JP4591449B2 - Static pressure gas bearing linear guide device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a static pressure gas bearing linear guide device capable of moving a sample, a tool, a detector and the like with high positioning accuracy in a high-precision processing apparatus and measurement apparatus, semiconductor manufacturing or inspection apparatus, and the like.

  In a conventional static pressure gas bearing linear guide device, a guide rail extending in the guide direction, a movable body arranged to straddle the upper side of the guide rail and movable in the guide direction, and the movable body as a gas There is an air bearing portion that is supported and guided by the above and a suction force applying portion that sucks the movable body against the base.

  As such a static pressure gas bearing linear guide device, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, it has a base 50 provided with a horizontal reference surface 50a on the upper surface and extending in the guide direction. The base 50 is generally made of ceramics or stone. A guide rail 51 protrudes at a position slightly deviated from the center of the upper surface of the base 50 in the width direction (horizontal direction orthogonal to the guide direction). The guide rail 51 extends in the guide direction along the reference surface 50a. Above the reference surface 50a of the base 50, the lower surface of the table 55, which is a movable body, is disposed in parallel with the reference surface 50a at a predetermined interval.

  On the lower surface of the table 55, opposing portions 56 and 57 having opposing surfaces facing each other with a predetermined interval are formed on each side surface of the guide rail 51 so as to sandwich the guide rail 51 from both sides. Horizontal air bearing portions 53 that support the horizontal direction are disposed on the surfaces of the facing portions 56 and 57 that face the side surfaces of the guide rail 51. In addition, a vertical air bearing portion 54 that supports the vertical direction is disposed on the lower surface of the facing portion 56. In addition, a facing portion 58 is formed on the lower surface of the table 55 at a target position in the width direction with respect to the facing portion 56. On the lower surface of the facing portion 58, a vertical air bearing portion 54 that supports the vertical direction as described above is disposed. A plurality of these facing portions 56 to 58 are provided at predetermined intervals in the guide direction.

  Further, suction force generating portions 59 are provided on the outer sides in the width direction of the vertical air bearing portion 54. The suction force generating portion 59 is provided on the reference surface 50a of the base 50 and extends in parallel with the guide rail 51. The suction rail 59a is made of, for example, a ferromagnetic material, and is supported by the lower surface of the table 55 to support the suction rail 59a. And a magnet 59b facing the upper surface at a predetermined interval. In order to increase the attractive force, the attractive force generating portion 59 is formed of the attractive rail 59a with a high magnetic permeability, for example, pure iron or an iron-based magnetic material. Reference numeral 60 denotes a known drive device that moves the table 55.

However, in the conventional static pressure gas bearing linear guide device, since the base is made of ceramics or stone, and the suction rail is made of pure iron or iron-based magnetic material, the thermal expansion coefficients of both are different. It will be. Here, the thermal expansion coefficient of pure iron is 9 to 10 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C., the thermal expansion coefficient of ceramic (alumina) is 4 to 8 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C., and the thermal expansion coefficient of stone is 6-9 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C. For this reason, a change in temperature during use may cause a so-called “bimetal phenomenon” in which dimensional deviation occurs between materials having different thermal expansion coefficients, which may deteriorate the straightness accuracy.

  In addition, if the storage temperature of the static pressure gas bearing linear guide device or the temperature during transportation has changed significantly (for example, 30 ° C or higher in summer, 10 ° C or lower in winter, etc.) There is also a risk that the connecting portion or the like will be displaced and will not return to the original accuracy.

  An object of the present invention is to solve such a conventional problem, and it is possible to reduce the occurrence of a bimetal phenomenon even when a large temperature change occurs and to maintain stable straightness accuracy. An object is to provide a static pressure gas bearing linear guide device.

