The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 29, 1991
Filed:
Feb. 12, 1990
Kevin Ostler, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Ion Laser Technology, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Abstract
The present invention automatically compensates for thermally induced changes in the index of refraction. This is accomplished by choosing materials from which to construct the rods such that the position of the optical elements are changed in an advantageous manner as temperatures change. For example, a pair of upper rods and a pair of lower rods are provided. The upper rods may be constructed of INVAR or other similar material with a very low coefficient of thermal expansion. The two lower rods, however, are constructed of a composite of materials having a chosen higher coefficient of thermal expansion. For example, rods may be provided which are approximately 50% to approximately 75% INVAR. The remainder of the rods are comprised of a material of a much higher coefficient of thermal expansion, such as stainless steel. the result of such a construction is that as the temperature of the device rises, the lower rods expand at a much faster rate than do the upper rods. This results in a tilting of the end plates and a resulting tilting of the prism mounted thereto. The optical elements on the end plates are titled such that tilting compensates for the change in the index of refraction encountered by the optical element.