Guide device, workpiece transport stage, and inkjet printing device

Abstract

To provide a guide device which can enhance the traveling accuracy of a movable part and can promote the weight reduction of the device as a whole.SOLUTION: A guide device comprises a base, first and second guide members arranged on the base, a movable part moving along the first and second guide members, and an air bearing part for movably supporting the movable part. The movable part comprises a movable body, and first and second bearing support members extending downwardly from the movable body and gripping the first guide member in a width direction of the first guide member. The air bearing part includes first and second width-direction air bearing parts for supporting the movable body in the width direction with respect to the first guide member and arranged at the first and second bearing support members, and a first floating air bearing part for supporting the movable body in a vertical direction with respect to the first guide member and arranged at the movable body. The movable body is arranged so that a thickness of a heavy thickness part including an arrangement position of the first and second bearing support members and the first floating air bearing part becomes thicker than that of the other portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a guiding device, a work transfer stage, and an inkjet printing device.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, a method of manufacturing a device using an inkjet printing device has attracted attention. An inkjet printing device has a plurality of nozzles that perform droplet ejection, and applies droplets to a printing object by ejecting droplets from the nozzles while controlling the positional relationship between the nozzles and the printing object.

[0003] As one type of such an inkjet printing device, a printing device including a plurality of line heads is known. Each line head includes a plurality of inkjet heads arranged side by side in the width direction of the printing object. Each inkjet head is a droplet ejection head having a plurality of ejection ports. By arranging such a plurality of line heads side by side in the sub-scanning direction, which is a direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction in the same horizontal plane, it is possible to apply ink to a large-width printing object in a single conveyance process. Further, by arranging a plurality of line heads in which a plurality of inkjet heads are arranged side by side in the sub-scanning direction also side by side in the main scanning direction, it is possible to apply a plurality of types of ink, such as different colors, to the printing object in a single conveyance process. According to such a configuration, for example, even for a large printing object of G4 size (680 mm × 880 mm) or larger, a plurality of types of ink can be applied in a single conveyance process, so that it is possible to reduce the tact of applying ink to the printing object. Further, since it is easy to make the drying conditions and the like uniform after ink application, there are advantages in the printing process, such as being able to uniformly control the ink film thickness.

[0004] However, in recent years, there has been a demand for even larger printable objects to improve productivity. At the same time, there is a growing demand for higher resolution display panels, and as a result, the required accuracy of the printing position is increasing. Therefore, a workpiece transport stage is needed that is large yet has high travel accuracy. One configuration that meets this demand is a workpiece transport stage that uses a guide device with air bearings. As shown in Figure 17, the guide device 900 comprises a base 901, a guide member 902, and a movable part 903. Guide members 902 are fixed to both sides of the base 901 in the left-right direction (left-right direction in Figure 17), extending in the guiding direction of the movable part 903 (front-back direction in Figure 17). Bearing support members 905 are fixed to both sides of the movable body 904 that constitutes the movable part 903 in the left-right direction. Each bearing support member 905 is configured to support a horizontal hydrostatic air bearing 906 located on the outside of each guide member 902 (to the right of the right guide member 902 and to the left of the left guide member 902) and a lower hydrostatic air bearing 907 located below each guide member 902. An upper hydrostatic air bearing 908 is positioned in the movable part 903 at a position corresponding to each lower hydrostatic air bearing 907.

[0005] However, in the guide device 900 shown in Figure 17, in order to improve the reproducibility of the movement of the movable part 903, it is necessary to increase the bearing rigidity of each hydrostatic air bearing 906, 907, and 908. To increase such bearing rigidity, it is necessary to maintain the bearing clearance of the hydrostatic air bearings (the gap between each hydrostatic air bearing 906, 907, and 908 and the part of the guide member 902 that faces each hydrostatic air bearing 906, 907, and 908) to about a few micrometers to a dozen or so micrometers. On the other hand, as the movable part 903 becomes larger and the distance between the two guide members 902 increases, it may become difficult to precisely maintain the bearing clearance of the horizontal hydrostatic air bearings 906 that are positioned facing the sides of each guide member 902 due to the effects of thermal expansion of the guide members 902. For example, the bearing clearance may disappear, and the horizontal hydrostatic air bearing 906 may be damaged. Therefore, methods to solve this problem are being considered (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0006] In the guide device described in Patent Document 1, a single guide member extending in the guiding direction of the movable part is fixed to a reference surface on the base. Two opposing parts are fixed to the lower side of the movable body of the movable part, facing each other on both sides of the guide member. Horizontal hydrostatic air bearings are positioned on the two opposing parts opposite each side of the guide member. Furthermore, a second opposing part is fixed to the lower side of the movable body, aligned with the two opposing parts. Vertical hydrostatic air bearings are positioned on the lower surface of the outer opposing part (the opposing part furthest from the second opposing part) and on the lower surface of the second opposing part. Furthermore, suction force generating means are positioned on the outside of the outer opposing part (the side where the other opposing part (the inner opposing part) does not exist) and on the outside of the second opposing part (the side where the inner opposing part does not exist), respectively, to attract the movable body toward the base in a non-contact state. This configuration allows the distance between the horizontal hydrostatic air bearings facing each other on both sides of the guide member to be kept small, making it less susceptible to the effects of thermal expansion of the guide member, and enabling precise maintenance of the bearing clearance even when the workpiece transport stage is enlarged. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4270192 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] However, according to the configuration described in Patent Document 1, in addition to the part of the base's reference surface where the guide member is attached, the part facing the vertical hydrostatic air bearing also requires a highly precise flat surface for the vertical hydrostatic air bearing to pass over, making it impossible to form weight-reducing cutouts in the base. Furthermore, space is required on both sides of the base to install suction force generating means, which increases the area of ​​the base in plan view.

[0009] Furthermore, if the movable part is thin, when a moment is applied to the movable part around a perpendicular line, the fixed part of the movable part may deform, potentially reducing the accuracy of the movable part's movement. To solve this problem, one could consider making the movable part thicker to increase its moment rigidity, but this would make the movable part heavier, and the base would also need to be thicker to support that weight.

[0010] In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, as mentioned above, it is difficult to form holes in the base, and the base area becomes large. Combined with the increased weight of the entire guide device, this necessitates a higher load-bearing capacity at the installation site, leading to increased building costs.

[0011] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a guide device, a workpiece transport stage, and an inkjet printing apparatus that can improve the running accuracy of the movable parts and reduce the overall weight of the apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The guide device of this disclosure comprises a base, a first guide member and a second guide member extending in the guiding direction on the base, a movable part that moves along the first guide member and the second guide member, and an air bearing part that movably supports the movable part, wherein the movable part comprises a plate-shaped movable body located on the first guide member and the second guide member, and a first bearing support member and a second bearing support member extending downward from the movable body and sandwiching the first guide member in the width direction, wherein the air bearing part supports the movable part with respect to the first guide member in the width direction and includes a first width-direction air bearing part and a second width-direction air bearing part arranged on the first bearing support member and the second bearing support member, respectively, and a first floating air bearing part that supports the movable part with respect to the first guide member in the vertical direction and is arranged on the movable body, wherein the thickness of the wall portion including the arrangement positions of the first bearing support member, the second bearing support member and the first floating air bearing part is greater than the thickness of other parts.

