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:
Apr. 11, 1995
Filed:
Aug. 10, 1993
Allen C Ward, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
The Regents of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
This invention relates to a machine tool providing a unique approach towards positioning and movement for a workpiece and tool in numerical control machine tool applications. The goal is to provide decrease machine costs and maintenance. Current machine tools such as milling machines principally rely on linear sliding mechanisms to position a table and workpiece relative to a spindle and provide motion for cutting. In accordance with this invention motion and positioning is achieved through less cost and readily available mechanisms through use of a plurality of revolute joints. Arms are provided having tangential actuators featuring extremely high stiffness and zero backlash actuator capable of a high degree of positioning accuracy. The arms resemble three dimensional truss structures for added structural stiffness characteristics. Preferably a cable drum type tangential actuator is employed in conjunction with this invention. A number of revolute arms can be linked together each providing revolute motion about offset axes to provide number of degrees of revolute motion required for a given application.