In order to achieve this object, the present invention is provided with a base, a movable body movable on the base in the guiding direction, and provided on the base along the guiding direction. A guide member that guides in the guide direction, an air bearing that supports and guides the movable body with gas, a magnet provided on the movable body and the base that magnetically attracts the movable body to the base A static pressure gas linear guide bearing device provided with a suction rail of a magnetic material provided on the static pressure gas linear guide bearing device, wherein the air bearing portion is provided to face a side surface of the guide member. A horizontal air bearing that is configured to blow air to the side surface of the guide member and supports the movable body in a horizontal direction with respect to the guide member, and is provided to face the base. Blow air against the base Configured Suyo, and a vertical bearing for supporting said movable member in the vertical direction, the vertical direction bearing will be formed on both sides of the guide direction of the base, the suction applying unit, the Thermal expansion, which is provided on both sides of the guide direction of the base and adjacent to the vertical bearing, the base is made of ceramics, and the suction rail is selected according to the expansion coefficient of the ceramics The present invention provides a static pressure gas bearing linear guide device comprising a low thermal expansion casting having a coefficient of 4 to 5 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.

The static pressure gas bearing linear guide device having this configuration is such that the thermal expansion coefficient of the base and the suction rail are almost the same, so that even if a large temperature change occurs, no dimensional change occurs between them. It is possible to reduce the occurrence of the so-called “bimetal phenomenon”. For this reason, stable straightness accuracy can be maintained.

Moreover, due to constitute the base ceramics or al, no rust, further, the thermal expansion coefficient is smaller than the metal, less likely to deform, thereby improving the dimensional accuracy.

  As described above, the static pressure gas bearing linear guide device according to the present invention has substantially the same thermal expansion coefficient between the base and the suction rail, so even if a large temperature change occurs, there is a dimensional change between the two. It does not occur and the occurrence of the bimetal phenomenon can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to maintain stable straightness accuracy.

  Next, a static pressure gas bearing linear guide device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of a static pressure gas bearing linear guide device according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the static pressure gas bearing linear guide device according to the present embodiment includes a base 1 having a horizontal reference surface 1 a on the upper surface and extending in the guide direction, and an upper surface of the base 1. A guide member 2 provided along the guide direction; a table 3 that is a component of a movable body that is guided and moved by the guide member 2; and air bearing portions 6, 7, and 8 that support and guide the table 3, And a suction force applying unit 10 that applies a suction force to the air bearing units 6, 7, and 8.

The base 1 is made of alumina ceramics and has a thermal expansion coefficient of 4.7 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C. A guide member 2 is provided at a position slightly deviated from the center portion in the width direction (horizontal direction orthogonal to the guide direction) of the reference surface 1a of the base 1 to one end portion (left side in FIG. 1). . Further, suction rails 10a of a suction force applying unit 10 described in detail later are fixed to both sides in the width direction of the base 1, and extend along the guide direction.

  The guide member 2 is formed of a rail member having a rectangular cross section, and is disposed along the guide direction of the reference surface 1a. This guide member 2 has a bottom surface (reference surface 1a side) and a total of three surfaces, straight and flat, parallel and perpendicular to each other, and is made of alumina ceramics in the same manner as the base 1. Has been. Moreover, since this guide member 2 is comprised narrowly, it will be in a narrow guide state. For this reason, the distance between the horizontal air bearings 6a and 7a becomes narrow, and the moment rigidity becomes strong.

  The table 3 is arranged above the reference surface 1a of the base 1 with a predetermined interval. On the lower surface of the table 3, a pair of air bearing portions 6 and 7 are arranged to face each other with a predetermined distance from the guide member 2 and sandwiching the guide member 2 from both sides. As shown in FIG. 2, the air bearing portions 6 and 7 are installed at two locations at intervals in the guide direction. Horizontal air bearings 6a and 7a that support the horizontal direction are disposed on the surfaces of the air bearing portions 6 and 7 that face the side surfaces of the guide member 2, respectively.

