Displacement unit
AssigneeLeica Microsystems Wetzlar GmbH
InventorsKarl-Josef Schalz, Norbert Gaul
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A displacement unit for at least one element to be displaced is provided comprising a drive unit, a transfer element that is caused to move by the drive unit and that comprises a thread or a tooth set, and an engagement element, which engages into the thread or tooth set of the transfer element and is thus driven by the motion of the transfer element, and by whose motion the displaced element is moved. The engagement element is configured elastically, in such a way that it deforms elastically upon contact by the displaced element against a stop or obstacle.
Claims20
A displacement unit for displacing a displacement element comprising:
- a drive unit;
- a transfer element that is caused to move by the drive unit, said transfer element comprised of one of a thread set and a tooth set;
- and
- an engagement element which engages said thread set or said tooth set and is thus driven by motion of the transfer element, said engagement element moving said displacement element when driven,
- wherein the engagement element is configured elastically such that it deforms elastically upon contact by said displacement element against a stop or obstacle.
A component positioning apparatus for positioning a component, comprising:
- a motor;
- a shaft engaging said motor, said shaft being moved by said motor;
- and
- an elastic member coupled to said shaft and coupled to said component in such a way as to move said component in response to movement of said shaft,
- wherein said elastic member elastically deforms when said component contacts an immovable object.
A method of positioning a component, comprising the steps of:
- translating a shaft having one of a threaded region and a toothed region;
- moving a coupling member in response to send translating step, said coupling member having a first end located in said one of said threaded region and said toothed region and a second end coupled to said component;
- moving said component in response to the step of moving a coupling member;
- and
- elastically deforming said coupling member when said component contacts an immovable object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.