JP2001097530A - Body floating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a body floating device capable of stably floating and holding a body formed with a flat bottom surface such as a flat plate. SOLUTION: This body floating device 1 is provided with a pair of rectangular vibrating bodies 2a, 2b. In the vibrating body 2a, 2b, edges 4a, 4b are arranged in an outer side of each vibrating body 2a, 2b along opposite edges 3a, 3b of the body 3 so as to be extended near there, and the vibrating bodies 2a, 2b are inclined downward from the edges 4a, 4b toward the opposite edge. The vibrating bodies 2a, 2b are fastened to a tip of a horn 5 by a screw, which is not expressed in a figure. The horn 5 is fixed to a vibrator 6 at a surface opposite to the surface, to which the vibrating bodies 2a, 2b are fastened. The vibrator 6 is connected to an oscillator 10. A tip surface 5a of the horn 5 is formed into a flat surface crossing the axial direction of the vibrator 6, and center shafts of the horn 5 and the vibrator 6 are arranged so as to be inclined at an angle equal to the predetermined angle θ formed by a horizontal surface and the vibrating bodies 2a, 2b in relation to the vertical direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for levitating an object using radiation pressure such as sound waves.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 7-24415 discloses an object levitation device that levitates an object on the surface of a vibrating body by radiation pressure of sound waves of a vibrating body vibrated by a vibrating means. Gazette, JP-A-7-13
No. 7824. In this apparatus, a flat vibrating body is used, and the surface of the object to be levitated, which is opposed to the surface of the flat vibrating body, is a flat surface, and the object levitates due to radiation pressure of sound waves generated by the vibration of the vibrating body. In each of the above publications, it is disclosed that in a state in which an object is levitated by an object levitating device, compressed air is jetted toward the levitated object or ultrasonic waves are emitted to travel the levitated object.
In addition, as a method of running the levitating object, the vibrating body is formed to be long and a vibrating body is provided at one end of the vibrating body to cause the vibrating body to bend and vibrate, and the energy converting means is connected to the other end of the vibrating body. Accordingly, a method is disclosed in which an object travels in a levitated state using a wave of bending vibration as a traveling wave.

[0003] However, in the object levitation device, it is difficult to hold the object at a predetermined position in a state where the surface of the vibrating body is inclined from the horizontal. There is a problem that it moves in the horizontal direction and falls off the position facing the vibrator. Also,
Even when the levitating object is run, it is difficult to accurately apply the propulsive force acting on the levitating object in the traveling direction. Therefore, a guide or a regulating member for regulating the movement in the horizontal direction is required.

As means for solving the above-mentioned problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-137824 discloses a method of arranging a pair of plate-shaped vibrators 51 in a substantially V shape as shown in FIG. Is connected to the horn 52 and the vibrator 53 so that the vibrator 5
An object levitation device in which each of the devices 3 is electrically connected to an oscillator (not shown) is disclosed. The flange 52a is formed on the horn 52, and the flange 52a is attached to the packing 52 with respect to the vibrator 53 and the case 54 containing the horn 52.
b. In this object levitation device, the object 55 has a bottom surface (side surface) having an angle equal to the angle between the two vibrators 51, and is levitated on both bottom surfaces in a state of receiving a uniform radiation pressure from the vibrator 51.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-202425 discloses an object transporting device equipped with an object levitation device in which vibrating bodies narrower than an object are arranged in parallel in a horizontal state, and the objects are levitated by the sound pressure of the vibrating body. A configuration for carrying is disclosed.
When a cutout having a rectangular cross section is formed on the outer lower surface of the vibrating body arranged in parallel over substantially the entire length, the radiation pressure of the sound wave generated by the vibrating body is larger at the both edges in the width direction of the object conveyance path than at the center. It is disclosed to be great.

[0006]

An advantage of a method of levitating and transporting an object using radiation pressure of a sound wave, compared to a method of levitating and transporting an object using pressurized air such as compressed air. When used under conditions where the atmosphere is to be kept clean, such as in a so-called clean room, it is easy to reduce the size of the apparatus, for example, there is no need to provide a means for preventing diffusion of air injected from the pressurized gas supply means. Sometimes.

A method of increasing the radiation pressure of sound waves at both edges in the width direction of the object conveyance path by changing the thickness of the vibrator in the width direction as in the object conveyance device disclosed in JP-A-9-202425. However, the function of holding the object so as not to deviate from the predetermined position is insufficient. In addition, there is a problem that it takes time to process the vibrating body.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 7, the levitating object stably levitates while receiving a uniform radiation pressure from both vibrators 51. However, it is necessary that the levitating object has a bottom surface having the same angle as the angle formed by the two vibrators 51, and it is difficult to apply the object to an object having a flat bottom surface such as a flat plate.
Objects transported in the clean room include a liquid crystal substrate (glass substrate) and a silicon wafer, and these objects are all thin plates. In order to levitate an object having a flat bottom surface, it is necessary to place the object on a case or board having a V-shaped bottom surface, which is troublesome and difficult to place stably.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an object levitation apparatus capable of floating and holding an object having a flat bottom surface such as a flat plate in a stable state. is there.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a flat vibrating body is excited by an exciting means, and the vibrating body is excited by the radiation pressure of the sound wave of the vibrating body. An object flotation device for levitating an object having a flat bottom surface on a surface, the surface of which is inclined inward in a direction opposite to the bottom surface of the object, and a radiation pressure acting on the object is balanced. It was arranged as follows.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the pair of vibrators each have an edge on a side remote from each other and extends along the edge near an opposite edge of the object. Are arranged as follows.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the excitation means includes a horn having the vibrating body attached to a tip so as to be integrally vibrated, and a tip face of the horn. Is formed on a plane orthogonal to the axial direction of the vibrator, and the horn and the vibrator are arranged in such a manner as to be inclined with respect to the vertical direction at the same angle as the angle between the horizontal plane and the vibrator.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the excitation means includes a horn having the vibrating body attached to a tip thereof so as to be integrally vibrated, and a tip face of the horn. Is formed so as to be inclined at the same angle as the angle between the horizontal plane and the vibrating body with respect to the horizontal plane in a state where the vibrator is arranged to extend in the vertical direction, and the horn and the vibrator are arranged to extend in the vertical direction. ing.

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an object having a flat bottom surface on the surface of the vibrating body is levitated by the radiation pressure of the sound wave from the flat vibrating body excited by the exciting means. Radiation pressure acts obliquely on the object from at least one set of vibrators, and the object floats stably in a state where the horizontal component forces facing each other are balanced. When a radiation pressure is applied in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the object, when a horizontal force is applied to the object, the object is easily horizontally moved by the force and falls off a position facing the vibrator. However, when the vibrating body is arranged in a state of being inclined with respect to the bottom surface of the object, an inward airflow is generated between the levitating object and the vibrating body, and there is a horizontal force facing each other due to the airflow. By doing so, the object remains stable at a predetermined position to the extent that a small horizontal force acts on the object.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the object is less likely to move outward from a position where the edge is opposed to the edge of the vibrating body in the floating state. Is disposed along the edges of the pair of vibrating bodies that are apart from each other and near the edges, the object is stably held at a position corresponding to the edge of the vibrating body.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the excitation means includes a horn having the vibrating body attached to a tip thereof so as to be integrally vibrated, and the horn and the vibrator Are arranged so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical direction, so that the vibrating body is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the present invention, the excitation means includes a horn having the vibrating body attached to a tip so as to be integrally vibrated, and a tip face of the horn. Is formed to be inclined at the same angle as the horizontal plane and the vibrating body with respect to the horizontal plane in a state where the vibrator is arranged to extend in the vertical direction. The body is arranged so as to have a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the levitating object.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention applied to an object levitation apparatus that levitates and holds a flat plate will be described.
1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b), the object levitation apparatus 1 includes a pair (a pair) of vibrating bodies 2a and 2b formed in a rectangular plate shape. Each of the vibrators 2a and 2b is 1/1 / W of the width of the rectangular plate-shaped object 3 (length in the left-right direction in FIG. 1A).
The width of the object 3 is less than 2 (approximately 1/3 in this embodiment), and is substantially the same as the length of the object 3. Each vibrator 2
a and 2b are edges 3a and 4b on the side remote from each other;
Edge 3a, 3b near the edge 3a, 3b
Are arranged so as to extend along. Each vibrating body 2a,
2b is disposed so as to be inclined downward from the edges 4a and 4b toward the opposite edge.

