Back to results
US 9,431,887 B2Granted
Lens positioning system
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorRami Boltanski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An actuator includes an inner element coupled to an outer element by a linear-motion bearing that provides a single degree of translational movement of the inner element with respect to the outer element along a longitudinal axis. The inner element includes a permanent magnet and the outer element includes a conductive winding with a first coil wound in first direction around a first pole of the permanent magnet and a second coil wound in a second direction around a second pole of the permanent magnet.
Claims29
A positioning system comprising:
- an actuator comprising:
- an inner element comprising a permanent magnet with a first pole and a second pole that define a magnetic axis parallel to a longitudinal axis;
- an outer element comprising a first coil wound in a first direction around the first pole and a second coil wound in a second direction around the second pole, wherein the outer element is coupled to a body of a scanner;
- and
- a linear-motion bearing that couples the inner element to the outer element, the linear-motion bearing providing a single degree of translational movement of the inner element with respect to the outer element along the longitudinal axis;
- and
- a controller to induce a current through the first coil and second coil to move the inner element with respect to the outer element along the longitudinal axis.
4 more elements
A device comprising:
- an outer element;
- an inner element disposed within the outer element, the inner element comprising a lens assembly having a lens axis;
- and
- a linear-motion bearing that couples the inner element to the outer element, the linear-motion bearing providing a single degree of translational movement of the inner element along the lens axis, the linear-motion bearing comprising:
- a first element coupling comprising a first inner element region coupled to the inner element, a first outer element region coupled to the outer element, and_one or more first flexures that connect the first inner element region to the first outer element region of the first element coupling;
- and
- a second element coupling comprising a second inner element region coupled to the inner element, a second outer element region coupled to the outer element, and one or more second flexures that connect the second inner element region to the second outer element region of the second element coupling, wherein the first inner element region and second inner element region rotate in a same direction as the inner element is moved along the lens axis.
4 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- an outer element having a first end and a second end along a longitudinal axis;
- an inner element disposed within the outer element, the inner element having a first end and a second end along the longitudinal axis;
- a first element coupling comprising a first outer element region attached to the first end of the outer element, a first inner element region attached to the first end of the inner element, and three or more first flexures, wherein each of the three or more first flexures is a strip of material that is connected at one end to the first outer element region and at an opposite end to the first inner element region and that is generally perpendicular to a radial axis radiating from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the three or more first flexures generally circumscribe the first inner element region;
- and
- a second element coupling comprising a second outer element region attached to the second end of the outer element, a second inner element region attached to the second end of the inner element, and three or more second flexures, wherein each of the three or more second flexures is a strip of material that is connected at one end to the second outer element region and at an opposite end to the second inner element region and that is generally perpendicular to a radial axis radiating from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the three or more second flexures generally circumscribe the second inner element region.
2 more elements
A positioning system comprising:
- an actuator comprising:
- an inner element comprising a permanent magnet with a first pole and a second pole that define a magnetic axis parallel to a longitudinal axis;
- an outer element comprising a first coil wound in a first direction around the first pole and a second coil wound in a second direction around the second pole;
- and
- a linear-motion bearing that couples the inner element to the outer element, the linear-motion bearing providing a single degree of translational movement of the inner element with respect to the outer element along the longitudinal axis, wherein the linear-motion bearing comprises one or more first leaf springs that couple a first end along the longitudinal axis of the inner element to a first end along the longitudinal axis of the outer element and one or more second leaf springs that couple a second end along the longitudinal axis of the inner element to a second end along the longitudinal axis of the outer element;
- and
- a controller to induce a current through the first coil and second coil to move the inner element with respect to the outer element along the longitudinal axis.
4 more elements
A device comprising:
- an outer element;
- an inner element disposed within the outer element, the inner element comprising a lens assembly having a lens axis;
- and
- a linear-motion bearing that couples the inner element to the outer element, the linear-motion bearing providing a single degree of translational movement of the inner element along the lens axis, the linear-motion bearing comprising at least a first element coupling comprising:
- a first inner element region coupled to the inner element;
- a first outer element region coupled to the outer element;
- and
- at least three flexures that connect the first inner element region to the first outer element region of the first element coupling, wherein the first element coupling comprises a homogenous material.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.