Air bearing operable in a vacuum region

Details Air bearing operable in a vacuum region Air bearing operable in a vacuum region

1998-01-23

2000-10-03

Knight, Anthony

Seal for a joint or juncture

Seal combined with indicator, sampler, or inspection feature

Wear, proper seating, or presence

277431, F16J 1546

Patent

active

061261696

ABSTRACT:
An air bearing is usable in a vacuum, by restricting the air escaping from the air bearing to the immediate vicinity of the air bearing. This is accomplished by one or more pump-out slots concentrically surrounding the air bearing orifice, and by concentrically surrounding the outer pump-out slot with a sealing sheet which confines air escaping from outside the pump-out slots to within the perimeter of the sealing sheet. The sealing sheet is a compliant mechanical "wall", making only marginal contact with the bearing support surface, and is not a high friction seal. Hence free movement of the air bearing structure on the supporting surface is allowed, thus making this air bearing compatible with for instance an XY stage used in a vacuum chamber.

REFERENCES:
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patent: 5218896 (1993-06-01), Furukawa
patent: 5345829 (1994-09-01), Yamauchi et al.
patent: 5391002 (1995-02-01), Eigenbrod
Masaru Ohtsuka et al., "The Vertical Traverse State in Vacuum Condition", SME International Journal, Series III, vol. 33, No. 1, 1990, pp. 61-64.

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