The vibrating bodies 2a and 2b are fastened to the tip of a horn 5 constituting an exciting means by screws (not shown).
The horn 5 is formed in the shape of a flat rectangular parallelepiped having the same length as the width of the vibrating bodies 2a and 2b, and is attached to the vibrating bodies 2a and 2b at a central portion in the longitudinal direction so as to be orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

The horn 5 is fixed to the vibrator 6 on the surface opposite to the surface on which the vibrators 2a and 2b are fastened. A so-called Langevin type vibrator is used as the vibrator 6, and a pair of ring-shaped piezo elements 7a and 7b and a piezo element 7 are used.
The ring-shaped electrode plate 7c disposed between the a and 7b and the metal blocks 8a and 8b disposed at positions contacting the outer surfaces of the piezo elements 7a and 7b are fastened and fixed by bolts (not shown). Have been. The bolt is inserted into a screw hole (not shown) formed in the metal block 8a.
Screwed from the metal block 8b side. Both metal blocks 8a and 8b are in a state of being electrically connected to each other via bolts.

The electrode plate 7c is connected to the oscillator 10 via a wiring 9a.
The ground terminal of the oscillator 10 is connected to the metal block 8b via the wiring 9b. The oscillator 10 is driven by a control signal from a control device (not shown). The vibrating body 2a,
Excitation means for exciting 2b is configured.

The tip surface 5a of the horn 5 is formed on a plane orthogonal to the axial direction of the vibrator 6, and the central axis of the horn 5 and the vibrator 6 is formed by a horizontal plane and the vibrators 2a and 2b with respect to the vertical direction. It is arranged in a state of being inclined at the same angle as the predetermined angle θ. The predetermined angle θ is an angle at which a radiation pressure is generated that acts so as to balance the horizontal component forces facing each other with respect to the object 3, and the appropriate value changes depending on the mass of the object 3, the area of the vibrating bodies 2a and 2b, and the like. However, for example, it is about 1 °, usually 3 ° or less.

Next, the operation of the above-configured device will be described. The object levitation device 1 is mounted on a carrier, for example, and is conveyed to a target position by moving the carrier while holding the object 3 to be carried in a floating state.

The object 3 has both edges 3a, 3b in the width direction.
Are placed on both vibrators 2a, 2b so as to align with edges 4a, 4b of both vibrators 2a, 2b. In this state, the vibrator 6 is excited at a predetermined resonance frequency (for example, about 20 kHz) by driving the oscillator 10, and the horn 5 is longitudinally vibrated, and the vibrators 2a and 2b are excited via the horn 5 to generate bending vibration. Do. As the vibrators 2a and 2b perform bending vibration, sound waves are emitted from the vibrators 2a and 2b.

The object 3 floats from the surfaces of the vibrators 2a and 2b due to the radiation pressure of the sound waves radiated from the vibrators 2a and 2b. Radiation pressure acts obliquely on the object 3 from the two vibrators 2a and 2b, and the object 3 stably floats in a state where the horizontal component forces facing each other are balanced. Floating height is number 1
0 to several hundred μm.

When the vibrating bodies 2a and 2b vibrate in a state of being inclined downward toward the center of the object 3, the vibrating bodies 2a and 2b
b and the object 3, the edge 4
Air flows A1 and A2 inward from the sides a and 4b are generated, and the air flows A1 and A2 act on the object 3 in a horizontal direction. When the edges 4a and 4b of the vibrators 2a and 2b and the edges 3a and 3b of the object 3 are aligned, the action of the air flow increases.

When a radiation pressure acts in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the object 3 as in a conventional object levitation apparatus configured to levitate a flat plate, when a horizontal external force acts on the object 3, the force is generated by the force. The object 3 easily moves horizontally and falls off the position facing the vibrator. However, in this embodiment, since horizontal forces opposing each other exist due to the air flows A1 and A2, the object 3 stays at a predetermined position in a stable state only when a small external force acts on the object 3. Because both air flows A1, A2
When an external force acts on the object 3 in a state where the horizontal force of the object 3 on the object 3 is balanced, for example, when the object 3 is moved in a direction protruding outside the vibrating body 2a, the side of the vibrating body 2a acting on the object 3 The force of the air flow A1 becomes stronger, and the force of the air flow A2 on the vibrating body 2b side becomes weaker. As a result, a force acts on the object 3 to move it toward the vibrating body 2b, that is, returns to the original position.
Returns to its original position.

