Other

California Institute of Technology

Interserv Corp.

Benjamin Joffe

Yoseph Bar-Cohen

Paul G Backes

Shyh-Shiuh Lih

Todd Johnson

Tom A Kerekes

Lawrence A Simon

Werner J Schrall

Magnetically stabilized precision table and load-carrying bearings

Magnetically stabilized couplings and bearings for use in mechanical drives

The present invention is an automated crawling robot system including a platform, a first leg assembly, a second leg assembly, first and second rails attached to the platform, and an onboard electronic computer controller. The first leg assembly has an intermittent coupling device and the second leg assembly has an intermittent coupling device for intermittently coupling the respective first and second leg assemblies to a particular object. The first and second leg assemblies are slidably coupled to the rail assembly and are slidably driven by motors to thereby allow linear movement. In addition, the first leg assembly is rotary driven by a rotary motor to thereby provide rotary motion relative to the platform. To effectuate motion, the intermittent coupling devices of the first and second leg assemblies alternately couple the respective first and second leg assemblies to an object. This motion is done while simultaneously moving one of the leg assemblies linearly in the desired direction and preparing the next step. This arrangement allows the crawler of the present invention to traverse an object in a range of motion covering 360 degrees.

Multifunction automated crawling system

A rotary-arm drive includes a wobble-absorbing magnetic bearing (WAMB). One end of the arm engages a load-carrying surface. The other end rotates with a power-carrying rotary shaft. The arm transmits power at least one way between surface and shaft. The WAMB is between the first end of the arm and the surface. As to one aspect of the invention, the WAMB directly transmits force mechanically, but absorbs mismatched motion, between end and surface. Preferably the bearing has at least two elements (more preferably rolling elements, ideally balls) fastened to neither the end nor the surface. As to a second aspect, the drive is a traveling antirotation module. The first end rides on a fixed guideway that defines the surface; the other is fixed to a mechanical element forming the shaft and travels, carrying the arm, along a drive direction and is subject to undesired rotation about the axis. Thus the arm and its engagement with the guideway help restrain the element against rotation. The WAMB, at the first end of the arm, includes (1) the surface defined by the guideway, and (2) at least one other bearing surface traveling with the element and arm, and is magnetically secured against the guideway via rolling elements to absorb arm-guideway wobble. Also preferably the arm separates from the guideway from time to time so that the rolling elements can recenter themselves relative to the other surface.

Advanced magnetically-stabilized couplings and bearings, for use in

Several aspects: (1) a wobble-absorbing magnetic bearing ('WAMB') has driving/driven surfaces, and magnetically clamped between them e. g. balls for free motion in one or more directions. A groove (preferably V-) in at least one surface guides the balls to limit motion as to one degree of freedom so the bearing transmits torque. (2) a WAMB system for a precision drive that transmits torque through a wobble absorber to move an object, guarded from transmitted-torque effects. Motion due to torque is best shunted to a passive surface using a partially floating member moved laterally by the motion, balls between floater and surface, and a magnet to clamp floater against surface, through the balls. (3) a torque-transmitting WAMB has unmagnetized bearing surfaces, with balls between for free motion of the surfaces in one direction; a magnet separate from all the surfaces and balls clamps the balls firmly between the surfaces. (4) a torque-transmitting WAMB with bearing surfaces, and balls between for free motion of the surfaces in one direction. At least one surface or ball is magnetized to clamp balls in place. A separate magnet augments firm clamping. (5) a WAMB without ferrolubricant, but with mutually facing bearing surfaces and between them permanent-magnet balls (best ceramic) for free motion of the surfaces in at least one direction. (6) a WAMB system to transmit force/torque but suppress lateral motion. Permanent-magnet balls, constrained against rolling through more than about 70.degree., between facing bearing surfaces permit smooth motion in at least one direction.

A traveling wave pump which employs one or more pairs of interfacing plates to transfer fluid (gas or liquid) from one or more inlets to one or more outlets. At least one of the plates in each pair of interfacing plates is driven so as to produce a flexure traveling wave therein. Actuators incorporating electroactive elements are used to drive the driven plates and create the flexure traveling wave. This wave causes chambers to form between the interfacing plates which move from one end of the driven plate to the other in the direction of the wave. Fluid is drawn into a forming chamber, and eventually the forming chamber closes trapping the fluid therein. The fluid is then transported through the pump by the now completely formed chamber as it propagates along the plate interface. If only one of the interfacing plates is driven, the other remains fixed in that no chambers are formed at its surface. However, where both plates are driven, the traveling waves therein are synchronized and coincident chambers are formed at the surface of both plates, thereby doubling the amount of fluid pumped. In addition, the flow direction can be changed by controlling the phase of the drive signals.

