A highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe

Abstract

The present invention discloses a height-adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe, comprising a transmitting end cantilever beam, a receiving end cantilever beam, and an eddy current sensor. The receiving unit of the eddy current sensor is fixedly arranged on the top surface of the cantilever end of the receiving end cantilever beam, and the transmitting unit of the eddy current sensor is fixedly arranged on the bottom surface of the cantilever end of the transmitting end cantilever beam and is arranged parallel to the receiving unit. A height adjustment disk is provided at the bottom of the transmitting end cantilever beam, and the bottom surface of the transmitting end cantilever beam and the top surface of the height adjustment disk are connected by a BV structure with multi-level height adjustment. The BV structure is used between the transmitting end cantilever beam and the height adjustment disk to achieve precise positioning and constraint of the transmitting end cantilever beam, and to achieve rapid and precise level-adjustment and micro-adjustment of the vertical height of the transmitting end cantilever beam, thereby compensating for the relative position change of the detection end of the eddy current sensor caused by environmental factors. The adjustment operation is convenient, and the working stability of the eddy current sensor can be guaranteed after adjustment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of sensors, and in particular relates to a highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe. Background Art

[0002] Edge displacement sensors are advanced sensing devices specifically designed for high-precision displacement measurement of confocal or co-phase telescopes in large-aperture segmented telescopes. In segmented astronomical telescope systems, edge displacement sensors are primarily used to detect the relative displacement and spatial positional relationship between adjacent sub-mirrors. By monitoring the relative displacement data of the sub-mirrors in real time, the sensor provides precise feedback information for subsequent sub-mirror attitude adjustments, thereby achieving precise calibration of the optical path and efficient focusing of the telescope system. Therefore, in large segmented telescope systems, even small displacements between adjacent sub-mirrors can significantly affect the image quality of the entire telescope. Therefore, the accuracy and reliability of edge displacement sensors are crucial for achieving high-resolution astronomical observations.

[0003] The design and implementation of edge displacement sensors require comprehensive consideration of multiple factors, including stability in complex environments (such as temperature fluctuations and vibration interference) and long-term operational reliability. Their core technologies typically combine advanced optical, capacitive, or eddy current measurement principles to acquire real-time displacement data with nanometer-level precision, thus meeting the stringent requirements of astronomical telescopes for high-precision and high-stability measurement equipment. This technical solution is not only a key support for the development of modern astronomical observation equipment, but also provides important reference and technical reserves for the future development of larger-scale segmented mirror telescopes.

[0004] In astronomical telescopes, the precise positioning of the two detection ends of the edge displacement sensor on the two adjacent sub-mirrors is crucial to ensuring system performance. It is required to have high reliability and performance consistency under temperature changes and humidity fluctuations. Therefore, the probe body is required to be stably and reliably connected to the sub-mirror, and the probe body is required to maintain a flexible range of motion when subjected to external forces, minimizing the restrictions of the connection mechanism on the movement of the probe body, thereby improving the functionality and reliability of the overall structure. The eddy current sensor exhibits the lowest nonlinear error and the best sensitivity when its working position is at the midpoint of the range, so its working position needs to be precisely adjusted to ensure its optimal performance. However, in actual work, due to environmental influences, the position change of the sensor is usually below the micron level, and conventional position adjustment work cannot easily achieve fast, accurate and stable adjustment operations. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The patent of this invention provides a height-adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe. By setting a height adjustment plate under the cantilever beam at the transmitting end, the vertical height of the cantilever beam at the transmitting end can be quickly and accurately fine-tuned, thereby compensating for the relative position changes of the detection end of the eddy current sensor caused by environmental factors, and ensuring the working stability of the eddy current sensor, solving the problems of inconvenient height adjustment operation and difficulty in ensuring accuracy.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, a technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0007] A highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe comprises a transmitting end cantilever beam and a receiving end cantilever beam respectively arranged on the back surfaces of two adjacent sub-mirrors via two clamping mechanisms, and an eddy current sensor arranged between the transmitting end cantilever beam and the receiving end cantilever beam. The receiving unit of the eddy current sensor is fixedly arranged on the top surface of the cantilever end of the receiving end cantilever beam, and the transmitting unit of the eddy current sensor is fixedly arranged on the bottom surface of the cantilever end of the transmitting end cantilever beam and is arranged parallel to the receiving unit.