  In the horizontal air bearings 6 a and 7 a, air holes for blowing air horizontally to the guide member 2 are formed on the surface facing the guide member 2. The table 3 is supported in the horizontal direction with respect to the guide member 2 by blowing air from the air holes to the guide member 2. Thus, since the horizontal air bearings 6 and 7 are arranged opposite to both sides of the guide member 2 so as to sandwich the guide member 2, no biased force is applied to the guide member 2. For this reason, deformation of the guide member 2 can be reduced.

  In addition, a vertical air bearing 6 b that supports the vertical direction is disposed on the lower surface of the air bearing portion 6.

  In addition, an air bearing portion 8 is formed on the lower surface of the table 3 at a target position in the width direction with the two air bearing portions 6. On the lower surface of the air bearing portion 8, vertical air bearings 8 b that support the vertical direction are disposed in the same manner as described above.

  Each of the vertical air bearings 6b and 8b has an air hole formed on the lower surface thereof for blowing air toward the reference surface 1a. By blowing air from the air holes to the reference surface 1a, the table 3 is supported in the vertical direction with respect to the reference surface 1a. Moreover, the pressure of the air blown out from the air hole can be set independently for each of the vertical air bearings 6b and 8b. For this reason, even if the clearance between the vertical air bearings 6b and 8b and the reference surface 1a changes due to, for example, deformation of the table 3, fine adjustment can be performed by adjusting the air supply pressure. It has become. In addition, although not shown in figure, the apparatus and path | route which supply air to each air bearing of the horizontal direction air bearings 6a and 7a and the vertical direction air bearings 6b and 8b are set arbitrarily.

  Further, a permanent magnet 10b, which is a constituent element of the attraction force applying unit 10, is connected to the attraction rail 10a and a predetermined rail via a spacer 10c at the extreme end in the width direction of the table 3 (outside in the width direction of the air bearings 6 and 8). Each is provided at intervals. In addition, this permanent magnet 10b and the spacer 10c comprise the attractive force provision part 10 with the attractive rail 10a. The spacer 10c is provided to facilitate the adjustment of the gap between the attraction rail 10a and the permanent magnet 10b, that is, the height position of the permanent magnet 10b. The table 3 is sucked against the base 1 by the suction force applying unit 10.

  Note that the suction force application unit 10 is adjacent to the air bearing units 6 and 8 (vertical air bearings 6 b and 8 b), so that suction and levitation shear stress of the table 3 do not act on the table 3.

Moreover, the suction rail 10a was comprised using the low thermal expansion material provided with the thermal expansion coefficient similar to the base 1, for example, a low thermal expansion casting (thermal expansion coefficient: 4-5 * 10 < ^-6 > / degreeC). For this reason, there is no occurrence of a so-called “bimetal phenomenon” in which dimensional deviation occurs between materials having different thermal expansion coefficients due to temperature changes, and stable straightness accuracy can be obtained.

  The static pressure gas bearing linear guide device is provided with a known drive device that moves the table 3, although not particularly shown.

  When this static pressure gas bearing linear guide device is operated, air is blown out from the air holes of the vertical air bearings 6b and 8b toward the reference surface 1a, whereby the table 3 is moved vertically with respect to the reference surface 1a. It is supported by levitation and becomes horizontal. Further, air is blown out toward the guide member 2 from the air holes of the horizontal air bearings 6a and 7b, whereby the table 3 is positioned in the width direction. The table 3 is driven by the driving device 11 and moved in the guide direction. At this time, since the suction force applying part 10 and the vertical air bearing parts 6b and 8b are provided close to each other, the suction force by the suction force applying part 10 and the levitation by the vertical air bearing parts 6b and 8b. The shear stress due to the force hardly acts on the table 3, and the table 3 can be moved favorably in a state where the suction force and the floating force are balanced.

