There is provided a slide guide unit comprising; a guide base having V-grooves formed on both the side end faces in parallel, a slide block having a facing surface facing one of the V-grooves on both the side ends, conical recesses formed at two positions on the facing surface facing the one V-groove with a predetermined interval, first steel balls fitted in the conical recesses and fitted in the one V-groove, a steel ball support plate with spring action as disposed on a side surface of the slide block on the other V-groove side and a necessary number of second steel balls as fitted in a steel ball holding groove and the other V-groove, wherein the steel ball support plate has the steel ball holding groove facing the other V-groove, wherein the steel ball support plate presses the second steel balls to the other V-groove and the slide block is movable along the one V-groove side and the other V-groove side via the first steel balls and the second steel balls.

A flexure bearing includes an inner race, an outer race, and a plurality of substantially planar radially extending blades coupled between the inner and outer race. The blades have a thickness that is thinner than a thickness of the inner and outer races. The inner race, outer race, and blades have substantially the same height. At least one heating element is coupled to the inner race and/or the outer race. The heating element is configured to apply heat to the race that it is coupled to in order to tune the flexure bearing.

A camera module is provided, the camera module including a mover mounted with a lens, a stator movably supporting the mover to an optical axis direction of the lens, and a ball interposed between the mover and the stator, wherein a first rail is provided on the mover to allow a relative movement of the ball to the mover to the optical axis direction, and a second rail is provided on the stator opposite to the first rail to allow a relative movement of the ball to the stator to the optical axis direction, and wherein the ball linearly travels along the optical axis direction when the mover and the stator relatively move.

Provided are a fluid dynamic bearing, a motor, and an optical deflector, for which a fixed shaft can be attached with little axial eccentricity. The bearing (10) is equipped with a fixed shaft (11), a sleeve (20) provided so as to be capable of rotating around the fixed shaft (11), dynamic pressure generating sections (22, 23) provided in the sleeve (20), and a lower case (30) for securing the lower end (11a) of the fixed shaft (11). In addition, the bearing is equipped with a retaining case (40), which has a chuck (52) that retains the upper end (11b) of the fixed shaft (11) secured by the lower case (30), and which can be secured to the lower case (30) in a state that does not generate pressure causing the axial center of the fixed shaft (11) to move.

Provided are a fluid dynamic bearing, a motor, and an optical deflector, for which a fixed shaft can be attached with little axial eccentricity. The bearing (10) is equipped with a fixed shaft (11), a sleeve (20) provided so as to be capable of rotating around the fixed shaft (11), dynamic pressure generating sections (22, 23) provided in the sleeve (20), and a lower case (30) for securing the lower end (11a) of the fixed shaft (11). In addition, the bearing is equipped with a retaining case (40), which has a chuck (52) that retains the upper end (11b) of the fixed shaft (11) secured by the lower case (30), and which can be secured to the lower case (30) in a state that does not generate pressure causing the axial center of the fixed shaft (11) to move.

The present invention relates to a hydrostatic bearing providing a foot part supporting a load-carrying unit, a head part, and body part forming a lower chamber and an upper chamber. A lower member is supported by the load-carrying unit and arranged inside the lower chamber. An upper member is controllable by a pressurizing fluid and arranged inside the upper chamber. The lower member is controllably moveable along a central axis of the hydrostatic bearing between a retracted state. The lower member is distanced from the upper member, and an extended state. The lower member is also in contact with the upper member. The hydrostatic bearing acts both as a conventional slave bearing and a conventional master bearing.

Systems and methods for limiting rotation of a supported object about an axis of rotation are provided. A system as disclosed includes a stop system that engages at a selected amount of rotation about an axis of rotation to provide a balanced force countering further rotation. The stop system includes one or more pairs of stop mechanisms, with one stop mechanism in a pair disposed to act from a first side of the axis of rotation, and a second stop mechanism in the pair disposed to act from a second side of the axis of rotation. Each stop mechanism can include stops that engage a flexure at a selected amount of rotation.

An actuator apparatus includes an actuator rod with an interior cavity and a set of rod holes. Each rod hole extends through the actuator rod to the cavity. The set of rod holes is positioned in a straight line. The apparatus includes a light assembly that is positioned to light the cavity. The apparatus includes an actuator block that includes an opening extending through the actuator block sized to conform to an outer surface of the actuator rod and a set of block holes in the opening. Spacing between the block holes matches spacing between the rod holes. The actuator block includes a light sensor positioned in a block hole to sense light coming through a rod hole aligned with the block hole and a ball bearing for each block hole of the set of block holes without a light sensor and extending partially through the corresponding block hole.

A tilt and continuous rotation stage including: a central shaft defining a main axis of rotation for the stage; a bearing hub rotatable about the central shaft; a top plate; a pair of ball bearings, mounted to the bearing hub, defining a tilt axis for the top plate; a preload element configured to cause the top plate to press against the pair of ball bearings; a pair of ball transfer units mounted on the bottom surface of the top plate; a rotatable wedge ring mounted concentrically to the bearing hub, the wedge ring having a top surface inclined at an angle relative to the top plate and providing a running surface for the pair of ball transfer units; a first actuator configured to rotate the bearing hub about the main axis; and a second actuator configured to rotate the wedge ring about the main axis.

The present disclosure relates to a cross-pivot flexure system. In one embodiment the system may incorporate a center post element having a first head at a first end thereof, and a second head at a second end thereof. The first head may be arranged along a first longitudinal axis and the second head may be arranged along a second longitudinal axis. The first head may be attached to an immovable ground element through at least one first cross-pivot element for enabling rotational movement about the first longitudinal axis, while the second head may be attached to a motion stage flexure via at least one second cross-pivot element. This construction permits rotational movement of the second head about the second rotational axis. The first and second longitudinal axes are further arranged so that they intersect one another.