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:
Jan. 22, 2008
Filed:
Jan. 24, 2005
William Culpi, Lake Forest, CA (US);
Thomas K. Rigney, Silverado, CA (US);
Karl R. Honigmann, Irvine, CA (US);
Aziz A. Mahmoud, Fountain Valley, CA (US);
William Culpi, Lake Forest, CA (US);
Thomas K. Rigney, Silverado, CA (US);
Karl R. Honigmann, Irvine, CA (US);
Aziz A. Mahmoud, Fountain Valley, CA (US);
Newport Corporation, Irvine, CA (US);
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a linear actuator in which the play and backlash in the linear motion of a stepper motor is reduced through the use of a torsion spring coupled to the stepper motor splined shaft. Also, embodiments of the invention include a controller designed for holding in the hand or mounting to a table with a bi-directional self-zeroing control knob which controls actuator speed and displacement. A flash memory unit may be included in some embodiments in order to save position information and other information about the linear actuator when power to the linear actuator is stopped.