Rotary flexure micropositioning stage with large rotational range

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9400378-B2
Application number	US-201414454845-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2014
Priority date	Aug 8, 2014
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A stage assembly for supporting articles, the stage assembly uses one or more intermediate stage modules. Each module has a plurality of compound radial flexures (CRFs), extending radially from a base or an intermediate stage module, and allowing rotational movement about a center axis. The CRFs each have a flat profile, with a long side of the profile aligned perpendicularly to the direction of rotation of the stage modules so that the CRFs have more flexibility in the direction of rotation than obliquely to the direction of rotation. Movement of a last of the stage modules results in deflection of the CRFs between each successive stage module, with partial movement of each stage module between the base and the last of the stage modules, the last of the stage modules provided as a primary stage module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A stage assembly for supporting articles, the stage assembly comprising:
a base positioned at a first radius;
one or more intermediate stage modules, comprising a first intermediate stage module positioned at a second radius positioned radially displaced from the first radius;
a first plurality of compound radial flexures (CRFs) supporting the first intermediate stage module from a base, with the CRFs extending radially displaced from the base to the first intermediate stage module and allowing rotational movement of the intermediate stage module about a center axis;
a second stage module located substantially at the second radius;
a second plurality of CRFs supporting the second stage module from the first stage module and allowing rotational movement of the second stage module with respect to the first intermediate stage module about the center axis,
wherein the CRFs each have a flat profile comprising a short side of the profile aligned planarly in a direction of the rotation of the stage modules and a long side aligned perpendicularly to the direction of rotation of the stage modules such that the CRFs have more flexibility in the direction of rotation than obliquely to the direction of rotation,
and wherein movement of a last of the stage modules results in deflection of the CRFs between each successive stage module, with partial movement of each stage module between the base and the last of the stage modules, the last of the stage modules provided as a primary stage module.

2. The stage of claim 1 , further comprising at least one further level stage module and a further plurality of CRFs supporting the further stage module from a previous stage.

3. The stage of claim 1 , wherein:
each set of CRFs between respective pairs of successive stage modules have equal numbers of CRFs, and each of the CRF has the same flexural strength of corresponding CRFs between different pairs of the successive stage modules,
whereby an external moment applied at the primary stage causes the primary stage to rotate about a remote center point, thereby establishing a substantially linear correspondence between deflection of the CRFs and an angle of movement of the primary stage about the remote center point between 0° deflection and a predetermined angle of deflection.

4. The stage of claim 3 , wherein:
the CRFs having the same flexure strength of corresponding CRFs results in each of the successive stage modules rotating about the remote center point and the CRFs experiencing an identical magnitude of deformation.

5. A stage assembly for supporting articles, the stage assembly comprising:
a base positioned at a first radius;
one or more intermediate stage modules, comprising a first intermediate stage module positioned at a second radius positioned radially outward from the first radius;
a first plurality of compound radial flexures (CRFs) supporting the first intermediate stage module from a base, with the CRFs extending radially outwardly from the base to the first intermediate stage module and allowing rotational movement of the intermediate stage module about a center axis;
a second stage module located substantially at the second radius;
a second plurality of CRFs supporting the second stage module from the first stage module and allowing rotational movement of the second stage module with respect to the first intermediate stage module about the center axis,
wherein the CRFs each have a flat profile comprising a short side of the profile aligned planarly in a direction of the rotation of the stage modules and a long side aligned perpendicularly to the direction of rotation of the stage modules such that the CRFs have more flexibility in the direction of rotation than obliquely to the direction of rotation,
and wherein movement of a last of the stage modules results in deflection of the CRFs between each successive stage module, with partial movement of each stage module between the base and the last of the stage modules, the last of the stage modules provided as a primary stage module.

6. The stage of claim 5 , further comprising at least one further level stage module and a further plurality of CRFs supporting the further stage module from a previous stage.

7. The stage of claim 5 , wherein:
each set of CRFs between respective pairs of successive stage modules have equal numbers of CRFs, and each of the CRF has the same flexural strength of corresponding CRFs between different pairs of the successive stage modules,
whereby an external moment applied at the primary stage causes the primary stage to rotate about a remote center point, thereby establishing a substantially linear correspondence between deflection of the CRFs and an angle of movement of the primary stage about the remote center point between 0° deflection and a predetermined angle of deflection.

8. The stage of claim 7 , wherein:
the CRFs having the same flexure strength of corresponding CRFs results in each of the successive stage modules rotating about the remote center point and the CRFs experiencing an identical magnitude of deformation.

9. A stage assembly for supporting articles, the stage assembly comprising:
a base positioned at a first planar location;
one or more intermediate stage modules, comprising a first intermediate stage module positioned at a second planar location displaced from the first planar location;
a first plurality of compound radial flexures (CRFs) supporting the first intermediate stage module from a base, with the CRFs extending laterally displaced from the base to the first intermediate stage module and allowing planar movement of the intermediate stage module about a center axis;
a second stage module located substantially at the second planar location;
a second plurality of CRFs supporting the second stage module from the first stage module and allowing planar movement of the second stage module with respect to the first intermediate stage module,
wherein the CRFs each have a flat profile comprising a short side of the profile aligned planarly with respect to an alignment of the stage modules and a long side aligned perpendicularly with respect to an alignment of the stage modules such that the CRFs have more flexibility in planar movement than in non-planar movement,
and wherein movement of a last of the stage modules results in deflection of the CRFs between each successive stage module, with partial movement of each stage module between the base and the last of the stage modules, the last of the stage modules provided as a primary stage module.

10. The stage assembly of claim 9 , further comprising at least one further level stage module and a further plurality of CRFs supporting the further stage module from a previous stage.

11. The stage assembly of claim 9 , wherein:
each set of CRFs between respective pairs of successive stage modules have equal numbers of CRFs, and each of the CRF has the same flexural strength of corresponding CRFs between different pairs of the successive stage modules,
whereby an external moment applied at the primary stage causes the primary stage to rotate about a remote center point, thereby establishing a substantially linear correspondence between deflection of the CRFs and an angle of movement of the primary stage about the remote center point between 0° deflection and a predetermined angle of deflection.

12. The stage assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the CRFs having the same flexure strength of corresponding CRFs results in each of the successive stage modules rotating about the remote center point and the CRFs experiencing an identical magnitude of deformation.

Assignees

• Univ Macau

Inventors

• Xu Qingsong

Classifications

• F16M11/18

  with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand · CPC title

• G02B21/26 Primary

  Stages; Adjusting means therefor · CPC title

• G02B21/34

  Microscope slides, e.g. mounting specimens on microscope slides · CPC title

• G02B21/32

  Micromanipulators structurally combined with microscopes · CPC title