ; about 200,000ths of an inch from the optical structure; about 250,000ths of an inch from the optical structure 20 ; and about 50,000ths of an inch to about 250,000ths of an inch from the optical structure 20 .
- an optical beam that enters the optical structure, such as retroreflector 20 is not larger than 3′′ clear aperture.
- the optical beam may be larger than 3′′ clear aperture in at least another embodiment.
- the groove 94 a and/or the member 90 , 90 a may be created by any method known to one skilled in the art, including, but not limited to, grinding, etching, laser etching, cutting, etc.
- the groove 94 a of the protruding member 90 a elevates and/or spaces any optical structure, such as the retroreflector 20 , connected thereto away from the base portion 96 a of the member 90 a and/or the mount 10 because the groove 94 a may comprise space in between the optical structure and at least one of: (i) the base portion 96 a of the member 90 a and (ii) the mount 10 .
- the groove 94 a may space the optical structure 20 away from the base portion 96 a and/or the mount 10 such that the optical structure, e.g., the retroreflector 20 , does not directly contact a portion or surface of at least one of: the mount 10 , the base portion 96 a of the member 90 a , the upper element 60 of the mount 10 and the base element 100 of the mount 10 .
- Such structure is constructed to, and operates to: (i) concentrate any stress or force from the mount 10 onto the member 90 a rather than directly onto the optical structure 20 ; and (ii) reduce/dissipate and/or eliminate any resulting stress or force from distorting, or otherwise affecting, the optical structure 20 .
- the mirror distortion (“P-V” or “peak-to-valley”; also referred to as ⁇ ) at a wavelength of 633 nanometers (“nm”) ranged from about 0.2 P-V at a torque near zero ounce-force-inch (or “ozf-in”) (see data point 1201 on curve 1200 in FIG. 12A ) to about 2.75 P-V at a torque greater than 80 ounce-force-inch (see data point 1203 on curve 1200 in FIG. 12A ).
- the mirror distortion was measured at about 1.25 P-V.
- the mirror distortion (“P-V” or “peak-to-valley”) at a wavelength of 633 nanometers (“nm”) ranged from about 0.2 P-V at a torque near zero ounce-force-inch (or “ozf-in”) (see data point 1211 on curve 1210 in FIG. 12B ) to about 0.25 P-V at a torque greater than 80 ounce-force-inch (see data point 1213 on curve 1210 in FIG. 12B ).
- the mirror distortion was measured at about 0.225 P-V.
- the mount used for the “Solid Post” experiment (e.g., data shown in FIG. 12A ) is substantially similar or identical to, and is, therefore, representative of the mount depicted in FIG. 1 or variations thereof in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.
- the mount used for the “Relieved Post” experiment (e.g., data shown in FIG. 12B ) is substantially similar or identical to, and is, therefore, representative of the mount depicted in FIG. 6 or variations thereof in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.
- the results of the “Solid Post” and “Relieved Post” experiment (e.g., as shown in FIGS.
- the experimental data clearly indicates the critical improvement of employing a protruding member (or post) having a groove (or relief) instead of a protruding member (or post) without a groove (or relief).
- a protruding member (or post) having a groove (or relief) instead of a protruding member (or post) without a groove (or relief).
- the Solid Post assembly exhibited mirror distortions that were 555.55% greater and 1100% greater, respectively, than the mirror distortions of the Relieved Post assembly.
- Such results were quite surprising and greater than any expected reduction in mirror distortions due to the addition of the groove or relief, such as groove 94 a .
- the distortion for the Relieved Post is consistently and minimally/barely increasing from about 0.2 P-V (e.g., at data point 1211 in FIG. 12B ) to about 0.25 P-V (e.g., at data point 1213 in FIG.
- the use of the groove/relief 94 a provides an assembly for achieving dimensional stability and permits the hard mounts to maintain any provided degree of flatness (e.g., less than about ⁇ /4; at least about ⁇ /4, at least about ⁇ /10, between about ⁇ /4 and about ⁇ /30, greater than ⁇ /30, etc.) and more particularly, to maintain a high degree of flatness (e.g., at least about ⁇ /20, at least about ⁇ /15, between about ⁇ /15 and about ⁇ /20, between about ⁇ /15 and about ⁇ /30, etc.) after the mount is constructed, especially when using any clamping forces, rotating forces (such as torque), etc.
- any provided degree of flatness e.g., less than about ⁇ /4; at least about ⁇ /4, at least about ⁇ /10, between about ⁇ /4 and about ⁇ /30, greater than ⁇ /30, etc.
- a high degree of flatness e.g., at least about ⁇ /20, at least about ⁇ /15, between about
- the optical structure may comprise a mirror/reflective/refractive panel or an optical filter 820 having a protruding member 90 b as shown in FIGS. 8-9 .
- the optical filter 820 may be a flat piece of glass, and the protruding member 90 b may have a groove 94 b and a top surface 97 b such that the bottom surface 824 of the optical filter 820 sits on top of the top surface 97 b .
- the optical filter 820 may be connected (e.g., via fusing, bonding, adhering, etc.) to the member 90 b , e.g., in similar fashion to optical structure 20 being connected to the member 90 , 90 a as discussed above.
- the groove 94 b may be fashioned geometrically to stop at top surface 97 b and two extensions 81 a , 81 b may extend from the top surface 97 b of the member 90 b to define a recess 82 therebetween.
- the recess 82 permits the optical filter 820 to sit therein.
- the optical filter 820 is sufficiently located in the recess 82 to be properly positioned and/or centered, e.g., in a centering mechanism, for the connection process to the member 90 b , e.g., via fusing, adhering, etc.
- the extensions 81 a , 81 b may be hemispherical in geometry (as shown in FIGS.
- the extensions 81 a , 81 b are sized and shaped such that they do not increase the surface area and/or the diameter of the top surface 97 b that would exist if such extensions 81 a , 81 b were not used.
- a surface area and/or diameter of the combined areas of the top surface 83 a of the extension 81 a , the top surface 83 b of the extension 81 b and the top surface 97 b of the member 90 b i.e., the base of recess 82 ) that is shown in FIG.
- the extensions 81 a , 81 b may be made of substantially similar material to that of member 90 b and may be connected such that the extensions become integral thereto (e.g., via fusing). Also, the extensions 81 , 81 b may be adhered to, connected to or fused to the member 90 b without being integral thereto.
- the member 90 b and/or the groove 94 b thereof may be created by any method known to one skilled in the art, including, but not limited to, grinding, etching, laser etching, cutting, etc.
- the member 90 b may be created, e.g., via etching, grinding, cutting, etc., such that the groove 94 b and the extensions 81 a , 81 b are already integral thereto (e.g., the groove 94 b and the extensions 81 a , 81 b may be etched from a large piece that is sized and shaped to form the member 90 b ).
- the member 90 b may be connected (e.g., via clamping, tightening, etc.) to a mount 10 b , e.g., in similar fashion to member 90 , 90 a being connected to mount 10 , 10 a as discussed above.
- the elements e.g., upper element 60 b ; opening 62 b ; arms 64 b , 65 b ; head portions 67 b , 69 b ; ends 70 b , 72 b of head portions 67 b , 69 b ; opening 74 b ; base element 100 b ; opening 110 b in the base element 100 b ; etc.
- the mount 10 b may operate in similar fashion to those like-numbered elements (e.g., substantially same numbers but with a letter such as 10 and 10 a , 96 and 296 discussed below, etc.) of mounts 10 , 10 a as discussed above or any additional like-numbered elements discussed further herein below.
- a tightening mechanism 80 b (which may operate in a similar fashion as tightening mechanism 80 ) may be screwed into aperture 74 b such that ends 70 b , 72 b of heads 67 b , 69 b of arms 64 b , 65 b , respectively, are drawn together around at least a portion, e.g., base portion 96 b , of the member 90 b when the member 90 b is placed into opening 62 b of upper element 60 b of the mount 10 b.
- the mount 10 b may be connected to another structure (e.g., another structure 140 as shown in FIG. 4A , another structure 140 a as shown in FIG. 4B , etc.) via an element (e.g., a pin; an extending member, such as the extending member 123 of FIG. 4A or the extending member 123 a of FIG. 4B ; etc.) extending through the opening 110 b or opening 115 of the base element 100 b .
- the mount 10 b may include a base element 100 b extending from the upper element 60 b and having a relatively smaller volume than the volume of the upper element 60 b such that the base element may be easily connected, e.g. via clamping, compressing, etc. to another structure.
- Such a structure may lessen the force/stress on the optical filter glass 820 because any clamping, compressing, etc. of the base element 100 b is limited by the reduced/smaller volume of the base element 100 b .
- the base element 100 b and the upper element 60 b may be connected such that the base element 100 b and the upper element 60 b are substantially co-linear and/or co-planar (e.g., the base element 100 b extends from the upper element 60 b at substantially an angle of about 180 degrees).
- the base element 100 b may include any geometric shape, e.g., the surfaces are chamfered, sloped, tapered, etc., such that the surface of the base element 100 b that is ultimately clamped or otherwise connected to another structure is reduced.
- the base element 100 b and the upper element 60 b may be connected at an angle in similar fashion to the upper element 60 , 60 a and the base element 100 , 100 a as discussed above and shown in FIGS. 1-2 and 4 A- 4 B.
- the groove/relief 94 a , 94 b of the protruding member 90 a , 90 b may be any geometric shape, including, but not limited to, circular, ovular, rectangular, square-shaped, etc., and may include slopes, chamfered surfaces, tapers, etc.
- the embodiment of FIGS. 6-7 the embodiment of FIGS. 8-9 and FIG.
- the groove 94 a , 94 b may extend circularly around the perimeter of the member 90 a , 90 b and is formed at substantially a right angle such that the outer surface 92 a , 92 b of the member 90 a , 90 b extends inward (e.g., substantially parallel to the top 97 a , 97 b and bottom surfaces 98 a , 98 b of the member 90 a , 90 b ) from the top of the base portion 96 a , 96 b and then extends vertically substantially at a right angle or perpendicular to the top surface 97 a , 97 b and bottom surface 98 a , 98 b of the member 90 a , 90 b.
- a groove such as grooves 94 a , 94 b of any protruding member, such as protruding members 90 a , 90 b
- FIGS. 8-9 and FIG. 10A may employ the same or similar groove 94 b (or any other element thereof as indicated by like numerals), any of the geometrical shapes for the groove/relieved portion of any protruding member, such as the protruding members 90 a , 90 b , as shown in any of FIGS.
- the groove 94 c is formed from a chamfered surface having a consistent slope extending from the base portion 96 c of the member 90 c to the top surface 97 c thereof.
- the groove 94 c may extend substantially around the perimeter of the member 90 c .
- the groove 94 d is formed from a chamfered surface having a changing convex slope extending from the base portion 96 d of the member 90 d to the top surface 97 d thereof.
- the groove 94 d may extend substantially around the perimeter of the member 90 d .
- FIG. 10B the groove 94 c is formed from a chamfered surface having a consistent slope extending from the base portion 96 c of the member 90 c to the top surface 97 c thereof.
- the groove 94 c may extend substantially around the perimeter of the member 90 d .
- the chamfered surface may have a concave slope extending from the base portion 96 e of member 90 e to the top surface 97 e thereof.
- the groove 94 e may extend substantially around the perimeter of the member 90 e .
- the chamfered surface may have a concave slope extending from the base portion 96 f of member 90 f to the top surface 97 f thereof such that the surface area and/or diameter of the top surface 97 f may have substantially the same surface area and/or diameter of a lateral cross-section of the base portion 96 f .
- lateral cross-sections of the member 90 f that are located above the base portion 96 f may have a surface area and/or diameter that are smaller than the surface area and/or diameter of the lateral cross-section of the base portion 96 f . Additionally, the volume of the portion of the member 90 f located above the base portion 96 f may be smaller than the volume of the base portion 96 f .
- the groove 94 f may extend substantially around the perimeter of the member 90 f .
- the geometry of the groove 94 a - f corresponds to the geometry of the member 90 a - f and the opening 62 , 62 b (e.g., if the opening 62 , 62 b and the member 90 a - f are circular, then the groove 94 a - f may be circular such that the groove 94 a - f extends circularly substantially around the perimeter of the member 90 a - e ), it is not mandatory.
- the groove 94 a - f may be ovular, rectangular, form pillars on top of the base portion 96 a - f of the member 90 a - f (e.g., such that the top of the member 90 a - f resembles a “button” when viewed from above), etc.
- a groove such as groove 294 of any protruding member, such as protruding member 290 , 290 a , 290 b , may be spaced away from the top surface 297 of the protruding member, and is, therefore, spaced away from any optical structure, such as optical structure 20 (e.g., the bottom surface 34 of the optical element 30 of the optical structure 20 ), that may be attached to the top surface 297 thereof.
- the groove 294 may employ different geometrical shapes for the groove/relieved portion thereof in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. For example, as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 11A and 11B (discussed further below) and in FIG.
- the groove 294 may extend circularly around the perimeter of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b and may be formed at substantially a right angle such that the outer surface 292 of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b extends inward (e.g., substantially parallel to the top 297 and bottom surface 298 of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b ) from the top of the base portion 296 , 296 a , 296 b and then extends vertically at substantially a right angle or perpendicular to the top surface 297 and bottom surface 298 of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b .
- the outer surface 292 extends outwardly substantially parallel to the top surface 297 and the bottom surface 298 . Once the outer surface has extended outwardly to the point where the diameter of the portion (e.g., top portion 211 as discussed further below with reference to FIGS.
- the top surface 297 is substantially parallel to the bottom surface 298 of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b .
- This structure provides, and defines, a portion (e.g., top portion 211 as discussed further below with reference to FIGS. 11A-11B ) of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b that is located above the groove 294 where that portion may be smaller than (as shown in FIG. 10F ), substantially equal to, or larger than the bottom portion 296 , 296 a , 296 b .
- the groove 294 of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b may have a chamfered or concave slope as similarly shown for the groove 94 c - 94 f in FIGS. 10B-10E .
- the top surface 297 has a surface area and/or diameter that is substantially the same as the surface area and/or diameter of a lateral cross-section of the base portion 296 , 296 a , 296 b or of the bottom surface 298 of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b .
- one or more lateral cross-sections of the portion e.g., top portion 211 as shown in FIGS.
- the volume of the portion e.g., top portion 211 as shown in FIGS.
- the surface area (of the entire portion, such as the top portion 211 , or of one or more lateral cross-sections of the portion, such as the top portion 211 ), the diameter and/or the volume of the portion of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b located between the groove 294 and the top surface 297 may be smaller than, equal to or larger than the surface area (of the entire bottom portion 296 , 296 a , 296 b or of one or more lateral cross-sections of the bottom portion 296 , 296 a , 296 b ), the diameter and/or the volume of the bottom portion 296 , 296 a , 296 b of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b.
