JP2007127146A - Linear feeding mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To adjust a feeding amount of a mover per one rotation of a rotating shaft as the need arises, and to freely reciprocate the mover regardless of the rotating shaft. <P>SOLUTION: A feeding roller R pressure-contacted to the rotating shaft S at a prescribed torsion angle θ is attached to the mover M, a feed amount variable mechanism L is provided for variably adjusting the feeding amount of the mover M per one rotation of the rotating shaft S by adjusting the torsion angle θ, and a feeding release mechanism F is provided for releasing a pressure-contact force of the feeding roller R with respect to the rotating shaft so that the mover M can be freely moved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a linear feed mechanism that reciprocates a moving element mounted on a rotating shaft in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, and is particularly suitable for use in a feed mechanism of an XY stage on which an observation object of a CCD microscope is placed. It is.

As this type of feed mechanism, a screw feed mechanism in which a feed nut is screwed onto a screw shaft is generally used.
However, if this is used as a feed mechanism for an XY stage of a CCD microscope, the screw feed mechanism is inconvenient when changing the enlargement magnification because the feed amount per revolution of the screw shaft is always constant. there were.
That is, since the CCD microscope changes the enlargement magnification as necessary, the operability is improved if the feed amount can be reduced when the enlargement magnification is high and the feed amount can be increased when the enlargement magnification is low.
For this reason, a linear feed mechanism with a variable feed amount has been proposed.
JP-A-8-66877

  As shown in FIG. 10, this linear feed mechanism reciprocates a moving element M mounted on the rotating shaft S in the longitudinal direction of the shaft S. The moving element M has a predetermined movement with respect to the rotating shaft S. A feed roller R that is press-contacted with a twist angle θ is attached, and the feed amount of the moving element M per one rotation of the rotary shaft S can be variably adjusted by adjusting the twist angle θ.

That is, the feed roller R is being driven by the rotation of the rotating shaft S rolls on a rotating shaft S, to try to rotate in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis X _R of the feed roller R, the rotation axis X of the rotating shaft S When the rotating shaft X _R of _S and the feed roller R is twisted rolls obliquely in accordance with the torsional angle theta.
Now twist angle θ varies, as shown in FIG. 10 (a) and (b), the feed roller R in the rolling direction D _A, since D _B varies, the feed amount per rotation of the rotating shaft S is Will change.
Therefore, by adjusting the orientation of the rotation axis X _R of the feed roller R, increasing the helix angle θ if it is desired to increase the feed amount may be adjusted so as to reduce the twist angle θ if you want to decrease the feed amount .

However, when observing two distant parts of the object to be observed at a high magnification, when moving from one observation part to the other observation part, it takes time to move the stage even if the feed amount is increased. There was a problem.
For example, when there are observation sites at both ends of a large printed circuit board having a side of several tens of centimeters, the rotary shaft S is moved to move from one end to the other end even if the feed amount is increased. It must continue to rotate for many revolutions.

  Therefore, the present invention is capable of adjusting the feed amount of the moving element per rotation of the rotating shaft as required, and at the same time, enabling the moving element to freely reciprocate regardless of the rotating shaft. It is said.

  In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a linear feed mechanism for reciprocating a slider mounted on a rotating shaft in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, and is pressed against the rotating shaft with a predetermined twist angle. A feed roller is attached to the moving element, and a feed amount variable mechanism that variably adjusts the moving amount of the moving element per rotation of the rotating shaft by adjusting a twist angle thereof; and a pressure contact force of the feeding roller with respect to the rotating shaft. It is characterized by having a feed canceling mechanism that cancels and enables the mover to move freely.

According to the linear feed mechanism of the present invention, a feed roller that is press-contacted with a predetermined twist angle with respect to the rotary shaft is attached to the mover mounted on the rotary shaft, so that the rotary shaft can be rotated forward and backward. As a result, the feed roller rolls obliquely on the rotating shaft, and the slider is reciprocated in the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft.
At this time, if the torsion angle of the feed roller is changed by the feed amount variable mechanism, the inclination of the feed roller moving in an oblique direction on the rotating shaft changes, so that the moving amount of the moving element per rotation of the rotating shaft can be adjusted. .
In addition, if the pressure contact force of the feed roller to the rotating shaft is released by the feed releasing mechanism, the frictional force that the feed roller receives from the rotating shaft is almost eliminated, so the moving element is free from the rotating shaft, and therefore the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft. There is an effect that the movable member can be manually moved freely along the line.

