Minute object characteristics measuring apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9857216-B2
Application number	US-201514980706-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2015
Priority date	Dec 26, 2014
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

A minute object characteristics measuring apparatus is provided. The minute object characteristics measuring apparatus includes a holder, a cantilever, a measuring device, and a driver. The holder holds a minute object. The cantilever faces the minute object held by the holder. The measuring device measures a displacement of the cantilever. The driver drives one of the holder holding the minute object and the cantilever in a direction that the minute object held by the holder and the cantilever are brought close to or drawn away from each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A minute object characteristics measuring apparatus, comprising:
a holder to hold a minute object;
a cantilever to face the minute object held by the holder;
a measuring device to measure a displacement of the cantilever;
a driver to drive one of the holder holding the minute object and the cantilever in a direction that the minute object held by the holder and the cantilever are brought close to or drawn away from each other; and
a processor to control the driver and to determine characteristics of the minute object based on a measurement result from the measuring device,
wherein the cantilever is conductive and grounded, and
wherein the processor determines a mirror force of the minute object based on an amount of the displacement of the cantilever at the time that the minute object held by the holder and the cantilever are brought close to each other.

2. The minute object characteristics measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor determines an adhesive force of the minute object based on an amount of the displacement of the cantilever at the time that the minute object held by the holder and the cantilever, having been in contact with each other, are separated from each other.

3. The minute object characteristics measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a charger to charge the cantilever,
wherein the processor determines a charging polarity of the minute object based on a direction of the displacement of the cantilever at the time that the minute object held by the holder and the cantilever are brought close to each other.

4. The minute object characteristics measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the driver is capable of integrally driving the cantilever and the measuring device in the direction that the minute object held by the holder and the cantilever are brought close to or drawn away from each other.

5. The minute object characteristics measuring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the holder is capable of adsorbing the minute object.

6. A minute object characteristics measuring apparatus, comprising:
a holder to hold a minute object, the holder having conductivity;
a cantilever to face the minute object held by the holder, the cantilever having conductivity;
a driver to drive one of the holder holding the minute object and the cantilever in a direction that the minute object held by the holder and the cantilever are brought close to or drawn away from each other;
a power source having polar opposites, each of the polar opposites independently connected to the holder or the cantilever; and
an ammeter to measure a current flowed in the minute object when the holder and the cantilever are electrically continuous through the minute object,
wherein the holder has a pair of arms capable of gripping the minute object, and
wherein, when the minute object gripped by the pair of arms and the cantilever are in contact with each other, one of the arms and the cantilever are electrically continuous and the other arm and the cantilever are not electrically continuous.

7. The minute object characteristics measuring apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a measuring device to measure a displacement of the cantilever.

8. The minute object characteristics measuring apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the minute object characteristics measuring apparatus measures an electric resistance of the minute object.

9. The minute object characteristics measuring apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a voltmeter to measure a voltage applied to the minute object when the holder and the cantilever are electrically continuous through the minute object,
wherein the power source is an alternating-current power source, and
wherein the minute object characteristics measuring apparatus measures at least one of a dielectric constant or an electric resistance of the minute object.

10. A minute object characteristics measuring apparatus, comprising:
a holder to hold a minute object;
a cantilever to face the minute object held by the holder;
a measuring device to measure a displacement of the cantilever; and
a driver to drive one of the holder holding the minute object and the cantilever in a direction that the minute object held by the holder and the cantilever are brought close to or drawn away from each other,
wherein the holder has a pair of arms capable of gripping the minute object.

Assignees

• Yamaguchi Daichi
• Someno Shuusuke
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yamaguchi Daichi
• Someno Shuusuke

Classifications

• G01H17/00 Primary

  Measuring mechanical vibrations or ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves, not provided for in the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• G01Q20/02

  by optical means · CPC title