Plural axis linear position

Claim 2

A positioning system for providing a controlled relative movement between two members along at least a first longitudinal axis and a second cylindrical axis angularly displaced relative to the first longitudinal axis, including a first member forming a cylindrical platen having at least a first plurality of first and second portions alternately disposed relative to one another and extending in a first direction having a major component in the longitudinal direction and displaced relative to one another in a second direction having a major component in the angular direction, a second member disposed adjacent to the first member along the surface of the first plurality of first and second portions of the cylindrical platen for movement relative to the first member in the second direction, first means cooperative with the first portions in the first plurality for producing a force between the second member and the first portions on the first member to provide a displacement of the second member relative to the first member in the second direction, and a second plurality of first and second portions included in the first member and intersecting the first plurality of first and second portions and alternately disposed relative to one another and extending in the second direction and disposed in spaced relationship to one another in the first direction, and second means included in the second member for producing a force between the second member and the first portions in the second plurality to provide a displacement of the second member relative to the first member in the first direction.

Claim 3

The positioning system of claim 1 wherein the first and second portions in the first plurality extend parallel to one another in the first direction and are displaced from one another in the second direction and the second ridges extend substantially parallel to one another in the second direction and are displaced from one another in the first direction.

Claim 4

The positioning system of claim 1 wherein the first and second portions in the first plurality are formed as intersecting helixes relative to the first and second portions in the second plurality.

Claim 5

The positioning system of claim 1 wherein the first member is formed as a right circular cylinder having the first and second portions in the first and second pluralities at an external position and the second member substantially envelopes the first member and the first means includes portions in cooperative relationship with the first portion in the first plurality to produce a force for displacing the second member relative to the first member in the second direction and the second means includes portions in cooperative relationship with the first portions in the second plurality to produce a force for displacing the second member relative to the first member in the first direction.

Claim 6

The positioning system of claim 1 wherein the first member is formed as a tubular member and the first and second portions in the first and second pluralities are located on the inside surface of the tubular member and the second member is located within the tubular member and the first means includes portionS in cooperative relationship with the first portions in the first plurality to produce a force for displacing the second member relative to the first member in the second direction and the second means includes portions in cooperative relationship with the first portions in the second plurality to produce a force for displacing the second member relative to the first member in the first direction.

Claim 7

The positioning system of claim 1 wherein the first and second portions in the first plurality are parallel to one another and extend in the longitudinal direction and the first and second portions in the second plurality are parallel to one another and substantially perpendicular to the first and second portions in the first plurality and extend in the angular direction and the first portions in the first and second pluralities are magnetic and the first means cooperate magnetically with the first portions in the first plurality to produce a force for displacing the second member relative to the first member in the angular direction and the second means cooperate magnetically with the first portions in the second plurality to produce a force for displacing the second member relative to the first member in the longitudinal direction.

Claim 8

The positioning system of claim 1 wherein the first and second portions in the first plurality are formed to define a helix extending in the first direction and the first and second portions are formed to define a helix extending in the second direction.

Claim 9

The positioning system of claim 7 wherein the first means of the second member include a plurality of poles angularly disposed relative to one another and individually disposed relative to the first portions in the first plurality and associated with individual ones of first windings energizable in a sequence to provide a displacement of the second member relative to the first member in the angular direction and wherein the second means of the second member include a plurality of poles longitudinally disposed relative to one another and individually disposed relative to the first portions in the second plurality and associated with individual ones of second windings energizable in a sequence to provide a displacement of the second member relative to the first member in the longitudinal direction.

Claim 10

A positioning system for producing a controlled relative movement between a head and a cylindrical platen along at least a first longitudinal axis and a second axis angularly displaced relative to the first axis, including a cylindrical magnetic platen having at least a first magnetic configuration formed by a plurality of first and second magnetic portions alternately disposed relative to one another and extending in a first direction having a major component corresponding to the longitudinal axis and angularly displaced relative to one another in a second direction having a major component corresponding to the angular direction, and a cylindrical head positioned adjacent to the cylindrical platen and concentric with the cylindrical platen for movement relative to the platen along the longitudinal axis and in the angular direction, first magnetic means disposed on the cylindrical head for producing a magnetic force between the head and the first portions in the first plurality to provide a movement of the head relative to the platen in the first direction, and a second plurality of first and second portions provided on the magnetic platen and intersecting the first plurality of first and second portions and having first and second magnetic portions alternately disposed relative to one another and extending in the second direction and displaced relative to one another in the first direction, and second magnetic means disposed on the head for producing a magnetic force between the head and the first portions in the second plurality on the platen to provide a displacement of the head relative to the magnetic platen in the first direction.

