Micrometric Positioning Device Using Tenon Mortise Assemblies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for micrometric positioning in flow cytometry lack precision, stability, and compactness, with issues in temperature variations and movement compensation, particularly requiring precise alignment of a luminous excitation source relative to a carrier fluid.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising four plates that move relative to each other without intermediate compensating components like springs, using a tenon/mortise assembly and micrometer screws with lateral preload for precise positioning and temperature stability, ensuring consistent movement and sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional positioning devices with springs or balls are used to compensate for movement variations, then functional clearance compensation is achieved, but device complexity and dimensional instability due to temperature variations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the compensating springs or balls from the positioning device entirely. The micrometric positioning system achieves functional clearance compensation through precision mechanical design of the micrometer screw and tenon/mortise assembly, eliminating the need for separate compensation components and thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the approach from active compensation using elastic elements to passive precision positioning through carefully controlled mechanical parameters. The micrometer screw thread pitch, tenon/mortise fit tolerances, and lateral preload forces are precisely designed to achieve both movement compensation and dimensional stability without temperature-sensitive components.
2Reliability
If multiple intermediate components are used for movement compensation, then functional clearance is addressed, but positioning precision and device compactness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates all intermediate compensating components from the positioning path. The micrometer screw directly drives the tenon/mortise assembly, creating a minimal-component system where the only movement elements are the precisely machined screw threads and tenon/mortise interfaces, thereby maximizing positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning system is segmented into distinct functional modules: the micrometer screw for precise linear movement, the tenon/mortise assembly for guided motion with built-in clearance management, and the lateral preload mechanism for stability. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for precision while maintaining overall system compactness.
3Reliability
If conventional positioning mechanisms are used, then movement compensation is achieved, but temperature stability and dimensional consistency worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes all elastic compensation elements (springs, balls) that are sensitive to temperature variations. The remaining mechanical components—micrometer screw, tenon, mortise—are designed with minimal thermal expansion coefficients and tight tolerances to maintain dimensional stability across temperature ranges while still achieving movement compensation through their rigid mechanical interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning device utilizes materials with complementary thermal properties. The micrometer screw and associated mechanical components are selected from materials with low and matched thermal expansion coefficients, creating a composite mechanical system that resists differential expansion and maintains dimensional consistency under temperature variations.
4Manufacturing precision
If the device is made compact with minimal components, then sensitivity and precision travel are improved, but movement compensation capability may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the approach from using multiple components to achieve compensation to using precisely controlled parameters of fewer components. The micrometer screw thread pitch, tenon/mortise fit tolerances, and lateral preload forces are carefully selected to simultaneously achieve compactness, high positioning precision, and functional clearance compensation within the minimal component structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The micrometer screw and tenon/mortise assembly perform multiple functions simultaneously: they provide precise linear positioning, guide movement along the desired axis, compensate for functional clearances through their rigid mechanical interface, and maintain stability under lateral loads. This multi-functionality allows the compact design to achieve compensation capability without adding dedicated compensation components.
Data Source
AI summary
The subject of the invention is a device for positioning an object in space, comprising at least 4 plates, each one able to move with respect to another of said plates which is contiguous with it along one of the 3 axes of space, it being possible for the movement of one plate with respect to another plate to be guided by a tenon/mortise assembly in which said tenon is secured to one of the plates and its mortise is produced in the other plate, the spatial orientation of each of the tenon/mortise assemblies being different from the other 2 and along one of the 3 axes of space.