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:
Feb. 06, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 06, 1998
Takashi Shirai, Tsukuba, JP;
Ken Murayama, Tsuchiura, JP;
Takafumi Morimoto, Kashiwa, JP;
Hiroshi Kuroda, Tsuchiura, JP;
Harumasa Onozato, Ohme, JP;
Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A stage unit used for moving a sample comprises a vertical stage for moving a sample stand in a vertical direction, a horizontal stage for moving the vertical stage in a horizontal direction. In the stage unit, the horizontal stage is fixed on a horizontal slide surface of a surface table and the vertical stage is slidably arranged on the slide surface. The vertical stage is coupled with the horizontal stage by means of plate springs having strong rigidity in the horizontal direction and weak rigidity in the vertical direction. The whole rigidity of the stage unit is determined only by the vertical stage and is not subject to the effect of the rigidity of the sections included in the horizontal stage and the rigidity of a driving section as to each axis direction. The rigidity of the stage unit can be increased. The standstill rigidity of the stage unit is determined only by the rigidity of the vertical stage. All stages of the stage unit are not piled up. Therefore the height of stage unit can be decreased as low as possible.