Arcuate Flexure Mount Pad for Optical Mirror Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Joining components with different coefficients of thermal expansion leads to strain and deformation issues, particularly in optical systems where misalignment, torque, or adhesive shrinkage can affect the mirror's performance and the entire optical system.
Innovation Solution
A mount pad with a monolithic structure comprising a base plate, top plate, and arcuate flexure members arranged in concentric rings, made of materials like Invar 36 Alloy, which provides radial compliance and uniform stiffness to absorb thermal expansion stresses and other stresses, allowing for precise positioning and stress distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional adhesives are used to bond mount pads to mirrors, then the mirror can be securely attached to the supporting structure, but adhesive shrinkage during curing causes mirror deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The mount pad acts as an intermediary component between the mirror and supporting structure. It includes a base plate bonded to the mirror, a top plate attached to the supporting structure, and arcuate flexure members connecting them. This intermediary structure isolates the mirror from direct adhesive bonding to the supporting structure, eliminating shrinkage-induced deformation while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The arcuate flexure members are designed with specific geometric parameters (arc radius, thickness, spacing) that allow them to flex and accommodate differential thermal expansion and adhesive shrinkage. By changing the physical parameters of the flexure members, the system absorbs dimensional changes without transmitting stress to the mirror, preserving alignment precision.
2Stability of the object's composition
If mount pads are rigidly coupled to both the mirror and supporting structure, then structural stability is improved, but thermal expansion mismatch causes strain and deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The arcuate flexure members introduce dynamic compliance to the otherwise rigid mount pad structure. These members can flex radially to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction differences between the mirror and supporting structure. The flexure members maintain structural stability while dynamically adjusting to thermal stresses, preventing strain accumulation and deformation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the mount pad structure is made more complex to accommodate stress relief, then stress distribution improves, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mount pad is segmented into distinct functional components: base plate, top plate, and multiple arcuate flexure members arranged in concentric rings. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall simplicity. The flexure members are further segmented into discrete radial elements that can flex independently, improving stress distribution without excessive complexity.
4Strength
If adhesive bonding is used to attach the mount pad base plate to the mirror, then strong attachment is achieved, but adhesive shrinkage causes mirror deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The mount pad structure serves as an intermediary that decouples the adhesive bonding process from the mirror. The base plate is bonded to the mirror, but the arcuate flexure members and top plate isolate the mirror from shrinkage forces. This intermediary configuration allows strong adhesive attachment while protecting mirror shape stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The mount pad effectively mitigates stress-induced deformations and dimensional changes, ensuring precise positioning and performance stability of optical components by absorbing stresses caused by thermal expansion and other external factors.
Implementation Method 1
The arcuate flexure members are arranged to form a plurality of radially spaced-apart concentric rings... the arcuate flexure members are circumferentially spaced-apart from one another so that a gap exists between pairs of circumferentially adjacent arcuate flexure members
Data Source
AI summary
According to one implementation a mount pad is provided that includes a plurality of arcuate flexure members disposed between and connected to top and bottom plates. According to some implementations a majority or all of the arcuate flexure members have a semi-circular cross-section and are arranged to form a plurality of radially spaced-apart concentric rings. Concave surfaces of the arcuate flexure members face radially inward toward a center of the concentric rings. Circumferential adjacent arcuate flexure members in each of the concentric rings are circumferentially spaced apart from one another so that a gap exists between them. According to some implementations the mount pad further includes a coupling unit prolonging from one of the top and bottom plates, the coupling unit facilitating a connection of the mount pad to a support structure. According to some implementations the mount pad is a monolithic structure. According to some implementations the monolithic structure is made using an additive manufacturing method.