Pneumatic stepper motor and device comprising at least one such pneumatic stepper motor
AssigneeMachnet SG PTE. LTD.
InventorsVincent Groenhuis, Francoise Jeanette Siepel, Stefano Stramigioli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pneumatic stepper motor includes a housing, said housing accommodating at least part of: a rack or geared axle comprising a plurality of gear elements; and two pistons, each comprising at least two teeth, said pistons being arranged to cooperate with said rack or geared axle. The racks may either be straight or curved. The pistons are preferably double-acting pistons. A device includes at least one, and preferably a plurality of, such pneumatic stepper motor(s). The device may in particular be an MRI-compatible robotic system, more in particular for example an MRI-guided breast biopsy device.
Claims12
A pneumatic stepper motor, comprising:
- a housing, said housing accommodating at least part of:
- a geared body comprising a plurality of gear elements;
- and
- two pistons, each of said two pistons comprising at least two teeth, said at least two teeth being arranged to cooperate with the gear elements of said geared body,
- wherein said two pistons each comprise a cavity, wherein the teeth extend in the cavity, and wherein the geared body is arranged in the cavity, such that the teeth face the gear elements of said geared body.
A pneumatic stepper motor, comprising:
- a housing, said housing accommodating at least part of:
- a geared body comprising a plurality of gear elements;
- and
- at least one double-acting piston, said at least one double-acting piston comprising at least two teeth, said at least two teeth being arranged to cooperate with the gear elements of said geared body,
- wherein said at least one double-acting piston comprises a cavity, wherein the teeth extend in the cavity, wherein the geared body is arranged in the cavity, such that the teeth face the gear elements of said geared body, and
- wherein said geared body is a rack or a geared axle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.