Self-Aligned Reference Ball Mounting for Repeatable Optomechanical Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current optomechanical systems require tedious and time-consuming manual alignment of optical elements, which is impractical for fast prototyping and robust enough to withstand shipping and industrial environments without losing factory calibration.
Innovation Solution
The use of reference stop assemblies with a threaded base, support shaft, reference ball, and clamping member on a breadboard, allowing for precise positioning of optical elements without manual alignment by utilizing translational play and clamping forces to secure the reference ball within mounting holes, enabling robust and repeatable alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If standard off-the-shelf optical mounts on breadboards are used, then ease of use and flexibility are improved, but manufacturing precision and alignment repeatability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces self-aligned reference balls as intermediary components between the breadboard mounting holes and the optical mounts. These reference balls serve as precision mediators that transfer the coarse positioning of the breadboard holes into precise, repeatable alignment positions for optical elements, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of use and alignment precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The reference balls are designed to be self-aligning through their spherical geometry and translational play, automatically finding their correct position on the mounting holes without requiring manual alignment by skilled personnel. This self-service mechanism enables precise alignment while maintaining ease of use.
2Manufacturing precision
If custom-designed mechanical parts are used to achieve precise optical elements positioning, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the positioning function into separate components: the breadboard provides coarse positioning through its mounting holes, while the reference balls provide fine precision positioning. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, maintaining simplicity while achieving high precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The reference balls serve multiple functions: they act as precision positioning elements, self-aligning mechanisms, and repeatable reference points. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for complex custom-designed parts, achieving high precision with simple, universal components.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual alignment by skilled personnel is performed, then alignment precision is improved, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The self-aligned reference balls automatically perform the alignment function through their spherical geometry and translational play, eliminating the need for manual alignment by skilled personnel. This self-service mechanism achieves both high precision and high productivity simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The reference balls are pre-configured with translational play that enables them to automatically find their correct position when mounted on the breadboard holes. This preliminary preparation of the alignment mechanism eliminates the need for time-consuming manual adjustment during assembly.
4Ease of operation
If standard optical mounts are used, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability under shipping conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The reference balls act as stable intermediary reference points that maintain precise alignment positions during shipping and handling. Their spherical geometry and self-aligning capability ensure that the optical mounts remain reliably positioned on the breadboard even under environmental stresses, thereby improving calibration stability while maintaining ease of use.
Data Source
AI summary
The building of systems on breadboards such as optomechanical systems using reference stop assemblies is presented. Each reference stop assembly has a threaded base engageable with the breadboard to removably mount the reference stop assembly thereto, a support shaft connected to the threaded base and a reference ball. The reference ball is captively mounted to the support shaft and has a translational play in a plane perpendicular to the support shaft. The reference stop assembly also includes a clamping member mounted to the support shaft over the reference ball. The reference stop assembly is configured such that, when the reference stop assembly is mounted to said breadboard, the support shaft projects normally to the mounting surface of the breadboard and the clamping member cooperates with the breadboard so as to apply a clamping force to clamp the reference ball against a circular seat of a mounting hole on the breadboard.