Flexible hinge, adjusting mechanism, bearing device and semiconductor equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a flexible hinge, an adjusting mechanism, a bearing device and semiconductor equipment. The flexible hinge comprises a shell and a structural part which are arranged in a stacked mode in the first direction, and the shell is used for containing the actuator. The housing includes a cantilever assembly. The cantilever assembly is used for elastically deforming under the action force in the first direction, and therefore the translational motion freedom degree is generated in the first direction. The structural part is provided with a first gap set penetrating through the outer side wall of the structural part, the first gap set defines a first flexible neck extending in the first direction on the structural part, and the first flexible neck is used for elastically deforming under acting force in the direction perpendicular to the first direction to generate rotational freedom so as to absorb transverse displacement. And the transmission and adjustment precision of the flexible hinge can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of structural technology, and in particular to a flexible hinge, an adjustment mechanism, a carrying device and a semiconductor device. Background Art

[0002] Flexible hinges utilize tiny deformations of their elastic material to produce micro-displacements and are often used as transmission mechanisms in micro-motion applications. The transmission process is frictionless, wear-free, and requires no lubrication. They offer advantages such as zero backlash, high precision, compact structure, light weight, and ease of assembly. Flexible hinges are often driven by actuators. The actuator applies force to the flexible hinge along its axial direction to adjust the bearing's position. However, if the flexible hinge experiences lateral displacement due to certain factors, this may affect the hinge's transmission and adjustment accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present application discloses a flexible hinge, an adjustment mechanism, a bearing device and a semiconductor device to improve transmission and adjustment accuracy.

[0004] In a first aspect, the present application provides a flexible hinge comprising a stacked housing and a structural member. The housing is configured to house an actuator, and the housing and structural member are stacked in a first direction. The housing includes a cantilever assembly. The cantilever assembly is configured to elastically deform under a force applied by the actuator in the first direction, thereby generating a translational degree of freedom in the first direction. The structural member is provided with a first slit group extending through an outer wall of the structural member. The first slit group forms a first flexible neck portion of the structural member extending in the first direction. The first flexible neck portion is configured to elastically deform under a force applied perpendicular to the first direction, thereby generating a rotational degree of freedom. The flexible hinge provided herein generates a translational degree of freedom in the first direction by elastically deforming the cantilever assembly when the housing is subjected to a force in the first direction. This guides the movement of the structural member in the first direction driven by the housing, thereby improving the stability of the structural member during micro-displacement in the first direction. The structural member is provided with a first flexible neck portion. The first flexible neck portion is configured to elastically deform under a lateral force, generating a rotational degree of freedom, thereby effectively absorbing lateral displacement, thereby improving the transmission and adjustment accuracy of the flexible hinge. In addition, the first flexible neck is formed by the first slits of the structural members without adding any additional parts, which is beneficial to the simplification and miniaturization of the structure of the flexible hinge.

[0005] According to the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the cantilever assembly includes a first flexible cantilever, a second flexible cantilever and a support member, the first flexible cantilever and the second flexible cantilever are arranged along the first direction, one end of the support member in the first direction is connected to the first flexible cantilever, and the other end of the support member in the first direction is connected to the second flexible cantilever. Compared with the first flexible cantilever, the second flexible cantilever is closer to the structural member and connected to the structural member. The flexible hinge provided in the present application improves the elastic deformation and motion range of the shell in the first direction because the cantilever assembly includes the first flexible cantilever and the second flexible cantilever, and the support member can transmit force while enhancing the strength of the shell.

[0006] According to the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the housing includes a first surface facing the structural member. The second flexible cantilever includes at least a portion of the first surface, and the structural member is connected to the first surface of the housing. In the first direction, the second flexible cantilever is located between the first flexible cantilever and the structural member. The second flexible cantilever is configured to drive the structural member to move while elastically deforming.

[0007] According to the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the housing further comprises a top wall and side walls connected together, the top wall comprising a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite each other in the first direction, the second surface facing the inner cavity of the housing. The side wall is provided with a first through hole and a second through hole, the first through hole and the second through hole being located between the first surface and the second surface. The first through hole and the second through hole are spaced apart along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the first through hole and the second through hole being located between the first flexible cantilever and the second flexible cantilever in the first direction, the second flexible cantilever further comprising the first through hole, the second through hole, the support member, and a portion of the housing on the first surface of the housing, the support member comprising a portion of the housing between the first through hole and the second through hole. The first through hole and the second through hole are located between the first flexible cantilever and the second flexible cantilever in the first direction. By providing the first through hole and the second through hole in the side wall of the housing to form the support member and the second flexible cantilever, without requiring a separate structure, the housing structure is simplified while increasing the elastic deformation of the housing.

[0008] According to the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the sidewall of the housing further comprises an opening, the opening being located on a side of the first through-hole and the second through-hole facing away from the structural member in the first direction; the first flexible cantilever comprises the portion of the housing between the first through-hole, the second through-hole, the support member, and the opening. Providing the opening in the sidewall of the housing allows the support member and the first flexible cantilever to be formed between the opening, the first through-hole, and the second through-hole without requiring a separate structure, further simplifying the structure of the housing while increasing the elastic deformation of the housing. Providing the opening, the first through-hole, and the second through-hole in the sidewall of the housing further facilitates an I-shaped structure formed on the sidewall of the housing. The first flexible cantilever and the second flexible cantilever are stacked along the first direction. When subjected to a force in the first direction, the first flexible cantilever and the second flexible cantilever elastically deform to form a guide structure extending in the first direction. The guide structure can guide the micro-displacement of the structural member along the first direction driven by the housing, thereby further improving the stability of the movement of the structural member along the first direction.

[0009] According to the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the first slit group includes a first slit and a second slit spaced apart circumferentially from the structural member, and the first slit and the second slit together form the first flexible neck portion of the structural member. In this possible implementation, because the first slit and the second slit are spaced apart from each other, a portion of the outer wall of the structural member circumferentially lacks slits, which helps improve the strength of the structural member.

[0010] According to the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the width of the first flexible neck portion at one end in the first direction is greater than the width at the other end. In this possible implementation, the width of the first flexible neck portion at one end in the first direction is greater than the width at the other end, which facilitates increasing the extension length of the first flexible neck portion, thereby increasing the elastic deformation of the first flexible neck portion.

[0011] According to the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the first gap includes a first straight section and a first bent section, the first straight section is perpendicular to the first direction, the first bent section is connected to one end of the first straight section, and the first bent section is bent relative to the first straight section. The second gap includes a second straight section and a second bent section, the second straight section is perpendicular to the first direction, the second bent section is connected to one end of the second straight section, and the second bent section is bent relative to the second straight section, and the first bent section and the second bent section form the first flexible neck. In this possible implementation, both the first straight section and the second straight section are perpendicular to the first direction, which helps to increase the lateral rotation space of the first flexible neck, thereby effectively improving the effect of the adjustment mechanism in absorbing lateral displacement.

[0012] According to the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the structural member further includes a second set of slits extending through an outer sidewall of the structural member. The second set of slits forms a second flexible neck portion of the structural member extending along the first direction. The second flexible neck portion is configured to elastically deform under a force applied perpendicular to the first direction to generate rotational freedom. In this possible implementation, the addition of the second flexible neck portion increases the area of ​​the structural member that can elastically deform.

[0013] According to the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the height directions of the first flexible neck and the second flexible neck are both parallel to the first direction, the length direction of the first flexible neck is the second direction, the length direction of the second flexible neck is the third direction, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to the third direction. In this possible implementation, the first flexible neck and the second flexible neck are arranged orthogonally, allowing the structural member to provide lateral displacement in the second and third directions, which is conducive to further improving the effectiveness of the flexible hinge in absorbing lateral displacement.

