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US4362283A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Instrument stand

Assignee: EssilorLuxottica SA
•
Filing: 1980-12-04
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Granted: 1982-12-07
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Expires: 2000-12-04
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Abstract

Abstract The invention concerns the construction of optical instruments. The instrument stand allows the instrument to be oriented along three converging axes, and to be held sufficiently firmly in the chosen position. The stand comprises a head which rotates round the first of the three axes of rotation. The head comprises two tracks of overall cylindrical form, the common axis of revolution of which constitutes the second axis of rotation of the instrument; the head also contains two runners which can move along the tracks, and each runner comprises a shaft which can rotate, with friction contact, on its axis. The instrument is fixed to two shafts, which share the same axis, this axis constituting the third axis of rotation of the instrument. The invention also concerns application of such devices to a stand for measuring instruments used in making spectacles.

Inventors

  • 👤 Lucien Bouffechoux

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 03:24
CPC Classifications
G; G12; G12B; G12B9/00; G12B9/08; F; F16; F16M; F16M11/00; F16M11/02; F16M11/04; F16M11/06; F16M11/10; F16M11/20; F16M11/2007; F16M11/2014

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 285 words
An instrument stand equipped with means for fitting an instrument to the stand, and for allowing the instrument to be oriented, in relation to its position when at rest, around one geometrical axis X of the instrument, around a second geometrical axis Y of the same instrument, intersecting the axis X at a fixed point, and around a third geometrical axis Z of the same instrument, perpendicular to the axis Y and also passing through the point of intersection of axes X and Y, said stand comprising: a head which rotates on a shaft that coincides with the axis X when the instrument is at rest, said head including means for orienting the instrument around axes Y and Z; orientation means comprising two runners equipped with respective pairs of runner wheels which run along separate tracks located on opposite sides of said head, said tracks presenting circular profiles defined around the axis Y, the treads of the runner wheels being elastically flexible, one of the pairs of wheels on each runner being positioned at a greater distance from the axis Y than the other of the pair of wheels on the same runner, each of said tracks comprising two portions, one portion guiding each of the pair of wheels on each runner, said portions being positioned at different distances from the axis Y and presenting different radii with respect to said axis, each runner comprising a revolving shaft mounted with friction contact and extending along axis Z towards the point of intersection of all three axes, said revolving shafts being fitted with means for attaching the instrument to the stand; and a friction contact assembly for enabling said head to rotate around the axis X.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 285 words
An instrument stand equipped with means for fitting an instrument to the stand, and for allowing the instrument to be oriented, in relation to its position when at rest, around one geometrical axis X of the instrument, around a second geometrical axis Y of the same instrument, intersecting the axis X at a fixed point, and around a third geometrical axis Z of the same instrument, perpendicular to the axis Y and also passing through the point of intersection of axes X and Y, said stand comprising: a head which rotates on a shaft that coincides with the axis X when the instrument is at rest, said head including means for orienting the instrument around axes Y and Z; orientation means comprising two runners equipped with respective pairs of runner wheels which run along separate tracks located on opposite sides of said head, said tracks presenting circular profiles defined around the axis Y, the treads of the runner wheels being elastically flexible, one of the pairs of wheels on each runner being positioned at a greater distance from the axis Y than the other of the pair of wheels on the same runner, each of said tracks comprising two portions, one portion guiding each of the pair of wheels on each runner, said portions being positioned at different distances from the axis Y and presenting different radii with respect to said axis, each runner comprising a revolving shaft mounted with friction contact and extending along axis Z towards the point of intersection of all three axes, said revolving shafts being fitted with means for attaching the instrument to the stand; and a friction contact assembly for enabling said head to rotate around the axis X.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 30 words
An instrument stand according to claim 1, wherein the runners each comprise two pairs of wheels, both wheels in each pair rotating on a common axis perpendicular to axis Z.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 41 words
An instrument stand according to claim 1, wherein each track, seen in cross section at right angles to axis Y, comprises a straight portion extended at each end by a rounded portion, in the form of an arc of a circle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 25 words
An instrument stand according to claim 1, wherein the treads of said runner wheels comprise O-rings which fit into peripheral grooves on each runner wheel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 59 words
An instrument stand according to claim 1, wherein each of the shafts on the runners is disposed inside a sleeve attached to the runner frame, while two half-casings which rotate with each shaft are urged against the outside surface of the sleeve by a number of elastic O-rings placed in circular recesses on the outside surface of the half-casings.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
An instrument stand according to claim 5, wherein each of said sleeves carries axles on which the runner wheels are mounted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
The instrument stand according to claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of each track remains constant throughout the length thereof.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1887801A Cited
US2622606A Cited
US2512636A Cited
US2670496A Cited
US2892419A Cited
FR1315937A Cited
US3648617A Cited
US3830165A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1985-12-06 1986-06-07 1986-12-07 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1989-12-06 1990-06-07 1990-12-07 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1993-12-06 1994-06-07 1994-12-07 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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