# US 10,374,530 B2 · Dual-axis linear motion system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,374,530 B2 - Document ID: US10374530B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/901,859 - Filed: 2018-02-21 - Published: 2018-08-23 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-02-21 - Assignees: Invetech, Inc. - Applicants: Invetech, Inc. - Inventors: Kevin McCarthy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10374530B2 ## CPC - H02P 5/68: controlling two or more DC dynamo-electric motors (H02P5/46, H02P5/60 take precedence) - H02K 5/173: using bearings with rolling contact, e.g. ball bearings - H02K 11/22: Optical devices - H02K 41/031: {of the permanent magnet type} - H02K 41/0356: {moving along a straight path} - H01R 12/722: {coupling devices mounted on the edge of the printed circuits} - H02K 5/225: {Terminal boxes or connection arrangements (specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132)} - H02K 11/33: Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) - H02K 11/35: Devices for recording or transmitting machine parameters, e.g. memory chips or radio transmitters for diagnosis - H02K 16/00: Machines with more than one rotor or stator {(machines for transmitting mechanical power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft and comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; permanent magnet machines with multiple rotors or stators relatively rotated for vectorially combining the excitation fields or the armature voltages H02K21/029)} - H02K 2201/18: Machines moving with multiple degrees of freedom - H02K 2211/03: Machines characterised by circuit boards, e.g. pcb - H02K 2213/12: Machines characterised by the modularity of some components - H02P 7/025: the DC motors being of the moving coil type, e.g. voice coil motors - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS ## Abstract A dual axis linear motion system utilizing one or more printed circuit boards embedded within a stage wherein the system components, including the controller, drive, and controller, may be mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB), and the electrical communications between the system components and the power to the system components are supplied through traces or etchings on the printed circuit board, thereby omitting the need for additional power and communication cables. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dual axis linear motion system comprising: a base having an upper surface; a printed circuit board having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the printed circuit board is configured to move back and forth along a first linear direction relative to the base; a moving carriage having a lower surface, wherein the moving carriage is configured to move back and forth along a second direction relative to the printed circuit board, wherein the second direction is substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and wherein the printed circuit board is disposed between the upper surface of the base and the lower surface of the moving carriage; a first linear motor configured to move the printed circuit board in the first direction, wherein the first linear motor comprises at least one first motor coil and at least one first motor magnet; a second linear motor configured to move the moving carriage in the second direction, wherein the second linear motor comprises at least one second motor coil and at least one second motor magnet; an electronic motion controller configured to provide motion commands in order to control the movement of the printed circuit board and the moving carriage; and an electronic drive configured to translate commands from the electronic motion controller, wherein the electronic motion controller is configured to supply at least one first current to the first motor coil, and wherein the electronic motion controller is configured to supply at least one second current to the at least one second motor coil; wherein the electronic motion controller and electronic drive are mounted on the printed circuit board; wherein the at least one first motor magnet is mounted on the upper side of the base, and wherein the at least one first motor coil is mounted on the lower side f the printed circuit board. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The linear motion system of claim 1, wherein the at least one second motor magnet is mounted on the lower side of the moving carriage, and wherein the at least one second motor coil is mounted on the upper side of the printed circuit board. ### Claim 3 A dual axis linear motion system comprising: a base having an upper surface; a printed circuit board having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the printed circuit board is configured to move back and forth along a first linear direction relative to the base; a moving carriage having a lower surface, wherein the moving carriage is configured to move back and forth along a second direction relative to the printed circuit board, wherein the second direction is substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and wherein the printed circuit board is disposed between the upper surface of the base and the lower surface of the moving carriage; a first linear motor configured to move the printed circuit board in the first direction, wherein the first linear motor comprises at least one first motor coil and at least one first motor magnet; a second linear motor configured to move the moving carriage in the second direction, wherein the second linear motor comprises at least one second motor coil and at least one second motor magnet; an electronic motion controller configured to provide motion commands in order to control the movement of the printed circuit board and the moving carriage; and an electronic drive configured to translate commands from the electronic motion controller, wherein the electronic motion controller is configured to supply at least one first current to the first motor coil, and wherein the electronic motion controller is configure to supply at least one second current to the at least one second motor coil; wherein the electronic motion controller and electronic drive are mounted on the printed circuit board; further comprising at least two lower linear guideways configured to guide the printed circuit board relative to the base. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The linear motion system of claim 3, further comprising at least two upper linear guideways configured to guide the moving carriage relative to the printed circuit board. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The linear motion system of claim 4, wherein the at least two upper linear guideways comprise linear recirculating bearings. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The linear motion system of claim 5, wherein the at least two upper linear guideways comprise at least two upper rails mounted on the upper side of the printed circuit board and at least four trucks mounted on the lower side of the moving carriage and configured to roll along grooves in the at least two upper rails. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The linear motion system of claim 6, wherein the at least two lower linear guideways comprise linear recirculating bearings. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The linear motion system of claim 7, wherein the at least two lower linear guideways comprise at least two lower rails mounted on the upper side of the base and at least four trucks mounted on the lower side of the printed circuit board and configured to roll along grooves in the at least two lower rails. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The linear motion system of claim 8, wherein the at least two lower rails are three lower rails; and wherein the at least two upper rails are three upper rails. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The linear motion system of claim 3, wherein the at least two lower linear guideways comprise lower crossed roller bearings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The linear motion system of claim 10, wherein the lower crossed roller bearings include at least two first lower rails mounted on the upper side of the base and at least two first upper rails mounted on the lower side of the printed circuit board. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The linear motion system of claim 4, wherein the at least two upper linear guideways comprise upper crossed roller bearings. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The linear motion system of claim 12, wherein the upper crossed roller bearings include at least second lower rails mounted on the upper side of the printed circuit board and at least two second upper rails mounted on the lower side of the moving carriage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The linear motion system of claim 13, wherein the at least two lower linear guideways comprise lower crossed roller bearings. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The linear motion system of claim 14, wherein the lower crossed roller bearings include at least two first lower rails mounted on the upper side of the base and at least two first upper rails mounted on the lower side of the printed circuit board. ### Claim 16 A dual axis linear motion system comprising: a base having an upper surface; a printed circuit board having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the printed circuit board is configured to move back and forth along a first linear direction relative to the base; a moving carriage having a lower surface, wherein the moving carriage is configured to move back and forth along a second direction relative to the printed circuit board, wherein the second direction is substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and wherein the printed circuit board is disposed between the upper surface of the base and the lower surface of the moving carriage; a first linear motor configured to move the printed circuit board in the first direction, wherein the first linear motor comprises at least one first motor coil and at least one first motor magnet; a second linear motor configured to move the moving carriage in the second direction, wherein the second linear motor comprises at least one second motor coil and at least one second motor magnet; an electronic motion controller configured to provide motion commands in order to control the movement of the printed circuit board and the moving carriage; and an electronic drive configured to translate commands from the electronic motion controller, wherein the electronic motion controller is configured to supply at least one first current to the first motor coil, and wherein the electronic motion controller is configured to supply at least one second current to the at least one second motor coil; wherein the electronic motion controller and electronic drive are mounted on the printed circuit board; further comprising at least one linear encoder configured to determine the position of the moving carriage relative to the printed circuit board, and the printed circuit board relative to the moving carriage. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The linear motion system of claim 16, wherein each of the at least one linear encoder comprises an encoder read head and an encoder scale. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The linear motion system of claim 17, wherein the encoder read head is mounted on the printed circuit board.