Table device and conveyance device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9933108-B2
Application number	US-201314902369-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2013
Priority date	Jul 2, 2013
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A table device including: a first member; a second member; a first guide device guiding the second member; a table supported by the second member; a first movable member connected to the table; a second movable member connected to the table; a first bearing member movably supporting the first movable member; a second bearing member movably supporting the second movable member; an actuator; and a gravity compensation device that includes a first supply portion supplying a gas to a first space facing the first movable member, a first adjustment portion adjusting an amount of the gas from the first supply portion, a second supply portion supplying a gas to a second space facing the second movable member, and a second adjustment portion adjusting an amount of the gas from the second supply portion, and can adjust a pressure in each of the first and second spaces.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A table device comprising:
a first member movable in a horizontal plane;
a second member movable relative to the first member;
a first guide device, at least a part of the first guide device being arranged in the first member, the first guide device guiding the second member such that the second member is moved in a direction parallel to a first axis perpendicular to the horizontal plane by movement of the first member;
a table supported by the second member;
a first movable member including a first upper surface, a first lower surface, and a first side surface connecting the first upper surface and the first lower surface, at least a part of the first movable member at a side of the first upper surface being connected to a first portion of the table;
a second movable member including a second upper surface, a second lower surface, and a second side surface connecting the second upper surface and the second lower surface, at least a part of the second movable member at a side of the second upper surface being connected to a second portion of the table, the second portion being different from the first portion;
a first bearing member forming a gas bearing between the first bearing member and the first side surface of the first movable member with a gas supplied between the first bearing member and the first side surface, and movably supporting the first movable member in a direction parallel to the first axis;
a second bearing member forming a gas bearing between the second bearing member and the second side surface of the second movable member with a gas supplied between the second bearing member and the second side surface, and movably supporting the second movable member in the direction parallel to the first axis;
an actuator generating power for moving the first member; and
a gravity compensation device including a first supply portion that supplies a gas to a first space that the first lower surface of the first movable member faces, a first adjustment portion that adjusts an amount of the gas to be supplied from the first supply portion, a second supply portion that supplies a gas to a second space that the second lower surface of the second movable member faces, and a second adjustment portion that adjusts an amount of the gas to be supplied from the second supply portion, the gravity compensation device being able to adjust a pressure in the first space and a pressure in the second space.

2. The table device according to claim 1 , wherein
the gravity compensation device adjusts the pressure in the first space to adjust a position of the first movable member relative to the direction parallel to the first axis, and adjusts the pressure in the second space to adjust a position of the second movable member relative to the direction parallel to the first axis.

3. The table device according to claim 1 , comprising:
a first support member, at least a part of the first support member being arranged around the first movable member and the first bearing member, the first support member supporting the first bearing member; and
a second support member, at least a part of the second support member being arranged around the second movable member and the second bearing member, the second support member supporting the second bearing member, wherein
the first space is defined by the first lower surface of the first movable member and an inner surface of the first support member, and
the second space is defined by the second lower surface of the second movable member and an inner surface of the second support member.

4. The table device according to claim 3 , wherein
the gravity compensation device adjusts the pressure in the first space such that the pressure in the first space becomes higher than a pressure in a space outside the first support member, and adjusts the pressure in the second space such that the pressure in the second space becomes higher than a pressure in a space outside the second support member.

5. The table device according to claim 1 , comprising a support device arranged between the second member and the table, and flexibly supporting the table.

6. The table device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first bearing member includes a first supply port that supplies the gas between the first bearing member and the first side surface of the first movable member,
the second bearing member includes a second supply port that supplies the gas between the second bearing member and the second side surface of the second movable member,
the first supply port continuously faces the first side surface in a moving range of the first movable member relative to the direction parallel to the first axis, and
the second supply port continuously faces the second side surface in a moving range of the second movable member relative to the direction parallel to the first axis.

7. The table device according to claim 1 , wherein
a dimension of the first movable member is larger than a dimension of the first bearing member relative to the direction parallel to the first axis, and a dimension of the second movable member is larger than a dimension of the second bearing member relative to the direction parallel to the first axis.

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

9. The table device according to claim 1 , wherein
an external shape of a cross section of the first movable member parallel to the horizontal plane and an external shape of a cross section of the second movable member parallel to the horizontal plane are respectively circles.

10. The table device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first member is moved in a direction parallel to a second axis in the horizontal plane, and
the table device comprising a suppression member suppressing the movement of the second member relative to the direction parallel to the second axis.

11. The table device according to claim 10 , comprising a second guide device, at least a part of the second guide device being arranged in the suppression member, the second guide device guiding the second member in the direction parallel to the first axis.

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

Assignees

• Nsk Ltd

Inventors

• Satou Toshinori

Classifications

• H10P72/38

  with angular orientation of workpieces · CPC title

• F16C32/06

  with moving member supported by a fluid cushion formed, at least to a large extent, otherwise than by movement of the shaft, e.g. hydrostatic air-cushion bearings · CPC title

• H01L21/67796

  Electricity · mapped topic

• F16C32/0607

  the gas being retained in a gap, e.g. squeeze film bearings · CPC title

• G03F7/70816

  Bearings · CPC title