Supporting member, conduit supporting device, and processing apparatus provided therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12095243-B2
Application number	US-202318211931-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2023
Priority date	Jan 19, 2018
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

There is provided a supporting member having excellent durability and an apparatus including the supporting member. The supporting member includes an elastic member and a plurality of block members formed thereon. The supporting member is deformable from a shape in which end surfaces of the block members are in contact with each other to a shape in which the end surfaces are separated from each other. The elastic member includes a fixed region whose deformation is restricted by being fixed to a bottom surface of the block member, and the supporting member includes a flexure reduction unit for reducing flexure at a position near the fixed region of the elastic member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A supporting member comprising:
an elastic member having a first surface and extending in a first direction; and
a plurality of block members fixed onto the first surface of the elastic member and arranged along the first direction, wherein
each of the plurality of block members has a bottom surface facing the first surface of the elastic member, an upper surface which is a surface opposite to the bottom surface, a first end surface intersecting with the first direction, and a second end surface which is a surface opposite to the first end surface,
the plurality of block members comprises a first block member and a second block member, and the supporting member is deformable, from a first shape in which the first end surface of the first block member and the second end surface of the second block member are in contact with each other, into a second shape in which the first end surface of the first block member and the second end surface of the second block member are separated from each other and the supporting member is curved in a direction so that the first surface of the elastic member is at an outer side,
the supporting member further comprises a high rigidity layer on the upper surface of each of the first block member and the second block member so that the high rigidity layer extends from the first end surface to the second end surface of each of the first block member and the second block member,
the high rigidity layer comprises a part formed by bending a metal plate, and
each of the first block member and the second block member has, as viewed from the first direction, a quadrangular shape defined by three sides formed by bending the metal plate and one side made from the elastic member.

2. The supporting member according to claim 1 , wherein the high rigidity layer is formed so as to increase a compressive elastic modulus of the each of the first block member and the second block member against a compressive stress in a direction parallel to the first direction.

3. A supporting member comprising:
an elastic member having a first surface and extending in a first direction; and
a plurality of block members fixed onto the first surface of the elastic member and arranged along the first direction, wherein
each of the plurality of block members has a bottom surface facing the first surface of the elastic member, an upper surface which is a surface opposite to the bottom surface, a first end surface intersecting with the first direction, and a second end surface which is a surface opposite to the first end surface,
the plurality of block members comprises a first block member and a second block member, and the supporting member is deformable, from a first shape in which the first end surface of the first block member and the second end surface of the second block member are in contact with each other, into a second shape in which the first end surface of the first block member and the second end surface of the second block member are separated from each other and the supporting member is curved in a direction so that the first surface of the elastic member is at an outer side,
the supporting member further comprises a high rigidity layer on the upper surface of each of the first block member and the second block member so that the high rigidity layer extends from the first end surface to the second end surface of each of the first block member and the second block member,
the high rigidity layer contains a metal,
each of the first block member and the second block member comprises a block member body portion containing a polymer material between the high rigidity layer containing the metal and the first surface of the elastic member, and
the high rigidity layer containing the metal has a recessed portion, and the block member body portion containing the polymer material comprises a region formed in the recessed portion.

4. The supporting member according to claim 1 , wherein
the elastic member has a through hole,
each of the first block member and the second block member comprises a block member supporting region formed between the first surface of the elastic member and the high rigidity layer, and
the block member supporting region is fixed onto the elastic member by a screw or a rivet provided thorough the through hole.

5. The supporting member according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the first block member and the second block member comprises a post part which is vertically provided from the high rigidity layer toward the first surface of the elastic member, and
a lower surface of the post part is in contact with the first surface of the elastic member when the supporting member is in the first shape, and is separated from the first surface of the elastic member when the supporting member is in the second shape.

6. The supporting member according to claim 5 , wherein
the first surface of the elastic member has a contact region at which the first surface of the elastic member and the bottom surface of each of the first block member and the second block member are in contact with each other when the supporting member is in the first shape and when the supporting member is in the second shape, and
the contact region and a region of the first surface of the elastic member at which the lower surface of the post part is in contact with the first surface of the elastic member when the supporting member is in the first shape are separated from each other on the first surface of the elastic member.

7. The supporting member according to claim 5 , wherein
the lower surface of the post part included in the first block member is provided at a position protruded outside from one of the first and second end surfaces of the first block member, and the lower surface of the post part included in the second block member is provided at a position protruded outside from one of the first and second end surfaces of the second block member.

8. The supporting member according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the first block member and the second block member comprises a block member body portion containing a polymer material between the high rigidity layer and the first surface of the elastic member.

9. A conduit supporting device comprising: the supporting member according to claim 1 ; a conduit; and a conduit bag into which the supporting member and the conduit are inserted.

10. The conduit supporting device according to claim 9 , wherein
the conduit comprises at least one of a cable for transmitting electrical energy or a tube for transmitting fluid.

11. The conduit supporting device according to claim 9 , wherein
the conduit bag is formed of a composite material in which a plurality of resin films are pasted.

12. A processing apparatus comprising: the conduit supporting device according to claim 9 .

13. The processing apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising
a stage on which an object to be processed is to be disposed; and
a processing head which is movable relatively to the object to be processed and is configured to grip the object to be processed or perform a physical processing, a chemical processing, an electromagnetic wave irradiation or an electromagnetic wave detection to the object to be processed, wherein
the conduit supporting device comprises a region having a linear shape and a region having a curved shape, and a length of the region having a linear shape changes according to the relative movement.

14. The supporting member according to claim 3 , wherein the high rigidity layer comprises a part formed by bending a metal plate.

15. The supportin

Assignees

• Junkosha Inc

Inventors

• Hiraoka Daiki
• Takeuchi Hiroshi
• Misu Yasuhiro
• Hirose Tetsuya

Classifications

• H04W72/1268

  of uplink data flows · CPC title

• H04W72/232

  the control data signalling from the physical layer, e.g. DCI signalling · CPC title

• H02G3/0475 Primary

  formed by a succession of articulated units · CPC title

• F16G13/16 Primary

  with arrangements for holding electric cables, hoses, or the like · CPC title

• F16L3/00

  Supports for pipes, cables or protective tubing, e.g. hangers, holders, clamps, cleats, clips, brackets (anchors for holding pipes on or under the ground F16L1/06; noise absorbers in the form of specially adapted hangers or supports F16L55/035; arrangements specially adapted for supporting insulated bodies F16L59/12) · CPC title