Abstract:
A highly precision, super stable, structure compact and fully lockable ball joint mechanism optical mounts are presented. Both stationary plate and movable plate have a partial-spherical hole or conical hole. Facing spacing aligns the bases of the partial-spherical holes or conical holes; a space adjustable cavity is formed. An external-spherical circumference shape optical element carrier plate fits and mates in the space adjustable combined cavity forms a ball joint mechanism, or an external-column circumference and edges chamfered optical element carrier plate fits and mates in the space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity forms an angle tilt-able and around axis swivel-able joint pair mechanism. A removable tooling for exporting a tilting and rotating movement to the optical element carrier plate are presented. Locking ring pushes the movable plate to adjust the combined cavity and locking the optical element carrier plate and to lock optical element that is carried thereby.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to a precision optical mount. It is adjustable with a removable tool set and non-adjustable as removing the tool set. It is a precision adjustable (both tilt-able for angle adjustment and around axis rotate-able), highly compact and solid lockable optical mount that reliably carries an optical element (e.g. a mirror, prism, lens, wave-plate, filter and the like). So that a plurality of such optical mount can be arranged into a compact and optical efficient system wherein the stability is strengthened. The space consumption is minimized. Non-distortion is introduced. 
   2. Description of Related Arts 
   Referring to  FIG. 2  of the drawings, adjustable/non-adjustable precision optical mount  100  is disclosed which include a generally stationary plate  200 , an external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300 , (aka An optical element carrier plate  300  having an external spherical shaped surface along its circumference  326 ), a generally movable plate  400 , and a locking ring  500 . The optical element carrier plate  300 , fitting in and mating with in the space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity that is formed by the stationary plate  200  and the movable plate  400  forms a ball joint mechanism. The external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  can be tilted for angle adjustment and rotated for rotation adjustment. The locking ring  500  can push the movable plate  400  to adjust the space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity to lock the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  and therefore to firmly lock the optical element that is carried thereby. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, conventional optical mounts  001  are known, which include a generally solid, rectangular backup support plate  010  and a rectangular faceplate  014 . The backup plate  010  and faceplate  014  are coupled in facing spacing alignment with one to another. A series springs  016 , ball  012  and screws  020  maintains space and couple alignment of the backup plate  010  and faceplate  014 . The faceplate  014  carries an optical element  026  (e.g. a mirror) and is adapted to be moved by means of rotate-able knobs  028  having threaded shafts  018  that extend through the backup plate  010  to be advanced into contact with faceplate  014  and thereby impart an angle tilting or translational movement to the faceplate  014  so that the position of the optical element  026  may be correspondingly changed relative to an incident beam of optical energy. 
   Conventional optical element mounts, such as those typically associated with optical components are generally not suitable to position optical elements utilized in like Laser applications. Typically, conventional adjustable optical element mounts are suspended from a base support structure by a system of screw jacks and springs. 
   Conventional optical mounts, an optical element are normally affixed to a plate that is suspended from and movable with respect to a backup support plate firmly mounted to an optical bench. If the optical mount setup in a laser system, since laser beams are generally directed to substantially horizontally, the optical element surface are typically perpendicular to gravitational forces. Thus, the optical elements are cantilevered from the surface of a support backup plate and must rigidly support a relatively heavy weight suspended wherefrom. 
   Conventional optical mounts for adjustment with tilting and rotating is separately operated by different mechanism. Combining the two mechanisms together can operate both tilting and rotating adjustment; the complicate mechanism occupies more space and lowers the reliability. 
   A series of springs in conventional mounts between the ridged support plate and the moveable plate from which the optical element (e.g. a mirror) is mounted provides a force that maintains one or more optical elements actuators and compression or tension, thereby stabilizing the optical element. However, conventional type spiral springs have little or no resistance to shear forces, which are large and heavy optical elements cantilevered from the rigid mount. Therefore, pins or ball type sockets are generally required to support the moveable plate. These supporting devices introduce frictional hysteresis that inherently reduces the required position accuracy of the optical elements. 
