Coarse and fine motion positioning mechanism

A coarse and fine positioning mechanism for movement of a first part with respect to a base comprising:

• a first part to be translated along a first linear axis;
• drive means extending along a second linear axis parallel to said first linear axis for driving said first part;
• motor means connected to said drive means for moving said drive means;
• an intermediate part including a connecting means fixed to said intermediate part and translatably movable with said drive means;
• flexure means for mounting and linearly guiding said intermediate part to said first part, said flexure means comprising a single pair of spaced flat flexures extending between and connecting said first part and spaced portions of said intermediate part, wherein movement of said intermediate part by movement of said drive means coarsely adjusts said first part to a desired position on said first linear axis and wherein said flexure means for mounting and guiding absorbs moments resulting from inertial and frictional forces resultant from translational movement of said first part along said first axis and movement of said drive means along said second axis;
• a linear piezoelectric motor extending on an axis parallel to and displaced from said drive means, said piezoelectric motor having a first end in operable connection to said first part and a second end in operable connection to said intermediate part;
• and
• wherein expansion and contraction of said piezoelectric motor causes a motion of said intermediate part for finely adjusting the linear position of said intermediate part and the first part through motion transferred through said flexure means for mounting and linearly guiding.