US3753150A — Laser mirror positioning apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 161 words

In a gaseous laser system contained in a housing having at least a pair of opposed reflective mirrors forming a regenerative laser cavity, apparatus for positioning said mirrors, said apparatus comprising: fixed support means in said housing; a mirror support for mounting each of said mirrors, said mirror support having at least three points that define a plane fixing the orientation of each mirror; means connected between said fixed support means and said points on the mirror support, said connecting means actuatable to displace said mirror support generally lateral to said plane at at least two of said positions thereby varying the orientation of said plane; electrically driven motors at said two positions for actuating said actuatable connecting means; and electrical conduit means for connecting a source of electrical power from the exterior of said housing to said motors; whereby said mirrors are positioned from the exterior of said housing without the need for a movable mechanical connection through said housing.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 161 words

In a gaseous laser system contained in a housing having at least a pair of opposed reflective mirrors forming a regenerative laser cavity, apparatus for positioning said mirrors, said apparatus comprising: fixed support means in said housing; a mirror support for mounting each of said mirrors, said mirror support having at least three points that define a plane fixing the orientation of each mirror; means connected between said fixed support means and said points on the mirror support, said connecting means actuatable to displace said mirror support generally lateral to said plane at at least two of said positions thereby varying the orientation of said plane; electrically driven motors at said two positions for actuating said actuatable connecting means; and electrical conduit means for connecting a source of electrical power from the exterior of said housing to said motors; whereby said mirrors are positioned from the exterior of said housing without the need for a movable mechanical connection through said housing.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 38 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein; said mirror support has three points defining said plane, one of which is fixed and the other two of which are actuatable; said apparatus has electrical motors at two of said points.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 59 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein a high voltage environment exists within said housing and wherein said electrically driven motors are mounted on said fixed support and are electrically insulated from said environment by interposing an electrically nonconductive component in the mechanical output of said motor, said motor being mounted to said fixed support through an electrically nonconductive connection.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 35 words

Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said motors provide a rotary output for actuating said connecting means and wherein said motor has an electrically conductive output spur gear driving a gear of electrically nonconductive material.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 100 words

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said actuatable connections comprise: a threaded shaft secured to said drive gear and having its axis positioned generally lateral to said plane, said shaft threadingly engaging said fixed support means whereby rotation of said shaft displaces the shaft relative to said fixed support means; a spherical shoulder secured to said shaft; a seat abutting said spherical shoulder, said seat being connected to said mirror support; and a spring yieldingly urging said seat against said spherical shoulder whereby rotation of said gear displaces said shaft and said mirror support relative to said fixed support means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 70 words

Apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising: a flange secured to said threaded shaft and movable therewith; a pair of limit switches secured to said fixed support means and having contact arms positioned on opposite sides of said flange at predetermined positions, said limit switches being interposed in said electrical connection means whereby displacement of said shaft relative to said fixed housing beyond said predetermined positions electrically disconnects said motors.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 18 words

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrical motors are step motors adapted to receive D.C. pulses.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 36 words

Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said step motors are adapted to selectively receive D.C. pulses and an A.C. input, thereby enabling the motors to position the mirror support at a slow or fast rate, respectively.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 65 words

Apparatus as in claim 1 having three mirrors, two of which are opposed and generally parallel to form said regenerative laser cavity and the third of which surrounds one of said opposed mirrors and is angled with respect to the plane in which said mirrors are oriented to direct a portion of the laser beam generated within said cavity through an opening in said housing.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the mirror supports for each of said mirrors have three points, one of which is fixed and the other two actuatable by said motors.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 92 words

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein: said actuatable connecting means comprise a threaded shaft oriented generally lateral to the plane of said mirror and threadingly engaging said fixed support means, said shaft having a spherical shoulder against which a seat abuts, said seat being connected to said mirror support, and a spring yieldingly urging said seat against said spherical shoulder; said motors comprise step motors mounted on said fixed support through an electrically nonconductive connection and having an electrically conductive output gear driving an electrically nonconductive gear secured to said threaded shaft.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 161 words

In a gaseous laser system contained in a housing and having a reflective transfer mirror pointing a laser beam generated within said housing through an opening to a point exterior of said housing, apparatus for pointing said laser beam through said opening, said apparatus comprising: fixed support means in said housing; a mirror support for mounting said transfer mirror, said mirror support having at least three points that define a plane fixing the orientation of said transfer mirror; means connected between said fixed support and said points on the mirror support, said connecting means actuatable to displace said mirror support plate generally lateral to said plane at at least two of said positions, thereby varying the orientation of said plane; means at said two positions for actuating said actuatable connecting means; means responsive to the distribution of heat around said opening for controlling said actuating means to orient the support plate to produce an even distribution of heat around said opening.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 161 words

In a gaseous laser system contained in a housing and having a reflective transfer mirror pointing a laser beam generated within said housing through an opening to a point exterior of said housing, apparatus for pointing said laser beam through said opening, said apparatus comprising: fixed support means in said housing; a mirror support for mounting said transfer mirror, said mirror support having at least three points that define a plane fixing the orientation of said transfer mirror; means connected between said fixed support and said points on the mirror support, said connecting means actuatable to displace said mirror support plate generally lateral to said plane at at least two of said positions, thereby varying the orientation of said plane; means at said two positions for actuating said actuatable connecting means; means responsive to the distribution of heat around said opening for controlling said actuating means to orient the support plate to produce an even distribution of heat around said opening.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 35 words

Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said heat distribution responsive means includes a plurality of thermocouple junctions distributed around said opening and means receiving the output of said thermocouple junctions for controlling said actuating means.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 41 words

Apparatus as in claim 13 wherein each thermocouple junction is in line with the connecting means actuatable by the signal generated from said thermocouple when viewed along the optical axis of said transfer mirror passing through the center of said opening.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 37 words

Apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said opening is defined by an opening in a hub having a series of spokes extending radially outward to a rim and wherein said thermocouple junctions are mounted on said spokes.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 116 words

Apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said mirror support plate has three connecting means, one being fixed and the other two actuatable and wherein: said actuating means includes electrically driven motors at said two actuatable connecting means; said apparatus has three thermocouple junctions mounted away from said opening in line with said connecting points when viewed along the optical axis of said transfer mirror passing through the center of said opening, the thermocouple in line with said fixed connection being a reference junction and the thermocouples at the two actuatable connections being hot junctions; said heat distribution responsive means comprises means passing current to said motors in response to the differential temperature sensed by said thermocouples.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 45 words

Apparatus as in claim 16 wherein said current passing means responsive to said control signal intermittently energizes said motors with D.C. pulses with a sufficient time delay between pulses to said motor to compensate for the thermal lag between the opening and the thermocouple junctions.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 120 words

Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said support plate has three points defining said plane and electrically driven motors at said two positions for actuating the actuatable connecting means and wherein said actuatable connections comprise: a shaft having its axis positioned generally lateral to said plane and tHreadingly engaging said housing whereby rotation of said shaft displaces the shaft relative to said housing; a spherical shoulder secured to said shaft; a seat abutting said spherical shoulder, said seat being connected to said support plate; means yieldingly urging said seat against said shoulder; a gear of electrically nonconductive material; said motor has a spur gear engaging said electrically insulating gear, said motor being secured to said housing through a nonconductive connection.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-08-13	1977-02-12	1977-08-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-08-13	1981-02-12	1981-08-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-08-13	1985-02-12	1985-08-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Laser mirror positioning apparatus

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