Patent ID: 6128138
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
A three optical element collimator having an input for a laser beam, an output for a collimated beam, and adapted to precisely adjust the divergence of the collimated beam, the collimator comprising in combination:a supporting base,three reflective optical elements establishing a beam path through the collimator, one optical element serving as an input optical element, one as an output optical element and one as an intermediate optical element, the optical elements including a curved pair for adjusting the collimated beam divergence,one of the optical elements being fixed to the base, and the other two being translatable,two optical slides each having a linear translation axis, the translatable optical elements being mounted on respective ones of the slides for translation along the respective axes,the optical elements in an operative position establishing a beam path which defines a triangular relationship,a mechanical linkage interconnecting the translatable optical elements, the linkage including a coupling having three pivot centers thereon, the pivot centers incorporating the triangular relationship defined by the beam path, one of the pivot centers being attached to the base so that the coupling can pivot about said one pivot center, andpivotable links connecting the other coupling pivot centers to pivot centers on the respective slides, so that movement of one slide operates through the linkage including the coupling to move the other slide in a proportion established by the triangular relationship.