[0013] The workpiece transfer stage of this disclosure comprises the guide device described above, a fine-movement mechanism disposed on the thick portion of the movable body, and a workpiece holding table disposed on the fine-movement mechanism.

[0014] The inkjet printing apparatus of this disclosure comprises the above-described workpiece transport stage, a gantry disposed on the base, and an inkjet head disposed on the gantry for ejecting ink onto a print target held on the workpiece holding table. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The guide device, workpiece transport stage, and inkjet printing apparatus of this disclosure can improve the accuracy of the moving parts and reduce the overall weight of the apparatus. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] Front view of the guide device according to the first embodiment [Figure 2] Cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1 [Figure 3] Side view of the movable part constituting the guide device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] Perspective view of the movable part according to the first embodiment, viewed from diagonally below. [Figure 5] Side view of the guide device according to the first embodiment [Figure 6] Plan view of the guide device according to the first embodiment [Figure 7] Perspective view of the movable body constituting the movable part according to the first embodiment, viewed from diagonally below. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the deformation state when the thickness of the movable body in the comparative example's movable part is uniform and thin. [Figure 9] Side view of the inkjet printing apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] Front view of the inkjet printing apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 11] Plan view of the inkjet printing apparatus according to the second embodiment [Figure 12] Cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 9 [Figure 13] Plan view of a display panel according to the second embodiment [Figure 14] Plan view showing an inkjet printing apparatus according to the second embodiment and a temperature control booth for temperature control of the inkjet printing apparatus [Figure 15] Side view showing an inkjet printing apparatus according to the second embodiment and a temperature control booth for temperature control of the inkjet printing apparatus [Figure 16] Front view of a guiding device according to a modification [Figure 17] Explanatory drawing of a conventional guiding device

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] [Embodiment] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] <First Embodiment> First, the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a front view of a guiding device. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a side view of a movable part constituting the guiding device. FIG. 4 is a perspective view when the movable part is viewed obliquely from below. FIG. 5 is a side view of the guiding device. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the guiding device. FIG. 7 is a perspective view when a movable body constituting the movable part is viewed obliquely from below. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a deformed state when the thickness of the movable body in the movable part of the comparative example is uniform and thin.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, the guide device 100 comprises a base 3, a left guide member 6L and a right guide member 6R, a movable part 20, and an air bearing part 24. The left guide member 6L and the right guide member 6R are examples of the first guide member and the second guide member of this disclosure, respectively. The left guide member 6L and the right guide member 6R are arranged on the base 3 so as to extend in the guide direction. The movable part 20 moves along the left guide member 6L and the right guide member 6R. The air bearing part 24 supports the movable part 20 so as to be movable. The guide direction described above is the direction in which the movable part 20 moves, and is the positive and negative directions of the X-axis shown in Figures 1 to 8. The width direction described below is a direction perpendicular to the guide direction and parallel to the horizontal plane, and is the positive and negative directions of the Y-axis shown in Figures 1 to 8. The upward direction is the vertically upward direction, and is the positive direction of the Z-axis shown in Figures 1 to 8. The downward direction is the opposite of the upward direction and is the negative direction of the Z-axis. The leftward direction is the leftward direction when viewing the guide device 100 from one side of the guide direction (the negative direction side of the X-axis) and is the positive direction of the Y-axis. The rightward direction is the opposite of the leftward direction and is the negative direction of the Y-axis. The details of each component of the guide device 100 will be described below.

[0020] The base 3 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate (see Figure 5) with its long side parallel to the guide direction. A left guide member 6L and a right guide member 6R are fixed to the upper surface of the base 3. The left guide member 6L is fixed to the left end of the upper surface of the base 3, and the right guide member 6R is fixed to the right end of the upper surface of the base 3. The left guide member 6L and the right guide member 6R each include a left guide projection 6LP and a right guide projection 6RP, respectively, which extend outward in the width direction so as to be separated from each other. The left guide projection 6LP and the right guide projection 6RP are examples of the first projection and the second projection of this disclosure, respectively. The left guide projection 6LP is formed on the upper part of the left side surface of the left guide member 6L. The right guide projection 6RP is formed on the upper part of the right side surface of the right guide member 6R.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the movable part 20 includes a rectangular plate-shaped movable body 21. Two left air bearing support members 22L, two inner air bearing support members 23, and two right air bearing support members 22R are fixed to the lower surface (lower main surface) of the movable body 21. The left air bearing support members 22L, inner air bearing support members 23, and right air bearing support members 22R are examples of the first bearing support member, second bearing support member, and third bearing support member of this disclosure, respectively. The left air bearing support members 22L, inner air bearing support members 23, and right air bearing support members 22R are fixed so that when one of each of these forms a set, two sets are aligned in the guide direction. These two sets are fixed so that one set is located at each end of the movable body 21 in the guide direction. The left air bearing support member 22L is located to the left of the left guide member 6L. The left air bearing support member 22L comprises a left vertical portion 221L extending downward from the left end of the movable body 21, and a left horizontal portion 222L extending to the right from the lower end of the left vertical portion 221L. The inner air bearing support member 23 is located to the right of the left guide member 6L. The inner air bearing support member 23 is formed to extend downward. The right air bearing support member 22R is located to the right of the right guide member 6R. The right air bearing support member 22R comprises a right vertical portion 221R extending downward from the right end of the movable body 21, and a right horizontal portion 222R extending to the left from the lower end of the right vertical portion 221R.

[0022] The air bearing section 24 movably supports the movable section 20. The air bearing section 24 comprises two left widthwise air bearing sections 25L, two right widthwise air bearing sections 25R, two left levitation air bearing sections 26L, and two right levitation air bearing sections 26R. The air bearing section 24 further comprises two pairs of left vertical air bearing sections 27L and two pairs of right vertical air bearing sections 27R. The left widthwise air bearing section 25L, the right widthwise air bearing section 25R, the left levitation air bearing section 26L, the right levitation air bearing section 26R, the left vertical air bearing section 27L, and the right vertical air bearing section 27R are each composed of hydrostatic air bearings. The left widthwise air bearing section 25L and the right widthwise air bearing section 25R are examples of the first widthwise air bearing section and the second widthwise air bearing section of this disclosure, respectively. The left levitation air bearing section 26L and the right levitation air bearing section 26R are examples of the first levitation air bearing section and the second levitation air bearing section of this disclosure, respectively. The left vertical air bearing section 27L and the right vertical air bearing section 27R are examples of the first vertical air bearing section and the second vertical air bearing section of this disclosure, respectively. The left widthwise air bearing section 25L, the right widthwise air bearing section 25R, the left levitation air bearing section 26L, the right levitation air bearing section 26R, the left vertical air bearing section 27L, and the right vertical air bearing section 27R are arranged such that when one left widthwise air bearing section 25L, one right widthwise air bearing section 25R, one left levitation air bearing section 26L, and one right levitation air bearing section 26R are considered as one set, along with one pair of left vertical air bearing sections 27L and right vertical air bearing sections 27R, two sets are arranged side by side in the guide direction.

