US 12,134,186 B2
6-axis positioning system with locking component
Christian Sander, Karlsruhe (DE); and Christian Rudolf, Karlsbad (DE)
Assigned to PHYSIK INSTRUMENTE (PI) GMBH & CO. KG, (DE)
Appl. No. 17/909,795
Filed by PHYSIK INSTRUMENTE (PI) GMBH & CO. KG, Karlsruhe (DE)
PCT Filed Mar. 11, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/056197
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 7, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/180853, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 16, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2020 106 741.0 (DE), filed on Mar. 12, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0238992 A1, Jul. 18, 2024
Int. Cl. B25J 17/02 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 17/0283 (2013.01) 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A 6-axis positioning system comprising:
a base;
a movable unit; and
six variable-length actuators, one end of each actuator being connected to the base and the other end of each actuator being connected to the movable unit,
wherein at least one additional variable-length component is provided, one end of which is connected to the base and the other end of which is connected to the movable unit,
wherein the additional variable-length component is configured to be passively moved by the movement of the six driven actuators, and
wherein the additional variable-length component has a releasable locking brake and the additional variable-length component is configured to cause the releasable locking brake to releasably lock the 6-axis positioning system at least in certain positions of the movable unit, and
wherein the six actuators are divided into two groups, and that the actuators of a first group are arranged on the base and on the movable unit within a region bounded by the actuators of a second group so that the second group of length-variable actuators are arranged further out radially from a center relative to the first group of length-variable actuators, and that the at least one additional variable-length component is arranged on the base and on the movable unit further out radially from the center relative to the first group of actuators.