Patent ID: 9561566
Date: 2017-02-07
CPC Classifications: B23Q,G03F,H01L

Claim:
1. An XY translation stage comprising: a primary drive mechanism; a stage drive assembly, said primary drive mechanism rotating said stage drive assembly about an axis of rotation; an object stage that orbits freely in a defined plane without rotation of said object stage out of said plane; a stage pin associating said stage drive assembly with said object stage such that rotational movement of said stage drive assembly yields orbital movement of said object stage within said defined plane, wherein the positioning of said stage pin relative to said axis of rotation is adjustable such that the diameter of the orbital movement of said object stage is adjustable; and a lead screw associated with said stage drive assembly to rotate therewith, said stage pin being threaded onto said lead screw such that rotation of said lead screw causes said stage pin to move along the length of said lead screw to occupy different positions relative to said axis of rotation of said stage drive assembly, wherein said lead screw extends over said axis of rotation, and said stage pin is positionable along said lead screw at all points from said axis of rotation to the ends of the lead screw.