Back to results
US 7,352,089 B2Granted
Driving apparatus
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorMasao Mizumaki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A driving apparatus includes a stepping motor having a lead screw, a rack, and a rack-retaining bar, a barrel, a barrel-retaining bar, and a connecting spring for connecting the rack to the barrel. The connecting spring includes an engaging portion that engages with a spherical output member of the rack. The stepping motor in which the lead screw and the rack are integrated with each other and the barrel are connected to each other with provides a structure that absorbs relative positioning error and backlash.
Claims10
A driving apparatus comprising:
- a stepping motor including a rotor that is capable of rotating about a rotational axis, a lead screw that rotates together with the rotor, and a rack that meshes with the lead screw and includes an output member having an end portion that is convex or at least partially spherical and is positioned at the outer most distal end of the output member;
- a guide member provided parallel to the lead screw;
- a driven member that is retained by the guide member and capable of moving linearly;
- and
- a spring member attached to the driven member and connecting the rack to the driven member,
- wherein the spring member includes an engaging portion, being formed with a circular hole, provided so that the end portion of the output member is held between the engaging portion and the driven member.
3 more elements
A driving apparatus comprising:
- a stepping motor including a rotor that is capable of rotating about a rotational axis, a lead screw that rotates together with the rotor, and a rack that meshes with the lead screw and includes an output member having a spherical shaped distal end portion that is convex or at least partially spherical;
- a guide member provided parallel to the lead screw;
- a driven member that is retained by the guide member and capable of moving linearly;
- and
- a flat spring member having one end attached to the driven member and another engaging end portion configured to be biased against the spherical shaped distal end portion,
- wherein the engaging portion is biased against the spherical shaped distal end portion such that the output member is forced against the driven member,
- wherein the distal end portion of the output member is configured such that it is not in contact with the guide member, and
- wherein the spring member does not touch or engage the lead screw.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.