- the geometry of the groove 294 corresponds to the geometry of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b and the opening 62 , 62 b , 62 c , 62 d (e.g., if the opening 62 , 62 b , 62 c , 62 d and the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b are circular, then the groove 294 may be circular such that the groove 294 extends circularly substantially around the perimeter of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b ), it is not mandatory.
- the groove 294 may be ovular, rectangular, form pillars on top of the base portion 296 , 296 a , 296 b of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b (e.g., such that the top of the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b resembles a “button” when viewed from above), etc.
- a groove, such as groove 294 or groove 94 a - 94 f , of a protruding member 290 , 290 a , 290 b may be shifted or spaced away from an optical structure, such as the optical structure 20 , connected to the protruding member 290 , 290 a , 290 b as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 A- 11 B.
- any pressure or stresses e.g., sheer forces, rotational forces, compression forces, etc.
- any pressure or stresses e.g., sheer forces, rotational forces, compression forces, etc.
- the location where the pressure or stresses are localized may be located further away from the optical structure 20 (e.g., as compared to an assembly having a groove closer to the optical structure, such as, but not limited to, the assembly of FIGS. 6-7 , the assembly of FIGS. 8-9 , etc.).
- the groove 294 when the groove 294 is spaced away from the optical structure 20 (e.g., the groove is located substantially near or in the middle of the protruding member 290 , 290 a , 290 b ; the groove 294 may be disposed at a location along the protruding member 290 , 290 a , 290 b that is at a predetermined distance from a surface of the protruding member 290 , 290 a , 290 b that is in contact with the optical structure 20 ; the groove 294 is located towards the mount 210 a , 210 b rather than towards the optical structure 20 ; the groove 294 is not directly adjacent to the optical structure 20 ; the groove is located towards the optical structure 20 rather than towards the mount 210 a , 210 b ; etc.), the groove 294 defines a first portion 211 (also referred to as “a top portion 211 ”) that connects to the optical structure 20 and a second portion 296 , 296 a ,
- the groove 294 extends laterally along the protruding member 290 , 290 a , 290 b and defines the first portion 211 and the second portion 296 , 296 a , 296 b on each side of the groove 294 .
- the first portion 211 may be sized and shaped to be smaller, substantially the same size and/or larger than the second portion 296 , 296 a , 296 b . Regardless of the size and shape of the first portion 211 to the second portion 296 , 296 a , 296 b , the groove 294 operates to substantially reduce and/or eliminate pressure or stresses affecting the optical structure 20 .
- the groove 294 may be formed (e.g., sized and shaped) and may operate to achieve the advantages, surprising results, and unique, nonobvious properties as similarly explained above with respect to the grooves 94 a - 94 f (as shown in FIGS. 10A-10E ).
- the groove 294 may operate to: (i) concentrate any stress or force from the mount 210 a , 210 b onto the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b rather than directly onto the optical structure 20 ; (ii) reduce/dissipate and/or eliminate any resulting stress or force from distorting, or otherwise affecting, the optical structure 20 ; and may preserve and/or maintain the provided flatness, such as, but not limited to, a high degree of flatness as discussed herein.
- FIG. 11A but with the optical structure 20 (e.g., the bottom surface 34 of the optical element 30 of the optical structure 20 ) connected to the top surface 297 of the protruding member 290 a , FIG. 11B but with the optical structure 20 (e.g., the bottom surface 34 of the optical element 30 of the optical structure 20 ) connected to the top surface 297 of the protruding member 290 b , FIG. 11A but with the optical structure 20 (e.g., the bottom surface 34 of the optical element 30 of the optical structure 20 ) connected to the top surface 297 of the protruding member 290 a and without the reliefs 220 a , FIG.
- the mirror distortion (“P-V” or “peak-to-valley”) ranged from about 0.294 P-V at a torque of zero inch-ounces (or “in-oz”) (see data point 1301 on curve 1300 in FIG. 13 ) to about 2.361 P-V at a torque of 100 inch-ounces (see data point 1303 on curve 1300 in FIG. 13 ).
- the mirror distortion was measured at 1.162 P-V (see data point 1302 on curve 1300 in FIG. 13 ).
- the mirror distortion (“P-V” or “peak-to-valley”) ranged from about 0.142 P-V at a torque of zero inch-ounces (or “in-oz”) (see data point 1311 on curve 1310 in FIG. 13 ) to about 0.2 P-V at a torque of 100 inch-ounces (see data point 1313 on curve 1310 in FIG. 13 ).
- the mirror distortion was measured at about 0.168 P-V (see data point 1312 on curve 1310 in FIG. 13 ).
- the mount used for the “Solid Post” experiment (e.g., results of which are illustrated via curve 1300 in FIG. 13 ) is substantially similar or identical to, and is, therefore, representative of the mount depicted in FIG. 1 or variations thereof in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention.
- the mount used for the “Relieved Post” experiment (e.g., results of which are illustrated via curve 1310 in FIG. 13 ) is substantially similar or identical to, and is, therefore, representative of the mount(s) depicted in FIG. 11A , FIG. 11B or variations thereof (e.g., as shown in FIGS.
- the experimental data clearly indicates the critical improvement of employing a protruding member (or post) having a groove (or relief) spaced away from an optical structure instead of a protruding member (or post) without a groove (or relief).
- a protruding member (or post) having a groove (or relief) spaced away from an optical structure instead of a protruding member (or post) without a groove (or relief).
- the mirror distortions that occurred at the two torque values of 48 inch-ounces i.e., about 1.162 P-V for Solid Post and about 0.168 P-V for Relieved Post with spaced away groove; see data point 1302 of curve 1300 in FIG. 13 and data point 1312 of curve 1310 in FIG.
- the Solid Post assembly exhibited mirror distortions that were about 692% greater and 1180.5% greater, respectively, than the mirror distortions of the Relieved Post assembly with the spaced away groove.
- Such results were quite surprising and greater than any expected reduction in mirror distortions due to the addition of the groove, where the groove was spaced away from the optical structure 20 .
- the distortion for the Relieved Post is consistently and minimally/barely increasing from about 0.142 P-V to about 0.2 P-V (see curve 1310 in FIG. 13 ) across the entire range of torque applied whereas the distortion for the Solid Post discussed above is much more erratic and increases greatly, especially beyond 16 inch-ounces and towards the higher end of the torque applied, from about 0.294 P-V to about 2.361 P-V (see curve 1300 in FIG. 13 ).
- the results are of a significant statistical and practical advantage because by making the subject structural change (i.e., by adding a groove or relief 294 to the protruding member or post 290 , 290 a , 290 b that is spaced away from the optical structure 20 as shown in FIG. 10 and FIGS. 11A-11B but with the optical structure 20 (e.g., the bottom surface 34 of the optical element 30 of the optical structure 20 ) connected to the top surface 297 of the protruding member 290 a , 290 b ), which is an inexpensive and unique modification, the stresses/forces affecting a connected optical structure, such as optical structure 20 , are significantly reduced.
- the subject structural change i.e., by adding a groove or relief 294 to the protruding member or post 290 , 290 a , 290 b that is spaced away from the optical structure 20 as shown in FIG. 10 and FIGS. 11A-11B but with the optical structure 20 (e.g., the bottom surface 34 of the optical element
- one or more reliefs 220 a , 220 b may be disposed and/or formed in and/or on (e.g., in communication with, as part of, etc.) the perimeter of the recess 62 c of the mount 210 a (best seen in FIG. 11A ) or may be formed on/in/around the perimeter (e.g., in communication with, as part of, etc.) of the bottom portion, such as bottom portion 296 b , of the protruding member, such as protruding member 290 b (best seen in FIG.
- the one or more reliefs or notches comprise radial reliefs/notches 220 a , 220 b .
- the reliefs/notches 220 a , 220 b are constructed (e.g., sized, shaped, etc.) in and/or on the protruding member 290 b and/or in and/or on the mount 210 a such that the reliefs/notches 220 a , 220 b permit the gaps 68 c , 68 d to function without interference (e.g., the gaps 68 c , 68 d may perform substantially similar or identical to gaps 68 , 68 b as discussed above).
- the reliefs/notches 220 a , 220 b may be created by any method known to one skilled in the art, including, but not limited to, grinding, etching, laser etching, cutting, etc.
- the member 290 , 290 a , 290 b may be connected (e.g., via clamping, tightening, etc.) to a mount 210 a , 210 b , e.g., in similar fashion to member 90 , 90 a , 90 b being connected to mount 10 , 10 a , 10 b as discussed above.
- the elements e.g., upper portion 211 ; bottom portion 296 , 296 a , 296 b ; groove 294 ; opening 62 c , 62 d ; opening 212 a , 212 b of mount 210 a , 210 b ; etc.
- the protruding member 290 , 290 a , 290 b and/or mount 210 a , 210 b may operate in similar or identical fashion to those respective elements of the protruding members 90 a - 90 f (such as, but not limited to upper surface 97 a - 97 f ; bottom portion 96 a - 96 f ; groove 94 a - 94 f ; etc.) and/or of the mounts 10 , 10 a , 10 b (such as, but not limited to opening 62 , 62 b ; opening 74 , 74 b ; opening 110 ; etc.
- the mount 210 a , 210 b may be connected to another structure as discussed above (e.g., another structure 140 as shown in FIG. 4A , another structure 140 a as shown in FIG. 4B , etc.) via an element (e.g., a pin; an extending member, such as the extending member 123 of FIG. 4A or the extending member 123 a of FIG. 4B ; etc.) extending through the opening 212 a , 212 b of the mount 210 a , 210 b .
- the mount 210 a , 210 b may include a base element, such as base element 100 b shown in FIGS. 8-9 , such that the base element may be easily connected, e.g. via clamping, compressing, etc. to another structure. Such structure may lessen the force/stress on the optical structure 20 attached to the mount 210 a , 210 b.
- posts or protruding members may be right circular cylinders, generally of greater diameter than height, that may be adhesive bonded or fused on one of the end caps or surfaces that faces to the assembly to which the protruding member (e.g., the protruding member 90 ) is mounting.
- An end-user may grip a post or protruding member (e.g., the protruding member 90 ) using a squeezing hoop-type or split clamp, thereby causing a large normal force between the clamp and the circular periphery of the post (e.g., the protruding member 90 ).
- the frictional force in directions normal to the normal force, i.e., between post (e.g., the protruding member 90 ) and clamp is very high.
- the novelty of using a protruding member is so that the stress field (e.g., due to the squeezing of a clamp onto the post) does not transmit deleterious strain motions to the one or more optical surfaces of an optical structure (e.g., the optical structure 20 ).
- the stress field “damps down” in distances sufficiently short that there is no strain field (displacement) effect at distances associated with the critical optical surfaces (e.g., of the optical structure 20 ), so such optical surfaces are unaffected.
- Such general posts are not without problems. It was found by the inventors that in mounting an interferometer and a retroreflector by using one or more posts without grooves, that the inventors were still very limited in the amount of squeezing the inventors could do before the aforementioned strain field in fact did transmit to the optical surfaces. Sometimes, the allowable amount of squeezing and hence mounting frictional force, from a distortion point of view, were insufficient to stably mount the optical component under shock loading.
- the inventors in at least one embodiment of the post having no groove, were not able to squeeze the post as hard as the inventors would have liked for stable optical mounting, and at the light squeezes that did not affect optical surfaces, one or more embodiments of such a mounting using the posts or protruding members having no grooves may come apart under shock loading.
- one improvement that alleviates the above problem is to put a groove (e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.) in the post (e.g., the grooved protruding members 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.), thereby “necking it down” at or near the face of a protruding member that abuts the component (e.g., the optical structure 20 ) being mounted.
- a groove e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.
- the protruding member 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc. is now narrower than a protruding member, such as the protruding member 90 without a groove therein, the protruding member 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc. did not provide as stable a mounting for the optical structure 20 attached thereto, e.g., such as a retroreflector, interferometer, mirror panel, etc.
- Such a structural change of a protruding member e.g., the protruding member 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.
- a groove e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.
- the “necked-down” post e.g., the grooved protruding member 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.
- the mounted interferometer to be more vibrationally sensitive.
- a “bowing at the waist” vibrational mode was observed, that in the operation of the aforementioned spectrometer, which caused the optical path difference of said spectrometer to be modulated at the vibrational frequency.
- vibrational motions in other grooved-post-mounted optical components can lead to other deleterious vibrational behavior in the systems in which those optical components are employed.
- the purpose of the grooved post is to mount components into one or more optical assemblies at stable fixed orientations and/or distances from one or more other components.
- the posts e.g., the grooved protruding member 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.
- the stable fixed orientation and/or distance feature(s) is defeated.
- an improved optical assembly may include a damping ring 400 disposed in or on, and/or adhered to, the groove (e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.) of the protruding member (e.g., the grooved protruding member 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.).
- the damping ring 400 is sized and shaped to fill at least a portion (as best seen in FIG. 14 ) and/or the entire volume or area (as best seen in FIG. 15 ) occupied or created by the groove (e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.).
- the damping ring 400 may be substantially O-shaped.
- the size and shape of the damping ring 400 may be defined by the size and shape of the groove (e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the damping ring 400 may extend beyond or fill additional space outside of the groove (e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.) in one or more additional embodiments.
- the damping ring may be made of polyurethane or any other compound that operates to achieve the desired vibrational damping effect and/or to provide the desired structural attribute of creating the vibrational damping effect.
- the damping ring is affixed or connected to the groove (e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.) by bonding, adhering or fusing.
- the polyurethane ring 400 is bonded on three surfaces, to the face of the mounted component (e.g., the optical structure 20 ) proximal to the necked-down post (or the grooved protruding member 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.), to the face of the groove (e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.) distal to the component (e.g., the optical structure 20 ) being mounted, and to the shaft (inner face) of the groove (e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.).
- the face of the mounted component
- Polyurethane is a polymer known to have damping (dissipative) properties to vibrational motion.
- Other compounds having damping (dissipative) properties may be used as well, such as, but not limited to, any polymer material (or sand) that may be molded into the groove (e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.) with an adhesive.
- the ring 400 is not rigid, but, in one or more embodiments, the ring 400 may be rigid.
- the vibrational modes associated with the necked-down posts were greatly minimized, allowing the inventors of the present invention to take advantage of the post mounting concept without significant increased vibrational sensitivity.
