Optical Mount With Contraction Mechanism for Stress-Free Retention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mounts for optical structures, such as reflective panels and retroreflectors, face challenges in maintaining the optical flatness and perpendicularity of reflective surfaces due to external stresses like thermal expansion and adhesive curing, which can lead to distortions and inaccuracies in high-precision applications.
Innovation Solution
A mount design featuring a protruding member from the optical structure, a base element with a mounting structure, and an upper element with a tightening mechanism that contracts around the protruding member to secure the optical structure while minimizing external stresses, using materials with low thermal expansion coefficients like INVAR or aluminum.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional mounting methods are used to secure the optical structure, then the structure is firmly retained on the mount, but external stresses from thermal expansion and adhesive curing cause distortions to the reflective surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The mount is divided into separate components: a base element, an upper element, and a protruding member. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while reducing overall stress on the optical structure. The protruding member can be independently positioned and secured without requiring adhesive that would stress the reflective surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding member acts as an intermediary element between the optical structure and the mount body. It provides a secure attachment point that transfers mounting stresses away from the reflective surfaces to the mount structure itself, thereby maintaining optical precision while ensuring reliable retention.
2Stability of the object's composition
If rigid mounting structures are used to prevent movement of the optical structure, then positioning stability is improved, but thermal expansion stresses increase causing distortions
Solution Approach 1:
The mount is designed with adjustable parameters including the position and orientation of the protruding member, which can be optimized to accommodate thermal expansion. The separation between the protruding member and the main mount body creates thermal isolation that reduces stress transmission during temperature variations while maintaining positioning stability.
3Reliability
If adhesive is used to join the optical structure to the mount, then secure retention is achieved, but curing deflection causes stress on the reflective surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The design extracts the adhesive joining function and replaces it with a mechanical connection through the protruding member. This eliminates the need for adhesive near the reflective surfaces, removing the source of curing deflection stresses while maintaining secure retention through the mechanical protrusion-fit arrangement.
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 effectively reduces distortional stresses on the reflective surfaces, maintains high accuracy by minimizing movement and thermal expansion effects, and ensures easy and secure mounting to support structures, enhancing the precision of distance measurements.
Implementation Method 1
a tightening mechanism received through the second opening can be received into the third opening. Tightening of the tightening mechanism into the third opening causes the ends of the head portions to draw toward each other so that the first opening of the upper element tightens around the at least a portion of the protruding member
Implementation Method 2
Examples of external stresses that can affect the optical flatness of a reflective panel and/or the perpendicularity of reflective surfaces of abutting reflective panels of a hollow retroreflector, are thermal expansion or contraction of the substrate material from which the panels are made
Data Source
AI summary
An improved mount for, and methods of mounting an, optical structure are provided. The mount has a protruding member extending from a surface of the optical structure, a base element having a mounting structure for mounting the mount to another structure and an upper element extending from the base element having a first opening extending therethrough for receipt therein of at least a portion of the protruding member. The first opening defines first and second arms, each of the arms comprising a head portion and each of the head portions ending at an end. A second opening in the upper element extends through one of the head portions and the end thereof in a direction toward the other head portion, while a third opening exists in the upper element through the end of the other head portion in an orientation substantially opposite to and in communication with the second opening so that a tightening mechanism received through the second opening can be received into the third opening. Tightening of the tightening mechanism into the third opening causes the ends of the head portions to draw toward each other so that the first opening of the upper element tightens around the at least a portion of the protruding member.