   Further, where screw type actuation is manually or mechanically manipulated to position the optical elements, some type of locking mechanism is required. During activation of the locking mechanism positioning errors may be introduced. For example, the simple procedure of tightening a setscrew to lock an optical element usually requires much tedious and time-consuming trial and error to align one or more mirrors to a desired setting. 
   Additionally, for example a laser, the efficiency of a laser is critically dependent on the angular alignment of the optical components defining the laser resonator. Mechanical vibrations and ambient temperature changes unavoidably transmitted to the optical mount assemblies jeopardize the mirror alignment of a field laser system. 
   There is a need for an optical element mount assembly that provides precision alignment and adjustment of an optical element. Further, there is a need for an optical element mount assembly where vibration, shock and changes in temperature minimally affect the alignment of the optical elements. It would be desirable to provide an optical element mount assembly which the adjustment as a function mechanism that is removable as the optical element mount is adjusted, and the optical elements mount totally is finally set to reduce the affect from vibration, shock and temperature change and to reduce mechanical hysteresis applied to any threaded screws. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an optical mount assembly, which can eliminate the aforesaid disadvantages of known designs, and other problems found within the prior art, for a wide variety of optical device. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical mount assembly, which the optical element can be angle adjusted or say tilted in any direction and rotated around the axis with specific tooling. 
   According to a first embodiment of the invention, a precision optical mount is disclosed having a generally stationary plate with a partial-spherical shaped hole, a generally movable plate with a partial-spherical shaped hole, an external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate and a locking ring. By means of a pair of guiding mechanisms, the partial-spherical hole of the stationary plate is coupled in spacing facing relationship and co-axis adjustment with the partial-spherical hole of the movable plate forms a space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity. The external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate mates with and fits in the space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity to form a ball joint mechanism. The locking ring screw-heads in the threaded hole of the stationary plate to push and move the movable plate. Thus the space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity is adjusted and the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate is locked and therefore the optical element that has been carried thereby is locked. 
   According to a second embodiment of the invention, a precision optical mount is disclosed having a generally stationary plate with a conical shaped hole, a generally movable plate with a conical shaped hole, an external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate and a locking ring. By means of a pair of guiding mechanism, the conical shaped hole of stationary plate is coupled in spacing and facing relationship, and co-axis alignment with the conical shaped hole of the movable plate forms a space adjustable combined internal-conical cavity. The external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate mates with and fits in the space adjustable combined internal-conical cavity form a ball joint mechanism. The locking ring screw-threads in the thread hole of the Stationary plate to push and move the movable plate. Thus the space adjustable combined internal-conical cavity is adjusted and the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate is locked and therefore the optical element that has been carried thereby is locked. 
   According to a third embodiment of the invention, a precision optical mount is disclosed having a generally stationary plate with a partial-spherical shaped hole, a generally movable plate with a partial-spherical shaped hole, and chamfered edge cylinder shaped optical element carrier plate (aka an external-round column circumference and chamfered edges optical element carrier plate and a locking ring). By means of a pair of guiding mechanism, the partial-spherical hole of stationary plate is coupled in spacing, facing relationship, and co-axis alignment, with the partial-spherical hole of the movable plate to form a space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity. An external-round column circumference and chamfered edges optical element carrier plate mates and fits in the space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity that forms an angle tilt-able and around the axis rotate-able joint pair mechanism. The locking ring screw-threads in the thread hole of the stationary plate to push and move the movable plate. Thus, the space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity is adjusted and the external-round column circumference and chamfered edges optical element carrier plate are locked and therefore the optical element that has been carried thereby is locked. 