[0008] A height adjustment plate is provided at the bottom of the cantilever beam at the transmitting end, and three locking protrusions distributed in a regular triangle are provided on the bottom surface of the cantilever beam at the transmitting end. Three groups of locking groove groups that are evenly distributed around the circumference and arranged radially are provided on the top surface of the height adjustment plate. Each locking groove group includes a number of locking grooves, and the vertical groove depths of two adjacent locking grooves in the same group increase gradually in sequence. The three locking protrusions are respectively and simultaneously engaged with the three locking grooves with the same vertical groove depth in the three locking groove groups.

[0009] Furthermore, the number of the positioning slots in each positioning slot group is 4 to 10, and the depth gradient increase value of two adjacent positioning slots is the same.

[0010] Furthermore, the corresponding center angles between two adjacent positioning grooves are the same.

[0011] Furthermore, the positioning groove is a V-shaped cross-section groove or a trapezoidal cross-section groove, and the angle between the two inclined groove surfaces of the positioning groove is 90°.

[0012] Furthermore, the clamping mechanism includes a fixed block, a screw connected to the top of the fixed block, a pressure cover plate movably mounted on the outside of the screw, a nut block threadedly connected to the screw and located above the pressure cover plate, and a spring mounted on the outside of the screw and located between the nut block and the pressure cover plate. The transmitting end cantilever beam / receiving end cantilever beam is mounted on the outside of the screw and located between the fixed block and the pressure cover plate.

[0013] Furthermore, three pressure-equalizing spherical crowns evenly distributed around the circumference are provided on the outer side of the bottom surface of the gland plate, and spherical grooves matching the pressure-equalizing spherical crowns are provided on the top surfaces of the transmitting end cantilever beam and the receiving end cantilever beam.

[0014] Furthermore, the bottom surface of the height adjustment plate is provided with three first supporting spherical crowns distributed in a triangular shape and in contact with the back surface of one of the sub-mirrors.

[0015] Furthermore, three second supporting spherical crowns distributed in a triangular shape and in contact with the back surface of another sub-mirror are provided on the bottom surface of the cantilever beam at the receiving end.

[0016] Furthermore, embedding grooves are provided on the bottom surfaces of the height adjustment plate and the receiving end cantilever beam, and the fixing blocks of the two clamping mechanisms are respectively located in the two embedding grooves.

[0017] Furthermore, the transmitting end cantilever beam, the receiving end cantilever beam, the height adjustment plate and the fixing block are all made of microcrystalline glass.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0019] The present invention achieves precise positioning and constraint of the cantilever beam at the transmitting end by arranging a height adjustment disk between the cantilever beam at the transmitting end and the back side of the first sub-mirror, and adopts a BV structure formed by combining a hemisphere and a positioning groove between the cantilever beam at the transmitting end and the height adjustment disk. At the same time, three groups of positioning grooves with vertical groove depths increasing in a gradient manner are arranged on the top surface of the height adjustment disk. By rotating the height adjustment block to switch the positioning grooves that match the hemisphere, the vertical relative height of the cantilever beam at the transmitting end and the cantilever beam at the receiving end cantilever can be quickly and accurately fine-tuned, thereby compensating for the relative position change of the detection end of the eddy current sensor caused by environmental factors. The adjustment operation is convenient, and the working stability of the eddy current sensor can be guaranteed after adjustment. This design further improves the overall stability and repeatability of the system, and provides reliable guarantee for precise measurement and control.

