Patent ID: 8416386

Claim:
An optical system, comprising: a frame; an optical element including a mounting feature; at least one clamp applying a respective clamping force to a respective location on the mounting feature to hold the optical element relative to the frame; a respective mounting coupling the clamp to the frame, the mounting constraining at least one degree of freedom of motion of the clamp relative to the frame; the clamp comprising a respective seat having an upper portion and an intermediate portion, the upper portion being engaged with the respective location on the mounting feature, and the intermediate portion being situated between the upper portion and the clamp and having a lateral thickness less than a lateral thickness of the upper portion, the intermediate portion exhibiting elastic and/or plastic deformability in multiple degrees of freedom sufficient for a moment applied by the clamp to the mounting feature to be limited to less than a designated peak moment, while maintaining substantially full engagement of the upper portion with the respective location.