Patent · US Expired

Micropositioner systems and methods

US4789803A · kind A · utility

97Cited by
13References
37Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 4, 1987
Grant dateDec 6, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 4, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02N13/00
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system and method for controlling the position and movement of an object in up to six desired degrees of freedom. The system comprises an armature which is provided with a distribution of electric charge. The armature may also include one or more magnetized regions. The system further comprises a base having components that may be actively controlled so as to cause a force to be exerted on the electric charge distribution of the armature. By appropriately controlling the components of the base, the position and movement of the armature with respect to the base can be selectively controlled. The base may also include passive electric and/or magnetic components which assist in stabilizing the armature in one or more degrees of freedom. In addition, the base may be provided with position sensors which provide position information to control circuitry such that the position and movement of the armature with respect to the base can be controlled automatically.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.