Optical Element Retention via Angled Biasing Forces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical element holding devices, such as filter wheels, often experience misalignment due to clearance in receptacles and operational vibrations, leading to issues like pixel shift in multi-color imaging applications.
Innovation Solution
The use of pusher components positioned at optical element receptacles to apply angled biasing forces, ensuring optical elements are securely retained and aligned, with features like dual-point or single-point biasing to maintain proper orientation and prevent angular tilts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If clearance is provided in optical element receptacles to facilitate loading and removal, then ease of operation is improved, but alignment precision deteriorates due to angular tilts and misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The pusher component applies a biasing force during the loading process to preliminarily align the optical element with the receptacle surfaces, ensuring proper orientation before the element is fully inserted and secured in the receptacle
Solution Approach 2:
The pusher component acts as an intermediary mechanism between the optical element and the receptacle, providing controlled mechanical force to guide the element into the correct position and maintain alignment during loading and removal operations
2Manufacturing precision
If rigid mechanical fastening methods are used to retain optical elements, then alignment precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the alignment function from complex rigid fastening mechanisms and implements it through a simple pusher component with a biasing force, separating the retention function from the alignment function to reduce overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The pusher component with its biasing force creates a self-aligning mechanism that automatically maintains optical element orientation without requiring complex external fastening systems, allowing the receptacle structure itself to provide the alignment function
3Manufacturing precision
If optical elements are retained with fixed position to prevent misalignment, then alignment precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in loading and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The pusher component provides a dynamic retention mechanism where the biasing force can be applied or released as needed, allowing the optical element to be securely held during operation but easily removed when required, rather than being fixed in a rigid manner
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
This solution effectively mitigates misalignment and pixel shift, ensuring consistent and accurate optical alignment, even under operational vibrations, by applying forces that keep optical elements parallel to the desired plane.
Implementation Method 1
The pusher component includes a spring member capable of applying the biasing force to the optical element
Data Source
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AI summary
An optical element holder includes receptacles for retaining optical elements, and is configured to move a selected optical element into an optical path whereby a light beam passes through the selected optical element. The optical element holder is configured to retain the optical elements in a manner that mitigates or avoids misalignment of the optical elements, thereby mitigating or avoiding unwanted deviations in the path of the light beam. The optical element holder may be part of a microscope or other optical instrument.