Patents by Inventor Steven Frank Shedd

Steven Frank Shedd has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Stiff actuator active vibration isolation system
    Patent number: 5823307
    Abstract: An active vibration isolation system (10) includes a plurality of stiff actuators, such as piezoelectric motors (12a-c; 284, 350) which support a small mass (18) inside of a case (300). A passive isolator (20) is interposed between the small mass (18) and the payload mass (M.sub.p). In the instance where the stiff actuators are piezoelectric motors, the sidewalls of the case (300) are used to provide compressive force along the variable length of each of the horizontal piezoelectric motor elements (284, 350) to prevent damage to same. Compensation circuitry (24) is connected between velocity sensors (17) and the stiff actuators to control the variable length thereof in this move-out-of-the-way system (10) and to compensate for resonating modes. Optionally, a payload mass velocity sensor (26) and associated circuitry may be used to provide additional control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Technical Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Dale W. Schubert, Andrew Michael Beard, Steven Frank Shedd, Marion Richard Earles, Jr., Andreas H. Von Flotow
  • Stiff actuator active vibration isolation system
    Patent number: 5660255
    Abstract: An active vibration isolation system (10) includes a plurality of stiff actuators, such as piezoelectric motors (12a-c; 284, 350) which support a small mass (18) inside of a case (300). A passive isolator (20) is interposed between the small mass (18) and the payload mass (M.sub.p). In the instance where the stiff actuators are piezoelectric motors, the sidewalls of the case (300) are used to provide compressive force along the variable length of each of the horizontal piezoelectric motor elements (284, 350) to prevent damage to same. Compensation circuitry (24) is connected between velocity sensors (17) and the stiff actuators to control the variable length thereof in this move-out-of-the-way system (10) and to compensate for resonating modes. Optionally, a payload mass velocity sensor (26) and associated circuitry may be used to provide additional control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Applied Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale W. Schubert, Andrew Michael Beard, Steven Frank Shedd, Marion Richard Earles, Jr., Andreas H. Von Flotow