Precision tripod motion system with six degrees of freedom

1. A tripod motion system, comprising:

a bottom plate including three spaced-apart single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) hinges;

a top plate including three spaced-apart three-degree-of-freedom (TDOF) joints, with the top plate configured to receive a workpiece; and

three linear actuators, with each of the three linear actuators pivotally coupled to an associated one of the three SDOF hinges of the bottom plate and coupled to an associated one of the three TDOF joints of the top plate, and configured to change length over a linear actuation span, wherein each of the three linear actuators return the top plate to a predetermined set position after being displaced by an external force;

a rotator component affixed to one of the top plate or the bottom plate, with the rotator component configured to rotate about a Z-axis of the tripod motion system;

wherein the tripod motion system is configured to achieve a sub-micron positioning accuracy;

wherein each of the three linear actuators comprises:

a ball coupled to the associated one of the three TDOF joints; and

a positioning actuator configured to move the ball to a predetermined set position prior to the return of the top plate to the predetermined set position of the top plate.

2. The tripod motion system of claim 1 , with the three linear actuators and the rotator component providing four degrees of freedom of movement.

3. The tripod motion system of claim 1 , further comprising a positioning table affixed to one of the bottom plate or the top plate, with the positioning table configured to move linearly with respect to an X-axis and move linearly with respect to a Y-axis, and with the three linear actuators, the rotator component, and the positioning table providing six degrees of freedom of movement.

4. The tripod motion system of claim 1 , with a TDOF joint of each linear actuator of the three linear actuators and an associated TDOF joint of the top plate comprising a ball joint;

with each of the SDOF hinges of the bottom plate including a pivot pin; and

with a bottom SDOF hinge of each linear actuator of the three linear actuators interacting with an associated one of the pivot pins, wherein each linear actuator of the three linear actuators can pivot in a SDOF motion on the associated one of the pivot pins.

5. The tripod motion system of claim 1 , with at least one linear actuator of the three linear actuators comprising:

the positioning actuator configured to extend or retract the at least one linear actuator to a predetermined set position; and

one or more displacing actuators configured to boost a positioning actuator force and hold the at least one linear actuator at the predetermined set position, with the one or more displacing actuators of the at least one linear actuator providing a majority of a displacement force generated by the at least one linear actuator.

6. The tripod motion system of claim 1 , with at least one linear actuator of the three linear actuators comprising:

the positioning actuator being an electric positioning actuator, the electric positioning actuator configured to extend or retract the at least one linear actuator to a predetermined set position; and

one or more pneumatic displacing actuators configured to boost the electric positioning actuator and hold the at least one linear actuator at the predetermined set position, with the one or more displacing actuators of the at least one linear actuator providing a majority of a displacement force generated by the at least one linear actuator.

7. The tripod motion system of claim 6 , further comprising a pressure regulator that supplies a substantially fixed pneumatic pressure to the one or more displacing actuators.

8. The tripod motion system of claim 6 , further comprising a controllable pressure regulator that supplies a controllable pneumatic pressure to the one or more displacing actuators.

9. A tripod motion system, comprising:

a bottom plate including three spaced-apart single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) hinges;

a top plate including three spaced-apart three-degree-of-freedom (TDOF) joints, with the top plate configured to receive a workpiece; and

three linear actuators, with each of the three linear actuators pivotally coupled to an associated one of the three SDOF hinges of the bottom plate and coupled to an associated one of the three TDOF joints of the top plate, and configured to change length over a linear actuation span, wherein each of the three linear actuators return the top plate to a predetermined set position after being displaced by an external force;

a positioning table affixed to one of the bottom plate or the top plate, with the positioning table configured to move linearly with respect to an X-axis and move linearly with respect to a Y-axis;

wherein the tripod motion system is configured to achieve a sub-micron positioning accuracy;

wherein each of the three linear actuators comprises:

a ball coupled to the associated one of the three TDOF joints; and

a positioning actuator configured to move the ball to a predetermined set position prior to the return of the top plate to the predetermined set position of the top plate.

10. The tripod motion system of claim 9 , with the three linear actuators and the positioning table providing five degrees of freedom of movement.

11. The tripod motion system of claim 9 , further comprising a rotator component affixed to one of the top plate or the bottom plate, with the rotator component configured to rotate about a Z-axis of the tripod motion system, and with the three linear actuators, the positioning table, and the rotator component providing six degrees of freedom of movement.

12. The tripod motion system of claim 9 , with a TDOF joint of each linear actuator of the three linear actuators and an associated TDOF joint of the top plate comprising a ball joint;

with each of the SDOF hinges of the bottom plate including a pivot pin; and

with a bottom SDOF hinge of each linear actuator of the three linear actuators interacting with an associated one of the pivot pins, wherein each linear actuator of the three linear actuators can pivot in a SDOF motion on the associated one of the pivot pins.

13. The tripod motion system of claim 9 , with at least one linear actuator of the three linear actuators comprising:

the positioning actuator configured to extend or retract the at least one linear actuator to a predetermined set position; and

one or more displacing actuators configured to boost a positioning actuator force and hold the at least one linear actuator at the predetermined set position, with the one or more displacing actuators of the at least one linear actuator providing a majority of a displacement force generated by the at least one linear actuator.

14. The tripod motion system of claim 9 , with at least one linear actuator of the three linear actuators comprising:

the positioning actuator being an electric positioning actuator, the electric positioning actuator configured to extend or retract the at least one linear actuator to a predetermined set position; and

one or more pneumatic displacing actuators configured to boost the electric positioning actuator and hold the at least one linear actuator at the predetermined set position, with the one or more displacing actuators of the at least one linear actuator providing a majority of a displacement force generated by the at least one linear actuator.

15. The tripod motion system of claim 14 , further comprising a pressure regulator that supplies a substantially fixed pneumatic pressure to the one or more displacing actuators.

16. The tripod motion system of claim 14 , further comprising a controllable pressure regulator that supplies a controllable pneumatic pressure to the one or more displacing actuators.

17. An actuation method for a tripod motion system with six degrees of freedom, comprising:

in the tripod motion system, receiving a predetermined set position to be achieved by the tripod motion system, with the predetermined set position including three set positions for three linear actuators of the tripod motion system;

in the tripod motion system, moving a positioning actuator of at least one linear actuator of the three linear actuators substantially to the corresponding predetermined set position, with each linear actuator of the three linear actuators being coupled to an associated single-degree-of freedom (SDOF) hinge of three SDOF hinges on a bottom plate of the tripod motion system and being further coupled to an associated three-degrees-of-freedom (TDOF) joint of three TDOF joints on a top plate of the tripod motion system;

in the tripod motion system, moving one or more displacing actuators of the at least one linear actuator to boost the at least one linear actuator and to hold the at least one linear actuator at the predetermined set position, with the one or more displacing actuators of the at least one linear actuator providing a majority of a displacement force generated by the at least one linear actuator;

in the tripod motion system a ball coupled to the associated one of the three TDOF joints of each of the three linear actuators, moving the ball to a predetermined set position prior to the return of the tripod motion system to the predetermined set of the tripod motion system;

in the tripod motion system, rotating a rotator component affixed to the top plate, wherein the rotator component is adapted to receive and rotate a workpiece about a Z-axis of the tripod motion system; and

in the tripod motion system, translating a positioning table along one or both of an X-axis and a Y-axis, wherein the bottom plate is affixed to and moved by the positioning table.

18. The actuation method of claim 17 , with the three linear actuators, the rotator component, and the positioning table providing six degrees of freedom of movement.