Nippon Thompson Co., Ltd.

Seiji Takei

Takehiko Hara

Norimasa Agari

Kouji Obara

Azuyasu Kitayama

A direct current linear motor including a primary side having plural armature coils, and a secondary side having two movable tables each with a field magnet. The primary and secondary sides are disposed for relative motion, and the field magnet on each movable table is disposed in opposition to the armature coils. The field magnet on one movable table is offset in a first direction transverse to a direction of relative motion of the primary side and the secondary side, and the field magnet on the other movable table is offset in a second direction opposite the first direction. A first group of position detection devices is disposed on one side of the armature coils, and a second group of position detection devices is disposed on an opposite side of the armature coils. Each one of the position detection devices of the first group and the second group correspond to a respective one of the armature coils. For each armature coil, the position detection device of the first group is disposed proximate one corner of the armature coil and the position detection device of the second group is disposed proximate a diagonally opposite corner of the armature coil.

Drive apparatus of a direct current linear motor having two or more

An XY drive apparatus is described that is thin and enables the performing of both high-precision and high-speed work. The above advantages are achieved by using flat linear electromagnetic actuators for the driving source that perform high-speed work. In addition, these linear electromagnetic actuators are arranged on both sides of the apparatus, thereby preventing deviations in operation between both sides to achieve highly accurate positioning.

XY drive apparatus equipped with a linear electromagnetic actuator

An object measuring apparatus for measuring the dimensions of an object, and controlling the pushing pressure of a probe that makes contact with the measured object. A table is movably mounted on a base member, a drive unit includes armature coils on the base member and a field magnet on the table, and a probe is fastened to the table and driven along the base member by the drive unit. A linear magnetic scale is provided on the base member, and a magnetic sensor portion is provided on the table. A measuring position detection sensor on the probe detects the object to be measured. An output from the measuring position detection sensor indicating that an object has been detected, and the pulse output generated by relative movement of the sensor portion and the scale, are supplied to a processing unit to calculate the dimensions of the object. The thrust of the probe is nearly proportional to the drive current supplied to the armature coils, so that the thrust of the probe unit can be controlled before determining the dimensions of the object.

Object measuring apparatus

The linear direct current motor is described that is able to maintain stable thrust at all times regardless of changes in the relative positions of the primary and secondary sides. The endmost magnetic poles of a field magnet are used as non-detected magnetic poles with respect to magnetic pole discrimination elements, while these non-detected magnetic poles are used only as driving magnets for generation of thrust, thereby reducing the range of variation in the number of conductors of armature coils that actually generate thrust. In addition, since the drive current supplied to the armature coils is in the form of a constant current, changes in thrust can be further reduced.

Linear direct current motor

A linear direct current motor in which one of the primary and secondary sides is provided with two rows of field magnets that are shifted in phase by 1/8 with respect to each other so that different thrust is obtained from each row of field magnets, but the combined thrust is less variable as compared to a single row of field magnets, and there is less thrust ripple.

A drive unit including a curved track rail having a first radius of curvature, a curved slide member which moves along the track rail and has a second radius of curvature substantially equal to the first radius of curvature, and a driving device such as an electromagnetic actuator for driving the slide member along the track rail. The driving device includes a primary side connected to the track rail and a secondary side connected to the slide member, and the drive unit may also include a position detecting device connected to the slide member and a flexible substrate connected between the position detecting device and the primary side for transmitting and receiving electrical signals indicative of a relative position of the slide member. The flexible substrate is disposed so as to be flexible in a radial direction of the track rail and the slide member.

Drive unit

A linear electromagnetic actuator and drive unit are described that ensure high durability for the wiring used for signal transmission, minimize the effect of the friction of said wiring on the operation of the moving portion to enable the obtaining of a highly precise operating state, achieve both reduced costs and compact size, and are able to maintain the function of the wiring itself for a long time. The above effects are obtained by using a printed wiring substrate for the wiring, and providing a sliding member that guides the printed wiring substrate by sliding on it.

