Smc Corporation

Tohoku University

Takashi Abe

Migaku Takahashi

Eiko Miyasato

Soichi Sato

Masakiyo Tsunoda

A working rod with a tip end extending into a vacuum process chamber and moving in the axial direction, two static-pressure gas bearings supporting the rod in the non-contact manner, and an internal moving body of a magnet coupling type driving mechanism driving the rod are housed in a rod housing cylindrical portion leading to the vacuum process chamber, and an exhaust portion by suction is provided at a part of the rod housing cylindrical portion so that the pressure of the rod housing cylindrical portion is lowered than the pressure of the vacuum process chamber by the exhaust from the exhaust portion.

Straight conveying device for vacuum

A first and a second static-pressure gas bearings supporting a rod at two locations in the axial direction in the non-contact manner are provided, in which the first static-pressure gas bearing is fixedly supported by a bearing housing, while the second static-pressure gas bearing is supported capable of displacement through a movable support mechanism. And this movable support mechanism has an actuator and suppresses contact of the rod with the static-pressure gas bearings by displacing the shaft center of the second static-pressure gas bearing with respect to the first static-pressure gas bearing by this actuator according to a load acting on the rod.

Static-pressure gas bearing mechanism

A substantially flat abutting surface 20a is provided on an outer side of a carriage member 6 which is axially movable along the outer periphery of a cylinder tube 2, while a rail 4 with a substantially flat guide surface 4a is mounted between a pair of end covers closing the opposite axial ends of the cylinder tube. Rotational movements of the carriage member 6 are restricted by the rail 4 which is located on the outer side of the carriage 6.

Growing community of inventors

Tsukubamirai, Japan

Takashi Abe