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:
Mar. 27, 2007
Filed:
Jun. 25, 2004
John C. Tsai, Saratoga, CA (US);
John C. Tsai, Saratoga, CA (US);
Excel Precision Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method establishing a reference point for a machine tool with X-, Y-, and Z-stages. A YZ-plane is established by reflecting a light beam off an X-stage reflector such that the light beam is sensed at an interference detector. The X-stage is moved while repositioning the head and reflector and maintaining sensing. An optical alignment module (OAM) is mounted optically perpendicular to the beam, with a bending mirror centered at the Z-axis. The Z-axis is established by setting the bending mirror to deflect the beam to the Z-axis, reflecting it off of a Z-stage reflector so it is sensed, and moving the Z-stage while repositioning the OAM relative to the X- and Y-axes to maintain sensing. An XY-plane is established by bending mirror deflecting the beam to the Y-axis, reflecting it off of a Y-stage reflector so it is sensed, and moving the Y-stage while repositioning the Y-reflector relative to the X- and Z-axes to maintain sensing.