A full metal flexible lens holder capable of eliminating stress

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of space remote sensing technology, and particularly relates to an all-metal flexible lens mount capable of eliminating stress. The flexible mount body has an annular boss on its inner wall, and multiple first radial bosses on the inner wall of the annular boss. A lens support is located below the first radial bosses. The top surface of the annular boss has multiple first and second flexible grooves. A pressure ring is fixed to the top of the flexible mount body, and the inner ring of the pressure ring has multiple L-shaped flexible pressure plates evenly arranged circumferentially. This invention uses a flexible pressure ring and a flexible mount in cooperation, possessing both axial and radial flexibility, which can effectively eliminate installation stress and thermal stress, ensure the surface accuracy of the lens, and improve the overall optical performance. Furthermore, because it is an all-metal mount and pressure plates, it adopts a purely mechanical installation method, making it suitable for cleanroom assembly scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of space remote sensing technology, and particularly relates to an all-metal flexible lens mount capable of eliminating stress. Background Technology

[0002] In high-precision optical systems (such as semiconductor lithography equipment, high-end microscopy instruments, space remote sensing cameras, and biomedical testing equipment), the installation and fixation of optical lenses are crucial to determining the system's imaging quality and long-term stability. These systems typically require assembly and operation in a cleanroom environment, placing extremely stringent demands on the reliability, non-volatile nature, and resistance to environmental interference of core components.

[0003] Traditional lens fixing methods mainly include adhesive bonding and rigid mechanical clamping. Adhesive bonding uses UV-cured or thermosetting optical adhesives to bond the lens to the mount, eliminating the need for flexible clamping rings. While it provides centering capability, it has the following inherent drawbacks:

[0004] Stress issues: First, the assembly process introduces assembly stress. Second, the adhesive shrinks during curing, generating curing stress, which is directly transmitted to the lens, causing changes in surface shape and introducing wavefront aberration, thus affecting optical performance.

[0005] Thermal stress problem: In environments with temperature changes (such as space or industrial scenarios), the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the optical adhesive and the materials of the mirror / lens and the mount (support structure) can cause huge thermal stress due to thermal mismatch, resulting in surface distortion or even lens cracking.

[0006] Cleanroom suitability issues: Organic adhesives may release volatile organic compounds in a vacuum or during long-term use, contaminating the cleanroom environment or critical surfaces inside optical systems (such as lasers and sensors), leading to system performance degradation.

[0007] Long-term reliability issues: Adhesives are prone to aging, yellowing, or being affected by humidity over time, reducing the long-term stability and reliability of the connection.

[0008] To overcome some of the drawbacks of adhesive bonding, rigid mechanical clamping solutions have emerged. These typically use metal clamping rings to press the lens firmly onto the lens mount step. While the lens mount can release radial stiffness, the clamping ring lacks flexibility or only possesses axial flexibility. During assembly, this structure is prone to localized stress concentration at the lens edge due to machining errors, improper assembly force control, and the expansion or contraction of the mirror under thermal stress, thus compromising optical surface accuracy. Furthermore, this structure remains sensitive to differences in thermal expansion coefficients and cannot effectively alleviate thermal stress.

[0009] In summary, it is evident that the surface accuracy of the reflector and lens assembly is susceptible to various stresses.

[0010] Therefore, it is evident that not only does the lens mount design require the introduction of flexible elements in the support structure, but the pressure ring must also consider a dual flexible design in both the axial and radial directions to ensure the elimination of stress concentration caused by processing errors and improper assembly force control, as well as thermal stress caused by the mismatch of linear expansion between the lens mount material and the lens material.

[0011] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a new lens fixing structure that can completely eliminate installation stress and thermal stress while meeting the high cleanliness requirements and long-term high reliability requirements of cleanrooms. Summary of the Invention

[0012] In view of this, the present invention aims to provide an all-metal flexible lens mount that can eliminate stress. It adopts a flexible pressure ring and a flexible lens mount to cooperate with each other, and has both axial and radial flexibility. It can effectively eliminate installation stress and thermal stress, ensure the surface accuracy of the lens, and help improve the optical performance of the whole machine. At the same time, because it is an all-metal lens mount and pressure plate, it adopts a purely mechanical installation method, which is suitable for clean room assembly scenarios.

