JP2008283773A - Xy table actuator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an XY table actuator wherein, even when a movable plate that moves in an XY plane is mounted with a motor for driving it in the Y direction, this motor and a driver sending out a driving current thereto can be coupled together without undue stress and the nimble motion of the movable plate can be achieved. <P>SOLUTION: The movable plate that can be freely positioned within an XY plane is mounted with a coil member of a Y-direction linear motor that propels the movable plate in the Y direction. At the same time, a power cable for supplying a driving current to the coil member is constructed of a flat band-like FPC that can be freely bent in a specific direction. The power cable includes: a Y-direction allowance portion that permits the movement of the movable plate in the Y direction; and an X-direction allowance portion that is continuous from the Y-direction allowance portion and is connected to the driver with the bendable direction set to the X direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an XY table actuator that is used in various inspection devices, measuring devices, transport devices, and the like, and freely moves and positions a transport target in an XY plane, and in particular, mounts the transport target. The present invention relates to an XY table actuator of a type in which a motor that drives a movable plate that moves in an XY plane is mounted.

  Conventionally, as this kind of XY table actuator, what is disclosed in WO2005 / 124789 (Patent Document 1) is known. The XY table actuator disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a fixed plate fixed to a bed or a column, an intermediate plate movable in the X direction with respect to the fixed plate, and a Y direction with respect to the intermediate plate. The movable plate is configured to be movable in the X direction and the Y direction with respect to the fixed plate.

  Further, in Patent Document 1, a rotary motor and a ball screw are provided as means for moving the intermediate plate in the X direction by an arbitrary amount with respect to the fixed plate and moving the movable plate by an arbitrary amount in the Y direction with respect to the intermediate plate. A combined drive means is shown. Specifically, driving means for moving the intermediate plate forward and backward in the X direction is provided on the fixed plate, while driving means for moving the movable plate forward and backward in the Y direction is mounted on the movable plate. Is not arranged.

  Although not shown in Patent Document 1, when a motor is mounted on the movable plate, it is necessary to connect the motor to a driver that sends a driving current to the motor with a power cable. Since the driver needs to be connected to a power source and increases in weight, it is generally installed near the XY table actuator without being mounted on the movable plate. Therefore, the power cable must connect the motor and the driver mounted on the movable plate while following the movement of the movable plate.

  Conventionally, a flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as “FPC”) is known as a cable that can be used for such applications. This FPC is a flat structure in which an adhesive layer is formed on a film-like insulator having a thickness of about 30 μm to 150 μm, and a conductor layer having a thickness of about 20 μm to 50 μm is formed thereon, and is lightweight and excellent in flexibility. It can be repeatedly deformed with a small force. For this reason, the FPC is often used as a signal cable for supplying a print signal to a head of a serial printer such as an ink jet printer, that is, a printer head that performs a reciprocating linear motion.

Further, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-250854 (Patent Document 2), an FPC is also used as a signal cable for a magnetic head that moves linearly along a recording medium surface in a magnetic disk device.
WO2005 / 124789 JP-A-5-250854

  However, when the motor mounted on the movable plate of the XY table actuator is connected to the driver, the use of the FPC has the following problems.

  In other words, since the FPC has a flat structure, it can be bent freely in a specific direction, and even when repeatedly bent, it exhibits sufficient durability. There is a characteristic that it is difficult to bend the direction perpendicular to the direction. For this reason, if the motor mounted on the movable plate and the driver are connected by FPC, and the movable plate is moved in a specific direction including the X-direction component and the Y-direction component in the XY plane, this is applied to the FPC. An external force that is forced to bend acts, and the FPC breaks early. Further, the FPC itself becomes a movement resistance of the movable plate, and the light movement of the movable plate is hindered.

  In order to solve such a problem, it is possible to consider measures such as mounting the motor on an intermediate plate that moves only in the X direction, instead of a movable plate that moves in both the X and Y directions. However, for example, assuming that a linear motor is selected as the driving means for the movable plate, it can be said that it is preferable to provide the coil member not on the intermediate plate but on the movable plate from the viewpoint of promoting heat dissipation of the coil member of the linear motor. .

