Position control system using magnetic force

Claim 2

A position control system using magnetic force, comprising: a controlled object having one portion composed of a magnetic substance; an electromagnet responsive to a control current applied thereto for developing a magnetic field and having at least one pole opposed to the magnetic substance of said controlled object and spaced therefrom to define an air gap therebetween, whereby the magnetic substance, the air gap and the electromagnet define a magnetic circuit having a magnetic flux density and which develops a magnetic force proportional to said magnetic field; preset means for presetting the width of said air gap to a distance greater than a predetermined width when the magnitude of said control current is zero; mounting means mounting said controlled object for movement along one axis and including at least one spring for developing an elastic force opposing said magnetic force; and control means coupled to said electromagnet for controlling the magnitude of said control current of said electromagnet to selectively adjust said magnetic force to effect the movement of said controlled object along said axis, whereby the position of said controlled object is varied to reach a selected position along said one axis in response to controlled adjustments to said control current and the operable range of said movement is defined by the magnetic flux of said magnetic circuit which substantially saturates when said air gap reaches a predetermined distance thereby defining a maximum magnetic force balanced with said elastic force developed by said spring.

Claim 3

A position control system according to claim 1, in which said electromagnet has a plurality of poles disposed in a line and comprises a U-shaped magnetic substance having no hysteresis magnetic characteristic and a control coil wound on said U-shaped magnetic substance, the two poles of said U-shaped magnetic substance being opposed to said magnetic substance of said controlled object.

Claim 4

A position control system according to claim 2, in which said electromagnet has at least one pair of auxiliary magnetic poles spaced from each other to define an air gap therebetween having a magnetic resistance less than that of said air gap between said magnetic substance and said electromagnet, thereby effecting the leakage of the magnetic flux of said magnetic circuit before the magnetic flux density of said magnetic circuit completely saturates.

Claim 5

A position control system according to claim 1, in which said mounting means comprises a fixed base and a pair of plate springs disposed in parallel with each other and at right angles to said axis, and in which one edge of each of said plate springs is coupled to said controlled object and the other edge of each of said plate springs is fixed to said fixed base.

Claim 6

A position control system according to claim 1, further comprising measuring means for measuring the distance between said controlled object and a refernce position, conversion means coupled to said measuring means for converting the measured distance to a controlled digital value, input means for temporarily storing an input digital value representative of said desired position of said controlled object, a comparator coupled to said conversion means and said input means for producing a difference value equal to the difference between said controlled digital value and said input digital value, means coupled to said comparator and said control means for controlling said control means to vary said control current in response to said difference value to reduce the difference to zero.

Claim 7

A position control system using magnetic force, comprising: a controlled object Having one portion composed of a magnetic substance; a first electromagnet responsive to a first control current applied thereto for developing magnetic flux and having at least one pole opposed to the magnetic substance of said controlled object and spaced therefrom to define a first air gap therebetween whereby said magnetic substance, said first air gap and said first electromagnet define a first magnetic circuit having a magnetic flux density controlled by said first control current and developing a first magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said first control current; a second electromagnet responsive to a second control current applied thereto for developing magnetic flux and having at least one pole opposed to the magnetic substance of said controlled object and spaced therefrom to define a second air gap therebetween, whereby said magnetic substance, said second air gap and said second electromagnet define a second magnetic circuit having a magnetic flux density controlled by said second control current and developing a second magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said second control current; first presetting means for presetting the width of said first air gap to a distance greater than a first predetermined width when the magnitude of said first control current of the first electromagnet is equal to zero; second presetting means for presetting the width of said second air gap to a distance greater than a second predetermined width when the magnitude of said second control current of the second electromagnet is equal to zero; mounting means mounting said controlled object for movement along two orthogonal axes and including at least two springs connected to said controlled object developing elastic forces opposing said magnetic forces; first control means coupled to said first electromagnet for controlling the magnitude of said first control current of said first electromagnet to selectively adjust said first magnetic force to effect movement of said controlled object along one axis whereby the position of said controlled object is varied to reach a selected position along said one axis in response to controlled adjustments to said first control current and the operable range of said movement is defined by the magnetic flux density of said first magnetic circuit which substantially saturates when said first air gap reaches a predetermined first distance thereby defining a first maximum magnetic force balanced with said elastic force developed by one of said two springs; and second control means coupled to said second electromagnet for controlling the magnitude of said second control current of said second electromagnet to selectively adjust said second magnetic force to effect movement of said controlled object along the other axis whereby the position of said controlled object is varied to reach a desired position along said other axis in response to controlled adjustments to said second control current and the operable range of said movement is defined by the magnetic flux density of said second magnetic circuit which substantially saturates when said second air gap reaches a predetermined second distance thereby defining a second maximum magnetic force balanced with said elastic force developed by the other of said two springs.