[0013] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is implemented as follows:

[0014] This invention provides an all-metal flexible lens mount capable of eliminating stress, comprising:

[0015] The flexible mirror mount body is a hollow annular structure, and the inner wall of the flexible mirror mount body is provided with an annular protrusion.

[0016] The inner wall of the annular boss is provided with a plurality of evenly distributed first radial bosses, and a lens support portion is provided below the first radial bosses;

[0017] On the annular protrusion, a plurality of first flexible grooves are evenly distributed along its outer circumference, and a plurality of second flexible grooves are evenly distributed along its inner circumference; and both the first and second flexible grooves are through grooves.

[0018] The pressure ring is fixed to the top of the flexible lens mount body and is used to press the lens.

[0019] The inner side of the pressure ring is provided with a plurality of L-shaped flexible pressure plates evenly arranged in the circumference. The L-shaped flexible pressure plates extend toward the inner side of the pressure ring and are used to press the lens.

[0020] The L-shaped flexible pressure plate is L-shaped, and the L-shaped flexible pressure plate is connected to the body of the pressure ring through a third flexible groove formed at their connection.

[0021] The first radial boss is a square boss.

[0022] The inner wall of the flexible mirror mount body is provided with multiple mounting seats above the annular boss.

[0023] A clearance gap is formed between the first radial boss and the lens support.

[0024] The L-shaped flexible pressure plate is formed by extending inward from the inner wall of the pressure ring, and is an integral structure. Its long side extends inward from the inner wall of the pressure ring, and its short side extends inward from the end of the long side. The third flexible groove is a through groove opened between the long side and the pressure ring, extending inward from the free end of the L-shaped flexible pressure plate to the middle of the long side.

[0025] The mounting base is provided with pressure ring mounting holes, and the pressure ring is provided with mounting holes that correspond one-to-one with the pressure ring mounting holes.

[0026] The first flexible groove is an arc-shaped groove with a corresponding central angle of 50°, and the second flexible groove is an arc-shaped groove with a corresponding central angle of 44°.

[0027] The distance between the top surface of the annular boss and the top surface of the flexible mirror base body is 1-2.5mm.

[0028] The flexible mirror mount body between the mounting bases has grooves on its inner wall for air venting.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the present invention can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0030] This invention uses an all-metal flexible lens mount body and pressure ring, which has flexibility in both radial and axial directions, and can effectively isolate thermal stress and installation stress, ensuring the accuracy of the lens surface shape.

[0031] This invention avoids the use of flexible pads or adhesives, which helps to ensure the cleanliness of the product.

[0032] In this invention, the lens and lens mount make six-point contact. Interlaced flexible grooves are cut circumferentially on the top surface of the lens mount. These grooves separate the boss that contacts the lens and the threaded hole for the pressure ring mounting, with one serving as an inner ring and the other as an outer ring. The flexible pressure ring is designed with flexibility in both radial and axial directions to accommodate changes in the lens's radial and axial dimensions during temperature rise or fall, thereby reducing thermal stress. Simultaneously, since both the flexible pressure ring mounting hole and the lens mount mounting hole are located on the outer ring, installation stress during assembly is isolated. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the flexible mirror mount of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the top surface structure of the flexible mirror mount body of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the pressure ring structure of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the angle of the flexible groove in this invention;

[0040] The reference numerals in the figures include:

[0041] 1. Pressure ring; 11. Mounting hole; 12. Third flexible groove; 13. L-shaped flexible pressure plate;

[0042] 2. Lens; 3. Flexible lens mount body; 4. Pressure ring mounting hole; 5. First flexible groove; 6. Second flexible groove; 7. First radial boss; 8. Lens support; 9. Mounting base. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. Similar elements in different embodiments are referred to by associated similar element reference numerals. In the following embodiments, many details are described to enable a better understanding of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that some features may be omitted in different situations, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, some operations related to the invention are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid obscuring the core parts of the invention with excessive description. For those skilled in the art, describing these related operations in detail is not necessary; they can fully understand the related operations based on the description in the specification and general technical knowledge in the art.