- FIGS. 14-15 show two three-dimension models showing: (1) an interferometer (e.g., the optical structure 20 ) mounted with a post (e.g., the protruding members 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.) having the damping ring 400 disposed in and/or adhered to the groove (e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.) (see FIG.
- an interferometer e.g., the optical structure 20
- a post e.g., the protruding members 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.
- a retroreflector e.g., the optical structure 20
- a post e.g., the protruding members 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.
- the damping ring 400 disposed in and/or adhered to the groove (e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.) (See FIG. 15 ).
- At least one primary function of the ring 400 is to improve the vibrational resistance and/or resistance to the one or more other stresses discussed herein of the grooved post (e.g., the protruding members 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.) mounting. As illustrated in FIG.
- the post e.g., the protruding members 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.
- the post e.g., the protruding members 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.
- the post e.g., the protruding members 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.
- the post e.g., the protruding members 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.
- the groove e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.
- the ring 400 compresses the ring 400 on the other side (e.g., area or side 1602 as shown in FIG.
- the stretch-compression action on the ring 400 causes the axis (also referred to as a longitudinal axis of the post or protruding member (e.g., the protruding members 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.)), L, and/or a portion of the axis, L, to bend to the new position of the angled or bent axis, L B (best seen in FIG. 16 ).
- a bending tendency may occur under vibration or when subject to one or other stresses as discussed herein.
- the material of the post e.g., the protruding members 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.
- the stretch-compression action on the ring 400 and the choice of polyurethane or any other compound or material which shows large mechanical losses (conversion of motion to heat, thereby reducing the motion), dampen the vibration and/or one or more other stresses acting thereon.
- the ring 400 may be (and is preferably as discussed above) adhesively adhered to the post (e.g., the protruding member 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.) on two surfaces thereof and to the mounted component (e.g., the optical structure 20 ) on a third surface thereof.
- the post e.g., the protruding member 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.
- Such adhesive connection permits the ring 400 to act like a dampening element on the post (e.g., the protruding member 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.) in the portion of the motion where it tries to stretch the adhered ring 400 .
- a dampening element on the post e.g., the protruding member 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.
- the effectiveness of the ring 400 would be lessened because it would lose contact with the post (e.g., the protruding members 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.) on one side during the stretching cycle.
- the adhesive acts to prevent slippage, enhancing the aforementioned tension/stretch-compression effect so that the one or more stresses may be dampened.
- the ring 400 may be employed in a groove (e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.) without adhesive.
- the presence of the ring 400 in the post reduces the tendency of the post (e.g., the protruding members 90 a , 90 b , 90 c , 90 d , 90 e , 90 f , 290 , 290 a , 290 b , etc.) and/or the groove (e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.) thereof to stretch and/or compress.
- the groove e.g., the groove 94 a , 94 b , 94 c , 94 d , 94 e , 94 f , 294 , etc.
- the present invention and one or more components thereof also may be used in conjunction with any suitable optical assembly including, but not limited to, optical assembly structures, interferometers, and/or retroreflectors such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,335,111; 5,949,543; 6,141,101; 6,473,185; 6,729,735; 6,752,503; 6,786,608; 6,827,455; 6,945,661; 7,168,817; 7,995,208; 8,092,030; 8,454,176; 8,567,968 to Bleier; U.S. Pat. No. 7,268,960 to Vishnia; U.S. Pat. Nos.
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Abstract
An improved mount for, and method of mounting, an optical structure having a grooved/relieved protruding member with a damping ring therein or on is provided. The grooved/relieved protruding member may extend from the optical structure, and an upper element having a first opening extending therethrough may receive at least a portion of the grooved/relieved member in the first opening. The upper element may include second and third openings therein that operate along with the first opening and a tightening mechanism. Tightening of the tightening mechanism into at least one of the third opening and the second opening causes the ends of the head portions to draw toward each other so that the first opening of the upper element tightens around the at least a portion of the grooved/relieved protruding member.
Description
- This application is a non-provisional patent application that claims the benefit of the filing date of, and priority to, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/767,489, filed Feb. 21, 2013, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
- This invention relates to the field of mounts for optical structures, including but not limited to, reflective panels, optical filters (absorptive and/or dichroic), hollow retroreflectors and solid retroreflectors.
- Optical structures such as, but not limited to, reflective panels (mirror panels), optical filters (absorptive and/or dichroic), hollow retroreflectors and solid retroreflectors are old in the art. Solid retroreflectors are solid tetrahedrons of glass wherein three adjacent sides of the tetrahedron are substantially perpendicular to each other and these three sides that meet at a common corner are polished to have a high degree of flatness. Hollow retroreflectors are made of three mirror panels joined together preferably having optically flat reflective surfaces disposed at right angles to each other, and meeting at what can be described as a common inside corner of an imaginary cube. Both solid and hollow retroreflectors in general have the essential property of causing incident and reflected light rays to travel along substantially parallel paths.
- When hollow retroreflectors are assembled for high accuracy and precision it is important to maintain the mutual perpendicularity of the reflective surfaces and sometimes essential to ensure that the retroreflector as a whole does not move. The perpendicularity of the reflective surfaces is affected by external stresses. With regard to high accuracy and precise reflective panels, such as mirror panels to be used for high accuracy purposes, it is also important to try to maintain as optically flat as possible the reflective surface of the panel.
- Examples of external stresses that can affect the optical flatness of a reflective panel, an optical filter and/or the perpendicularity of reflective surfaces of abutting reflective panels of a hollow retroreflector, are thermal expansion or contraction of the substrate material from which the panels are made, deflection caused by curing of the adhesives used to join elements together and/or to join the retroreflector to its mount and/or the mass of the panels themselves. Accordingly, it would be desirable to assemble together the elements of a hollow retroreflector or of an optical filter, and/or to assemble a reflective panel to a mount, in such a manner as to reduce these stresses. It would also be desirable that the manner of mounting an optical filter, reflective panel(s) and/or a retroreflector to its mount not add to these stresses, but nevertheless, securely retain the optical filter, reflective panel(s) and/or retroreflector on the mount. Examples of hollow retroreflector mounts which have proven successful in maintaining the reflective surfaces in their perpendicular orientations are found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,765, to Morton S. Lipkins, U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,901, to Zvi Bleier, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,111, also to Bleier.
- Additionally, any prior art mounts that may include flexible materials cannot, and do not, maintain the dimensional stability (“DS”) such that various forces working on a connected optical structure may be constantly changing the dimensions of that optical structure.
- The present mount also achieves secure mounting of the optical structure in a manner designed to help eliminate deflective stresses on the reflective surface(s) of the structure caused by the mounting of the optical structure, such as the optical filter, the reflective panel(s) and/or the retroreflector to its mount. One or more aspects of the present mount also achieve dimensional stability (“DS”) such that a “hard mount” is achieved. One or more further aspects of the present invention permit the hard mounts to maintain any provided degree of flatness (e.g., at least about λ/4, at least about λ/10, between about λ/4 and about λ/30, etc.) and more particularly, to maintain a high degree of flatness (e.g., at least about λ/20, at least about λ/15, between about λ/15 and about λ/20, between about λ/15 and about λ/30, etc.) after the mount is constructed.
- The mount also allows for easy and secure mounting of the optical structure onto a support structure.
- In accordance with the invention, an improved mount for, and method of mounting an optical structure is provided. The mount has a protruding member extending from a surface of the optical structure, a base element having a mounting structure for mounting the mount to another structure and an upper element extending from the base element having a first opening extending therethrough for receipt therein of at least a portion of the protruding member. In one or more embodiments, the mount has a protruding member extending from a surface of the optical structure and an upper element having a first opening extending therethrough for receipt therein of at least a portion of the protruding member. The mount may further include a base element having a mounting structure for mounting the mount to another structure where the upper element may extend from the base element. The first opening defines first and second arms, each of the arms comprising a head portion and each of the head portions ending at an end. A second opening in the upper element extends through one of the head portions and the end thereof in a direction toward the other head portion, while a third opening exists in the upper element through the end of the other head portion in an orientation substantially opposite to and in communication with the second opening so that a tightening mechanism received through the second opening can be received into the third opening. Tightening of the tightening mechanism into the third opening causes the ends of the head portions to draw toward each other so that the first opening of the upper element tightens around the at least a portion of the protruding member.
- In accordance with at least another aspect of the invention, the protruding member may have a first portion extending from a surface of the optical structure, a second portion, and a groove defining the first and second portions on each side of the groove, thereby permitting the groove and/or the protruding member to dissipate and/or eliminate one or more stresses passing through the mount and affecting the optical structure. Tightening of the tightening mechanism into the third opening may cause the ends of the head portions to draw toward each other so that the first opening of the upper element tightens around the at least second portion of the protruding member. The groove may be disposed on the protruding member such that the first portion is smaller than the second portion. The groove may be constructed on the protruding member such that the groove is spaced away from the optical structure and is located on the protruding member at a predetermined distance from the optical structure and/or from the top surface of the protruding member. The first portion of the protruding member may be smaller, substantially equal to, or larger than the second portion of the protruding member.
- The method of mounting the optical structure onto the mount is to form an optical structure having a reflective surface and a portion of the mount comprising a protruding member extending from a back surface of the optical structure, wherein the protruding member is either integrally formed with, or bonded to, the back surface of the optical structure. Forming the remainder of the mount comprising a base element having a construction for allowing the mount to be mounted to another structure, the mount further having an upper element having a first opening extending therethrough, such first opening forming two arms each having a head portion and ending at ends thereof. In one or more embodiments, the remainder of the mount may comprise the upper element having a first opening extending therethrough, such first opening forming two arms each having a head portion and ending at ends thereof (e.g., without a base element), and the upper element may operate to allow the mount to be mounted to another structure (e.g., the upper element may include structure similar to the structure disclosed herein for the base element (e.g., threaded holes and/or members attached thereto); the upper element may include structure operating to permit the upper element to be attached or connected to a base element as disclosed herein; etc.). Sliding the first opening of the mount over at least a portion of the protruding member. Tightening the first opening of the mount around the protruding member by inserting a tightening mechanism into a second opening located through one of the head portions of the mount and by further inserting and tightening the tightening member into a third opening in the other head portion of the mount so that the tightening member draws the two ends of the head portions toward each other thereby contracting the first opening of the mount around the protruding member of the optical structure.
- In accordance with at least an additional aspect of the invention, the method of mounting the optical structure onto the mount is to form an optical structure having a reflective surface and a portion of the mount comprising a protruding member extending from a back surface of the optical structure, wherein the protruding member is either integrally formed with, or bonded to, the back surface of the optical structure. The protruding member may have a first portion extending from the back surface of the optical structure, a second portion, and a groove defining the first and second portions on each side of the groove, thereby permitting the groove and/or the protruding member to dissipate and/or eliminate one or more stresses passing through the mount and affecting the optical structure. Tightening the first opening of the mount around the at least second portion of the protruding member by inserting a tightening mechanism into a second opening located through one of the head portions of the mount and by further inserting and tightening the tightening member into a third opening in the other head portion of the mount so that the tightening member draws the two ends of the head portions toward each other thereby contracting the first opening of the mount around the at least second portion of the protruding member of the optical structure. The groove may be constructed in between the first and the second portions of the protruding member such that the first portion is smaller than, substantially equal to and/or larger than the second portion. The groove may be constructed on the protruding member such that the groove is spaced away from the optical structure and is located on the protruding member at a predetermined distance from the optical structure and/or from the top surface of the protruding member.
- In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, at least one embodiment of the mount, and similarly at least one embodiment of the method of mounting, may further involve one or more reliefs (also referred to as notches or depressions) that may be formed in and/or on (e.g., in communication with, as part of, etc.) the perimeter of the recess of the mount or may be formed on/in/around the perimeter (e.g., in communication with, as part of, etc.) in the bottom portion of the protruding member, thereby reducing physical contact, and, thus, the transfer of pressure or stresses/forces between the mount and the protruding member. The one or more reliefs may be in communication with at least one of: (i) the first opening, the one or more reliefs being positioned in and/or on a perimeter of the first opening and the one or more reliefs operating to reduce physical contact between one or more surfaces of the protruding member and one or more surfaces of the upper element of the mount, thereby reducing and/or eliminating transfer of one or more stresses between the upper element of the mount and the protruding member; and (ii) at least the second portion of the protruding member, the one or more reliefs being positioned in and/or on a perimeter of at least the second portion of the protruding member and the one or more reliefs operating to reduce physical contact between one or more surfaces of the protruding member and one or more surfaces of the upper element of the mount, thereby reducing and/or eliminating transfer of one or more stresses between the upper element of the mount and the protruding member. Preferably, the one or more reliefs are radial reliefs (e.g., extending from an outside surface inwardly towards the center of the protruding member, extending from an interior surface of the recess in the mount outwardly towards an outside surface of the mount, etc.). The one or more reliefs may extend a predetermined distance radially from the first opening towards an exterior of the upper element when the one or more reliefs are positioned in and/or on the perimeter of the first opening. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more reliefs may extend a predetermined distance radially from the at least second portion of the protruding member towards an interior of the protruding member when the one or more reliefs are positioned in and/or on the perimeter of at least the second portion of the protruding member.
- In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, at least one embodiment of the mount, and similarly at least one embodiment of the method of mounting, may further involve and/or include a damping ring disposed in, connected to and/or adhered to at least one of the groove, the protruding member and the optical structure. One or more embodiments of the mount, and the method of mounting, may include at least one of: (i) the damping ring operates to dampen said one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member, thereby improving the stress resistance of the grooved protruding member; (ii) the damping ring operates to handle tension and to stretch and/or flex at and/or on one portion of the damping ring while compressing at and/or on another portion of the damping ring, thereby improving the stress resistance of the grooved protruding member; (iii) the damping ring is flexibly resilient such that the damping ring operates to return to its rest position and/or original configuration in the grooved protruding member when said one or more stresses are not acting on the damping ring; (iv) the damping ring comprises polyurethane and/or any other compound or material which shows one or more large mechanical losses, thereby at least one of reducing motion, dampening the one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member and damping one or more results of the mount; (v) the damping ring operates to reduce the tendency of at least one of the grooved protruding member and the groove to stretch and/or compress; (vi) at least one of one or more portions of the grooved protruding member and one or more portions of the damping ring bend along, transversely to and/or away from an axis of the grooved protruding member and/or a plane including the axis of the grooved protruding member, the axis of the grooved protruding member extending through the first portion and the second portion of the grooved protruding member; (vii) at least one of one or more portions of the grooved protruding member and one or more portions of the damping ring bend along, transversely to and/or away from a longitudinal axis of the grooved protruding member and/or a plane including the axis of the grooved protruding member, the longitudinal axis extending through a surface of the first portion of the grooved protruding member that is in contact with the optical structure and through a surface of the second portion of the grooved protruding member, the surface of the second portion of the grooved protruding member being located on the opposite side of the grooved protruding member from the surface of the first portion of the grooved protruding member and the surfaces of the first and second portions of the grooved protruding member being substantially parallel to each other; (viii) the one or more large mechanical losses comprise a conversion of motion to heat, thereby reducing any motion of the grooved protruding member and/or any other portion of the mount that would result from the one or more stresses and dampening the one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member; and (ix) said one or more stresses comprise at least one of: connection and/or clamping stress in between said first and second arms, stress from said tightening of said tightening element, stress from rotating said tightening element, stress passing through said base element, stress passing through said upper element, stress passing through said protruding member, sheer stress, rotational stress and vibrational stress.