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and its object is to mount a coil member of a linear motor that drives the movable plate in the Y direction on a movable plate that moves in the XY plane. Even so, the present invention provides an XY table actuator that can reasonably connect such a coil member and a driver that sends a driving current to the coil member, and can realize a light movement of the movable plate. is there.

  That is, the XY table actuator of the present invention includes a fixed plate, an intermediate plate stacked on the fixed plate and movable in the X direction with respect to the fixed plate, and stacked on the intermediate plate and the intermediate plate. A movable plate movable in the Y direction, an X direction linear motor for propelling the intermediate plate in the X direction relative to the fixed plate, and a Y direction linear motor for propelling the movable plate in the Y direction relative to the intermediate plate; And a driver for supplying a drive current to the X direction motor and the Y direction motor via a power cable, and the Y direction linear motor includes a stator magnet mounted on the intermediate plate, The coil member is mounted on the movable plate. Further, the power cable for supplying a driving current from the driver to the coil member of the Y-direction linear motor is composed of a flat-band FPC that can be freely bent in a specific direction. The power cable includes an intermediate portion fixed to the intermediate plate, a Y-direction margin portion that connects the intermediate portion and the coil member and allows the movable plate to move in the Y direction with respect to the intermediate plate, and the intermediate portion. And an X-direction margin portion connected to the controller in a state where the bendable direction is matched with the X direction.

  According to the present invention, the power cable is not drawn directly from the movable plate on which the coil member of the Y-direction linear motor is mounted and connected to the driver, but is connected to the driver via the intermediate plate. ing. That is, the Y-direction margin of the power cable is curved in one direction, and one end is fixed to the coil member of the movable plate and the other end is fixed to the intermediate portion of the intermediate plate. Allow movement. Further, the X-direction margin of the power cable is continued from the intermediate portion in a state where the bendable direction matches the X direction, and allows the intermediate plate to move in the X direction relative to the fixed plate.

  Therefore, even if the movable plate moves two-dimensionally in the XY plane, the Y-direction margin portion and the X-direction margin portion absorb the movement of the movable plate in the Y direction or X direction, respectively. A force for forcibly bending the FPC is not applied to the FPC, and the durability of the power cable can be improved. In addition, the power cable itself does not hinder the movement of the movable plate, and the light movement of the movable plate can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, an XY table actuator of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an XY table actuator to which the present invention is applied. The XY table actuator 1 includes a fixed plate 2 fixed to a fixed part such as a housing or a bed of a mechanical device, an intermediate plate 4 assembled to the fixed plate 2 via a linear guide, and a linear guide. And a movable plate 5 assembled to the intermediate plate 4.

  The intermediate plate 4 is provided so as to be movable in the X direction with respect to the fixed plate 2, and the movable plate 5 is movable in the Y direction with respect to the intermediate plate 3. Therefore, by fixing a movable body such as an inspection stage and a transfer table to the movable plate 5, the movable body can be freely moved in the X direction and the Y direction with respect to the fixed plate 2. ing.

  The fixed plate 2, the intermediate plate 4 and the movable plate 5 have the same size in the XY plane. As shown in FIG. 1, when the intermediate plate 4 and the movable plate 5 are set to the home position, Three plates 2, 4 and 5 overlap each other to form a rectangular body. Therefore, the XY table actuator 1 itself is very compact.

  Further, although it cannot be grasped from the appearance shown in FIG. 1, an X drive motor for driving the intermediate plate 4 in the X direction is provided between the fixed plate 2 and the intermediate plate 4. A Y drive motor for driving the movable plate 5 in the Y direction is accommodated between the movable plate 5 and the movable plate 5. These X drive motor and Y drive motor are connected to a driver 9 by a driving power cable 8, and the driver 9 sends a drive current to the X drive motor and the Y drive motor. The specific configuration of the X drive motor and the Y drive motor will be described in detail later.