[0044] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this invention can be combined to form various implementations. Furthermore, the order of the steps or actions in the method description can be changed or adjusted in a manner readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the various orders in the specification and drawings are merely for the clear description of a particular embodiment and do not imply a mandatory order, unless otherwise stated that a particular order must be followed.

[0045] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0046] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0047] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0048] Example 1

[0049] Please see Figures 1-6 The present invention provides an all-metal flexible lens mount capable of eliminating stress, comprising:

[0050] The flexible mirror base body 3 is a hollow circular ring structure, and the inner wall of the flexible mirror base body 3 is provided with an annular protrusion.

[0051] The inner wall of the annular boss is provided with a plurality of evenly distributed first radial bosses 7, and the inner wall of the annular boss below the first radial bosses 7 is provided with a lens support part 8 for supporting the lens 2. The lens support part 8 is also located on the inner wall of the annular boss.

[0052] On the annular boss, a plurality of first flexible grooves are evenly distributed along its outer circumference and a plurality of second flexible grooves are evenly distributed along its inner circumference; and the first and second flexible grooves are through grooves; that is, the first and second flexible grooves are both located inside the annular boss, and all the first flexible grooves 5 and the second flexible grooves 6 penetrate the annular boss vertically.

[0053] The pressure ring 1 is pressed and fixed to the top of the flexible lens mount body 3 and is used to press the lens 2 inside the flexible lens mount body 3.

[0054] The inner side of the pressure ring 1 is provided with a plurality of L-shaped flexible pressure plates 13 evenly arranged in the circumference. The L-shaped flexible pressure plates 13 extend toward the inner side of the pressure ring 1 and are used to press the lens 2.

[0055] The L-shaped flexible pressure plate 13 is L-shaped, and the L-shaped flexible pressure plate 13 is connected to the body of the pressure ring 1 by a third flexible groove 12 formed at the connection between the long side of the L-shaped flexible pressure plate 13 and the pressure ring 1.

[0056] The first radial boss 7 is a square boss.

[0057] The inner wall of the flexible mirror mount body 3 is provided with multiple mounting seats 9 above the annular boss.

[0058] The plurality of mounting seats 9 are evenly distributed circumferentially on the inner wall of the flexible mirror mount body 3, and their top surfaces together with the top surface of the flexible mirror mount body 3 form the contact surface with the pressure ring 1 (the top surface of the mounting seat 9 is aligned with the top surface of the flexible mirror mount body 3). That is to say, the mounting seat 9 is an arc-shaped protrusion formed by extending the inner wall of the flexible mirror mount body 3 toward the inner side of the flexible mirror mount body 3.

[0059] A clearance gap is formed between the first radial boss 7 and the lens support 8. The clearance gap is configured such that when the lens 2 is installed, its corner portion can extend into the gap, thereby ensuring that the end face of the lens 2 is in full contact with the lens support 8 and preventing the lens 2 from tilting due to corner cleaning errors.

[0060] The L-shaped flexible pressure plate 13 is formed by extending inward from the inner wall of the pressure ring 1, and is an integral structure. Its long side extends inward from the inner wall of the pressure ring 1, and its short side extends inward from the end of the long side. The third flexible groove 12 is a through groove opened between the long side and the pressure ring 1, extending inward from the free end of the L-shaped flexible pressure plate 13 to the middle of the long side.

[0061] The mounting base 9 is provided with pressure ring mounting holes 4, and the pressure ring 1 is provided with mounting holes 11 corresponding to the pressure ring mounting holes 4 one-to-one, and the mounting holes 11 and the third flexible groove 12 are staggered in the circumferential direction. Specifically, each mounting hole 11 is located between adjacent flexible grooves 24 and is located on the outer side of the long side of the L-shaped flexible pressure plate 13. Since the third flexible groove 12 is a semi-open structure, the L-shaped flexible pressure plate 13 has flexibility in two directions at the same time.

[0062] The first radial protrusion 7 and the mounting base 9 are staggered in the circumferential space, that is, the first radial protrusion 7 is located between two adjacent mounting bases 9 in the circumferential direction; and on both sides of each first radial protrusion 7, a first flexible groove 5 is symmetrically distributed, and on both sides of each mounting base 9, a second flexible groove 6 is symmetrically distributed.

