Solid-Body Joint Protects Slip-Stick Drive

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Solution Overview

Problem

Positioning devices with submillimeter accuracy are sensitive to shock and vibration, often damaging the actuator, particularly during handling and transport.

Innovation Solution

A positioning device with a solid-body joint that protects the translation shaft of the slip-stick drive from rotation and lateral displacement, ensuring the actuator is secured and minimizing mechanical stress, thereby enhancing robustness and operability under extreme conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a slip-stick drive with piezoelectric actuator is used to achieve high positioning accuracy, then positioning precision is improved, but the device becomes sensitive to shock and vibration causing actuator damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidsensitivity to shock and vibration

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a solid-body joint that couples the translation shaft to the housing, creating a protective structure beforehand that absorbs shock and vibration effects before they can damage the piezoelectric actuator. This preemptive protective measure allows the fragile actuator to operate in robust conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Ease of operation

If the translation shaft is left unsupported to improve operability under extreme conditions, then ease of operation is improved, but the shaft becomes vulnerable to rotation and lateral displacement under shock

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperability under extreme conditionsVSAvoidresistance to shock and vibration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by providing targeted support only where needed - the solid-body joint provides rigid coupling at specific locations (protecting against rotation and lateral displacement) while leaving the majority of the translation shaft unsupported and free from constraints, thereby maintaining operability under extreme conditions without sacrificing necessary structural protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solid-body joint effectively absorbs shocks and vibrations, protecting the actuator and maintaining high positioning accuracy and reproducibility, even under extreme conditions such as low temperature or high magnetic fields.

Implementation Method 1

The solid-body joint according to the invention ensures that shocks and vibrations, insofar as they would cause a rotation and/or a lateral displacement of the translation shaft, are absorbed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShock absorption: Damping

Implementation Method 2

the actuator which is often designed as a piezoelectric element can fracture or sustain damage in another way

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPiezoelectric effect: Piezoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentUS7579752B2Positioning device with a solid-body joint

Publication Date: 2009.08.25 ATTOCUBE SYST AG

AI summary

A positioning device has a first unit and a second unit arranged so as to be displaceable relative to the first unit. A slip-stick drive acts between the first unit and the second unit to produce a translatory movement (P) of the two units. The positioning device has a solid-body joint which is coupled to the first unit and the slip-stick drive and which mechanically protects a translation shaft of the slip-stick drive against rotation and/or lateral displacement.