Two-dimensional positioning apparatus

A two-dimensional positioning mechanism comprising:

• a moveable platform having a given orientation;
• first translating means connected to the platform to move the platform in a first direction, and including
• i) first and second links, each of the links being pivotally connected to the platform, and
• ii) a first linear actuator pivotally connected to the first and second links, to move the links in said first direction;
• and
• second translating means connected to the platform to move the platform in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and including
• i) a third link pivotally connected to the platform, and
• ii) a second linear actuator pivotally connected to the third link to move the third link in the second direction;
• and
• control means connected to the first and second translating means to control said translating means to move the platform from a first position to a second position;
• wherein the first and second links, the moveable platform and the first linear actuator form a pivotal parallelogram structure to maintain the orientation of the platform substantially constant during movement thereof.

A two-dimensional positioning mechanism comprising:

• a moveable platform having a given orientation;
• first translating means connected to the platform to move the platform in a first direction, and including
• i) first and second links, each of the links being pivotally connected to the platform, and
• ii) a first linear actuator pivotally connected to the first and second links, to move the links in said first direction;
• and
• second translating means connected to the platform to move the platform in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
• wherein the first and second links, the moveable platform and the first linear actuator form a pivotal parallelogram structure to maintain the orientation of the platform substantially constant during movement thereof;
• the positioning mechanism further comprising control means connected to the first and second translating means to control said translating means to move the platform from a first position to a second position, the control means including
• i) first means to sense the position of the platform in the first direction, to generate a first correction signal if the position of the platform in the first direction is different from a desired position, and to transmit the first correction signal to the first translating means to operate the first translating means to move the platform to said desired position, and
• ii) second means to sense the position of the platform in the second direction, to generate a second correction signal if the position of the platform in the second direction is different from a desired position, and to transmit the second correction signal to the second translating means to operate the second translating means to move the platform to said desired position in the second direction.

A two-dimensional positioning mechanism comprising:

• a moveable platform having a given orientation;
• first translating means connected to the platform to move the platform in a first direction, and including
• i) first and second links, each of the links being pivotally connected to the platform, and the first link having an adjustable length,
• ii) a first linear actuator pivotally connected to the first and second links, to move the links in said first direction, and
• iii) a link controller connected to the first link to adjust the length thereof;
• and
• second translating means connected to the platform to move the platform in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
• wherein the first and second links, the moveable platform, and the first linear actuator form a pivotal parallelogram structure to maintain the orientation of the platform substantially constant during movement thereof.