Vacuum Joint With Elastic Bridges for Friction-Free Load Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
In ultrahigh vacuum environments, existing mechanisms face challenges in achieving gliding-friction-free, play-free movement while supporting heavy loads, as they often require substantial forces and compromise between thinness for easy movement and thickness for load support, leading to contamination and heating issues due to friction.
Innovation Solution
A joint comprising a supporting part, a mobile part with convex shapes, and a guiding and connecting part with greater bending elasticity, allowing for gliding-friction-free and play-free movement by using thin, elastic sheets that support both tensile and compressive forces without lubricants, separating the functions of movement and load support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a thin bridge is used to allow easy movement without strong elastic restoring forces, then the ease of operation is improved, but the load support capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bridge is segmented into multiple parallel elastic bridges, where each bridge carries a portion of the total load. This segmentation allows each individual bridge to be thin and flexible for easy movement while the collective array of bridges provides sufficient load support capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs thin elastic bridges that function as flexible structural elements. These thin films/bridges provide the necessary flexibility for easy movement while maintaining adequate strength through their elastic properties and parallel arrangement.
2Strength
If a thick bridge is used to support required loads, then the load support capability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to strong elastic restoring forces
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single thick bridge that would be difficult to move, the load support function is distributed across multiple thinner bridges working in parallel. Each thin bridge is easy to move individually, while their combined effect provides the necessary load support.
3Ease of operation
If gliding friction is present to enable movement, then the ease of operation is improved, but contamination and heating issues worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional gliding friction-based movement with elastic deformation-based movement. The elastic bridges bend and flex to enable movement without contact friction, thereby eliminating contamination and heating problems associated with gliding friction while maintaining movement capability.
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 enables precise, strong-force movement without mechanical play or gliding friction, suitable for ultrahigh vacuum applications, reducing contamination and heating, and supporting heavy loads effectively.
Implementation Method 1
the guiding and connecting part has a greater bending elasticity than either of the supporting part and the mobile part
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a joint for a device moveable in vacuum, the joint comprising a supporting part, a mobile part and a guiding and connecting part, wherein the mobile part and the supporting part each have at least a region of convex shape, with the regions of convex shape of the mobile part and of the supporting part facing one another and with the guiding and connecting part being arranged, in particular clamped, between the regions of convex shape of the support- ing part and of the mobile part, wherein the guiding and connecting part has a greater bending elasticity than either of the supporting part and the mobile part. The invention further relates to a mechanism for moving a device in vacuum, the mechanism comprising a plurality of joints and to a device comprising a plurality of joints and/or a mechanism, with the device being configured to be moved in a vacuum.