Claim 8

A position control system using magnetic force, comprising: a controlled object Having one portion composed of a magnetic substance; a first electromagnet responsive to a first control current applied thereto for developing magnetic flux and having at least one pole opposed to the magnetic substance of said controlled object and spaced therefrom to define a first air gap therebetween whereby said magnetic substance, said first air gap and said first electromagnet define a first magnetic circuit having a magnetic flux density controlled by said first control current and developing a first magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said first control current; a second electromagnet responsive to a second control current applied thereto for developing magnetic flux and having at least one pole opposed to the magnetic substance of said controlled object and spaced therefrom to define a second air gap therebetween, whereby said magnetic substance, said second air gap and said second electromagnet define a second magnetic circuit having a magnetic flux density controlled by said second control current and developing a second magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said second control current; first presetting means for presetting the width of said first air gap to a distance greater than a first predetermined width when the magnitude of said first control current of the first electromagnet is equal to zero; second presetting means for presetting the width of said second air gap to a distance greater than a second predetermined width when the magnitude of said second control current of the second electromagnet is equal to zero; mounting means mounting said controlled object for movement along two orthogonal axes and including at least two springs connected to said controlled object developing elastic forces opposing said magnetic forces; first control means coupled to said first electromagnet for controlling the magnitude of said first control current of said first electromagnet to selectively adjust said first magnetic force to effect movement of said controlled object along one axis whereby the position of said controlled object is varied to reach a selected position along said one axis in response to controlled adjustments to said first control current and the operable range of said movement is defined by the magnetic flux density of said first magnetic circuit which substantially saturates when said first air gap reaches a predetermined first distance thereby defining a first maximum magnetic force balanced with said elastic force developed by one of said two springs; and second control means coupled to said second electromagnet for controlling the magnitude of said second control current of said second electromagnet to selectively adjust said second magnetic force to effect movement of said controlled object along the other axis whereby the position of said controlled object is varied to reach a desired position along said other axis in response to controlled adjustments to said second control current and the operable range of said movement is defined by the magnetic flux density of said second magnetic circuit which substantially saturates when said second air gap reaches a predetermined second distance thereby defining a second maximum magnetic force balanced with said elastic force developed by the other of said two springs.

Claim 9

A position control system according to claim 6, in which said first electromagnet and said second electromagnet each have a plurality of poles disposed in a line and comprising a U-shaped magnetic substance having two poles and having no hysteresis magnetic characteristic and a control coil wound on said U-shaped magnetic substance, the two poles of said U-shaped magnetic substance being o-posed to said magnetic substance of the controlled object.

Claim 10

A position control system according to claim 7, in which said first and second electromagnets each have at least one pair of opposed magnetic poles spaced from each other to define an air gap therebetween having a magnetic resiStance less than that of each of said first and second air gaps, thereby effecting the leakage of the magnetic flux of each of said first magnetic circuit and said second magnetic circuit before the magnetic flux density of corresponding one of said first magnetic circuit and said second magnetic circuit completely saturates.

Claim 11

A position control system according to claim 6, in which said mounting means comprises a movable supporting plate, a fixed base, two pairs of plate springs, one pair of said plate springs disposed in parallel with each other and at right angles to said one axis, the other pair of said plate springs disposed in parallel with each other and at right angles to said other axis, one pair of said plate springs having one edge of each spring coupled to said controlled object and having the other edge of each spring coupled to said movable supporting plate and the other pair of said plate springs having an edge of each spring coupled to said movable supporting plate and having the other edge of said other pair of said plate springs fixed to said fixed base.

Claim 12

A position control system according to claim 6, in which said mounting means comprises a fixed base, two pair of bar springs disposed in parallel and having one end of each of said bar springs coupled to said controlled object and having the other end of said bar springs fixed to said fixed base.

Claim 13

A position control system according to claim 6, in which said mounting means comprises a fixed base, two pair of non-elastic ropes having one end of each connected to said fixed base and the other ends connected to said controlled object, and two coil springs one connected between said controlled object and said fixed base to resist motion along said one axis and the other between said controlled object and said fixed base to resist motion along said other axis.