This embodiment has the following effects. (1) A pair of vibrators 2a and 2b are arranged such that their surfaces are inclined inward in the opposite direction with respect to the bottom surface of the plate-shaped object 3, and the radiation pressure acting on the object 3 is balanced. did. As a result, airflows A1 and A2 inward from the edges 4a and 4b are generated in the space between the vibrators 2a and 2b and the object 3, and the object 3 floats at a predetermined position in a stable state. Held in state. Further, a cover may be provided to restrict the movement of the object 3 in the width direction (the direction orthogonal to the two vibrators 2a and 2b), or the movement of the object floating device may be detected by detecting that the object has moved in the width direction by a predetermined amount or more. It is possible to eliminate the need for a fall prevention measure such as stopping the operation.

(2) The pair of vibrating bodies 2a and 2b are arranged so that the edges 4a and 4b on the side remote from each other extend along the edges 4a and 4b near the opposing edges 3a and 3b of the object 3. I have. Therefore, the edges 3a, 3
As compared with the case where the b and the edges 4a and 4b are arranged apart from each other, the flow of the air flows A1 and A2 becomes stronger, and the function of holding the object at a predetermined position is enhanced.

(3) The tip surface 5a of the horn 5 is
The horn 5 and the vibrator 6 are arranged in a state where the horn 5 and the vibrator 6 are inclined with respect to the vertical direction by the same angle as the predetermined angle θ formed between the horizontal plane and the vibrators 2a and 2b. Therefore, it is not necessary to process the vibrators 2a and 2b so that the thickness differs depending on the place, and the manufacturing is simplified.

(4) Since the flat plate-shaped object 3 whose opposing edges 3a and 3b are parallel can be levitated and held in a stable state, for example, a liquid crystal substrate or the like is conveyed while levitated and held without using a case. it can.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). This embodiment is significantly different from the above embodiment in that the object 3 is large and that the object levitation device 1 has means for moving the object 3 levitated. Parts that are basically the same as those in the above-described embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 3A is a rear view of the object levitation apparatus 1, that is, a view of FIG. 3B as viewed from above. Flat object 3
There are provided three vibrators 2a, 2b and 2c for applying radiation pressure to the center of a pair of vibrators 2a and 2b which are arranged in an inclined state with respect to the object 3 as shown in FIG. A third vibrating body 2c is disposed so as to extend in parallel with the bottom surface of the object 3 and in parallel with both vibrating bodies 2a and 2b. As shown in FIG. 3B, the vibrators 2a, 2b, 2c are fastened to the horn 5 at both ends. The vibrating body 2c is formed wider than the two vibrating bodies 2a and 2b, and a horn 5 to which the vibrating body 2c is fastened has a slit 5b extending vertically.

The vibrator 6 for exciting the horn 5 fastened to one end of each of the vibrating bodies 2a, 2b, 2c has an oscillator 10
(Only shown in FIG. 3B). A vibrator 6 for exciting a horn 5 fastened to the other end of each of the vibrators 2a, 2b, 2c is connected to a load circuit 11 as an energy conversion means including a resistor R and a coil L.

In the apparatus of this embodiment, when the vibrator 6 connected to the oscillator 10 is excited, the vibrators 2a, 2b, and 2c bend and vibrate through the horn 5, and the object 3 is vibrated.
Float on a, 2b, 2c. Vibrators 2a, 2b, 2c
Is transmitted to the vibrator 6 connected to the load circuit 11, and the piezo elements 7a and 7b forming the vibrator 6 convert the vibration energy, which is mechanical energy, into electric energy. This electric energy is converted into Joule heat by the resistance R of the load circuit 11 and is radiated. for that reason,
The wave of vibration generated in each of the vibrators 2a, 2b, 2c becomes a traveling wave, and the object 3 is conveyed in a floating state from the side corresponding to the vibrator 6 connected to the oscillator 10 toward the other.
The stop of the transport is performed by stopping the driving of the oscillator 10.