  During this movement, the support of the table 3 in the vertical direction is controlled independently by the vertical air bearings 6b and 8b, so that the table 3 is always stably maintained in the horizontal direction with respect to the reference plane 1a. Further, since the table 3 is not subjected to a biased force with respect to the guide member 2 by the horizontal air bearings 6a and 7a, the table 3 is smoothly moved.

In this embodiment, the base 1 is thermal expansion coefficient, has been described about the case where the configuration of alumina ceramic is 4.7 × 10 ^-6 / ℃, not limited thereto, the base 1, It can be composed of stone or other ceramics. In this case, for example, stones having a thermal expansion coefficient of about ⁶ to 9 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C. can be used. Examples of ceramics include alumina (Al ₂ O ₃ ) ceramics (thermal expansion coefficient: 4 to 8 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.), mullite (3Al ₂ O ₃ .2SiO ₂ ) ceramics (thermal expansion coefficient: 5 ×). 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.), silicon nitride (Si ₃ N ₄ ) ceramics (thermal expansion coefficient: 3 to 4 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C.), and the like.

  In this case, the suction rail 10a also needs to be made of a material that does not impair the function as the suction rail 10a and that has a thermal expansion coefficient substantially the same as the thermal expansion coefficient of the constituent material of the base 1.

  In the present embodiment, the case where a permanent magnet is used as the means for applying the magnetic attraction force has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other non-contact means such as an electromagnet or vacuum suction can be used.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the case where two pairs of horizontal air bearings (a total of four) are arranged has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the number of installed horizontal air bearings and the installation locations are as follows. It can be arbitrarily determined according to the size of the table, the length of the stroke, and the like.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a case has been described where two vertical air bearings are installed on each side of the table in the width direction, for a total of four, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the number and installation of the vertical air bearings The location can be arbitrarily determined according to the size of the table, the length of the stroke, and the like.

It is a front view of the static pressure gas bearing linear guide device concerning this embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing along the II-II line of FIG. It is a front view of the conventional static pressure gas bearing linear guide apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base 1a Reference surface 2 Guide member 3 Table 6, 7, 8 Air bearing part 6a, 7a Horizontal direction air bearing 6b, 8b Vertical direction air bearing 10 Suction force provision part 10a Suction rail 10b Permanent magnet 10c Spacer

Claims (4)

A base , a movable body movable on the base in a guide direction, a guide member provided on the base along the guide direction, and guiding the movable body in the guide direction;
An air bearing portion that supports and guides the movable body with gas, a magnet provided on the movable body, and a magnetic material suction rail provided on the base, which magnetically attracts the movable body to the base. a hydrostatic gas linear guide bearing apparatus provided with a suction force applying unit, a with a
The air bearing portion is
A horizontal air bearing provided to face the side surface of the guide member, configured to blow out air to the side surface of the guide member, and supporting the movable body in a horizontal direction with respect to the guide member; ,
A vertical bearing provided to face the base, configured to blow air to the base, and supporting the movable body in a vertical direction;
With
The vertical bearings are formed on both sides of the guide direction of the base,
The suction application portion is provided on both sides of the base in the guide direction and adjacent to the vertical bearing,
The base is made of ceramics, and the suction rail is made of a low thermal expansion casting having a thermal expansion coefficient of 4 to 5 × 10 ⁻⁶ / ° C. selected according to the expansion coefficient of the ceramics. A hydrostatic gas bearing linear guide device.   The ceramic has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 4 to 8 × 10. ^-6 The hydrostatic gas bearing linear guide device according to claim 1, wherein the static pressure gas bearing linear guide device is alumina ceramic at / ° C.   The ceramic has a thermal expansion coefficient of 5 × 10. ^-6 The static pressure gas bearing linear guide device according to claim 1, which is a mullite ceramic at / ° C.   The ceramic has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 3-4 × 10. ^-6 2. The static pressure gas bearing linear guide device according to claim 1, wherein the static pressure gas bearing linear guide device is a silicon nitride ceramic at / ° C. 3.

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