Claim 14

A position control system according to claim 6, further comprising for each electromagnet, means for measuring the distance between said controlled object and a reference position, conversion means coupled to said means for measuring for converting the measured distance to a controlled digital value, input means for temporarily storing an input digital value representative of said desired position of said controlled object, a comparator coupled to said conversion means and said input means for producing a difference value equal to the difference between said controlled digital value and said input digital value, means coupled to said comparator and the corresponding one of said control means for controlling said control means to vary said control current in response to said difference value to reduce the difference value to zero.

Claim 15

A position control system using magnetic force, comprising: a controlled object having one portion composed of a magnetic substance; a first electromagnet responsive to a first control current applied thereto for developing magnetic flux and having at least one pole opposed to the magnetic substance of said controlled object and spaced therefrom to define a first air gap therebetween whereby said magnetic substance, said first air gap and said first electromagnet define a first magnetic circuit having a magnetic flux density controlled by said first control current and developing a first magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said first control current; a second electromagnet responsive to a second control current applied thereto for developing magnetic flux and having at least one pole opposed to the magnetic substance of said controlled object and spaced therefrom to define a second air gap therebetween whereby said magnetic substance, said second air gap and said second electromagnet define a second magnetic circuit having a magnetic flux density controlled by said second control current and developing a second magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said second control current; a third electromagnet responsive to a third control current applIed thereto for developing magnetic flux and having at least one pole opposed to the magnetic substance of said controlled object and spaced therefrom to define a third air gap therebetween whereby said magnetic substance, said third air gap and said third electromagnet define a third magnetic circuit having a magnetic flux density controlled by said third control current and developing a third magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said third control current; first presetting means for presetting the width of said first air gap to a distance greater than a first predetermined width when the magnitude of said first control current of the first electromagnet is equal to zero; second presetting means for presetting the width of said second air gap to a distance greater than a second predetermined width when the magnitude of said second control current of the second electromagnet is equal to zero; third presetting means for presetting the width of said third air gap to a distance greater than a third predetermined width when the magnitude of said third control current of the third electromagnet is equal to zero; mounting means mounting said controlled object for movement along three orthogonal axes and including at least three springs connected to said controlled object developing elastic forces opposing said magnetic forces; first control means coupled to said first electromagnet for controlling the magnitude of said first control current of said first electromagnet to selectively adjust said first magnetic force to effect movement of said controlled object along a first axis whereby the position of said controlled object is varied to reach a selected position along said first axis in response to controlled adjustments to said first control current and the operable range of said movement is defined by the magnetic flux density of said first magnetic circuit which substantially saturates when said first air gap reaches a predetermined first distance thereby defining a first maximum magnetic force balanced with said elastic force developed by a first one of said three springs; and second control means coupled to said second electromagnet for controlling the magnitude of said second control current of said second electromagnet to selectively adjust said second magnetic force to effect movement of said controlled object along a second axis whereby the position of said controlled object is varied to reach a desired position along said second axis in response to controlled adjustments to said second control current and the operable range of said movement is defined by the magnetic flux density of said second magnetic circuit which substantially saturates when said second air gap reaches a predetermined second distance thereby defining a second maximum magnetic force balanced with said elastic force developed by a second one of said three springs; and third control means coupled to said third electromagnet for controlling the magnitude of said third control current of said third electromagnet to selectively adjust said third magnetic force to effect movement of said controlled object along a third axis whereby the position of said controlled object is varied to reach a desired position along said third axis in response to controlled adjustments to said third control current and the operable range of said movement is defined by the magnetic flux density of said third magnetic circuit which substantially saturates when said third air gap reaches a predetermined third distance thereby defining a third maximum magnetic force balanced with an elastic force developed by the third of said three springs.