   Advantages of these optical mounts according to the present invention include the aspect that an external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate, which is constituted by a precision-machined external-spherical shape and relative optical element carrier interface adapt, or external-round column circumference and chamfered edges optical element carrier plate, which is constituted by precision-machined external-round column circumference and chamfered edges and relative optical element carrier interface adapt, and the aspect that a space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity is formed by a movable plate, which is constituted by a precision machined partial-spherical shaped hole, and a stationary plate, which is constituted by a precision machined partial-spherical shaped hole, or a space adjustable combined internal-conical shaped cavity which is formed by a movable plate, which is constituted by a precision machined conical shaped hole, and a stationary plate, which is constituted by a precision machined conical shaped hole. It is necessary that any spring and/or ball for suspension are superfluous for a highly accurately position, highly precision, high stability and highly reproducibility optical mount. A specially designed angle adjustable (or say tilt-able) and rotation around axis implement mechanism can be attached onto and removed from the optical element mount, so any threaded screws and springs for adjustment are not needed. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is the gravity center of optical element is overlap or close to the support centre to eliminate cantilever structure that the weight, vibration and shock will cause torsion and cause instability. Another advantage of the present invention is locking mechanism, which will keep the optical element in an accurate position and not affected by shock, vibration and temperature change. Also this locking will not cause any stress on optical element. Another advantage of the present invention has a very simple assembly structure for operating and maintenances. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described with reference to the figures. 
       FIG. 1  is a partial diagram of an optical system in which an optical mount according to the present invention is arranged to reflect a beam of optical energy. 
       FIG. 2  is a partial diagram of an optical system in which a conventional optical mount are arranged to reflect a beam of optical energy. 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  are perspective views of the adjustable/non-adjustable precision optical mount according to a first embodiment of this invention. 
       FIG. 4  is an “exploded” view of the Adjustable/non-adjustable Precision Optical Mounts of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 5  is a cross section view of the Adjustable/non-adjustable Precision Optical Mounts of  FIG. 3 . An external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate fits in a space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity formed by a stationary plate and a movable plate. 
       FIG. 7  is a section view of a space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity. 
       FIG. 8  is a section view of the Adjustable/non-adjustable Precision Optical Mounts according to a second embodiment of this invention. 
       FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of a space adjustable combined internal-conical shaped formed by a stationary plate and a movable plate. 
       FIG. 10  is a section view of a space adjustable combined internal-conical shaped cavity. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an optical element carrier plate with an external-spherical round shaped circumference. 
       FIG. 12  is section view of the Adjustable/non-adjustable Precision Optical Mounts according to a third embodiment of this invention. 
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of an optical element carrier plate with an external-round column circumference and chamfered edges. 
       FIGS. 14 &amp; 15  shows an example of the tilting optical element carrier approach. 
       FIGS. 16 &amp; 17  shows an example of the rotating and/or tilting optical element carrier approach. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The Adjustable/Non-adjustable Precision Optical Mounts  100  according to a first embodiment of the present invention is disclosed while referring concurrently to  FIG. 2-7  and FIG.  11  of the drawings. The optical mount  100  has a stationary plate  200 , a movable plate  400 , an optical element carrier plate  300  and a locking ring  500 . 
   As an important detail of the optical mount  100 , the stationary plate has a partial-spherical shaped hole  240  (Best shown in  FIGS. 6 &amp; 7 ) that receives the optical element carrier plate  300 . 
   As another important detail of the optical mount  100 , the movable plate  400  has a partial-spherical shaped hole  436  (Best shown in  FIGS. 6 &amp; 7 ). 
   Except for a partial-spherical shaped hole  240 , the stationary plate has a non-circle step hole  252  as a guiding mechanism, to receive the movable plate  400 , a thread hole  262  as a locking ring guiding mechanism to receive the locking ring  500  and a step mechanism for position limit. It should be noted that the partial-spherical shaped hole  240 , the non-circle step hole  252 , and the threaded hole  262  can also be referred to as a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion of the stationary plate  200 . 
   For the movable plate  400 , except for the partial-spherical shaped hole  436 , the movable plate has an external non-circle as a guiding mechanism  452  (Best shown in  FIG. 6 ). 
     FIG. 11  shows the optical element carrier plate  300 , which is formed with an external-spherical shape  326  and an optical element carry interface  320 ,  340  in the center. Also in the back-end  345  of the optical element carrier plate  300  has straight mating holes  330  as an interface mechanism for adjustment implement  700  ( FIG. 15 ) or  800  ( FIG. 16 ). 
