The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 04, 1977
Filed:
Nov. 19, 1975
James L Johnson, San Jose, CA (US);
Russell K Brunner, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Xerox Corporation, Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A linear actuator for selectively moving a carriage relative to a support frame along a predefined linear path. The linear actuator includes a drive shaft having a cylindrical surface fabricated of a first material, means for rotatably mounting the drive shaft to the frame for rotation of the drive shaft about the axis of the cylindrical surface, means coupled to the drive shaft for rotating the drive shaft about such axis, a carriage to be driven, a roller having a peripheral surface fabricated of a second material which is less hard than the first material, means for mounting the roller to the carriage with the roller being rotatable about a first axis, means for mounting the carriage to the support frame with the carriage being movable relative to the support frame along the predefined linear path and with the peripheral surface of the roller being in frictional engagement with the cylindrical surface of the drive shaft whereby the roller is caused to rotate about its first axis by rotation of the drive shaft when the first axis is parallel to the axis of the drive shaft and is additionally caused to move along the predefined linear path during rotation of the drive shaft when the first axis is oblique to the axis of the drive shaft, and means for controllably pivoting the roller about its second axis to control movement of the roller and thus the carriage along the predefined linear path.