[0023] The left widthwise air bearing portion 25L and the right widthwise air bearing portion 25R are positioned on the left air bearing support member 22L and the inner air bearing support member 23, respectively, at locations facing both sides of the left guide member 6L. Specifically, the left widthwise air bearing portion 25L is positioned on the left vertical portion 221L of the left air bearing support member 22L so as to face the left side of the left guide projection 6LP. The right widthwise air bearing portion 25R is positioned on the inner air bearing support member 23 so as to face the right side of the left guide member 6L. The left widthwise air bearing portion 25L and the right widthwise air bearing portion 25R are positioned such that the gap (bearing gap) between them and both the left and right sides of the left guide member 6L is several μm to more than 10 μm. The left widthwise air bearing portion 25L and the right widthwise air bearing portion 25R do not bear the weight of the movable portion 20 and support the movable portion 20 in the widthwise direction without contact with the left guide member 6L. The left widthwise air bearing section 25L and the right widthwise air bearing section 25R align the widthwise position of the movable section 20 with respect to the left guide member 6L.

[0024] The left levitation air bearing section 26L and the right levitation air bearing section 26R are positioned on the lower surface of the movable body 21. The left levitation air bearing section 26L and the right levitation air bearing section 26R are positioned opposite the upper surfaces of the left guide member 6L and the right guide member 6R, respectively. The left levitation air bearing section 26L and the right levitation air bearing section 26R are positioned such that the gap (bearing gap) between them and the upper surfaces of the left guide member 6L and the right guide member 6R is several μm to more than 10 μm, and they support the movable body 21 in the vertical direction relative to the left guide member 6L and the right guide member 6R, respectively. The left levitation air bearing section 26L and the right levitation air bearing section 26R bear the weight of the movable body 21. In the following description, the two left levitation air bearing sections 26L and the two right levitation air bearing sections 26R may be collectively referred to as the levitation air bearing section 26.

[0025] One of the pair of left vertical air bearing sections 27L is positioned on the lower surface of the movable body 21, and the other left vertical air bearing section 27L is positioned on the upper surface of the left horizontal section 222L of the left air bearing support member 22L. The pair of left vertical air bearing sections 27L are positioned such that the gap (bearing gap) between them and the upper and lower surfaces of the left guide projection 6LP is several μm to more than 10 μm. The pair of left vertical air bearing sections 27L do not support the weight of the movable part 20 and support the movable part 20 in the vertical direction without contact with the left guide projection 6LP. The pair of left vertical air bearing sections 27L align the vertical position of the movable part 20 with respect to the left guide projection 6LP. In the following explanation, the left vertical air bearing section 27L located above the left guide projection 6LP may be referred to as the upper left vertical air bearing section 27La, and the left vertical air bearing section 27L located below the left guide projection 6LP may be referred to as the lower left vertical air bearing section 27Lb.

[0026] One of the pair of right-right-downward air bearing sections 27R is positioned on the lower surface of the movable body 21, and the other right-right-downward air bearing section 27R is positioned on the upper surface of the right horizontal section 222R of the right air bearing support member 22R. The pair of right-right-downward air bearing sections 27R are positioned such that the gap (bearing gap) between them and the upper and lower surfaces of the right guide projection 6RP is several μm to more than 10 μm. The pair of right-right-downward air bearing sections 27R do not bear the weight of the movable part 20 and support the movable part 20 in the vertical direction without contact with the right guide projection 6RP. The pair of right-right-downward air bearing sections 27R align the vertical position of the movable part 20 with respect to the right guide projection 6RP. In the following explanation, the upper right-right-downward air bearing section 27R located above the right guide projection 6RP may be referred to as the upper upper right-right-downward air bearing section 27Ra, and the lower right-right-downward air bearing section 27RR located below the right guide projection 6RP may be referred to as the lower upper right-right-downward air bearing section 27Rb.

[0027] Furthermore, it is preferable that granite is used as the material for the movable body 21 for ease of processing precision and weight reduction, and that a porous type hydrostatic air bearing made of stainless steel is used as the hydrostatic air bearing mentioned above.

[0028] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, hydrostatic air bearings constituting the air bearing section 24 are arranged at the four corners of the rectangular plate-shaped lower surface of the movable body 21. The left levitation air bearing section 26L, the right levitation air bearing section 26R, the left vertical air bearing section 27L, and the right vertical air bearing section 27R, which are aligned in the guiding direction, have the function of increasing the pitching rigidity of the movable part 20 in the guiding direction. The left widthwise air bearing section 25L and the right widthwise air bearing section 25R, which are aligned in the guiding direction, have the function of increasing the yawing rigidity of the movable part 20 in the guiding direction.

[0029] The movable body 21 is formed such that the plate thickness at the four corners where each hydrostatic air bearing is located is thicker than the plate thickness at the roughly cross-shaped areas other than the four corners. The movable body 21 can also be said to comprise a thickened portion 21A where the hydrostatic air bearings are located, and a thinned portion 21B that is thinner than the thickened portion 21A. In the following description, of the four thickened portions 21A at the corners, the two thickened portions 21A located on the left side may be referred to as the left thickened portion 21Aa, and the two thickened portions 21A located on the right side may be referred to as the right thickened portion 21Ab. The left thickened portion 21Aa and the right thickened portion 21Ab are examples of the first thickened portion and the second thickened portion of this disclosure, respectively. The two left thickened portions 21Aa each have one left air bearing support member 22L, one inner air bearing support member 23, one left floating air bearing portion 26L, and one upper left vertical air bearing portion 27La. The two right-hand thickened sections 21Ab each have a right air bearing support member 22R, a right floating air bearing section 26R, and an upper right-upper-downward air bearing section 27Ra. By providing the movable body 21 with a thinned section 21B that is thinner than the thickened section 21A, the weight of the movable body 21 can be reduced.

[0030] In the movable body 21, recesses 21C are formed in the parts corresponding to each of the four sides of the rectangular plate shape, indenting toward the center on the XY plane of the movable body 21. The recesses 21C are formed in the center of the parts corresponding to each side. By forming recesses 21C in the movable body 21 in this way, the movable body 21 can be further reduced in weight. In other words, in the movable body 21, the length along the X and Y axes where the thick parts are located is longer than the length along the X and Y axes where only the thin parts are located.

[0031] In the thin-walled portion 21B, movable body holes 21D are formed in the area between the two left-thickened portions 21Aa and the area between the two right-thickened portions 21Ab, respectively, through which the movable body 21 passes. By forming movable body holes 21D in the movable body 21 in this way, the weight of the movable body 21 can be further reduced. Note that the shape and number of movable body holes 21D are not limited to the shape and number shown in Figure 2, and can be designed arbitrarily.

