Rotary Stage With Integrated Collet Closer Assembly
AssigneeAerotech, Inc.
InventorWesley Mitchell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotary stage having an integrated collet closure assembly includes: an actuating piston positioned in a piston housing; a drawbar configured to be moved axially depending on the position of the actuating piston to open and close the collet closure assembly, and rotationally by movement of a rotating shaft of the rotary stage; and a pair of thrust bearings provided between the actuating piston and the drawbar. The pair of thrust bearings acts as an interface between the actuating piston and the drawbar such that the drawbar rotates freely and the actuating piston and the piston housing remain stationary in a rotary direction.
Claims20
A rotary stage comprising:
- a stage housing;
- a rotating stage shaft positioned within the housing;
- a collet assembly received by the rotating stage shaft;
- a piston housing provided at a rearward end of the stage housing;
- an actuating piston positioned in the piston housing;
- a drawbar extending between the piston housing and the rotating stage shaft and configured to be moved axially within the piston housing and the rotating stage shaft depending on the position of the actuating piston to open and close the collet assembly;
- and
- a pair of thrust bearings provided between the actuating piston and the drawbar,
- wherein the pair of thrust bearings acts as an interface between the actuating piston and the drawbar such that the drawbar rotates freely and the actuating piston and the piston housing remain stationary in a rotary direction.
A workpiece supporting and manipulating device comprising:
- a rotary stage comprising:
- a stage housing;
- and
- a rotating stage shaft positioned within the housing;
- and
- a collet closure assembly integrated with the rotary stage, the collet closure assembly comprising:
- a collet and collet sleeve positioned within and supported by the rotating stage shaft;
- a piston housing provided at a rearward end of the stage housing;
- an actuating piston positioned in the piston housing;
- a drawbar extending between the piston housing and the rotating stage shaft and configured to be moved axially within the piston housing and the rotating stage shaft depending on the position of the actuating piston to cause the collet sleeve to open and close the collet;
- and
- a pair of thrust bearings provided between the actuating piston and the drawbar,
- wherein the pair of thrust bearings acts as an interface between the actuating piston and the drawbar such that the drawbar rotates freely and the actuating piston and the piston housing remain stationary in a rotary direction.
A rotary stage having an integrated collet closure assembly comprising:
- an actuating piston positioned in a piston housing;
- a drawbar configured to be moved axially depending on the position of the actuating piston to open and close the collet closure assembly, and rotationally by movement of a rotating shaft of the rotary stage;
- and
- a pair of thrust bearings provided between the actuating piston and the drawbar,
- wherein the pair of thrust bearings acts as an interface between the actuating piston and the drawbar such that the drawbar rotates freely and the actuating piston and the piston housing remain stationary in a rotary direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.