  The XY table actuator 1 includes two sets of position detection means for measuring the amount of movement of the intermediate plate 4 in the X direction relative to the fixed plate 2 and the amount of movement of the movable plate 5 in the Y direction relative to the intermediate plate 4. Each position detection means is composed of a linear scale and a detection sensor for reading the linear scale. The detection sensor is mounted on the intermediate plate 4, while the linear scale is fixed to the fixed plate 2 at a position facing the detection sensor. Alternatively, it is held by the movable plate 5. The combination of the linear scale and the detection sensor may be an optical reading method or a magnetic reading method.

  The output signals of the two detection sensors are input to the driver 9 via the sensor signal cable 10, and the driver 9 refers to the output signals of the detection sensors and outputs the drive signals of the X drive motor and the Y drive motor. Is generated.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the fixed plate 2. The fixing plate 2 has a receiving groove 20 in the center and is formed in a channel shape, and a ball rolling groove 30 is formed on the inner surface facing the receiving groove 20. The movable plate 5 is also formed in the same shape as the fixed plate 2, but the phases when superimposed on the intermediate plate 4 are shifted from each other by 90 degrees. That is, in the fixed plate 2, the accommodation groove 20 is formed along the X direction, but in the movable plate 5, the accommodation groove 20 is formed along the Y direction.

  The intermediate plate 4 is formed in a flat plate shape having the same size as the fixed plate 2 and the movable plate 5, and the intermediate plate 4 indicated by a one-dot chain line is overlapped with the fixed plate 2 as shown in FIG. Thus, a space corresponding to the size of the accommodation groove 20 is formed between the fixed plate 2 and the intermediate plate 4, and this space is used as the accommodation chamber 60 of the X drive motor 6 described above. ing. Such a space is also formed between the movable plate 5 and the intermediate plate 4, and this space is used as the accommodation chamber 70 of the Y drive motor described above.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the XY table actuator 1 showing a state where the movable plate 5 is removed. A pair of linear guides 21 are fixed to the surface of the intermediate plate 4 facing the movable plate at an interval in the X direction. Each linear guide 21 is provided with a load rolling groove 22 facing the rolling groove 30 of the ball formed on the movable plate 5, and the rolling groove 30 of the movable plate 5 and the load rolling groove 22 of the linear guide 21. The movable plate 5 can be freely moved in the Y direction with respect to the intermediate plate 4 by rolling a plurality of balls while applying a load therebetween. Further, the linear guide 21 is provided with an infinite circulation path of the ball, and the movable plate 5 can move with respect to the intermediate plate 4 within a range in which its rolling groove 30 faces the linear guide 21. ing.

  A Y drive motor 7 is disposed on the intermediate plate 4 so as to be sandwiched between the pair of linear guides described above. The Y drive motor 7 is a synchronous linear motor, and is fixed to the movable plate 5 and has a slight gap between the stator magnets 71 arranged in a line on the intermediate plate 4. It is comprised from the coil member 72 which opposes via.

  The stator magnet 71 is arranged so that the N pole and the S pole are alternately directed to the coil member 72. These stator magnets 71 are arranged on a synthetic resin holding plate 73. By fixing the holding plate 73 to the intermediate plate 4, the stator magnet 71 can be easily arranged on the intermediate plate 4. To get. The stator magnets 71 are arranged on the holding plate 73 by bonding. However, the stator magnet 71 can be integrated with the holding plate 73 by injection molding the holding plate 73.

  The coil member 72 is formed by winding a coil around a core member made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron, and the tip of the core member is interposed between the stator magnet 71 and a slight gap. Opposite. The coil is composed of three phases, u-phase, v-phase, and w-phase. When a three-phase alternating current is passed through these coils, the coil member 71 generates a moving magnetic field along the Y direction. Based on this moving magnetic field, a magnetic attractive force or a magnetic repulsive force acts between the stator magnet 71 and the coil member 72 so that the coil member 72 can be propelled along the arrangement direction of the stator magnet 71. It has become.

  3 shows the structure of the surface side of the intermediate plate 4, that is, the side facing the movable plate 5, but a pair of linear guides are also provided on the back surface side of the intermediate plate 4, that is, the side facing the fixed plate 2. 21 is arranged so that the intermediate plate 4 can move freely in the X direction with respect to the fixed plate 2. Further, the X drive motor that drives the intermediate plate 4 in the X direction with respect to the fixed plate 2 is composed of a stator magnet and a coil member, like the Y drive motor 7, and the stator magnet is on the back side of the intermediate plate 4. In addition, the coil members are respectively fixed to the fixing plate 2.