[0032] Next, the overall configuration of the guide device 100 will be described. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the guide member 6 is supported on the base 3 along its entire length. In the guide device 100 of this disclosure, the surface of the guide member 6 is used as the guide surface for all hydrostatic air bearings, and the surface of the base 3 is not used. Therefore, the only part of the base 3 that requires flatness is the part that supports the guide member 6. For this reason, base cutouts 3A for weight reduction of the guide device 100 can be formed in parts of the base 3 other than the part that supports the guide member 6. Note that the shape and number of base cutouts 3A are not limited to the shape and number shown in Figure 6, and can be designed arbitrarily.

[0033] With the above configuration, the movable part 20 can be slid without contact by supporting it with respect to the guide member 6 using the air bearing part 24. It is preferable to use granite as the material for the guide member 6 and the base 3 for ease of processing accuracy and weight reduction.

[0034] Next, an example of the configuration of the movable body 21 will be described. As shown in Figure 7, the movable body 21 comprises a thick section 21A where a hydrostatic air bearing is located, and a thin section 21B where a hydrostatic air bearing is not located. The movable body 21 further comprises four recesses 21C. The maximum size of the main surface of the movable body 21 is 2200 mm (left-right direction) x 2140 mm (guide direction), the plate thickness of the thick section 21A is 185 mm, and the plate thickness of the thin section 21B is 150 mm. The movable body 21 is made lighter by setting the distance between the bottoms of two recesses 21C aligned in the left-right direction to 2000 mm and the distance between the bottoms of two recesses 21C aligned in the guide direction to 1940 mm. Furthermore, the movable body 21 is made lighter by forming two φ310 mm movable body cutouts 21D in various locations. These weight-reduction measures result in a movable body 21 that is lighter than a movable body with a main surface size of 2200mm x 2140mm and a uniform plate thickness of 150mm across its entire surface.

[0035] Next, the reason for providing the thickened portion 21A only in the area where the hydrostatic air bearing is located in the movable body 21 will be explained. Figure 8 shows the movable body 90 of the comparative example. The movable body 90 of the comparative example differs from the movable body 20 of the first embodiment only in the shape of the movable body 91. Specifically, the movable body 91 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate with a uniform thickness throughout. The size of the main surface of the movable body 91 is the same as the movable body 21 of the first embodiment, 2200 mm × 2140 mm. The plate thickness of the movable body 91 is the same as the thinned portion 21B of the movable body 21 of the first embodiment, 150 mm. In other words, the movable body 91 differs from the shape of the movable body 21 of the first embodiment in that it does not have the thickened portion 21A, the recess 21C, and the movable body cutout hole 21D.

[0036] On the other hand, the components arranged on the movable body 91 are the same as those on the movable body 21 of the first embodiment. A left air bearing support member 22L, an inner air bearing support member 23, and a right air bearing support member 22R are fixed to the lower surface of the movable body 91. The left widthwise air bearing portion 25L, the right widthwise air bearing portion 25R, the left floating air bearing portion 26L, the right floating air bearing portion 26R, the left vertical air bearing portion 27L, and the right vertical air bearing portion 27R are arranged in the same positions as in the first embodiment.

[0037] In the movable part 90 of the first embodiment and comparative example having the above configuration, the gap (bearing gap) between each hydrostatic air bearing and the opposing plane is adjusted to several μm to more than ten μm, and the static pressure generated by the bearing is, for example, about 8000 N per lateral air bearing 25. Therefore, as in the movable body 91 of the comparative example shown in Figure 8, if the area where the hydrostatic air bearing is located is thin (to the same thickness as the area where the hydrostatic air bearing is not located), the hydrostatic pressure of the left width direction air bearing section 25L and the right width direction air bearing section 25R may cause the movable body 91 to deform so that the lower ends of the left air bearing support member 22L and the inner air bearing support member 23 separate from each other. Due to this deformation, the bearing gap between the left width direction air bearing section 25L and the right width direction air bearing section 25R and the left guide member 6L widens to about twice the size of the bearing gap when there is no deformation, and this expansion of the bearing gap reduces the bearing rigidity.

[0038] One way to prevent the bearing clearance from expanding is to adjust it to be smaller before applying static pressure to the hydrostatic air bearing. However, even with this method, when a yawing load is applied to the movable body 91, the movable body 91 will rotate a small amount in the yawing direction due to deformation caused by the low rigidity of the movable body 91. In other words, the amount of rotation in the yawing direction caused by the yawing moment applied to the movable body 91 is determined by both the amount of rotation determined by the rigidity of the left widthwise air bearing section 25L and the right widthwise air bearing section 25R, and the amount of rotation determined by the rigidity of the movable body 91.

[0039] To reduce the amount of rotation described above and improve the reproducibility of the movable body's movement, one possible method is to increase the thickness of the movable body's plate to reduce its deformation. However, this method increases the weight of the movable body itself. In addition, the guide member 6, which supports the weight of the movable body, needs to be made thicker to increase its rigidity, thus increasing the weight of the guide member 6. Furthermore, in order to support both the heavier movable body and the guide member 6, the base 3 also needs to be made thicker to increase its rigidity. As a result, the weight of the entire guide device increases, requiring an increase in the load-bearing capacity of the floor on which the guide device is installed, and thus increasing the construction costs of the building.

[0040] To address these challenges, the movable body 21 of the first embodiment has a thicker wall section 21A where the hydrostatic air bearing is located, and a thinner wall section 21B, thus enabling weight reduction of the movable body 21 itself. Furthermore, since the left air bearing support member 22L and the inner air bearing support member 23, on which the left widthwise air bearing section 25L and the right widthwise air bearing section 25R are located respectively, are fixed to the left thick wall section 21Aa, the rigidity of the support structure for the left widthwise air bearing section 25L and the right widthwise air bearing section 25R is increased, thereby increasing the yawing rigidity of the movable body 21 against yawing moment. Consequently, the running accuracy of the movable section 20 can be improved. Also, because the movable body 21 is lighter, there is no need to increase the weight of the guide member 6 and the base 3, thus suppressing an increase in the overall weight of the guide device 100, and the load-bearing capacity of the floor on which the guide device 100 is installed can be kept low.

