1. An apparatus for driving a threaded shaft assembly comprised of a threaded shaft with an axis of rotation and, engaged therewith, a threaded nut, wherein said assembly is comprised of means for subjecting said threaded nut to ultrasonic vibrations and thereby causing said threaded shaft to simultaneously rotate and translate in the axial direction through said nut, thus applying an axial force in said axial direction.
2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said threaded shaft is operatively connected to a load in said axial direction.
3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said load is moveable.
4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein said load is comprised of an optical assembly comprised of a lens, an image sensor, and a flexure, wherein said flexure provides substantially linear guidance along the axial direction of said lens relative to the location of said image sensor.
5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4, further comprising a camera comprised of said optical assembly.
6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said axial force in said axial direction causes an optical apparatus to move, wherein said optical apparatus is selected from the group consisting of said lens, said image sensor, a zooming lens and combinations thereof.
7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, further comprising a phone, wherein said camera is disposed within said phone.
8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprised of a support housing, wherein said threaded shaft is operatively connected to a low-friction bearing that allows rotation and prevents axial movement and said load is connected to said threaded nut and said support housing.
9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said load is comprised of a movable plunger located in a syringe.
10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for measuring the magnitude of movement of said threaded shaft.
11. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said means for measuring the magnitude of movement of said threaded shaft is comprised of a Hall Effect magnetic sensor.
12. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the position of said threaded shaft is measured using a sensor, wherein said sensor is selected from the group consisting of a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, an optical sensor, and combinations thereof.
13. The apparatus as recited in claim 9, further comprising a drug delivery apparatus comprised of said syringe.
14. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said threaded shaft is operatively configured to translate in both a positive axial direction and a negative axial direction.
15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, further comprising a tangent motion limiting feature wherein
(a) said threaded nut and said threaded shaft are comprised of threads;
(b) said tangent motion limiting feature is configured so as to prevent said rotation without increasing said axial load on said threads.
16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said tangent motion limiting feature is comprised of a first notch disposed on said threaded nut and a second notch disposed on said threaded shaft, each of which are operatively configured such that said first notch will engage said second notch, thus preventing said threaded nut and said threaded shaft from tightening.
17. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for generating said ultrasonic vibrations.
18. An apparatus for driving a threaded shaft assembly comprised of a threaded shaft with an axis of rotation and, engaged therewith, a threaded nut, wherein said threaded nut and said threaded shaft are operatively configured such that, upon exposure to ultrasonic vibrations, said threaded shift will simultaneously rotate and translate in the axial direction through said nut, thus applying an axial force in said axial direction.
19. An apparatus for driving a threaded shaft assembly comprised of a threaded shaft with an axis of rotation and, engaged therewith, a threaded nut, wherein:
(a) said assembly comprises means for subjecting said threaded nut to ultrasonic vibrations and thereby causing said threaded shaft to simultaneously rotate and translate in the axial direction through said nut, thus applying an axial force in said axial direction;
(b) said rotation and said translation in said axial direction through said nut occurs over a distance greater than the amplitude of any single amplitude of said ultrasonic vibration.
20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said threaded shaft is operatively connected to a load in said axial direction.
21. The apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein said load is comprised of a lens and a sensor wherein said axial force in said axial direction causes a focusing element to move, wherein said focusing element is selected from the group consisting of said lens, said sensor, and combinations thereof.
22. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, further comprising means for measuring the magnitude of motion of said threaded shaft.
23. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said load is comprised of a syringe.
24. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said threaded shaft has a proximal and distal end, wherein both said proximal and said distal ends are each comprised of said tangent motion limiting feature.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A lithographic process for producing a microstructure from an SU-8 photoresist, wherein the SU-8 photoresist has a thickness in a range of 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm, comprising the steps of:
(i) exposing a prebaked SU-8 photoresist on a substrate to light at a total energy density in a range of 18,000 to 35,000 mJcm2, wherein the light comprises a combination of wavelengths including g-line (436 nm), h-line (405 nm), and i-line (365 nm), and wherein the exposing further comprises:
(a) exposing the SU-8 photoresist to the light without a filter;
(b) exposing the SU-8 photoresist to the light with a first filter that filters out 80% of the light at 365 nm;
(c) exposing the SU-8 photoresist to the light with a second filter that filters out 90% of the light at 365 nm; and
(d) exposing the SU-8 photoresist to the light with a third filter that filters out all of the light at 365 nm;
(ii) post-baking the SU-8 photoresist at a temperature of at least 60\xb0 C.; and
(iii) developing the SU-8 photoresist in a solvent, whereby the microstructure is produced.
2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the SU-8 photoresist is an octafunctional epoxidised novolac resin.
3. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the post-baking step comprises a two step procedure in which the photoresist is heated to a first temperature that is in a range of 60\xb0 C. to 70\xb0 C. and subsequently to a second temperature that is in a range of 90\xb0 C. to 100\xb0 C.
4. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method includes a step of rinsing the developed photoresist after step (iii) followed by drying.
5. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of (a) exposing the SU-8 photoresist to the light without a filter further comprises delivering 1512 mJcm2 to the photoresist.
6. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of (b) exposing the SU-8 photoresist to the light with a first filter that filters out 80% of the light at 365 nm further comprises delivering 2268 mJcm2 to the photoresist.
7. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of (c) exposing the SU-8 photoresist to the light with a second filter that filters out 90% of the light at 365 nm further comprises delivering 3780 mJcm2 to the photoresist.
8. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of (d) exposing the SU-8 photoresist to the light with a third filter that filters out all of the light at 365 nm further comprises delivering 17010 mJcm2 to the photoresist.
9. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light is UV light emitted from a high pressure mercury lamp.
10. A microstructure fabricated using the process of claim 1.
11. A microstructure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the microstructure produced by the process comprises an aspect ratio of greater than or equal to 40:1.