Multi-degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10030695-B2
Application number	US-201514813229-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2015
Priority date	Jul 30, 2015
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

A multiple-degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism with precise linear motion has structural robustness and allows easy reduction in weight and size, simple production and easy operation. The multiple-degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism includes: at least one support assembly; and a plate supported by the at least one support assembly, wherein the at least one support assembly includes: a bipod having a first rod and a second rod, one ends of which are fixed to each other at a top provided with a support section; and a linear motion arrangement having a first movable member and a second movable member which are fixed to the other ends of the first rod and the second rod respectively, wherein the first movable member and the second movable member independently move in a linear motion direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A multiple-degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism comprising:
at least one support assembly; and
a plate supported by the at least one support assembly,
wherein the at least one support assembly includes:
a bipod having a first rod and a second rod, one ends of which are fixed to each other at a top provided with a support section; and
a linear motion arrangement having a first movable member and a second movable member which are fixed to the other ends of the first rod and the second rod respectively, wherein the first movable member and the second movable member independently move in a linear motion direction,
wherein each of the first rod and the second rod of the bipod has two limited-displacement flexible joints which provide elasticity in two orthogonal directions, respectively, and
wherein each of the limited-displacement flexible joints comprises a flexible member shaped like a plate, which is placed between two bend limitation sections which are arranged in parallel with the flexible member.

2. The multiple-degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein each support assembly is structured to move the support section within a predetermined range on a plane formed by the first rod and the second rod depending on respective linear motions of the movable members.

3. The multiple-degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the bend limitation section comprises a first part and a second part which are rotatably engaged, wherein the first part has a protrusion provided with a pair of stoppers protruding outside from the first part and the second part has a recess which is rotatably engaged with the protrusion of the first part, wherein rotation of the first part is limited by one of the stoppers making contact with one edge of the recess depending on a bend of the flexible member.

4. The multiple-degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the plate is supported by three support assemblies such that three support sections of the three support assemblies are positioned corresponding to three vertices of a regular triangle on the plate.

5. The multiple-degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein the plate is freely moved in six directions by a combination of directions and displacements of linear motions provided respectively by the support assemblies.

6. The multiple-degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the linear motion arrangement has a two-dimensional structure formed integrally.

7. A multiple-degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism comprising:
at least one support assembly; and
a plate supported by the at least one support assembly,
wherein the at least one support assembly includes:
a bipod having a first rod and a second rod, one ends of which are fixed to each other at a top provided with a support section; and
a linear motion arrangement having a first movable member and a second movable member which are fixed to the other ends of the first rod and the second rod respectively, wherein the first movable member and the second movable member independently move in a linear motion direction,
wherein the linear motion arrangement further comprises:
a first linear motion section; and
a second linear motion section which is fixed to the first linear motion section at a common fixed point,
wherein each of the first and second linear motion sections comprises:
an elastic arrangement which is arranged to transform an input direction and an input displacement to an output direction and an output displacement, wherein the output direction is orthogonal to the input direction;
an operating member which is arranged to deform the elastic arrangement in the input direction according to the input displacement,
wherein the first movable member and the second movable member are fixed to respective elastic arrangements of the first and second linear motion sections.

8. The multiple-degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism according to claim 7 , wherein the elastic arrangement and the operating member have different spring constants which provide a predetermined speed reduction ratio, wherein a ratio between the input and output displacements is determined by the predetermined speed reduction ratio.

Assignees

• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Kurose Minoru
• Hamada Kazuo
• Katsuyama Yoshihiko
• Kamizono Takashi
• Kobayashi Takuro
• TANIMICHI Naoto
• Happy Tsui

Classifications

• B25J9/0015

  Flexure members, i.e. parts of manipulators having a narrowed section allowing articulation by flexion · CPC title

• B25J9/0042

  with kinematics chains of the type prismatic-universal-universal · CPC title

• F16C11/12 Primary

  incorporating flexible connections, e.g. leaf springs · CPC title

• B25J7/00

  Micromanipulators {(specimen supports for investigating or analysing materials G01N23/2204; associated with microscopes G02B21/32; means for supporting or positioning the objects or the material in discharge tubes H01J37/20)} · CPC title

• B25J9/106

  with articulated links · CPC title