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US 8,707,851 B2Granted
Positioner apparatus and methods
AssigneeFlexibility Engineering, LLC
InventorsJoseph W. Pawelski, Thomas M. Ingraham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein are embodiments of inventive multipositioner technology relating to multipositioner apparatus having discrete positioning capability and, relative to each discrete position, incremental positioning capability. As compared with prior art apparatus, embodiments of the inventive technology may afford: operational resolution for larger positional ranges, reduced cylinder length to achieve positioning as desired, enhanced positioning capability and/or robustness of design.
Claims29
A positioner apparatus comprising:
- a cylinder;
- a first movable component and a second movable component established in said cylinder;
- an elastic element established within said cylinder so as to effect an elastic force against said second movable component;
- a securable position adjustment mechanism configured to selectively secure said first movable component in at least two discrete first movable component positions within said cylinder at a first movable component movement resolution;
- a second movable component force applier configured to apply a second movable component force that acts against said elastic force so as to move said second movable component at a second movable component movement resolution;
- and
- a positioner that is positionally responsive to said second movable component,
- wherein said second movable component movement resolution is greater than said first movable component movement resolution, and
- wherein said second movable component force applier is also configured to apply a first movable component force that moves said first movable component from one of said at least two discrete first movable component positions to another.
6 more elements
A positioner apparatus comprising:
- a cylinder;
- a first movable component and a second movable component established in said cylinder;
- an elastic element established within said cylinder so as to effect an elastic force against said second movable component;
- a securable position adjustment mechanism configured to selectively secure said first movable component in at least two discrete first movable component positions within said cylinder at a first movable component movement resolution;
- a second movable component force applier configured to apply a second movable component force that acts against said elastic force so as to move said second movable component at a second movable component movement resolution;
- and
- a positioner that is positionally responsive to said second movable component,
- wherein said second movable component movement resolution is greater than said first movable component movement resolution, and
- wherein said positioner slidingly passes through said first movable component.
6 more elements
A positioner apparatus comprising:
- a cylinder;
- a first movable component and a second movable component established in said cylinder;
- an elastic element established within said cylinder so as to effect an elastic force against said second movable component;
- a securable position adjustment mechanism configured to selectively secure said first movable component in at least two discrete first movable component positions within said cylinder at a first movable component movement resolution;
- a second movable component force applier configured to apply a second movable component force that acts against said elastic force so as to move said second movable component at a second movable component movement resolution;
- and
- a positioner that is positionally responsive to said second movable component,
- wherein said second movable component movement resolution is greater than said first movable component movement resolution, and
- wherein said second movable component is a cylinder end portion.
6 more elements
A positioner method comprising the steps of:
- establishing a first movable component and a second movable component in cylinder;
- establishing an elastic element in said cylinder so as to effect an elastic force against said second movable component;
- configuring a securable position adjustment mechanism to selectively secure said first movable component in at least two discrete first movable component positions within said cylinder at a first movable component movement resolution;
- configuring a second movable component force applier to apply a second movable component force that acts against said elastic force so as to move said second movable component at a second movable component movement resolution;
- establishing a positioner to be positionally responsive to said second movable component;
- and
- configuring said second movable component force applier to apply a first movable component force that moves said first movable component from one of said at least two discrete first movable component positions to another at said first movable component movement resolution,
- wherein said second movable component movement resolution is greater than said first movable component movement resolution.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.