Workpiece levitation using alternating positive and negative pressure flows
OwnerDonald L. Ekhoffinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A support structure utilizes a combination of positive pressure openings and negative pressure openings to precisely position a workpiece, such as a sheet of float glass. The positive pressure openings are supply openings that direct a flow of fluid, such as air, onto the surface of the workpiece. The negative pressure openings are exhaust openings that are used to regulate the leakage of fluid from between the workpiece and the support structure. In the preferred embodiment, the surface of the support structure includes raised regions that surround the exhaust openings and that function as self-regulating pinch valves. This arrangement enables an equilibrium condition to be quickly established and maintained upon placement of the workpiece on the support structure.
Claims20
A system for levitating workpieces comprising:
- a support structure that includes a work surface having a plurality of supply openings distributed among a plurality of exhaust openings, said work surface having raised regions at said exhaust openings;
- and
- source means in communication with said supply openings for supplying a continuous flow of fluid through said supply openings at a pressure selected to levitate a workpiece that is adjacent to said work surface, said exhaust openings being maintained at a pressure that enables a reverse flow of said fluid into said exhaust openings.
A method of manipulating workpieces comprising the steps of:
- positioning a workpiece adjacent to a work surface having a plurality of openings, including supply openings and exhaust openings interspersed Within an area of said workpiece;
- projecting gas through said supply openings at a positive pressure sufficient to position said workpiece in paced relationship from said work surface;
- and
- forming a negative pressure at said exhaust openings to evacuate said gas from between said workpiece and said work surface, including establishing an equilibrium condition in which said positive and negative pressures cooperate to maintain said workpiece in a position of substantially uniform spacing from said work surface.
An inspection system comprising:
- a support structure for positioning an item of interest, said support structure having a generally planar work surface with at least four alternating arrays of supply openings and exhaust openings;
- air pressure control means for establishing a positive pressure flow from each of said supply openings and establishing a negative pressure flow to each of said exhaust openings, thereby providing an equilibrium condition with respect to pneumatically supporting said item of interest in spaced relation from said work surface, said air pressure control means being connected to control levels of vacuum pressure at ends of said exhaust openings opposite to said item of interest;
- and
- inspection means for optically inspecting said item of interest when said item of interest is positioned by said support structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.