EP0171837A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical instrument structure
Assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
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Filing: 1985-07-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-07-08
Abstract
Abstract Rigid supporting structures for the components of high precision optical instruments, such as interferometers or monochromators, have hitherto been based on massive castings. Such castings suffer from residual non-recoverable changes of shape during temperature cycling, due to the differential temperatures set up in the castings. The invention provides a rigid structure assembled from a number of flat sheet structural elements 51,52,57,64. Each sheet element is substantially rigid in its own plane and is attached to one or more other sheets at points of contact which are such that the edge of one sheet bears against the surface of another sheet, the planes of the two sheets being perpendicular in the region of the points of contact. An open ended rectangular box structure 50 may be assembled from two sheets 51,52, each with a single right angled fold. Each point of contact and attachment may be formed as a foot 53,54,55,56,58,59,77,62,63,80 standing proud from the remainder of the sheet edge.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Vincent Perkins
- 👤 James Brian Wilson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 21:25
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01J; G01J3/00; G01J3/28; G01J3/45; G01J3/453; G01J3/02; G01J3/0202; G01J3/0286; G01J3/0291; G01M; G01M11/00; G01M11/02; G01M11/04; G02; G02B; G02B7/00; G12; G12B; G12B7/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
An optical wavelength selective device comprising one or more optical components mounted on a rigid structure, characterised in that the rigid structure is constructed from a plurality of structural elements, in that each element comprises a flat sheet which is substantially rigid in the plane of the sheet or a flat sheet which has one right angled fold or a plurality of parallel right angled folds, and in that each sheet is attached to one or more other sheets at points of contact which are such that the edge of one sheet bears against the surface of the sheet with which it is in contact, the plane of one sheet being perpendicular to that of the other sheet at least in the region of the points of contact.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
128 words
An optical wavelength selective device comprising one or more optical components mounted on a rigid structure, characterised in that the rigid structure is constructed from a plurality of structural elements, in that each element comprises a flat sheet which is substantially rigid in the plane of the sheet or a flat sheet which has one right angled fold or a plurality of parallel right angled folds, and in that each sheet is attached to one or more other sheets at points of contact which are such that the edge of one sheet bears against the surface of the sheet with which it is in contact, the plane of one sheet being perpendicular to that of the other sheet at least in the region of the points of contact.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the rigid structure includes two sheets, each with a single right angled fold, assembled to provide a rectangular box structure, open at both ends.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
A device as claimed in Claim 2, characterised in that a rectangular third sheet is attached to close an end of the box structure, in that two adjacent edges of the third sheet are in contact with two adjacent inside surfaces of the box structure, and in that the two adjacent end edges of the other inside surfaces of the box structure are in contact with the surface of the third sheet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
146 words
A device as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, characterised in that a partition sheet is attached inside the box structure at right angles to the box length, in that two adjacent edges of the partition sheet are in contact with two adjacent inside surfaces of the box structure, in that two apertures are formed in a first of the other two walls of the box structure to receive two tabs on a third edge of the partition sheet, one side of each aperture being formed as a point of contact with its respective tab, and in that a third aperture is formed in the second of the other two walls of the box structure to receive a third tab on the fourth edge of the partition sheet, one side of the third aperture being formed as a point of contact with the third tab.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
45 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a point of contact on a sheet edge, or on an edge of an aperture in a sheet, is formed as a foot standing proud from the remainder of the edge.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device as claimed in Claim 5, characterised in that the attachment of the foot to a surface of another sheet is by clamping means which applies pressure substantially only between the foot and that area of the other sheet in contact with the foot.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device as claimed in Claim 6, characterised in that the clamping means includes a bridging element which passes through an aperture formed in the region of foot in the sheet bearing the foot.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
89 words
A device as claimed in Claim 7, characterised in that the foot straddles a second aperture formed in the other sheet, the foot resting on the sheet surface either side of the second aperture, in that the first aperture is extended into an inlet in the edge of the sheet bearing the foot, the inlet passing through the foot and being aligned over the second aperture, and in that the clamping means comprises a screw passing through the second aperture, along the inlet, and engaging with the bridging element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A device as claimed in Claim 8, characterised in that the bridging element is a nut, and in that the nut has a diametral extending part-way along the nut from one end, the slot engaging with the sheet on either side of the inlet.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
23 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the structure is suspended within a thermally insulating enclosure.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
19 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that sheet material is mild steel.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
21 words
A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the wavelength selective device is a monochromator.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
23 words
A device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11 inclusive characterised in that the wavelength selective device is an interferometer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A device as claimed in Claim 13, characterised in that the interferometer forms part of a Fourier transform spectrometer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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