[0041] Furthermore, making the parts of the movable body 21 other than the areas where the hydrostatic air bearings are located into thin-walled sections 21B has another effect. Even with precise machining and adjustment of each component, slight planar misalignment remains in the raceway surface formed by the flat upper surface of the guide member 6. In order to position the left widthwise air bearing section 25L, right widthwise air bearing section 25R, left levitation air bearing section 26L, right levitation air bearing section 26R, left vertical air bearing section 27L, and right vertical air bearing section 27R, which are located on the lower surface of the movable body 21, facing the guide member 6 with a bearing gap of several μm to more than 10 μm as designed, it is preferable that the parts of the movable body other than the areas where the hydrostatic air bearings are located be able to deform flexibly. If the rigidity of the movable body is increased by increasing the plate thickness of the entire movable body, the lower surface of the movable body will not be able to follow the planar misalignment of the raceway surface. In this case, the bearing clearance between some of the hydrostatic air bearings and the guide member 6 may not be able to maintain the design dimensions, making it impossible to achieve the bearing performance as designed. In the first embodiment, the movable body 21 is provided with a thin-walled portion 21B that is more easily deformed than the thick-walled portion 21A. Therefore, even if the aforementioned planar misalignment occurs, the deformation of the thin-walled portion 21B allows the lower surface of the movable body 21 to follow the planar misalignment of the raceway surface, and the performance as designed can be obtained in any hydrostatic air bearing.

[0042] <Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment will be described. Figure 9 is a side view of the inkjet printing apparatus. Figure 10 is a front view of the inkjet printing apparatus. Figure 11 is a top view of the inkjet printing apparatus. Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view along line BB in Figure 9. Figure 13 is a top view of the display panel. Figure 14 is a top view showing the inkjet printing apparatus and a temperature control booth for controlling the temperature of the inkjet printing apparatus. Figure 15 is a side view showing the inkjet printing apparatus and a temperature control booth for controlling the temperature of the inkjet printing apparatus.

[0043] First, the configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus 1 equipped with the guide device 100 of this disclosure will be described. As shown in Figures 9 to 11, the guide device 100 provided in the inkjet printing apparatus 1 has the same configuration as the guide device 100 of the first embodiment and comprises a base 3, a guide member 6, and a movable part 20.

[0044] The inkjet printing apparatus 1 is equipped with a frame 2 that supports the base 3 from below. Two first fine-adjustment mechanisms 12, two second fine-adjustment mechanisms 13, and one third fine-adjustment mechanism 14 are mounted on the upper surface of the movable body 21. The two first fine-adjustment mechanisms 12 are mounted on one of the two diagonals of the movable body 21 in a plan view. The two second fine-adjustment mechanisms 13 are mounted on the other of the two diagonals. Each first fine-adjustment mechanism 12 and each second fine-adjustment mechanism 13 are mounted directly above the guide member 6 and either the left levitation air bearing section 26L or the right levitation air bearing section 26R, respectively. The third fine-adjustment mechanism 14 is mounted in the center of the upper surface of the movable body 21. A workpiece holding table 15 is mounted on top of the first, second, and third fine-adjustment mechanisms 12, 13, and 14. The workpiece holding table 15 is configured to hold the display panel 7 of the object to be printed by suction on its upper surface.

[0045] Each first fine adjustment mechanism 12 includes a drive mechanism (not shown) that drives in the Y-axis direction (left-right direction). This drive mechanism is positioned and controlled by a substrate alignment control unit (not shown). Furthermore, the first fine adjustment mechanism 12 includes a sliding mechanism (not shown) that is movable in the X-axis direction (guide direction) and a rotational sliding mechanism (not shown) that is rotatable around the Z-axis. Each second fine adjustment mechanism 13 includes a sliding mechanism (not shown) that is freely movable in the X-axis and Y-axis directions and a rotational sliding mechanism (not shown) that is rotatable around the Z-axis. The third fine adjustment mechanism 14 includes a sliding mechanism that is movable only in the Y-axis direction and a rotational sliding mechanism (not shown) that is rotatable around the Z-axis.

[0046] The first fine-movement mechanism 12, the substrate alignment control unit, the second fine-movement mechanism 13, the third fine-movement mechanism 14, and the workpiece holding table 15 constitute the substrate alignment mechanism 10. The substrate alignment mechanism 10 positions the workpiece holding table 15 in the rotational directions around the Y-axis and Z-axis. The movable part 20 and the substrate alignment mechanism 10 constitute the workpiece transport stage 30.

[0047] A linear motor movable element 52 is fixed to the lower surface of the movable body 21. A linear motor fixing bar 4 extending in the guiding direction is fixed to the upper surface of the base 3. The linear motor fixing bar 4 is formed to be parallel to the guide member 6. A linear motor stator 51 extending in the guiding direction is fixed on the linear motor fixing bar 4. The linear motor stator 51 and the linear motor movable element 52 constitute the linear motor 50. The linear motor 50 moves the movable part 20 relative to the base 3 in the guiding direction.

[0048] A linear scale body 61 is fixed to the side of the linear motor fixing bar 4. A linear scale reading head 62 is fixed to the lower surface of the movable body 21 via a reading head bracket 63. The linear scale body 61 and the linear scale reading head 62 constitute the linear scale 60. The linear scale 60 detects the position of the movable part 20 on the base 3.

[0049] The linear motor 50 and the linear scale 60 are feedback-controlled by a stage control unit (not shown).

[0050] Furthermore, it is preferable that the fixed position of the linear motor 50 in the Y-axis direction coincides with the center of gravity of the workpiece transport stage 30 and the drive point of the linear motor movable element 52. With this configuration, the moment around the Z axis applied to the workpiece transport stage 30 during acceleration and deceleration can be eliminated. It is preferable that the fixed position of the linear motor 50 in the Z-axis direction brings the center of gravity of the workpiece transport stage 30 and the drive point of the linear motor movable element 52 as close as possible. With this configuration, the moment around the Y axis applied to the workpiece transport stage 30 during acceleration and deceleration can be suppressed.

[0051] As shown in Figures 10 to 12, two gantry bases 42 are installed in the center of the guide direction on the base 3. Each gantry base 42 is installed on both sides parallel to the guide direction. A first gantry 41a and a second gantry 41b are mounted on top of the two gantry bases 42, connecting them.

[0052] A droplet position measuring camera 43 is mounted on one side of the first gantry 41a in the direction of guidance, and a first head unit 40R that ejects red ink is mounted on the opposite side. A second head unit 40G that ejects green ink is mounted on one side of the second gantry, and a third head unit 40B that ejects blue ink is mounted on the opposite side. Each of the first, second, and third head units 40R, 40G, and 40B is equipped with multiple inkjet heads (not shown). The ejection of droplets from each inkjet head is controlled by an ejection control unit (not shown) according to the position on the linear scale 60. The ejection control unit is configured to adjust the ejection timing for each nozzle of each inkjet head. With this configuration, the droplet placement position on the display panel 7 can be adjusted for each nozzle.

[0053] Furthermore, the first, second, and third head units 40R, 40G, and 40B, and the droplet position measurement camera 43, which are mounted on the first gantry 41a or the second gantry 41b, are heavy, each weighing several hundred kg to approximately 1,000 kg. Therefore, when the workpiece transport stage 30 accelerates or decelerates, the reaction force during acceleration or deceleration is applied to the entire inkjet printing apparatus 1, causing the entire inkjet printing apparatus 1 to vibrate slightly in the X-axis direction. It was found that this slight vibration causes the first gantry 41a and the second gantry 41b to sway several micrometers in the X-axis direction, reducing the printing position accuracy. In the second embodiment of the inkjet printing apparatus 1, the above problem was solved by forming the legs of the first gantry 41a and the second gantry 41b so that their width in the X-axis direction increases as they extend downwards.