[0063] The lens support structure 8 is located below the first radial boss 7. It is a second radial boss formed by extending the inner wall of the annular boss towards the inner side of the annular boss. The top surface of the second radial boss is the contact surface used to contact the lens 2 when the lens 2 is installed (that is, the top surface of the second radial boss contacts the bottom surface of the lens 2, which plays the role of supporting the lens 2).

[0064] The first flexible groove 5 is an arc-shaped groove with a corresponding central angle of 50°.

[0065] The second flexible groove 6 is an arc-shaped groove with a corresponding central angle of 44°.

[0066] The distance between the top surface of the annular boss and the top surface of the flexible mirror base body 3 is 1-2.5mm.

[0067] The inner wall of the flexible mirror base body 3 between the mounting bases 9 is provided with a groove for air passage, which is also located above the annular boss.

[0068] The center point of the first radial boss 7 is translated to the top surface of the flexible mirror base body 3 to form a corresponding point of the boss center. The center point of the pressure ring mounting hole 4 is also translated to the top surface of the flexible mirror base body 3 to form a corresponding point of the pressure ring mounting hole center. These two corresponding points are connected to the center of the circle on the top surface of the flexible mirror base body 3 to form an acute angle with an angle of 30°.

[0069] The principle of this invention is as follows:

[0070] Placement of lens 2: Insert lens 2 into the inner cavity of the flexible lens mount body 3.

[0071] Positioning and fixing: At this time, the lens 2 is supported by the lens support structure 8, that is, the bottom surface of the lens 2 is in contact with the top surface of the lens support structure 8 to limit the axial displacement of the lens 2; at the same time, the outer wall of the lens 2 is in contact with the first radial boss 7 to limit the radial displacement of the lens 2.

[0072] Fastening the pressure ring: The pressure ring 1 is placed over the top of the flexible lens mount body 3, aligning the pressure ring mounting hole 4 with the mounting hole 11. The pressure ring 1 is then fastened to the flexible lens mount body 3 using bolts, thereby encapsulating and fixing the lens 2 within the flexible lens mount body 3. At this time, the L-shaped flexible pressure plate 13 presses against the surface of the lens 2. Due to the third flexible groove 12, the L-shaped flexible pressure plate 13 possesses radial and axial degrees of freedom. If the lens 2 undergoes dimensional changes due to temperature, the L-shaped flexible pressure plate 13 can follow the lens with slight displacement, maintaining a constant relative position with the lens, thus preventing compression, pulling, or relative displacement. Simultaneously, the mounting hole 11 and the end of the L-shaped flexible pressure plate 13 are separated by the third flexible groove 12, which also isolates installation stress.

[0073] Example 2

[0074] A stress-relieving all-metal flexible lens mount includes: a flexible mount body 3 and a pressure ring 1, wherein the flexible mount body 3 has six-point contact with the side surface of the lens 2, that is, the side surface of the lens 2 contacts six first radial protrusions 7 located on the inner wall of the flexible mount body 3, and the first radial protrusions 7 are evenly distributed in six places along the circumference. Correspondingly, the bottom surface of the lens 2 also has six-point contact with the flexible mount body 3, that is, the bottom surface of the lens 2 contacts six lens support structures 8, and the lens support structures 8 are evenly distributed in six places along the circumference, and correspond one-to-one with the first radial protrusions 7.

[0075] The first flexible groove 5 and the second flexible groove 6 are provided: inside the annular boss, a plurality of first flexible grooves 5 are evenly distributed along the outer circumference of the annular boss, and a plurality of second flexible grooves 6 are evenly distributed along the inner circumference of the annular boss; the first flexible groove 5 and the second flexible groove 6 are both through grooves that penetrate the annular boss.

[0076] The second flexible groove 6 appears in pairs and is symmetrically distributed with respect to the center of the first radial protrusion 7; the first flexible groove 5 appears in pairs and is symmetrically distributed with respect to the center of the pressure ring mounting hole 4; the first flexible groove 5 is on the outer side and its corresponding central angle is 50°, and the second flexible groove 6 is on the inner side and its corresponding central angle is 44°.

