Method and apparatus for controlling machinery

Abstract

The present invention realizes a high-precision positioning with high stability, by fully utilizing a Bingham fluid characteristic possessed by an ERF (electro-rheological fluid). To this end, motion of a driving part is transmitted to a movable part via shearing stress of the ERF. Since the shearing stress can be variably controlled by adjusting an electric field to be applied to the ERF, the movable part can be moved to a target position by a predetermined output. When the movable part is to be stopped, the driving part is decelerated and stopped to thereby thermally dissipate an excessive kinetic energy of the movable part. By keeping on applying an electric field at the time of stopping, the movable part is exerted with an infinite apparent viscous stress by virtue of the Bingham fluid characteristic, to thereby suppress an influence of an external force. Further, by constituting a damping or braking part to include an ERF, it also becomes possible to render the shearing stress of ERF to act as a resisting force, thereby damping a motion of the movable part.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.