Claim 11

A positioning system for producing a controlled relative movement between a head and a cylindrical platen along at least a first longitudinal axis and a second axis angularly displaced relative to the first axis, including a cylindrical magnetic platen having at least a first magnetic configuration formed by a plurality of first and second magnetic portions alternately disposed relative to one another and extending in a first direction having a major component corresponding to the longitudinal axis and angularly displaced relative to one another in a second direction having a major component corresponding to the angular direction, and a cylindrical head positioned adjacent to the cylindrical platen and concentric with the cylindrical platen for movement relative to the platen along the longitudinal axis and in the angular direction, first magnetic means disposed on the cylindrical head for producing a magnetic force between the head and the first portions in the first plurality to provide a movement of the head relative to the platen in the first direction, and a second plurality of first and second portions provided on the magnetic platen and intersecting the first plurality of first and second portions and having first and second magnetic portions alternately disposed relative to one another and extending in the second direction and displaced relative to one another in the first direction, and second magnetic means disposed on the head for producing a magnetic force between the head and the first portions in the second plurality on the platen to provide a displacement of the head relative to the magnetic platen in the first direction.

Claim 12

The positioning sYstem of claim 9 wherein the first and second portions in the first plurality extend in a direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis and are spaced in the angular direction and the first and second portions in the second plurality extend in the angular direction and are spaced from one another in a direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis.

Claim 13

The positioning system of claim 9 wherein the first and second ridges are formed as intersecting helixes.

Claim 14

The positioning system of claim 9 wherein the magnetic platen is formed as a cylinder having the first and second portions in the first plurality at an external position and the head substantially envelopes the first and second portions in the first and second pluralities of the magnetic platen with the first means disposed in contiguous relationship to the first portions in the first plurality and the second means disposed in contiguous relationship to the first portions in the second plurality.

Claim 15

The positioning system of claim 9 wherein the magnetic platen is formed as a tubular member and the first and second portions in the first and second plurality are located on an interior surface of the tubular member and the head is located within the tubular member with the first means disposed in contiguous relationship to the first portions in the first plurality and the second means disposed in contiguous relationship to the first portions in the second plurality.

Claim 16

The positioning system of claim 9 wherein the first means are provided with a first plurality of magnetic poles individually disposed relative to the first portions in the first plurality and are provided with a first plurality of windings individually associated with the poles in the first plurality and energizable in a sequence to produce a magnetic force for providing a displacement of the head relative to the platen in the second direction and wherein the second means are provided with a second plurality of magnetic poles individually disposed relative to the first portions in the second plurality and are provided with a second plurality of windings individually associated with the poles in the second plurality and energizable in a sequence to produce a magnetic force for providing a displacement of the head relative to the platen in the second direction.

Claim 17

The positioning system of claim 14 wherein the first and second portions in the first plurality are defined by a helix extending in the first direction along the axial length of the magnetic platen and the first and second portions in the second plurality are defined by a helix extending in the second direction along the angular periphery of the magnetic platen.

Claim 18

A positioning system providing a controlled relative movement between a head and a cylindrical platen along first and second coordinate axes having a polar relationship to each other, including a cylindrical platen having first and second groups of intersecting portions defining a grid configuration corresponding to the first and second coordinate axes with the portions in each group being defined by first areas providing a first energy level and second areas providing a second energy level different from the first energy level, and a head positioned adjacent to the platen and concentric with the cylindrical platen for movement relative to the cylindrical platen along the first and second coordinate axes and with the head including first means for providing a force between the head and the first and second groups of intersecting portions in a first direction having a major component along the first coordinate axis to provide a movement of the head relative to the platen in the first direction and further including second means for providing a force between the head and the first and second groups of intersecting portions in a second direction having a major component along the second coordinate axis to provide a movement of the head relative to the platen in the second direction, third means coopeRative with the first means for energizing the first means to obtain the production of the forces for providing a movement of the head relative to the platen in the first direction, and fourth means cooperative with the second means for energizing the second means to obtain the production of the forces for providing a movement of the head relative to the platen in the second direction.

Claim 19

A positioning system providing a controlled relative movement between a head and a cylindrical platen along first and second coordinate axes having a polar relationship to each other, including a cylindrical platen having first and second groups of intersecting portions defining a grid configuration corresponding to the first and second coordinate axes with the portions in each group being defined by first areas providing a first energy level and second areas providing a second energy level different from the first energy level, and a head positioned adjacent to the platen and concentric with the cylindrical platen for movement relative to the cylindrical platen along the first and second coordinate axes and with the head including first means for providing a force between the head and the first and second groups of intersecting portions in a first direction having a major component along the first coordinate axis to provide a movement of the head relative to the platen in the first direction and further including second means for providing a force between the head and the first and second groups of intersecting portions in a second direction having a major component along the second coordinate axis to provide a movement of the head relative to the platen in the second direction, third means coopeRative with the first means for energizing the first means to obtain the production of the forces for providing a movement of the head relative to the platen in the first direction, and fourth means cooperative with the second means for energizing the second means to obtain the production of the forces for providing a movement of the head relative to the platen in the second direction.

Claim 20

The positioning system of claim 16 wherein the first group of intersecting portions extends along the first coordinate axis and the second group of intersecting portions extends along the second coordinate axis.

Claim 21

The positioning system of claim 16 wherein the first and second groups of intersecting portions are defined by intersecting helixes.