XRD Mounting System With Biasing Assembly For Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing X-ray diffraction sample holders face challenges in reducing background noise at low reflection angles and require time-consuming adjustments due to manufacturing and assembly disparities, leading to inconsistent sample positioning across different attachments and devices.
Innovation Solution
A mounting system with a rotatable mounting bracket and adjustable attachment module, featuring a biasing assembly and micrometer screw for precise alignment along a single axis, allowing easy attachment and alignment of external devices, and a sample holder with a retention assembly and anti-scatter baffle to minimize background noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple attachments or external devices are used for different measurements, then measurement versatility is improved, but sample positioning consistency deteriorates due to manufacturing and assembly tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket is designed as a universal interface that can accommodate multiple different attachments and external devices through standardized mounting holes and alignment features. This allows the same bracket to perform multiple measurement functions while maintaining consistent sample positioning through its reference feature that aligns with the goniometer rotation axis.
2Adaptability or versatility
If each attachment has different mechanical fixturing, then adaptability to different devices is improved, but alignment time and operational complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket provides a universal mechanical interface with standardized features including mounting holes, alignment pins, and reference surfaces that work with multiple different attachments. This eliminates the need for custom alignment procedures for each device, reducing operational complexity and alignment time.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting bracket is pre-aligned during manufacturing to ensure its reference feature is precisely positioned relative to the goniometer rotation axis. This preliminary alignment action eliminates the need for time-consuming field adjustments when installing different attachments.
3Ease of operation
If sample height is not precisely controlled, then ease of setup is improved, but measurement quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting bracket incorporates a reference feature (such as a precision-machined surface or alignment pin) that is pre-positioned at the correct height relative to the goniometer rotation axis. This preliminary positioning ensures that samples mounted on the bracket are automatically at the correct height for measurement, eliminating the need for manual height adjustment while maintaining measurement quality.
Data Source
AI summary
A mounting system and a sample holder for an X-ray diffraction (XRD) apparatus are provided. The mounting system includes a mounting bracket, an attachment module and a biasing assembly. The mounting bracket is mountable to the XRD apparatus and is rotatable about a rotation axis. The mounting bracket includes an abutment structure defining a reference position. The attachment module is mountable onto the mounting bracket at an adjustable attaching position with respect to the reference position. The attachment module comprises an attaching element that is engageable with the abutment structure for abutting the mounting bracket proximate the reference position. The biasing assembly is mounted onto one of the mounting bracket or the attachment module for interlocking the mounting bracket with the attachment module, such that the mounting bracket is blocked in a plane substantially parallel to the rotation axis, thereby allowing the attaching position to be aligned with the rotation axis.