Mitutoyo Corporation

Shigeka Yoshimoto

Tetsuo Nakamura

Kenji Okamoto

An aerostatic bearing comprises a bearing base having a plurality of first through-holes for air intake, a bearing clearance being formed between the bearing surface and the thrust shaft, and a self-controlled restrictor disposed so as to form a restricting spacing with the reverse surface of the bearing base, the self-controlled restrictor being adapted for automatically adjusting the flow rate of air supplied to the bearing surface corresponding to the variation of the pressure on the bearing surface. The self-controlled restrictor has a restricting disc and a circular leaf spring. The restricting disc has a second through-hole at the center. The restricting disc is held by an O ring that also functions as a fluid sealing. The second through-hole is adapted for supplying air to the restricting spacing. The circular leaf spring is integrally formed with the restricting disc of a bottomed cylindrical member. Air supplied from the second through-hole to the restricting spacing flows as a diverging flow. Thus, a restoring force is applied corresponding to the deviation of the angle of the restricting disc.

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Tokyo, Japan

Shigeka Yoshimoto