  In this example, in order to achieve the object of being able to adjust the feed amount of the moving element per rotation of the rotating shaft as required, and at the same time freely moving the moving element regardless of the rotating shaft. Further, a feed amount variable mechanism that variably adjusts the feed amount of the mover per one rotation of the rotating shaft by attaching a feed roller pressed against the rotating shaft with a predetermined twist angle to the mover and adjusting the twist angle. And a feed release mechanism that releases the pressure contact force of the feed roller with respect to the rotating shaft to make the mover movable.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view showing the main part of the linear feed mechanism according to the present invention, FIG.
3 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the feed amount variable mechanism, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the feed release mechanism,
FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing another embodiment, FIG. 6 is a plan view thereof, FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a central portion thereof, FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing still another embodiment, and FIG. It is.

  A linear feed mechanism 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 reciprocates a slider 2 to which a stage is attached to the left and right. A base 4 provided with a guide rail 3 for guiding the slider 2 has a rotating shaft parallel to the guide rail. S is provided, and the moving element M that is externally mounted on the rotating shaft S is fixed to the slider 2. By rotating the rotating shaft S forward and backward, the moving element M is reciprocated in the longitudinal direction. ing.

The mover M is provided with a feed roller R that is pressed against the rotating shaft S from the three directions with a predetermined twist angle, so that the rotating motion of the rotating shaft S is converted into the linear motion of the moving member M. It has become.
Feed roller R is the rotation axis X _R is attached to the diametrical direction of the cylindrical roller holder 5 protrudes from the lower end, the roller holder 5, around the insertion hole 6 of loosely inserted the rotating shaft S It is attached to a columnar base 7 formed in the above.
Three holder mounting holes 8 are formed equiangularly on the base 7 from the peripheral surface toward the center, and a roller holder 5 is rotatably mounted in each mounting hole 8 and rotated by three feed rollers R. The shaft S is supported at three points.

Further, the mover M includes a feed amount variable mechanism L that variably adjusts the feed amount of the mover M per rotation of the rotary shaft S, and a feed release that makes the mover M movable in the longitudinal direction of the rotary shaft S. A mechanism F is provided.
The feed amount variable mechanism L adjusts the twist angle θ of the feed roller R, and includes a swing lever 9 that extends radially from the peripheral surface of the roller holder 5 and a radial lever that engages with each swing lever 9. A cam 11 having a cam groove 10 is provided. The cam 11 is fixed to a cam cover 12 rotatably attached to the base body 7, and an operation lever 13 for rotating the cam 11 is attached to the cam cover 12.

3 (a) and 3 (b) are explanatory views showing the movement of the cam 11 and the feed roller R when the rotary shaft S is viewed from above, and FIG. 3 (c) is a view of the cam 11 and the swing when the cam cover 12 is removed. It is explanatory drawing which shows a motion of the movement lever 9. FIG.
Figure 1 rotates the operating lever 13 in the arrow A ₁ direction, the cam 11 as shown in FIG. 3 (c) is rotated in the counterclockwise A ₂ direction, as shown in FIG. 3 (a) and (b) , the swing lever 9 engaged with the cam groove 10 is rotated, the roller holder 5 is rotated in the arrow a ₃ direction in the holder mounting hole 8, the feed roller R the rotation axis X _R and the rotating shaft S twist angle theta of, for example, the torsion angle formed by the rotation axis X _S varies in a range of 0 ° ≦ θ ≦ 60 °.
Thereby, the feed amount can be variably adjusted according to the magnitude of the twist angle θ.

