JP2733219B1 - 3-DOF micromanipulator - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a three-degree-of-freedom micromanipulator capable of performing simple and high-precision positioning by effectively utilizing a characteristic that three degrees of freedom of translation becomes a main operation in fine work. SOLUTION: There are provided three link mechanisms 6 for connecting the base member 1 and the end effector 3. The link mechanism 6 includes two rotating pairs R formed by connecting a pair of paired members 30 with a thin portion 32 and a pair of connecting rods 31 between both ends of the paired paired members 30. It is provided with two translation pairs P connected and connected via the thin-walled portion 32, and each pair is arranged on one plane to be configured as a flexible structure that performs an operation of three degrees of freedom.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to biotechnology, medicine, and industrial fields that require fine manipulation.
An inexpensive three-degree-of-freedom micromanipulator suitable for use in a micromanipulation mechanism that can accurately and easily perform fine operations such as positioning, handling, cutting, and joining of a minute object, or a precision positioning stage mechanism It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The present inventors have previously disclosed a micromanipulator having a hand module suitable for use in biotechnology, medicine, or various industrial fields requiring fine manipulation as described in JP-A-6-170761. It is proposed as Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-328374.

[0003] This proposed hand module is constituted by a six-degree-of-freedom parallel link mechanism that controls six-degree-of-freedom movement by six driving devices. Specifically, a hand member is provided on a base member and a board. An end effector to which a piece is attached, and six links connecting the base member and the board are provided, and connection points between the base member and the board of the six links are substantially equally divided around the central axis. The links are sequentially arranged in the opposite direction so that the connection points of the links between the base member and the board are pivotally connected, and the base member and the board are connected by a spring, or both ends of each link. And the base member and the substrate are directly connected by a flexible metal linear member, and each link can be expanded and contracted by a piezoelectric element or the like.

However, in microscopic work under a microscope, operation with three translational degrees of freedom in three axes orthogonal to each other is mainly performed, and at least for the remaining two degrees of freedom around the horizontal axis, the operation of the micromanipulator itself is performed. Since the area is sufficiently small in comparison with the dimensions of the hand module and the displacement of the joint is extremely small, there is no substantial difference from the translation operation. In addition, in the above parallel link mechanism, since the links are driven, both ends of each link are connected to the base member and the substrate by the above-mentioned pivot connection, a flexible metal linear member, or a universal joint or a ball joint. However, in a very small parallel link mechanism such as a micromanipulator, it is extremely difficult to manufacture the above joint.

[0005]

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is basically suitable for a micro-manipulation mechanism or a precision positioning stage mechanism capable of performing fine work accurately and easily. An object of the present invention is to develop a three-degree-of-freedom micromanipulator capable of performing simple and high-precision positioning by making effective use of the above-described characteristic that the three degrees of freedom of translation becomes a main operation in fine work.

Another technical object of the present invention is to realize three-degree-of-freedom precise positioning control of an end effector by using three link mechanisms, thereby achieving control with half the control system of a conventional micromanipulator. An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and cost-effective three-degree-of-freedom micromanipulator. Still another technical object of the present invention is to provide a link mechanism for realizing the above, which can be easily processed and assembled, and has a simple structure which is advantageous for forming the link mechanism finely. It is in.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a three-degree-of-freedom micromanipulator according to the present invention includes three link mechanisms for connecting a base member and an end effector. Two rotating pairs formed by connecting the members with thin portions, and two translations formed by connecting both end portions of the pair of pair members via the thin portions with a pair of connecting rod portions, respectively. The present invention is characterized in that a pair is provided as a flexible structure in which each pair is arranged on one plane to perform a three-degree-of-freedom operation.

The three-degree-of-freedom micromanipulator having the above configuration is suitable for a micromanipulation mechanism or a precision positioning stage mechanism capable of performing fine work accurately and easily.
By making effective use of the fine work, simple and highly accurate positioning can be performed with only three degrees of freedom of translation. In addition, since the three link mechanisms enable precise positioning control of the end effector with three degrees of freedom, the control can be reduced by half compared to the conventional micromanipulator control system, which is simple and cost-effective. In addition, since a link mechanism in which each pair is arranged on one plane is used, processing and assembly can be easily performed, which is advantageous for forming a fine link mechanism.

[0009]

FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of an example of a three-degree-of-freedom micromanipulator according to the present invention. The three-degree-of-freedom micromanipulator 1 is provided on a base member 2 and a movable base 4. An end effector 3 having a handpiece 5 attached thereto, and three link mechanisms 6 for connecting the base member 2 and the movable base 4 are provided. The link mechanism 6 has the configuration shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, and the configuration will be described in detail below.