[0020] The present invention can realize multi-level height adjustment of the cantilever beam at the transmitting end by arranging a group of latching slots with vertical groove depths increasing in a gradient manner on the height adjustment plate. By arranging multiple latching slots in the group, the adjustment range can be evenly differentiated, and fast and precise adjustment of tiny heights can be realized, thereby ensuring that the eddy current sensor always operates within the range of optimal linearity, significantly expanding the adjustment range of the sensor, and the total range of the stepped height adjustment can cover the height difference between the sub-mirrors. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 This is one of the three-dimensional structural schematic diagrams of the highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 This is the second schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the first clamping mechanism;

[0024] Figure 4 This is one of the three-dimensional structural schematic diagrams of the gland plate;

[0025] Figure 5 The second schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the gland plate;

[0026] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the cantilever beam at the transmitting end;

[0027] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the locking protrusion in the first structural form;

[0028] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the locking protrusion in the second structural form;

[0029] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the locking protrusion in the third structural form;

[0030] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the locking protrusion in the fourth structural form;

[0031] Figure 11 This is one of the three-dimensional structural schematic diagrams of the height adjustment plate corresponding to the first type of the positioning groove;

[0032] Figure 12 The second schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the height adjustment plate corresponding to the first type of the positioning groove;

[0033] Figure 13 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the height adjustment plate corresponding to the second form of the positioning groove;

[0034] Figure 14 is one of the three-dimensional structural schematic diagrams of the cantilever beam at the receiving end;

[0035] Figure 15 The second schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the cantilever beam at the receiving end;

[0036] Figure 16 This is a structural schematic diagram of the use status of the highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe of the present invention.

[0037] In the figure: 1. First clamping mechanism; 101. Fixed block; 102. Screw; 103. Cover plate; 1031. Pressure-equalizing spherical crown; 104. Nut block; 105. Spring; 106. Locking nut; 2. Second clamping mechanism; 3. Height adjustment plate; 301. Positioning groove; 302. First supporting spherical crown; 303. Plane cutout; 4. Transmitting end cantilever beam; 401. Spherical groove; 402. Positioning protrusion; 5. Receiving end cantilever beam; 501. Second supporting spherical crown; 502. Embedded groove; 6. Receiving unit; 7. Transmitting unit; 100. First sub-mirror; 200. Second sub-mirror. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings so that the advantages and features of the present invention can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art, thereby making a clearer and more precise definition of the protection scope of the present invention.

[0039] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "mounted on" another component, it may be directly on the other component or there may be a central component. When a component is considered to be "set on" another component, it may be directly set on the other component or there may be a central component. When a component is considered to be "fixed to" another component, it may be directly fixed to the other component or there may be a central component.

[0040] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms used herein in the specification of the present invention are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present invention. The term "or / and" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0041] See attached Figures 1 to 16A highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe includes a transmitting end cantilever beam 4 clamped by a first clamping mechanism 1 and disposed on the back of a first sub-mirror 100, and a receiving end cantilever beam 5 clamped by a second clamping mechanism 2 and disposed on the back of a second sub-mirror 200 adjacent to the first sub-mirror 100. The cantilever end of the transmitting end cantilever beam 4 is located directly above the cantilever end of the receiving end cantilever beam 5, and the lower surface of the cantilever end of the transmitting end cantilever beam 4 is arranged parallel to the upper surface of the cantilever end of the receiving end cantilever beam 5. The highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe also includes an eddy current sensor consisting of a receiving unit 6 and a transmitting unit 7, wherein the receiving unit 6 is adhesively fixedly disposed on the upper surface of the cantilever end of the receiving end cantilever beam 5, and the transmitting unit 7 is adhesively fixedly disposed on the lower surface of the cantilever end of the transmitting end cantilever beam 4, so that the transmitting unit 7 is disposed parallel to and directly above the receiving unit 6. In this embodiment, the receiving unit 6 is a target aluminum plate, and the transmitting unit 7 is an eddy current coil.