[0054] Next, the display panel 7, the object to be printed, will be described. As shown in Figure 13, alignment marks 7m for positioning the coating location are formed at the four corners of the substrate 7P of the display panel 7. A bank 7L, which is a partition wall that separates pixels, is formed in the center of the substrate 7P. The alignment marks 7m and bank 7L are formed of a water-repellent partition wall material. Bank 7L forms the red pixels 7R, the green pixels 7G, ​​and the blue pixels 7B. As the substrate 7P, a glass plate with a main surface size of 2200 mm × 2300 mm and a thickness of 0.5 mm can be exemplified.

[0055] Next, the operation of the inkjet printing apparatus 1 configured as described above will be explained. First, the stage control unit positions the workpiece transport stage 30 at the workpiece loading position 30a shown by the solid line in Figure 9. After this, using a workpiece transport mechanism (not shown), the display panel 7 is placed on the workpiece holding table 15, and the display panel 7 is fixed in place by suction on the workpiece holding table 15.

[0056] Next, the alignment marks 7m at the four corners of the fixed display panel 7 are observed with an alignment camera (not shown) to measure the amount of deviation from a predetermined target position. Based on this measurement result, the substrate alignment control unit operates the substrate alignment mechanism 10 to position the display panel 7 at the target position. Once the positioning of the display panel 7 is complete, the stage control unit moves and positions the workpiece transport stage 30 to the print standby position 30b shown by the dashed line in Figure 9.

[0057] Subsequently, the stage control unit moves the workpiece transport stage 30 to the workpiece loading position 30a at a constant speed (300 mm / second in the second embodiment). The measurement results of the linear scale 60, which is moving at a constant speed, are sent to an ejection control unit (not shown). The ejection control unit outputs ejection signals to the inkjet heads (not shown) mounted on the first, second, and third head units 40R, 40G, and 40B, respectively, causing droplets to be dropped at the target positions. As a result, red ink is dropped onto the red pixel 7R of the display panel 7, green ink onto the green pixel 7G, and blue ink onto the blue pixel 7B.

[0058] However, due to variations in the ejection angle of each nozzle in the inkjet head, it may not be possible to drop droplets at the intended position. In this case, instead of the display panel 7, a droplet position measurement pattern is printed on a glass substrate (not shown) for droplet position measurement, and the amount of deviation of the droplet position from the target position is measured by a droplet position measurement camera 43. The measurement results are sent to the ejection control unit, and the ejection timing is corrected for each nozzle to correct the positional deviation in the printing direction (X direction). In this way, droplets can be accurately dropped onto each pixel of the display panel 7.

[0059] The weight of the five fine-movement mechanisms (two first-order fine-movement mechanisms 12, two second-order fine-movement mechanisms 13, and one third-order fine-movement mechanism 14) and the weight of the workpiece holding table 15 are added to the movable body 21. In the second embodiment, this added weight is approximately 1300 kg. Of the approximately 1300 kg added to the movable body 21, approximately 1100 kg is added to the positions of the four corner fine-movement mechanisms (two first-order fine-movement mechanisms 12 and two second-order fine-movement mechanisms 13), which is approximately 85 percent of the total added weight. The remaining 15 percent of the weight is added to the position of the third-order fine-movement mechanism in the center of the movable body 21.

[0060] As described above, the first fine adjustment mechanism 12 and the second fine adjustment mechanism 13 are located directly above the guide member 6 and the left levitation air bearing section 26L or the right levitation air bearing section 26R. Therefore, the workpiece transport stage 30 is configured such that 85 percent of the total weight of the workpiece mounted on the movable body 21 is directly applied to the levitation air bearing section 26, and the remaining 15 percent is applied indirectly to the levitation air bearing section 26 via the movable body 21.

[0061] Furthermore, the movable body 21 has a thicker plate thickness only near the locations where the hydrostatic air bearings at the four corners are positioned, while the plate thickness is thinner elsewhere. This makes it easier for the floating air bearing sections 26 at the four corners to follow the plane formed by the upper surfaces of the two guide members 6.

[0062] Furthermore, since most of the weight of the components on the movable body 21 is applied directly above the four levitation air bearing sections 26, the levitation air bearing sections 26 can more easily face the upper surface of the guide member 6 parallel to each other, thereby maximizing the performance of the levitation air bearing sections 26.

[0063] Furthermore, the floating air bearing section 26 is supported by a guide member 6. The guide member 6 is supported via a base 3 by a leveling block 5, a frame 2, and an adjuster foot 8, which are positioned directly below the guide member 6, allowing the level of the guide member 6 to be adjusted directly below it. This configuration makes it easier to flatten the upper surface of the guide member 6, and at the same time, allows for the formation of numerous base cutouts 3A in parts of the base 3 other than directly below the guide member 6. In addition, a space can be formed in parts of the frame 2 other than directly below the guide member 6 without passing a steel pipe through it. By forming these base cutouts 3A and spaces, the overall weight of the inkjet printing apparatus 1 can be reduced. Furthermore, by forming a flow of purified air (downflow) passing from top to bottom through the base cutouts 3A around the guide member 6, the overall cleanliness of the inkjet printing apparatus 1 can be increased, and the occurrence of printing defects due to particles can be suppressed. Furthermore, by creating a temperature-controlled airflow that passes through the base cutout 3A from top to bottom, the temperature of the entire inkjet printing apparatus 1 can be kept constant, thereby suppressing misalignment of the printing position due to thermal expansion.

[0064] The following describes the specific configuration of the inkjet printing apparatus 1 that can suppress the displacement of the printing position due to thermal expansion as described above. As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the inkjet printing apparatus 1 is surrounded by a booth 71. A first air conditioner 73a, a second air conditioner 73b, and a third air conditioner 73c are fixed to the ceiling of the booth 71. The first air conditioner 73a is positioned above the workpiece loading position 30a. The third air conditioner 73c is positioned above the printing standby position 30b. The second air conditioner 73b is positioned between the first air conditioner 73a and the third air conditioner 73c, and is positioned above the first gantry 41a and the second gantry 41b.

[0065] By arranging three air conditioners 73a, 73b, and 73c in booth 71, the booth 71 can be divided into three temperature-controlled areas: a first temperature-controlled area 72a, a second temperature-controlled area 72b, and a third temperature-controlled area 72c. Air with independently set temperatures can be blown down to each of these temperature-controlled areas 72a, 72b, and 72c. The blown air passes around the inkjet printing device 1 and through the gap between the base hole 3A of the base 3 and the frame 2, and is collected by a return duct (not shown) and returned to each air conditioner 73a, 73b, and 73c. ​​The return duct is an example of the collection section in this disclosure. Alternatively, an intake port can be provided in the frame of the frame 2 and used as a return duct.

