Abstract:
A highly versatile optical mount fabricated from a single solid structural body provides accurately centered secured fixturing of a large array of optical components or objects. Fixturing is provided by a unique screw-tensioned strapping mechanism.

Description:
DESCRIPTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention is directed to devices for rapidly mounting and securing optical elements to a moveable fixture. This invention is also directed to fixturing of any type where the elements to be fixtured suit the mounting geometry. 
   2. Description of Prior Art 
   The scope of the present invention includes applications in fixturing in general but most specifically in precision mounting of optical components for optical set ups in research or education. Devices for optical mounting are well known in the field. 
   Two examples of well known prior art devices for achieving optical mounting are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In the example of  FIG. 1 , the optical component to be mounted is placed at the center of a ring and fixating screws are tightened until the optical component is fixed. The limitations of this device include 1) centering is confounded by the need for multiple screw adjustments, 2) the device is generally much larger than the optical component to be mounted, and 3) the process of tightening is unstable, 4) long optical elements have a tendency to tilt about the center of the ring, and 5) it has difficulty clamping non-cylindrical components and 6) optical component size range is limited to ring dimensions. 
   An improvement in prior art over that of the aforementioned is the bar clamping device shown in prior art  FIG. 2 . This device is a V-block equipped with a sliding bar sliding on attached guide pins. A press bar pushed by a screw passing through the sliding bar clamps the optical component against the V-block. This prior art device, although having improved centering, still has the following limitations: 1) the device structure is much larger than the optical component to be mounted, 2) the contact point between the screw and the press bar requires a complex rigid pivot axis to prevent clamping instability, 3) the guide pin and sliding bar combination requires precision close tolerance parallel construction to prevent binding of the slide bar, 4) the sliding bar has a tendency to slip with increased tightening torque applied to the screw, and 5) optical component size is limited to the dimension of the space between the guide pins. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention, a single solid structural rectangular body is cut to provide a threaded screw hole at one end, a slot at the other and a V-block cut or optical flat between these cuts. In addition, it is combined with a hollow screw and a trapping spring-loaded off-center pivoting wheel. Objects, in general, and optical components in particular are clamped by passing a strap with a beaded end such as a tie strip through the hollow screw, around the object and into the trapping mechanism. The strap is tied down by unscrewing the hollow screw against the beaded end. Lenses, prisms, blocks, tubes, lasers, tools, work pieces, and the like may be secured by the present invention. 
   OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
   Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are: 
   a) To provide an improved optics holder of very compact dimension, high versatility, and very high clamping strength. 
   b) To provide an improved optics holder that overcomes the limitations of the recited prior art. 
   c) To provide an improved design for an optics holder that is easy to manufacture and use. 
   d) To provide an improved design for an optics holder that can be adapted to a large range of object dimensions and fixturing requirements. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a first example of well-known prior art. 
       FIG. 2  is a second example of well-known prior art. 
       FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention where some hidden lines are excluded for clarity. 
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIG. 3 , where like features are numbered with like numbers. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , where like features are labeled with like numbers. 
   The highly versatile optical mount is fabricated from a single solid structural body  1 . The structural body has a threaded hole  5  on one end and a slot  21  on the other end. The structural body also has a V-block recess  15  between the hole and the slot. An optional flat may be located between the hole and the slot. A hollow screw  7  with threaded portions  12  is threaded into the threaded hole. Within the slot is placed a wheel  23  with serrated rim and affixed with an off-axis pivot pin  25  allowing the wheel to rotate about the pivot pin. An extension spring  26  connects the rim of the wheel to the structural body at tie points  29  and  27  on the wheel and structural body respectively. The spring forces a rim portion of the wheel against a portion of the slot on the structural body. A bearing  11  is pressed into the hollowed-out portion of the hollow screw and is captured there. A threaded hole  17  is provided to permit attaching the mount to a fixed structure such as a pin  19 . To use the mount, a flexible strap  9  with a enlarged head end  8  such as a conventional tie strip is passed through the bearing and the hollow bolt with the head  8  capturing the strap at the proximal terminus against the bearing  11 . The strap&#39;s distal terminus is passed around the object to be mounted and passed between the structural body and the wheel and is pulled tight. The wheel locks the strap. The hollow bolt is retracted by an unscrewing motion to greatly increase the binding action of the strap. To release the component, the screw is threaded back in and the strap is further released by pushing the serrated wheel. 
   Although the above description contains many specificities, these should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustration of the presently preferred embodiment of this invention. 
   The scope of usage includes but is not limited to: optical component mounting, tool holding, work piece holding, or material handling. 
   Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment illustrated, but by the appended claims.