  Further, in FIG. 3, reference numeral 74 denotes a partition wall that faces the receiving groove 20 of the movable plate 5 with a slight gap, and is provided at both ends in the Y direction on the surface side of the intermediate plate 4. The partition wall 74 prevents dust from entering the storage chamber 70 of the Y drive motor 7 formed between the movable plate 5 and the intermediate plate 4 from the outside, and is a coil member fixed to the movable plate 5. The movement range of 72 is limited. That is, the movable plate 5 can make a stroke within the moving range of the coil member 72 restricted by the pair of partition walls 74.

  Similarly, a pair of partition walls 75 are provided on the back surface side of the intermediate plate 4 so as to correspond to both ends in the X direction, and the X drive motor accommodating chamber 60 formed between the fixed plate 2 and the intermediate plate 4. On the other hand, the dust is prevented from entering from the outside, and the moving range of the coil member fixed to the fixed plate 2 is limited.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3, one end of the driving power cable 8 is connected to the coil member 72 fixed to the movable plate 5, and the other end of the driving power cable 8 is the XY table. It is connected to a driver 9 provided separately from the actuator 1. The driving power cable 8 is formed of a flat belt-like FPC having a thickness of about 150 μm, and is mounted on the movable plate 5 while allowing the movement of the movable plate 5 in the X direction and the Y direction by bending flexibly. The coil member 72 of the Y drive motor 7 is connected to the driver 9.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the driving power cable 8. Due to its characteristics, the FPC can bend freely in the direction perpendicular to the surface, and sufficiently durable against repeated stretching and bending. However, there is almost no durability against bending in a direction parallel to the surface, and there is a concern that the signal line accommodated may be broken immediately. For this reason, in the XY table actuator 1 shown in FIG. 1, a flat band-like FPC is formed in a predetermined shape, and bending and bending are given to several places of the FPC, and the driving power cable 8 shown in FIG. Have gained.

  The driving power cable 8 shown in FIG. 4 allows an intermediate portion fixed to the intermediate plate 4, a Y-direction margin 80 allowing movement of the movable plate 5 in the Y direction, and allowing movement of the intermediate plate 4 in the X direction. X direction margin part 81 to be included. The Y-direction margin portion 80 includes a U-shaped curved portion 82 at substantially the center thereof, one end portion 80 a is connected to a coil member 72 mounted on the movable plate 5, and the other end is fixed to the intermediate plate 4. It continues to the middle part. The driving power cable 8 is connected to the coil member 72 in a state where the surface thereof is in surface contact with the back surface of the movable plate, and interference with the stator magnet 71 disposed on the intermediate plate 4 is prevented. ing. On the other hand, 90-degree bent portions 83 and 84 are provided at an intermediate portion connecting the Y-direction margin portion 80 and the X-direction margin portion 81, and the surface of the drive power cable 8 is at the X-direction margin portion 81. It faces in the X direction. Further, the end portion 81 a of the X-direction margin portion 81 is connected to the driver 9.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state where the driving power cable is developed. As shown in this figure, the driving power cable 8 is an FPC formed in an L shape, and a copper foil serving as a signal line is provided from one end 80a to the other end 81a. . The portions corresponding to the bent portions 83 and 84 are indicated by alternate long and short dash lines in the drawing, and the bent portions 83 and 84 are formed by bending these portions 90 degrees.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the driving power cable 8 has a Y-direction margin portion 80 exposed outside the movable plate 5 and the intermediate plate 4, and an end portion 80 a continuous with the Y-direction margin portion 80. Is fixed to the movable plate 5, while the other end of the Y-direction margin portion 80 continuing to the bent portion 83 is fixed to the intermediate plate 4 by the partition wall 74. Therefore, when the movable plate 5 moves in the Y direction with respect to the intermediate plate 4, the end portion 80a moves in the Y direction, and the curved portion of the Y-direction margin 80 as shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 82 moves in the Y direction while absorbing the movement of the end 80a. That is, the movement of the movable plate 5 in the Y direction is absorbed by the Y-direction margin 80 connecting the movable plate 5 and the intermediate plate 4.