[0010] As described above, in microscopic work under a microscope using a very small parallel link mechanism, the operation of translational three degrees of freedom in three axes orthogonal to each other is mainly performed, and the displacement of the joint is extremely small. The manufacture of the joint is also very difficult. Considering from such a viewpoint, as a joint, as shown in FIG. 2A, a flexible structure that realizes a rotating pair R by connecting a pair of pair members 10 with a thin portion 12 or the like, As shown in FIG. 2B, the use of a flexible structure that realizes a translational pair P by connecting both ends of a pair of pair members 20 via a thin portion 22 with a pair of connecting rod portions 21 respectively. Advantageously, it is appropriate to construct a mechanism that utilizes them to achieve a three degree of freedom translation.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the translational three degrees of freedom can be realized by a flexible structure in which the translation pairs P are arranged in three directions of the XYZ axes. In this case, Since the three couples cannot be arranged on one plane and their structures are not symmetrical, the smaller the flexible structure is, the more difficult it is to process and assemble.

However, the three translational degrees of freedom can be configured more simply by employing the following method. In other words, based on the research results of motion analysis based on group theory, it is possible to realize translational motion by combining a plurality of 4-degree-of-freedom link mechanisms that define a straight line that allows rotation around the axis and translation in the axial direction in parallel. It has been elucidated. To explain this more specifically, as a link mechanism, FIGS.
By adopting a four-degree-of-freedom configuration as shown in (d), each pair can be arranged on one plane to perform a three-degree-of-freedom operation. Processing and assembling of a flexible structure with a high degree of freedom can be significantly facilitated. In the figure, R means a rotation pair, and P means a translation pair, and when the examples of FIGS.
They can be named RP mechanism and RPPR mechanism.

As an example of this, FIG. 5 shows a link mechanism 6 in which the RPPR mechanism is constituted by a flexible structure. The link mechanism 6 includes two rotating pairs R, which are realized by connecting a pair of pair members 30 with a thin portion 32, and a pair of connecting rod portions 31 between both ends of the pair of pair members 30, respectively. As a flexible structure having two translation pairs P realized by being connected via the thin portion 32,
This is a PPR mechanism, and a mechanism for realizing a three-degree-of-freedom translational motion can be configured on a plane, so that processing and assembly can be easily performed.

The three-degree-of-freedom micromanipulator 1 shown in FIG.
The three of the link mechanisms 6 constituting the RPPR mechanism of FIG.
5 shows a state where they are symmetrically arranged at 120 ° intervals around the center axis, and the respective parts of the link mechanism are denoted by the same reference numerals as in FIG. In this case, each link mechanism 6 is set at 120 degrees around the center axis.
Although the position is shown at an interval of °, the arrangement can be arbitrarily selected in relation to the drive control. The driving of the micromanipulator 1 may be performed so that each pair is driven by appropriate means.

The three-degree-of-freedom manipulator shown in FIG. 1 can be formed into a two-finger shape by using a pair of the manipulators, or by using an arbitrary number thereof for fine work such as positioning, handling, cutting, joining, and the like of a minute object. It can be applied or used for a precision positioning stage mechanism.

[0016]

According to the three-degree-of-freedom micromanipulator of the present invention described in detail above, the characteristic that translational three-degree-of-freedom is the main operation in fine work is effectively used, and the end effector is operated by three link mechanisms. A micromanipulator that realizes precise positioning control with three degrees of freedom, thereby halving the control compared to the conventional control system for a micromanipulator with six degrees of freedom, and that can perform simple, inexpensive and highly accurate positioning. Can be obtained. Also,
Since the link mechanism can be easily processed and assembled, it is advantageous for finely forming the link mechanism.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a three-degree-of-freedom micromanipulator according to the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views of a joint made of a flexible structure that realizes a rotating pair and a translation pair;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a three-degree-of-freedom mechanism using three translation pairs.

FIGS. 4A to 4D are explanatory diagrams of a link mechanism having four degrees of freedom.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a link mechanism used in the embodiment of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 3 degree-of-freedom micromanipulator 2 Base member 3 End effector 6 Link mechanism 30 Pair member 31 Connecting rod part 32 Thin part R Rotational pair P Translational pair

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] The present invention further comprises three link mechanisms for connecting a base member and an end effector, the link mechanism including two rotating pairs formed by connecting a pair of pair members with thin portions, It has two translation pairs configured by connecting between both end portions of the pair member via a thin portion with a pair of connecting rod portions,
3. Each pair is configured as a flexible structure which is arranged on one plane to perform an operation with three degrees of freedom.
Degree of freedom micromanipulator.