WO2016181230A2 - A mobile table on the three axes (x, y, z) of reduced encumbrance - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention concerns a mobile table (1) having : At least one mobile support plane (6) in a direction (X) and/or (Y); An upper plane (4) overlapped to the support plane (6) and mobile in a vertical direction (Z) of lifting/lowering in respect to said support plane (6); First actuating means (10, 15, 20, 25) to generate the movement in the direction (Z) of the upper plane (4) and comprising at least one fixed actuating element and one stem (10', 15', 20', 25') associated with said fixed and mobile actuating element according to an extraction/retraction motion from/into the fixed actuating element in such a way as to cause the relative lifting/lowering of the upper plane (4). In accordance with the invention, at least said fixed actuating element results to be arranged under the support plane (6), preferably under the surface (6A) delimiting superiorly the support plane (6) which is provided with a hole for the passage of the stem.

Description

TITLE

A MOBILE TABLE ON THE THREE AXES (X , Y , Z ) OF REDUCED

ENCUMBRANCE

Technical field

The present invention refers to the technical field relative to the mobile tables on axes and according to directions (X, Y, Z) used, for example, in the field of microscopes .

In particular, the invention refers to an innovative table which is mobile on the three axes (X, Y, Z) and results to be at the same time very reduced in terms of encumbrance in the direction Z .

Background art

Tables that are mobile through motorized systems have long been known and used.

They are used in different technical fields such as the one relative to microscopes (but not only in this field) .

The microscope in fact foresees a mobile table placed precisely under the lens in such a way that the operator can translate the table on the three directions so as to be able to focus the image in the favorite manner .

Precision tables have motorized systems that allow movements also of a few microns, something that is essential for example in the case of use of electronic microscopes that require very precise image acquisitions (for instance, in the medical and research fields) .

A technical field linked, however, to the tables normally known and commercialized concerns the fact that they result to be significantly cumbersome in terms of height Z, in particular when the tables are structured to require a high movement in such a direction. In fact, with the piezoelectric actuators maximum vertical movements of some hundreds of microns (300) can be obtained. In some fields of the microscopy, like for the instrumentation for the measurement of the hardness of the materials, vertical movements of some millimeters are instead required.

The table is built as a whole as if it were a turret, that is with a first mobile surface in direction X on which a second mobile surface is placed in direction Y. On this last one a third surface is placed which is mobile in a direction Z. The surfaces are rendered mobile through engines which, when movements of some millimeters are required, can reach relatively cumbersome sizes. In that sense, the placement of these last ones is such that, in the end, the structure is on the whole excessively cumbersome, above all precisely in the direction of the axis Z.

For example, precisely publication JP2003028974 describes a similar solution, as mentioned above.

In particular, it is a table in which the upper plane 20 is mobile vertically in the direction Z thanks to a pneumatic cylinder 31 placed centrally, and laterally dampers are foreseen that tend to keep the table in horizontal position.

As clearly highlighted in the figure, the cylinder is arranged above the mobile plane horizontally and this type of structuring which is of the "overlapped-layer" type creates significant encumbrance in the direction Z, above all due to the fact that a pneumatic cylinder is used .

Naturally, a considerable height implies a difficulty also of installation in the apparatuses to which the table is destined.

Disclosure of invention

It is therefore the aim of the present invention to provide an innovative table that is mobile on three directions (X, Y, Z) that solves said technical inconveniences .

In particular, it is the aim of the present invention to provide a motorized table on said three directions (X, Y, Z) that results to be of reduced encumbrance in the direction of the vertical axis Z.

These and other aims are therefore reached with the present mobile table 1, in accordance with claim 1.

Such a table (1) comprises:

At least one mobile support plane (6) in a direction (X) and/or (Y) ;

An upper plane (4) overlapped to the support plane (6) and mobile in a vertical direction (Z) of lifting/lowering in respect to said support plane (6) ;

First actuating means (10, 15, 20, 25) to generate the movement in the direction (Z) of the upper plane (4) and comprising at least one actuating element and one stem (10', 15', 20', 25') associated with said actuating element mobile according to an extraction/retraction motion from/into the actuating element in such a way as to cause the relative lifting/lowering of the upper plane (4) .