- In one or more embodiments of the mount, and method of mounting, the damping ring may have at least one of the following structural features or attributes: (i) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member; (ii) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the optical structure; (iii) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least one surface of the damping ring; (iv) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least two surfaces of the damping ring; (v) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least one surface of the damping ring and to the optical structure on and/or at at least another surface of the damping ring; (vi) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least two surfaces of the damping ring and to the optical structure on and/or at at least a third surface of the damping ring; (vii) the damping ring is adhered, molded and/or bonded to at least one of the grooved protruding member and the optical structure using an adhesive or bonding material and/or element; (viii) the adhesive or bonding material and/or element operates to prevent slippage of the damping ring from the mount, thereby enhancing at least one of the dampening of the one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member and the tension, stretch, flex and/or compression effect of the damping ring; and (ix) the damping ring does not include the adhesive or bonding material and/or element.
- The present invention and one or more components thereof are operable and adaptable to be used in conjunction with any suitable optical mount including, but not limited to, U.S. Pat. No. 8,092,030, issued on Jan. 10, 2012, having the same assignee as the present application, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
- The present invention and one or more components thereof also may be used in conjunction with any suitable optical assembly including, but not limited to, optical assembly structures, interferometers, and/or retroreflectors such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,335,111; 5,949,543; 6,141,101; 6,473,185; 6,729,735; 6,752,503; 6,786,608; 6,827,455; 6,945,661; 7,168,817; 7,995,208; 8,092,030; 8,454,176; 8,567,968 to Bleier; U.S. Pat. No. 7,268,960 to Vishnia; U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,120,853; 8,205,852 and 8,205,853 to Jacobson et al.; and U.S. application Ser. No. 13/682,801, filed on Nov. 21, 2012, U.S. application Ser. No. 13/682,857, filed on Nov. 21, 2012, (presently pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 13/682,983, filed on Nov. 21, 2012, (presently pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 13/348,723, filed on Jan. 12, 2012, (presently pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 13/560,510, filed on Jul. 27, 2012, (presently pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 13/560,583, filed on Jul. 27, 2012, (presently pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 13/036,506, filed on Feb. 28, 2011, (presently pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 13/777,267, filed on Feb. 26, 2013 (presently pending), and U.S. application Ser. No. 13/965,333, filed on Aug. 13, 2013 (presently pending), each of which patents and applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. One construction for a hollow retroreflector is as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,084 to Morton S. Lipkins.
- Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved mount for an optical structure.
- Another object of the invention is to provide an improved mount for an optical structure which causes minimal external stresses to the reflective surfaces of the optical structure.
- Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved mount for an optical structure wherein the mount achieves reductions in movement of the optical structure in order to achieve higher-accuracy distance measurements.
- Yet a further object of the invention is to provide an improved mount for an optical structure wherein the mounting of the mount and optical structure to a support structure is easy and secure.
- It is even a further object of the invention to provide an improved method of mounting an optical structure using the improved mount.
- Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the following description.
- For the purposes of illustrating the various aspects of the invention, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there are shown in the drawings simplified forms that may be employed, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited by or to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. To assist those of ordinary skill in the relevant art in making and using the subject matter hereof, reference is made to the appended drawings and figures, wherein:
-
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a mount, optical structure and screw, made in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the structures ofFIG. 1 as joined together; -
FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 ofFIG. 1 of an alternative embodiment of a tightening mechanism and holes for same that may be used with the structures ofFIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention; -
FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 ofFIG. 1 of another alternative embodiment of a tightening mechanism and holes for same that may be used with the structures ofFIG. 1 in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention; -
FIG. 4A is a side view of themount 10 ofFIG. 1 along with another structure having a threaded member extending therefrom in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention; -
FIG. 4B is a side view of an alternative embodiment for a mount having a threaded member extending therefrom along with another structure having a threaded opening therethrough in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention; -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a roof mirror having a pin extending therefrom in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention; -
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a mount, optical structure and screw, made in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention; -
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the structures ofFIG. 6 as joined together; -
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of yet a further embodiment of a mount, optical structure comprising an optical filter and screw, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention; -
FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the structures ofFIG. 8 ; -
FIGS. 10A-10F are cross-sectional views taken along the diameter of various embodiments of the protruding member employing different geometrical shapes for the groove/relieved portion thereof in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention; -
FIG. 11A is a perspective view of at least an additional aspect of the protruding member having a groove spaced away from the optical structure, where the optical structure is shown in an exploded view from the protruding member, and used in tandem with a mount having radial reliefs spaced around, and in communication with, a recess of the mount in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention; -
FIG. 11B is a perspective view of at least an additional aspect of the protruding member having a groove spaced away from the optical structure, where the optical structure is shown in an exploded view from the protruding member, and having radial reliefs disposed around a bottom portion of the protruding member placed in recess of the mount in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention; -
FIGS. 12A-12B are graphs illustrating the unexpected and critical reduction and/or elimination of various forces/stresses on the optical structure by the experiment performed to compare the torque, and mirror (or optical) distortion resulting therefrom, affecting an optical structure having a protruding member without a groove (also referred to as a “Solid Post”; data shown inFIG. 12A ) with the torque, and mirror (or optical) distortion resulting therefrom, affecting an optical structure having a protruding member with a groove (also referred to as a “Relieved Post”; data shown inFIG. 12B ); -
FIG. 13 is a graph illustrating the unexpected and critical reduction and/or elimination of various forces/stresses on the optical structure by another experiment performed to compare the torque, and mirror (or optical) distortion resulting therefrom, affecting an optical structure having a protruding member without a groove (also referred to as a “Solid Post”; data shown incurve 1300 ofFIG. 13 ) with the torque, and mirror (or optical) distortion resulting therefrom, affecting an optical structure having a protruding member with a groove spaced away from the optical structure (also referred to as a “Relieved Post”; data shown incurve 1310 ofFIG. 13 ); -
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of at least one embodiment of an interferometer having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove for use with a mount in accordance with at least one aspect of the present invention; -
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of at least one embodiment of a retroreflector having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove for use with a mount in accordance with at least one aspect of the present invention; and -
FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic view of at least one embodiment of a grooved protruding member having a damping ring adhered in, to or on the groove in accordance with at least one aspect of the present invention. - An improved mount for, and method of mounting, an optical structure having a grooved/relieved protruding member with a damping ring are disclosed herein. The mount may have the grooved/relieved protruding member extending from a surface of the optical structure, a base element for mounting the mount to another structure and an upper element extending from the base element having a first opening extending therethrough for receipt therein of at least a portion of the grooved/relieved member. The first opening defines first and second arms, each of the arms comprising a head portion and each of the head portions ending at an end. A second opening in the upper element extends through one of the head portions and the end thereof in a direction toward the other head portion, while a third opening exists in the upper element through the end of the other head portion in an orientation substantially opposite to and in communication with the second opening so that a tightening mechanism may be received through the second opening and the third opening. Tightening of the tightening mechanism into the third opening causes the ends of the head portions to draw toward each other so that the first opening of the upper element tightens around the at least a portion of the grooved/relieved protruding member. With the grooved/relieved protruding member, the mount provides the aforementioned advantages of providing a “hard mount” with dimensional stability and a high degree of optical flatness while also substantially reducing and/or eliminating stresses/forces from affecting the connected optical structure.
- Turning now to the details of the figures,
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a mount in accordance with at least one aspect of the present invention. A mount for an optical structure made in accordance with the invention is generally designated at 10 (best seen inFIGS. 1-2 ). In the particular case of the figures of this application, the optical structure portrayed is that of a hollow retroreflector, which will hereinafter generally be designated in the figures at 20. It is of course to be understood that other optical structures are anticipated to be compatibly used withmount 10, including but not limited to, roof mirrors (see e.g.,roof mirror 520 ofFIG. 5 ), optical filters and/or individual refractive/reflective/mirror panels (see e.g.,optical filter 820 ofFIGS. 8-9 ), and/or solid retroreflectors (not shown). -
Retroreflector 20 is preferably made of fused quartz/fused silica or fine annealed Pyrex (i.e., any type of borosilicate glass or glasses having a low coefficient of thermal expansion) or glass ceramics, whilemount 10 is preferably made of a metal alloy having a very low coefficient of thermal expansion, such as INVAR (e.g., a nickel iron alloy having a low coefficient of thermal expansion) or aluminum. -
Hollow retroreflector 20 is comprised of afirst panel 30, asecond panel 40, and athird panel 50. Each of thepanels reflective surface surfaces panels Panels reflective surfaces panels reflective surfaces - As with all hollow retroreflectors,
retroreflector 20 is designed to receive an incoming (incident) light ray (not shown) and reflect the light ray off of thereflective surfaces retroreflector 20 along a path substantially parallel to the incident light ray. Of course, the incident light ray can initially strike any one of the reflective surfaces without bearing upon the accuracy of the parallelism of the reflected light ray. The accuracy tolerances forretroreflector 20 will almost always depend upon the function to be performed byretroreflector 20. If high degrees of accuracy, i.e., parallelism of the incident and reflected light rays, is a primary purpose ofretroreflector 20, then high degrees of precision must be created and maintained with respect to the flatness of and perpendicularity ofreflective surfaces - One construction for a hollow retroreflector is as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,084 to Morton S. Lipkins. If the construction shown in the '084 patent is used herein, then each of
panels hollow retroreflector 20 has at least first andsecond sides FIGS. 1-2 ,second side 48 ofpanel 40 is abutted against and adhered toreflective surface 32 ofpanel 30,second side 38 ofpanel 30 is abutted against and adhered toreflective surface 52 ofpanel 50, and second side 58 ofpanel 50 is abutted against and adhered toreflective surface 42 ofpanel 40. Accordingly, each ofpanels second sides first sides - Turning now to a discussion of
mount 10, it is seen from the figures (best seen inFIGS. 1-2 , 4A, and 6-7) that mount 10 has anupper element 60 and abase element 100. - As seen in the figures (best seen in
FIGS. 1-2 , 4A, and 6-7),base element 100 has extending therein anopening 110. Opening 110 preferably extends through abottom surface 112 ofbase 100, but may be placed anywhere onbase 100.Opening 110 is preferably threaded to receive a correspondingly threaded member (see e.g., threaded extendingmember 123 ofFIG. 4A ) extending from some type of support structure (see e.g.,support structure 140 ofFIG. 4A ). However, it is also to be understood that instead of havingopening 110, abase element 100 a having abottom surface 112 a may have an outwardly extending member (see e.g., threaded extendingmember 123 a ofFIG. 4B ) which would in turn be received into a cooperating opening 110 a on a support structure (see e.g.,support structure 140 a ofFIG. 4B ). In this instance also it is preferred that the extending member and support opening both be threaded to allow for a more secure connection between the two. Additionally, other mounting constructions are intended to be encompassed in the invention, such as the use of a clamp from the support structure to securely holdbase element base element upper element FIGS. 8-9 further discussed below), as are other constructions. - Turning now to a discussion of
upper element 60 ofmount 10, it is seen inFIGS. 1-3 that in a preferred embodimentupper element 60 has anopening 62 extending therethrough. In the embodiment shown herein opening 62 is circular and such a circular opening is preferred, but not mandatory, it being anticipated by the invention herein that opening 62 may be any geometric shape. It is also seen that opening 62 ofupper element 60 creates twoarms respective head portion Head portion 67 ends atend 70, whilehead portion 69 ends atend 72. Ends 70 and 72 do not touch and have agap 68 extending therebetween. Throughhead 69 extendsopening 74, through which screw/bolt/tightening mechanism 80 (also referred to as “element 80”) is received.Opening 74 extends completely throughhead 69 and end 72 ofhead 69. As is best shown inFIGS. 3A-3C , a corresponding and communicatingopening 75 extends throughend 70 ofhead 67, so thatelement 80 is able to be received therein. Assumingelement 80 is threaded (along a predetermined length or portion of the element 80) and that at least opening 75 is also threaded, then aselement 80 is tightened intoopening 75, ends 70 and 72 are drawn together. As ends 70 and 72 draw together, opening 62 ofelement 60 becomes smaller; i.e., the diameter lessens, thereby creating a clamping force against protrudingmember 90 ofpanel 30, discussed in more detail below. It is also to be understood herein that some, or all of, opening 74 may be correspondingly threaded (as shown inFIGS. 3A and 3C ) to receive element 80 (e.g., theelement 80 may be threaded along the length thereof to engage the threads in thehole 75 but thehole 74 may not include threads as shown inFIG. 3B ; theelement 80 may be threaded at a portion thereof that extends into theopening 75 and may not include threads at a portion thereof that is disposed or rests in theopening 74 when theelement 80 is completely tightened into theopening 74 such that the threaded portion of theelement 80 operates to draw theends FIG. 3C ; etc.). Additionally or alternatively, a substantial portion of theholes element 80 may lock theends FIG. 3A ). Additionally, a mount, and method for constructing same, that is the subject of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/674,315, filed on Feb. 13, 2007, having the same assignee as the present application, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,092,030, on Jan. 10, 2012, and which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, may be used with one or more embodiments of the mount, and methods for constructing same, as discussed herein. - To help
