The invention relates to a positioning stage used for observation, inspection, measurement, or production.
In the past, a positioning stage for positioning an object for manufacture or the like of electronic equipment has been used. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. S60-39044 discloses a positioning stage wherein an XY table apparatus in which a table is moved in X-axis and Y-axis directions by a screw mechanism. The XY table apparatus permits fine adjustment of the position of an object by jogging a fine adjusting member to which an object to be positioned is installed while supporting the fine adjusting member with a fluid. However, a large XY table apparatus used for large objects is required to be equipped with a large-scale fluid controller. Furthermore, it is not easy to control fluids. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H11-95123 discloses another positioning stage comprising a microscope stage for positioning specimens to be observed. The microscope stage allows an object to be moved in an electromotive mode or a manual mode. However, the microscope stage is designed for minute objects, so that it is not easy to directly apply its structure for a larger stage.
Thus, there is a need for a positioning stage that can be large-sized. Specifically, there is a need for a positioning stage that can be constructed so as to be lightweight when it is large-sized and that enables easy and accurate positioning.
A positioning stage in accordance with the invention includes a base having a first rail on its top surface, a first table slidable along the first rail and having a second rail perpendicular to the first rail on its top surface, a first joint (coupler) freely movable together with the first table toward the first rail relative to the base, a first clutch for fixing the first joint to the base or releasing it from the base, a first forcibly-moving means for moving the first table toward the first rail relative to the first joint, a second table slidable along the second rail, a second joint freely movable together with the second table toward the second rail relative to the first rail, a second clutch for fixing the second joint to the first table or releasing it from the first table, and a second forcibly-moving means for moving the second table toward the second rail relative to the second joint. In the present specification, the concept of “directions” includes both positive vectors and negative vectors.
A positioning stage in accordance with the invention includes a base having a rail on its top surface, a table slidable along the rail, a joint freely movable together with the table toward the rail relative to the base, a clutch for fixing the joint to the base or releasing it from the base, and a forcibly-moving means for moving the table toward the rail relative to the joint.
A positioning stage of the invention has a structure in which a joint is fixed to a base or a first table by a clutch and a table position is finely adjusted by moving the table relative to the joint. It enables a smaller fine-adjustment mechanism. Therefore, the positioning stage of the invention can be constructed so as to be lightweight and compact even if it is large-sized. In other words, the positioning stage according to the invention is capable of easy fine adjustment of an object position and of coping with a demand for a larger positioning stage. For example, a positioning stage with sides of approximately 1 meter can be constructed to be lightweight and compact.
These and other aspects of the invention are described in further detail below.
An embodiment of a positioning stage in accordance with the invention will now be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The base 12 has two first rails 20(1) that are mounted on a top surface 18 such that they are parallel to the Y-axis. The base 12 also has a plate 22(1) mounted on the top surface 18 such that it is parallel to the first rails 20(1).
The Y-axis direction positioning means 14 moves and positions objects in the Y-axis direction. The Y-axis direction positioning means 14 has a first table 24(1), a first joint 26(1), a first clutch 28(1), and a first forcibly-moving means 30(1). The first joint 26(1) and the first clutch 28(1) are built into the first table 24(1), thus preventing an operator from accidentally pinching his/her fingers by these components. This arrangement of mechanical structure enhances the safety and appearance of the positioning stage 10.
As shown in
The first joint 26(1) is built into the first table 24(1) and connected to the first table 24(1) through the intermediary of the first forcibly-moving means 30(1). The first joint 26(1) can be connected to the plate 22(1) through the intermediary of the first clutch 28(1). This structure enables the first joint 26(1) to connect the first table 24(1) and the base 12 through the intermediary of the plate 22(1). The first joint 26(1) becomes free to travel together with the first table 24(1) toward the first rails 20(1) relative to the base 12 when the first clutch 28(1) is released.
The first clutch 28(1) built into the first table 24(1) is comprised of a first clamping mechanism and a clutch driving device, the structure being identical to that of a second clutch 28(2). Hence, detailed explanation of the first clutch 28(1) is true of the explanation of the second clutch 28(2).
The first forcibly-moving means 30(1) is comprised of a male screw 44(1) that is threaded into a female screw 42(1) of the first joint 26(1) and connected to the first table 24(1) such that it can be rotated but cannot be moved to axial direction, and a knob 46(1) for rotating the male screw 44(1) by hand. The first forcibly-moving means 30(1) is capable of moving the first table 24(1) toward the first rails 20(1) relative to the first joint 26(1) by rotating the knob 46(1). The first forcibly-moving means 30(1) is capable of moving the first table 24(1) by the screw mechanism, so that it is capable of fine adjusting the first table 24(1).
The X-axis direction positioning means 16 moves and positions objects in the Y-axis direction. The X-axis direction positioning means 16 has a second table 24(2), a second joint 26(2), a second clutch 28(2), and a second forcibly-moving means 30(2). The second joint 26(2) and the second clutch 28(2) are built into the second table 24(2), thus preventing an operator from accidentally pinching his/her fingers or the like by these components. This arrangement of mechanical structure enhances the safety and appearance of the positioning stage 10. Moreover, the X-axis direction positioning means 16 has the second joint 26(2) and the second clutch 28(2) compactly integrated in the table 24(2), making it easy to reduce contamination from this mechanism.
