ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED ULTRA-MICROMANIPULATOR

• US 3,835,338 A
• Filed: 08/23/1973
• Issued: 09/10/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Martin A. Robert
• Original Assignee: Martin A. Robert
• Inventors: Martin, A. Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Budd, Mark O.
• Application Number:
  US05/390,846
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 310/8,8.1,8.3,8.5,8.6,26 318/116,118
• US Class Current: 310/331
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/36 Springs
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 7/00 Micromanipulators specimen supports for investigating or analysing materials G01N23/2204; associated with microscopes G02B21/32; means for supporting or positioning the objects or the material in discharge tubes H01J37/20
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1085 positioning by means of shape-memory materials shape memory actuators F03G7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/028 along multiple or arbitrary translation directions, e.g. XYZ stages
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2044 having multiple segments mechanically connected in series, e.g. zig-zag type
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2046 adapted for multi-directional bending displacement

Abstract

An electrically controlled ultra-micromanipulator utilizes three sets of electrostrictive elements arranged in mutually perpendicular relationship and interconnected to selectively move a probe or other object in a three-dimensional pattern. In the disclosed embodiment, two sets of the electrostrictive elements establish pivotal movement about mutually perpendicular axes and the third set of electrostrictive elements establish linear movement in a direction perpendicular to the pivotal axes of the other two sets of elements. The elements establishing the linear movement are arranged in pairs adapted to flex in opposite directions upon an applied potential so that the probe or other object moves along a linear path.

Claims

1. An electrically controllable apparatus for imparting threedimensional movement to an object supported by a carrier member of the apparatus comprising in combination:

a first electrostrictive element, support means supporting the first element at one end for flexing movement in a first plane when an electrical potential is placed thereacross and first movable connection means mounted on the opposite end of the first element, a second electrostrictive element supported at one end in said first connection means for flexing movement in a second plane normal to said first plane when an electrical potential is placed thereacross and second connection means mounted on the opposite end of said second element, and a linear actuating assembly having a mounting member secured to said second connection means for movement therewith, third and fourth electrostrictive elements adapted to flex in opposite directions when an electrical potential is placed thereacross said third and fourth electrostrictive elements, each having a common end thereof connected to a movable yoke member, the opposite end of said third element being connected to said mounting member, a carrier element disposed in parallel relationship to said mounting member, and the opposite end of said fourth member being connected to the carrier element to impart linear sliding movement to the carrier member relative to said mounting member when the third and fourth electrostrictive elements are flexed in opposite directions.

2. The electrically controllable apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrostrictive elements are flattened bars with the first element being normal to the second element and the third and fourth elements being parallel to each other and normal to the first and second elements.

3. The electrically controllable apparatus of claim 2 further including a base plate and wherein said support means comprises a block anchored to said base plate.

4. The electrically controllable apparatus of claim 3 wherein said first connection means is supported in spaced relationship from said base plate by said first element.

5. The electrically controllable apparatus of claim 4 wherein said second connection means is supported in spaced relationship from said base plate by the second element.

6. The electrically controllable apparatus of claim 5 wherein said third element is pivotally connected to said mounting member and wherein said fourth element is pivotally connected to said carrier member.

7. The electrically controllable apparatus of claim 6 wherein said yoke member is spaced from said base plate.

8. In an electrically controllable apparatus for imparting linear movement to an object supported by a carrier member of the apparatus, a linear actuating mechanism comprising in combination:

a mounting base, a first electrostrictive element, means pivotally connecting the first element at one end to the mounting base and adapted to flex in a first direction when an electrical potential is placed thereacross, a carrier member disposed in parallel relationship with the mounting base, a second electrostrictive element disposed in spaced parallel relationship with said first element and adapted to fleX in a second opposite direction to said first direction when a potential is placed thereacross, means pivotally connecting one end of the second element to the carrier member, and a movable yoke member connected to the opposite ends of said first and second elements whereby when an electrical potential is placed across said first and second elements, causing the elements to flex in opposite directions, the carrier member will shift linearly relative to the mounting base.

9. In the electrically controllable apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first and second elements are flattened bars and wherein each of said means pivotally connecting the one end of the first and second elements to the mounting base and carrier member respectively are block members each having a slotted recess to receive the one end of the associated element and a pivot shaft.

10. In the electrically controllable apparatus of claim 9 wherein said mounting base and carrier member each have a bearing portion pivotally receiving the pivot shaft of the block member associated therewith.

11. In the electrically controllable apparatus of claim 8 further including a third electrostrictive element disposed in spaced parallel relationship with said first and second elements, means pivotally connecting the third electrostrictive element at one end to the mounting base, said third element being adapted to flex in said first direction along with the first element when an electrical potential is placed thereacross, said third element having its opposite end connected to the yoke member, and a fourth electrostrictive element disposed in spaced parallel relationship with said first, second and third elements, means pivotally connecting one end of the fourth element to the carrier member, said fourth element being adapted to flex in said second direction along with the second element when an electrical potential is placed thereacross, and said fourth element having its opposite end connected to the yoke member.

12. An electrically controllable apparatus for imparting three-dimensional microscopic movement to a probe supported by a carrier plate of the apparatus comprising in combination:

a base plate, a mounting block anchored to the base plate and having a horizontal slotted opening therein, a first pair of flat electrostrictive bars disposed in co-planar, edge-to-edge relationship in a horizontal plane and adapted to flex in a vertical direction when an electrical potential is placed thereacross, one end of said first pair of bars being secured in said slotted opening in the mounting block, a first connecting block disposed in spaced relation from the base plate and having a horizontal and vertical slotted opening therein, the opposite ends of said first pair of bars being secured in the horizontal slotted opening in the first connecting block, a second pair of flat electrostrictive bars disposed in co-planar, edge-to-edge relationship in a vertical plane and adapted to flex in a horizontal direction when an electrical potential is placed thereacross, one end of said second pair of bars being secured in said vertical slotted opening in the first connecting block, a second connecting block disposed in spaced relation from the base plate and having a vertical slotted opening therein in which the opposite ends of the second pair of bars are secured, a horizontal mounting plate secured to the second connecting block having a pair of spaced bearings therein, a carrier plate disposed in vertically spaced parallel relationship with the mounting plate and having an elongated parallel probe secured thereto, and a pair of spaced bearings therein which are staggered relative to the bearing in the mounting plate, third and fourth pairs of flat electrostrictive bars in horizontally spaced relationship and adapted to flex in a horizontal plane, said third pair of bars being adapted to flex in an opposite direction to said fourth pair of bars when an electrical potential is placeD thereacross, a pivot block secured on one end of each of the bars in the third and fourth pairs with the blocks on the third pair of bars having pivot rods pivotally received in the bearings on the mounting plate and the blocks on the fourth pair of bars having pivot rods pivotally received in the bearing on the carrier plate, and a yoke member spaced from the base plate and receiving the opposite ends of the bars in the third and fourth pairs whereby when an electrical potential is placed across the third and fourth pairs of bars, the elongated probe will be caused to move in a linear horizontal direction, when an electrical potential is placed across the second pair of bars the probe will be caused to pivot in a horizontal direction, and when an electrical potential is placed across the first pair of bars the probe will be caused to pivot in a vertical direction.