Claim 16

A position control system using magnetic force, comprising: a controlled object having one portion composed of a magnetic substance; a first electromagnet responsive to a first control current applied thereto for developing magnetic flux and having at least one pole opposed to the magnetic substance of said controlled object and spaced therefrom to define a first air gap therebetween whereby said magnetic substance, said first air gap and said first electromagnet define a first magnetic circuit having a magnetic flux density controlled by said first control current and developing a first magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said first control current; a second electromagnet responsive to a second control current applied thereto for developing magnetic flux and having at least one pole opposed to the magnetic substance of said controlled object and spaced therefrom to define a second air gap therebetween whereby said magnetic substance, said second air gap and said second electromagnet define a second magnetic circuit having a magnetic flux density controlled by said second control current and developing a second magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said second control current; a third electromagnet responsive to a third control current applIed thereto for developing magnetic flux and having at least one pole opposed to the magnetic substance of said controlled object and spaced therefrom to define a third air gap therebetween whereby said magnetic substance, said third air gap and said third electromagnet define a third magnetic circuit having a magnetic flux density controlled by said third control current and developing a third magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said third control current; first presetting means for presetting the width of said first air gap to a distance greater than a first predetermined width when the magnitude of said first control current of the first electromagnet is equal to zero; second presetting means for presetting the width of said second air gap to a distance greater than a second predetermined width when the magnitude of said second control current of the second electromagnet is equal to zero; third presetting means for presetting the width of said third air gap to a distance greater than a third predetermined width when the magnitude of said third control current of the third electromagnet is equal to zero; mounting means mounting said controlled object for movement along three orthogonal axes and including at least three springs connected to said controlled object developing elastic forces opposing said magnetic forces; first control means coupled to said first electromagnet for controlling the magnitude of said first control current of said first electromagnet to selectively adjust said first magnetic force to effect movement of said controlled object along a first axis whereby the position of said controlled object is varied to reach a selected position along said first axis in response to controlled adjustments to said first control current and the operable range of said movement is defined by the magnetic flux density of said first magnetic circuit which substantially saturates when said first air gap reaches a predetermined first distance thereby defining a first maximum magnetic force balanced with said elastic force developed by a first one of said three springs; and second control means coupled to said second electromagnet for controlling the magnitude of said second control current of said second electromagnet to selectively adjust said second magnetic force to effect movement of said controlled object along a second axis whereby the position of said controlled object is varied to reach a desired position along said second axis in response to controlled adjustments to said second control current and the operable range of said movement is defined by the magnetic flux density of said second magnetic circuit which substantially saturates when said second air gap reaches a predetermined second distance thereby defining a second maximum magnetic force balanced with said elastic force developed by a second one of said three springs; and third control means coupled to said third electromagnet for controlling the magnitude of said third control current of said third electromagnet to selectively adjust said third magnetic force to effect movement of said controlled object along a third axis whereby the position of said controlled object is varied to reach a desired position along said third axis in response to controlled adjustments to said third control current and the operable range of said movement is defined by the magnetic flux density of said third magnetic circuit which substantially saturates when said third air gap reaches a predetermined third distance thereby defining a third maximum magnetic force balanced with an elastic force developed by the third of said three springs.

Claim 17

A position control system according to claim 13, in which said first electromagnet, said second electromagnet and said third electromagnet each have a plurality of poles disposed in a line and each comprises a U-shaped magnetic substance having two poles and having no hysteresis magnetic characteristic and a control coil wound on said U-shaped magnetic Substance, the two poles of said U-shaped magnetic substance being opposed to said magnetic substance of the controlled object.

Claim 18

A position control system according to claim 14, in which said first, second and third electromagnets each have at least one pair of opposed magnetic poles spaced from each other to define an air gap therebetween having a magnetic resistance less than each of said first, second and third air gaps, thereby effecting the leakage of the magnetic flux of each of said first magnetic circuit, said second magnetic circuit and said third magnetic circuit before the magnetic flux density of the corresponding one of said first magnetic circuit, said second magnetic circuit and said third magnetic circuit completely saturates.

Claim 19

A position control system according to claim 13, in which said mounting means comprises first and second movable supporting plates, a fixed base, three pairs of plate springs, a first pair of said plate springs disposed in parallel with each other and at right angles with said first axis, a second pair of said plate springs disposed in parallel with each other and at right angles with said second axis, and a third pair of said plate springs disposed in parallel with each other and at right angles with said third axis, wherein one edge of each of said first pair of said plate springs is coupled to said controlled object and the other edge of each of said first pair of said plate springs is coupled to said first movable supporting plate, one edge of each of said second pair of said plate springs is coupled to said first movable supporting plate and other edge of each of said second pair of said plate springs is coupled to said second movable supporting plate, and one edge of each of said third pair of said plate springs is coupled to said second movable supporting plate and the other edge of said third pair of said plate springs is fixed to said fixed base.