[0042] The excitation unit (transmitter 7) of the eddy current sensor applies an alternating current to generate a time-varying magnetic field in the space surrounding the coil. According to Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction, when the receiving unit 6 enters the dynamic magnetic field, a closed loop of eddy currents is induced on its surface. This eddy current field generates an opposing magnetic field according to Lenz's law, which forms an electromagnetic coupling effect with the magnetic field of the transmitter 7, significantly changing the coil's equivalent impedance characteristics (consisting of the resistance component Re(Z) and the inductance component Im(Z)). Maxwell's equations show that even a small change in the distance d between the transmitter 7 and the aluminum sheet on the target plate directly affects the electromagnetic coupling coefficient k, resulting in measurable amplitude and phase modulation of the coil impedance Z(d) = R(d) + jωL(d). When the relative displacement Δd is within the linear operating region of the probe, the impedance change ΔZ exhibits a significant linear correlation with Δd. By real-time monitoring of the amplitude and phase characteristics of the coil's equivalent impedance and combining it with a pre-established displacement-impedance calibration curve, this structure can achieve high-precision non-contact displacement measurement between astronomical telescope sub-mirrors. Specifically, by detecting the change in the spacing between receiving unit 6 and transmitting unit 7, the corresponding eddy current sensor's induction value is obtained, thereby determining the positional variation between two adjacent sub-mirrors. This information is then fed back to the internal attitude adjustment mechanism (displacement actuator) of the spliced ​​telescope, enabling timely adjustments based on this feedback to compensate for the deformation. This allows each sub-mirror to maintain its preset position, automatically achieving precise alignment of the optical path and efficient focusing of the telescope system. Obviously, transmitting unit 7 and receiving unit 6 can utilize conventional displacement sensing elements, including but not limited to coils, as well as capacitive sensor plates, induction coil photoelectric probes, and the like.

[0043] like Figure 3As shown, the first clamping mechanism 1 comprises a fixed block 101, a screw 102 connected to the top of the fixed block 101, a pressure plate 103 movably mounted on the outside of the screw 102, a nut block 104 threadedly connected to the screw 102 and positioned above the pressure plate 103, and a spring 105 mounted on the outside of the screw 102 and positioned between the nut block 104 and the pressure plate 103. The bottoms of both the transmitting end cantilever beam 4 and the receiving end cantilever beam 5 are equipped with fixed blocks 101, which serve to secure the entire eddy current sensor structure to the back of the sub-mirror. Specifically, the fixed block 101 has a circular disc structure, with its bottom secured to the back of the sub-mirror using DP460 epoxy resin adhesive to ensure stable positioning accuracy and sufficient mechanical strength during long-term use. The bottom end of the screw 102 is inserted into the fixed block 101 and secured and prevented from loosening by a lock nut 106. The fixed block 101 is made of microcrystalline glass. Glass-ceramic, with its low thermal expansion coefficient, can significantly reduce the impact of ambient temperature fluctuations on mechanical structures and sensor performance, thereby ensuring that the spliced ​​telescope system maintains excellent stability and reliability in harsh environments. The nut block 104 is a T-nut, and the top end of the spring 105 is sleeved on the outside of the rod end of the T-nut. A recessed groove (such as Figure 4 As shown), used to accommodate the bottom end of the spring 105.

[0044] The cantilever beam 4 at the transmitting end is sleeved on the outside of the screw 102 of the first clamping mechanism 1 and is located between the fixing block 101 and the pressure cover plate 103 on the corresponding side. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, a through hole with a diameter of 22 mm is opened at the center of the gland plate 103, so that an empty sleeve is set on the outside of the screw 102. Three equal-length extension arms are integrally provided on the outer wall of the gland plate 103. A pressure-equalizing spherical crown 1031 is provided on the bottom surface of each extension arm. The three pressure-equalizing spherical crowns 1031 are evenly distributed around the axis of the gland plate 103, forming a regular triangle. Preferably, the gland plate 103 is made of aluminum alloy and has a hollow structure inside, which ensures its overall structural strength while reducing its quality and processing difficulty.