secure element 80 within the opening inend 70, all of, or at least a portion of, opening 74 may also be correspondingly threaded (e.g., the threads in theopening 74 may direct the threaded portion of theelement 80 towards, and into, theopening 75 to draw theends element 80 is a threaded bolt having an Alan wrench opening in its head for tightening and looseningelement 80, as is known in the art.Other elements 80 are anticipated herein; such as, but not limited to, screws and/or bolts having Philips or flat head openings. Other manners of tightening the clamping force of opening 62 by bringingends mount 10 throughopening 62 onto protrudingmember 90. As way of a further example, another embodiment of the invention may involve noelement 80 and nogap 68 between ends 70 and 72. Instead, opening 62 may be continuous and sized so that a little adhesive applied between theouter surface 92 of protrudingmember 90 allows opening 62 to be adhered to surface 92. Tightening mechanism orelement 80 may be made from any material known to one skilled in the art, including, but not limited to, glass, metals, metal alloys, polymers, one or more materials having a low coefficient of thermal expansion, etc. - Turning now to a more detailed discussion of member 90 (also referred to as “protruding
member 90” or “pin 90”),panel 30 may be formed such thatmember 90 is an integrally extending part ofpanel 30 ormember 90 may be a separate member that is bonded to backsurface 34 ofpanel 30. In the preferred embodiment, bonding refers to fusing or adheringmember 90 to backsurface 34 ofpanel 30. As seen in the figures (best seen inFIGS. 1-2 ),member 90 is circular and/or disk-shaped in cross section to conform to opening 62 ofmount 10. However, as has been previously discussed, if opening 62 takes a different shape,member 90 would take the same shape as that ofopening 62. By way of example of at least one embodiment shown inFIGS. 1-2 , the protrudingmember 90 may include a first surface 91 (e.g., on a first end of the protruding member 90) and a second surface 93 (e.g., on a second end of the protruding member 90). The protrudingmember 90 may include a third surface (e.g., theouter surface 92 of the protruding member) extending between the first andsecond surfaces member 90 may be substantially circular and/or disk-shaped in cross section to conform to theopening 62 of themount 10 when theopening 62 of themount 10 is circular and/or disk-shaped. Because the protrudingmember 90 preferably is sized and shaped to conform to theopening 62, one surface (e.g., such as the first surface 91) may be either integral with thepanel 30 or bonded, fused and/or adhered to theback surface 34 of the panel. The one surface (e.g., such as the first surface 91) and/or the protrudingmember 90 may be sized and shaped such that the protrudingmember 90 extends through thehole 62 so that the tightening mechanism (such as, but not limited to, the screw/bolt/tightening mechanism 80) may draw theends heads opening 62 may be at least one of substantially on, in connection with and contracted around the protrudingmember 90. In at least one embodiment, the protrudingmember 90 may be cylindrical. Thefirst surface 91 of the protrudingmember 90 may comprise at least one of: a surface bonded, fused and/or adhered to theback surface 34 of thepanel 30; theback surface 34 of thepanel 30; a surface of thepanel 30 when themember 90 is integrally formed with thepanel 30; the top surface of a cylinder (e.g., when the protrudingmember 90 is cylindrical); and any other surface known to those skilled in the art to include the structural attributes of thefirst surface 91 discussed herein. Thesecond surface 93 of the protrudingmember 90 may comprise at least one of: a surface on the opposite side of the protrudingmember 90 from thefirst surface 91; a surface in contact with the third surface (e.g., the outer surface 92) of the protrudingmember 90 and spaced away from thepanel 30 and/or theback surface 34 of thepanel 30; the bottom surface of a cylinder (e.g., when the protrudingmember 90 is cylindrical); a surface of the cylinder that is inserted into and/or disposed within theopening 62; a surface of the protrudingmember 90 that is aligned with or substantially aligned with a surface of thearms 64, 65 (e.g., the surface of thearms upper element 60 of themount 10 away from the panel 30); and any other surface known to those skilled in the art to include the structural attributes of thesecond surface 93 discussed herein. In at least one embodiment where the protrudingmember 90 does not extend all the way through theopening 62 or where thesecond surface 93 of the protrudingmember 90 is aligned with or substantially aligned with a surface of thearms 64, 65 (see e.g.,FIG. 2 ), theopening 62 may be disposed at least one of substantially on, in connection with and around at least one of a third surface (e.g., theouter surface 92 of the protruding member 90) and thesecond surface 93. Any of the first, second andthird surfaces member 90 may be solid (see e.g.,FIGS. 1-2 ). For example, when the protrudingmember 90 is cylindrical, the first, second andthird surfaces member 90 may define a solid cylinder. The first andsecond surfaces member 90 may be substantially parallel or parallel to each other. - The method of mounting
optical structure 20 ontomount 10 is to form an optical structure having a reflective surface and a protruding member extending from a back surface of the optical structure, wherein the protruding member is either integrally formed from, or bonded to, the back surface of the optical structure. Forming a mounting member having a base element having a construction for allowing the mounting member to be mounted to another structure, the mounting member further having an upper element having a first opening extending therethrough, such first opening forming two arms each having a head portion and ending at ends thereof such that the ends are preferably separated by a gap therebetween at least when the mounting member is not attached to the optical structure. Sliding the first opening of the mounting member over the protruding member of the optical structure. Tightening the first opening of the mounting member around the protruding member by inserting a tightening mechanism into a second opening located through one of the head portions of the mounting member and by further inserting and tightening the tightening member into a third opening in the other head portion of the mounting member so that the tightening member draws the two ends of the head portions together thereby contracting the first opening of the mounting member around the protruding member of the optical structure. The tightening member preferably being a threaded bolt which is received into the third opening and the third opening also being threaded. As previously stated above, the second opening of the mounting member may also be threaded in whole or in part along its length. - The manner of mounting described herein is an improvement over prior mounting manners and is equally good, if not better, at preventing distortion of reflective surface 32 (and therefore of
reflective surfaces 42 and 52) so as to help maintainreflective surfaces reflective surface 32 by either the securing forces exerted by the contracting offirst opening 62 around protrudingmember 90 or due to contraction or expansion of the mounting member due to temperature change, or other reasons. For example, as best seen inFIGS. 1-2 , theupper element 60 and/or theopening 62 of theupper element 60 may be disposed at least one of substantially on, in connection with and around at least one of the third surface (e.g., the outer surface 92) of the protrudingmember 90 and thesecond surface 93. In particular, due to the orientation of protrudingmember 90 toreflective surface 32 and further since any such contracting or distortional forces exerted onmember 90 from the mounting member are applied in directions/planes that are parallel toreflective surface 32, and not perpendicular to it, such forces will only nominally, if at all, affect the optical flatness ofsurface 32. - It will also be seen that the manner of mounting described herein achieves substantial rigidity between
optical structure 20 andmount 10. Further, as described in the immediate above paragraph, the preferred low coefficient of thermal expansion metal alloy material which makes upmount 10 significantly reduces the effects of thermal expansion/contraction ofmount 10 so as to substantially minimize these effects on the accuracy ofoptical structure 20. - In accordance with at least another aspect of the present invention, a critical, structural improvement to the aforementioned protruding
member 90 structure has been unexpectedly achieved by the modification of themember 90 to include a relief or groove to further dissipate pressure on any connected optical structure and to more optimally maintain dimensional stability of the optical structure, protruding member and mount assembly. As illustrated inFIGS. 6-7 , the modified pin or protrudingmember 90 a having anouter surface 92 a includes a relief or groove 94 a such that atop surface 97 a (also referred to as afirst portion 97 a while the phrase “afirst portion 97 a” may refer to another portion, or a portion including thetop surface 97 a ofmember 90 a, e.g., the portion ofmember 90 a that is located above thesecond portion 96 a discussed below) of themember 90 a that operates to be connected (e.g., via fusing, adhering, bonding, etc.) to an optical structure, such asretroreflector 20, may be smaller than a lateral cross-section, such as bottom surface 98 a, of abase portion 96 a (also referred to as asecond portion 96 a) of themember 90 a that operates to be located, and locked/tightened, within opening 62 of themount 10. Thefirst portion 97 a may, alternatively, be substantially the same size as or larger than thesecond portion 96 a. Preferably, thegroove 94 a extends laterally along the protrudingmember 90 a and defines thefirst portion 97 a and thesecond portion 96 a on each side of thegroove 94 a. While bonding may be used, permanently fusing thepin groove 94 a to the bottom of theoptical structure 20 provides the advantage of eliminating the need for use of a bonding technique and, thus, enables a much more stable and durable mounting method for achieving a “hard mount” with dimensional stability and/or maintaining a provided degree of optical flatness or a high degree of optical flatness. - There are various ways for the
top surface 97 a to be “smaller” than the lateral cross-section, such as thebottom surface 98 a, (e.g., may be done in such a way that the structural integrity of the protrudingmember top surface 97 a having a smaller surface area than the lateral cross-section, such as thebottom surface 98 a, thetop surface 97 a having a smaller diameter than the lateral cross-section, such as thebottom surface 98 a, etc. Preferably, the diameter and/or the surface area of thetop surface 97 a is substantially smaller than the diameter and/or the surface area of the lateral cross-section, such as thebottom surface 98 a, such that the diameter of thetop surface 97 a is equal to or lesser than about the diameter of the lateral cross-section, such as thebottom surface 98 a, minus ten percent (10%). Thegroove 94 a may be various sizes. Preferably, thegroove 94 a does not extend more than about 10% of the optical component size, or does not extend more than about 15% of the optical component size. For example, thegroove 94 a may be about 50,000ths of an inch from a perimeter of the base portion of the protrudingmember member member inch diameter post groove 94 a that is about 200,000ths to about 250,000ths of an inch from the outer diameter of the protrudingmember optical structure 20; about 200,000ths to about 250,000ths of an inch from theoptical structure 20; about 200,000ths of an inch from the optical structure; about 250,000ths of an inch from theoptical structure 20; and about 50,000ths of an inch to about 250,000ths of an inch from theoptical structure 20. Preferably, an optical beam that enters the optical structure, such asretroreflector 20, is not larger than 3″ clear aperture. However, the optical beam may be larger than 3″ clear aperture in at least another embodiment. Thegroove 94 a and/or themember - Preferably, in at least one embodiment of the present invention, the
groove 94 a of the protrudingmember 90 a elevates and/or spaces any optical structure, such as theretroreflector 20, connected thereto away from thebase portion 96 a of themember 90 a and/or themount 10 because thegroove 94 a may comprise space in between the optical structure and at least one of: (i) thebase portion 96 a of themember 90 a and (ii) themount 10. Thegroove 94 a may space theoptical structure 20 away from thebase portion 96 a and/or themount 10 such that the optical structure, e.g., theretroreflector 20, does not directly contact a portion or surface of at least one of: themount 10, thebase portion 96 a of themember 90 a, theupper element 60 of themount 10 and thebase element 100 of themount 10. Such structure is constructed to, and operates to: (i) concentrate any stress or force from themount 10 onto themember 90 a rather than directly onto theoptical structure 20; and (ii) reduce/dissipate and/or eliminate any resulting stress or force from distorting, or otherwise affecting, theoptical structure 20. When the mount is assembled such that thetop surface 97 a ofmember 90 a is connected/fused to theoptical structure 20 and thebase portion 96 a of themember 90 a is tightened/clamped within theupper element 60 of themount 10, various types of stresses affect the assembly, including, but not limited to, tightening/clamping stress in betweenarms mount 10, stress from rotation/tightening of theelement 80 withinmount 10, etc. However, because themember 90 a includesgroove 94 a, such stresses that would otherwise be affecting theoptical structure 20 more greatly are instead surprisingly and significantly dissipated/reduced and/or eliminated. - The aforementioned unexpected and critical reduction and/or elimination of various forces/stresses on the optical structure is evidenced by the experiment performed to compare the torque, and mirror (or optical) distortion resulting therefrom, affecting an optical structure having a protruding member without a groove (also referred to as a “Solid Post”) (e.g., as shown in
FIG. 1 ) with the torque, and mirror (or optical) distortion resulting therefrom, affecting an optical structure having a protruding member with a groove (also referred to as a “Relieved Post”) (e.g., as shown inFIG. 6 ). The results of the experiment are illustrated inFIGS. 12A (i.e., “Solid Post” data) and 12B (i.e., “Relieved Post” data). As shown inFIG. 12A for the “Solid Post”, the mirror distortion (“P-V” or “peak-to-valley”; also referred to as λ) at a wavelength of 633 nanometers (“nm”) ranged from about 0.2 P-V at a torque near zero ounce-force-inch (or “ozf-in”) (seedata point 1201 oncurve 1200 inFIG. 12A ) to about 2.75 P-V at a torque greater than 80 ounce-force-inch (seedata point 1203 oncurve 1200 inFIG. 12A ). At a torque value of about 32 to about 34 ounce-force-inch (e.g., about middle of the range measured; seedata point 1202 oncurve 1200 inFIG. 12A ), the mirror distortion was measured at about 1.25 P-V. - In contrast, as shown in
FIG. 12B for the “Relieved Post”, the mirror distortion (“P-V” or “peak-to-valley”) at a wavelength of 633 nanometers (“nm”) ranged from about 0.2 P-V at a torque near zero ounce-force-inch (or “ozf-in”) (seedata point 1211 oncurve 1210 inFIG. 12B ) to about 0.25 P-V at a torque greater than 80 ounce-force-inch (seedata point 1213 oncurve 1210 inFIG. 12B ). At a torque value of about 32 to about 34 ounce-force-inch (e.g., middle of the range measured; seedata point 1212 oncurve 1210 inFIG. 12B ), the mirror distortion was measured at about 0.225 P-V. - The mount used for the “Solid Post” experiment (e.g., data shown in
