Honeywell International Inc.

Honeywell G.m.b.h.

Gerald R Altmann

Rodney H Thorland

Daniel L Sittler

David W Carlson

Mark W Weber

A centered annular ring, or moat, is disposed on each of the six planar sides of a RLG block. The surface of each moat is slightly below the surrounding surface of each side of the block. Because each moat is recessed relative to the respective side surface, the moat surface is less likely to become scratched, and therefore allows for a better seal between the block and the components attached thereto.

Moat feature for a laser gyroscope block

A method for locating the position for a concave mirror alignment device on a RLG block, comprising the following steps: 1) mount a &ldquo;log&rdquo; onto a CNC machine, 2) select several points along the length of the log for measurement; 3) measure the mirror mounting surface radial distances at each of the several points from the &ldquo;front&rdquo; of the log; 4) measure the surface radial distances at each of the several points from the &ldquo;rear&rdquo; of the log; 5) determine the radius, and ultimately the diameter, of a circle tangent to the mirror mounting sides of the log, for each of the several selected points; 6) determine a &ldquo;best fit&rdquo; equation to describe the diameters as a function of position along the log; 7) determine the offset along the x axis for the mirror mounting device of each block within the log.

Measurement method to facilitate production of self-aligning laser gyroscope block

Disclosed is a mirror mounting device and method for beam path alignment of an optical cavity for a ring laser gyroscope. The ring laser gyroscope is of the type that includes a block having an optical cavity that defines a closed loop optical path. A light source directs a light beam into the path. The block includes mounting surfaces for mirrors that reflect the light beam at the optical path corners. The mirror mounting device is associated with one of the block mounting surfaces and acts to orient a concave reflective surface of one of the mirrors such that the light beam is aligned within the closed loop optical path and is at its maximum intensity irrespective of the position of the concave reflective surface of the mirror relative to its mounting surface.

Device and method for achieving beam path alignment of an optical cavity

Disclosed is a method of making a plurality of ring lasers or ring laser blocks from a single block of material.

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Roberts, WI, United States of America

Gerald R Altmann