[0014] According to the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the second slit group includes a third slit and a fourth slit spaced apart from each other. In the first direction, the third slit is located between the first slit and the housing, and the fourth slit is located between the first slit and the housing. The first, second, third, and fourth slits are spaced apart from each other, and the third and fourth slits form a second flexible neck on the structural member. The first flexible neck extends toward the housing, and the second flexible neck extends away from the housing. A shoulder is formed between a portion of the first slit and a portion of the third slit, between a portion of the first slit and a portion of the third slit, between a portion of the second slit and a portion of the third slit, and between a portion of the second slit and a portion of the fourth slit. In this possible implementation, the first flexible neck extends toward the housing, and the second flexible neck extends away from the housing, i.e., the first flexible neck and the second flexible neck are arranged on the same layer, and the shoulder is used to limit the rotation of the first and second flexible necks to prevent excessive rotation from causing collision and / or excessive deformation of the first and second flexible necks.

[0015] According to the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the structural member includes a first mounting wall, a second mounting wall, a third mounting wall, and a fourth mounting wall that are connected and arranged, the first mounting wall and the third mounting wall are arranged opposite each other in the second direction, the second mounting wall and the fourth mounting wall are arranged opposite each other in the third direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the third direction, and the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. The first slit runs through the first mounting wall, the third mounting wall, and the fourth mounting wall, the second slit runs through the first mounting wall, the third mounting wall, and the second mounting wall. The third slit runs through the second mounting wall, the fourth mounting wall, and the first mounting wall, and the fourth slit runs through the second mounting wall, the fourth mounting wall, and the third mounting wall. In this possible implementation, each slit runs through the three side walls of the structural member, which is conducive to improving the elastic variables of the first flexible neck and the second flexible neck.

[0016] According to the first aspect, in one possible implementation, the shell further includes a top wall, the top wall of the shell being fixedly connected to the side walls of the shell, and the top wall and the side walls of the shell enclosing an inner cavity. The structural member is connected to the top wall of the shell, and the opening is provided at an end of the side wall of the shell that is closer to the top wall of the shell. In this possible implementation, the opening is provided at an end of the side wall of the shell that is closer to the top wall of the shell, so that the first flexible cantilever is located at the first end of the shell near the top wall. The first flexible cantilever is the first force-bearing point of the shell, which helps to increase the rigidity of the flexible hinge.

[0017] According to the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the opening is a square hole, so that when the first flexible cantilever is elastically deformed, the opening can form a parallelogram guide structure, further improving the stability of the movement of the structural member along the first direction.

[0018] According to the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the side wall of the shell includes a first connecting wall, a second connecting wall, a third connecting wall and a fourth connecting wall that are connected to each other, the first connecting wall and the third connecting wall are arranged opposite to each other in the second direction, the second connecting wall and the fourth connecting wall are arranged opposite to each other in the third direction, the second direction is arranged perpendicular to the third direction, the first direction is arranged perpendicular to the second direction, and the first connecting wall and the third connecting wall are provided with the opening, the first through hole and the second through hole, which further helps to improve the stability of the structural member against movement in the first direction.

[0019] According to the first aspect, in one possible implementation, an ear seat is provided at an end of the housing remote from the structural member. The ear seat extends perpendicular to the first direction and has a connecting hole for connecting to the base via a fastener. The fastener is used to adjust the preload between the housing and the base. In this possible implementation, the ear seat's connecting hole is connected to the base via a fastener, and the preload between the actuator, base, and housing can be adjusted by adjusting the torque of the fastener. According to the first aspect, in one possible implementation, a fastening hole is provided on the end surface of the structural member remote from the housing. Actuators are typically driven in the axial direction of the actuator, making them difficult to withstand lateral loads. Once subjected to lateral loads, the actuator is easily damaged. The base must move with the movable stage. The acceleration and deceleration of the movable stage will cause lateral inertial shear forces on the entire leveling mechanism, making the actuator housed in the housing susceptible to damage due to lateral loads. In this possible implementation, since there is a tight connection between the flexible hinge and the base, the actuator housed in the housing can be protected from damage caused by lateral loads, which is beneficial to extending the service life of the actuator.

[0020] According to the first aspect, in a possible implementation, an end surface of the structural member away from the housing is provided with a fastening hole, through which a fastener is passed, to facilitate connection of the structural member with other devices.

[0021] According to the first aspect, in a possible implementation, the flexible hinge further includes a connecting neck, one end of the connecting neck in the first direction is connected to the shell, and the other end of the connecting neck in the first direction is connected to the structural member.

[0022] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides an adjustment mechanism, comprising an actuator and a flexible hinge according to any possible implementation of the first aspect, wherein the actuator is accommodated in the shell, and the actuator is used to push the shell toward one end of the structural member along a first direction.

[0023] The adjustment mechanism provided in the present application comprises an actuator for driving a flexible hinge to drive the carrier to move, thereby adjusting the posture of the carrier.

[0024] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a carrying device, which includes a base, a carrying member and an adjustment mechanism according to the second aspect, wherein one end of the shell away from the structural member is connected to the base, and one end of the structural member away from the shell is connected to the carrying member.

[0025] According to the third aspect, in a possible implementation, the top end of the actuator facing the structural member is used to abut against the wall of the opening facing the structural member to push the shell.

[0026] According to the third aspect, in a possible implementation, the number of the adjustment mechanisms is at least two, and the at least two adjustment mechanisms are distributed along the circumference of the carrier to improve the flexibility of leveling the carrier.

[0027] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application further provides a semiconductor device, comprising the carrier device according to the third aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a semiconductor device provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic exploded perspective view of a carrying device provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 3 is a side schematic diagram of an adjustment mechanism provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 4 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an adjustment mechanism provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 5A This is an embodiment of the present application provided along Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the cross section obtained by line CC;

[0034] Figure 5B This is an embodiment of the present application provided along Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the cross section obtained by line DD;

[0035] Figure 5C This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the top wall and the actuator provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a state of a structural member provided by an embodiment of the present application after the first flexible neck is rotated around the X-axis;

[0037] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of an elliptical through hole of a flexible hinge provided by one embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of a flexible hinge provided in one embodiment of the present application, in which one side wall is provided with two through holes;

[0039] Figure 9 This is another schematic diagram of a flexible hinge provided in one embodiment of the present application, in which one side wall is provided with two through holes;

[0040] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing that a side wall of a flexible hinge provided by one embodiment of the present application is provided with multiple through holes.

[0041] Description of reference numerals:

[0042] 1-semiconductor device; 2-workpiece; 10-movable table; 11-base; 13-movable table; 20-carrying device; 201-base; 203-carrying member; 205-adjusting mechanism; 2051-actuator; 2053-flexible hinge; 21-structural member; 211-first gap group; 2111-first gap; 21111-first straight section; 21113-first bent section; 2113-second gap; 21131-second straight section; 21133-second bent section; 212-first flexible neck; 213-second gap group; 2131-third gap; 21311-third straight section; 21313-third bent section; 2133-fourth gap; 21331-fourth straight section; 21333-fourth bent section; 214-first Two flexible necks; 215-shoulder; 217-first mounting wall; 218-second mounting wall; 221-fastening hole; 23-shell; 230-inner cavity; 231-top wall; 2310-first surface; 2311-second surface; 233-side wall; 2330-cantilever assembly; 2331-opening; 2333-first through hole; 2335-second through hole; 2334-third through hole; 2336-fourth through hole; 2337-first flexible cantilever; 2339-second flexible cantilever; 2340-support member; 2341-first connecting wall; 2342-second connecting wall; 235-ear seat; 2351-connecting hole; 25-fastener; 27-connecting neck; 30-optical detection device; Z-first direction; X-second direction; Y-third direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] See also Figure 1 One embodiment of the present application provides a semiconductor device 1 for detecting defects in a workpiece 2. The workpiece 2 may be a wafer, which is a substrate used to produce integrated circuits. That is, a wafer can be processed to form various circuit component structures. The present application is not limited to a wafer; for example, the workpiece 2 may also be a mask.

