APERTURE-PLATE DRIVE MECHANISM

• US 20180120552A1
• Filed: 10/31/2017
• Published: 05/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
• Original Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
• Inventors: MAJI, Takeshi, ATSUMI, Shunsuke
• Granted Patent: US 10,495,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/35 using infrared light G01N21/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/063 Illuminating optical parts
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/362 Mechanical details, e.g. mountings for the camera or image sensor, housings G02B21/364 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/005 Diaphragms for cameras G03B9/02

Abstract

Provided is an aperture-plate drive mechanism including an aperture-plate open-close mechanism and a rotation mechanism for rotating the open-close mechanism. The open-close mechanism includes: drive blocks 308 fixed to a pair of aperture plates 301; a linear motion guide 306 allowing the drive blocks to move along an axis; a feed screw 302 parallel to the axis, on which a pair of helical threads proceedimg in opposite directions formed; nut members 305 each of which is provided in a manner to be engaged with one of the pair of helical threads and is prevented from rotating due to a rotation of the feed screw; an urging member 309 for pressing the drive blocks onto the nut members, respectively; and a distance adjustment member 310 placed between one drive block and the corresponding nut member, for adjusting the distance between them. With this mechanism, a discrepancy between the open-close center of the aperture plates from the rotation center can be cancelled even after the mechanism is assembled.

Claims

1. An aperture-plate drive mechanism, comprising:

an aperture-plate open-close mechanism including;

a) two drive blocks respectively fixed to a pair of aperture plates;

b) a linear motion guide for allowing the two drive blocks to move along an axis while preventing the drive blocks from moving in other directions;

c) a feed screw laid parallel to the axis, with a pair of helical threads proceeding in opposite directions formed on the feed screw;

d) a pair of nut members each of which is provided in a manner to be engaged with one of the pair of helical threads and is prevented from rotating due to a rotation of the feed screw;

e) an urging member for urging each of the two drive blocks in a direction parallel to the axis so as to press the two drive blocks onto the pair of nut members, respectively; and

f) a distance adjustment member placed between one of the two drive blocks and the corresponding nut member, for adjusting a distance between the drive block concerned and the nut member concerned in a direction parallel to the axis;

and

g) a rotation mechanism for rotating the aperture-plate open-close mechanism around an axis perpendicular to the aperture plates.

2. The aperture-plate drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the open-close mechanism is provided for each of two non-parallel directions.

3. The aperture-plate drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein:

a contact portion of each of the drive blocks being in contact with one of the nut members or the distance adjustment member along the axis has a convex surface, while a contact portion of a corresponding element has either a flat surface or a concave surface having a larger radius of curvature than the convex surface.

4. The aperture-plate drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein:

a contact portion of each of the nut members or the distance adjustment member being in contact with one of the drive blocks along the axis has a convex surface, while a contact portion of the drive block concerned has either a flat surface or a concave surface having a larger radius of curvature than the convex surface.

5. An infrared microscope including an aperture-plate drive mechanism, comprising:

an aperture-plate open-close mechanism including;

a) two drive blocks respectively fixed to a pair of aperture plates;

b) a linear motion guide for allowing the two drive blocks to move along an axis while preventing the drive blocks from moving in other directions;

c) a feed screw laid parallel to the axis, with a pair of helical threads proceeding in opposite directions formed on the feed screw;

d) a pair of nut members each of which is provided in a manner to be engaged with one of the pair of helical threads and is prevented from rotating due to a rotation of the feed screw;

e) an urging member for urging each of the two drive blocks in a direction parallel to the axis so as to press the two drive blocks onto the pair of nut members, respectively, and

f) a distance adjustment member placed between one of the drive blocks and the corresponding nut member, for adjusting a distance between the drive block concerned and the nut member concerned in a direction parallel to the axis;

and

g) a rotation mechanism for rotating the aperture-plate open-close mechanism around an axis perpendicular to the aperture plates.

6. The infrared microscope according to claim 5, wherein the open-close mechanism is provided for each of two non-parallel directions.

7. The infrared microscope according to claim 5, wherein:

a contact portion of each of the drive blocks being in contact with one of the nut members or the distance adjustment member along the axis has a convex surface, while a contact portion of a corresponding element has either a flat surface or a concave surface having a larger radius of curvature than the convex surface.

8. The infrared microscope according to claim 5, wherein:

a contact portion of each of the nut members or the distance adjustment member being in contact with one of the drive blocks along the axis has a convex surface, while a contact portion of the drive block concerned has either a flat surface or a concave surface having a larger radius of curvature than the convex surface.