In accordance with the invention, at least said actuating element results to be arranged, for example fixed through screws or connection systems in general, under the support plane (6) , preferably under the surface (6A) delimiting superiorly the support plane (6) .

The support plane 6 comprises a passage, for example in the form of a passing hole or of a removal of passing material, through which the stem of the actuating element is made to pass to thus be able to connect to the upper plane 4.

In this way, in accordance with such a solution, actuating means arranged in the space comprised between the upper plane 4 and the support plane 6 are no more present, therefore allowing a significant reduction of the encumbrance in the direction Z.

Advantageously, the support plane (6) and the upper plane (4) are between them connected in such a way that a translation in the direction (X) and/or (Y) of the support plane (6) causes an integral dragging of the overlapped upper plane ( ) .

Advantageously, second actuating means (5) are further foreseen arranged under the support plane (6), preferably under the surface (6A) delimiting superiorly the support plane (6), and arranged in such a way as to cause the movement of the support plane in the direction (X) and/or (Y) .

Advantageously, a lower plane (2) is further foreseen, placed under the support plane (6) and connected to the support plane. (6) in such a way that its translation in a direction (X) or (Y) drags integrally the support plane (6) and the upper plane (4) .

Advantageously, said first actuating means comprise a linear actuator of the electric type.

In particular, advantageously, the linear actuator can be of the unconstrained type.

Advantageously, four linear actuators are foreseen arranged each one at an angle of the support plane (6) .

The specific solution described in document

JP2003028974 does not result precise at all in the movement according to the axis Z since a single cylinder is foreseen placed centrally. The table can therefore bascule around the fulcrum of such a cylinder, even if in a subtle way. Nevertheless, for precise measurement detections (for example in applications for electronic microscopes) even oscillations of a few microns can alter the acquired image irremediably.

This solution with four linear actuators arranged each one at an angle of the support plane (6) has the advantage of allowing a precise movement of the upper plane 4.

Advantageously, the support plane (6) foresees relative holes for the passage of the stem (10', 15', 20', 25' ) associated with the linear actuators foreseen, the stem being connected to the upper plane (4) .

Advantageously, the upper plane (4) further foresees at least one shaft (50), preferably four shafts (50), arranged in such a way as to slide during lifting/lowering motion into a relative bearing (50' ) arranged in correspondence of the support plane (6) .

Advantageously, the support plane (6) comprises:

An intermediate layer (6'' ) presenting a removal of a thickness of material in correspondence of the positioning of the linear actuators;

An upper layer (β') presenting a hole of passage for the stem of the linear actuator;

And wherein a lower layer (6''' ) is further foreseen, suitable to connect to a relative lower plane (2) translatable in a direction (X) or (Y) and sliding in respect to the intermediate layer.

Brief description of drawings

Further features and advantages of the present motorized table, according to the invention, will result clearer with the description that follows of some embodiments, made to illustrate but not to limit, with reference to the annexed drawings, wherein: - Figure 1 shows an axonometric view of the present table ;

- Figure 2 shows a view of a motorization system that activates a translation in the direction X;

- Figure 3 is a view that removes the carter to visualize the engines that activate a movement in the direction Z (in addition to the engine that activates the movement in the direction X) ;

- Figure 4 highlights the upper table that moves in the direction Z;

- Figure 4A is a constructive detail relative to the connection of the linear actuators to the upper plane 4;

- Figure 5 is a view from the bottom;

- Figure 6 and figure 7 are exploded views of the present table;

- Figure 8 is a lateral view;

- Figure 9 is a further overall view of the table in which the carter has been completely removed in order to highlight the movement system of the lower plane.

Description of some preferred embodiments

Figure 1 shows in an axonometric view a table 1 in accordance with the present invention.

The table foresees three planes (2, 3, 4) overlapped one to the other.

Each one of such planes results to be mobile in a pre-determined direction thanks to a specific motorized system described in detail right under.

