Abstract: A panel driving device turns an openable panel inside out by rotating the openable panel by 180° about a rotation center shaft and moving the rotation center shaft upward or downward during a specific period while the openable panel is rotated. The panel driving device is provided with a rotating mechanism for supporting the openable panel on a rotatable end of a rotary arm and rotating the openable panel, and a torque converting mechanism for converting part of a driving force of the rotating mechanism into a rotating force for rotating the rotary arm only during the specific period to rotate the rotary arm upward or downward. The openable panel can be turned inside out by a simple construction.

Abstract: High speed, extremely accurate web or sheet-fed segment die cutting or lamination apparatus (30, 300) has a processing station (32, 300), which receives a sheet or web segment, and is provided with a vacuum hold-down plate (142, 306) for holding initially fed segments (38). The plate is shiftable as necessary along orthogonal X-Y axes in the plane of the segment (38), and/or is rotatable about a &thgr; axis transverse to the segment plane. Plate movement is effected by a series of aligned, translatable eccentric drive units (178-182, 346-350). Segments (38) carry positioning fiducials (44) that are compared with fixed reference indicia (250, 252) in the station (32, 300). The comparison data is used by a controller (254) to generate the plate movement information used in simultaneous operation of the associated plate drive units (178-182, 346-350).

Abstract: Pick-up and placement apparatus including an arm that executes pick-up and placement motions and an arm drive mechanism. The drive mechanism comprising a driven rotating member having an appointed range of rotation, a swiveling member slidably attached to the rotating member and swiveling in an appointed range of rotation by normal and reverse rotations of the rotating member, a connection portion directly or indirectly linked with the arm, a retaining member applying a retaining force to retain the swiveling member at an appointed position in a radial direction with respect to the rotating member while slidably retaining the swiveling member, and an apparatus regulating and guiding said connection portion to linearly move the connection portion by directly or indirectly regulating the swiveling member in the vicinity of both ends of in the range of rotation.

Abstract: A nanopositioner made of novel materials is provided. The materials exhibit desirable properties such as low density and low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) derived from their ceramic matrices, but show even better (higher) Young's modulus of elasticity and flexural strength than neat ceramics. The materials are also amenable to wire electric discharge machining.

Abstract: Conventional positioning devices in which a body is displaceable in a plane and rotatable by three drives have the drawback that at least one of the drives is displaced together with the body, whereby these apparatus are relatively heavy and sluggish. In the case of the positioning device according to the invention, three straight guide elements, arranged radially, are rigidly connected to the body. Each guide element is accepted in a linear bearing in a longitudinally displaceable way, and each linear bearing is disposed on a separate rotor in a way pivotable about a pivot axis directed perpendicular to the plane. Through independent displacement of the linear bearings on a common circular path, the body can be shifted and rotated as desired in a region. This construction has the advantage that it is built simply and that it is able to execute quick and precise positioning movements in particular owing to small masses in motion.

Abstract: A parallel mechanism for manipulating an object in space is provided. The parallel mechanism includes an end platform for supporting an object to be manipulated and an intermediate platform arranged in spaced relation from the end platform and connected to the end platform by a connecting element. A plurality of first links are connected to the end platform and a plurality of second links are connected to the intermediate platform. A linear motor is associated with each first link and each second link for translating the ends of the first and second links to move the end and intermediate platforms.

Abstract: Disclosed is a parallel mechanism structure for controlling three-dimensional position and orientation. In the parallel mechanism structure according to the present invention, three links are connected to the main spindle of the mechanism and driven in vertical and horizontal direction, with a consecution that the main spindle connected to the three links achieves the six d.o.f motions. The structure includes three links comprised of a first link transferred along a circular vertical guide and second and third links transferred along corresponding rectilinear vertical guides and a circular horizontal guide on which the circular vertical guide and the two rectilinear vertical guides are horizontally transferred.

Abstract: A positioning device is provided. The positioning device includes a movable platform and a monolithic base. Struts are attached to both the movable platform and the monolithic base. The monolithic base moves each of the attached struts to cause the movable platform to move.

Abstract: Conventional positioning devices in which a body is displaceable in a plane and rotatable by means of three drives have the drawback that at least one of the drives is displaced together with the body, whereby these apparatus are relatively heavy and sluggish. In the case of the positioning device according to the invention, three straight guide elements, arranged radially, are rigidly connected to the body. Each guide element is accepted in a linear bearing in a longitudinally displaceable way, and each linear bearing is disposed on a separate rotor in a way pivotable about a pivot axis directed perpendicular to the plane. Through independent displacement of the linear bearings on a common circular path, the body can be shifted and rotated as desired in a region. This construction has the advantage that it is built simply and that it is able to execute quick and precise positioning movements in particular owing to small masses in motion.

Abstract: Module with parallel kinematic movement and orthogonal axes, characterised because it has a fixed structure; and a passive structure that has at least one kinematic shears joined at one end to the fixed structure and at the other end to a flat mobile structure, one of these unions being articulated; and a spatial mobile structure carrying the work head and which can be moved linearly respect to the flat mobile structure; and arms joined at one end to the fixed structure and at the other end to the spatial mobile structure, one of the unions having two degrees of freedom and the other union three degrees of freedom; and means to activate the movement of the arms.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus for adjusting the position of medical imaging instruments, such as ultrasound probes, is disclosed. The preferred implementation of the apparatus includes controls for translational movement along three axes; and controls for rotational movement around three axes. In certain implementations, the rotational movement is around a point coincident with the area of image capture.

Abstract: A movable table unit capable of carrying out an operation for rotating a movable table at a position other than an original point and an operation for moving it in parallel after rotating at a predetermined angle by a simple control, capable of moving the rotation center linearly along two axes easily, and further moving the movable table largely along a single axis, is provided.