JPH0251616A - Floating connector - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Application in Industry A] The present invention provides a method for connecting a driven body such as a table that performs linear motion to an actuator that drives the same, when a force other than the force in the direction to be transmitted is connected. This invention relates to a floating connector that absorbs directional components.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, when coupling a driven body that performs linear motion with a driving means, it is necessary to absorb force components in directions other than the driving direction in order to maintain driving accuracy. There was a case. In order to absorb such force components in directions other than the driving direction, conventionally, a combination of rolling bearings, sliding bearings, etc. has been used, or a combination of parallel plate springs connected with bolts etc. has been used.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in combinations of rolling bearings, sliding bearings, etc. as in the conventional example described above, lubrication of the bearing portion is required, and there are problems such as generation of dust and backlash due to wear. There were drawbacks.

Therefore, there is a disadvantage that it is not suitable for use in special environments such as high vacuum environments, underwater environments, or places where dust is averse. Furthermore, a combination of parallel leaf springs has disadvantages such as a complicated structure and troublesome assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the problems in the conventional example described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a floating connector that does not require consideration of lubrication, does not generate dust, and is free from backlash. Another object of the present invention is to provide a floating connector that has a simple structure and is easy to assemble.

[Means and effects for solving the problem] In order to achieve the above object, the floating connector according to the present invention has a U-shaped hole and an arm of the U-shaped hole in the coupling member constituting the connector. It is characterized by forming elongated holes along the section, and configuring a leaf spring between these holes.

The connecting member is a plate-shaped member with a thickness calculated from the rigidity surface, and the U-shaped hole and the elongated hole are formed as open holes that penetrate the thickness of the connecting member. The direction along the hole is the plate surface of the plate spring. This absorbs the force component in the direction that causes the leaf spring to elastically deform.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail using the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a floating connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, A is a plate-shaped coupling member having a thickness calculated from the rigidity surface (which corresponds to the width of the leaf spring), 1 is an attachment part to the driven part (or drive part), and 2 is the drive part ( 3 is a leaf spring that absorbs displacement in the X direction, 4 is a leaf spring that absorbs displacement in the Y direction, 5a and 5b are long holes, and 6a and 6b are U-shaped holes. It is. The leaf springs 3 and 4 are respectively constituted by U-shaped holes 6a and 6b and elongated holes 5a and 5b on the outside facing the U-shaped holes 6a and 6b.

Since the connecting member A has a certain thickness, the first
The plate spring 3 shown in the figure has a thickness of the gap between the arm portion 61b of the U-shaped hole 6b and the elongated hole 5b, and the connecting member A
It is a leaf spring whose width is the thickness (perpendicular to the figure) of the leaf spring. The same applies to the leaf spring 4. This leaf spring is
As shown in FIG. 2, it has a characteristic of having low rigidity and elastic deformation to absorb the force in response to the force F1, but high rigidity in response to the force F. Furthermore, the present invention makes use of such characteristics of the leaf spring, which elastically deforms and absorbs force in the torsional direction as shown by the broken line.

FIG. 3 is an external view showing an example in which the floating connector of this embodiment is applied to drive a stage. In the figure, the same numbers as in Figure 's1 indicate the same parts. Reference numeral 7 indicates a rod of a cylinder serving as a driving means, and reference numeral 8 indicates a stage serving as a driven member. The mounting part 1 of the connector is fixed to the stage 8,
The mounting portion 2 is fixed to the rod 7. The rod 7 moves in two directions to drive the stage 8, but at this time, forces in the X and Y directions are also transmitted to the mounting portion 2 due to swinging of the driving body and the like. The swinging component of Part 1 is absorbed by the leaf spring 3 in the X direction and by the leaf spring 4 in the Y direction. Therefore, only the stiffness of the leaf springs 3 and 4 is transmitted to the stage 8 fixed to the mounting portion 1. On the other hand, the force in two directions, which are the driving directions, is applied to the leaf spring 3.
, 4, it acts in the direction of force F2 in Figure 2, resulting in high rigidity.
8. A force such as .theta. is also absorbed by twisting the leaf springs 3 and 4 as shown by the broken lines in FIG.

In the above embodiments, the driving by a cylinder was explained as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it can also be used as a connector for a part that transmits linear motion, such as a ball screw.

Furthermore, since the leaf spring is constructed by a combination of a U-shaped hole and an elongated hole, the thickness of the connecting member, the length of the arm of the U-shaped hole, and the length of the U-shaped hole By appropriately adjusting the distance between the arm portion and the elongated hole, the spring rigidity can be set to a desired value.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, since a U-shaped hole and an elongated hole are provided in the coupling member for a connector to form a leaf spring, This creates a floating connector that absorbs the force component of , does not require lubrication, does not generate dust, and has no backlash. Furthermore, since the leaf spring is formed integrally with the coupling member, the structure is simple and assembly with the driven body and drive means is simple.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a floating connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a principle diagram for explaining the rigidity of a leaf spring, and Fig. 3 is an application example of the floating connector of this embodiment. FIG. A: Connecting member 5. 1.2: Mounting part, 3: X-direction movable leaf spring, 4: Y-direction movable leaf spring, 5a, 5b: Long holes, 6a, 6b: U-shaped holes.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A connector for coupling a driven body that performs linear motion with means for driving the driven body, the connector having a U-shaped hole and a U-shaped hole in a plate-like member having a predetermined thickness constituting the connector. A floating connector characterized in that a leaf spring is formed by forming an elongated hole along the arm portion of a letter-shaped hole.