[0045] like Figure 6As shown, the top of the transmitting cantilever beam 4 is a cantilever plate. A column is integrated at the left end of the bottom surface of the cantilever plate, and a circular disk is integrated at the bottom end of the column. Multiple short ribs (1.5 mm thick) are integrated between the bottom surface of the cantilever plate, the top surface of the circular disk, and the outer wall of the column. This ensures the structural strength of the transmitting cantilever beam 4 while minimizing its mass and avoiding localized stress concentration. The uniform support of the ribs significantly improves the structural stability of the transmitting cantilever beam 4, preventing probe deformation caused by changes in the direction of gravity at different telescope angles, which could affect sensor readings. A central through-hole is defined at the end of the transmitting cantilever beam 4 facing away from the receiving cantilever beam 5 (i.e., the left end of the cantilever plate). The inner diameter of this through-hole is larger than the outer diameter of the screw 102 located therein. Since the temperature changes at the application site of the astronomical telescope system are often quite dramatic, the probe body is made of quartz glass with a very small thermal expansion coefficient, but the thermal deformation of the metal screw 102 may be large. Therefore, it is necessary to leave sufficient deformation gap between the side wall of the central through hole and the outer surface of the screw 102.

[0046] The top surface is provided with a spherical groove 401 that matches the pressure-equalizing spherical crown 1031. The three pressure-equalizing spherical crowns 1031 are all hemispherical structures with a diameter of 4mm. The distance from the lowest point to the bottom surface of the pressure cover plate 103 is 2mm. The spherical surface is polished and distributed on a circumference with a diameter of 50mm. The spherical groove 401 is a concave partial spherical surface with a groove depth of 1mm and a diameter of 20mm. By rotating the position of the nut block 104 on the screw 102, the compression amount of the spring 105 can be adjusted accordingly, thereby adjusting the clamping force applied to the top of the pressure cover plate 103. Figure 1 As shown, the three equalizing spherical crowns 1031 at the bottom of the pressure cover plate 103 are in spherical contact with the spherical groove 401 on the top surface of the launch end cantilever beam 4. Pressure can be applied through three independent contact points, so that the object can obtain stable positioning in multiple degrees of freedom and achieve uniform clamping force distribution, thereby providing a stable and adjustable clamping force for the launch end cantilever beam 4, which can be accurately adjusted according to actual needs to meet the use requirements under different working conditions. Since the three-point pressure structure provides a uniform pressure distribution at three contact points, it can ensure the positioning consistency during each assembly to achieve excellent self-centering capability, and can automatically eliminate positioning errors caused by manufacturing errors or assembly errors, with good repeatability. Compared with other complex clamping or positioning devices, the three-point pressure mechanism has a simple design, compact structure, and is easy to manufacture and assemble. It can significantly reduce costs during installation and maintenance. The three-point pressure structure combines precision spherical contact and an adjustable spring compression mechanism, which not only ensures high positioning accuracy, but also provides a reliable and stable clamping force.

[0047] The bottom of the transmitting end cantilever beam 4 is provided with a height adjustment plate 3. The bottom surface of the transmitting end cantilever beam 4 is provided with three positioning protrusions 402 distributed in a regular triangle. Figures 7 to 10 As shown, the positioning protrusions 402 include but are not limited to hemispherical shapes, or radially distributed semi-cylinders, or radially distributed trapezoidal cross-section bodies with an inclined surface that is a circular arc surface that continuously transitions with the bottom surface, or spherical protrusions are provided on the inclined surface. The top surface of the height adjustment disk 3 is provided with three groups of radially distributed positioning grooves, each of which includes a number of positioning grooves 301 distributed at equal angles to the center of the circle. Figures 11 to 13 As shown, the locking grooves 301 include, but are not limited to, grooves with "V"-shaped cross-sections or grooves with trapezoidal cross-sections, so that both sides of the surface of the locking protrusion 402 can simultaneously make point contact or line contact with the two inclined groove surfaces of the locking groove 301. Thus, when the height adjustment disk 3 rotates, the inclined groove surfaces of the locking grooves 301 generate an oblique upward thrust at the contact point of the locking protrusion 402 with which it slides. The vertical component of this thrust propels the locking protrusion 402 upward until it rests on the top surface of the height adjustment disk 3. Continued rotation of the height adjustment disk 3 causes the locking protrusion 402 to reach the next locking groove 301. The vertical groove depth (the vertical distance between the extended intersection of the two inclined groove surfaces and the top surface of the height adjustment disk 3) of two adjacent locking grooves 301 in the same group increases in a sequentially increasing manner (correspondingly, the width of the notch of the locking grooves 301 increases in a sequentially increasing manner). The three locking protrusions 402 simultaneously engage with the three corresponding locking grooves 301 of the same vertical groove depth in the three locking groove groups. In this way, when the locking protrusion 402 is engaged with different locking grooves 301, the vertical distance between the locking position and the top surface of the height adjustment plate 3 is different, thereby achieving rapid and accurate adjustment of the height of the transmitting end cantilever beam 4.

