# US 10,119,565 B2 · Air bearing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,565 B2 - Document ID: US10119565B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/464,552 - Filed: 2017-03-21 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-01 - Assignees: Mitutoyo Corporation - Applicants: Mitutoyo Corporation - Inventors: Kenji Ueda; Hisayoshi Sakai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119565B2 ## CPC - F16C 29/025: {Hydrostatic or aerostatic (this type of bearing for rotary parts F16C32/06)} - F16C 32/0622: {via nozzles, restrictors} - F16C 32/0625: {via supply slits} - G01B 5/0009: {Guiding surfaces; Arrangements compensating for non-linearity there-of} - F16C 2240/44: Hole or pocket sizes - F16C 2370/00: Apparatus relating to physics, e.g. instruments - G01B 21/047: {Accessories, e.g. for positioning, for tool-setting, for measuring probes} - F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS ## Abstract The air bearing includes a main body part having a bearing surface opposed to a guide face, first and second flow path parts, which are provided in the main body part, for allowing compressed air supplied from outside to flow, an air supply hole, which is provided in the flow path part, for supplying compressed air to the guide face to form an air film between the bearing surface and the guide face, and a negative pressure generating part, which is provided in the second flow path part intersecting with the first flow path part, for generating a negative pressure for sucking air between the guide face and the main body part by increasing the flow velocity of the compressed air. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air bearing, comprising: a main body part that includes a bearing part opposed to a guide face; two first flow path parts and a second flow path part to which compressed air supplied from outside flows after being branched by a branch part, the first flow path parts and the second flow path part being provided in the main body part; an air supply hole for supplying compressed air to the guide face to form an air film between the bearing surface and the guide face, the air supply hole being provided in the first flow path parts; and a negative pressure generating part for generating a negative pressure for sucking air between the guide face and the main body part by increasing flow velocity of the compressed air, the negative pressure generating part being provided in the second flow path part, wherein the first flow path parts are provided so as to be branched from the branch part in directions symmetrical to each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air bearing according to claim 1, wherein the bearing surface has a suction region communicating with the negative pressure generating part and generating a vacuum preload. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The air bearing, according to claim 2, wherein the suction region is a recessed part region formed in the bearing surface of the main body part. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The air bearing according to claim 2, wherein the suction region is a region surrounded by an annular groove that is flush with the bearing surface of the main body part. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The air bearing according to claim 1, wherein the negative pressure generating part includes a nozzle part for narrowing the flow path of the second flow path part to increase the flow velocity of the compressed air, and the second flow path part includes a suction hole for sucking air between the guide face and the main body part using a negative pressure generated on a tip side of the nozzle part. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The air bearing according to claim 5, wherein the nozzle part is detachably mounted. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The air bearing according to claim 5, wherein a tip of the nozzle part is located right above the suction hole, and the negative pressure generating part generates the negative pressure around the suction hole. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The air bearing according to claim 5, wherein the suction hole is connected to an annular groove formed on the same surface as the bearing surface of the main body part. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The air bearing according to claim 5, wherein the suction hole sucks air in a suction region on the center region of the bearing surface, and the air supply hole supplies compressed air to an air supply region outside the suction region. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The air bearing according to claim 5, wherein the air supply hole supplies compressed air to an air supply region on the center region of the bearing surface, and the suction hole sucks air in a suction region outside the air supply region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The air bearing according to claim 1, wherein a restricting part that narrows a flow path of the first flow path parts is provided between the branch part and the air supply hole. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The air bearing according to claim 11, wherein an air chamber that is an expanded flow path is provided between the restricting part and the air supply hole. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The air bearing according to claim 1, wherein the second flow path part includes a flow straightening part for straightening air flow. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The air bearing according to claim 13, wherein the flow straightening part includes a plurality of protrusions along a longitudinal direction of the second flow path part. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The air bearing according to claim 1, further comprising: an opening-closing valve that is movably provided in the first flow path parts and opens and closes an opening through which compressed air supplied to the air supply hole passes; a biasing member that presses the opening-closing valve to open the opening; and an electromagnetic coil that opposes the bias force of the biasing member to attract the opening-closing valve and closes the opening when being energized, wherein when the negative pressure generating part generates the negative pressure in a state where the opening-closing valve closes the opening, the main body part is sucked to the guide face due to a suction force. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The air bearing according to claim 15, wherein the opening-closing valve includes: a valve body that can open and close the opening; and a pressed part that is connected to the valve body by a connecting shaft and is pressed by the biasing member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The air bearing according to claim 1, wherein the first flow path parts and the second flow path part are positioned at the same position in a thickness direction of the main body part. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The air bearing according to claim 1, wherein each of the two first flow path parts comprises a vertical flow path and a horizontal flow path being orthogonal to the vertical flow path, the vertical flow path extending from the branch part and connected to the horizontal flow path, the second flow path part has a center line extending in a direction parallel to a direction in which the horizontal flow path extends, and the vertical flow path and the horizontal flow path of one of the two first flow path parts are symmetrical to the vertical flow path and the horizontal flow path of another one of the two first flow path parts with respect to the center line of the second flow path part. ### Claim 19 An air bearing, comprising: a main body part that includes a bearing part opposed to a guide face; a first flow path part and a second flow path part to which compressed air supplied from outside flows after being branched by a branch part, the first flow path part being provided in the main body part; an air supply hole for supplying compressed air to the guide face to form an air film between the bearing surface and the guide face, the air supply hole being provided in the first flow path part; a negative pressure generating part for generating a negative pressure for sucking air between the guide face and the main body part by increasing flow velocity of the compressed air, the negative pressure generating part being provided in the second flow path part; an opening-closing valve that is movably provided in the first flow path part and opens and closes an opening through which compressed air supplied to the air supply hole passes; a biasing member that presses the opening-closing valve to open the opening; and an electromagnetic coil that opposes the bias force of the biasing member to attract the opening-closing valve and closes the opening when being energized, wherein when the negative pressure generating part generates the negative pressure in a state where the opening-closing valve closes the opening, the main body part is sucked to the guide face due to a suction force. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The air bearing according to claim 19, wherein the opening-closing valve includes: a valve body that can open and close the opening; and a pressed part that is connected to the valve body by a connecting shaft and is pressed by the biasing member.