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US4850693A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Compact portable diffraction moire interferometer

Assignee: United States Department of Energy
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Filing: 1988-05-23
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Granted: 1989-07-25
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Expires: 2008-05-23
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Abstract

Abstract A compact and portable moire interferometer used to determine surface deformations of an object. The improved interferometer is comprised of a laser beam, optical and fiber optics devices coupling the beam to one or more evanescent wave splitters, and collimating lenses directing the split beam at one or more specimen gratings. Observation means including film and video cameras may be used to view and record the resultant fringe patterns.

Inventors

  • 👤 Vance A. Deason
  • 👤 Michael B. Ward

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 23:47
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/16; G01B11/165; G01D; G01D5/00; G01D5/26; G01D5/32; G01D5/34; G01D5/36; G01D5/38

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 134 words
A method of determining in-plane surface deformations of an object on the basis of diffraction of rays by a diffraction grating replicated onto the surface of said object, the steps comprising: providing from a source a beam of coherent light; coupling said beam to a polarization maintaining, single mode optical fiber, connecting said polarization maintaining single mode optical fiber to a fiber optic evanescent wave beam splitter; using said fiber optic beam splitter, splitting said beam of coherent rays into at least two mutually coherent beams, directing said mutually coherent beams at one or more diffraction gratings replicated onto the surface of said object so as to conform to its surface deviations, identifying and measuring interference patterns created by diffraction of said mutually coherent beams as a result of deviations in said diffraction gratings.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 134 words
A method of determining in-plane surface deformations of an object on the basis of diffraction of rays by a diffraction grating replicated onto the surface of said object, the steps comprising: providing from a source a beam of coherent light; coupling said beam to a polarization maintaining, single mode optical fiber, connecting said polarization maintaining single mode optical fiber to a fiber optic evanescent wave beam splitter; using said fiber optic beam splitter, splitting said beam of coherent rays into at least two mutually coherent beams, directing said mutually coherent beams at one or more diffraction gratings replicated onto the surface of said object so as to conform to its surface deviations, identifying and measuring interference patterns created by diffraction of said mutually coherent beams as a result of deviations in said diffraction gratings.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said source of a beam of coherent rays is a laser.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 99 words
An interferometer for performing the method of diffraction moire, comprised of: a source of a beam of coherent light, coupling means for coupling said beam of coherent light into a polarization maintaining, single mode optical fiber. beam splitting means for splitting said beam of coherent light from said optical fiber into at least two beams of mutually coherent light, collimating means, directing said mutually coherent beams at one or more diffraction gratings replicated onto the surface of a work piece, observation means for viewing and measuring interference patterns created by the diffraction of said beams by said diffraction gratings.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 99 words
An interferometer for performing the method of diffraction moire, comprised of: a source of a beam of coherent light, coupling means for coupling said beam of coherent light into a polarization maintaining, single mode optical fiber. beam splitting means for splitting said beam of coherent light from said optical fiber into at least two beams of mutually coherent light, collimating means, directing said mutually coherent beams at one or more diffraction gratings replicated onto the surface of a work piece, observation means for viewing and measuring interference patterns created by the diffraction of said beams by said diffraction gratings.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 17 words
The interferometer of claim 3 wherein said source of a beam of coherent light is a laser.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
The interferometer of claim 3 wherein said beam splitting beams is a fiber optic evanescent wave beam splitter or coupler.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 11 words
The interferometer of claim 4 wherein said laser is mounted remotely.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 39 words
The interferometer of claim 3 comprising means for mounting and adjusting said collimating lenses so that the angle at which said mutually coherent beams strike said diffraction grating can be adjusted within an accuracy of one part in 100,000.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 14 words
The interferometer of claim 3 wherein said observation means is an integral film camera.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 14 words
The interferometer of claim 3 wherein said observation means is an external film camera.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 14 words
The interferometer of claim 3 wherein said observation means is an integral video camera.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 14 words
The interferometer of claim 3 wherein said observation means is an external video camera.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4459027A Cited
US4474466A Cited
US4432239A Cited
JPS60177207A Cited
US4641972A Cited
US4577940A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-07-24 1993-01-23 1993-07-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-07-24 1997-01-23 1997-07-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-07-24 2001-01-23 2001-07-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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