Mounting optical elements in optical systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10732378-B2
Application number	US-201815866256-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2018
Priority date	Jan 25, 2017
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for mounting optical elements in optical systems. A system may include a mirror assembly. The mirror assembly may include a mounting stem and a mirror. The system may further include a mounting ring. The system may further include a metering structure. The metering structure may include a receiving interface having an inner surface defining an aperture. The metering structure may be configured to receive the mounting stem within the aperture and receive the mounting ring within a gap between the mounting stem and the inner surface. The system may further include a bonding layer disposed between the mounting stem and the mounting ring. Additional apparatus and related methods are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a mirror assembly comprising a mounting stem and a mirror, wherein the mounting stem extends from the mirror;
a mounting ring;
a metering structure comprising a receiving interface having an inner surface defining an aperture, wherein the metering structure is configured to receive the mounting stem within the aperture and receive the mounting ring within a gap between the mounting stem and the inner surface; and
a bonding layer disposed between the mounting stem and the mounting ring.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mounting ring is an eccentric ring comprising inner and outer surfaces defining corresponding inner and outer circles offset from each other.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the offset of the inner and outer circles of the eccentric ring is selected to align the mirror to reflect a beam of electromagnetic radiation along a desired optical path of the system.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bonding layer is a first bonding layer, the system further comprising a second bonding layer disposed between the inner surface of the receiving interface and the mounting ring.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first bonding layer is in contact with the mounting stem and an inner surface of the mounting ring, and wherein the second bonding layer is in contact with the inner surface of the receiving interface and an outer surface of the mounting ring.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bonding layer exhibits a substantially uniform thickness.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the metering structure comprises an annular portion that defines the receiving interface.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mirror is attached to the mounting stem.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mirror is integral with the mounting stem.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an input collecting aperture configured to receive a beam of electromagnetic radiation;
an output collecting aperture;
a sensor configured to receive the beam from the output collecting aperture; and
wherein the mirror assembly is configured to pass the beam between the input collecting aperture and the output collecting aperture.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the sensor is a first sensor associated with a first wavelength range, the system further comprising:
a second sensor associated with a second wavelength range; and a beamsplitter configured to pass the beam from the output collecting aperture to the first and second sensors.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the mirror assembly is a first mirror assembly, the system further comprising:
a second mirror assembly configured to pass the beam from the input collecting aperture to the first mirror assembly; and
a third mirror assembly configured to pass the beam from the first mirror assembly to the output collecting aperture.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is a telescope.

14. A method, comprising: disposing a mounting stem of a mirror assembly within an aperture of a metering structure, wherein the metering structure comprises a receiving interface having an inner surface defining the aperture, wherein the mirror assembly comprises the mounting stem and a mirror, and wherein the mounting stem extends from the mirror;
determining a gap between the mounting stem and the inner surface;
providing a mounting ring based on the gap;
disposing the mounting ring between the mounting stem and the inner surface; and
applying a bonding layer between the mounting stem and the mounting ring.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising curing the bonding layer using ultraviolet light.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the bonding layer is a first bonding layer, the method further comprising applying a second bonding layer between the inner surface and the mounting ring.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first bonding layer is applied between a surface of the mounting stem and a first surface of the mounting ring, and wherein the second bonding layer is applied between the inner surface of the receiving interface and a second surface of the mounting ring.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein a thickness of the first bonding layer is different from a thickness of the second bonding layer.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein each of the first bonding layer and the second bonding layer exhibits a substantially uniform thickness.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mounting ring exhibits eccentricity selected to align the mirror assembly to reflect a beam of electromagnetic radiation along a desired optical path of an optical system.

Assignees

• Flir Systems

Inventors

• Cannon Bruce
• Dickerson Bruce A

Classifications

• G02B30/25

  using polarisation techniques · CPC title

• G02B7/1822 Primary

  comprising means for aligning the optical axis (G02B7/1821 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B23/16

  Housings; Caps; Mountings; Supports, e.g. with counterweight · CPC title

• G02B17/0626

  using three curved mirrors (G02B17/0668, G02B17/0694 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B23/10

  reflecting into the field of view additional indications, e.g. from collimator · CPC title