[0048] Specifically, the height adjustment disk 3 is a hollow disk structure, and its vertical height is greater than the axial height of the fixed block 101, so that its top surface cooperates with the three locking protrusions 402 on the bottom surface of the launch end cantilever beam 4 to achieve support and positioning of the bottom of the launch end cantilever beam 4. This structure is called the BV structure (Ball-and-V-Block Structure), which is a mechanical structure used for precision positioning. It achieves precise positioning and constraint of objects through the combination of symmetrical arc surfaces and locking grooves, and can withstand large external forces. The core design concept of the BV structure is to use the geometric coordination of symmetrical arc surfaces and locking grooves to achieve high positioning accuracy through a limited contact surface. The combination of spherical or symmetrical arc surfaces and locking grooves has self-centering capabilities and can automatically adjust during positioning to achieve the optimal contact position. The three locking protrusions 402 on the bottom of the transmitting cantilever beam 4 tangentially contact the locking grooves on the height adjustment plate 3 to precisely constrain the transmitting cantilever beam 4 in six degrees of freedom in space. The number of constraint points equals the total number of degrees of freedom of the transmitting cantilever beam 4. In this embodiment, the locking protrusions 402 are hemispherical structures with a diameter of 4 mm. The distance from the lowest point to the bottom surface of the transmitting cantilever beam 4 is 2 mm. The spherical surface is polished and distributed along a 50 mm diameter circle.

[0049] In this embodiment, preferably, each latching slot group includes 6 latching slots 301, i.e., a total of 18 latching slots 301. The groove line of each latching slot 301 is arranged along the radius of the height adjustment disk 3. The corresponding center angle between two adjacent latching slots 301 is 360° / 18=20°, and the angle between the two groove surfaces of each latching slot 301 is 90°. Therefore, after the latching protrusion 402 contacts the groove surface of any latching slot 301, the relative vertical distance between its lowest point and the lowest point of the latching slot 301 is the same. In this way, the vertical groove depth gradient difference between two adjacent latching slots 301 is the height difference between the two positioning points of the latching protrusion 402. In this embodiment, the vertical groove depth height difference between two adjacent latching slots 301 is 80μm. Therefore, one latching slot group can achieve a stepped height adjustment of the latching protrusion 402 over a total range of 400μm. The 90° angle between the slots provides excellent self-centering capabilities and makes the force distribution of the slots 301 more even when bearing a load. At the same time, the 120° V-groove distribution angle (the angle between the centers of two adjacent slots 301 of the same vertical groove depth) can make the mechanical load between the slots more uniform. This evenly distributed angle can avoid structural instability or wear caused by uneven force distribution, thereby improving positioning accuracy and stability. Preferably, a planar cutout 303 is provided on the outer cylindrical surface of the height adjustment disk 3. This planar cutout 303 is located on the outer end side of the slot 301 corresponding to a certain vertical groove depth (preferably the largest vertical groove depth), serving as the initial position reference point for vertical groove depth adjustment. It also facilitates the engagement and positioning of the fork tool used in the rotation operation of the height adjustment disk 3.

