# US 11,439,435 B2 · Stage device, minute operation device, and method of controlling same

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,439,435 B2
- Document ID: US11439435B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/703,183
- Filed: 2019-12-04
- Published: 2020-06-11
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-12-06
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Toru Matsumoto; Hitoshi Nishitani
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439435B2

## CPC

- A61B 17/43: for artificial insemination
- B25J 7/00: Micromanipulators {(specimen supports for investigating or analysing materials G01N23/2204; associated with microscopes G02B21/32; means for supporting or positioning the objects or the material in discharge tubes H01J37/20)}
- B25J 19/0025: {Means for supplying energy to the end effector}
- C12M 21/06: {for in vitro fertilization}
- C12M 33/08: {by vibration}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})
- C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS}

## Abstract

A stage device capable of performing piercing vibration and translational driving by using one actuator, and performing very low-speed driving in the translational driving with high accuracy. The stage device includes an X stage having a vibration actuator that includes an vibration element and a contact body, one of which is a movable body connected to an object to be driven, and drives the object to be driven in an X-axis direction, and a control section that controls driving of the vibration actuator. The control section causes two-phase AC voltages to be applied to an electromechanical energy conversion element to thereby excite predetermined vibrations in the vibration element, to drive the vibration actuator by switching between a movement mode for moving the object to be driven in the X-axis direction and a vibration mode for vibrating the object to be driven in the X-axis direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A stage device comprising:
a vibration actuator including a vibration element having an elastic body and an electromechanical energy conversion element, and a contact body in contact with the vibration element, one of the vibration element and the contact body being fixed at a predetermined position, and the other being a movable body which is movable in a predetermined direction and is also connected to an object to be driven, the vibration actuator being configured to drive the object to be driven in the predetermined direction; and
a control unit configured to perform control such that the movable body is moved or vibrated in the predetermined direction by applying two-phase AC voltages to the electromechanical energy conversion element to thereby excite predetermined vibrations in the vibration element,
wherein the control unit causes the vibration actuator to be driven such that an operation mode is switched between a movement mode for moving the object to be driven in the predetermined direction and a vibration mode for vibrating the object to be driven in the predetermined direction,
wherein an absolute value of a phase difference between the two-phase AC voltages in the movement mode is larger than 0° and not larger than 90°, and
wherein the phase difference between the two-phase AC voltages in the vibration mode is +180° or −180°.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The stage device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration element has protrusions provided on the elastic body and in contact with the contact body, and
wherein the control unit causes
the movable body to be moved, in the movement mode, in the predetermined direction, using thrust which is given to the contact body by a circular motion or an elliptical motion on a tip end of each of the protrusion generated by applying two-phase AC voltages to the electromechanical energy conversion element, and
the movable body to be vibrated, in the vibration mode, in the predetermined direction, using thrust which is given to the contact body by a reciprocating motion on the tip end of each of the protrusions generated applying two-phase AC voltages to the electromechanical energy conversion element.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The stage device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit causes a magnitude of the two-phase AC voltages to be changed in the vibration mode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The stage device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit causes a frequency of the two-phase AC voltages to be changed between the movement mode and the vibration mode.

### Claim 5

A minute operation device comprising:
an object to be driven;
a vibration actuator including a vibration element having an elastic body and an electromechanical energy conversion element, and a contact body in contact with the vibration element, one of the vibration element and the contact body being fixed at a predetermined position, and the other being a movable body which is movable in a predetermined direction and is also connected to the object to be driven, the vibration actuator being configured to drive the object to be driven in the predetermined direction; and
a control unit configured to perform control such that the movable body is moved or vibrated in the predetermined direction by applying two-phase AC voltages to the electromechanical energy conversion element to thereby excite predetermined vibrations in the vibration element,
wherein the control unit causes the vibration actuator to be driven such that an operation mode is switched between a movement mode for moving the object to be driven in the predetermined direction and a vibration mode for vibrating the object to be driven in the predetermined direction,
wherein an absolute value of a phase difference between the two-phase AC voltages in the movement mode is larger than 0° and not larger than 90°, and
wherein the phase difference between the two-phase AC voltages in the vibration mode is +180° or −180°.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The minute operation device according to claim 5, wherein the vibration element has protrusions provided on the elastic body and in contact with the contact body, and
wherein the control unit causes
the movable body to be moved, in the movement mode, in the predetermined direction, using thrust which is given to the contact body by a circular motion or an elliptical motion on a tip end of each of the protrusion generated by applying two-phase AC voltages to the electromechanical energy conversion element, and
the movable body to be vibrated, in the vibration mode, in the predetermined direction, using thrust which is given to the contact body by a reciprocating motion on the tip end of each of the protrusions generated applying two-phase AC voltages to the electromechanical energy conversion element.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The minute operation device according to claim 5, wherein the object to be driven is an injection pipette or a holding pipette.

### Claim 8

A method of controlling a minute operation device that drives a vibration actuator including a vibration element having an elastic body and an electromechanical energy conversion element, and a contact body in contact with the vibration element, one of the vibration element and the contact body being fixed at a predetermined position, and the other being a movable body which is movable in a predetermined direction and is also connected to an object to be driven, to thereby drive the object to be driven in the predetermined direction, the method comprising:
moving the object to be driven to a predetermined position by driving the movable body through application of two-phase AC voltages to the electromechanical energy conversion element to thereby excite predetermined vibrations in the vibration element; and
vibrating, in a state in which the object to be driven is in the predetermined position, the object in the predetermined position in the predetermined direction through application of two-phase AC voltages to the electromechanical energy conversion element to thereby vibrate the vibration element in the predetermined direction,
wherein an absolute value of a phase difference between the two-phase AC voltages in the movement mode is larger than 0° and not larger than 90°, and
wherein the phase difference between the two-phase AC voltages in the vibration mode is +180° or −180°.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein the vibration element has protrusions provided on the elastic body and in contact with the contact body, and
the method further comprising:
causing the movable body to be moved, in the movement mode, in the predetermined direction, using thrust which is given to the contact body by a circular motion or an elliptical motion on a tip end of each of the protrusion generated by applying two-phase AC voltages to the electromechanical energy conversion element, and
causing the movable body to be vibrated, in the vibration mode, in the predetermined direction, using thrust which is given to the contact body by a reciprocating motion on the tip end of each of the protrusions generated applying two-phase AC voltages to the electromechanical energy conversion element.