Grooves (not shown) in the bottom surface of the second table 24(2) are slidably engaged with the second rails 20(2) so as to be slidable along the second rails 20(2). The top surface 34(2) of the second table 24(2) is formed to be flat to allow an object to be mounted thereon.
The second joint 26(2) is built into the second table 24(2) and connected to the second table 24(2) through the intermediary of the second forcibly-moving means 30(2), as shown in
The second clutch 28(2) built into the second table 24(2) is comprised of a second clamping mechanism 48(2) and a clutch driving means 50(2), as shown in
Referring to
Furthermore, in the positioning stage 10, second switches 62(2) for driving the air cylinder 60(2) are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the second table 24(2). The positions of first switches for driving an air cylinder 60(1) are not particularly restricted as long as they are on the outer peripheral surface of the positioning stage 10. A handle 64 for moving the second table 24(2) with the like of by hand is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the second table 24(2). The second switches 62(2) are provided on the right and left sides, respectively, of the handle 64 so as to be compatible whether an operator who holds the handle and presses the second switch 62(2) with his/her thumb is right-handed or left-handed.
The operator who tries to align, by using the positioning stage 10 having the structure described above, loads the second table 24(2) with the object at first. Then, the operator releases the clutches 28(1) and (2) so as to set the first table 24(1) free to move in the Y-axis direction and the second table 24(2) free to move in the X-axis direction. In this state, the operator holds the handle 64 and moves the first table 24(1) in the Y-axis direction and the second table 24(2) in the X-axis direction, respectively, thereby to move the object to the vicinity of a target position. Moving the object to the vicinity of the target position is easier than doing by a motorized mechanism, since it is performed by hand in a freely movable state. In addition, an operation such as to keep pressing a switch to drive motorized mechanism is not required, so that the object is quickly moved to the vicinity of the target position.
Then, the clutch 28(1) is operated by pressing the first switch to secure the joint 26(1) to the base 2 through the intermediary of the plate 22(1). Furthermore, the clutch 28(2) is operated by pressing the second switch 62(2) to secure the joint 26(2) to the first table 24(1) through the intermediary of the plate 22(2). The first switch and the second switch 62(2) accomplish instant changeover from a free travel mode to a fine adjusting mode. In this state, the knob 46(1) is rotated to move the first table 24(1) in the Y-axis direction relative to the joint 26(1). Since the joint 26(1) is secured to the base 12, the first table 24(1) is moved in the Y-axis direction relative to the base 12 when the knob 46(1) is rotated.
Similarly, the knob 46(2) is rotated to move the second table 24(2) in the X-axis direction relative to the first table 24(1). This operation will be explained in detail in conjunction with
As described above, the clutches 28(1) and 28(2) are released to move the object on the second table 24(2) by hand, and then the clutches 28(1) and 28(2) are secured and the knobs 46(1) and 46(2) are rotated to fine adjust the object position. Thus this structure makes it possible to position the object accurately and quickly.
The above has described one embodiment of the invention. The invention can be implemented by other embodiment.
For example, the positioning stage 10 may be provided with a line sensor for measuring a travel distance DY1 of the first joint 26(1) in relation to the base 12 in the free travel mode, a line sensor for measuring a travel distance DY2 of the first table 24(1) in relation to the first joint 26(1) in the fine adjusting mode, a line sensor for measuring a travel distance DX1 of the second joint 26(2) in relation to the first table 24(1) in the free travel mode, and a line sensor for measuring a travel distance DX2 of the second table 24(2) in relation to the second joint 26(2) in the fine adjusting mode. Referring to
The positioning stage 10 may alternatively be provided with a Y-axis fast moving servomotor 70(1) for moving the first joint 26(1) relative to the base 12 at high speed in a free mode, a Y-axis fine adjusting servomotor 72(1) for moving the first table 24(1) relative to the first joint 26(1) in a fine adjusting mode, an X-axis fast moving servomotor 70(2) for moving the second joint 26(2) relative to the first table 24(1) at high speed in a free mode, and an X-axis fine adjusting servomotor 72(2) for moving the second table 24(2) relative to the second joint 26(2) in a fine adjusting mode. In this case, a control system shown in
The positioning stage 10 may be equipped with a vernier scale 82 having a main scale 78 provided on the first table 24(1) and a vernier scale 80 provided on the second table 24(2), as shown in
The first rails and the second rails of the positioning stage 10 may have a groove-like shape rather than the projecting-upward shape as in the rails 20(1) and 20(2). For example, the rails may be formed of first rails 84(1), as shown in
The clutch of the positioning stage 10 may be a clutch 90(2) for rotating pressing members 54(2) by an electromagnet 88(2), as shown in
Alternatively, the clutch of the positioning stage 10 may be a clutch 92(2) provided with projections 90(2) in the vicinity of the distal ends of the pressing members 54(2), as shown in
The X-axis direction positioning means of the positioning stage 10 may be formed of an X-axis direction positioning means 106 shown in
The positioning stage in accordance with the invention may be a positioning stage 96 shown in
The positioning stage in accordance with the invention may be a positioning stage 98 shown in
The positioning stage in accordance with the invention may be a positioning stage 120 shown in
The technological scope of the invention is intended to cover various improvements, changes, or modifications on the basis of the knowledge of persons skilled in the art within the sprit thereof. Furthermore, the invention may be implemented in the form of modes wherein any particular aspects of the invention are substituted by other technologies within a range wherein the same operations or advantages are obtained.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2003-177545 | Jun 2003 | JP | national |