[0066] Next, I will explain why the booth 71 is divided into three temperature-controlled areas 72a, 72b, and 72c. The inkjet printing device 1 has multiple heat-generating points. Of these points, the head unit generates the most heat. The inkjet head control components within the head unit generate heat. Therefore, the area around the first and second gantry 41a and 41b of the inkjet printing device 1 tends to get hotter than other areas. Consequently, if the temperature of the air blown down onto the inkjet printing device 1 is uniformly the same throughout the entire area, the temperature around the first and second gantry 41a and 41b, which generate the most heat, will be higher than other areas. As a result, the temperature of the workpiece holding table 15 that passes under the first and second gantry 41a and 41b will also change depending on the frequency of passage. For example, the temperature of the workpiece holding table 15 is higher when it is constantly passing under the first and second gantry 41a and 41b and repeatedly printing compared to the temperature of the workpiece holding table 15 immediately after it has been stopped at the workpiece loading position 30a. When the temperature of the workpiece holding table 15 rises, the temperature of the display panel 7 attached to it also rises, causing the display panel 7 to expand due to thermal expansion. When the display panel 7 expands, it becomes impossible to print at the desired pixel position.

[0067] In the second embodiment, by setting the temperature of the second air conditioner 73b lower than that of the first air conditioner 73a and the third air conditioner 73c, the temperature around the first gantry 41a and the second gantry 41b of the inkjet printing apparatus 1 is adjusted to be approximately the same as the temperature at the workpiece loading position 30a and the printing standby position 30b. With this configuration, the temperature of the workpiece holding table 15 can be kept constant regardless of the printing frequency. Therefore, printing can be performed at the desired pixel position on the display panel 7 at any time, without being affected by the printing frequency.

[0068] In the second embodiment, the first air conditioner 73a and the third air conditioner 73c are positioned above the workpiece loading position 30a and the printing standby position 30b, respectively. Due to the arrangement of equipment around the inkjet printing device 1, temperature unevenness may occur within the booth 71 even when the first air conditioner 73a and the third air conditioner 73c are set to the same temperature. In such cases, temperature unevenness can be eliminated by setting the first air conditioner 73a and the third air conditioner 73c to different temperature settings.

[0069] As described above, by increasing the plate thickness near the hydrostatic air bearing of the movable body 21 and decreasing the plate thickness in other areas, and by ensuring that the majority of the weight of the components mounted on the movable body 21 is applied to the four floating air bearing sections 26 positioned directly above the guide member 6, the maximum performance of each hydrostatic air bearing can be achieved. Furthermore, with this configuration, base cutouts 3A can be formed over a wide area of ​​the base 3, making the inkjet printing device 1 lighter. In addition, a large space can be formed in the frame 2 supporting the base 3, except for the area directly below the guide member 6, allowing for good airflow not only around the inkjet printing device 1 but also inside it. As a result, the cleanliness of the inkjet printing device 1 and the accuracy of temperature control can be improved. Furthermore, by increasing the yawing rigidity, the running accuracy can be improved, and an inkjet printing device 1 can be provided that is lightweight yet capable of printing with high positional accuracy on the display panel 7 of the printing target at all times.

[0070] [Modified examples of embodiments] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein, and various modifications can be made without departing from its spirit. Furthermore, the embodiments described above and the modifications shown below may be combined in any way, as long as they function properly.

[0071] For example, in the first embodiment, the movable body 21 is equipped with a pair of left-up-down air bearing sections 27L and an upper-right-downward air bearing section 27R. However, if the movable body 21 itself is large and heavy, the rigidity of the hydrostatic air bearing can be ensured solely by balancing its own weight with the floating air bearing section 26. Therefore, as shown in Figure 16, it is not necessary to equip the left-up-down air bearing section 27L and the upper-right-downward air bearing section 27R. Similarly, in the second embodiment, if the workpiece transport stage 30 itself is large and heavy, the rigidity of the hydrostatic air bearing can be ensured solely by balancing its own weight with the floating air bearing section 26. Therefore, it is not necessary to equip the left-up-down air bearing section 27L and the upper-right-downward air bearing section 27R.

[0072] Furthermore, the right thickened portion 21Ab does not have to be the same thickness as the left thickened portion 21Aa; for example, it may be the same thickness as the thinned portion 21B. The advantage of making the right thickened portion 21Ab the same thickness as the left thickened portion 21Aa, as in the first and second embodiments, is that by simultaneously grinding the mounting surface of the left floating air bearing portion 26L and the mounting surface of the right floating air bearing portion 26R, they can be precisely aligned to the same plane. As a result, the opposing left guide member 6L and right guide member 6R can also be made to the same height, and by simultaneously grinding the left guide member 6L and right guide member 6R, they can also be precisely machined to the same height.

[0073] In the first and second embodiments, the left levitation air bearing section 26L, the right levitation air bearing section 26R, the upper left vertical air bearing section 27La, and the upper right vertical air bearing section 27Ra are arranged on the lower surface of the movable body 21, each independently configured. However, it is also possible to arrange one hydrostatic air bearing having bearing performance for the left levitation air bearing section 26L and the upper left vertical air bearing section 27La, and one hydrostatic air bearing having bearing performance for the right levitation air bearing section 26R and the upper right vertical air bearing section 27Ra. Furthermore, each hydrostatic air bearing may be composed of multiple hydrostatic air bearings.

[0074] In the second embodiment, the first fine adjustment mechanism 12 and the second fine adjustment mechanism 13 are made movable in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction and the rotational direction around the Z-axis, and the third fine adjustment mechanism 14 is made movable in the Y-axis direction and the rotational direction around the Z-axis. However, the first, second, and third fine adjustment mechanisms 12, 13, and 14 may be arranged in a state where they are each rotated 45° around the Z-axis.

[0075] In the second embodiment, for example, by eliminating the X-axis sliding mechanism of one of the two first fine-movement mechanisms 12, the workpiece holding table 15 can be moved around the Y-axis and Z-axis. In this case, it is not necessary to place the third fine-movement mechanism 14 in the center of the movable body 21.

