Lock Collar Optical Mount for Alignment Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adjustable optical mounts lack a user-friendly and cost-effective locking mechanism that prevents accidental misalignment of adjustment screws during optical system adjustments.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable optical mount design featuring a lock collar with a torqueable surface and a threaded engagement system that provides greater resistance to rotational movement between the adjustable threaded member and the second plate, allowing for secure locking without significant displacement, using a hexagonal wrench or other tools for easy adjustment and locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to prevent accidental misalignment of adjustment screws, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock collar is threaded onto the adjustment screw itself, nesting the locking mechanism within the existing adjustment component. This eliminates the need for separate locking devices and reduces overall complexity while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment screw serves dual functions: both adjusting the optical element position and providing the threaded structure for the lock collar. The existing screw structure is utilized to provide the locking function, avoiding additional components
2Ease of operation
If a locking mechanism is designed to be easy to use, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock collar uses a standard hexagonal interface that can be operated with common hexagonal wrenches, making it easy to use without requiring specialized tools. The same hexagonal geometry is simple to manufacture using standard machining operations
Solution Approach 2:
The threaded engagement of the lock collar with the adjustment screw provides mechanical advantage, allowing easy locking with minimal applied force. The thread parameters (pitch, diameter) can be optimized to balance ease of operation with manufacturing simplicity
3Reliability
If the threaded engagement has greater resistance to rotational movement, then alignment stability is improved, but friction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded engagement between the lock collar and adjustment screw is designed with specific local characteristics (thread depth, pitch, surface finish) that maximize friction and resistance to rotational movement at the locking interface, while the rest of the optical mount maintains low friction for easy adjustment
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable optical mount embodiment includes a first plate configured to mount an optical element and a second plate disposed adjacent the first plate with a pivot point between the plates. At least one adjustable threaded member has a contact end in contact with a rear surface of the first plate and a threaded outer surface in threaded engagement with a threaded bore of the second plate. A lock collar having a threaded bore in threaded engagement with a threaded outer surface of the adjustable threaded member which extends from a rear surface of the second plate has a torqueable surface disposed at an adjustment end which is configured to be engaged for the application of torque from a rearward position relative to the adjustable optical mount.