   For description accuracy, suppose the larger side  235  of the partial-spherical shaped hole  240  ( FIGS. 4 and 7 ) of stationary plate  200  and the large side  425  of the partial-spherical shaped hole  436  of movable plate  400  are the bases of the partial-spherical shaped holes. 
     FIG. 7  shows a space adjustable combined internal-spherical cavity  250 . Spacing facing co-axis alignment the base  235  of partial-spherical shaped hole  240  of stationary plate  200  and the base  425  of partial-spherical shaped hole  436  of movable plate  400  with one to another forms this space adjustable combined internal-spherical cavity  250 . To keep the alignment, the external non-circle guiding mechanism  452  of movable plate  400  mates and fits in the non-circle step hole guiding mechanism  252  of stationary plate  200  and forms a piston mechanism  120 . The movable plate  400  can only straightly move forward and draw back along the non-circle step hole  252  without any rotation. 
     FIG. 5  shows that the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  mates with and fits in the space adjustable combined internal-spherical cavity  250  to form a ball joint mechanism  270 , so the center  350  of the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  is overlapping or close to the center  260  of the space adjustable combined spherical cavity  250 . The external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  can be tilted for angle adjustment around the center  350  ( FIG. 11 ) and the optical element  624  that is carried thereby is tilted for angle adjustment. Around the axis  352  of the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  can be rotated and the optical element  624  carried thereby is rotated for adjustment. 
   The Adjustable/Non-Adjustable Precision Optical Mounts  101  according to a second embodiment of the present invention is disclosed while referring concurrently to  FIG. 8-11  of the drawings. The optical mount  101 , has a stationary plate  201 , a movable plate  401 , an external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  and a locking ring  500 . 
   As an important detail of the optical mount  101 , the stationary plate has a conical shaped hole  210  (Best shown in  FIG. 9 ). 
   As another important detail of the optical mount  101 , the movable plate  401  has a conical shaped hole  437  (Best shown in  FIG. 9 ). 
   Except for a conical shaped hole  210  of the stationary plate  201 , the stationary plate  201  has a non-circle step hole  252  as a guiding mechanism, a thread hole  262  as locking ring guiding mechanism and a step mechanism  256  for position limit. 
   For the movable plate  401 , except for the conical shaped hole  437 , the movable plate has an external non-circle guiding mechanism  452  (Best shown in  FIG. 9 ). 
   For description accurately, suppose the larger side  236  of the conical shaped hole of stationary plate  201  and the large side  426  of conical shaped hole of movable plate  401  are the bases of the conical shaped holes. 
   The  FIG. 10  shows a space adjustable combined conical cavity  251 . Spacing facing co-axis alignment the base  236  of conical hole  210  of stationary plate  201  and the base  426  of conical hole  410  of movable plate  401  with one to another forms this space adjustable combined internal-conical cavity  251 . To keep the alignment, the external non-circle ring guiding mechanism  452  of movable plate  401  mates and fits in the non-circle guiding mechanism  252  of stationary plate  201  forms another piston mechanism  120 . The movable plate  401  can straightly move forward and draw back along the non-circle guiding mechanism  252  without any rotation. 
     FIG. 8  shows that the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  mates with and fits in the space adjustable combined internal-conical cavity  251  to form another kind of ball joint mechanism  271 . The external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  can be tilted for angle adjustment around the center  350  ( FIG. 11 ) of the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  and the optical element  624  that is carried thereby being tilted for angle adjustment. Around the axis  352  ( FIG. 11 ) of external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300 , the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  can be rotated and the optical element  624  that is carried thereby is rotated for adjustment. 
   The Adjustable/Non-adjustable Precision Optical Mounts  102  according to a third embodiment of the present invention is disclosed while referring concurrently to  FIGS. 6-7  and  12 - 13  of the drawings. The optical mount  102  has a stationary plate  200 , a movable plate  400 , an external-round column circumference and chamfered edges optical element carrier plate  301  (best shown in  FIG. 13 ) and a locking ring  500 . 