In particular, the first plane 2 is generally mobile in the direction Y (highlighted in figure 3) . In a non- limiting way, anyway, it could be mobile in the direction X, modifying the arrangement of the pre-placed engine.

The second plane 3 is therefore mobile in the direction X (or eventually in the direction Y) .

The two overlapped planes 2 and 3 are therefore mobile in the plane (X; Y) parallel to the ground.

The third plane 4 is the one mobile in the direction Z, that is of lifting/lowering in respect to the underlying planes.

Going further into the constructive detail of the invention, figure 3 and figure 5 remove the carter relative to the second plane 3 to highlight the constructive elements.

In particular, as always shown in figure 3 and in figure 5, four electric engines (10, 15, 20, 25) are highlighted, arranged under the four angles of a plate 6, visible also in figure 2.

The plate 6 foresees precisely holes at the angles in such a way as to allow the passage of the stems (10', 15' , 20' , 25' ) that are responsible for the vertical motion in the axis Z of the upper plane 4 (see the figure 3, which represents said stems that pass through the plate 6) .

Always in figure 3 the screws 80 are highlighted (four per engine) used to fix the engine under the plate 6 itself. In this way, the plate and the engines are an integral single piece.

The upper plane 4 is precisely connected to the intermediate plane 3 just described (therefore to the plate 6) precisely through said stems in such a way as to result to be mobile vertically in the direction Z.

The stems are fixed to the upper plane 4 through a specific grain that penetrates the upper plane 4 and is fixed by the head to the stem itself.

Other ways of connection could be anyway used, without for this moving apart from the present inventive concept .

The vertical engines (10, 15, 20, 25) are of the electric type and are unconstrained linear actuators (Non- Captive) . A type that can be used is, for example, that produced by GTW Motor, model NEMA 8 Non-Captive.

The stem, in accordance with this type of engine, is a screw that, as said, on one side is fixed to the plane 4. Such a screw is moved axially by the rotation of the internal rotor of the engine that, wrapping or unwrapping on it, lifts and lowers the screw, therefore lifting and lowering the plane 4 to which it is connected.

The screw in this type of engine does not rotate but translates since it is extracted/retracted from the rotation of the rotor.

These types of engine are anyway well known in the state of the art and are therefore not described further in detail here.

Equivalent electric engines could anyway be used or systems in which there is an extractable/retractable stem.

The unconstrained electric actuators, however, have the advantage of being precise and trustable engines.

The upper plane 4 is rendered mobile only in the vertical direction through the stems of the engines which, as said, translate vertically.

In addition, four shafts 50 are foreseen (see figure 4) that depart vertically from the upper plane 4, are connected to them rigidly and can slide in other linear ball bearings 50' fixed to the plate 6 (see also figure 7) .

In this way, a precise motion of the surface 4 is guaranteed, not being subject to bascules.

Going on with the structural description of the invention, and with reference to the exploded view of figure 6 and figure 7, the composition of the plate 6 is highlighted .

The plate 6 is realized with adequate manufacturing to obtain different layers for the anchorage of the devices .

It could be realized in a single piece worked adequately or in more layers connected among them (for example, welded) and overlapped.

These layers have been specifically studied to optimize the vertical encumbrance of the table in question .

In addition to the layer for the fixing of the carter, intermediate layer 6' ' , the upper layer 6' can be identified, to which the four engines (or the actuators that control the extraction/retraction of the stems) are fixed .

Figure 4 shows the intermediate layer 6' ' that exceeds laterally and presents four holes 83 per exceeding side for the insertion of connection screws. In this way the external carter relative to the plane 6 is applied. It is applied like a box arranged on said plane to then proceed with the insertion of the screws in said holes 83, connecting the edge of the carter 3' with such screws (see also figure 2 ) .

Both the intermediate layer 6' ' and the upper layer 6' are holed axially for the application of the linear bearings 50' into which the small shafts 50 can slide that connect the plane 4 with such a plate 6 (as mentioned above) .