Traveling wave pump employing electroactive actuators

A mechanism to linearly drive an object has a driven member and a magnetic coupling--with first and second mutually facing elements which transmit longitudinal force but allow relative lateral motion that may be translational or rotational. In one form of the device a flange extends from one element, along a direction including a longitudinal component, to engage--through the intermediary of a set of balls--a surface on the other element. The surface and flange cooperate to constrain the two elements against relative lateral motion in at least one direction. Magnetic fields clamp the balls between the flange and surface, to eliminate play perpendicular to the surface, and permit relative motion parallel to the surface. Two stages in series transmit torque through the system but absorb transverse translational wobble. Another form of the device also absorbs transverse rotational wobble: instead of flange and surface, the coupling has two curved surfaces (which may be cylindrical or spherical) and balls between them. A driving member can be added, moving the driven member longitudinally when the driving member rotates; either is elongated.

Rotating drive magnetically coupled for producing linear motion

An apparatus and method for fabricating a flat panel display having a display area greater than 645 square centimeters. The flat panel display is comprised of an upper glass plate and a lower glass plate and has data generation material interposed between the upper glass plate and the lower glass plate. The flat panel display is formed by aligning the suitably etched upper glass plate with respect to the suitably etched lower glass plate in the X, Y, and Z planes. During formation, the upper glass plate has spacing devices disposed on the lower side thereof and the lower glass plate has bonding material deposited on the upper side thereof. The apparatus includes a lower plate XY stage device for supporting the lower glass plate, the lower plate XY stage device being adjustable in the X and Y planes. An upper plate positioning stage device is included for supporting the upper glass plate. The upper plate positioning stage device has gimbal devices that permit motion of the upper glass plate in the X, Y and Z planes and in pitch and yaw. A Z-axis drive device positions the upper plate with respect to the lower glass plate. A vacuum device draws a vacuum around and between the upper and lower glass plates, which vacuum urges the lower surface of the upper glass plate into parallel aligmnent with the upper surface of the lower glass plate, spaced apart by the spacing devices. An alignment device aligns the upper and lower glass plates while a curing device the sets of the bonding material, bonding the upper and lower glass plates together.

Apparatus for manufacturing liquid crystal display screens

A rotatable drive mechanism for producing linear motion of an object includes driving and driven members, one of which is elongated, and which act cooperatively through frictional engagement to produce longitudinal motion of the driven member. It also includes a magnetic coupling having at least first and second magnetizable members with mutually facing flat annular surfaces, a set of balls disposed in a generally annular arrangement between those flat surfaces, and magnetic means attracting the magnetizable members to each other. Respective ends of the magnetic coupling are fixedly secured to the driven member and to the object, respectively. Since the elements of the magnetic coupling, in and of themselves, would permit relative rotation of parts, which is undesired, provision is also made for restraining the undesired rotation of any part of the magnetic coupling. In a particular embodiment a second magnetic coupling, without balls between magnetizable members, is also used in opposing relation to the first coupling.

Several permanent magnets are on a playing surface, with all the magnetic field vectors perpendicular to the surface and oriented in common (pointing in the same direction) relative to the surface. A player positions a magnetic manipulator below the surface, and below a selected magnet on the surface, and controls the manipulator so that the selected magnet forms a predetermined array with at least one other magnet on the surface. The field of the manipulator interacts with those of the magnets on the surface to apply exclusively magnetic force or torque to the selected magnet or the other magnet on the surface, or both. The field vector of the manipulator may be oriented either (a) generally in common with those of magnets on the surface--to levitate the 'other' magnet above the selected magnet by an interactive magnetic-wedge effect--or (b) generally parallel to that of the selected magnet, but in opposition, to repel the selected magnet above the other magnet. Magnetic-field sensors or mechanical-pressure sensors are mounted on the individual magnets, with visible or audible indicator devices, to announce various kinds of events related to progress of the game.

Growing community of inventors

Chatsworth, CA, United States of America

Benjamin Joffe