This embodiment has the following effects in addition to the effects (1) to (4) of the first embodiment. (5) Since the vibrating body 2c arranged in parallel with the object 3 is provided at the center of the vibrating bodies 2a and 2b inclined in opposite directions to each other, the bending of the object 3 is suppressed even if the width of the object 3 is wide. Then, it is smoothly held in a floating state and transported.

(6) As means for moving the object 3 in a levitating state, a structure is adopted in which the traveling waves traveling in a certain direction are generated on the vibrating bodies 2a, 2b, 2c.
The configuration is simplified as compared with a configuration in which the object is levitated by causing the 2c to bend and vibrate as a standing wave to levitate the object 3 and inject compressed air to the object 3 to travel.

(7) When the object 3 is transported, the edge 4
The movement in the width direction is effectively restricted by the action of the air flows A1 and A2 directed inward from the sides a and 4b.
No. 4, the air or sound wave reflecting member disclosed in
There is no need for a mechanism provided outside of a and 2b to prevent the object 3 from shifting in the width direction and hold the object 3 in a predetermined range.

(8) Three vibrators 2a, 2b, 2c are arranged, but vibrators 2a, 2b arranged on both sides
If the position adjustment is accurately performed, the position adjustment of the center vibrating body 2c does not have to be performed as accurately as the difference, and compared with the conventional apparatus in which all the vibrating bodies are arranged in parallel with the bottom surface of the object, Adjustment of the installation is simplified.

The embodiment is not limited to the above, and may be embodied as follows, for example. As shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), the front end face 5a of the horn 5 is arranged so that the vibrator 6 extends in the vertical direction. And the horn 5 and the vibrator 6 are arranged so as to extend in the vertical direction. In this case, by fixing the vibrator 6 to a frame or the like so as to be vertical, the horizontal plane and the vibrating body 2a,
2b is a predetermined angle θ, and compared to installing the entire horn 5 and the vibrator 6 at a predetermined angle θ,
Work becomes easier.

When the large object 3, especially the wide object 3 is levitated, the number of the vibrating bodies 2c disposed between the vibrating bodies 2a and 2b disposed on both sides in the width direction of the object is determined by the vibration. It may be two or more according to the interval between the bodies 2a and 2b. Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b), the vibrating bodies 2a, 2b
Vibrators 2d and 2e that are inclined in opposite directions may be arranged between b. The method of tilting the vibrators 2d and 2e is as follows.
As in the case of the vibrators 2a and 2b, as shown in FIG. 5A, a method of arranging the entire horn 5 and the vibrator 6 at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical direction,
There is a method of FIG. In these cases, the effect of holding the object 3 at a predetermined position is improved as compared with the case where the vibrating body 2c is horizontally arranged between the two vibrating bodies 2a and 2b.

O vibrator 2 arranged in an inclined state
a, 2b, 2d, and 2e are not necessarily limited to a configuration in which the same shapes are arranged so as to form a pair, and as shown in FIG. Any configuration that balances the forces may be used.

The edges 4a and 4b of the vibrators 2a and 2b arranged on both sides are not necessarily the edges 3a and 3b of the object 3.
The size of the object 3 is not limited to the configuration in which the object 3 is arranged, and may be a size in which the object 3 protrudes from both edges 4a and 4b, or may be a size in which the object 3 is located inside both edges 4a and 4b.

The structure in which the object 3 is levitated by the pair of vibrators 2a and 2b, the vibrator 2c horizontally disposed between the pair of vibrators 2a and 2b, or the vibrators 2d and Any of the configurations including 2e may be applied to either the configuration in which the object 3 is merely held in a levitating state or the configuration in which a traveling wave is generated to transport the object 3 in a levitating state.

In the apparatus for transporting the object 3 in a floating state using the traveling wave as in the second embodiment, the method for stopping the transportation of the object 3 is replaced with the method for stopping the driving of the oscillator 10 as the method for stopping the transportation of the object 3. The vibrators 6 provided at both ends of each of the vibrators 2a, 2b, 2c are connected to an oscillator 10 and a load circuit 1 respectively.
1 and selectively connectable. And
By switching between the state connected to the oscillator 10 and the state connected to the load circuit 11 at a high speed and switching the traveling direction of the traveling wave in a short time, the object 3 is substantially levitated to a fixed position. May be stopped. In this case, the object 3 can be held in a floating state even during a stop.

