Support device employing a fluid film

Claim 1

A support device including a structure comprising a frame and a male member, whereby said structure is adapted to support a body by means of a film of pressurized fluid, said device further including: a conduit feeding said pressurized fluid to said film from a source of pressurized fluid; said frame having a cavity, a wall of said cavity defining a female surface; said male member being movably received in said cavity; a surface of said male member defining a male surface reproducing said female surface, said male surface comprising a wall which is at least partially inclined with respect to a straight line perpendicular to the central zone of the film, said male member having opposing first and second faces, said first face being positioned for contact with said film; a restriction on said conduit for varying the pressure of said fluid therein, said restriction being defined by the space between said inclined wall and said frame; a link means coupling said male member to said frame and adapted to adjust the position of said male member with respect to said frame in a direction substantially perpendicular to said central zone of said film, said link means comprising an elastic membrane wherein one face of said membrane is affixed integrally with at least a portion of the second face of said male member, said elastic membrane being resiliently deformable with respect to said frame in said substantially perpendicular direction in response to variation in thickness of said film, the action of said elastic membrane on said male member opposing that of the variation of pressure of said pressurized fluid on said film; a chamber defined by the space between the other face of said membrane and said frame; and a link conduit connecting said chamber to said source of pressurized fluid.