Tracking device with linear motor
AssigneeNippon Kogaku K.K.
InventorsYukio Inoue, Katsumi Mizunoe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for tracking a movable body along a linear path parallel to a plane includes a linear motor for driving the body along the linear path. The body is mounted, as by rollers, for movement along a guide, such as a pair of parallel guide rails, supported on a base which also supports the motor. To enhance stability of the body during tracking movement, the rollers or other mounts for the body are urged against the guide by the magnetic action of a flux which is separate from the principal flux used to generate thrust for the linear motor and which provides an attractive force against preferably a pair of members, such as steel plates, of high magnetic permeability fixed to the movable body.
Claims11
Apparatus for tracking a movable body along a linear path parallel to a plane, comprising
- (a) means for supporting said body for movement parallel to said plane, said supporting means including guide means for guiding said body along said linear path and means for mounting said body for movement on said guide means,
- (b) linear motor means mounted on said support means for driving said body along said linear path, said linear motor means including electromagnet winding means to which direct current is applied and permanent magnet means, with one of said magnet means and said winding means being attached to said supporting means and the other of said magnet means and said winding means being fixed to said body, said magnet means and said winding means being disposed relative to one another such that the application of direct current to said winding means generates a thrust force tending to drive said body along said linear path, and
- (c) means for magnetically urging said mounting means against said guide means in a direction normal to said plane.
Apparatus for tracking an optical head and the like along a radius of a planar recording disc, comprising
- (a) a movable body having said optical head and the like attached thereto,
- (b) means for supporting said body for movement in a plane parallel to said disc, said supporting means including guide means for guiding said body along a linear path parallel to said radius of said disc and means for mounting said body for movement on said guide means,
- (c) linear motor means mounted on said support means for driving said body along said linear path, said linear motor means including electromagnet winding means to which direct current is applied and permanent magnet means, with one of said magnet means and said winding means being attached to said supporting means and the other of said magnet means and said winding means being fixed to said body, said magnet means and said winding means being disposed relative to one another such that the application of direct current to said winding means generates a thrust force tending to drive said body along said linear path, and
- (d) means for magnetically urging said mounting means against said guide means in a direction normal to said plane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.