Multi-axis compensator and vacuum arrangement
AssigneeVon Ardenne Asset GmbH & Co. KG
InventorUwe Wehner
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Abstract
According to various embodiments, a multi-axis compensator comprises: a first mounting device and a second mounting device; a passage which penetrates the first mounting device and the second mounting device along a compensator axis; multiple membrane bellows disposed one behind the other along the compensator axis, of which a first membrane bellows is coupled to the first mounting device and a second membrane bellows is coupled to the second mounting device; at least one bellows coupler which couples the first membrane bellows to the second membrane bellows in such a way that the first membrane bellows and the second membrane bellows run at an angle to each other, so that a passage through the multi-axis compensator, which is curved or angled along the compensator axis, is provided.
Claims20
A multi-axis compensator, comprising:
- a first mounting device and a second mounting device;
- a passage extending through the first mounting device and the second mounting device along a compensator axis;
- multiple membrane bellows disposed in succession along the compensator axis, of which a first membrane bellows is coupled to the first mounting device and a second membrane bellows is coupled to the second mounting device;
- at least one bellows coupler by which the first membrane bellows is coupled to the second membrane bellows, such that the first membrane bellows and the second membrane bellows run at an angle to each other, when the first mounting device and the second mounting device are centric to the compensator axis.
The multi-axis compensator according to claim 43, wherein the holding ring and the bellows coupler engage positively with one another to allow a rotation of the bellows coupler relative to the holding ring around the compensator axis.
The multi-axis compensator according to claim 76, wherein the holding device is rigidly coupled to first mounting device, and wherein the holding device is spatially separated by a gap from second mounting device to allow a movement of the second mounting device relative to the holding device.
A vacuum arrangement comprising:
- a multi-axis compensator, comprising:
- a first mounting device and a second mounting device;
- a passage extending through the first mounting device and the second mounting device along a compensator axis;
- multiple membrane bellows disposed in succession along the compensator axis, of which a first membrane bellows is coupled to the first mounting device and a second membrane bellows is coupled to the second mounting device;
- at least one bellows coupler by which the first membrane bellows is coupled to the second membrane bellows such that the first membrane bellows and the second membrane bellows run at an angle to each other, when the first mounting device and the second mounting device are centric to the compensator axis;
- a first vacuum chamber housing to which the first mounting device is attached;
- and,
- a second vacuum chamber housing to which the second mounting device is attached, and which is arranged at a distance from the first vacuum chamber housing.
The vacuum arrangement according to claim 1918, further comprising:
- a radiation source arranged in the first vacuum chamber housing, which is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation along the compensator axis;
- and
- a radiation receiver arranged in the second vacuum chamber housing, which is configured to receive electromagnetic radiation along the compensator axis.
A method for a multi-axis compensator,
- the multi-axis compensator comprising:
- a first mounting device and a second mounting device;
- a passage extending through the first mounting device and the second mounting device along a compensator axis;
- multiple membrane bellows disposed in succession along the compensator axis, of which a first membrane bellows is coupled to the first mounting device and a second membrane bellows is coupled to the second mounting device;
- at least one bellows coupler by which the first membrane bellows is coupled to the second membrane bellows such that the first membrane bellows and the second membrane bellows run at an angle to each other, when the first mounting device and the second mounting device are centric to the compensator axis;
- the method comprising:
- forming a vacuum in the passage;
- compensating a rotational movement of the first mounting device relative to the second mounting device around the compensator axis by at least one of:
- a curvature of the first membrane bellows,
- a curvature of the second membrane bellows, and
- a rotation of the bellows coupler about the compensator axis relative to the first mounting device or second mounting device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.