An air bearing with variable air cavity volume

Abstract

The present invention discloses an air bearing with a variable air cavity volume, comprising an air bearing platform with through-holes extending therethrough. Each through-hole comprises a mounting hole and an outer air cavity. A throttle plug is mounted in each mounting hole, and the position of the throttle plug is adjustable. The throttle plug is provided with an air hole within the throttle plug, which comprises a pressure-stabilizing cavity and a throttle hole. The air cavity body is formed by the mounting hole portion between the throttle hole and the outer air cavity. The present invention enables adjustment based on the vibration conditions of different workpieces, thereby ensuring that the air bearing has good stability when carrying different workpieces.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of air floating support, in particular to an air floating support with variable air cavity volume. Background Art

[0002] In glass substrate production lines that utilize air-supported support and transportation, as well as during surface defect detection, the stability of the air-supported support significantly impacts both transportation stability and the accuracy of surface defect detection. Due to the inherently low rigidity of the air-supported membrane, it is susceptible to vibration when subjected to external disturbances. When the vibration frequency of the air-supported system approaches the natural frequency of the substrate, resonance occurs between the membrane and the substrate.

[0003] In existing air bearings, the orifices and air cavities are formed into the air bearing platform. Resonance is typically avoided by rationally designing parameters such as the orifice diameter and air cavity size. However, glass substrates of varying density, area, and thickness have different natural frequencies. Because the air cavity size in existing air bearings cannot be adjusted, the designed air bearing platform cannot meet the requirements of various operating conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an air floating support with a variable air cavity volume, so as to solve the problem that the air floating support in the prior art cannot meet the requirements of various working conditions.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0006] An air-floating support with a variable air cavity volume comprises an air-floating platform, wherein a plurality of through holes are provided through the air-floating platform, each through hole respectively comprises a mounting hole and an outer air cavity in sequence along the axial direction, wherein the diameter of the outer air cavity is smaller than the diameter of the mounting hole, and a throttle plug is respectively installed in the mounting hole of each through hole, wherein the throttle plug can be adjusted in the axial direction within the mounting hole, and an air hole is provided in the throttle plug, wherein the air hole respectively comprises a pressure-stabilizing cavity and a throttle hole in sequence along the axial direction, wherein the diameter of the throttle hole is smaller than the diameter of the pressure-stabilizing cavity, and the orifice of the throttle hole faces the outer air cavity, and the air cavity body is formed by the mounting hole portion between the throttle hole and the outer air cavity.

[0007] Furthermore, the mounting hole is a threaded hole, the throttle plug is provided with an external thread, the throttle plug is screwed into the mounting hole, and the position of the throttle plug is adjustable through threaded engagement.

[0008] Furthermore, an adjustment groove is provided at the end of the throttle plug.

[0009] Furthermore, the pressure stabilizing chamber includes a cylindrical section and a conical section, the end of the conical section with the largest diameter is connected to the cylindrical section, and the end of the conical section with the smallest diameter is connected to the throttling hole.

[0010] In the present invention, the throttle hole is provided in the throttle plug, and the throttle plug is assembled in the through hole of the air flotation platform and its position is adjustable. By adjusting the position of the throttle hole, the volume of the air cavity formed between the throttle hole and the outer air cavity is changed, thereby achieving adjustment according to the vibration conditions of different workpieces, and further enabling the air flotation support to have good stability when carrying different workpieces. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Figure 1 It is a front cross-sectional view of the structure of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the throttle plug structure in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 3 It is a front cross-sectional view of the throttle plug structure in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 4 This is an application example diagram of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples.

[0016] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment includes an air flotation platform 02, which has a through-hole extending vertically therethrough. This through-hole includes a threaded hole 03 and an external air cavity 09 connected to the upper end of threaded hole 03. External air cavity 09 is a countersunk hole provided in the top of air flotation platform 02. Threaded hole 03 serves as a mounting hole, and an air supply nozzle 05 is threadedly mounted at the lower end of threaded hole 03. In this embodiment, external air cavity 09 in the through-hole of air flotation platform 02 is connected to the outside world. External air cavity 09 is a cylindrical through-hole with a smooth interior, and its dimensions are smaller than the diameter of threaded hole 03.

[0017] A throttle plug 04 is coaxially threadedly assembled in the threaded hole 03. Figure 2 、 Figure 3 As shown, the outer wall of the throttle plug 04 is provided with an external thread 001, and an air hole is provided vertically through the center of the throttle plug 04. The air hole includes, from bottom to top, a lower pressure-stabilizing chamber 003 and an upper throttle hole 004. The pressure-stabilizing chamber 003 includes a cylindrical cavity with a smooth interior and a conical cavity connected to the upper end of the cylindrical cavity. Specifically, the end of the conical cavity of the pressure-stabilizing chamber 003 with the largest diameter is connected to the upper end of the cylindrical cavity, and the end of the conical cavity of the pressure-stabilizing chamber 003 with the smallest diameter is connected to the lower end of the throttle hole 004. The lower end of the cylindrical cavity of the pressure-stabilizing chamber 003 is open and connected to the outside world. The throttle hole 004 is a cylindrical through hole, and the diameter of the throttle hole 004 matches the minimum diameter of the conical cavity in the pressure-stabilizing chamber 003. In actual use, the diameter of the throttle hole 004 can be designed to different specifications.

[0018] The throttle plug 04 is fitted with the threaded hole 03 (fine thread) of the air flotation platform 02 via the external thread 001 (fine thread). To facilitate height adjustment, a flat groove 002 is provided on the upper end of the throttle plug 04, which serves as an adjustment slot, allowing the throttle plug 04 to be adjusted from the outside.