  Further, the feed releasing mechanism F includes a chuck 16 in which a plurality of spring pieces 15 are formed by slits 14 on a cylindrical peripheral surface, and a taper surface 15 a formed on the outer peripheral surface of the spring piece 15. A tapered surface 17a formed on the inner peripheral surface of the opening end of the push cylinder 17 that is screwed to one end of the push cylinder 17 is formed so as to be slidably contacted. An operation lever 18 is attached.

When the defeat control lever 18 in the arrow _{A 4} direction shown in FIG. 1, press cylinder 17 is expanded into an arrow _{A 5} direction shown in FIG. 4 (a), the tapered surface 17a of the pushing cylinder 17 of the spring piece 15 bullets because pressing the tapered surface 15a against the repelling force, the spring piece 15 is pushed in the arrow a ₆ direction, pressed against the feed roller R which is attached to the lower end of the roller holder 5 via the pressing ball 19 to rotate shaft S .
As a result, the frictional force that the feed roller R receives from the rotating shaft S increases, so that the moving element M is restrained by the rotating shaft S, and the moving element M is moved along the longitudinal direction by rotating the rotating shaft S forward and backward. It is reciprocated.

In the case of releasing the feeding by rotating the shaft S, when defeat opposite to the arrow A ₄ direction to the operating lever 18 shown in FIG. 1, the press cylinder 17 is retracted in the arrow A ₇ direction shown in FIG. 4 (b), spring piece 15 extends in the arrow a ₈ direction by the repulsive force, contact force to the rotating shaft S of the feed roller R is released.
As a result, the frictional force that the feed roller R receives from the rotating shaft S is almost eliminated, so that the moving element M is free from the rotating shaft S. Therefore, the moving element M is manually moved freely along the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft S. Can be made.

As described above, according to this example, by operating the operation lever 18 of the feed releasing mechanism F, the engagement between the rotary shaft S and the moving element M can be disengaged, and the engagement state can be released. Regardless of the amount of feed by the rotary shaft S, the slider M can be manually pushed and moved.
Further, when the rotary shaft S and the mover M are engaged, the mover M can be reciprocated with a constant feed amount by the rotation of the rotary shaft S. In this case, since the torsion angle θ of the feed roller R can be adjusted, the feed amount per rotation of the rotary shaft S can be arbitrarily set.

5 to 7 are explanatory views showing other embodiments of the present invention. The parts common to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
The linear feed mechanism 21 of this example includes feed units U ₁ and U _{2 each} having two types of rollers R ₁ and R ₂ having twist angles θ ₁ and θ ₂ as feed rollers pressed against the rotating shaft S. An operation lever (roller selecting means) 22 is provided which is attached to the moving element M and selectively presses the rollers R ₁ and R ₂ of the feeding units U ₁ and U ₂ .

The feed units U ₁ and U ₂ include base blocks B ₁ and B _{2 provided} with feed rollers R ₁ and R ₂ that support the lower surface side of the rotary shaft S, and a feed roller R that is pressed from the upper surface side of the rotary shaft S. _The pressure contact blocks P ₁ and P ₂ having ₁ and R ₂ are provided.
The pressure-contact blocks P ₁ and P ₂ are attached to the base blocks B ₁ and B ₂ via a leaf spring 23, and the operation rollers D ₁ and D ₂ arranged on the free end side thereof are moved up and down by the operation lever 22. Thus, the rollers R ₁ and R ₂ can be alternatively pressed.

The operating lever 22, the disk 24 is provided at its rotation center, the disc 24 notch N _C determine the neutral position on the opposite side of the center of rotation is formed on the operation lever 22, also, the operating lever Notches N ₁ and N ₂ are formed on the left and right sides of 22 at a central angle of 45 °.

Here, tilting 45 ° the operating lever 22 to the left, as shown in FIG. 7 (a), notch N ₁ formed in the disk 24 is arrived at the position of the operating roller D ₁ is operated roller D ₁ since falls in the notch N _1, pressure block P ₁ of the feed unit U ₁ is pushed down by the resilience of the leaf spring 23, the feed roller R ₁ is pressed against the upper surface of the rotating shaft S.
Therefore, by rotating the rotary shaft S, the moving element M is fed at a feed amount corresponding to the twist angle θ ₁ of the feed roller R ₁ .
Similarly, when the operation lever 22 is tilted 45 ° to the right, the pressure contact block P ₂ of the feed unit U ₂ is pushed down by the elastic force of the leaf spring 23, and the moving element M is twisted by the twisting angle θ of the feed roller R _{2. The} feed amount according to ₂ is sent.

