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EP0043457A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Air film transportation device

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1981-06-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2001-06-10
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Abstract

Abstract A track (14) for transporting objects such as semiconductor wafers on a bed of a gaseous fluid is provided making improved use of an axi-radial effect and a coanda effect. The track surface construction contains rows of air feed nozzles (20) separated by evacuating channels (26). The rows of holes (20) on each side of the center line (24) of the track are oriented such that the holes (20) in adjacent rows are spaced longitudinally along the track. The use of longitudinal spacing of the holes in adjacent rows reduces the number of holes necessary for the overall track configuration.

Inventors

  • 👤 Javathu Kutikaran Hassan
  • 👤 John Angelo Paivanas

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 10:58
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G51/00; B65G51/02; B65G51/03; H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/30; H10P72/36

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 94 words
A device for transporting objects (12) on a bed of a gaseous fluid comprising a substantially elongated transporting track (14) having two outward sides, a center line (24) and two inward sides immediately adjacent each side of said center line, at least two pairs of rows of holes (20) in said track, said holes in each pair of rows being spaced longitudinally, particularly at equal distances, along said track, characterized in that said holes in each row on each side of said center line are. longitudinally spaced from the holes in each adjacent row.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 94 words
A device for transporting objects (12) on a bed of a gaseous fluid comprising a substantially elongated transporting track (14) having two outward sides, a center line (24) and two inward sides immediately adjacent each side of said center line, at least two pairs of rows of holes (20) in said track, said holes in each pair of rows being spaced longitudinally, particularly at equal distances, along said track, characterized in that said holes in each row on each side of said center line are. longitudinally spaced from the holes in each adjacent row.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 44 words
The device of claim 1, wherein the spacing distance between the holes (20) in each pair of rows is x and the longitudinal spacing distance of the holes in each adjacent row is a distance of from about x/4 to about 3x/4, preferably x/2.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 48 words
The device of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the passages to the holes (20) are inclined both toward the center line (24) of the track (14) and in the direction of desired transportation down the track to provide both motion and stabilizing forces to the transported object(12).
Claim 5
Independent Claim 52 words
The device of any preceding claim , wherein the inclination of the passages to the holes (20) in the direction of the center line (24) is less in any given row of passages than it is in a row of passages which is further from said center line of the track (14).
Claim 6
Independent Claim 25 words
The device of any preceding claim,wherein there are two pairs of rows of holes (20) spaced equidistantly on each side of the center line (24).
Claim 7
Independent Claim 26 words
The device of any preceding claim, wherein there are three pairs of rows of holes (20) spaced equidistant on each side of the center line (24).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 48 words
. The device of any preceding claim, wherein the inclination of the passage to the holes (20) in the direction of transportation is greater in any given row of passages than it is in a row of passages further from the center line (24) of the track (14).
Claim 9
Independent Claim 47 words
The device of any preceding claim,, wherein supply means is provided for supplying gaseous fluid under greater pressure to any given row of passages to holes (20) than is supplied to a row of passages that is closer to the center line (24) of the track (14).
Claim 10
Independent Claim 49 words
The device of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein there are at least three pairs of rows spaced equidistantly on each side of the center line (24), the holes (20) in each pair of rows being offset or spaced longitudinally with respect to each adjacent row of holes.

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