Light-Scattering Lens Mount With Stress-Free Flanged Barrel
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lens mounts in light scattering instruments introduce stress-induced birefringence, causing polarization distortion of the transmitted beam, which affects measurement accuracy and repeatability due to temperature sensitivity.
Innovation Solution
A flanged barrel assembly with face-mounted screws and a flex mount design that eliminates mechanical stress on the lens, allowing for stable polarization and alignment without the need for torque-based clamping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If torque-based clamping is used to secure the lens barrel, then mechanical stability is improved, but stress-induced birefringence increases causing polarization distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the C-clamp component entirely from the optical path and replaces it with a flanged barrel assembly that mounts to the housing using screws from the exterior. This extraction eliminates the source of stress-induced birefringence while maintaining mechanical stability through the flanged mounting structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a flanged barrel assembly as an intermediary mounting structure between the lens and the housing. This mediator allows for secure mechanical attachment via flanged mounting while keeping the lens free from direct clamping stress, thus preventing polarization distortion.
2Strength
If C-clamp with screw torque is applied to hold the lens barrel, then mechanical securing is improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to polarization distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the C-clamp mechanism that causes polarization distortion and replaces it with a flanged barrel assembly that achieves mechanical securing through flanged mounting with screws, thereby maintaining strength while preserving measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the torque-based C-clamp mechanical system with a flanged mounting system that uses distributed screw fastening. This substitution eliminates the localized stress concentration that causes birefringence while maintaining adequate mechanical securing through the flanged structure.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If loose mounting is used to avoid stress on the lens, then polarization stability is improved, but mechanical stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flanged barrel assembly acts as an intermediary that decouples the mechanical securing function from the optical path. The flanged mounting provides mechanical stability through the housing attachment while the lens itself remains stress-free, achieving both polarization stability and mechanical stability simultaneously.
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 solution provides consistent optical properties across temperature ranges, maintaining beam polarization and improving measurement stability and accuracy by reducing stress-induced birefringence.
Implementation Method 1
Some optical materials that are not usually birefringent exhibit birefringence when a mechanical stress is applied. This is referred to as stress-induced birefringence.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical element mount assembly comprises a mount housing comprising an attachment clamp and a mount body; a flanged barrel assembly coupled and arranged to removably couple to the mount housing. The flanged barrel assembly comprises a lens barrel portion; and an alignment mount comprising a first flange and a second flange, each of the first and second flanges having a hole for receiving a coupling mechanism that attaches the flanged barrel assembly to a sidewall of the mount body, the flanged barrel assembly further comprising a mount hole for retaining an optical element.