[0050] The BV structure not only provides excellent centering capabilities, but also has the characteristics of high positioning accuracy and high repeatability. At the same time, its structural design is simple, easy to process and assemble, and suitable for large-scale production. During the installation and adjustment of the cantilever beam 4 at the transmitting end, the positioning groove 301 corresponding to the positioning protrusion 402 can be replaced by rotating the height adjustment disk 3, thereby adjusting the vertical spacing between the receiving unit 6 and the transmitting unit 7 accordingly, to ensure that the eddy current sensor always operates within the range of optimal linearity, significantly expanding the adjustment range of the sensor, and can cover the height difference between the sub-mirrors. Taking into account the installation error between the spliced ​​sub-mirrors, multi-level height adjustment can make the eddy current sensor always work within the optimal linear range, thereby improving the interchangeability of the eddy current sensor probes installed in astronomical telescopes. In addition, if Figure 12As shown, the bottom surface of the height adjustment disk 3 is provided with three first supporting spherical crowns 302 distributed in a triangular shape and in contact with the back of the first sub-mirror 100. They are evenly distributed around their axis at a center angle of 120°, achieving stable three-point contact positioning with the back of the first sub-mirror 100, further improving the overall stability and repeatability of the system, and providing reliable protection for precise measurement and control. In this embodiment, the height adjustment disk 3 is a circular cylindrical structure with an outer diameter of 60mm and an inner diameter of 43mm, with a height of 12.5mm. A plane is provided on its outer circular side surface as an initial position mark. The first supporting spherical crowns 302 adopt a hemispherical spherical crown structure, distributed on a circumference with a diameter of 50mm, the diameter of the spherical crown is 4mm, and the lowest point of the three spherical crowns is 0.5mm away from the bottom surface of the height adjustment disk 3.

[0051] Obviously, the locking protrusion 402 can also be set on the top surface of the height adjustment disk 3, and the three groups of locking grooves can be set on the bottom surface of the transmitting end cantilever beam 4. By rotating the height adjustment disk 3, the same effect of adjusting the vertical height of the transmitting end cantilever beam 4 as described above can be achieved.

[0052] The structure and working mode of the second clamping mechanism 2 are the same as those of the first clamping mechanism 1. Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, the end of the receiving end cantilever beam 5 away from the transmitting end cantilever beam 4 also has a central through hole of the same diameter. The screw 102 in the second clamping mechanism 2 is located in the central through hole and has a gap with the inner wall of the central through hole to meet the requirement of large thermal deformation of the screw 102 in the temperature field. The top surface of the receiving end cantilever beam 5 is also provided with a spherical groove 401 that matches the equalizing spherical crown 1031. A three-point pressure structure is combined with precision spherical contact and an adjustable spring compression mechanism to achieve the clamping and positioning of the receiving end cantilever beam 5 on the back of the second sub-mirror 200. The bottom surface of the receiving end cantilever beam 5 is provided with three triangularly distributed second supporting spherical crowns 501 that contact the back of the second sub-mirror 200. They are evenly distributed around the axis of the central through hole of the receiving end cantilever beam 5 at a center angle of 120°, achieving stable three-point contact positioning with the back of the second sub-mirror 200, thereby improving the positioning accuracy and stability of the overall structure. In this embodiment, the second supporting spherical cap 501 and the first supporting spherical cap 302 have the same structure and working mode.

[0053] The bottom surfaces of both the height adjustment disk 3 and the receiving-end cantilever beam 5 are provided with recessed grooves, with the fixed blocks 101 of the two clamping mechanisms positioned within the respective recessed grooves. To reduce the overall height of the height adjustment disk 3 and simplify the manufacturing process, the interior of the height adjustment disk 3 is configured as a through-hole structure. To meet high-precision requirements, the diameter of the central through-hole of the height adjustment disk 3 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the fixed block 101, and the inner diameter of the recessed groove 502 within the bottom surface of the receiving-end cantilever beam 5 is also slightly larger than the outer diameter of the fixed block 101. This results in horizontal gaps between the inner wall of the height adjustment disk 3 and the outer wall of the fixed block 101 within it, and between the inner wall of the recessed groove 502 and the outer wall of the fixed block 101 within it. Due to the dihedral angle between the first sub-mirror 100 and the second sub-mirror 200, this horizontal gap allows for fine adjustment of the height displacement of the receiving-end cantilever beam 5, ensuring that the eddy current sensor is always in optimal working condition, thereby providing a stable and efficient output signal.