Claim 20

A position control system according to claim 13, further comprising for each electromagnet, means for measuring the distance between said controlled object and a reference position, conversion means coupled to said means for measuring for converting the measured distance to a controlled digital value, input means for temporaily storing an input digital value representative of said desired position of said controlled object, a comparator coupled to said conversion means and said input means for producing a difference value equal to the difference between said controlled digital value and said input digital value, means coupled to said comparator and the corresponding one of said control means for controlling said control means to vary said control current in response to said difference value to reduce the difference value to zero.

Claim 21

A position control system using magnetic force, comprising: a controlled object having one portion composed of a magnetic substance; at least one electromagnet responsive to a control current supplied thereto for developing magnetic flux and having at least one pole opposed to the magnetic substance of said controlled object and spaced therefrom to define an air gap therebetween whereby said magnetic substance, said air gap and said electromagnet define a magnetic circuit having a magnetic flux density controlled by said control current and developing a magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said control current; presetting means for presetting the width of said air gap to a distance greater than a predetermined width when the magnitude of said control current is equal to zero; mounting means mounting said controlled object for rotatable movement about one axis and including a torsion spring connected to said controlled object developing a torsioned stress opposing said magnetic force; and control means coupled to said electromagnet for controlling the magnitude of said control current of said electromagnet to selectively adjust said magnetic force to effect movement of said controlled object about said Axis whereby the position of said controlled object is varied to reach a selected position about said axis in response to controlled adjustments to said first control current and the operable range of said movement is defined by the magnetic flux density of said magnetic circuit which substantially saturates when said air gap reaches a predetermined distance thereby defining a maximum magnetic force balanced with said torsional stress developed by said torsion spring.

Claim 22

A position control system using magnetic force, comprising: a controlled object having one portion composed of a magnetic substance; at least one electromagnet responsive to a control current supplied thereto for developing magnetic flux and having at least one pole opposed to the magnetic substance of said controlled object and spaced therefrom to define an air gap therebetween whereby said magnetic substance, said air gap and said electromagnet define a magnetic circuit having a magnetic flux density controlled by said control current and developing a magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said control current; presetting means for presetting the width of said air gap to a distance greater than a predetermined width when the magnitude of said control current is equal to zero; mounting means mounting said controlled object for rotatable movement about one axis and including a torsion spring connected to said controlled object developing a torsioned stress opposing said magnetic force; and control means coupled to said electromagnet for controlling the magnitude of said control current of said electromagnet to selectively adjust said magnetic force to effect movement of said controlled object about said Axis whereby the position of said controlled object is varied to reach a selected position about said axis in response to controlled adjustments to said first control current and the operable range of said movement is defined by the magnetic flux density of said magnetic circuit which substantially saturates when said air gap reaches a predetermined distance thereby defining a maximum magnetic force balanced with said torsional stress developed by said torsion spring.

Claim 23

A position control system according to claim 18, in which said electromagnet has a plurality of poles disposed in a line and comprising a U-shaped magnetic substance having two poles and having no magnetic hysteresis characteristic and a control coil wound on said U-shaped magnetic substance, the two poles of said U-shaped magnetic substance being opposed to said magnetic substance of the controlled object.

Claim 24

A position control system according to claim 19, in which said electromagnet has at least one pair of opposed magnetic poles spaced from each other to define an air gap therebetween having a magnetic resistance less than that of said air gap, thereby effecting the leakage of the magnetic flux of said magnetic circuit before the magnetic flux density of said magnetic circuit completely saturates.

Claim 25

A position control system according to claim 18, further comprising, means for measuring the distance between said controlled object and a reference position, conversion means coupled to said means for measuring for converting the measured distance to a controlled digital value, input means for temporarily storing an input digital value representative of said desired position of said controlled object, a comparator coupled to said conversion means and said input means for producing a difference value equal to the difference between said controlled digital value and said input digital value, means coupled to said comparator and the corresponding one of said control means for controlling said control means to vary said control current in response to said difference value to reduce the difference value to zero.

