Aerostatic Vacuum Table With Nested Suction Line Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing precision-guided tables for vacuum environments face challenges in maintaining guide characteristics and achieving satisfactory seals due to constraining forces and sealing issues during relative movement between gas guide components, which require extensive installation space and flexible lines that can lead to sealing problems.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of variable-length suction lines with pipe members that penetrate each other without contact, featuring sealing gaps parallel to movement directions and aerostatic bearing elements, allows for precise guidance and sealing without impairing the guide characteristics, using high-specific rigidity materials and adjustable sealing systems to manage gas flow effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If integrated lines are used to transfer gas between moving components, then the guide characteristics are maintained, but the installation space increases and sealing problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements nesting by placing one pipe member inside another pipe member to form a variable-length line arrangement. The inner pipe member can move relative to the outer pipe member while both are contained within a compact structure, eliminating the need for extended sealing gaps and reducing installation space while maintaining reliable gas transfer between moving components.
2Ease of operation
If expanded sealing gaps are used to allow line movement, then gas transfer is enabled, but the installation space increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses nesting to accommodate line movement within a compact space. By placing one pipe member inside another, the system allows relative movement and gas transfer through the nested arrangement without requiring expanded sealing gaps that would increase installation space.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures that the precision-guided table operates without constraining forces on the aerostatic bearing elements, maintains effective sealing, and reduces gas flow into the vacuum environment, thereby ensuring reliable operation and minimizing installation space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a table which is precision-guided by means of aerostatic bearing elements
Implementation Method 2
at least one sealing gap provided between the first pipe member and the second pipe member
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is directed to a table for vacuum application which is guided by means of aerostatic bearing elements, having a fixedly mounted supporting structure and a tabletop which is displaceable in x-direction and y-direction with respect to the fixedly mounted supporting structure by means of slides. The slides are provided with the aerostatic bearing elements for guiding, these aerostatic bearing elements being connected to feed lines for supplying the gas required for the operation of the gas bearings and suction lines for removing this gas. The suction lines comprise at least one variable-length line arrangement having a first pipe member and a second pipe member which penetrate one inside the other without contacting, at least one sealing gap being provided between the pipe members.