[0044] The semiconductor device 1 includes a movable platform 10, a carrier device 20, and an optical detection device 30. The movable platform 10 is used to carry and move the carrier device 20. In this embodiment, the movable platform 10 includes a base 11 and a movable platform 13 movably disposed on the base 11. For example, a boss can be provided on the side of the base 11 facing the movable platform 13, and a slide groove can be provided on the boss. The side of the movable platform 13 facing the base 11 can be provided with a slide rail, and the slide rail is slidably disposed in the slide groove. In this way, the movable platform 13 can move relative to the base 11. The movable platform 10 can also be a robot, a centrifuge, a machine tool, etc., as long as the movable platform 10 is capable of moving the carrier device 20.

[0045] The carrying device 20 is used to carry the workpiece 2. The optical inspection device 30 is used to perform optical inspection on the workpiece 2 carried on the carrying device 20 to detect whether the workpiece 2 has defects. The optical inspection device 30 may include an objective lens, an illumination module, an imaging module, etc. The defects of the workpiece 2 may include unexpected contaminants, depressions, protrusions, etc. caused during the production and preparation process. The semiconductor device 1 may also include a transfer device, which may be a manipulator, a robot, etc. It can be understood that the movable table 10 can be omitted. For example, the optical inspection device 30 is already at a preset position, and the workpiece 2 is directly transferred to the carrying device 20 at the preset position through the transfer device.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The carrying device 20 includes a base 201, a carrying member 203 and an adjustment mechanism 205. The base 201 is mounted on the movable platform 13 to move with the movable platform 13. The base 201 is used to support the carrying member 203 and the adjustment mechanism 205. The adjustment mechanism 205 is arranged on the base 201, and the carrying member 203 is arranged on the adjustment mechanism 205. The carrying member 203 is used to carry the workpiece 2. The carrying member 203 can be a chuck, and air holes can be provided on the carrying member 203 to float the workpiece 2. The adjustment mechanism 205 is used to adjust the posture of the carrying member 203. In this embodiment, the number of the adjustment mechanisms 205 is three, and the three adjustment mechanisms 205 are distributed along the circumference of the carrying member 203 to level the carrying member 203. The three adjustment mechanisms 205 can be, but are not limited to, arranged on the carrying member 203 at an angle of 120° to each other. The three adjustment mechanisms 205 can constitute the leveling mechanism of the carrying device 20, and the leveling mechanism is used to level the carrying member. The posture of the carrier 203 is adjusted by adjusting at least one adjustment mechanism 205. For example, the adjustment mechanism 205 is used to adjust the parallelism between the carrier 203 and a reference surface, i.e., to achieve leveling. It is understood that the number of adjustment mechanisms 205 can be one, two, or more than three. For example, the number of adjustment mechanisms 205 can be at least two, and the at least two adjustment mechanisms 205 are distributed along the circumference of the carrier 203 to increase the flexibility of leveling the carrier 203.

[0047] Semiconductor equipment 1 is not limited to equipment for detecting defects in workpieces. Semiconductor equipment 1 may also be other types of equipment, such as wafer bonding equipment, which is used to bond a first wafer to a second wafer. The wafer bonding device includes a first carrier and a second carrier. The first carrier is used to support the first wafer, and the second carrier is used to support the second wafer.

[0048] Please refer to Figure 2 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4 and Figure 5A The adjustment mechanism 205 includes an actuator 2051 and a flexible hinge 2053. One end of the flexible hinge 2053 is connected to the base 201, and the other end of the flexible hinge 2053 is connected to the support 203. The actuator 2051 is used to drive the flexible hinge 2053 to drive the support 203 to move, thereby adjusting the posture of the support 203.

[0049] The actuator 2051 may be a piezoelectric actuator. For example, a piezoelectric actuator is a device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy using the piezoelectric effect. It deforms a piezoelectric material by applying a voltage, thereby generating precise displacement or force. The piezoelectric actuator may be a piezoelectric ceramic actuator, where the piezoelectric material is piezoelectric ceramic. It is understood that the piezoelectric material is not limited to piezoelectric ceramics; other piezoelectric materials may also be used, such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and barium titanate (BaTiO3). The present application does not limit the actuator 2051 to a piezoelectric ceramic actuator; it may be another type of actuator 2051, such as a linearly driven motor, an electrostatic actuator, a thermal actuator, an electromagnetic actuator, a shape memory alloy actuator, a hydraulic / pneumatic microactuator, an electrostrictive actuator, an optical actuator, a magnetic actuator, or a flexible actuator.

[0050] Since the size of workpieces such as wafers and masks is usually at the submicron or nanometer level, the adjustment mechanism is adjusted through micro-displacement. Micro-displacement refers to displacement or movement on a small scale, usually ranging from nanometers (nm) to micrometers (μm). Flexible hinges use the slight deformation of their elastic materials to produce micro-displacement, and are often used as transmission mechanisms in the micro-motion field. The transmission process is frictionless, wear-free, and does not require lubrication. It has the advantages of no backlash, high precision, compact structure, light weight, and easy assembly. Flexible hinges are mostly driven by actuators. The actuator applies a force to the flexible hinge along the axis of the actuator to drive the carrier to adjust its posture. The carrier can be a chuck. However, during the adjustment process, the connection between the flexible hinge and the carrier will be subjected to a lateral force and produce a lateral displacement, which may affect the transmission and adjustment accuracy of the flexible hinge. For example, in one application scenario, three adjustment mechanisms may be provided to be connected to the carrier so that the posture of the carrier can be adjusted through at least one of the three adjustment mechanisms. When the actuator of one of the adjustment mechanisms applies an axial force to the shell to push the carrier, since the other two adjustment mechanisms do not apply a force to the carrier, the carrier will rotate around the line connecting the centers of the other two stationary flexible hinges, thereby generating a lateral displacement and pulling the flexible hinge laterally. Such lateral displacement will affect the transmission and adjustment accuracy of the flexible hinge.

[0051] One embodiment of the present application provides a flexible hinge 2053, which includes a stacked structural member 21 and a shell 23. The stacking direction of the shell 23 and the structural member 21 is a first direction Z. The end of the shell 23 away from the structural member 21 is connected to the base 201, and the end of the structural member 21 away from the shell 23 is connected to the support member 203. The shell 23 is used to accommodate the actuator 2051. The first direction Z is parallel to or coincides with the axial direction of the actuator 2051. The actuator 2051 is used to generate a displacement by extending in the positive direction of the first direction Z to push the shell 23, the structural member 21 and the support member 203. It can be understood that the present application does not limit the application of the flexible hinge 2053 to the adjustment mechanism 205 and the semiconductor device 1, and the flexible hinge 2053 can also be applied to other mechanisms.

[0052] Please combine Figure 3 and Figure 4The housing 23 includes a cantilever assembly 2330, which is configured to elastically deform under a force applied by the actuator 2051 in a first direction Z, thereby generating a translational degree of freedom in the first direction Z. The structural member 21 is provided with a first slit set 211 extending through the outer wall of the structural member 21. The first slit set 211 forms a first flexible neck 212 extending in the first direction Z within the structural member 21. The first flexible neck 212 is configured to elastically deform under a force applied perpendicular to the first direction Z, thereby generating a rotational degree of freedom. The structural member 21 can be a solid structure to enhance its strength. It is understood that the structural member 21 can also be a hollow structure.

[0053] For the convenience of description, the first direction Z may be referred to as the longitudinal direction, and the direction perpendicular to the first direction Z may be referred to as the transverse direction. The first flexible neck 212 may be rotated around a rotation axis by a preset angle to generate a rotational degree of freedom. For example, the rotation axis may be the X axis. Figure 4 The arrow A in FIG. 1 indicates that the first flexible neck 212 rotates counterclockwise around the X-axis. The range of the preset angle can be, but is not limited to, (0°, 5°). It is understood that the first flexible neck 212 can also rotate clockwise around the X-axis, such as Figure 6 As shown, the dashed line portion schematically illustrates a state where a portion of the structural member 21 is rotated about the X-axis by the first flexible neck 212. The rotation axis is not limited to the X-axis; for example, the rotation axis may be another axis located within the X and Y planes, as long as the structural member 21 can absorb the lateral displacement of the flexible hinge 2053 through rotation.

