Abstract: A ball-splined shaft assembly suitable for use in a robot arm or the like is provided. The assembly includes a shaft formed with a plurality of circumferential grooves spaced apart from one another at a predetermined pitch and a pair of longitudinal grooves which are located opposite sides and extend in parallel with the center line of the shaft. An outer sleeve unit fitted onto the shaft includes a pair of endless circulating paths each provided with a plurality of balls. Each of the endless circulating paths includes a load path section where the balls are partly exposed and thus received in the corresponding one of the longitudinal grooves. The outer sleeve unit is mounted on a housing through a pair of ball bearings. Thus, the shaft may rotate together with the outer sleeve unit relative to the housing and the shaft may move in its longitudinal direction relative to the outer sleeve unit and thus the housing. A stepping motor is mounted on the housing and operatively coupled to the outer sleeve unit.

Abstract: A flight motion simulator includes a unit under test supported on a stationary frame for angular and translational movement along pitch, roll, and yaw axes. A rotor element is secured to the unit under test and has a spherical configuration. Magnetic bearings supported by the stationary frame support the rotor element in three degrees of freedom of movement. A drag-cup induction motor is mounted on the frame and connected to the unit under test to generate three degrees of freedom of movement by generating a rotating magnetic flux in a stator assembly to induce a corresponding flow of currents in the rotor element to produce torque and motion in the unit under test in the same direction as the flux movement in the stator assembly.

Abstract: An optical scanning unit with an objective for focussing a beam into a scanning spot on the surface of an information carrier and an electromagnetic drive for continuous correction of the position of the objective with respect to the information carrier. The objective is mounted in a movable ring-shaped magnetic body of a permanent-magnetic material which is arranged coaxially about the optical axis and which has magnetic poles at the axial ends. The drive is provided with sets of fixed coils which interact with the magnetic body via an air gap. Each set of coils has a first segmental coil arrangement having two active coil parts extending parallel in the peripheral direction of the magnetic body and located in the vicinity of the axial ends of the centrally positioned magnetic body. The unit is further equipped with at least one second coil arrangement which is positioned at least partially between the active coil parts of the above-mentioned first segmental arrangement.

Abstract: A spherical motor particularly adapted for robotic control. The motor comprises a stator housing defining a semispherical socket having an opening of generally polar cap form with a spherical rotor rotatably received in the socket for rotation therein about three axes intersecting at the center of the rotor with one of the axes projecting through the opening and the other two axes being orthogonal thereto. A motion transmitter is carried by the rotor and aligned generally along one axis to project through the opening, and windings are carried by the stator housing in encompassing and in opposed relation to the rotor for rotating the rotor about the axis. A polyphase control selectively controls relative phase and energization of the windings to rotate the spherical rotor a substantially unlimited amount about one axis and in limited amounts about the other axes so as to maintain the motion transmitting member within the confines of the opening.

Abstract: An electromagnetic power drive for a friction welding machine, comprising a magnetic core installed immovably, which carries a power coil connected to a voltage regulator made as a switch and at least one pickup coil connected to an integrator producing voltage proportional to the actual value of the magnetic flux during friction welding, which is connected to a comparison means comprising two comparators, a driving input of one of said comparators receives voltage proportional to the assigned value of the magnetic flux during friction welding, the driving input of the other comparator receives voltage proportional to the other assigned value of the magnetic flux, and a control signal generator having a hysteresis-loop output characteristic, which is connected to the comparators, the output of said generator being the output of the comparison means electrically coupled with the voltage regulator.

Abstract: Using a smooth laminated armature assembly, with a ferromagnetic double-helix stator shaft, provides an economical radial pole linear reluctance motor requiring no external armature bearings. The stator shaft has a double-helical screw tooth pattern cut into its surface. Spaces between screw threads are preferably filled with low permeability material. The armature assembly has radial pole laminar plates, separated by identically configured laminar spacers, separated by an insulating layer, which provides eddy current isolation, physical stability and original adjustment of laminations for overall accuracy to linear positioning, despite tolerances in the individual laminar plates. Each laminar plate has a number of inwardly projecting teeth centered about the internal channel. These internal teeth and the double helix screw teeth on the stator shaft provide flux paths through the stator.

Abstract: An actuating device comprises a three-dimensionally movable member, a support member for supporting the movable member and an induction unit for imparting an induction force to at least one of the movable member and the support member to three-dimensionally move the movable member relative to the support member.

