Spring structure for producing small displacements

Claim 2

A precisely adjustable mirror mount assembly comprising: a first member having a central aperture and first and second opposite walls; the second member extending through the aperture; said second member comprising a wall portion partially coextensive with the second wall of the first member; means for aligning the first member with respect to the second member comprising a plurality of mounting fixtures; each mounting fixture comprising a spring and a bolt for axially compressing the spring against the first wall of the first member; projections from the wall portions of the second member, each contacting the second wall of the first member at a point substantially on the axis of a spring, whereby the first member is compressed between corresponding springs and projections; each bolt being threaded to a threaded member rigidly coupled to the second member; the axial resiliency of the projections being much smaller than the axial resiliency of the springs, whereby a relatively large displacement of the spring gives a small displacement of the first member.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein: the aligning means comprises first, second, and third mounting fixtures, whereby adjustment of the first mounting fixture causes the first member to rotate on an axis defined by the second and third fixtures.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 wherein: the aperture and the second member are cylindrical, the aperture having a larger diameter than that of the second member; means for temporarily displacing the first member from the second member comprising a plurality of pins adapted to be inserted in the aperture between the first and second members; the mounting fixtures being adapted to provide sufficient friction to support independently the first member; the pins being adapted to be removed after the mounting fixtures have provided sufficient friction to support the first member.

Claim 5

Apparatus for producing with precision a small displacement of a mirror member relative to a support comprising: three pairs of springs; each pair of springs being displaced from the other pairs and each including a first spring having one end bearing against one side of the mirror member and a second spring coaxial with the first spring having one end bearing against the side of the mirror member diametrically opposite the first spring and having another end bearing against the support; said first and second springs being designed to provide a spring bias against compression; said first and second springs and the mirror member being free to move axially substantially without friction; the second spring having a substantially larger spring constant K2 than the spring constant K1 of the first spring; and three members in engagement with the support, each of said members being capable of axially moving an end of one of said first springs toward the mirror member by an amount delta 1 relative to the support to compress said first and second springs, thereby to displace the mirror member by an amount delta 2 relative to the support, where delta 2 is substantially given by

Claim 6

Apparatus for producing with precision a small displacement of a mirror member relative to a support comprising: three pairs of springs; each pair of springs being displaced from the other pairs and each including a first spring having one end bearing against one side of the mirror member and a second spring coaxial with the first spring having one end bearing against the side of the mirror member diametrically opposite the first spring and having another end bearing against the support; said first and second springs being designed to provide a spring bias against compression; said first and second springs and the mirror member being free to move axially substantially without friction; the second spring having a substantially larger spring constant K2 than the spring constant K1 of the first spring; and three members in engagement with the support, each of said members being capable of axially moving an end of one of said first springs toward the mirror member by an amount delta 1 relative to the support to compress said first and second springs, thereby to displace the mirror member by an amount delta 2 relative to the support, where delta 2 is substantially given by