[0077] The inner wall of the flexible mirror base body 3 above the annular boss is provided with multiple mounting seats 9 to ensure that when the L-shaped flexible pressure plate 13 of the pressure ring 1 is relatively displaced from the flexible mirror base body 3, it will not rub against the flexible mirror base body 3.

[0078] The L-shaped flexible clamping plate 13, which contacts the lens 2, is L-shaped and has radial and axial degrees of freedom. Pressing against the surface of the lens 2, if the lens 2 undergoes dimensional changes due to temperature, this flexible claw of the L-shaped flexible clamping plate 13 can follow the lens's slight displacement, maintaining a constant relative position with the lens, thus preventing compression, pulling, or relative displacement. Simultaneously, the mounting hole 11 is separated from the end of the flexible claw by a third flexible groove 12, which also isolates installation stress.

[0079] The present invention uses a mechanical clamping method with a flexible structure to install the lens 2. Through the combined design of the flexible lens mount body 3, the first radial boss 7, a series of flexible grooves and the pressure ring 1, the lens 2 can be effectively released in radial and axial degrees of freedom, thereby avoiding surface distortion caused by temperature changes or assembly stress.

[0080] This design is particularly suitable for applications where lenses are not glued in place. In typical applications, when the mounting material is a fused silica mirror, the flexible mount body 3 can be made of aluminum alloy. The thermal stress caused by the difference in the coefficients of thermal expansion between the two materials can be effectively compensated and released by the aforementioned flexible structure. Therefore, this invention is also widely applicable to the mounting of lenses made of other materials that are sensitive to thermal stress.

[0081] In summary, the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this specification and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this specification. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this specification should be included within the scope of protection of this specification.

Claims

1. A flexible all-metal lens mount capable of stress relief, characterized in that, include: The flexible mirror mount body is a hollow annular structure, and the inner wall of the flexible mirror mount body is provided with an annular protrusion. The inner wall of the flexible mirror mount body is provided with multiple mounting seats above the annular boss; The mounting base is provided with pressure ring mounting holes, and the pressure ring is provided with mounting holes that correspond one-to-one with the pressure ring mounting holes; The inner wall of the annular boss is provided with a plurality of evenly distributed first radial bosses, and a lens support portion is provided below the first radial bosses; On the annular protrusion, a plurality of first flexible grooves are evenly distributed along its outer circumference, and a plurality of second flexible grooves are evenly distributed along its inner circumference; and both the first and second flexible grooves are through grooves. The pressure ring is fixed to the top of the flexible lens mount body and is used to press the lens. The inner side of the pressure ring is provided with a plurality of L-shaped flexible pressure plates evenly arranged along the circumference of the pressure ring. The L-shaped flexible pressure plates are connected to the body of the pressure ring through a third flexible groove formed at their connection. The third flexible groove is a semi-open structure and provides radial and axial degrees of freedom for the L-shaped flexible pressure plates. The lens changes size under the action of temperature, and the L-shaped flexible pressure plates and the lens maintain their relative positions unchanged. The L-shaped flexible pressure plate extends toward the inside of the pressure ring to press the lens; The L-shaped flexible pressure plate is an integral structure, with its long side extending inward from the inner wall of the pressure ring and its short side extending inward from the end of the long side; the third flexible groove is a through groove opened between the long side and the pressure ring, extending inward from the free end of the L-shaped flexible pressure plate to the middle of the long side. The mounting hole and the end of the L-shaped flexible pressure plate are separated by the third flexible groove, which can isolate the installation stress. The lens is held in place by a mechanical clamp with a flexible structure.

2. The all-metal flexible lens mount capable of stress relief according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first radial boss is a square boss.

3. The all-metal flexible lens mount capable of stress relief according to claim 1, characterized in that, A clearance gap is formed between the first radial boss and the lens support.

4. The all-metal flexible lens mount capable of stress relief according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first flexible groove is an arc-shaped groove with a corresponding central angle of 50°, and the second flexible groove is an arc-shaped groove with a corresponding central angle of 44°.

5. A stress-relief all-metal flexible lens mount according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distance between the top surface of the annular boss and the top surface of the flexible mirror base body is 1-2.5mm.

6. A stress-relief all-metal flexible lens mount according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible mirror mount body between the mounting bases has grooves on its inner wall for air venting.

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