Linear actuator and linear actuating module having same

A linear actuator, comprising:

• a housing;
• a sliding bracket disposed in the housing and slidable in a pair of guiding grooves formed on an inner surface of the housing;
• a motor attached to the sliding bracket and including a motor shaft;
• a lead screw attached to the motor shaft such that the motor moves together with the lead screw,
• wherein when the motor provides a rotary motion to the lead screw, the lead screw displaces due to a threaded-connection between the lead screw and an adjacent component, the displacement of the lead screw causes the motor to move together with the lead screw relative to the housing along a longitudinal direction of the housing.

A linear actuating module, comprising:

• a sample stage for supporting a sample;
• a first linear actuator for providing a linear movement to the sample stage along an X axis;
• a second linear actuator for providing a linear movement to the sample stage along an Y axis;
• a third linear actuator for providing a linear movement to the sample stage along a Z axis,
• wherein the first, second, and third linear actuators each include:
• a housing, a screw member, a rotary unit including a support portion in sliding contact with the housing and a driving shaft for providing rotary motion to the screw member, wherein the screw member is attached to the driving shaft of the rotary unit and includes a threaded portion engaging a threaded portion of the housing, and wherein when the driving shaft of the rotatory unit rotates, the screw member is driven to rotate, causing the screw member to be translatable relative to the housing due to engagement between the threaded portion of the screw member and the threaded portion of the housing.