As means for moving the levitating object 3, the vibration wave generated in the vibrating bodies 2a to 2e is changed to a standing wave instead of the configuration in which the vibration wave generated in the vibrating bodies 2a to 2e becomes a traveling wave. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which compressed air is injected to the floating object 3 or the ultrasonic wave is emitted to cause the object 3 to travel. This configuration is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-137824.

As long as the object has a flat bottom surface and an opposed edge, the object is not limited to a flat object and can be stably held in a floating state. The fixing of the vibrators 2a to 2e to the horn 5 is not limited to the fastening with screws, but may be performed by using an adhesive, or by using brazing or welding.

The vibrator 6 is not limited to the Langevin type vibrator, and other vibrators may be used. The shape of the horn 5 is not limited to a flat rectangular parallelepiped, but may be a shape such as a truncated cone or the like having a narrow tip end.

The technical ideas (inventions) other than those described in the claims which can be grasped from the embodiment will be described below together with their effects. (1) The object levitation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 includes a traveling unit that causes the levitation object to travel. In this case, the object can be transported in a floating state.

(2) In the invention of (1), the running means includes two vibrators fixed to both ends of each vibrator, an oscillator for exciting one of the two vibrators, An energy converter connected to the other vibrator to convert vibration energy into electric energy and generate a traveling wave in the vibrator. In this case, the object can be transported in a floating state with a simple configuration.

[0052]

As described in detail above, according to the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, an object having a flat bottom surface such as a flat plate can be levitated and held in a stable state.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the function of holding the object at a predetermined position is enhanced. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is easier to install the horn and the vibrator so that the angle between the horizontal plane and the vibrator becomes a predetermined angle, compared to installing the entire horn and the vibrator at a predetermined angle. Become.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a schematic plan view of an object levitation apparatus according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a schematic front view of the same.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a fixed state of the vibrating body and the horn.

FIG. 3A is a schematic rear view of an object levitation device according to a second embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a schematic plan view of the same.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic front views of an object levitation device according to another embodiment.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic front views of an object levitation device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front view of an object levitation apparatus according to another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of a conventional object levitation device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Object floating device, 2a-2e ... Vibration body, 3 ... Object, 3
a, 3b, 4a, 4b: an edge, 5: a horn constituting an excitation means, 6: a vibrator similarly, 5a: a tip surface, 10: an oscillator constituting an excitation means.

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yoshikazu Koike No. 3-16-12-409, Chuo-Rinma, Yamato-shi, Kanagawa (72) Inventor Yoshiki Hashimoto 3-term, Sakaemachi 3-chome, Hamura-shi, Tokyo Reference) 3F037 BA15 CA14 CA17 CB04 3F101 LA16 LB12 5D107 AA12 AA14 BB20 CC04 CC12 FF04

Claims (4)

[Claims] An object flotation device for exciting a flat vibrating body by an exciting means to levitate an object having a flat bottom surface on the surface of the vibrating body by radiation pressure of a sound wave of the vibrating body, at least one set of The object levitation apparatus, wherein the vibrating body is disposed such that its surface is inclined inward in a direction opposite to the bottom surface of the object and the radiation pressure acting on the object is balanced. 2. The object levitation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the pair of vibrators is arranged such that edges on the side remote from each other extend along the edge near an opposing edge of the object. 3. The exciting means includes a horn having the vibrating body attached to a tip thereof so as to be able to vibrate integrally. A tip surface of the horn is formed on a plane orthogonal to an axial direction of the vibrator, and the horn and the vibrator are vertically 3. The object levitation device according to claim 1, wherein the object levitation device is disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the direction at the same angle as the angle formed between the horizontal plane and the vibrating body. 4. 4. The excitation means includes a horn on which the vibrating body is attached so as to be capable of integrally vibrating at a tip thereof, and a tip surface of the horn is disposed on a horizontal plane in a state where the vibrator is arranged to extend in a vertical direction. 3. The horn and the vibrator are formed so as to be inclined at the same angle as the angle between the horizontal plane and the vibrating body, and the horn and the vibrator are arranged to extend in the vertical direction.
An object levitation device according to claim 1.