[0054] At least one end of the cantilever assembly 2330 is a fixed end that cannot be moved, and at least a portion of the cantilever assembly 2330 is elastically deformed when the housing 23 is subjected to a force applied by the actuator 2051 along the first direction Z.

[0055] The flexible hinge 2053 provided herein features a cantilever assembly 2330 that elastically deforms when the housing 23 is subjected to a force acting in the first direction Z, generating a translational degree of freedom in the first direction Z. This in turn guides the movement of the structural member 21 along the first direction Z driven by the housing 23, thereby improving the stability of the structural member 21's micro-displacement along the first direction Z. Furthermore, the structural member 21 is provided with a first flexible neck 212 that elastically deforms to generate a rotational degree of freedom to absorb lateral displacement, thereby improving the transmission and adjustment accuracy of the flexible hinge 2053.

[0056] In addition, the first flexible neck 212 is formed by the first slit group 211 of the structural member 21 without adding any additional parts, which is beneficial to the simplification and miniaturization of the structure of the flexible hinge 2053 .

[0057] The top end of the actuator 2051 facing the structural member 21 is used to abut against the wall of the opening 2331 facing the structural member 21 to push the housing 23 .

[0058] For example, please combine Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4 When the actuator 2051 of one of the adjustment mechanisms 205 applies a force to the shell 23 along the first direction Z to push the supporting member 203, since the other adjustment mechanisms 205 do not apply a force to the supporting member 203, the supporting member 203 will rotate and generate an additional motion component in the lateral direction, so that the adjustment mechanism 205 is subjected to the lateral force of the supporting member 203, and the elastic deformation of the first flexible neck 212 of the adjustment mechanism 205 generates a rotational degree of freedom to absorb the lateral displacement, which is beneficial to improving the accuracy and stability of the adjustment mechanism 205 in adjusting the posture of the supporting member 203.

[0059] In this embodiment, the dimension of the first flexible neck 212 in the second direction X is greater than the dimension of the first flexible neck 212 in the third direction Y. The second direction X is perpendicular to the third direction Y, and the first direction Z is perpendicular to the third direction Y.

[0060] In this embodiment, the width of the first flexible neck 212 at one end in the first direction Z is greater than the width at the other end, which helps to increase the extension length of the first flexible neck 212, thereby increasing the elastic deformation of the first flexible neck 212. It is understood that the widths of the first flexible neck 212 at both ends in the first direction Z can be different.

[0061] In this embodiment, the first slit group 211 includes a first slit 2111 and a second slit 2113 spaced apart circumferentially about the structural member 21. The first slit 2111 and the second slit 2113 form a first flexible neck 212 on the structural member 21. Because the first slit 2111 and the second slit 2113 are spaced apart, a portion of the outer wall of the structural member 21 is free of slits along the circumference of the structural member 21. This helps to improve the strength of the structural member 21. It will be appreciated that the first slit group 211 may include one or more slits. For example, if the first slit group 211 includes only one slit, the first slit 2111 may extend along the circumference of the structural member 21 to form an annular structure.

[0062] See also Figure 4 The structural member 21 is further provided with a second slit group 213 penetrating the outer wall of the structural member 21. The second slit group 213 forms a second flexible neck 214 extending along the first direction Z on the structural member 21. The second flexible neck 214 is configured to elastically deform under a force perpendicular to the first direction Z to generate a rotational degree of freedom. The second flexible neck 214 can rotate around a rotation axis by a preset angle to generate a rotational degree of freedom. For example, the rotation axis can be the Y axis. Figure 4 Arrow B in the figure indicates counterclockwise rotation of the second flexible neck 214 about the Y-axis. The preset angle range can be, but is not limited to, (0°, 5°). It is understood that the second flexible neck 214 can also rotate clockwise about the Y-axis. The rotation axis is not limited to the Y-axis. For example, the rotation axis can also be another axis located in the XY plane, as long as the structural member 21 can absorb the lateral displacement of the flexible hinge 2053 through rotation.

[0063] The addition of the second flexible neck 214 increases the portion of the structural member 21 that can be elastically deformed, further improving the effect of the structural member 21 in absorbing lateral displacement.

[0064] In this embodiment, the dimension of the second flexible neck 214 in the third direction Y is greater than the dimension of the second flexible neck 214 in the third direction Y. The height directions of the first flexible neck 212 and the second flexible neck 214 are both parallel to the first direction Z. The length direction of the first flexible neck 212 is the second direction X, and the length direction of the second flexible neck 214 is the third direction Y. The first direction Z is perpendicular to the second direction X, and the second direction X is perpendicular to the third direction Y. The first flexible neck 212 and the second flexible neck 214 are arranged orthogonally, allowing the structural member 21 to generate lateral displacement or motion components in the second direction X and the third direction Y. This improves the effectiveness of the structural member 21 in absorbing lateral displacement and further enhances the transmission and adjustment accuracy of the flexible hinge 2053.

[0065] In this embodiment, the second slot group 213 includes a third slot 2131 and a fourth slot 2133 spaced apart from each other. In the first direction Z, the third slot 2131 is located between the first slot 2111 and the housing 23, and the fourth slot 2133 is located between the first slot 2111 and the housing 23. The first slot 2111, the second slot 2113, the third slot 2131, and the fourth slot 2133 are spaced apart from each other. The third slot 2131 and the fourth slot 2133 form a second flexible neck 214 on the structural member 21. The first flexible neck 212 extends toward the housing 23, and the second flexible neck 214 extends away from the housing 23. A shoulder 215 is formed between a portion of the first gap 2111 and a portion of the third gap 2131, between a portion of the first gap 2111 and a portion of the fourth gap 2133, between a portion of the second gap 2113 and a portion of the third gap 2131 arranged along the first direction Z, and between a portion of the second gap 2113 and a portion of the fourth gap 2133.

[0066] The first flexible neck portion 212 extends toward the housing 23, and the second flexible neck portion 214 extends away from the housing 23. That is, the first flexible neck portion 212 and the second flexible neck portion 214 are disposed on the same layer. A plurality of shoulders 215 are used to limit the rotation of the first and second flexible neck portions 212, 214, to prevent excessive rotation from causing collision and / or excessive deformation of the first and second flexible neck portions 212, 214. The shoulders 215, at their first end faces in the first direction Z, away from the housing 23, are used to contact or abut against the first flexible neck portion 212 to limit excessive rotation of the first flexible neck portion 212. The shoulders 215, at their second end faces in the first direction Z, closer to the housing 23, are used to contact or abut against the second flexible neck portion 214 to limit excessive rotation of the second flexible neck portion 214. The first flexible neck 212 and the second flexible neck 214 are limited by the shoulder 215 formed by the first gap group 211 and the second gap group 213 without adding parts to set the limiting structure, which is conducive to the simplification of the structure of the flexible hinge 2053.

[0067] In this embodiment, the width of the second flexible neck 214 at one end in the first direction Z is greater than the width at the other end, which helps to increase the extension length of the second flexible neck 214, thereby increasing the elastic deformation of the second flexible neck 214. It is understood that the widths of the second flexible neck 214 at both ends in the first direction Z can be different.

[0068] The first flexible neck portion 212 includes a first end and a second end in the first direction Z. The first end is located closer to the housing 23 and is narrower than the second end. The first end serves as the pivot point when the first flexible neck portion 212 bends under force. The narrower width of the first end improves the rotational flexibility of the first flexible neck portion 212.

[0069] The second flexible neck portion 214 includes a third end and a fourth end in the first direction Z. The third end is located at the end of the second flexible neck portion 214 closer to the housing 23, and the fourth end is narrower than the third end. The fourth end serves as the pivot point when the second flexible neck portion 214 bends under force. The narrower width of the fourth end improves the rotational flexibility of the second flexible neck portion 214.