FIG. 12A ) is substantially similar or identical to, and is, therefore, representative of the mount depicted inFIG. 1 or variations thereof in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. Similarly, the mount used for the “Relieved Post” experiment (e.g., data shown inFIG. 12B ) is substantially similar or identical to, and is, therefore, representative of the mount depicted inFIG. 6 or variations thereof in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. Indeed, the results of the “Solid Post” and “Relieved Post” experiment (e.g., as shown inFIGS. 12A and 12B , respectively) are representative of various embodiments in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. While the experiment was performed at a wavelength of 633 nm, it is important to note that if the experiment was repeated at a different wavelength, the experimental data from that additional experiment would indicate the same relationship or correlation between torque and mirror distortion. Thus, these results: (i) illustrate practical conditions; (ii) are representative of general conditions for such optical structure mount assemblies; and (iii) also indicate that the addition of the groove is unique and achieves critical results/advantages, thereby supporting the groove modification as being novel and nonobvious. - The experimental data clearly indicates the critical improvement of employing a protruding member (or post) having a groove (or relief) instead of a protruding member (or post) without a groove (or relief). For example, when comparing the mirror distortions that occurred at the two torque values of about 32-34 ozf-in (i.e., about 1.25 P-V for Solid Post and about 0.225 P-V for Relieved Post; see
data point 1202 inFIG. 12A anddata point 1212 inFIG. 12B , respectively) and greater than 80 ozf-in (i.e., about 2.75 P-V for Solid Post and about 0.25 P-V; seedata point 1203 inFIG. 12A anddata point 1213 inFIG. 12B , respectively), the Solid Post assembly exhibited mirror distortions that were 555.55% greater and 1100% greater, respectively, than the mirror distortions of the Relieved Post assembly. Such results were quite surprising and greater than any expected reduction in mirror distortions due to the addition of the groove or relief, such asgroove 94 a. Specifically, it is quite surprising that the distortion for the Relieved Post is consistently and minimally/barely increasing from about 0.2 P-V (e.g., atdata point 1211 inFIG. 12B ) to about 0.25 P-V (e.g., atdata point 1213 inFIG. 12B ) across the entire range of torque applied whereas the distortion for the Solid Post discussed above is much more erratic and increases greatly from about 0.2 P-V (e.g., atdata point 1201 inFIG. 12A ) to about 2.75 P-V (e.g., atdata point 1203 inFIG. 12A ) across the same range of torque applied. Indeed, the results are of a significant statistical and practical advantage because by making the subject structural change (i.e., by adding a groove orrelief 94 a to the protruding member or post 90 as shown inmember 90 a ofFIGS. 6-7 ), which is an inexpensive and unique modification, the stresses/forces affecting a connected optical structure are significantly reduced. Not only are the results quite critical and significant statistically, thereby evidencing nonobviousness, but making such a modification is also unique and nonobvious because those skilled in the art would be deterred from making the subject modification. Specifically, those skilled in the art would be concerned with improving stability and stiffness of the optical mount assembly, and would, therefore, avoid compromising the structural integrity of the protruding member, the optical structure, the mount and/or the overall assembly by adding a groove, such asgroove 94 a. Thus, making such a groove proceeds contrary to accepted wisdom in the field of optics, and further supports the unique, nonobvious nature of one or more aspects of the present invention. - Additionally, the use of the groove/
relief 94 a provides an assembly for achieving dimensional stability and permits the hard mounts to maintain any provided degree of flatness (e.g., less than about λ/4; at least about λ/4, at least about λ/10, between about λ/4 and about λ/30, greater than λ/30, etc.) and more particularly, to maintain a high degree of flatness (e.g., at least about λ/20, at least about λ/15, between about λ/15 and about λ/20, between about λ/15 and about λ/30, etc.) after the mount is constructed, especially when using any clamping forces, rotating forces (such as torque), etc. - In accordance with at least another embodiment of the present invention, the optical structure may comprise a mirror/reflective/refractive panel or an
optical filter 820 having a protrudingmember 90 b as shown inFIGS. 8-9 . Theoptical filter 820 may be a flat piece of glass, and the protrudingmember 90 b may have agroove 94 b and atop surface 97 b such that thebottom surface 824 of theoptical filter 820 sits on top of thetop surface 97 b. Theoptical filter 820 may be connected (e.g., via fusing, bonding, adhering, etc.) to themember 90 b, e.g., in similar fashion tooptical structure 20 being connected to themember FIG. 9 , thegroove 94 b may be fashioned geometrically to stop attop surface 97 b and twoextensions top surface 97 b of themember 90 b to define arecess 82 therebetween. Therecess 82 permits theoptical filter 820 to sit therein. Preferably, theoptical filter 820 is sufficiently located in therecess 82 to be properly positioned and/or centered, e.g., in a centering mechanism, for the connection process to themember 90 b, e.g., via fusing, adhering, etc. Theextensions FIGS. 8-9 ), or may be any other geometry to maintain the principles and aspects of the present invention discussed herein. Preferably, theextensions top surface 97 b that would exist ifsuch extensions top surface 83 a of theextension 81 a, thetop surface 83 b of theextension 81 b and thetop surface 97 b of themember 90 b (i.e., the base of recess 82) that is shown inFIG. 9 may be substantially the same or smaller than a surface area and/or diameter of thetop surface 97 b that would exist without the use of theextensions extensions top surface 97 b may extend to thegroove 94 b substantially all along the perimeter of thegroove 94 b). Theextensions member 90 b and may be connected such that the extensions become integral thereto (e.g., via fusing). Also, theextensions 81, 81 b may be adhered to, connected to or fused to themember 90 b without being integral thereto. Alternatively, as similarly discussed above for themembers member 90 b and/or thegroove 94 b thereof may be created by any method known to one skilled in the art, including, but not limited to, grinding, etching, laser etching, cutting, etc. In at least one embodiment, themember 90 b may be created, e.g., via etching, grinding, cutting, etc., such that thegroove 94 b and theextensions groove 94 b and theextensions member 90 b). - The
member 90 b may be connected (e.g., via clamping, tightening, etc.) to amount 10 b, e.g., in similar fashion tomember upper element 60 b; opening 62 b;arms head portions head portions base element 100 b; opening 110 b in thebase element 100 b; etc.) of themount 10 b may operate in similar fashion to those like-numbered elements (e.g., substantially same numbers but with a letter such as 10 and 10 a, 96 and 296 discussed below, etc.) ofmounts tightening mechanism 80 b (which may operate in a similar fashion as tightening mechanism 80) may be screwed intoaperture 74 b such that ends 70 b, 72 b ofheads arms base portion 96 b, of themember 90 b when themember 90 b is placed into opening 62 b ofupper element 60 b of themount 10 b. - Additionally, the
mount 10 b may be connected to another structure (e.g., anotherstructure 140 as shown inFIG. 4A , anotherstructure 140 a as shown inFIG. 4B , etc.) via an element (e.g., a pin; an extending member, such as the extendingmember 123 ofFIG. 4A or the extendingmember 123 a ofFIG. 4B ; etc.) extending through theopening 110 b or opening 115 of thebase element 100 b. Additionally or alternatively, themount 10 b may include abase element 100 b extending from theupper element 60 b and having a relatively smaller volume than the volume of theupper element 60 b such that the base element may be easily connected, e.g. via clamping, compressing, etc. to another structure. Such a structure may lessen the force/stress on theoptical filter glass 820 because any clamping, compressing, etc. of thebase element 100 b is limited by the reduced/smaller volume of thebase element 100 b. Thebase element 100 b and theupper element 60 b may be connected such that thebase element 100 b and theupper element 60 b are substantially co-linear and/or co-planar (e.g., thebase element 100 b extends from theupper element 60 b at substantially an angle of about 180 degrees). Additionally or alternatively, thebase element 100 b may include any geometric shape, e.g., the surfaces are chamfered, sloped, tapered, etc., such that the surface of thebase element 100 b that is ultimately clamped or otherwise connected to another structure is reduced. Alternatively, thebase element 100 b and theupper element 60 b may be connected at an angle in similar fashion to theupper element 60, 60 a and thebase element FIGS. 1-2 and 4A-4B. - In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, the groove/
relief member FIGS. 6-7 , the embodiment ofFIGS. 8-9 andFIG. 10A , thegroove member outer surface member bottom surfaces member base portion top surface bottom surface member - Alternatively, as shown in
FIGS. 10B-10E , a groove, such asgrooves members FIGS. 8-9 andFIG. 10A may employ the same orsimilar groove 94 b (or any other element thereof as indicated by like numerals), any of the geometrical shapes for the groove/relieved portion of any protruding member, such as the protrudingmembers FIGS. 10A-10F may be used for any of the various embodiments of protruding members discussed herein. As shown inFIG. 10B , thegroove 94 c is formed from a chamfered surface having a consistent slope extending from thebase portion 96 c of themember 90 c to thetop surface 97 c thereof. Thegroove 94 c may extend substantially around the perimeter of themember 90 c. As shown inFIG. 10C , thegroove 94 d is formed from a chamfered surface having a changing convex slope extending from thebase portion 96 d of themember 90 d to thetop surface 97 d thereof. Thegroove 94 d may extend substantially around the perimeter of themember 90 d. Alternatively, as shown inFIG. 10D , the chamfered surface may have a concave slope extending from thebase portion 96 e ofmember 90 e to thetop surface 97 e thereof. Thegroove 94 e may extend substantially around the perimeter of themember 90 e. Additionally, as shown inFIG. 10E , the chamfered surface may have a concave slope extending from thebase portion 96 f ofmember 90 f to thetop surface 97 f thereof such that the surface area and/or diameter of thetop surface 97 f may have substantially the same surface area and/or diameter of a lateral cross-section of thebase portion 96 f. Several lateral cross-sections of themember 90 f that are located above thebase portion 96 f may have a surface area and/or diameter that are smaller than the surface area and/or diameter of the lateral cross-section of thebase portion 96 f. Additionally, the volume of the portion of themember 90 f located above thebase portion 96 f may be smaller than the volume of thebase portion 96 f. Thegroove 94 f may extend substantially around the perimeter of themember 90 f. While it is preferred that the geometry of the groove 94 a-f corresponds to the geometry of themember 90 a-f and theopening opening member 90 a-f are circular, then the groove 94 a-f may be circular such that the groove 94 a-f extends circularly substantially around the perimeter of themember 90 a-e), it is not mandatory. For example, even if theopening member 90 a-f are circular, the groove 94 a-f may be ovular, rectangular, form pillars on top of the base portion 96 a-f of themember 90 a-f (e.g., such that the top of themember 90 a-f resembles a “button” when viewed from above), etc. - Additionally or alternatively, as shown in
FIG. 10F , a groove, such asgroove 294 of any protruding member, such as protrudingmember top surface 297 of the protruding member, and is, therefore, spaced away from any optical structure, such as optical structure 20 (e.g., thebottom surface 34 of theoptical element 30 of the optical structure 20), that may be attached to thetop surface 297 thereof. Thegroove 294 may employ different geometrical shapes for the groove/relieved portion thereof in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. For example, as shown in the embodiments ofFIGS. 11A and 11B (discussed further below) and inFIG. 10F , thegroove 294 may extend circularly around the perimeter of themember outer surface 292 of themember bottom surface 298 of themember base portion top surface 297 andbottom surface 298 of themember outer surface 292 extends outwardly substantially parallel to thetop surface 297 and thebottom surface 298. Once the outer surface has extended outwardly to the point where the diameter of the portion (e.g.,top portion 211 as discussed further below with reference toFIGS. 11A-11B ) of themember groove 294 is substantially equal to (although, alternatively, such an extension may occur where the diameter of the portion of themember bottom portion surface 292 extends vertically for a predetermined distance at substantially a right angle or perpendicular to thetop surface 297 andbottom surface 298. Once thesurface 292 extends for the predetermined distance, the surface extends inward again such that thesurface 292 defines thetop surface 297 of themember top surface 297 is substantially parallel to thebottom surface 298 of themember top portion 211 as discussed further below with reference toFIGS. 11A-11B ) of themember groove 294 where that portion may be smaller than (as shown inFIG. 10F ), substantially equal to, or larger than thebottom portion groove 294 of themember groove 94 c-94 f inFIGS. 10B-10E . Preferably, thetop surface 297 has a surface area and/or diameter that is substantially the same as the surface area and/or diameter of a lateral cross-section of thebase portion bottom surface 298 of themember top portion 211 as shown inFIGS. 11A-11B ) of themember groove 294 and thetop surface 297 have a surface area and/or diameter that is substantially the same as the surface area and/or diameter of a lateral cross-section of thebase portion bottom surface 298 of themember top portion 211 as shown inFIGS. 11A-11B ) of themember groove 294 and thetop surface 297 has a volume that is smaller than the volume of thebottom portion top portion 211, or of one or more lateral cross-sections of the portion, such as the top portion 211), the diameter and/or the volume of the portion of themember groove 294 and thetop surface 297 may be smaller than, equal to or larger than the surface area (of theentire bottom portion bottom portion bottom portion member - While it is preferred that the geometry of the
groove 294 corresponds to the geometry of themember opening opening member groove 294 may be circular such that thegroove 294 extends circularly substantially around the perimeter of themember opening member groove 294 may be ovular, rectangular, form pillars on top of thebase portion member member - In accordance with at least another embodiment of the present invention, a groove, such as
groove 294 or groove 94 a-94 f, of a protrudingmember optical structure 20, connected to the protrudingmember groove 294 from the optical structure 20 (e.g., thegroove 294 may be disposed at a location along the protrudingmember member member groove 294, thereby substantially reducing and/or eliminating such pressure or stresses from affecting theoptical structure 20. The location where the pressure or stresses are localized (e.g., at groove 294) may be located further away from the optical structure 20 (e.g., as compared to an assembly having a groove closer to the optical structure, such as, but not limited to, the assembly ofFIGS. 6-7 , the assembly ofFIGS. 8-9 , etc.). Preferably, when thegroove 294 is spaced away from the optical structure 20 (e.g., the groove is located substantially near or in the middle of the protrudingmember groove 294 may be disposed at a location along the protrudingmember member optical structure 20; thegroove 294 is located towards themount optical structure 20; thegroove 294 is not directly adjacent to theoptical structure 20; the groove is located towards theoptical structure 20 rather than towards themount groove 294 defines a first portion 211 (also referred to as “atop portion 211”) that connects to theoptical structure 20 and asecond portion bottom portion recess mount FIGS. 11A-11B . Preferably, thegroove 294 extends laterally along the protrudingmember first portion 211 and thesecond portion groove 294. Thefirst portion 211 may be sized and shaped to be smaller, substantially the same size and/or larger than thesecond portion first portion 211 to thesecond portion groove 294 operates to substantially reduce and/or eliminate pressure or stresses affecting theoptical structure 20. - The
