584results about "Gas cushion bearings" patented technology

Substrate processing method and apparatus are disclosed. The substrate processing apparatus includes a non-contact air bearing chuck with a vacuum preload.

A compliant hybrid gas journal bearing includes compliant hybrid bearing pads having a hydrostatic recess and a capillary restrictor for providing a flow of pressurized gas to the bearing. The bearing also includes an inner rim adjacent the bearing pads, an outer rim and a damper bridge between the inner and outer rims. The damper bridge has an axial length that is less than an axial length of the bearing pads and the outer rim to form a damper cavity on each side of the damper bridge. An integral wire mesh damper is situated within the damper cavity on each side of the damper bridge. Integral centering springs are located between the inner and outer rims to provide radial and rotational compliance to the bearing pads. The oil-free bearing design addresses the low damping and low load capacity characteristics that are inherent in present day compliant air foil bearing designs, while retaining the compliance to changes in rotor geometry.

In order to effect a seal; a porous material which comprises one side of two opposing surfaces is used to restrict and evenly distribute externally pressurized gas, liquid, steam, etc. between the two surfaces, exerting a force which is opposite the forces from pressure differences or springs trying to close the two faces together and so may create a non contact seal that is more stable and reliable than hydrodynamic seals currently in use.

A hermetically sealed damper assembly includes a sealed damper housing, a plunger, and a load transferring member coupled to the plunger. The sealed damper housing includes a body having a cavity and a resistive flow path defined therein. The cavity and resistive flow path are filled with a viscous fluid. The body includes a plurality of springs integrally formed therein. The plunger is disposed within the cavity, and separates the cavity into a first control volume and a second control volume. The resistive flow path provides fluid communication between the first and second control volumes. The plunger is coupled to the damper housing by the plurality of springs such that the springs provide a restorative force to the plunger. The load transferring member is configured to transmit mechanical loads to the plunger.

A turbomachine has a shaft mounted in a shaft housing, and a rotor in a rotor housing at one end of the shaft, for compression, expansion, or transport of a working gas. The shaft is mounted by hydrostatic, gas-lubricated bearings that have a connector to a compressed gas line that is connected with a pressure region of the turbomachine. A portion of the gas that is passed from the pressure region is applied to the bearing. The shaft is mounted so that the bearing effect is at least extensively independent of the rotational speed of the shaft, thereby guaranteeing support of the shaft during startup of the turbomachine, and good rigidity and low sensitivity to pressure surge stresses. The pressure in the connector to the compressed gas line is at least 5 bar greater than the pressure in the region of the ventilation connector.

A journal bearing assembly includes a bearing housing, a plurality of bearing pads, and a plurality of bearing pad support assemblies. The bearing housing includes a radial outer wall. The plurality of bearing pads are mounted within the bearing housing, and include at least one of a gas permeable porous media and an array of gas delivery holes. The plurality of bearing pad support assemblies are radially interposed between the bearing pads and the radial outer wall. Each of the bearing pad support assemblies includes a spring assembly and a damper assembly.