Table device and conveyance device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9877576-B2
Application number	US-201314901377-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2013
Priority date	Jul 2, 2013
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

A table device including a first member; a second member; a first guide device guiding the second member such that the second member is moved in a direction parallel to a first axis by movement of the first member; a table supported by the second member; a third member connected to at least a part of the table; a bearing member forming a gas bearing between the bearing member and the third member with a gas supplied between the bearing member and the third member, and movably supporting the third member in the direction parallel to the first axis; and a support device including a parallel pin that is arranged such that the parallel pin becomes parallel to the first axis, and connects the second member and the table, and supporting the table. The table is supported by the second member through the support device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A table device comprising:
a first member movable in a predetermined plane;
a second member relatively movable to the first member;
a first guide device, at least a part of the first guide device being arranged in the first member, and the first guide device guiding the second member such that the second member is moved in a first direction that is parallel to a first axis perpendicular to the predetermined plane by movement of the first member;
a table supported by the second member;
a third member connected to at least a part of the table;
a bearing member forming a gas bearing between the bearing member and the third member with a gas supplied between the bearing member and the third member, and movably supporting the third member in the first direction;
and
a support device including a pin that is arranged to extend in the first direction and that connects the second member and the table, the pin supporting the table,
wherein
the table is supported by the second member through the support device,
the first member is moved in a second direction that is parallel to a second axis in the predetermined plane,
the table device comprises a suppression member suppressing movement of the second member relative to the direction parallel to the second axis,
the table device further comprises a second guide device, at least a part of the second guide device being arranged in the suppression member, and
the second guide device guides the second member in the first direction.

2. The table device according to claim 1 , wherein
the bearing member includes a first supply port supplying a gas between the bearing member and a side surface of the third member, and
the first supply port continuously faces the side surface of the third member in a moving range of the third member relative to the first direction.

3. The table device according to claim 1 , wherein
a dimension of the third member is larger than a dimension of the bearing member relative to the first direction.

4. The table device according to claim 1 , wherein
a center of the third member is continuously arranged between one end portion and the other end portion of the bearing member relative to the first direction in a moving range of the third member.

5. The table device according to claim 1 , wherein
an external shape of a cross section of the third member parallel to the predetermined plane is a circle.

6. The table device according to claim 5 , wherein
at least two third members are arranged, and are respectively connected to a first portion of the table and a second portion of the table, the second portion being different from the first portion.

7. The table device according to claim 1 , wherein
the third member includes an upper surface and a lower surface, and at least a part of a side of the upper surface is connected to the table, and
the table device comprises:
an actuator generating power for moving the first member; and
a gravity compensation device including a second supply port arranged such that the second supply port faces a space that the lower surface of the third member faces and supplying a gas to the space.

8. The table device according to claim 7 , comprising a support member, at least a part of the support member being arranged around the third member and the bearing member, and the support member supporting the bearing member, wherein
the second supply port supplies the gas to a space defined by the lower surface of the third member and an inner surface of the support member.

9. The table device according to claim 8 , wherein
the gravity compensation device supplies the gas through the second supply port to make a pressure in the space that the lower surface faces higher than a pressure in a space outside the support member.

10. A conveyance device comprising the table device according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Nsk Ltd

Inventors

• Satou Toshinori

Classifications

• B23Q1/64

  characterised by the purpose of the movement (indexing equipment B23Q16/02) · CPC title

• G12B5/00

  Adjusting position or attitude, e.g. level, of instruments or other apparatus, or of parts thereof (levels per se G01C9/00); Compensating for the effects of tilting or acceleration, e.g. for optical apparatus · CPC title

• G03F7/70816

  Bearings · CPC title

• A47B9/00

  Tables with tops of variable height ({lecterns with variable height A47B19/06; school forms or desks with variable height A47B39/02, A47B41/02}; seats with variable height A47C3/20) · CPC title

• A47B13/081 Primary

  Movable, extending, sliding table tops · CPC title