[0019] To ensure the air tightness of the air flotation platform 02, the air supply nozzle 05 and the throttle plug 04 need to be wrapped with sufficient raw tape at the threads.

[0020] Air cavity 08 consists of the threaded hole 03 between the upper end of the throttle hole 004 in the throttle plug 04 and the lower end of the outer air cavity 09. The volume of air cavity 08 is determined by the height of the throttle plug 04. When a gas source V1 with a certain positive pressure (relative to the ambient pressure) is connected to the gas supply nozzle 05, the gas enters the throttle plug 04 through the threaded hole 03, passes through the pressure-stabilizing chamber 06 and the throttle hole 07 in the throttle plug 04, and flows between the air flotation platform 02 and the thin plate 01, forming an air film with a certain load-bearing capacity, floating the thin plate 01 and providing support.

[0021] Figure 1 Taking a throttle plug with small-hole throttling as an example, during operation, air source V1 provides a constant-pressure airflow through air supply nozzle 05 and into threaded hole 03 in air bearing platform 02. As air passes through the threaded hole, the rough surface of the threads easily generates fine turbulence on the tube wall. The pressure-stabilizing chamber 06, located on the lower surface of throttle plug 04, effectively eliminates these disturbances through throttling, ensuring a stable pressure for the airflow entering throttle hole 07. After throttling through throttle hole 07, the airflow enters air cavity 08. Air cavity 08 effectively increases the load-bearing capacity of the air bearing. The gas flowing between thin plate 01 and air bearing platform 02 forms a load-bearing air film, completely supporting thin plate 01 and achieving contact-free operation. The throttling method in the throttle plug can be small-hole throttling, porous throttling, capillary throttling, or other methods.

[0022] The volume of air chamber 08 significantly affects the vibration of the workpiece (thin plate) supported in the air flotation system. In this embodiment, this volume adjustment is achieved by adjusting the height of throttle plug 04 to prevent the supported workpiece from vibrating at excessive amplitudes. Generally, when supporting thin plates of different materials or specifications (weights), the volume of air chamber 08 needs to be appropriately adjusted. This volume adjustment can be based on testing the maximum vibration amplitude of the workpiece (thin plate) in the air flotation support system. If the maximum amplitude is too high, the height of the throttle plug can be adjusted until a satisfactory result is achieved. The height of throttle plug 04 can be adjusted directly by rotating it through the flat groove 002 using a screwdriver or other hardware tool, without disassembling other components of the air flotation system.

[0023] like Figure 4As shown, when the present invention is applied to a glass substrate 100, gas at a certain pressure is introduced into the gas supply nozzle 05. The gas flows through the throttle plug 04 into the gap between the glass substrate 100 and the air flotation platform 02. A portion of the gas is sucked away by the negative pressure, while the remaining portion flows out of the gap and is discharged into the surrounding atmosphere. As the gas flows through the gap between the glass substrate 100 and the air flotation platform 02, it forms a bearing air film with a certain rigidity, lifting the glass substrate to a certain height. Its operating principle is similar to that of conventional static pressure air flotation supports for glass substrates. A linear motion guide 101, via a suction cup 102, drives the glass substrate 100 on the air film in a transport motion perpendicular to the paper.

[0024] In the aforementioned air supply system array, when the parameters of the transported glass substrate 100 change, the change in the glass substrate's vibration amplitude is experimentally measured. The throttle plug 04 is adjusted to different heights as needed, thereby varying the volume of the air cavity until the vibration amplitude meets the requirements for transportation or optical inspection. Applying the variable-volume air flotation support method proposed in this invention to the air flotation transport of glass substrates improves the stability of glass substrate transportation and can meet the stability requirements of glass substrate transportation and inspection under different operating conditions.

[0025] The embodiments described in the present invention are merely descriptions of the preferred implementation methods of the present invention and are not intended to limit the concept and scope of the present invention. Without departing from the design concept of the present invention, various modifications and improvements made to the technical solutions of the present invention by engineers and technicians in this field should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. The technical contents for which protection is sought in the present invention have all been recorded in the claims.

Claims

1. An air-floating support with variable air cavity volume, comprising an air-floating platform, characterized in that: The air flotation platform is provided with a plurality of through holes, each of which includes a mounting hole and an outer air cavity in sequence along the axial direction, wherein the diameter of the outer air cavity is smaller than the diameter of the mounting hole, and a throttle plug is respectively installed in the mounting hole of each through hole, and the throttle plug can be adjusted in the axial direction within the mounting hole, and an air hole is provided in the throttle plug, and the air hole includes a pressure stabilizing cavity and a throttle hole in sequence along the axial direction, the diameter of the throttle hole is smaller than the diameter of the pressure stabilizing cavity, and the orifice of the throttle hole faces the outer air cavity, and the air cavity body is formed by the mounting hole portion between the throttle hole and the outer air cavity; The mounting hole is a threaded hole, and the throttle plug is provided with an external thread. The throttle plug is screwed and assembled in the mounting hole, and the position of the throttle plug is adjustable through the threaded fit.

2. The air bearing with variable air cavity volume according to claim 1, characterized in that: An adjusting groove is provided at the end of the throttle plug.

3. The air bearing with variable air cavity volume according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure stabilizing chamber comprises a cylindrical section and a conical section. The end of the conical section with the largest diameter is connected to the cylindrical section, and the end of the conical section with the smallest diameter is connected to the throttling hole.

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