Air-Bearing Guide Structure to Suppress Actuator Guide Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing gas pressure actuators in vacuum environments face significant deformation due to pressure differences across guides with open portions, leading to reduced rigidity and potential interference with slider movement.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a guide connecting member that connects the edges of the opening portion of the guide, positioned to avoid contact with the slider connecting member, increases the rigidity of the guide and prevents deformation caused by fluid pressure, while ensuring normal slider operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the guide includes an opening portion to allow slider movement, then the slider can be driven along the movement direction, but the guide deforms due to pressure difference between inner and outer periphery
Solution Approach 1:
The guide is segmented into multiple parts: a surrounding structure with an opening portion that allows slider movement, and a guide connecting member that bridges the opening portion. This segmentation allows the guide to both accommodate slider movement and maintain structural integrity by distributing the pressure load across multiple components rather than relying on a continuous structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide connecting member acts as an intermediary element that connects the edges of the opening portion. It mediates between the conflicting requirements of having an open guide for slider movement and maintaining guide rigidity to prevent deformation. The guide connecting member transfers and distributes the fluid pressure loads, preventing direct deformation of the guide's opening portion.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the guide connecting member is added to increase rigidity, then guide deformation is suppressed, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The guide structure is divided into modular components: the surrounding structure and the guide connecting member. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function while maintaining overall structural integrity. The guide connecting member is a simple bridging element that adds minimal complexity while effectively solving the deformation problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide connecting member is strategically positioned only at the opening portion where rigidity is needed to prevent deformation. The surrounding structure maintains its open design for slider movement. This local reinforcement approach adds minimal structural complexity only where necessary, rather than making the entire guide structure more complex.
3Ease of operation
If the guide connecting member is positioned to avoid contact with slider connecting member, then normal slider operation is maintained, but the positioning precision becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The guide connecting member is positioned asymmetrically relative to the slider connecting member, specifically designed to avoid contact during normal operation. This asymmetric positioning creates a clear spatial relationship that prevents interference while maintaining operational simplicity. The design leverages the natural movement patterns of the slider to establish non-interfering zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide connecting member is pre-positioned at a location that anticipates the full range of slider movement. By calculating and setting the position in advance to avoid contact with the slider connecting member throughout the entire movable range, the design eliminates the need for complex real-time detection or adjustment mechanisms.
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
The solution effectively suppresses guide deformation and maintains normal slider movement by enhancing the rigidity of the guide structure, preventing interference and ensuring precise positioning control.
Implementation Method 1
An air bearing formed by compressed air supplied between an outer periphery of the slider and an inner periphery of the guide through an air pad allows the slider to float from the guide and move smoothly
Implementation Method 2
the compressed air supplied between the outer periphery of the slider and the inner periphery of the guide through the air pad applies a pressure to expand the guide from the inside
Data Source
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AI summary
To provide an actuator and the like capable of suppressing deformation of a guide. An actuator (10) includes: a slider (20) driven within a movable range along a movement direction (X direction) ; a guide (12) that extends in the X direction to guide the slider (20) and includes a surrounding structure surrounding an outer periphery of the slider (20) and including an opening portion (40) where at least a part thereof is open in a cross section perpendicular to the X direction; an air pad (30) that supplies compressed air between the slider (20) and the guide (12) ; a slider connecting member (44) that penetrates the opening portion (40) to connect the slider (20) inside the surrounding structure and a table (200) outside the surrounding structure; and a guide connecting member (45) that connects edges of the opening portion (40) to each other and is provided at a position where the slider connecting member (44) does not come into contact with the guide connecting member (45) when the slider (20) moves within the movable range.