Also, when directed to the front side so as to fall in to swing the operating lever 22 with the roller D _C notch N _C, Figure 7 (b), the operation roller D ₁ and D also ₂ are both disc 24 since rides on, without being pressed against the rotating shaft S both of the feed roller R ₁ and R _2, therefore, the moving element M regardless the rotation of the rotating shaft S, can reciprocate freely.

Thus, in this example, the feed unit _{U 1} and _{U 2,} alternatively is pressed against the rotating shaft S of the feed roller _{R 1} and _{R 2} attached to the pressure blocks _{P 1} and _{P 2,} or at the same time, The operation lever 22 that can be floated from the rotating shaft S constitutes a feed amount variable mechanism L and a feed release mechanism F.

8 and 9 show still another embodiment. The parts common to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
In the linear feed mechanism 31 of this example, a feed roller R that is pressed against the rotary shaft S is provided on a moving element M that is slid on the rotary shaft S.
Feed roller R is the rotation axis X _R is attached to the diametrical direction of the cylindrical roller holder 5 is provided to protrude from the lower end, this roller holder 5, the insertion holes for inserting the rotating shaft S 6 It is attached to a base 32 having

One holder mounting hole 33 is formed in the base body 32 from the upper surface side toward the center of the rotary shaft S, and the roller holder 5 is rotatably mounted in each mounting hole 33.
An operation lever 34 for adjusting the twist angle of the feed roller R by swinging the roller holder 5 is attached to the upper surface of the roller holder 5, and a cover 35 attached to the upper surface of the base body 32 is attached to the roller 35. A pressure adjusting bolt 36 that presses the holder 5 and presses the feed roller R against the rotary shaft S is provided.

In this example, by operating the operation lever 34, the feed amount per rotation of the rotary shaft S can be adjusted by adjusting the twist angle of the feed roller R attached to the roller holder 5.
Therefore, the feed roller R attached to the roller holder 5 and the operation lever 34 that swings the feed roller R constitute a feed amount variable mechanism L.
Further, by loosening the pressure adjusting bolt 36, the pressure contact force of the feed roller R to the rotary shaft S is released, so that the friction force that the feed roller R receives from the rotary shaft S is almost eliminated, and the moving element M is moved to the rotary shaft. It becomes free from S, and the moving element M can be manually moved freely along the longitudinal direction of the rotating shaft S.
Therefore, the pressure adjustment bolt 36 constitutes the feed release mechanism F.

  As described above, the present invention can be applied to uses such as a stage feed mechanism.

The exploded assembly figure which shows the principal part of the linear feed mechanism which concerns on this invention. The whole external view. Explanatory drawing which shows operation | movement of a feed amount variable mechanism. Explanatory drawing which shows operation | movement of a feed cancellation | release mechanism. The schematic perspective view which shows other embodiment. The plan view. The center part longitudinal cross-sectional view. Furthermore, the schematic perspective view which shows other embodiment. FIG. Explanatory drawing which shows the principle of a conventional apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1, 21, 31 Linear feed mechanism S Rotating shaft M Mover R Feed roller L Feed amount variable mechanism L
F Feed release mechanism F

Claims (2)

A linear feed mechanism for reciprocating a moving element sheathed on a rotating shaft in the longitudinal direction of the shaft,
A feed roller that is pressed against the rotating shaft with a predetermined twist angle is attached to the moving element, and a feed amount variable for adjusting a moving amount of the moving element per rotation of the rotating shaft by adjusting the twist angle. A linear feed mechanism comprising: a mechanism; and a feed release mechanism that releases the pressure contact force of the feed roller with respect to the rotating shaft to make the mover movable. 2. The linear feed mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising two types of rollers having different twist angles as the feed roller, and a roller selection unit that selectively press-contacts the roller as the feed amount variable mechanism.

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