Claim 26

A position control system utilizing a variable magnitude magnetic field to effect the selective positioning of an output member to which an object to be controlled is connected during use of the system, said system comprising: electromagnetic means responsive to an electric potential applied thereto for developing a magnetic field having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said electric potential and a polarity dependent upon the polarity of said electric potential; an output member spaced from said electromagnetic means; means mounting said output member for at least one degree of freedom of movement with respect to an initial position; biasing means developing a biasing force for continuously biasing said output member into said initial position; magnetic means connected to said output member and coacting with said magnetic field for developing a magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said magnetic field for overcoming said biasing force to move said output member within said one degree of freedom from said initial position, said magnetic means comprising a magnet having a fixed magnetic field coacting with said magnetic field to develop a magnetic force having a direction dependent upon the polarity of said magnetic field; and control means for variably adjusting the magnitude of said electric potential to adjust the magnitude of said magnetic field thereby adjusting the magnitude of said magnetic force to adjustably move said output member within said one degree of freedom from said initial position to effect the selective positioning of said output member within said one degree of freedom.

Claim 27

A position control system utilizing a variable magnitude magnetic field to effect the selective positioning of an output member to which an object to be controlled is connected during use of the system, said system comprising: electromagnetic means responsive to an electric potential applied thereto for developing a magnetic field having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said electric potential and a polarity dependent upon the polarity of said electric potential; an output member spaced from said electromagnetic means; means mounting said output member for at least one degree of freedom of movement with respect to an initial position; biasing means developing a biasing force for continuously biasing said output member into said initial position; magnetic means connected to said output member and coacting with said magnetic field for developing a magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said magnetic field for overcoming said biasing force to move said output member within said one degree of freedom from said initial position, said magnetic means comprising a magnet having a fixed magnetic field coacting with said magnetic field to develop a magnetic force having a direction dependent upon the polarity of said magnetic field; and control means for variably adjusting the magnitude of said electric potential to adjust the magnitude of said magnetic field thereby adjusting the magnitude of said magnetic force to adjustably move said output member within said one degree of freedom from said initial position to effect the selective positioning of said output member within said one degree of freedom.

Claim 28

A position control system according to claim 22, further comprising means mounting said electromagnetic means for adjustable movement within said one degree of freedom

Claim 29

A position control system utilizing a variable magnitude magnetic field to effect the selective positioning of an output member to which an object to be controlled is connected during use of the system, said system comprising: electromagnetic means responsive to an electric potential applied thereto for developing a magnetic field having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said electric potential, said electromagnetic means having a flux density characteristic and developing a maximum magnetic force corresponding to a state of saturated flux density; an output member spaced from said electromagnetic means; means mounting said output member for at least one degree of freedom of movement with respect to an initial position; biasing means developing a biasing force proportional to the distance of said output member from said initial position for continuously biasing said output member into said initial position, whereby one extreme position of said output member is defined as the position of said output member for said biasing force to equal said maximum magnetic force; magnetic means connected to said output member and coacting with said magnetic field for developing a magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said magnetic field for overcoming said biasing force to move said output member within said one degree of freedom from said initial position; and control means for variably adjusting the magnitude of said electric potential to adjust the magnitude of said magnetic field thereby adjusting the magnitude of said magnetic force to adjustably move said output member within said one degree of freedom from said initial position to effect the selective positioning of said output member within said one degree of freedom.

Claim 30

A position control system utilizing a variable magnitude magnetic field to effect the selective positioning of an output member to which an object to be controlled is connected during use of the system, said system comprising: electromagnetic means responsive to an electric potential applied thereto for developing a magnetic field having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said electric potential, said electromagnetic means having a flux density characteristic and developing a maximum magnetic force corresponding to a state of saturated flux density; an output member spaced from said electromagnetic means; means mounting said output member for at least one degree of freedom of movement with respect to an initial position; biasing means developing a biasing force proportional to the distance of said output member from said initial position for continuously biasing said output member into said initial position, whereby one extreme position of said output member is defined as the position of said output member for said biasing force to equal said maximum magnetic force; magnetic means connected to said output member and coacting with said magnetic field for developing a magnetic force having a magnitude proportional to the magnitude of said magnetic field for overcoming said biasing force to move said output member within said one degree of freedom from said initial position; and control means for variably adjusting the magnitude of said electric potential to adjust the magnitude of said magnetic field thereby adjusting the magnitude of said magnetic force to adjustably move said output member within said one degree of freedom from said initial position to effect the selective positioning of said output member within said one degree of freedom.

Claim 31

A position control system according to claim 24, wherein said output member is spaced from said electromagnetic means at a distance greater than the distance between said initial position and said one extreme position.

Claim 32

A position control system according to claim 24, further comprising means mounting said electromagnetic means for adjustable movement within said one degree of freedom.