Electromechanical positioning unit
OwnerStephan Kleindiekinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to an electromechanical positioning unit formed as an inertial drive to position objects with atomic scale positioning precision and with displacement ranges up to centimeters. The positioning unit contains at least one preferably tube shaped piezo electric actuator for transmitting electrically controllable inertial driving motions to a slider. The object of the invention is a slider consisting of at least one part of relatively high mass (mass unit) and of at least one flexible deformable part (flexible unit) allowing the frictional forces to be adjustable by bending the flexible parts and the mass part providing high loading capacity of the positioning unit. By combining these two parts it is possible to position heavy objects and to exert forces necessary to drive tools.
Claims21
An electromechanical positioning unit for one-dimensional positioning of an object with nanometer precision and with positioning displacements up to centimeters, comprising:
- (a) a piezoelectric actuator;
- and
- (b) a slider slidably supported in contact with said actuator for sliding movement within said actuator, said slider comprising
- (i) a first member for receiving the object to be positioned, and
- (ii) a flexible and deformable second member joined to said first member, said first member having a higher mass than said second member;
- (c) whereby bending deformation of said flexible second member results in adjustment of a frictional force between said slider and said actuator.
An electromechanical positioning unit for one-dimensional positioning of an object with nanometer precision and with positioning displacements up to centimeters, comprising:
- (a) a piezoelectric actuator;
- and
- (b) a slider slidably supported in contact with said actuator for sliding movement relative to said actuator, said slider comprising
- (i) two heavy members at least one of which receives the object to be positioned, and
- (ii) at least one flexible and deformable member interconnecting said two heavy members, each said heavy member having a higher mass than said at least one flexible and deformable member,
- (c) whereby bending deformation of said at least one flexible and deformable member results in adjustment of a frictional force between said slider and said actuator.
An electromechanical positioning unit for one-dimensional positioning of an object with nanometer precision and with positioning displacements up to centimeters, comprising:
- (a) a piezoelectric actuator;
- and
- (b) a slider slidably supported in contact with said actuator for sliding movement relative to said actuator, said slider comprising
- (i) three heavy members at least one of which receives the object to be positioned, and
- (ii) at least two flexible and deformable members interconnecting said three heavy members, each said heavy member having a higher mass than said at least two flexible and deformable members,
- (c) whereby bending deformation of said at least two flexible and deformable members results in adjustment of a frictional force between said slider and said actuator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.