The plane 6 presents two millings 95 for the reinforcement of the plane 4 (see figure 3) .

The plane 4 (see figure 7) presents in fact equivalent reinforcements 95' configured to penetrate into such millings when the plane 4 is close to the underlying plane 6, therefore reducing the encumbrance in height.

In this way, the plane 4 can be reinforced, increasing locally the thickness thereof without for this implying an increase in height of the same due to such a thickness. Such a reinforcement is particularly important for tables applied in the instrumentation for the measurement of the hardness of the materials in which pulsed loads, also of several kilograms, have to be born.

The intermediate plane 6' ' is obtained by removing the angles of the plate 6 in such a way as to be able to build in the head of the actuators that are fixed to the angle of the upper layer 6' thus generated. In this way, a reduction of encumbrance is further obtained in the direction Z equivalent to the thickness removed.

An enlargement in the figure 4A shows such a manufacturing of the upper layer 6' that the head of the actuator that is connected to said layer is lifted in respect to the thread of the intermediate layer 6' ' . In fact, a step (G) is formed that allows as well to save encumbrance in axis Z with a specific planning that reduces the thicknesses to the minimum necessary.

Under the intermediate layer 6' ' (visible, for example, in figure 7) result to be arranged (obtained from the full material or connected, for example, welded) two linear guides 48 with relative ball bearing cursors on which an inferior plate 6''' is fixed slidingly.

The inferior plate 6''' forms a cradle 45 (see, for example, figure 5) that permits the integral lodging of the linear actuator Nema 11 Non-Captive for the movement X and further foresees connection holes to the underlying plane 2.

Integrally to the intermediate layer 6' ' , on a side of the cradle, a metallic block 46 is placed into which, in the axial hole 47, is fixed an end of the screw 5' of the engine 5.

The engine (as well, for example, of the same type of those used for the movement in axis Z) is imprisoned in the cradle inferiorly and superiorly in a notching 49 obtained in the plate 6 itself (actually in the intermediate layer 6'' and upper layer 6' that, as said, can be a single piece) . Therefore, during the movement in the direction X the screw does not move and it is the rotor of the engine that by rotating wraps and unwraps on it, realizing the dragging of the planes 3 and 4 in respect to the plane 2 thanks to the guides 48.

The engine tends in fact to translate along the screws 5' but being integral to the inferior plate 6' ' ' , in turn connected to the underlying plane 2; the result will be a translation of the whole upper block formed by the planes 3 and 4 thanks to the guides 48.

With reference to figure 9, an overall view is highlighted that highlights also the - kinematism (anyway known) that moves also the inferior plane 2.

This is totally equivalent to that relative to the plane 3 described above.

In particular, a plate 106 is highlighted that forms the lodging cradle of the engine 105 with the threaded axis 105' placed orthogonally in respect to the axis 5' relative to the plane 6. Also in this case binaries or guides 148 are foreseen on which the upper plate 107 can slide to which all the upper part of the table is fixed integrally .

In this way, the rotation of the rotor of the engine

105 (equal to the preceding ones described) , being the plate 106 fixed to the instrument where the table is applied, will cause a translation of the whole block along the axis 105' in a direction or in the opposite direction according to the rotation of the rotor.

Figure 9 schematizes with number 200 a controller to control the movements.

The tables, as well known in the state of the art, are furnished with switches that control the maximum excursion of movement in the various directions X, Y and Z .

As highlighted in the figures attached, in accordance with the present solution, the actuators that control the movement in the direction Z are arranged inside of a volume of space containing also the engines that actuate the movement in the planes X and Y.

In particular, said actuators Z are therefore arranged in the space destined to hold also the actuator that moves another direction, in the present case the direction X.

In particular, in figure 8 a lateral view is highlighted that clearly shows how, in accordance with such an invention, the engines responsible for the translation in the direction Z are placed under the plane 6, in particular under the surface 6A delimiting superiorly such a plane 6. In particular, the body of the actuators is placed under such a plane 6, while the stems go through the plane to connect with the upper plane 4.