Abstract: A turntable for placing a recording disk such as an optical information storage disk has a rotatable shaft to which an electrically conductive rotor is fixed. Inner and outer stators are disposed in confronting relation to each other with the rotor interposed therebetween. Each stator has a C shape with a recess in which there is placed one end of a radial feed unit for moving a pickup head radially across the turntable for recording information on or retrieving information from the disk on the turntable while the latter is being rotated. The outer stator comprises a comb-shaped block having a plurality of teeth with coils wound thereon in different phases. When sinusoidal currents are supplied to the coils, the stator produces a moving sinusoidal magnetic field to rotate the rotor according to the principles of a polyphase induction motor. The rotor may double as the turntable.

Abstract: A linear and rotary electromagnetic device particularly adapted as a linear and rotary stepper or stepper motor. A cylindrical movable member or armature is provided which is mounted for both axial movement and for angular movement about its axis. The armature member has teeth on its surface formed in both axial rows and in circumferential alignment or rows. Stator means having poles with windings associated with the poles is provided, the stator means having a central opening in which the movable armature member is mounted for axial and angular movement. By energizing certain angularly spaced windings, the movable armature member may be caused to rotate. By energizing axially spaced windings, the movable member of armature can be caused to move axially. Simultaneous angular and axial movement is achieved by energizing appropriate windings.

Abstract: A positioning device for positioning an element, such as an optical element used to direct a radiation beam with respect to tracks on a carrier, with respect to translation along three mutually perpendicular axes and pivoting about two of those axes. Two sets of coils are disposed one at each end of a permanent magnet structure, each set having at least three coils having axes generally parallel to the structure axis, and arranged to co-act with the external return field of the magnet structure such that selective electrically energizing of two or more of the coils will produce a reaction force in the structure for positioning the structure in one or more of the selected degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A two axis linear motor for carrying the objective lens for optical focusing and optical tracking in an optical recording system has a stationary structure for providing a magnetic field and a moving armature structure. The stationary structure may have two permanent magnets and several pole pieces to properly shape the field with respect to the armature. In one embodiment, a central elongated pole piece and two parallel adjacent elongated pole pieces which are associated with two permanent magnets to form flux gaps with the central pole piece. Flux returns to the magnets through a lower pole piece to which the central pole piece is attached. The central and lower pole pieces have an aperture through which the laser beam may pass on its way to and from the objective lens.

Abstract: A multiaxis actuator is described which provides force along at least two translational axes through the interaction of multiple windings on a single platen which interact with the field poles of a magnetic member spaced apart a sufficient distance to allow multiaxis operation. Said field poles generate magnetic lines of flux perpendicular to said platen. Said windings are constructed and arranged so as to provide current paths in one direction over a generally wide planar area intercepting the magnetic flux lines, while concentrating current in the opposite direction return path in a relatively narrow volume not intercepting the magnetic flux lines. Said individual windings are utilized in pairs having their substantially planar portions collinear to one another and disposed substantially perpendicular to a portion of the magnetic field lines generated between said field poles.

Abstract: A multi-axis actuator which provides force along three translational and two rotational axes through the interaction of multiple windings on a single platen which interact with the poles of a magnetic member spaced apart a sufficient distance to allow linear and rotational motion. Said poles are disposed in a parallel relationship to said platen thereby causing a magnetic field to impinge a portion of said platen at right angles thereto. Further, said windings may be disposed so as to generate linear force only, rotational force only, single or multiple translational forces only or force about rotational axes only or any combinations of the foregoing necessary for the desired force generation.

Abstract: A positioning device with two coordinates, for the moving of two components relative to each other. The positioning device with two coordinates serves for the exact positioning of a tool or workpiece, preferably of semi-conductor discs, for the purpose of checking or fabricating in the course of the manufacturing process.

Abstract: A stepping motor mechanism for a rotary device in which one member is indexed linearly and/or rotationally relative to a second rotating member. The indexing member includes at least one portion with a series of equi-distantly spaced ridges and the rotating member includes at least three ferromagnetic members adapted to rotate with the rotating member and spaced from one another, each of the ferromagnetic portions having defined thereon ridges complementary to the ridges on the indexing member but angularly or linearly displaced from one another. A fixed coil and coil carrier is positioned spaced from but adjacent to the ferromagnetic members such that as current is applied to the coils, a magnetic field is induced in the coil carrier and adjacent rotating ferromagnetic member thereby causing the ridges on the adjacent ferromagnetic member to align with the ridges defined on the rotating member.

Abstract: A tubular stator capable of creating a magnetic field having both linear and rotary components comprises a tubular magnetic frame formed from longitudinal magnetic elements which are angularly spaced. The magnetic elements have teeth which extend radially inwardly. Circular induction coils are disposed between the teeth and undulating coils are disposed longitudinally between the magnetic elements. A magnetic sleeve surrounds the magnetic frame.An electric motor comprises a cylindrical rotor mounted within the tubular stator so as to be rotatable and translatable.