     FIG. 12  shows that the external-round column circumference and chamfered edges optical element carrier plate  301  mates and fits in the space adjustable combined internal-spherical cavity  250  ( FIG. 7 ) to form a tiltable feature for angle adjustment around axis rotatable joint pair mechanism  272 . The external-round column circumference and chamfered edges optical element carrier plate  301  can be tilted for angle adjustment around the center of the space adjustable combined internal-spherical cavity  250  and the optical element  624  that is carried thereby is tilted for angle adjustment. Around the axis  353  of external-round column circumference and chamfered edges optical element carrier plate  301 , the external-round column circumference and chamfered edges optical element carrier plate  301  can be rotated and the optical element  624  that is carried thereby is rotated therefore. 
     FIGS. 14 and 15  shows an example of the angle adjustment approach. A removable angle adjustment tool implement  700  includes tilting plate  716 , binding plug  714 , and actuators  750  which constitute with super fine screw sets  708  for adjustment and spring plungers  712  for keeping position. The tilting plate  716  is put on the back-end surface  345  of the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300 . Binding plug  714  through the hole  718  on the tilting plate  716  plugs into the interface  360  of the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  and binds the tilting plate  716  tightly onto the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300 . The actuators  750  are installed to the relative thread holes  722  &amp;  724  on four corners  720  of the tilting plate  716 . By adjusting the super fine adjustment screw sets  708  to import the angle adjustment movement, tilting plate  716  can be tilted adjustment and therefore the angle adjustment movement is transferred to the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300 . The optical element  624  that is carried thereby is angle adjusted for optical energy beam alignment. When completing the angle adjustment alignment, one uses a torque wrench to turn the locking ring  500  to push the movable plate  400  to adjust the space adjustable combined internal-spherical cavity  250  to lock the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300 , so that the optical element  624  that is carried thereby is firmly locked and fixed. Disassemble the binding plug  714  and remove the removable angle adjustment tool implement  700 . 
     FIGS. 16 and 17  shows an example of the rotating and angle adjustment approach. To rotate and tilt the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  around ( FIG. 2 ) around the optical path axis  351 , one must rotate and tilt the optical element  624  (such as wave-plate, nonlinear crystal, prism, etc.) for adjustment; and for that a removable rotating-tilting tool implement  800  that constitutes a worm driven continuous rotation mechanism is necessary. The removable rotating-tilting implement  800  is being bond to the optical mount  100  with a binding plug  830 . The rotation movement output port  836  of the removable rotating-tilting implement  800  contacts the back-end surface  345  ( FIG. 11 ) of the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300 , the mating pins  826  insert into both mating holes  330  on the back-end surface  345  of the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  and the mating holes  840  on the output port surface  845  of the removable rotating-tilting movement implement  800 . Super fine adjustment screw sets  810  and spring plungers  816  constitutes actuators  820 . One installs the actuators  820  into the relative holes on the corners  850  of the removable rotating-titling movement implement  800 . It is shown in  FIG. 16  rotation input knob  822  joins with the worm shaft of the removable rotating-titling movement implement  800 . So when rotating the rotation input knob  822 , the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300  will be rotated for adjustment. One adjusts the fine screw knob  810 , of the actuators  820  of the removable rotating-titling movement implement  800  which can be tilted and therefore the optical element  624  that is carried thereby is tilted. When completing the rotating and tilting alignment, a torque wrench is used to turn the locking ring  500 , to push the movable plate  400 , to adjust the space adjustable combined internal-spherical cavity  250 , to lock the external-spherical round shaped optical element carrier plate  300 . Therefore the optical element  624  that is carried thereby is firmly locked and fixed. One disassemble the binding plug  830  and removes the removable rotation-tilting movement implement  800 . 
   While the invention has illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character it being understood that only the preferred embodiment have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected. The articles “a”, “an”, “said” and “the” are not limited to a singular element, and include one or more element.