Coupled Positioners

A manipulator system comprising:

• a positioner having a first primary rail, a second primary rail, a first coupling linkage, a second coupling linkage, and a third coupling linkage, said first coupling linkage coupling said first primary rail to a base, the third coupling linkage connecting the second primary rail to the first primary rail and positioning said second primary rail and said second coupling linkage along a first plane;
• another positioner having a first secondary rail, a second secondary rail, a fourth coupling linkage, a fifth coupling linkage, and a sixth coupling linkage, said fourth coupling linkage coupling said first secondary rail to the base, said sixth coupling linkage coupling the first secondary rail to the second secondary rail and positioning said second secondary rail and said fourth coupling linkage along a second plane parallel to the first plane;
• a common link coupling to said second primary rail and said second secondary rail via said second and fifth coupling linkages, the common link defining a longitudinal axis that intersects the first plane and the second plane;
• the third coupling linkage including a prismatic joint for linear motion of the second primary rail along the first primary rail, and the sixth coupling linkage including a prismatic joint for linear motion of the second secondary rail along the first secondary rail;
• the first coupling linkage having a prismatic joint for linear motion of the first primary rail along a support, and the fourth coupling linkage having a prismatic joint for linear motion of the first secondary rail along the support;
• each of said second and fifth coupling linkages including a joint for linear motion along the respective rail and rotational motion around the respective rail, and a revolute joint for relative pivoting between the respective rail and said common link;
• wherein the second primary rail and the second secondary rail are parallel;
• wherein the revolute joint of the second coupling link has a revolute axis about which it rotates and the revolute joint of the fifth coupling linkage has a revolute axis about which it rotates, the revolute axis of the second coupling link being parallel to the revolute axis of the fifth coupling linkage;
• wherein a position and orientation of said common link relative to the base is adjustable by said joints and said revolute joints.

A parallel connected manipulator system comprising:

• a primary manipulator system;
• a secondary manipulator system;
• said primary manipulator system connected in parallel with said secondary manipulator system via a support, wherein a coupling linkage of said primary manipulator system connects to the support between two coupling linkages of said secondary manipulator system, wherein one of the two coupling linkages of said secondary manipulator system connects to the support between the coupling linkage of said primary manipulator and another coupling linkage of said primary manipulator system;
• a common link of said primary manipulator system coupling to a common link of said secondary manipulator system, forming a connected common link, wherein a twist angle is allowable between said common link of said primary manipulator system and said common link of said secondary manipulator system;
• the support connecting said primary manipulator system and said secondary manipulator system to a base;
• wherein said base is movable along said support.