groove 294 may be formed (e.g., sized and shaped) and may operate to achieve the advantages, surprising results, and unique, nonobvious properties as similarly explained above with respect to the grooves 94 a-94 f (as shown inFIGS. 10A-10E ). For example, thegroove 294 may operate to: (i) concentrate any stress or force from themount member optical structure 20; (ii) reduce/dissipate and/or eliminate any resulting stress or force from distorting, or otherwise affecting, theoptical structure 20; and may preserve and/or maintain the provided flatness, such as, but not limited to, a high degree of flatness as discussed herein. When the mount is assembled such that thetop portion 211 of themember bottom surface 34 of theoptical element 30 of the optical structure 20) and thebase portion member recess mount mount element 80 withinmount member groove 294, such stresses that would otherwise be affecting theoptical structure 20 more greatly are instead surprisingly and significantly dissipated/reduced and/or eliminated. - The aforementioned unexpected and critical reduction and/or elimination of various forces/stresses on the optical structure is evidenced by the additional experiment performed to compare the torque, and mirror (or optical) distortion resulting therefrom, affecting an optical structure having a protruding member without a groove (also referred to as a “Solid Post”) (e.g., similar to the structure as shown in
FIG. 1 ) with the torque, and mirror (or optical) distortion resulting therefrom, affecting an optical structure having a protruding member with a groove spaced away from an optical structure (also referred to as a “Relieved Post”) (e.g., as shown inFIG. 11A but with the optical structure 20 (e.g., thebottom surface 34 of theoptical element 30 of the optical structure 20) connected to thetop surface 297 of the protrudingmember 290 a,FIG. 11B but with the optical structure 20 (e.g., thebottom surface 34 of theoptical element 30 of the optical structure 20) connected to thetop surface 297 of the protrudingmember 290 b,FIG. 11A but with the optical structure 20 (e.g., thebottom surface 34 of theoptical element 30 of the optical structure 20) connected to thetop surface 297 of the protrudingmember 290 a and without thereliefs 220 a,FIG. 11B but with the optical structure 20 (e.g., thebottom surface 34 of theoptical element 30 of the optical structure 20) connected to thetop surface 297 of the protrudingmember 290 b and without thereliefs 220 b, etc.). The results of the experiment are illustrated inFIG. 13 and in the table as follows: -
Solid Relieved in-oz Post Post Torque PV PV 0 0.294 0.142 16 0.286 0.144 24 0.541 0.162 32 0.832 0.159 40 1.005 0.177 48 1.162 0.168 60 1.53 0.16 80 1.859 0.198 100 2.361 0.2 - As shown from the “Solid Post”
curve 1300 inFIG. 13 , the mirror distortion (“P-V” or “peak-to-valley”) ranged from about 0.294 P-V at a torque of zero inch-ounces (or “in-oz”) (seedata point 1301 oncurve 1300 inFIG. 13 ) to about 2.361 P-V at a torque of 100 inch-ounces (seedata point 1303 oncurve 1300 inFIG. 13 ). At a torque value of 48 inch-ounces (e.g., about middle of the range measured), the mirror distortion was measured at 1.162 P-V (seedata point 1302 oncurve 1300 inFIG. 13 ). - In contrast, as shown from the “Relieved Post”
curve 1310 inFIG. 13 , the mirror distortion (“P-V” or “peak-to-valley”) ranged from about 0.142 P-V at a torque of zero inch-ounces (or “in-oz”) (seedata point 1311 oncurve 1310 inFIG. 13 ) to about 0.2 P-V at a torque of 100 inch-ounces (seedata point 1313 oncurve 1310 inFIG. 13 ). At a torque value of 48 inch-ounces (e.g., middle of the range measured), the mirror distortion was measured at about 0.168 P-V (seedata point 1312 oncurve 1310 inFIG. 13 ). - The mount used for the “Solid Post” experiment (e.g., results of which are illustrated via
curve 1300 inFIG. 13 ) is substantially similar or identical to, and is, therefore, representative of the mount depicted inFIG. 1 or variations thereof in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. Similarly, the mount used for the “Relieved Post” experiment (e.g., results of which are illustrated viacurve 1310 inFIG. 13 ) is substantially similar or identical to, and is, therefore, representative of the mount(s) depicted inFIG. 11A ,FIG. 11B or variations thereof (e.g., as shown inFIGS. 11A-11B but with the optical structure 20 (e.g., thebottom surface 34 of theoptical element 30 of the optical structure 20) connected to thetop surface 297 of the protrudingmember reliefs curves FIG. 13 ) are representative of various embodiments in accordance with one or more aspects of the present invention. Thus, these results: (i) illustrate practical conditions; (ii) are representative general conditions when dealing with such optics; and (iii) also indicate that the addition of the groove is unique, achieves critical results/advantages, thereby supporting the groove modification as being novel and nonobvious. - The experimental data clearly indicates the critical improvement of employing a protruding member (or post) having a groove (or relief) spaced away from an optical structure instead of a protruding member (or post) without a groove (or relief). For example, when comparing the mirror distortions that occurred at the two torque values of 48 inch-ounces (i.e., about 1.162 P-V for Solid Post and about 0.168 P-V for Relieved Post with spaced away groove; see
data point 1302 ofcurve 1300 inFIG. 13 anddata point 1312 ofcurve 1310 inFIG. 13 , respectively) and 100 in-oz (i.e., about 2.361 P-V for Solid Post and about 0.2 P-V for Relieved Post with spaced away groove; seedata point 1303 ofcurve 1300 inFIG. 13 anddata point 1313 ofcurve 1310 inFIG. 13 , respectively), the Solid Post assembly exhibited mirror distortions that were about 692% greater and 1180.5% greater, respectively, than the mirror distortions of the Relieved Post assembly with the spaced away groove. Such results were quite surprising and greater than any expected reduction in mirror distortions due to the addition of the groove, where the groove was spaced away from theoptical structure 20. Specifically, it is quite surprising that the distortion for the Relieved Post is consistently and minimally/barely increasing from about 0.142 P-V to about 0.2 P-V (seecurve 1310 inFIG. 13 ) across the entire range of torque applied whereas the distortion for the Solid Post discussed above is much more erratic and increases greatly, especially beyond 16 inch-ounces and towards the higher end of the torque applied, from about 0.294 P-V to about 2.361 P-V (seecurve 1300 inFIG. 13 ). Indeed, the results are of a significant statistical and practical advantage because by making the subject structural change (i.e., by adding a groove orrelief 294 to the protruding member or post 290, 290 a, 290 b that is spaced away from theoptical structure 20 as shown inFIG. 10 andFIGS. 11A-11B but with the optical structure 20 (e.g., thebottom surface 34 of theoptical element 30 of the optical structure 20) connected to thetop surface 297 of the protrudingmember optical structure 20, are significantly reduced. Not only are the results quite critical and significant statistically, thereby evidencing nonobviousness, but making such a modification is also unique and nonobvious because those skilled in the art would be deterred from making the subject modification. As explained above, those skilled in the art would be concerned with improving stability and stiffness of the optical mount assembly, and would, therefore, avoid compromising the structural integrity of the protruding member, the optical structure, the mount and/or the overall assembly by adding such a groove. Thus, making such a groove proceeds contrary to accepted wisdom in the field of optics, and further supports the unique, nonobvious nature of one or more aspects of the present invention. - In accordance with at least another embodiment of the present invention, one or
more reliefs depressions recess 62 c of themount 210 a (best seen inFIG. 11A ) or may be formed on/in/around the perimeter (e.g., in communication with, as part of, etc.) of the bottom portion, such asbottom portion 296 b, of the protruding member, such as protrudingmember 290 b (best seen inFIG. 11B ), thereby reducing physical contact, and, thus, the transfer of pressure or stresses/forces, between themount member notches notches member 290 b and/or in and/or on themount 210 a such that the reliefs/notches gaps gaps gaps notches - The
member mount member upper portion 211;bottom portion groove 294; opening 62 c, 62 d; opening 212 a, 212 b ofmount member members 90 a-90 f (such as, but not limited to upper surface 97 a-97 f; bottom portion 96 a-96 f; groove 94 a-94 f; etc.) and/or of themounts - Additionally, the
mount structure 140 as shown inFIG. 4A , anotherstructure 140 a as shown inFIG. 4B , etc.) via an element (e.g., a pin; an extending member, such as the extendingmember 123 ofFIG. 4A or the extendingmember 123 a ofFIG. 4B ; etc.) extending through the opening 212 a, 212 b of themount mount base element 100 b shown inFIGS. 8-9 , such that the base element may be easily connected, e.g. via clamping, compressing, etc. to another structure. Such structure may lessen the force/stress on theoptical structure 20 attached to themount - In general as described above, posts or protruding members (e.g., the protruding member 90) may be right circular cylinders, generally of greater diameter than height, that may be adhesive bonded or fused on one of the end caps or surfaces that faces to the assembly to which the protruding member (e.g., the protruding member 90) is mounting. An end-user may grip a post or protruding member (e.g., the protruding member 90) using a squeezing hoop-type or split clamp, thereby causing a large normal force between the clamp and the circular periphery of the post (e.g., the protruding member 90). Because the normal force is large, the frictional force in directions normal to the normal force, i.e., between post (e.g., the protruding member 90) and clamp, is very high. This mounts the optical component (e.g., the optical structure 20) containing the post (e.g., the protruding member 90) to another assembly to which the clamp is affixed in a stable fashion.
- As described above, the novelty of using a protruding member (e.g., the protruding member 90) is so that the stress field (e.g., due to the squeezing of a clamp onto the post) does not transmit deleterious strain motions to the one or more optical surfaces of an optical structure (e.g., the optical structure 20). Put another way, the stress field “damps down” in distances sufficiently short that there is no strain field (displacement) effect at distances associated with the critical optical surfaces (e.g., of the optical structure 20), so such optical surfaces are unaffected.
- Such general posts are not without problems. It was found by the inventors that in mounting an interferometer and a retroreflector by using one or more posts without grooves, that the inventors were still very limited in the amount of squeezing the inventors could do before the aforementioned strain field in fact did transmit to the optical surfaces. Sometimes, the allowable amount of squeezing and hence mounting frictional force, from a distortion point of view, were insufficient to stably mount the optical component under shock loading. Put another way, due to distortion, the inventors, in at least one embodiment of the post having no groove, were not able to squeeze the post as hard as the inventors would have liked for stable optical mounting, and at the light squeezes that did not affect optical surfaces, one or more embodiments of such a mounting using the posts or protruding members having no grooves may come apart under shock loading.
- As discussed above, one improvement that alleviates the above problem is to put a groove (e.g., the
groove members - As a further surprise, it was found that one or more embodiments of the relief or groove 94 a, 94 b, 94 c, 94 d, 94 e, 94 f, 294, etc. of one or more of the grooved protruding
members member member 90 without a groove therein, the protrudingmember optical structure 20 attached thereto, e.g., such as a retroreflector, interferometer, mirror panel, etc. Such a structural change of a protruding member (e.g., the protrudingmember groove member member member member - It was found that, in order to avoid the problem caused by one or more grooved protruding members (e.g., the grooved protruding
member ring 400 disposed in or on, and/or adhered to, the groove (e.g., thegroove member ring 400 is sized and shaped to fill at least a portion (as best seen inFIG. 14 ) and/or the entire volume or area (as best seen inFIG. 15 ) occupied or created by the groove (e.g., thegroove ring 400 may be substantially O-shaped. The size and shape of the dampingring 400 may be defined by the size and shape of the groove (e.g., thegroove ring 400 may extend beyond or fill additional space outside of the groove (e.g., thegroove groove polyurethane ring 400 is bonded on three surfaces, to the face of the mounted component (e.g., the optical structure 20) proximal to the necked-down post (or the grooved protrudingmember groove groove groove ring 400 is not rigid, but, in one or more embodiments, thering 400 may be rigid. As predicted by the inventors of the present invention and as conducted via one or more experiments, the vibrational modes associated with the necked-down posts (e.g., the grooved protrudingmembers -
FIGS. 14-15 show two three-dimension models showing: (1) an interferometer (e.g., the optical structure 20) mounted with a post (e.g., the protrudingmembers ring 400 disposed in and/or adhered to the groove (e.g., thegroove FIG. 14 ); and (2) a retroreflector (e.g., the optical structure 20) mounted with a post (e.g., the protrudingmembers ring 400 disposed in and/or adhered to the groove (e.g., thegroove FIG. 15 ). - At least one primary function of the
ring 400 is to improve the vibrational resistance and/or resistance to the one or more other stresses discussed herein of the grooved post (e.g., the protrudingmembers FIG. 16 , when the post (e.g., the protruding members 90 a, 90 b, 90 c, 90 d, 90 e, 90 f, 290, 290 a, 290 b, etc.) tries to vibrate by bending in a plane containing the post (e.g., the protruding members 90 a, 90 b, 90 c, 90 d, 90 e, 90 f, 290, 290 a, 290 b, etc.) axis, L, the post (e.g., the protruding members 90 a, 90 b, 90 c, 90 d, 90 e, 90 f, 290, 290 a, 290 b, etc.) stretches the ring 400 on one side (e.g., area or side 1601 as shown inFIG. 16 ) of the groove (e.g., the groove 94 a, 94 b, 94 c, 94 d, 94 e, 94 f, 294, etc.) and compresses the ring 400 on the other side (e.g., area or side 1602 as shown inFIG. 16 ) such that the stretch-compression action on the ring 400 causes the axis (also referred to as a longitudinal axis of the post or protruding member (e.g., the protruding members 90 a, 90 b, 90 c, 90 d, 90 e, 90 f, 290, 290 a, 290 b, etc.)), L, and/or a portion of the axis, L, to bend to the new position of the angled or bent axis, LB (best seen inFIG. 16 ). Such a bending tendency may occur under vibration or when subject to one or other stresses as discussed herein. When the material of the post (e.g., the protrudingmembers ring 400 is stretched and/or compressed, mechanical loss may occur, thereby damping results. The stretch-compression action on thering 400, and the choice of polyurethane or any other compound or material which shows large mechanical losses (conversion of motion to heat, thereby reducing the motion), dampen the vibration and/or one or more other stresses acting thereon. Further, thering 400 may be (and is preferably as discussed above) adhesively adhered to the post (e.g., the protrudingmember ring 400 to act like a dampening element on the post (e.g., the protrudingmember ring 400. In the absence of adhesively adhering thering 400 to the post (e.g., the protrudingmembers ring 400 would be lessened because it would lose contact with the post (e.g., the protrudingmembers ring 400 may be employed in a groove (e.g., thegroove ring 400 in the post (e.g., the protrudingmembers members groove - The present invention and one or more components thereof also may be used in conjunction with any suitable optical assembly including, but not limited to, optical assembly structures, interferometers, and/or retroreflectors such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,335,111; 5,949,543; 6,141,101; 6,473,185; 6,729,735; 6,752,503; 6,786,608; 6,827,455; 6,945,661; 7,168,817; 7,995,208; 8,092,030; 8,454,176; 8,567,968 to Bleier; U.S. Pat. No. 7,268,960 to Vishnia; U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,120,853; 8,205,852 and 8,205,853 to Jacobson et al.; and U.S. application Ser. No. 13/682,801, filed on Nov. 21, 2012, U.S. application Ser. No. 13/682,857, filed on Nov. 21, 2012, (presently pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 13/682,983, filed on Nov. 21, 2012, (presently pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 13/348,723, filed on Jan. 12, 2012, (presently pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 13/560,510, filed on Jul. 27, 2012, (presently pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 13/560,583, filed on Jul. 27, 2012, (presently pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 13/036,506, filed on Feb. 28, 2011, (presently pending), U.S. application Ser. No. 13/777,267, filed on Feb. 26, 2013 (presently pending), and U.S. application Ser. No. 13/965,333, filed on Aug. 13, 2013 (presently pending), each of which patents and applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. One construction for a hollow retroreflector is as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,084 to Morton S. Lipkins.
- Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Claims (17)
1. A mount for an optical structure, comprising:
a protruding member having a first portion extending from a surface of said optical structure, a second portion, and a groove defining said first and second portions of said protruding member on each side of said groove, said groove of said protruding member being constructed to dissipate and/or eliminate one or more stresses passing through said mount and affecting said optical structure;
a damping ring disposed in, connected to and/or adhered to at least one of the groove, the protruding member and the optical structure;
a base element having a mounting structure for mounting said mount to another structure;
an upper element extending from said base element having a first opening extending therethrough for receipt therein of at least said second portion of said protruding member, said first opening defining first and second arms, each of said arms comprising a head portion and each of said head portions ending at an end;
a second opening in said upper element extending through one of said head portions and said end of said one of said head portions in a direction toward said other head portion; and
a third opening in said upper element through said end of said other head portion wherein said third opening is substantially opposite said second opening so that a tightening mechanism received through said second opening can be received into said third opening;
wherein tightening of said tightening mechanism into said third opening causes said ends of said head portions of said first and second arms of said upper element to draw toward each other so that said first opening of said upper element tightens around said at least said second portion of said protruding member.
2. The mount as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
(i) the damping ring operates to dampen said one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member, thereby improving the stress resistance of the grooved protruding member;
(ii) the damping ring operates to handle tension and to stretch and/or flex at and/or on one portion of the damping ring while compressing at and/or on another portion of the damping ring, thereby improving the stress resistance of the grooved protruding member;
(iii) the damping ring is flexibly resilient such that the damping ring operates to return to its rest position and/or original configuration in the grooved protruding member when said one or more stresses are not acting on the damping ring;
(iv) the damping ring comprises polyurethane and/or any other compound or material which shows one or more large mechanical losses, thereby at least one of reducing motion, dampening the one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member and damping one or more results of the mount;
(v) the damping ring operates to reduce the tendency of at least one of the grooved protruding member and the groove to stretch and/or compress;
(vi) at least one of one or more portions of the grooved protruding member and one or more portions of the damping ring bend along, transversely to and/or away from an axis of the grooved protruding member and/or a plane including the axis of the grooved protruding member, the axis of the grooved protruding member extending through the first portion and the second portion of the grooved protruding member;
(vii) at least one of one or more portions of the grooved protruding member and one or more portions of the damping ring bend along, transversely to and/or away from a longitudinal axis of the grooved protruding member and/or a plane including the axis of the grooved protruding member, the longitudinal axis extending through a surface of the first portion of the grooved protruding member that is in contact with the optical structure and through a surface of the second portion of the grooved protruding member, the surface of the second portion of the grooved protruding member being located on the opposite side of the grooved protruding member from the surface of the first portion of the grooved protruding member and the surfaces of the first and second portions of the grooved protruding member being substantially parallel to each other;
(viii) the one or more large mechanical losses comprise a conversion of motion to heat, thereby reducing any motion of the grooved protruding member and/or any other portion of the mount that would result from the one or more stresses and dampening the one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member; and
(ix) said one or more stresses comprise at least one of: connection and/or clamping stress in between said first and second arms, stress from said tightening of said tightening element, stress from rotating said tightening element, stress passing through said base element, stress passing through said upper element, stress passing through said protruding member, sheer stress, rotational stress and vibrational stress.
3. The mount as recited in claim 2 , wherein at least one of:
(i) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member;
(ii) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the optical structure;
(iii) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least one surface of the damping ring;
(iv) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least two surfaces of the damping ring;
(v) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least one surface of the damping ring and to the optical structure on and/or at at least another surface of the damping ring;
(vi) the damping ring is adhesively adhered to the grooved protruding member on and/or at at least two surfaces of the damping ring and to the optical structure on and/or at at least a third surface of the damping ring;
(vii) the damping ring is adhered, molded and/or bonded to at least one of the grooved protruding member and the optical structure using an adhesive or bonding material and/or element;
(viii) the adhesive or bonding material and/or element operates to prevent slippage of the damping ring from the mount, thereby enhancing at least one of the dampening of the one or more stresses affecting the grooved protruding member and the tension, stretch, flex and/or compression effect of the damping ring; and
(ix) the damping ring does not include the adhesive or bonding material and/or element.
4. The mount as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
(i) said ends of said head portions do not touch each other thereby defining a gap therebetween;
(ii) at least one of said first and said second portions of said protruding member is at least one of: having a substantially circular shape; and being of any geometric shape;
(iii) said first portion of said protruding member is smaller than said second portion of said protruding member;
(iv) said first portion of said protruding member has a surface that is in contact with said surface of said optical structure and said surface of said first portion of said protruding member has at least one of:
(a) a smaller diameter than a lateral cross-section and/or a bottom surface of said second portion of said protruding member that is disposed in said first opening of said upper element; and
(b) a smaller surface area than a lateral cross-section and/or a bottom surface of said second portion that is disposed in said first opening of said upper element; and
(v) said first portion of said protruding member has a smaller volume than said second portion of said protruding member.
5. The mount as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
(i) said third opening is threaded for receipt therein of a correspondingly threaded end of said tightening mechanism; and
(ii) at least a portion of said second opening is threaded.
6. The mount as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
(i) said upper element and said base element are integrally formed;
(ii) said base element extends from said upper element at an angle such that said base element and said upper element are at least one of: not substantially co-linear and/or co-planar;
and substantially co-linear and/or co-planar;
(iii) said integrally formed upper and base elements of said mount being a metal alloy having a low coefficient of thermal expansion comprising at least one of aluminum and a nickel iron alloy having a low coefficient of thermal expansion; and
(iv) said base element is at least one of: any geometric shape, any geometric shape such that said base element has a smaller volume than said upper element, chamfered, sloped and tapered.
7. The mount as recited in claim 1 , wherein said groove is at least one of:
(i) a space between said optical structure and at least one of said second portion of said protruding member and said upper element of said mount such that said optical structure is spaced away from said at least one of said second portion of said protruding member and said upper element; and
(ii) operating to achieve and/or maintain at least one of: dimensional stability, a predetermined degree of flatness and a high degree of flatness of at least one of: about λ/10, about λ/15, about λ/20, about λ/30, between about λ/10 and about λ/15, between about λ/10 and about λ/20, between about λ/10 and about λ/30, between about λ/15 and about λ/20, between about λ/15 and about λ/30 and between about λ/20 and about λ/30.
8. The mount as recited in claim 1 , wherein said optical structure is taken from the group consisting of: one or more hollow retroreflectors, one or more solid retroreflectors, one or more mirror panels, one or more optical filters, one or more interferometers and one or more roof mirrors.
9. The mount as recited in claim 8 , wherein at least one of:
(i) said optical structure comprises at least one of at least one mirror panel, at least one mirror panel having a reflective surface and a back surface where said back surface extends in a plane substantially parallel to a plane of said reflective surface, a reflective panel, a refractive panel, an optical filter and at least two reflective panels that operate to at least one of change a direction of light and retroreflect light;
(ii) said at least two reflective panels each have at least one reflective surface and at least one back surface substantially opposite said reflective surface;
(iii) said protruding member extends from said back surface of at least one of said at least two reflective panels;
(iv) said optical structure has at least one reflective surface and at least one back surface, said at least one back surface extending in a plane substantially parallel to a plane of said at least one reflective surface;
(v) said protruding member extends from said at least one back surface of said optical structure;
(vi) said protruding member is disposed between said optical structure and said upper element such that said optical structure is at least one of disposed on and in connection with a part of said first portion of said protruding member and said upper element is disposed at least one of substantially on, in connection with and around at least part of said second portion of said protruding member;
(vii) said protruding member comprises a solid cylinder;
(viii) said first and second portions of said protruding member are solid;
(ix) said optical structure is centered in said recess;
(x) said protruding member is at least one of: (a) integrally formed with said back surface of at least one of said at least one mirror panel, said at least one of said at least two reflective panels and said optical structure, and (b) bonded to said back surface of at least one of said at least one mirror panel, said at least one of said at least two reflective panels and said optical structure;
(xi) said bonding of said protruding member to said back surface is at least one of: fusing and adhering; and
(xii) said protruding member and said optical structure are made of fused quartz and/or fused silica or any type of annealed borosilicate glass and/or glasses and/or one or more glass ceramics having a low coefficient of thermal expansion.
10. The mount as recited in claim 1 , wherein said groove of said protruding member at least one of:
(i) extends along and/or in communication with a perimeter of said first portion of said protruding member and is at least one of: (a) having a substantially circular shape; and (b) being of any geometric shape;
(ii) includes at least one of: one or more right angles, one or more slopes, one or more chamfered surfaces having a consistent slope, one or more chamfered surfaces having a changing convex slope, one or more chamfered surfaces having a changing concave slope, and one or more tapers; and
(iii) is formed at substantially a right angle such that a first portion of an outer surface of said protruding member extends from said second portion of said protruding member inwardly substantially parallel to said surface of said first portion of said protruding member and a second portion of said outer surface of said protruding member extends from the first portion of said outer surface vertically substantially at a right angle and/or perpendicular to said surface of said first portion of said protruding member.
11. The mount as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least two extensions in communication with said groove and extending from said first portion of said protruding member such that a recess is defined between said at least two extensions for said optical structure to be positioned therein.
12. The mount as recited in claim 11 , wherein at least one of:
(i) said optical structure comprises at least one of a mirror panel, at least one mirror panel having a reflective surface and a back surface where said back surface extends in a plane substantially parallel to a plane of said reflective surface, a reflective panel, a refractive panel, an optical filter and at least two reflective panels that operate to at least one of change a direction of light and retroreflect light;
(ii) said at least two reflective panels each have at least one reflective surface and at least one back surface substantially opposite said reflective surface;
(iii) said protruding member extends from said back surface of at least one of said at least two reflective panels;
(iv) said optical structure has at least one reflective surface and at least one back surface, said at least one back surface extending in a plane substantially parallel to a plane of said at least one reflective surface;
(v) said protruding member extends from said at least one back surface of said optical structure;
(vi) said protruding member is disposed between said optical structure and said upper element such that said optical structure is at least one of disposed on and in connection with a part of said first portion of said protruding member and said upper element is disposed at least one of substantially on, in connection with and around at least part of said second portion of said protruding member;
(vii) said protruding member comprises a solid cylinder;
(viii) said first and second portions of said protruding member are solid;
(ix) said protruding member is at least one of: (a) integrally formed with said back surface of at least one of said at least one mirror panel, said at least one of said at least two reflective panels and said optical structure, and (b) bonded to said back surface of at least one of said at least one mirror panel, said at least one of said at least two reflective panels and said optical structure;
(x) said optical structure is centered in said recess;
(xi) said at least two extensions are sized and shaped such that said at least two extensions at least one of: (a) do not extend outwardly beyond said first portion of said protruding member; and (b) taper and/or slope inwardly away from said groove towards said optical structure;
(xii) said bonding of said protruding member to said back surface is at least one of: fusing and adhering; and
(xiii) said protruding member and said optical structure are made of fused quartz and/or fused silica or any type of annealed borosilicate glass and/or glasses and/or one or more glass ceramics having a low coefficient of thermal expansion.
13. The mount as recited in claim 1 , said mounting structure comprising at least one of:
(i) a threaded member extending from said another structure for cooperative screwed attachment within a threaded opening in said base element; and
(ii) a threaded member extending from said base element for cooperative screwed attachment within a threaded opening in said another structure.
14. The mount as recited in claim 1 , wherein said one or more stresses comprises at least one of: connection and/or clamping stress in between said first and second arms, stress from said tightening of said tightening element, stress from rotating said tightening element, stress passing through said base element, stress passing through said upper element, stress passing through said protruding member, sheer stress, rotational stress and vibrational stress.
15. The mount as recited in claim 1 , further comprising one or more reliefs in communication with at least one of:
(i) said first opening, said one or more reliefs being positioned in and/or on a perimeter of said first opening and said one or more reliefs operating to reduce physical contact between one or more surfaces of said protruding member and one or more surfaces of said upper element of said mount, thereby reducing and/or eliminating transfer of one or more stresses between said upper element of said mount and said protruding member; and
(ii) at least said second portion of said protruding member, said one or more reliefs being positioned in and/or on a perimeter of said at least said second portion of said protruding member and said one or more reliefs operating to reduce physical contact between one or more surfaces of said protruding member and one or more surfaces of said upper element of said mount, thereby reducing and/or eliminating transfer of one or more stresses between said upper element of said mount and said protruding member.
16. The mount as recited in claim 15 , wherein at least one of: (i) said one or more reliefs extend a predetermined distance radially from said first opening towards an exterior of said upper element when said one or more reliefs are positioned in and/or on said perimeter of said first opening; and (ii) said one or more reliefs extend a predetermined distance radially from said at least second portion of said protruding member towards an interior of said protruding member when said one or more reliefs are positioned in and/or on said perimeter of said at least said second portion of said protruding member.
17. The mount as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first portion of said protruding member has a surface that is in contact with said surface of said optical structure and said groove is spaced away from said optical structure such that said groove is disposed at a location along said protruding member that is at a predetermined distance from said surface of said first portion.
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US14/186,242 US20150008303A1 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2014-02-21 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
US14/186,313 US20150007429A1 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2014-02-21 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
US14/186,262 US10222580B2 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2014-02-21 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
CA2843723A CA2843723C (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2014-02-21 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
US16/249,416 US20190146181A1 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2019-01-16 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
US16/249,311 US20190219792A1 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2019-01-16 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
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US14/186,288 Active 2034-06-28 US9377600B2 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2014-02-21 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
US14/186,262 Active 2036-05-02 US10222580B2 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2014-02-21 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
US14/186,313 Abandoned US20150007429A1 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2014-02-21 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
US16/249,416 Abandoned US20190146181A1 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2019-01-16 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
US16/249,311 Abandoned US20190219792A1 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2019-01-16 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
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US14/186,262 Active 2036-05-02 US10222580B2 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2014-02-21 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
US14/186,313 Abandoned US20150007429A1 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2014-02-21 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
US16/249,416 Abandoned US20190146181A1 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2019-01-16 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
US16/249,311 Abandoned US20190219792A1 (en) | 2013-02-21 | 2019-01-16 | Mounts for an optical structure having a grooved protruding member with a damping ring disposed in or on the groove and methods of mounting an optical structure using such mounts |
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Also Published As
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US9377600B2 (en) | 2016-06-28 |
US20190146181A1 (en) | 2019-05-16 |
US20190219792A1 (en) | 2019-07-18 |
US10222580B2 (en) | 2019-03-05 |
US20150007428A1 (en) | 2015-01-08 |
US20150008304A1 (en) | 2015-01-08 |
US20150007429A1 (en) | 2015-01-08 |
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