Positioning system

A positioning system for an output member comprising:

• a pair of x-coordinate linear carriages;
• a pair of y-coordinate linear carriages;
• a linear guide mechanism for each x-coordinate linear carriage and each y-coordinate linear carriage;
• and
• a plurality of cables, at least a portion of the cables being arranged to cause the pair of x-coordinate linear carriages and the output member to move in sync in the x-direction and the pair of y-coordinate linear carriages and the output member to move in sync in the y-direction, wherein movement in sync is movement in the same direction at the same rate, and wherein one or more of the portion of the plurality of cables extend from the pairs of x-coordinate and y-coordinate linear carriages to the output member;
• wherein the plurality of cables includes
• at least one cable having a centerline extending away from the output member in a first direction having a first z-coordinate, and
• at least one cable having a centerline extending away from the output member in a second direction having a second z-coordinate different from the first z-coordinate.

A positioning system for an output member comprising:

• a pair of x-coordinate linear carriages;
• a pair of y-coordinate linear carriages;
• a linear guide mechanism for each x-coordinate linear carriage and each y-coordinate linear carriage;
• and
• a plurality of cables, at least a portion of the cables being arranged to cause the pair of x-coordinate linear carriages and the output member to move in sync in the x-direction and the pair of y-coordinate linear carriages and the output member to move in sync in they-direction, wherein movement in sync is movement in the same direction at the same rate, and wherein one or more of the portion of the plurality of cables extend from the pairs of x-coordinate and y-coordinate linear carriages to the output member;
• wherein the plurality of cables includes at least nine linear segments of cable extending away from the output member, each linear cable segment extending from the output member to a respective one of the linear carriages.

A positioning system for an output member comprising:

• a pair of x-coordinate linear carriages;
• a pair of y-coordinate linear carriages;
• a linear guide mechanism for each x-coordinate linear carriage and each y-coordinate linear carriage;
• and
• a plurality of cables,
• wherein
• one or more of the plurality of cables extends from one or more of the x-coordinate linear carriages to the output member,
• one or more of the plurality of cables extends from one or more of the y-coordinate linear carriages to the output member,
• one or more of the plurality of cables is arranged to constrain movement of the output member in an additional degree of freedom other than the x- and y-directions, and
• when movement of the output member in the additional degree of freedom is constrained by the one or more of the plurality of cables arranged to constrain movement of the output member in the additional degree of freedom, tension in one or more of the plurality of cables increases and simultaneously tension in one or more of the plurality of cables decreases.

A positioning system for an output member comprising:

• a pair of x-coordinate linear carriages;
• a pair of y-coordinate linear carriages;
• a linear guide mechanism for each x-coordinate linear carriage and each y-coordinate linear carriage;
• and
• a plurality of cables,
• wherein
• one or more of the plurality of cables extends from one or more of the x-coordinate linear carriages to the output member,
• one or more of the plurality of cables extends from one or more of the y-coordinate linear carriages to the output member, and
• the plurality of cables includes at least one cable having a centerline extending away from the output member in a direction having a z-direction component.

A positioning system for an output member comprising:

• a pair of x-coordinate linear carriages;
• a pair of y-coordinate linear carriages;
• a linear guide mechanism for each x-coordinate linear carriage and each y-coordinate linear carriage;
• and
• a plurality of cables,
• wherein
• one or more of the plurality of cables extends from one or more of the x-coordinate linear carriages to the output member,
• one or more of the plurality of cables extends from one or more of the y-coordinate linear carriages to the output member, and
• the plurality of cables includes
• at least one cable having a centerline extending away from the output member in a first direction having a first z-coordinate, and
• at least one cable having a centerline extending away from the output member in a second direction having a second z-coordinate different from the first z-coordinate.

A positioning system for an output member comprising:

• a pair of x-coordinate linear carriages;
• a pair of y-coordinate linear carriages;
• a linear guide mechanism for each x-coordinate linear carriage and each y-coordinate linear carriage;
• and
• a plurality of cables,
• wherein
• one or more of the plurality of cables extends from one or more of the x-coordinate linear carriages to the output member,
• one or more of the plurality of cables extends from one or more of the y-coordinate linear carriages to the output member, and
• the plurality of cables includes at least nine linear segments of cable extending away from the output member, each linear cable segment extending from the output member to a respective one of the linear carriages.

A positioning system for an output member comprising:

• a pair of x-coordinate linear carriages;
• a pair of y-coordinate linear carriages;
• a linear guide mechanism for each x-coordinate linear carriage and each y-coordinate linear carriage;
• a plurality of cables, at least a portion of the plurality of cables including a plurality of linear segments of cable extending away from the output member,
• wherein
• one or more of the plurality of linear cable segments extends from one or more of the x-coordinate linear carriages to the output member,
• one or more of the plurality of linear cable segments extends from one or more of the y-coordinate linear carriages to the output member,
• a plane includes two or more non-collinear centerlines of the plurality of linear cable segments, and
• at least one of the plurality of linear cable segments has a centerline that is not in the plane.