  Further, the X-direction margin 81 that continues from the bent portion 84 is drawn from the intermediate plate 4 while being sandwiched between the partition wall 74 and the cable retainer 75 adjacent thereto. At this time, in the X-direction margin portion 81, the direction in which the FPC can be freely bent matches the X-direction, and the X-direction margin portion 81 can be freely bent as shown by a one-dot chain line in FIG. Thus, the movement of the intermediate plate 4 in the X direction with respect to the fixed plate 2 can be absorbed.

  Therefore, according to the driving power cable 8 provided with the Y-direction margin portion 80 and the X-direction margin portion 81 in this way, the movable plate 5 on which the coil member 72 of the Y drive motor 7 is mounted can freely move in the XY plane. Even if it moves, an unreasonable force that damages the driving power cable 8 that connects the coil member 72 and the driver 9 does not act, and the driving power cable 8 is movable plate. Thus, the light movement of the movable plate 5 can be realized over a long period of time without hindering the movement of the X direction and the Y direction.

  In FIGS. 1 and 3, the driving power cable for connecting the X drive motor to the driver 9 is omitted. Since the coil member of the X drive motor is attached to the fixed plate 2, the coil member does not move in either the X direction or the Y direction, and the driving power cable can be connected to the driver without any problem. Because.

  Also, the sensor signal cable 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 is also made of a flat belt-like FPC, and is drawn from the intermediate plate 4 and connected to the driver 9. The sensor signal cable 10 is drawn from the intermediate plate 4 while being sandwiched between the partition wall 74 and the cable retainer 76, and the direction in which the sensor signal cable 10 can be bent freely is the moving direction of the intermediate plate 4 with respect to the fixed plate 2. It matches a certain X direction. That is, the sensor signal cable 10 can flexibly follow the movement of the intermediate plate 4 in the X direction, and is configured not to inhibit the movement of the intermediate plate 4 in the X direction. .

It is a perspective view which shows embodiment of the XY table actuator to which this invention is applied. It is a perspective view which shows the fixing plate of the XY table actuator which concerns on embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the state which removed the movable plate from the XY table actuator which concerns on embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the drive power cable which connects a driver and a Y drive motor. It is a perspective view which shows the state which expand | deployed the drive power cable shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... XY table actuator, 2 ... Fixed plate, 4 ... Intermediate plate, 5 ... Movable plate, 7 ... Y drive motor, 20 ... Housing groove, 8 ... Drive power cable, 9 ... Driver, 80 ... Y direction margin part, 81 ... X direction margin part, 82 ... Curved part

Claims (2)

A fixed plate, an intermediate plate stacked on the fixed plate and movable in the X direction with respect to the fixed plate, a movable plate stacked on the intermediate plate and movable in the Y direction with respect to the intermediate plate; An X-direction linear motor that propels the intermediate plate in the X direction relative to the fixed plate, a Y-direction linear motor that propels the movable plate in the Y direction relative to the intermediate plate, and the X-direction motor and the Y-direction motor. It consists of a driver that supplies drive current via a power cable,
The Y-direction linear motor is composed of a stator magnet mounted on the intermediate plate and a coil member mounted on the movable plate,
The power cable for supplying a drive current from the driver to the coil member of the Y-direction linear motor is composed of a flat belt-like flexible printed circuit board that can be freely bent in a specific direction,
The power cable includes an intermediate portion fixed to the intermediate plate, a Y-direction margin portion that connects the intermediate portion and the coil member and allows the movable plate to move in the Y direction with respect to the intermediate plate, and the intermediate portion. An XY table actuator comprising: an X-direction margin portion which is continuous and is connected to the controller in a state in which the bendable direction is matched with the X direction. 2. The XY table actuator according to claim 1, wherein the X-direction margin of the power cable is bent 90 degrees with respect to the Y-direction margin.

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