Patent ID: 7463128
Filing Date: 2008-12-09
Classification: G03B,H01F,H04N

Abstract:
1. A lock mechanism for a stage apparatus, comprising: a stationary support board; a movable stage movable relative to said stationary support board in a plane parallel to said stationary support board; a leaf spring made of a magnetic material which is partly supported by said stationary support board to be substantially parallel to said stationary support board; a press portion and a pressed portion provided on said leaf spring and said movable stage, respectively, said press portion being pressed against said pressed portion to lock said movable stage, a frictional contacting member being fixed to at least one of opposed surfaces of said press portion and said pressed portion to enhance friction between said press portion and said pressed portion; an electromagnet for resiliently deforming said leaf spring in a lock releasing direction to disengage said frictional contacting member from said one of opposed surfaces of said press portion and said pressed portion by exerting magnetic force on said leaf spring upon an electric current being passed through said electromagnet in a specific direction; and a permanent magnet, fixed to said stationary support board, which magnetically attracts said leaf spring to hold said frictional contacting member and said one of opposed surfaces of said press portion and said pressed portion in a disengaged state when said leaf spring is resiliently deformed in said lock releasing direction by said electromagnet.