| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pneumatic bearing for supporting a payload. <P>SOLUTION: The pneumatic bearing 100 has a bearing body 102 having an active surface 110 divided into a lift portion 112 and a pre-load portion 114. A plurality of gas distribution passages are formed in the bearing body, wherein a first passage 150 receives a compressed gas, a second passage 130 supplies a vacuum to the pre-load portion of the active surface 110, and a third passage 140 supplies a positive pressure gas to the lift portion of the active surface 110. The bearing body 102 has an integral, pneumatically powered, vacuum generator having an inlet connected to the first passage 150, a vacuum aperture connected to the second passage 130, and an exhaust part. The compressed gas is supplied to the lift portion 112 of the active surface 110 either in parallel, in series, or in a series-parallel configuration, with the integrated vacuum generator. The pneumatic bearing is reconfigurable. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT |
