Patents by Inventor Frank A. DeWitt

Frank A. DeWitt has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method of mounting an optical element
    Patent number: 5488514
    Abstract: A mounting seat for an optical element is decoupled from a surrounding annulus that fixes the mount in place in an optical system. The annulus can be one of a plurality of annuli that are interconnected to surround and enclose a coaxial array of optical elements. The decoupling is accomplished by three flexible fingers extending inward from the annulus to a seat for the optical element, which can be mounted either directly on the flexible fingers or on a concentric seating ring supported by the fingers. The flexible elements can be formed integrally with an annulus by cutting slots in its inner perimeter. The flexible elements are structured relative to the lens elements they support so that natural frequencies of vibration of the lens elements are higher than the frequencies of external vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: General Signal Corporation
    Inventors: John H. Bruning, Frank A. DeWitt, Keith E. Hanford
  • Decoupled mount for optical element and stacked annuli assembly
    Patent number: 5428482
    Abstract: A mounting seat for an optical element is decoupled from a surrounding annulus that fixes the mount in place in an optical system. The annulus can be one of a plurality of annuli that are interconnected to surround and enclose a coaxial array of optical elements. The decoupling is accomplished by three flexible fingers extending inward from the annulus to a seat for the optical element, which can be mounted either directly on the flexible fingers or on a concentric seating ring supported by the fingers. The flexible elements can be formed integrally with an annulus by cutting slots in its inner perimeter. The flexible elements are structured relative to the lens elements they support so that natural frequencies of vibration of the lens elements are higher than the frequencies of external vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: General Signal Corporation
    Inventors: John H. Bruning, Frank A. DeWitt, Keith E. Hanford