[0070] In this embodiment, the structural member 21 further includes a first mounting wall 217, a second mounting wall 218, a third mounting wall, and a fourth mounting wall that are connected to each other. The first mounting wall 217 and the third mounting wall are opposite each other in a second direction X, and the second mounting wall 218 and the fourth mounting wall are opposite each other in a third direction Y. The second direction X and the third direction Y are perpendicular to each other, and the first direction Z is perpendicular to the second direction X. A first slit 2111 extends through the first mounting wall 217, the third mounting wall, and the fourth mounting wall. A second slit 2113 extends through the first mounting wall 217, the third mounting wall, and the second mounting wall 218. A third slit 2131 extends through the second mounting wall 218, the fourth mounting wall, and the first mounting wall 217. A fourth slit 2133 extends through the second mounting wall 218, the fourth mounting wall, and the third mounting wall.

[0071] In this embodiment, the first slit 2111 includes a first straight section 21111 and a first bent section 21113 that are connected and communicated. The first straight section 21111 is perpendicular to the first direction Z, and the first bent section 21113 is bent relative to the first straight section 21111.

[0072] The second slit 2113 includes a second straight section 21131 and a second bent section 21133 that are connected and communicated. The second bent section 21133 is bent relative to the second straight section 21131 . The first bent section 21113 and the second bent section 21133 form a first flexible neck 212 on the structural component 21 .

[0073] The first straight section 21111 and the second straight section 21131 are both perpendicular to the first direction Z, which increases the lateral rotational space of the first flexible neck 212 and further enhances the ability of the flexible hinge 2053 to absorb lateral displacement. The first bent section 21113 is bent relative to the first straight section 21111, which increases the extension length of the first gap 2111. The second bent section 21133 is bent relative to the second straight section 21131, which increases the extension length of the second gap 2113 and enhances the elastic deformation of the first flexible neck 212.

[0074] The first straight section 21111 extends through the first mounting wall 217, the fourth mounting wall, and the third mounting wall, while the first bent section 21113 extends through the first mounting wall 217 and the third mounting wall. The first straight section 21111 extends longer in the third direction Y than the first bent section 21113 in the first direction Z, thereby increasing the elastic deformation capability of the first flexible neck 212. It is understood that the first straight section 21111 extends longer in the third direction Y than the first bent section 21113 in the first direction Z.

[0075] The second straight section 21131 extends through the first mounting wall 217, the second mounting wall 218, and the third mounting wall, while the second bent section 21133 extends through the first mounting wall 217 and the third mounting wall. The second straight section 21131 extends longer in the third direction Y than the second bent section 21133 in the first direction Z, thereby increasing the elastic deformation capability of the first flexible neck 212. It will be appreciated that the second straight section 21131 may extend longer in the third direction Y than the second bent section 21133 in the first direction Z.

[0076] In this embodiment, the first slit 2111 and the second slit 2113 can be mirror images of each other to improve the stability of the first flexible neck 212 during elastic deformation, which is conducive to further improving the transmission and adjustment accuracy of the flexible hinge 2053. This application does not limit the first slit 2111 and the second slit 2113 to mirror images of each other. The shape and structure of the first slit 2111 can be different from the shape and structure of the second slit 2113. For example, the angle between the first straight section 21111 and the first curved section 21113 is 90 degrees, and the angle between the second straight section 21131 and the second curved section 21133 is an acute angle. For another example, the first slit 2111 includes multiple S-shaped curved sections, and the second slit 2113 includes a second straight section 21131 and a second curved section 21133.

[0077] The present application does not limit the shape and structure of the first slit 2111. For example, the first slit 2111 can be arranged obliquely relative to the plane defined by the second direction X and the third direction Y. The present application does not limit the shape and structure of the second slit 2113. For example, the second slit 2113 can be arranged obliquely relative to the plane defined by the second direction X and the third direction Y.

[0078] In this embodiment, the third slit 2131 includes a third straight section 21311 and a third curved section 21313 that are connected and communicated. The third straight section 21311 is perpendicular to the first direction Z, and the third curved section 21313 is bent relative to the third straight section 21311. The fourth slit 2133 includes a fourth straight section 21331 and a fourth curved section 21333 that are connected and communicated. The fourth curved section 21333 is bent relative to the fourth straight section 21331. The third curved section 21313 and the fourth curved section 21333 form the second flexible neck 214 on the structural member 21. Both the third straight section 21311 and the fourth straight section 21331 are perpendicular to the first direction Z, which helps increase the lateral rotational space of the second flexible neck 214, thereby effectively improving the ability of the adjustment mechanism 205 to absorb lateral displacement. The third bent section 21313 is bent relative to the third straight section 21311, which is beneficial to increasing the extension length of the third gap 2131. The fourth bent section 21333 is bent relative to the fourth straight section 21331, which is beneficial to increasing the extension length of the fourth gap 2133 and improving the elastic deformation of the second flexible neck 214.

[0079] The third straight section 21311 extends through the second mounting wall 218, the fourth mounting wall, and the first mounting wall 217, while the first bent section 21113 extends through the second mounting wall 218 and the fourth mounting wall. The third straight section 21311 extends longer in the second direction X than the third bent section 21313 extends in the first direction Z, thereby increasing the elastic deformation capability of the second flexible neck 214. It will be appreciated that the third straight section 21311 extends longer in the second direction X than the third bent section 21313 extends in the first direction Z.

[0080] The fourth straight section 21331 extends through the second mounting wall 218, the fourth mounting wall, and the third mounting wall, while the fourth bent section 21333 extends through the second mounting wall 218 and the fourth mounting wall. The fourth straight section 21331 extends longer in the second direction X than the third bent section 21313 in the first direction Z, thereby increasing the elastic deformation capability of the second flexible neck 214. It will be appreciated that the fourth straight section 21331 extends longer in the second direction X than the third bent section 21313 in the first direction Z.

[0081] In this embodiment, the third slit 2131 and the fourth slit 2133 can be mirror images of each other to improve the stability of the second flexible neck 214 during elastic deformation, which is conducive to further improving the transmission and adjustment accuracy of the flexible hinge 2053. This application does not limit the third slit 2131 and the fourth slit 2133 to mirror images of each other. The shape and structure of the third slit 2131 can be different from the shape and structure of the fourth slit 2133. For example, the angle between the third straight section 21311 and the fourth curved section 21333 is 90 degrees, and the angle between the fourth straight section 21331 and the fourth curved section 21333 is an acute angle. For another example, the third slit 2131 includes multiple S-shaped curved sections, and the fourth slit 2133 includes a fourth straight section 21331 and a fourth curved section 21333.

[0082] The present application does not limit the shape and structure of the third slit 2131. For example, the third slit 2131 can be arranged obliquely relative to the plane defined by the second direction X and the third direction Y. The present application does not limit the shape and structure of the fourth slit 2133. For example, the fourth slit 2133 can be arranged obliquely relative to the plane defined by the second direction X and the third direction Y.

[0083] The end surface of the structural member 21 away from the housing 23 is provided with a fastening hole 221, which is used to pass a fixing member. The fixing member is fixedly connected between the support member 203 and the structural member 21, thereby achieving a fixed connection between the support member 203 and the adjustment mechanism 205. The fastening hole 221 can be a connecting hole, and the fixing member can be a screw or a bolt. In some possible embodiments, the fastening hole 221 can also be a non-connecting hole. It is understood that this application does not limit the connection method between the structural member 21 and the support member 203. For example, the structural member 21 and the support member 203 can be connected by a clip.

[0084] In this embodiment, the shell 23 includes a top wall 231 and a side wall 233 that are connected to each other. The top wall 231 and the side wall 233 enclose an inner cavity 230 of the shell 23, and the inner cavity 230 is used to accommodate the actuator 2051. The top wall 231 includes a first surface 2310 and a second surface 2311 that are arranged relative to each other along the first direction Z. The first surface 2310 is arranged toward the structural member 21, and the second surface 2311 is arranged toward the inner cavity 230. The structural member 21 is connected to the first surface 2310 of the top wall 231 of the shell 23. The shell 23 can be made of metal. For example, the shell 23 can be made of iron, copper, gold, etc. Since the shell 23 is made of metal, the shell 23 is a rigid cover that provides anti-shear protection for the embedded actuator 2051, prevents damage, and extends the service life. It can be understood that the present application does not limit the material of the shell 23.

[0085] In this embodiment, the cantilever assembly 2330 includes a first flexible cantilever 2337, a second flexible cantilever 2339, and a support member 2340. The first flexible cantilever 2337 and the second flexible cantilever 2339 are arranged along the first direction Z. The support member 2340 is connected to the first flexible cantilever 2337 at one end in the first direction Z, and the support member 2340 is connected to the second flexible cantilever 2339 at the other end in the first direction Z. Compared to the first flexible cantilever 2337, the second flexible cantilever 2339 is closer to the structural member 21 and is connected to the structural member 21.

[0086] The first flexible cantilever 2337 can be used to contact the actuator 2051. The actuator 2051 can first push the first flexible cantilever 2337 away from the side of the second flexible cantilever 2339 in the first direction Z. The force is transmitted through the first flexible cantilever 2337 and the support member 2340 to the second flexible cantilever 2339 and then to the structural member 21, thereby driving the structural member 21 to generate translational freedom in the first direction Z.

[0087] In the first direction Z, the second flexible cantilever 2339 is located between the first flexible cantilever 2337 and the structural member 21 .

[0088] The flexible hinge 2053 provided in the present application improves the elastic deformation and movement range of the shell 23 in the first direction Z because the cantilever assembly 2330 includes a first flexible cantilever 2337 and a second flexible cantilever 2339. The support member 2340 can transmit force while enhancing the strength of the shell 23.

[0089] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 、 Figure 5A 、 Figure 5B and Figure 5CThe sidewall 233 of the housing 23 is provided with an opening 2331, a first through-hole 2333, and a second through-hole 2335. The opening 2331 penetrates the sidewall 233 of the housing 23 and communicates with the inner cavity 230. The opening 2331 is located on the side of the second surface 2311 facing the inner cavity 230. The first through-hole 2333 and the second through-hole 2335 are located between the first surface 2310 and the second surface 2311. In the second direction X, the first through-hole 2333 and the second through-hole 2335 penetrate the outer surface of the sidewall 233 and the top wall 231. Both the first through-hole 2333 and the second through-hole 2335 are isolated from the inner cavity 230. In other words, neither the first through-hole 2333 nor the second through-hole 2335 is connected to the inner cavity 230 in the housing 23. The opening 2331 and the first through-hole 2333 are arranged along the first direction Z. The opening 2331 and the second through-hole 2335 are arranged along the first direction Z. The first through-hole 2333 and the second through-hole 2335 are located on the same side of the opening 2331 facing the structural member 21. The opening 2331 extends in a direction perpendicular to the first direction Z. In the first direction Z, the housing 23 forms a first flexible cantilever 2337 between the opening 2331 and the first through-hole 2333, and between the opening 2331 and the second through-hole 2335. The housing 23 may form a second flexible cantilever 2339 on the side of the first through-hole 2333 and the second through-hole 2335 facing away from the opening 2331. The first and second flexible cantilevers 2337, 2339 are configured to elastically deform under forces acting in the first direction Z. The first and second flexible cantilevers 2337, 2339 are stacked along the first direction Z. The stiffness modal parameters of the overall flexible hinge 2053 can be adjusted by varying the length and thickness of the first flexible cantilever 2337.

[0090] The first flexible cantilever 2337 may include a first through hole 2333 , a second through hole 2335 , and a portion of the housing 23 between the support member 2340 and the opening 2331 . The first flexible cantilever 2337 may further include a second surface 2311 .

[0091] The second flexible cantilever 2339 may include a first through hole 2333, a second through hole 2335, and a portion of the housing 23 between the support 2340 and the first surface 2310 of the housing 23. The second flexible cantilever 2339 may also include a first surface 2310.

[0092] Since the first flexible cantilever 2337 and the second flexible cantilever 2339 form a guiding structure, the guiding structure elastically deforms when the shell 23 is subjected to the force in the first direction Z, thereby guiding the movement of the structural component 21 driven by the shell 23 along the first direction Z, which is beneficial to improving the stability of the micro-displacement movement of the structural component 21 along the first direction Z.

[0093] The second flexible cantilever 2339 is configured to elastically deform under a force applied along the first direction Z. The stiffness modal parameters of the entire flexible hinge 2053 can be adjusted by setting different lengths and thicknesses of the second flexible cantilever 2339 .

[0094] In this embodiment, the opening 2331, the first through hole 2333 and the second through hole 2335 are all square holes, so that when the first flexible cantilever 2337 and the second flexible cantilever 2339 are elastically deformed, two parallelogram guide structures are formed, further improving the stability of the movement of the structural member 21 along the first direction Z. It is understood that this application does not limit the shapes of the opening 2331, the first through hole 2333 and the second through hole 2335. Figure 7 As shown, the opening 2331, the first through hole 2333 and the second through hole 2335 are elliptical in shape. The opening 2331 can also be a regular or irregular shape such as a circle or a triangle. The first through hole 2333 can also be a regular or irregular shape such as a circle or a triangle. The second through hole 2335 can also be a regular or irregular shape such as a circle or a triangle.

[0095] In this embodiment, the opening 2331, the first through hole 2333, and the second through hole 2335 form a pattern structure that is symmetrical about the midline of the length of the opening 2331. This allows the first flexible cantilever 2337 and the second flexible cantilever 2339 to achieve consistent deformation of the housing 23 on both sides of the midline of the length of the opening 2331 during elastic deformation, thereby improving the stability of the structural member 21 in the first direction Z. It will be understood that this application does not limit the pattern structure to being symmetrical about the midline of the length of the opening 2331.

[0096] Actuator 2051 is configured to push housing 23 toward one end of structural member 21 along a first direction Z. In this embodiment, the top end of actuator 2051, facing structural member 21, is configured to abut against the flexible cantilever assembly to push housing 23. Actuator 2051 can contact second surface 2311, specifically, first flexible cantilever 2337, to push housing 23 and thereby drive movement of structural member 21. Thus, first flexible cantilever 2337 is the primary force-bearing point on housing 23. Providing opening 2331, first through-hole 2333, and second through-hole 2335 on the side wall 233 of housing 23, closer to the top wall 231 of housing 23, helps increase the rigidity of flexible hinge 2053. It can be understood that the opening 2331, the first through hole 2333 and the second through hole 2335 can also be set at other positions of the shell 23, for example, the opening 2331, the first through hole 2333 and the second through hole 2335 are arranged at an end of the side wall 233 of the shell 23 that is further away from the top wall 231 of the shell 23, or the opening 2331, the first through hole 2333 and the second through hole 2335 are arranged in the middle area of ​​the side wall 233 of the shell 23.

[0097] In this embodiment, the housing 23 is generally a square cylinder. The sidewall 233 of the housing 23 includes a first connecting wall 2341, a second connecting wall 2342, a third connecting wall, and a fourth connecting wall. The first connecting wall 2341 and the third connecting wall are arranged opposite each other in the second direction X, and the second connecting wall 2342 and the fourth connecting wall are arranged opposite each other in the third direction Y. The second direction X and the third direction Y are perpendicular to each other, and the first direction Z and the second direction X are perpendicular to each other. The first connecting wall 2341 and the third connecting wall are each provided with an opening 2331, a first through hole 2333, and a second through hole 2335. As a result, the first connecting wall 2341 and the second connecting wall 2342 are both provided with a first flexible cantilever 2337 and a second flexible cantilever 2339, allowing them to elastically deform, further facilitating improved stability of the structural member 21 against movement in the first direction Z. It is understood that at least one of the first connecting wall 2341, the second connecting wall 2342, the third connecting wall and the fourth connecting wall is provided with an opening 2331, a first through hole 2333 and a second through hole 2335. It is understood that the present application does not limit the shape and structure of the housing 23, and the housing 23 is provided with a flexible cantilever.

[0098] In this embodiment, an ear seat 235 is provided at one end of the housing 23 away from the structural member 21. The ear seat 235 extends in a direction perpendicular to the first direction Z. The ear seat 235 is used to be fixedly connected to the base 201 to confine the actuator 2051 between the housing 23 and the base 201. In this embodiment, the second connecting wall 2342 and the fourth connecting wall are both provided with ear seats 235 to improve the connection strength and stability between the housing 23 and the base 201. It will be understood that at least one of the first connecting wall 2341, the second connecting wall 2342, the third connecting wall, and the fourth connecting wall is provided with an ear seat 235. It will be understood that the ear seat 235 can be omitted, and the connection between the housing 23 and the base 201 can be achieved by other means, such as snap-fitting, bonding, etc.

[0099] Actuators are typically driven axially, making them vulnerable to lateral loads and susceptible to damage. The base moves with the movable platform, and the platform's acceleration and deceleration create lateral inertial shear forces on the entire leveling mechanism, making the actuator susceptible to damage from these loads.

[0100] The ear seat 235 is provided with a connecting hole 2351, and the connecting hole 2351 of the ear seat 235 is penetrated by a fastener 25 (such as Figure 3 The base 201 is fixedly connected to the base 201, and the pre-tightening force between the actuator 2051, the base 201, and the housing 23 can be adjusted by adjusting the torque of the fastener 25. The base 201 and the ear seat 235 are fastened by the fastener 25, that is, there is a fastening connection between the flexible hinge 2053 and the base 201. Figure 1 When the housing 2051 is in motion (as shown), the housing 23 is subjected to inertial shear force, thereby protecting the actuator 2051 housed therein from damage caused by lateral loads, thereby extending the service life of the actuator 2051. It will be appreciated that the base 201 may be provided with a threaded mounting hole for threaded connection with the fastener 25. In some possible implementations, the mounting hole may not be a threaded hole.

[0101] The flexible hinge 2053 also includes a connecting neck 27 (such as Figure 3 As shown), the connecting neck 27 is connected to the shell 23 at one end in the first direction Z, and the connecting neck 27 is connected to the structural member 21 at the other end in the first direction Z.

[0102] In one possible application scenario, of the three adjustment mechanisms 205, only the actuator 2051 of one adjustment mechanism 205 is driven. When the actuator 2051 extends and generates displacement, the guide structure formed by the first flexible cantilever 2337 and the second flexible cantilever 2339 bends and deforms. At this point, the first flexible cantilever 2337 and the second flexible cantilever 2339 form a parallelogram guide mechanism, which provides guidance and motion stabilization. This guide mechanism transmits the upward translational displacement to the rotating structural member 21, causing the structural member 21 to push the support member 203 upward. The support member 203 rotates about the line connecting the centers of the other two stationary flexible hinges 2053, thereby generating an additional horizontal motion component. At this point, the first flexible neck 212 and the second flexible neck 214 bend and deform due to the force, absorbing the additional adverse horizontal motion component (lateral displacement) generated by the rotation of the support member 203, allowing the three adjustment mechanisms 205 to smoothly adjust their posture. The entire precision leveling mechanism often experiences acceleration and deceleration motion due to its connection to the movable platform 13 via the base 201. This creates lateral inertial shear forces on the flexible hinge 2053, which can often damage the actuator 2051. Because the housing 23 is directly threadedly connected to the base 201 via the lugs 235, this inertial shear force is significantly reduced, providing protection against shearing. Therefore, the flexible hinge 2053 provided in this application significantly improves the accuracy, stability, and reliability of micro-nano transmission and precision adjustment.

[0103] The present application does not limit the number of through holes and flexible cantilevers. The number of through holes can be one or more, the number of flexible cantilevers can be one or more, and the number of flexible necks can be one or more. For example, the housing 23 can omit the opening 2331. Figure 8As shown, the housing 23 is provided with a first through-hole 2333 and a second through-hole 2335 to form a first flexible cantilever 2337, a second flexible cantilever 2339, and a support member 2340. The first flexible cantilever 2337 and the second flexible cantilever 2339 are configured to elastically deform under a force applied in a first direction Z, thereby generating a translational degree of freedom in the first direction Z. The second flexible cantilever 2339 includes at least a portion of the first surface 2310 and the portion of the housing 23 between the first surface 2310 and the first through-hole 2333 and the second through-hole 2335. A first flexible neck 212 is provided on the structural member 21. The first flexible neck 212 is capable of elastic deformation to generate a rotational degree of freedom to absorb lateral displacement, thereby improving the transmission and adjustment accuracy of the flexible hinge 2053. Figure 9 and Figure 8 In comparison, the first through hole 2333 and the second through hole 2335 are not spaced apart from the first surface 2310. Figure 10 As shown, the housing 23 is provided with an opening 2331, a first through hole 2333, a second through hole 2335, a third through hole 2334, and a fourth through hole 2336. The first through hole 2333, the second through hole 2335, the third through hole 2334, and the fourth through hole 2336 are located between the first surface 2310 and the second surface 2311 of the top wall 231. The first through hole 2333, the second through hole 2335, the third through hole 2334, and the fourth through hole 2336 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the first direction Z. This application does not impose any restrictions on the location and arrangement of the through holes. The shapes of the multiple through holes can be the same or different, or some of the multiple through holes can have the same shape.

[0104] The present application does not limit the setting position of the flexible cantilever. The flexible cantilever can be the part of the shell 23 between two adjacent through holes in the first direction Z, or the flexible cantilever can be the part of the shell 23 between the top edge or bottom edge of the shell 23 in the first direction Z and the most adjacent through hole.

[0105] This application does not limit the setting method of the cantilever assembly 2330. For example, no through hole is set on the shell 23. The shell 23 also includes a cantilever assembly 2330 set in the inner cavity of the shell 23 or the side wall 233 facing away from the inner cavity, and part of the cantilever assembly 2330 is fixed to the side wall 233 and other parts of the shell 23.

[0106] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship of terms such as "center", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", and "outside" are based on the orientation or positional relationship of the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0107] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" another component, it may be directly on the other component or there may be an intermediate component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it may be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intermediate component.

[0108] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application belongs. The terms used in this specification are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit this application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0109] The above disclosure is only a preferred embodiment of the present application, and certainly cannot be used to limit the scope of rights of the present application. Ordinary technicians in this field can understand that all or part of the processes of the above embodiment and equivalent changes made in accordance with the claims of the present application are still within the scope covered by the present application.

[0110] The above preferred embodiments further illustrate the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present application in detail. It should be understood that the above are only preferred embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A flexible hinge (2053), characterized in that: The flexible hinge (2053) comprises a housing (23) and a structural member (21) which are stacked. The housing (23) is used to accommodate the actuator (2051), and the stacking direction of the housing (23) and the structural member (21) is a first direction (Z); the housing (23) includes a cantilever assembly, and the cantilever assembly is used to elastically deform under the action of the actuator (2051) along the first direction (Z), thereby generating a translational degree of freedom in the first direction (Z); The structural member (21) is provided with a first slit group (211) penetrating the outer wall of the structural member (21), the first slit group (211) forming a first flexible neck (212) extending along the first direction (Z) on the structural member (21), and the first flexible neck (212) is used to elastically deform under a force perpendicular to the first direction (Z) to generate a rotational degree of freedom.

2. The flexible hinge (2053) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cantilever assembly comprises a first flexible cantilever (2337), a second flexible cantilever (2339) and a support member (2340), wherein the first flexible cantilever (2337) and the second flexible cantilever (2339) are arranged along the first direction (Z), the support member (2340) is connected to the first flexible cantilever (2337) at one end in the first direction (Z), and the support member (2340) is connected to the second flexible cantilever (2339) at the other end in the first direction (Z); Compared to the first flexible cantilever (2337), the second flexible cantilever (2339) is closer to the structural member (21) and is connected to the structural member (21).

3. The flexible hinge (2053) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The housing (23) comprises a first surface (2310) disposed toward the structural member (21); The second flexible cantilever (2339) includes at least a portion of the first surface (2310), and the structural member (21) is connected to the first surface (2310) of the shell (23); in the first direction (Z), the second flexible cantilever (2339) is located between the first flexible cantilever (2337) and the structural member (21).

4. The flexible hinge (2053) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The housing (23) further comprises a top wall (231) and a side wall (233) connected to each other, the top wall (231) comprising a first surface (2310) and a second surface (2311) arranged opposite to each other in the first direction (Z), and the second surface (2311) is arranged toward the inner cavity (230) of the housing (23); The side wall (233) is provided with a first through hole (2333) and a second through hole (2335), the first through hole (2333) and the second through hole (2335) are located between the first surface (2310) and the second surface (2311), the first through hole (2333) and the second through hole (2335) are spaced apart along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (Z), and the first through hole (2333) and the second through hole (2335) are located at the first direction (Z). Between the first flexible cantilever (2337) and the second flexible cantilever (2339), the second flexible cantilever (2339) further includes the first through hole (2333), the second through hole (2335), the portion of the shell (23) between the support member (2340) and the first surface (2310) of the shell (23), and the support member (2340) includes the portion of the shell (23) between the first through hole (2333) and the second through hole (2335).

5. The flexible hinge (2053) according to claim 4, characterized in that: The side wall (233) of the shell (23) is further provided with an opening (2331), and the opening (2331) is located on the side of the first through hole (2333) and the second through hole (2335) away from the structural member (21) in the first direction (Z); the first flexible cantilever (2337) includes the first through hole (2333), the second through hole (2335), the support member (2340) and the portion of the shell (23) between the opening (2331).

6. The flexible hinge (2053) according to claim 1, characterized in that The first slit group (211) includes a first slit (2111) and a second slit (2113) spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the structural member (21), and the first slit (2111) and the second slit (2113) together form the first flexible neck (212) on the structural member (21).

7. The flexible hinge (2053) according to claim 6, characterized in that: The width of the first flexible neck (212) at one end in the first direction (Z) is greater than that at the other end.

8. The flexible hinge (2053) according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first slit (2111) comprises a first straight section (21111) and a first bent section (21113), wherein the first straight section (21111) is perpendicular to the first direction (Z), the first bent section (21113) is connected to one end of the first straight section (21111), and the first bent section (21113) is bent relative to the first straight section (21111); The second slit (2113) includes a second straight section (21131) and a second bent section (21133), the second straight section (21131) is perpendicular to the first direction (Z), the second bent section (21133) is connected to one end of the second straight section (21131), the second bent section (21133) is bent relative to the second straight section (21131), and the first bent section (21113) and the second bent section (21133) form the first flexible neck (212).

9. The flexible hinge (2053) according to claim 6, characterized in that: The structural member (21) is further provided with a second slit group (213) penetrating the outer wall of the structural member (21), wherein the second slit group (213) forms a second flexible neck (214) extending along the first direction (Z) on the structural member (21), and the second flexible neck (214) is used for elastically deforming under a force applied in a direction perpendicular to the first direction (Z) to generate a rotational degree of freedom.

10. The flexible hinge (2053) according to claim 9, characterized in that: The height direction of the first flexible neck (212) and the height direction of the second flexible neck (214) are both parallel to the first direction (Z), the length direction of the first flexible neck (212) is the second direction (X), the length direction of the second flexible neck (214) is the third direction (Y), the first direction (Z) is perpendicular to the second direction (X), and the second direction (X) is perpendicular to the third direction (Y).

11. The flexible hinge (2053) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: The second slit group (213) comprises a third slit (2131) and a fourth slit (2133) spaced apart from each other; in the first direction (Z), the third slit (2131) is located between the first slit (2111) and the housing (23), and the fourth slit (2133) is located between the first slit (2111) and the housing (23); The first slit (2111), the second slit (2113), the third slit (2131), and the fourth slit (2133) are spaced apart from each other; the third slit (2131) and the fourth slit (2133) form the second flexible neck (214) on the structural member (21); the first flexible neck (212) extends toward the housing (23), and the second flexible neck (214) extends in a direction away from the housing (23); A shoulder (215) is formed between a portion of the first gap (2111) and a portion of the third gap (2131), between a portion of the first gap (2111) and a portion of the third gap (2131), between a portion of the second gap (2113) and a portion of the third gap (2131), and between a portion of the second gap (2113) and a portion of the fourth gap (2133).

12. The flexible hinge (2053) according to claim 11, characterized in that: The structural member (21) comprises a first mounting wall (217), a second mounting wall (218), a third mounting wall and a fourth mounting wall which are connected to each other; the first mounting wall (217) and the third mounting wall are arranged opposite to each other in the second direction (X); the second mounting wall (218) and the fourth mounting wall are arranged opposite to each other in the third direction (Y); the second direction (X) and the third direction (Y) are arranged perpendicularly; and the first direction (Z) and the second direction (X) are arranged perpendicularly; The first slit (2111) passes through the first mounting wall (217), the third mounting wall, and the fourth mounting wall, and the second slit (2113) passes through the first mounting wall (217), the third mounting wall, and the second mounting wall (218); The third slit (2131) passes through the second mounting wall (218), the fourth mounting wall and the first mounting wall (217), and the fourth slit (2133) passes through the second mounting wall (218), the fourth mounting wall and the third mounting wall.

13. The flexible hinge (2053) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The shell (23) further comprises a top wall (231), the top wall (231) of the shell (23) being fixedly connected to the side wall (233) of the shell (23), and the top wall (231) of the shell (23) and the side wall (233) of the shell (23) forming an inner cavity; The structural member (21) is connected to the top wall (231) of the shell (23), and the flexible cantilever assembly is arranged at an end of the side wall (233) of the shell (23) closer to the top wall (231) of the shell (23).

14. The flexible hinge (2053) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that: An ear seat (235) is provided at one end of the shell (23) away from the structural member (21), wherein the extension direction of the ear seat (235) is perpendicular to the first direction (Z), and the ear seat (235) is provided with a connecting hole (2351), wherein the connecting hole (2351) is used to be connected to the base (201) via a fastener (25), and the fastener (25) is used to adjust the pre-tightening force between the shell (23) and the base (201).

15. The flexible hinge (2053) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that: A fastening hole (221) is provided on an end surface of the structural member (21) away from the housing (23).

16. The flexible hinge (2053) according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: The structural member (21) further includes a connecting neck (27), wherein the connecting neck (27) is connected to the housing (23) at one end in the first direction (Z), and the connecting neck (27) is connected to the structural member (21) at the other end in the first direction (Z).

17. An adjustment mechanism (205), characterized in that: The invention comprises an actuator (2051) and a flexible hinge (2053) according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the actuator (2051) is accommodated in the shell (23), and the actuator (2051) is used to push the shell (23) toward one end of the structural member (21) along a first direction (Z).

18. The flexible hinge (2053) according to claim 17, characterized in that: The actuator (2051) is directed toward the top end of the structural member (21) and is used to abut against the flexible cantilever assembly to push the housing (23).

19. A carrying device (20), characterized in that: The carrying device (20) includes a base (201), a carrying member (203) and an adjustment mechanism (205) according to claim 17 or 18, wherein one end of the shell (23) away from the structural member (21) is connected to the base (201), and one end of the structural member (21) away from the shell (23) is connected to the carrying member (203).

20. The carrying device (20) according to claim 19, characterized in that The number of the adjustment mechanisms (205) is at least two, and the at least two adjustment mechanisms (205) are distributed along the circumference of the carrier (203).

21. A semiconductor device (1), characterized in that Comprising a carrying device (20) according to claim 19 or 20.

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