Linear electromagnetic actuator and a drive unit on which it is equipped

A linear motion rolling guide unit in which the ball retaining capability of retainer bands for retaining balls is improved by increasing the holding area and rigidity thereof. Each of the retainer bands extends along the relative raceway groove in a casing, and is fitted in a non-contacting state, i.e., loosely in the relative retainer band fitting groove formed along a raceway groove in a side surface of a track rail, the retainer band being formed so that both of longitudinal corner portions thereof which continue from the ball retaining surface thereof have an acute angle. The width of the ball retaining ball-opposed surface of the retainer band is set larger than that of a rear surface thereof which is on the opposite side of the ball retaining surface, i.e., the retainer band is formed to a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional shape.

Linear motion rolling guide unit

A drive apparatus equipped with a ball screw and a plurality of nuts achieves compact size while maintaining output. The above-mentioned effect is obtained by employing ultrasonic motors, concentric with the nuts and ballscrews, which are flat and able to maintain a high output, for driving the nuts.

Drive apparatus having a ball screw using ultrasonic motors concentric

A linear direct current motor is described that is able to maintain stable thrust at all times regardless of changes in the relative positions of the primary and secondary sides. The endmost magnetic poles of a field magnet are used as non-detected magnetic poles with respect to magnetic pole discrimination elements, while these non-detected magnetic poles are used only as driving magnets for generation of thrust. Consequently, the effect of the present invention is able to be obtained by reducing the range of variation in the number of armature coil conductors that actually produce thrust.

A drive apparatus equipped with a ball screw which drastically improves the feeding accuracy of the driven members. The drive apparatus is equipped with detecting devices that have mutually different resolutions so as to detect the amount of rotation of each of a plurality of nuts possessed by the ball screw, thereby improving the overall resolution of the apparatus.

Drive apparatus equipped with a ball screw and an XY drive apparatus

The present invention relates to a linear encoder that does not require the connection cable to be pulled around and has a simple constitution, while also contributing to smooth operation of the moving side as well as reduced size of the apparatus. In addition, the present invention also relates to a guide wherein a guiding device composed of a track rail and so forth is added to the linear encoder. In addition to arranging a plurality of detecting elements composed of electromagnetic conversion elements and so forth at prescribed intervals along the direction of relative motion on the stationary side, a detected element composed of a permanent magnet is arranged so as to oppose the above-mentioned detecting elements on the moving side, thus obtaining the above-mentioned effects.

Linear encoder and a guide unit on which it is equipped

A rolling guide unit is disclosed of the curved movement type that together with achieving increased load capacity and rigidity, improved vibration damping characteristics, low noise levels, smooth operation and an extended service life, also demonstrates adequate functions particularly with respect to generated centrifugal force. The above-mentioned effects are obtained by employing a cross roller system in particular.

Rolling guide unit

A direct current linear motor and drive unit are described which, together with contributing to reduced size of the apparatus and so forth on which they are equipped, achieve reduction of costs. These effects are achieved by separating at least one of each of the separate portions of a coil substrate and circuit substrate for at least two armature coils and its drive circuit each, and either connecting with a long, unseparated substrate or removing at least one of the separate portions to shorten said long substrate, thereby allowing an optimum stroke to be obtained which coincides with the operating stroke required by the apparatus and so forth on which it is to be equipped. In addition, a direct current linear motor is described which achieves reduction of costs by reducing the number of parts. This effect is achieved by providing a plurality of spacers for preventing deformation of a coil substrate caused by tightening force during fastening of that coil substrate, and forming each into a single unit.

Direct current linear motor and a guide unit on which it is equipped

A drive apparatus equipped with a ball screw and has nuts fitted onto a screw shaft to be approaching each other. Ends of the nuts are coupled to each other while being able to rotate freely with respect to each other. The screw shaft has two opposing threads formed thereon which are engaged respectively with the nuts.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Seiji Takei