[0076] In the second embodiment, printing is performed in a single scan, but printing may be performed by repeating multiple scans as needed. [Industrial applicability]

[0077] The guide device, workpiece transport stage, and inkjet printing apparatus of this disclosure are effective for apparatuses that apply ink or the like to large printable objects, and can be applied to apparatuses that efficiently apply ink or other materials to large printable objects in the printing of organic EL light-emitting elements, hole transport layers, or electron transport layers, or in the printing of color filters, etc. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0078] 1. Inkjet printing device 2. Stand 3,901 base 3A Base cutout hole 4 Linear motor fixing bar 5 Leveling Blocks 6,902 Guide members 6L Left guide member (first guide member) 6R Right guide member (second guide member) 6LP Left guide projection (first projection) 6RP Right guide projection (second projection) 7 Display Panel 7B Blue pixels 7P circuit board 7G Green Pixel 7L Bank 7m Alignment Mark 7R Red Pixel 8 Adjustable Foot 10. Substrate alignment mechanism 12 1st fine movement mechanism 13 Second fine movement mechanism 14 Third fine movement mechanism 15 Workpiece Holding Table 20,90,903 Moving parts 21,91,904 Movable body 21A Thick part 21Aa Left thick part (1st thick part) 21Ab Right thick part (2nd thick part) 21B Thin-walled section 21C recess 21D Movable body cutout 22L Left air bearing support member (first bearing support member) 22R Right air bearing support member (third bearing support member) 23. Internal air bearing support member (second bearing support member) 24 Air bearing section 25L Left width direction air bearing section (first width direction air bearing section) 25R Right-width air bearing section (second width-width air bearing section) 26. Floating air bearing section 26L Left floating air bearing section (1st floating air bearing section) 26R Right floating air bearing section (second floating air bearing section) 27L Left vertical air bearing section (first vertical air bearing section) 27La Upper left vertical air bearing section (first vertical air bearing section) 27Lb Lower left vertical air bearing section (first vertical air bearing section) 27R Upper and lower air bearing section (second upper and lower air bearing section) 27Ra Upper air bearing section in the upper right-upper right-down direction (second air bearing section in the upper-lower direction) 27Rb Lower air bearing section (second air bearing section in the vertical direction) 30 Workpiece Transfer Stage 30a Workpiece loading position 30b Print standby position 40B 3rd Head Unit 40G Second Head Unit 40R 1st Head Unit 41a First Gantry 41b Second Gantry 42 Gantry Base 43. Droplet position measurement camera 50 Linear Motors 51 Linear motor stator 52 Linear motor movable element 60 Linear Scale 61 Linear scale main unit 62 Linear scale reading heads 63 Reading head bracket 71 booths 72a 1st temperature control area 72b 2nd temperature control area 72c 3rd temperature control area 73a 1st air conditioner 73b 2nd air conditioner 73c 3rd air conditioner 100,900 Guide device 221L Left vertical section 222L Left horizontal section 221R Right vertical section 222R Right horizontal section 905 Bearing support member 906 Horizontal hydrostatic air bearing 907 Lower hydrostatic air bearing 908 Upper hydrostatic air bearing

Claims

1. Base and, A first guide member and a second guide member extending in the guiding direction on the base, A movable part that moves along the first guide member and the second guide member, It comprises an air bearing portion that movably supports the aforementioned movable portion, The aforementioned movable part is A plate-shaped movable body located on the first guide member and the second guide member, The movable body is further comprising a first bearing support member and a second bearing support member that extend downward from the movable body and sandwich the first guide member in the width direction, The aforementioned air bearing section is The movable part is supported in the width direction with respect to the first guide member, and a first width-direction air bearing portion and a second width-direction air bearing portion are arranged on the first bearing support member and the second bearing support member, respectively. The movable part is supported vertically by the first guide member and includes a first floating air bearing portion arranged on the movable body, The movable body is formed such that the thickness of the walled portion including the arrangement positions of the first bearing support member, the second bearing support member, and the first floating air bearing portion is greater than the thickness of other parts. Guidance device.

2. The aforementioned movable part is The movable body is provided with a third bearing support member that extends downward and is positioned on the opposite side of the first guide member relative to the second guide member, The first bearing support member is positioned on the opposite side of the second guide member from the first guide member, The first guide member and the second guide member each include a first projection and a second projection that extend outward in the width direction so as to be separated from each other, The aforementioned air bearing section is The movable part is supported vertically by the second guide member, and a second floating air bearing portion is arranged on the movable body, The movable part is supported in the vertical direction with respect to the first protrusion, and a pair of first vertical air bearing parts are arranged one on the movable body and the first bearing support member, The movable part is supported vertically by the second protrusion, and a pair of second vertical air bearing parts are provided, one on the movable body and one on the third bearing support member, respectively. The aforementioned thickened portion is The first wall thickness portion includes the arrangement position of the first bearing support member, the second bearing support member, the first floating air bearing portion, and one of the first vertical air bearing portions, The third bearing support member, the second floating air bearing portion, and the second thickened portion including the position of one of the second vertical air bearing portions, The guide device according to claim 1.

3. The movable part includes a third bearing support member that extends downward from the movable body and is positioned on the opposite side of the first guide member relative to the second guide member. The air bearing section supports the movable section in the vertical direction with respect to the second guide member and includes a second floating air bearing section arranged on the movable body. The aforementioned thickened portion is The first wall thickness portion includes the arrangement positions of the first bearing support member, the second bearing support member, and the first floating air bearing portion, The third bearing support member and the second floating air bearing portion include a second thickened portion, The guide device according to claim 1.

4. The first guide member includes a first projection extending outward in the width direction, The air bearing portion supports the movable portion in the vertical direction relative to the first protrusion, and comprises a pair of first vertical air bearing portions, one of which is arranged on the movable body and the first bearing support member, respectively. The guide device according to claim 1.

5. The movable part includes a third bearing support member that extends downward from the movable body and is positioned on the opposite side of the first guide member relative to the second guide member. The second guide member includes a second projection extending outward in the width direction, The air bearing portion supports the movable portion in the vertical direction relative to the second protrusion, and comprises a pair of second vertical air bearing portions, one of which is arranged on the movable body and the third bearing support member, respectively. A guide device according to claim 1.

6. The length in the guiding direction of at least one of the first bearing support member, the second bearing support member, and the first floating air bearing portion is shorter than the length in the guiding direction of the thickened portion. The guide device according to claim 1.

7. The other parts of the movable body have holes formed through them. A guide device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. In the portion of the base where the first guide member and the second guide member are not positioned, a base hole is formed that penetrates the base. The guide device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A guide device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, A fine-movement mechanism is disposed on the thickened portion of the movable body, The system comprises a workpiece holding table positioned on the aforementioned fine-movement mechanism, Workpiece transport stage.

10. The guide device according to claim 8, A fine-movement mechanism is disposed on the thickened portion of the movable body, The system comprises a workpiece holding table positioned on the aforementioned fine-movement mechanism, Workpiece transport stage.

11. The workpiece transport stage according to claim 9, A gantry positioned on the aforementioned base, The gantry is equipped with an inkjet head that ejects ink onto a print target held on the workpiece holding table, Inkjet printing device.

12. A workpiece transport stage according to claim 10, A gantry positioned on the aforementioned base, An inkjet printing apparatus comprising: an inkjet head positioned in the gantry and ejecting ink onto a printing object held on the workpiece holding table, A booth enclosing the entire inkjet printing apparatus, An air conditioner that circulates temperature-controlled gas from top to bottom within the area enclosed by the booth, The system further includes a recovery unit that recovers the gas flowed by the air conditioner through the base vent hole. Inkjet printing device.

13. A plurality of the air conditioners, each capable of independently setting the temperature of the gas, are arranged in a line in the guide direction. The inkjet printing apparatus according to claim 12.

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