6-axis positioning system with locking component
AssigneePhysik Instrumente (Pi) GmbH & Co. KG
InventorsChristian SANDER, Christian RUDOLF
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Abstract
A 6-axis positioning system, comprising a base, a movable unit and six variable-length actuators, one end of each actuator being connected to the base and the other end of each actuator being connected to the movable unit. At least one additional variable-length component is provided, one end of which is connected to the base and the other end of which is connected to the movable unit. The 6-axis positioning system can be releasably locked at least in certain positions of the movable unit by means of this additional component. The additional component has a releasable locking brake, and the variable-length component is designed such that its length can be varied passively by means of the movement of the six driven actuators.
Claims12
A 6-axis positioning system comprising:
- a base;
- a movable unit;
- and
- six variable-length actuators, one end of each actuator being connected to the base and the other end of each actuator being connected to the movable unit,
- wherein at least one additional variable-length component is provided, one end of which is connected to the base and the other end of which is connected to the movable unit,
- wherein the additional component is configured to cause designed such that the 6-axis positioning system to be releasably locked at least in certain positions of the movable unit by means of the additional component, and
- wherein the additional component has a releasable locking brake and that the additional component is configured to cause the releasable locking brake to be passively locked by the movement of the six driven actuators.
A method for operating a 6-axis positioning system including a base and a movable unit and six variable-length actuators, one end of each actuator being connected to the base and the other end of each actuator being connected to the movable unit, the method comprising:
- moving the movable unit by an interaction of the six variable-length actuators relative to the base to a predetermined target position;
- and
- locking of the 6-axis positioning system in order to increase a rigidity and a natural frequency of the 6-axis positioning system in the predetermined target position by means of at least one additional component, which is arranged in variable-length manner in addition to the actuators between the base and the movable unit, the additional component having a locking brake, wherein the additional component is passively moved during the movement of the movable unit by means of the interaction of the six length-variable actuators.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.