DE29621871U1 - Self-centering holder for rectangular elements, especially optical elements - Google Patents

Description

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Self-centering holder for rectangular elements, especially optical elements

The invention relates to the reception and holding of objects with a rectangular, square or circular base, in particular optical elements.

It is known to hold rectangular optical elements in specially made frames. Examples of this on the market are the "Holder for Cylindrical Lenses" and the "Global Gimbal Mount" from Newport (see catalog 1994, p. 11.41 and 11.40 respectively). These holders are only suitable for a specific type of lens that has precise, fixed dimensions. Another well-known holder that allows a certain degree of variability is the "Cylindrical Lens Holder" from Melles Griot (see catalog "Optics Guide 5", p. 23 - 6). The objects are clamped between two horizontal bars. One of these bars can be moved manually.

Holders are also known in which 4 jaws can be moved independently of one another. An example of this is the ZWG/Feinmechanik Teltow element system. Two jaws have a horizontal guide, the other two a vertical guide. Each individual jaw is manually moved into position.

The known holders are either not variable (Newport) or the objects are not automatically centered in the holding position, but must be aligned using a special centering procedure (Melles Griot, ZWG/Feinmechanik Teltow).

The invention was based on the task of finding a holder for holding an object that is brought to a contact surface with its outer surfaces (round, square or rectangular). There it should be held or clamped by four movable jaws. The center of gravity of the surface clamped to the contact surface of the holder should always be at the intersection point of the two guideways that are at right angles to each other. The holder should therefore work in a self-centering manner; only one adjustment element should be required to move the jaws.

This object is achieved by a device having the features of claim I. The subclaims give expedient embodiments of the features of claim 1.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the figure and is described in more detail below.

The special feature of the technical solution lies in the suitable coupling of the movement of the four jaws (1 to 4). For this, the two jaws 1, 3 lying on one guideway are attached to a wire rope loop 5 and the jaws 2, 4 lying on the other guideway are attached to another wire rope loop 6. One of the two jaws 1, 3; 2, 4 is connected 14 to one side of the wire rope loop moving in the opposite direction, while the other side of the wire rope loop is guided through an opening 12 in the respective jaw. Each wire rope loop is guided along the corresponding guideway via deflection rollers (7, 8). At the other end of the guideways, the two pairs of ropes are guided sideways by 90° using further deflection rollers (9, 10). The two loop ends guided sideways run tightly over a common drive roller 11.

Due to the friction between the drive roller 11 and the wire ropes 5, 6, a rotation of the drive roller 11 leads to a circular movement of the wire rope 5, 6. The two jaws 1, 3 and 2, 4 lying on a guide track are each coupled to the respective wire rope 5, 6 in such a way that they move in opposite directions on the guide track during this circular movement and meet at the intersection point 13 with the other guide track. The rotation of the drive roller 11 therefore enables the simultaneous synchronous movement of all jaws. The movement of the jaws ends when they have reached the outer end of the guide track or when the object is jammed between them.

If two coupled jaws 1, 3, i.e. located on a guideway, are in one of the end positions, the other two jaws 2, 4 can be moved further. The rope end of the already stationary jaws 1, 3 then slides on the drive roller 11, whereby the friction between the wire rope 5 and the drive roller 11 must be overcome. The other two jaws 2, 4 are moved further with the rotation of the drive roller 11 until they too have reached the end position. Since the two opposing jaws are always the same distance from the intersection point of the guide lines due to their coupling to the wire rope!, the center of the surface of a clamped object related to the two guide axes is always positioned above the intersection point.

The self-centering holder described does not require any adjustment effort and is particularly valuable for applications in which, on the one hand, objects of different shapes must be arranged centrally symmetrically to an axis and, on the other hand, the lateral position of square or rectangular objects must be reproduced with high accuracy.

Claims (3)

Protection claims 1. Self-centering holder for rectangular elements, in particular for optical elements, with two pairs of parallel clamping jaws arranged at right angles to each other, characterized in that the guideways of the parallel clamping jaws (1, 3 or 2,4) belonging to each other cross at right angles, that the clamping jaws belonging to a guideway are always the same distance from the crossing point of the guideways, and that all clamping jaws (1 to 4) can be moved by a common drive in such a way that the clamping jaws (1, 3 or 2,4) belonging to a guideway move towards or away from each other at the same speed. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamping jaws (1, 3 or 2, 4) are movable on each of the guide tracks by means of a cable (5, 6) guided over reversing rollers (7, 9; 8, 10) and that each cable (5, 6) is guided over the same drive roller (11). 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the drive roller (11) is provided with a rotary knob.