In this way, the space comprised between the upper plane 4 and the plane 6, unlike the known art, is absolutely free of any motorized system, therefore allowing a significant reduction of encumbrance precisely in the direction of the axis Z.

Always under the plane 6, therefore also inside such a distance 120 of figure 8 the linear actuator 5 responsible for the motion in the direction X is also arranged .

It is to be noted that in this type of arrangement, the actuators (10, 15, 20, 25) are slightly lifted in respect to the surface 6''' (in the order of measurements also inferior to the millimeter) , in such a way as not to scrape on the underlying plane 2 during a translation of the plane 6 and 4 along the direction X in respect to the underlying plane 2 that remains still.

Such encumbrance can further be reduced creating an upper plane 4 of reduced thickness, for example in the order of some millimeters, for instance six millimeters which, preferably, is built in the edge of the carter relative to the plane 3.

The use of four actuators placed at the angles further allows the further advantage of lifting and lowering the relative plane 4, from fractions of microns to some millimeters, in a perfectly coplanar and precise way, without being subject to bascules, also thanks to the use of the bearings 50.

The actuators are electric and therefore a programming software can be foreseen that allows, through the integrated controller 200 lodged inside of the plane 2 (see figure 9), to control the movement with extreme precision, activating/deactivating said actuators according to the need.

Claims

A mobile table (1) having:

- At least one mobile support plane (6) in a direction (X) and/or (Y) ;

- An upper plane (4) overlapped to the support plane (6) and mobile in a vertical direction (Z) of lifting/lowering in respect to said support plane (6) ;

- First actuating means (10, 15, 20, 25) to generate the movement in the direction (Z) of the upper plane (4) and comprising at least one fixed actuating element and one stem (10', 15', 20', 25') associated with said fixed and mobile actuating element according to an extraction/retraction motion from/into the fixed actuating element in such a way as to cause the relative lifting/lowering of the upper plane ( 4 ) ;

Characterized in that at least said actuating element results to be arranged under the support plane (6), and with the support plane (6) comprising a passage for the stem.

A table (1), as per claim 1, wherein said actuating element is placed under the surface (6A) delimiting superiorly the support plane (6).

A table (1), as per one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the support plane (6) and the upper plane (4) are between them connected in such a way that a translation in the direction (X) and/or (Y) of the support plane (6) causes an integral dragging of the overlapped upper plane (4) .

4. A table (1), as per one or more of the preceding claims, wherein second actuating means (5) are further foreseen, placed under the support plane (6), preferably under the surface (6A) delimiting superiorly the support plane (6), and arranged in such a way as to cause the movement of the support plane in the direction (X) and/or (Y) .

5. A table (1), as per one or more of the preceding claims, wherein a lower plane (2) is further foreseen placed under the support plane (6) and connected to the support plane (6) in such a way that its translation in a direction (X) or (Y) drags integrally the support plane (6) and the upper plane (4) .

6. A table (1), as per claim 1, wherein said first actuating means comprise a linear actuator of the electric type.

7. A table (1), as per claim 6, wherein said linear actuator is of the unconstrained type.

8. A table (1), as per one or more of the preceding claims, wherein four linear actuators are foreseen arranged each one at an angle of the support plane (6) .

9. A table (1), as per one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the support plane (6) foresees relative holes for the passage of the stem (10', 15', 20', 25') associated with said linear actuators, the stem being connected to the upper plane (4) .

10. A table (1), as per one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the upper plane (4) further foresees at least one shaft (50), preferably four shafts (50), arranged in such a way as to slide during lifting/lowering motion into a relative bearing (50') arranged in correspondence of the support plane (6).

A table (1), as per one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the support plane (6) comprises:

An intermediate layer (6'') presenting a removal of a thickness of material in correspondence of the positioning of the linear actuators;

An upper layer (β') presenting a hole of passage for the stem of the linear actuator;

And wherein an inferior layer (6''') is further foreseen, suitable to connect to a relative inferior plane (2) translatable in a direction (X) or (Y) and sliding in respect to the intermediate layer.