Drive mechanism having a gas bearing operable under a negative pressure environment
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsTakaaki Matsuoka, Teruo Asakawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A drive mechanism provides a friction free movement of a movable member operated under a negative pressure environment. A gas bearing arrangement movably supports the movable element relative to a stationary element. The gas bearing arrangement is configured to be operated under the negative pressure environment inside the chamber. A drive arrangement drives the movable element from outside the chamber.
Claims24
A drive mechanism comprising:
- a movable element situated inside a chamber which is set to a predetermined negative pressure environment, the chamber, per se, having a chamber exhaust arrangement;
- a gas bearing arrangement movably supporting the movable element relative to a stationary element, the gas bearing arrangement lacking an exhaust arrangement directly associated therewith and operating under the predetermined negative pressure environment inside the chamber;
- and
- a drive arrangement driving the movable element from outside the chamber,
- wherein gas introduced into the chamber through the gas bearing arrangement is evacuated by the chamber exhaust arrangement.
A drive mechanism comprising:
- a chamber providing a predetermined negative pressure environment, the chamber, per se, having an inner surface and a chamber exhaust arrangement;
- a movable element situated inside the chamber, the movable element lacking an exhaust arrangement directly associated therewith and having an opening from which a gas is ejected so that the movable element floats on the inner surface of the chamber;
- and
- a drive arrangement driving the movable element,
- wherein gas introduced into the chamber through the opening is evacuated by the chamber exhaust arrangement.
A floating mechanism for floating a movable element on a stationary element in a chamber with a chamber exhaust arrangement, the floating mechanism comprising:
- a gas bearing adapted to be connected to the movable element, the gas bearing lacking an exhaust arrangement directly associated therewith and ejecting a gas toward a surface of the stationary element so that the movable element floats on the surface of the stationary element;
- and
- a magnetic circuit generating a magnetic field which maintains the movable element in proximity to the surface of the stationary element,
- wherein gas introduced into the chamber through the gas bearing is evacuated by the chamber exhaust arrangement.
A drive mechanism comprising:
- a movable element situated inside a chamber which is set to a predetermined negative pressure environment;
- a chamber exhaust arrangement attached to a wall of the chamber to evacuate gas introduced into the chamber;
- a gas bearing arrangement attached to the movable element and movably supporting the movable element relative to a stationary element, the gas bearing arrangement operating under the predetermined negative pressure environment inside the chamber;
- and
- a drive arrangement driving the movable element from outside the chamber.
A drive mechanism comprising:
- a chamber providing a predetermined negative pressure environment, the chamber having an inner surface;
- a chamber exhaust arrangement attached to a wall of the chamber to evacuate gas introduced into the chamber;
- a movable element situated inside the chamber, the movable element having an opening from which a gas is ejected so that the movable element floats on the inner surface of the chamber;
- and
- a drive arrangement driving the movable element.
A floating mechanism for floating a movable element on a stationary element in a chamber, the chamber having a chamber exhaust arrangement, the floating mechanism comprising:
- a gas bearing adapted to be connected to the movable element, the gas bearing lacking an exhaust arrangement directly associated therewith and ejecting a gas toward a surface of the stationary element so that the movable element floats on the surface of the stationary element;
- and
- a magnetic circuit generating a magnetic field which maintains the movable element in proximity to the surface of the stationary element,
- wherein gas introduced into the chamber is evacuated by the chamber exhaust arrangement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.