IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,276,315
Granted Patent B1
US 12,276,315 · App. 17/220,565 · Granted Apr 15, 2025

Cryogenic thermal isolation stage with integral passive vibration dampers

Inventors: Edward J. Wollack (Clarksville, MD); Elmer H. Sharp (Greenbelt, MD)
Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
F16F15/035F16F7/1011F25B9/14F16F2222/06F25B2500/13
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,276,315
App. No.
17/220,565
Granted
Apr 15, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments may provide a high-thermal-stability cryogenic-kinematic-mount with passive magnetic vibration damping. In various embodiments, the cryogenic-kinematic-mount may be configured for use in sub-Kelvin environments. Various embodiment cryogenic-kinematic-mounts may provide dampening and thermal isolation without a need for electronics or software feedback-based controls for the mounts. Various embodiments cryogenic-kinematic-mounts may be passive mounts configured to not require dampening controls.

Claims (27)

1. A cryogenic-kinematic-mount, the cryogenic-kinematic-mount comprising:

a cold side stage;

a warmer side stage opposite the cold side stage; and

a dampening and tensioning system between the cold side stage and warmer side stage,

wherein the dampening and tensioning system includes at least one magnetic array, wherein the dampening and tensioning system provides dampening and thermal isolation between the cold side stage and the warmer side stage, and wherein the dampening and tensioning system further includes at least one high electrical conductivity metal plate separated from the at least one magnetic array by a gap therebetween, wherein the at least one high electrical conductivity metal plate comprises copper.

2. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnetic array is a Halbach array.

3. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 2 , wherein the Halbach array is a two-dimensional Halbach array.

4. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 2 , wherein the Halbach array is a one-dimensional Halbach array.

5. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 1 , wherein the at least one high electrical conductivity metal plate comprises at least 99.99% annealed copper.

6. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 1 , wherein the dampening and tensioning system includes a plurality of synthetic fiber strands coupled to the cold side stage and warmer side stage.

7. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of synthetic fiber strands are poly-para-phenylene terephthalamide (PPTA) strands.

8. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of synthetic fiber strands comprises six synthetic fiber strands.

9. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 1 , wherein the dampening and thermal isolation between the cold side stage and the warmer side stage is provided without use of electronics or software feedback-based controls.

10. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 1 , wherein the cold side stage is coupled to an instrument package and the cryogenic-kinematic-mount provides structural support and precision alignment for the instrument package.

11. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 1 , wherein a strength of a constraint of the cryogenic-kinematic-mount in at least one degree of freedom is different from a strength of the cryogenic-kinematic-mount in a different degree of freedom.

12. A cryogenic-kinematic-mount, comprising:

a cold side stage;

a warmer side stage opposite the cold side stage; and

a dampening and tensioning system between the cold side stage and warmer side stage,

wherein the dampening and tensioning system includes two magnetic arrays opposite two metal plates, wherein the dampening and tensioning system provides dampening and thermal isolation between the cold side stage and the warmer side stage, and wherein the dampening and tensioning system includes a plurality of synthetic fiber strands coupled to the cold side stage and warmer side stage.

13. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 12 , wherein the two magnetic arrays are two-dimensional Halbach arrays.

14. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 13 , wherein the two metal plates each comprise at least 99.99% annealed copper.

15. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 14 , wherein the dampening and tensioning system includes six synthetic fiber strands coupled to the cold side stage and warmer side stage.

16. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 15 , wherein the six synthetic fiber strands are six poly-para-phenylene terephthalamide (PPTA) strands.

17. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 16 , wherein the dampening and thermal isolation between the cold side stage and the warmer side stage is provided without use of electronics or software feedback-based controls.

18. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 17 , wherein a strength of a constraint of the cryogenic-kinematic-mount in at least one degree of freedom is different from a strength of the cryogenic-kinematic-mount in a different degree of freedom.

19. The cryogenic-kinematic-mount of claim 12 , wherein the two metal plates are comprised of normal metal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2021
From: WOLLACK, EDWARD J.
To: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA
Reel/Frame 056504/0239 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 63058575 · Jul 30, 2020
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