# US 2014/0150593 A1 · Precision tripod motion system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150593 A1 - Document ID: US20140150593A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/096,776 - Filed: 2013-12-04 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-05 - Assignees: ALIO Industries, Inc. - Applicants: ALIO Industries, Inc. - Inventors: Nathan Lyons Brown; Clement William Hennessey; Daniel Fording Crews - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150593A1 ## CPC - B23Q 3/04: adjustable in inclination - B23Q 1/4809: {followed perpendicularly by a single rotating pair} - B25J 9/0045: {with kinematics chains having a rotary joint at the base} - B25J 17/0266: {comprising more than two actuating or connecting rods} - A61B 17/62: Ring frames, i.e. devices extending around the bones to be positioned ({A61B17/6433} , A61B17/66 take precedence) - B23Q 1/5462: {with one supplementary sliding pair} - Y10S 901/19: Drive system for arm - Y10S 901/23: Electric motor - Y10T 74/20305: Robotic arm - Y10T 74/20329: Joint between elements - B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT - 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}) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A precision tripod motion system is provided. The tripod motion system in one example includes a bottom plate including three spaced-apart bottom single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) hinge portions, a top plate including three spaced-apart top three-degrees-of-freedom (TDOF) joint portions, with the top plate configured to receive a workpiece, and three linear actuators pivotally coupled to the three bottom SDOF hinge portions of the bottom plate and coupled to the three top TDOF joint portions of the top plate, with each linear actuator of the three linear actuators configured to change length over a linear actuation span. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tripod motion system, comprising: a bottom plate including three spaced-apart bottom single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) hinge portions; a top plate including three spaced-apart top three-degrees-of-freedom (TDOF) joint portions, with the top plate configured to receive a workpiece; and three linear actuators pivotally coupled to the three bottom SDOF hinge portions of the bottom plate and coupled to the three top TDOF joint portions of the top plate, with each linear actuator of the three linear actuators configured to change length over a linear actuation span. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tripod motion system of claim 1, with the three linear actuators providing three degrees of freedom of movement of the top plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tripod motion system of claim 1, wherein the three linear actuators return the top plate to a predetermined set position after being displaced by an external force. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tripod motion system of claim 1, wherein the tripod motion system is configured to achieve a sub-micron positioning accuracy. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tripod motion system of claim 1, with a top TDOF joint portion of a linear actuator and with a top TDOF joint portion of the top plate comprising a ball joint or a cardan/U-joint combined with a rotational joint. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tripod motion system of claim 1, with a bottom SDOF hinge portion of the bottom plate including a pivot pin and with a bottom SDOF hinge portion of a linear actuator interacting with the pivot pin, wherein the linear actuator can pivot in a SDOF motion on the pivot pin. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tripod motion system of claim 1, with a linear actuator of the three linear actuators comprising: a positioning actuator configured to extend or retract the linear actuator to a predetermined set position; and one or more displacing actuators configured to boost the positioning actuator and hold the linear actuator at the predetermined set position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The tripod motion system of claim 7, with a displacing actuator of a linear actuator providing a majority of a displacement force generated by the linear actuator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tripod motion system of claim 1, with a linear actuator of the three linear actuators comprising: an electric positioning actuator configured to extend or retract the linear actuator to a predetermined set position; and one or more pneumatic displacing actuators configured to boost the positioning actuator and hold the linear actuator at the predetermined set position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The tripod motion system of claim 9, further comprising a pressure regulator that supplies a substantially fixed pneumatic pressure to the one or more displacing actuators or a controllable pressure regulator that supplies a controllable pneumatic pressure to the one or more displacing actuators. ### Claim 11 A tripod motion system, comprising: a bottom plate including three spaced-apart bottom single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) hinge portions; a top plate including three spaced-apart top three-degrees-of-freedom (TDOF) joint portions, with the top plate configured to receive a workpiece; and three linear actuators pivotally coupled to the three bottom SDOF hinge portions of the bottom plate and coupled to the three top TDOF joint portions of the top plate, with each linear actuator of the three linear actuators configured to change length over a linear actuation span, with a linear actuator of the three linear actuators comprising: a positioning actuator configured to extend or retract the linear actuator to a predetermined set position; and one or more displacing actuators configured to boost the positioning actuator and hold the linear actuator at the predetermined set position. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The tripod motion system of claim 11, with the three linear actuators providing three degrees of freedom of movement of the top plate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The tripod motion system of claim 11, wherein the three linear actuators return the top plate to the predetermined set position after being displaced by an external force. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The tripod motion system of claim 11, wherein the tripod motion system is configured to achieve a sub-micron positioning accuracy. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The tripod motion system of claim 11, with a top TDOF joint portion of a linear actuator and with a top TDOF joint portion of the top plate comprising a ball joint or a cardan/U-joint combined with a rotational joint. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The tripod motion system of claim 11, with a bottom SDOF hinge portion of the bottom plate including a pivot pin and with a bottom SDOF hinge portion of a linear actuator interacting with the pivot pin, wherein the linear actuator can pivot in a SDOF motion on the pivot pin. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The tripod motion system of claim 11, with a displacing actuator of a linear actuator providing a majority of a displacement force generated by the linear actuator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The tripod motion system of claim 11, with a linear actuator of the three linear actuators comprising: an electric positioning actuator configured to extend or retract the linear actuator to a predetermined set position; and one or more pneumatic displacing actuators configured to boost the positioning actuator and hold the linear actuator at the predetermined set position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The tripod motion system of claim 18, further comprising a pressure regulator that supplies a substantially fixed pneumatic pressure to the one or more displacing actuators or a controllable pressure regulator that supplies a controllable pneumatic pressure to the one or more displacing actuators. ### Claim 20 An actuation method for a tripod motion system, comprising: in the tripod motion system, receiving a predetermined set position to be achieved by the tripod motion system, with the predetermined set position including three set positions for three linear actuators of the tripod motion system; in the tripod motion system, moving a positioning actuator of a linear actuator substantially to the corresponding predetermined set position, with each linear actuator of the three linear actuators being coupled to a bottom single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) hinge on a bottom plate of the tripod motion system and being further coupled to a top three-degrees-of-freedom (TDOF) joint on a top plate of the tripod motion system; and in the tripod motion system, moving one or more displacing actuators of the linear actuator to boost the linear actuator and to hold the linear actuator at the predetermined set position, with the one or more displacing actuators of the linear actuator providing a majority of a displacement force generated by the linear actuator.