US3856409A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laser alignment device
Assignee: KCA LASER SYST
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Filing: 1973-05-09
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Granted: 1974-12-24
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Expires: 1993-05-09
Abstract
Abstract A projector of a high intensity collimated light beam for alignment use and employs a laser as a light source. A diverging lens expands the fine laser beam and passes it to a damped, pendulously supported, inclined mirror where it is reflected to a double convex condensing lens which acts to condense the beam. A plano-concave lens having its concave surface adjacent to the exit convex surface of the condensing lens is adjustably supported for movement about the center of curvature of the concave surface so as to tilt the planar surface relative to the axis of the entering beam and thus adjust the exit angle of the beam. The adjustment mechanism includes a pair of pivoting arms which contact one another at their free ends and a micrometer adjustment knob for pivoting the arms and providing a digital readout of their inclination which is equal to the beam elevation grade by virtue of the geometry of the mechanism. Once the angle is adjusted the pendulously supported mirror maintains the exit angle of the beam against the small tilts of the housing.
Inventors
- 👤 I Cindrich
- 👤 C Aleksoff
- 👤 A Klooster
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 06:28
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C15/00; G01C15/002; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/64; G02B27/646; G02B27/648
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
A device for adjusting the angle of inclination of a light beam, comprising: a housing; a plano-concave lens pivotably supported with respect to the housing for motion about a first pivot point located at the center of curvature of its concave section; a first lever arm fixed with respect to said lens, a second lever arm pivotably supported with respect to the housing for motion about a second axis and having its free end in contact with the free end of said first arm; means for adjusting the position of said second arm so as to cause adjustment of the position of said lens about said center of curvature; an optical element supported with respect to said housing adapted to receive the beam and pass it to the plano-concave lens; and means for maintaining said optical element at a constant inclination relative to the horizontal plane for a limited movement of the housing relative to the horizontal plane.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
158 words
A device for adjusting the angle of inclination of a light beam, comprising: a housing; a plano-concave lens pivotably supported with respect to the housing for motion about a first pivot point located at the center of curvature of its concave section; a first lever arm fixed with respect to said lens, a second lever arm pivotably supported with respect to the housing for motion about a second axis and having its free end in contact with the free end of said first arm; means for adjusting the position of said second arm so as to cause adjustment of the position of said lens about said center of curvature; an optical element supported with respect to said housing adapted to receive the beam and pass it to the plano-concave lens; and means for maintaining said optical element at a constant inclination relative to the horizontal plane for a limited movement of the housing relative to the horizontal plane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
97 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the distance between the first pivot point and the second pivot point to the distance between the second pivot point and the point of contact of said first and second lever arms is equal to the ratio between the index of refraction of the lens and the index of refraction of the atmosphere so that adjustment of the position of the second lever arm through a particular angle about the second pivot point causes adjustment of the angle of inclination of the light beam through the same angle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the means for adjusting the position of the second lever arm consists of a member contacting said second arm and adjustable along a line normal to the line between said first and second axes so that a small change in position of said member produces a directly propotional change in the tangent of the angle of said second lever arm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 1 wherein the light beam passes through the center of rotation of the plano-concave lens.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
The device of claim 1 including a lens disposed between said optical element and said plano-concave lens having a convex surface supported with the center of curvature of said convex surface symmetrically disposed to the center of curvature of the concave surface of said plano-concave lens so that the light beam passes through said lens having the convex surface before reaching the plano-concave lens and so that these lenses together serve to substantially collimate the beam entering the convex lens.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
The device of claim 5 wherein said optical element consists of a mirror which reflects said light beam and said means for maintaining the said optical element at a constant inclination relative to the horizontal plane, consists of a pivotable mount for the mirror and a pendulum attached to the mirror.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 6 including means for damping the motion of said mirror about its mount.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 5 wherein the light beam is derived from a laser and including a diverging lens through which the laser beam is passed before reaching the lens having a convex surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 1 including a laser supported on said housing so as to produce said light beam.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
101 words
A device for adjusting the angle of a light beam, comprising: a housing; a plano-concave lens supported on said housing for pivotable motion about the cEnter of curvature of its concave surface; manually adjustable means for moving said lens about the center of curvature of its concave surface; an optical element supported on a housing operative to receive said beam and pass it to the concave surface of said plano-concave lens; and means for maintaining the inclination of said optical element constant relative to the horizontal plane for a limited amount of movement of the housing relative to the horizontal plane.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
101 words
A device for adjusting the angle of a light beam, comprising: a housing; a plano-concave lens supported on said housing for pivotable motion about the cEnter of curvature of its concave surface; manually adjustable means for moving said lens about the center of curvature of its concave surface; an optical element supported on a housing operative to receive said beam and pass it to the concave surface of said plano-concave lens; and means for maintaining the inclination of said optical element constant relative to the horizontal plane for a limited amount of movement of the housing relative to the horizontal plane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 10 wherein the optical element consists of a mirror which receives the light beam and reflects it to said plano-concave lens.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device of claim 11 wherein the source of the beam is a laser.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 12 wherein a diverging lens is disposed between the laser and the mirror.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 13 wherein a converging lens is disposed between the mirror and the plano-concave lens.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The device of claim 14 wherein the converging lens has a convex exit surface and is supported so that the center of curvature is symmetrically disposed relative to the center of curvature of the concave surface of the plano-concave lens.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The device of claim 10 including a laser supported on said housing so as to produce the light beam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-23 | 1978-06-24 | 1978-12-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-23 | 1982-06-24 | 1982-12-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-23 | 1986-06-24 | 1986-12-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |