Carrier Kinematic Mount Assembly for Scratch-Free Precision Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing placing mechanisms often lack the high accuracy required for sensitive surfaces, as they can cause scratching due to over-constraint during placement, and struggle to achieve reproducible accuracy beyond 10 micrometers.
Innovation Solution
A method using a carrier with a kinematic mount and positioning member, where the carrier is moved parallel to the surface and landed using engagement elements and landing elements with a kinematic mount that constrains only necessary degrees of freedom, preventing scratching and achieving higher accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional placing mechanisms are used to position a carrier on a flat surface, then the placement process is simple and fast, but the placement accuracy is limited to around 10 micrometers and may cause scratching on sensitive surfaces due to over-constraint
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is divided into two separate parts: an upper part with engagement elements that interfaces with the positioning member, and a base with landing elements that contacts the flat surface. This segmentation allows the positioning member to control only the necessary degrees of freedom during placement, preventing over-constraint and scratching while achieving high accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning member acts as an intermediary between the carrier and the flat surface. It uses a kinematic mount with sockets to engage with engagement elements on the upper part of the carrier, providing controlled support during the placement process without directly constraining the base, thus enabling high precision placement.
2Manufacturing precision
If a kinematic mount with three sockets is used to constrain the carrier during placement, then placement accuracy is improved, but the placement process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The constraint function is extracted and applied only where necessary. The kinematic mount with three sockets constrains only the engagement elements on the upper part of the carrier, while the base with landing elements remains free to contact the flat surface naturally. This selective constraint achieves high reproducibility without unnecessarily complicating the overall placement process.
Solution Approach 2:
The placement mechanism transitions from a static over-constrained system to a dynamic system where the carrier can be positioned and oriented freely by the positioning member, then gently released to contact the flat surface. The kinematic mount provides dynamic constraint during positioning but allows natural contact during placement, maintaining high throughput.
3Stability of the object's composition
If over-constraint is applied during carrier placement to ensure stability, then the carrier is securely positioned, but the flat surface may be scratched and placement accuracy is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the carrier have different qualities and functions. The upper part has engagement elements that locally interact with the positioning member's kinematic mount for stable positioning. The base has landing elements that locally contact the flat surface with minimal constraint. This local differentiation ensures stability during positioning while preventing scratching during surface contact.
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
Method of positioning a carrier on a flat surface, and assembly of a carrier and an positioning member. The invention is about a method of positioning a carrier on a flat surface using an positioning member, wherein the carrier comprises an upper part and a base, wherein the positioning member is arranged between the base and the upper part, wherein the upper part comprises three engagement elements, and wherein the positioning member comprises a support surface including a plurality of sockets forming a kinematic mount for said three engagement elements, the method comprising the steps of: performing an action of placing the carrier on the flat surface at a landing position.