[0054] The transmitting end cantilever beam 4, the receiving end cantilever beam 5, and the height adjustment plate 3 are also made of glass-ceramic. Similarly, the use of this material significantly reduces the impact of ambient temperature fluctuations on the mechanical structure and sensor performance, thereby ensuring that the segmented telescope system maintains excellent stability and reliability in harsh environments.

[0055] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0056] The above descriptions are merely embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made using the contents of the present invention's description and drawings, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe, characterized by: The device comprises a transmitting end cantilever beam and a receiving end cantilever beam, and an eddy current sensor, which are respectively arranged on the back surfaces of two adjacent sub-mirrors through two clamping mechanisms. The receiving unit of the eddy current sensor is fixedly arranged on the top surface of the cantilever end of the receiving end cantilever beam. The transmitting unit of the eddy current sensor is fixedly arranged on the bottom surface of the cantilever end of the transmitting end cantilever beam and is arranged parallel to the receiving unit. A height adjustment plate is provided at the bottom of the cantilever beam at the transmitting end, and three locking protrusions distributed in a regular triangle are provided on the bottom surface of the cantilever beam at the transmitting end. Three groups of locking groove groups that are evenly distributed around the circumference and arranged radially are provided on the top surface of the height adjustment plate. Each locking groove group includes a number of locking grooves, and the vertical groove depths of two adjacent locking grooves in the same group increase gradually in sequence. The three locking protrusions are respectively and simultaneously engaged with the three locking grooves with the same vertical groove depth in the three locking groove groups.

2. The highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the positioning slots in each positioning slot group is 4 to 10, and the depth gradient increase value of two adjacent positioning slots is the same.

3. The highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The center angles corresponding to the two adjacent positioning slots are the same.

4. The highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe according to claim 3, characterized in that: The positioning groove is a "V"-shaped cross-section groove or a trapezoidal cross-section groove, and the angle between the two inclined groove surfaces of the positioning groove is 90 degrees.

5. The highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe according to claim 1, 2 or 4, characterized in that: The clamping mechanism includes a fixed block, a screw connected to the top of the fixed block, a pressure cover plate movably sleeved on the outside of the screw, a nut block threadedly connected to the screw and located above the pressure cover plate, and a spring sleeved on the outside of the screw and located between the nut block and the pressure cover plate. The transmitting end cantilever beam / receiving end cantilever beam is sleeved on the outside of the screw and located between the fixed block and the pressure cover plate.

6. The highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe according to claim 5, characterized in that: Three pressure-equalizing spherical crowns evenly distributed around the circumference are provided on the outer side of the bottom surface of the gland plate, and spherical grooves matching the pressure-equalizing spherical crowns are provided on the top surfaces of the transmitting end cantilever beam and the receiving end cantilever beam.

7. The highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bottom surface of the height adjustment plate is provided with three first supporting spherical crowns distributed in a triangle and in contact with the back surface of one of the sub-mirrors.

8. The highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe according to claim 7, characterized in that: Three second supporting spherical crowns distributed in a triangular shape and in contact with the back surface of another sub-mirror are arranged on the bottom surface of the receiving end cantilever beam.

9. The highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bottom surfaces of the height adjustment plate and the receiving end cantilever beam are both provided with embedding grooves, and the fixing blocks of the two clamping mechanisms are respectively located in the two embedding grooves.

10. The highly adjustable eddy current edge sensor probe according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that: The transmitting end cantilever beam, the receiving end cantilever beam, the height adjustment plate and the fixing block are all made of microcrystalline glass.

Images