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:
May. 14, 2013
Filed:
Feb. 04, 2009
James E. Tappan, Fremont, CA (US);
James E. Tappan, Fremont, CA (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
An auto-aligning linear motion apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a leadscrew. The apparatus also includes a nut arrangement configured to surround the leadscrew, wherein the nut arrangement includes at least a nut, a nut bracket, and a floating collar. A shoulder screw is inserted through a nut bracket slot of the nut bracket and a nut slot of the nut to rest at least partially within the floating collar. One dimension of the nut bracket slot is larger than a dimension through a cross-section area of the shoulder screw to enable the shoulder screw to move within the nut bracket slot to adjust the nut arrangement as the leadscrew is rotated to maintain a concentric relationship between the nut arrangement and the leadscrew.