Abstract: An electromechanical energy converter comprises a linear induction motor and a switching assembly. The linear induction motor includes an inductor formed of individual transversal laminations with windings and a secondary element. The transversal laminations are provided with slots and the winding of each transversal lamination is a distributed winding having sections connected to the switching assembly which either connects the winding of one transversal lamination to one phase of an a.c. power source and the windings of the subsequent laminations to the other phases thereof or connects the winding of each transversal lamination to all phases of the a.c. power source. This invention permits a longitudinal or transversal movement of the inductor and uniform transversal distribution of a magnetizing force within an air gap between the inductor and secondary element.

Abstract: A compound rotary and/or linear motor comprises two interposed magnet systems of which at least one is variable by an electronic control system to generate rotary and/or linear motion of the other. One of the two magnet systems consists of axially consecutive arrangements, preferably rings, of electrically separate magnet poles. The other magnet system contains at least one pair of magnet poles. The electronic control system is designed optionally or according to program to generate rotary motion by sequentially energizing consecutive magnets in a ring, to generate linear motion by sequentially energizing axially consecutive magnets and to generate a combined linear and/or rotary motion by sequentially energizing consecutive magnets forming a helix.

Abstract: An electrical machine having an armature capable of both rotational movement and translational movement and which can be driven by alternating current or by stepwise control pulses. The coil of the machine is divided into two half-coils which are electrically separated and which each act on a separate group of pole teeth. The armature likewise has two groups of pole teeth, each of which cooperates with a group of teeth of the coil. The teeth are symmetrical with respect to the median plane of the machine, and the coil teeth lie at a different angle with respect to that median plane than do the armature teeth. The two half-coils are separately energized to produce moving poles in space.

Abstract: A tool electrode for the electrical machining of a workpiece is displaced in various directions by the selective energization of a plurality of electromagnets on a first member. The pole pieces of the electromagnet on this member are juxtaposed with a conical surface of another, magnetically susceptible member. One of these members, e.g. the magnetically susceptible member, is connected to the tool electrode while the first member is connected to a support.

Abstract: A compound pulse motor for driving a printer or the like comprising an armature having linear magnetic poles and rotational magnetic poles and a stator having stationary linear magnetic poles and stationary rotational magnetic poles. In operation, the linear magnetic poles of the armature interact with the stationary linear magnetic poles of the stator to produce transverse motion of the armature. Furthermore, when excited, the rotational magnetic poles of the armature and the stationary rotational magnetic poles of the stator interact to produce rotational motion of the armature.

Abstract: A method and a circuit arrangement for driving a two co-ordinate mechanical oscillator with the aid of a deformed rotating field of forces defined by a plurality of exciting and pick-up components. The power dissipation of the employed circuits is kept at a low level by operating the oscillator near the mechanical resonance frequency. The exciting signals are achieved by comparing phase shifted electrical signals derived from the mechanical motion of the oscillator in a first pick-up component with the undisplaced signals of the second directional component and by supplying the difference signal obtained therefrom to the second exciting components of the oscillator. This is continued to the next adjacent components until the ring is closed.

Abstract: Bumpless transfer of control of a process parameter from control in response to a conventional controller set point to automatic control in responseto a supervisory set point is accomplished by substituting an alignment set point for the conventional set point and subsequently substituting the supervisory set point of the alignment set point.

Abstract: An electrical apparatus for producing pulsating high torque rotational vibration movement combined with a slow superimposed unidirectional rotary motion is disclosed. The apparatus includes an alternating current motor combined in a mechanically resonatable system with electrical apparatus producing a non-alternating component of magnetic flux in the motor structure. The torque generating ability of the motor is increased approximately five-fold even though the motor is operated from the same supply voltage. The disclosed apparatus is illustrated connected to a waste disposer device.

Abstract: A finely adjustable table assembly is particularly useful, for example, as a light-exposing device for printing IC (integrated-circuits) patterns and comprises a base plate, a movable table, a plurality of curved plate springs for connecting the movable plate to the base plate, and a non-contact means for driving the movable table. The curved plate springs are arranged perpendicularly to their widths between the movable table and the base plate and, as a sesult, the mass of the movable table is supported by the curved plate springs. As the table driving means, use is made of a non-contact type drive such as an electromagnetic device. The table is capable of being displaced in any direction in a horizontal plane. This displacement can be effected in a highly precise manner because of the absence of mechanical sliding members.

Abstract: An electrical apparatus producing pulsating high torque rotational vibration movement combined with a slow superimposed unidirectional rotary motion is disclosed. The apparatus includes an alternating current motor combined in a mechanically resonatable system with electrical apparatus producing a non-alterating component of magnetic flux in the motor structure. The torque generating ability of the motor is increased approximately five-fold even though the motor is operated from the same supply voltage. The disclosed apparatus is illustrated connected to a waste disposer device.