Mechanical translator with ultra low friction ferrofluid bearings
First Claim
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1. A mechanical translator, comprising:
- a substrate, and a magnet disposed for movement on said substrate, said magnet arranged to carry a load and having a magnetic axis generally transverse to said substrate, with a surface of the magnet facing said substrate, and a ferrofluid concentrated between said magnet and said substrate, said ferrofluid extending across and in direct contact with said magnet surface to provide a low friction area support for said magnet to translate across said substrate, wherein said translator has a critical angle of displacement from a horizontal static position of less than 1 degree.
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Abstract
A mechanical translator includes at least one magnet that is disposed on a substrate to carry a load and has a magnetic axis generally transverse to the substrate, establishing a magnetic field with maximum external density adjacent the substrate. An ultra low friction interface is obtained with ferrofluid bearings, such as a light mineral oil medium mixed with isoparaffinic acid, which establish a critical angle of displacement from a horizontal static position of less than 1 degree, and preferably less than 10 minutes. A controller of magnetic material can be placed on the opposite side of the substrate to control the movement of the magnets.
21 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A mechanical translator, comprising:
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a substrate, and a magnet disposed for movement on said substrate, said magnet arranged to carry a load and having a magnetic axis generally transverse to said substrate, with a surface of the magnet facing said substrate, and a ferrofluid concentrated between said magnet and said substrate, said ferrofluid extending across and in direct contact with said magnet surface to provide a low friction area support for said magnet to translate across said substrate, wherein said translator has a critical angle of displacement from a horizontal static position of less than 1 degree. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A mechanical translator comprising:
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a substrate, a magnet disposed for movement on said substrate, said magnet arranged to carry a load and having a magnetic axis generally transverse to said substrate, with a surface of the magnet facing said substrate, a ferrofluid concentrated between said magnet and said substrate, said ferrofluid extending across and in direct contact with said magnet surface to provide a low friction area support for said magnet to translate across said substrate, and a controller of magnetic material on the opposite side of said substrate from said magnet, said controller controlling the movement of said magnet. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A mechanical translator, comprising:
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a substrate, a magnet disposed for movement with respect to said substrate with a surface of said magnet facing said substrate, said magnet arranged to carry a load and establishing a magnetic field which has its maximum external density adjacent said substrate, and a ferrofluid concentrated between said magnet and said substrate, said ferrofluid extending across and in direct contact with said magnet surface to provide a low friction area support for said magnet to translate across said substrate, wherein said translator has a critical angle of displacement from a horizontal static position of less than 1 degree. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A mechanical translator comprising:
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a substrate, a magnet disposed for movement with respect to said substrate with a surface of said magnet facing said substrate, said magnet arranged to carry a load and establishing a magnetic field which has its maximum external density adjacent said substrate, a ferrofluid concentrated between said magnet and said substrate, said ferrofluid extending across and in direct contact with said magnet surface to provide a low friction area support for said magnet to translate across said substrate, and a controller of magnetic material on the opposite side of said substrate from said magnet, said controller controlling the movement of said magnet. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A mechanical translator, comprising:
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a substrate, a plurality of magnets disposed for movement on said substrate and carrying a platform, said magnets having respective magnetic axes generally transverse to said substrate, with a respective surface of each magnet facing said substrate, and a ferrofluid concentrated between each magnet and said substrate, said ferrofluid extending across and in direct contact with said respective surface of each magnet to provide respective low friction area supports for said magnets to translate across said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A mechanical translator, comprising:
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a substrate, a plurality of magnets disposed for movement with respect to said substrate and carrying a platform, said magnets establishing respective magnetic fields which have their maximum external densities adjacent said substrate, and a ferrofluid concentrated between each magnet and said substrate, said ferrofluid extending across and in direct contact with said respective surface of each magnet to provide respective low friction area supports for said magnets to translate across said surface. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. Vapor deposition apparatus, comprising:
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a vacuum chamber having a floor, at least one magnet disposed for movement on said floor and carrying a platform for a substrate, each magnet having a magnetic axis generally transverse to said floor, with a respective surface of each magnet facing said floor, a ferrofluid concentrated between each said magnet and said floor, said ferrofluid extending across and in direct contact with said respective surfaces of each magnet to provide respective low friction area supports for said magnets to translate across said floor, a vapor source for depositing a thin film on a substrate carried by said platform, and a controller of magnetic material outside said chamber on the opposite side of said floor from said magnets, said controller arranged to translate to impart a corresponding translation to said magnets and platform. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A mechanical translator, comprising:
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a substrate, at least one magnet disposed for movement on said substrate and arranged to carry a load, each magnet having a magnetic axis at an angle of at least 45°
to said substrate and a critical angle of displacement from a horizontal static position of less than 1 degree, with a surface of the magnet facing said substrate, anda ferrofluid disposed between each said magnet and said substrate, said ferrofluid extending across and in direct contact with each said magnet surface to provide a low friction area support for each said magnet to translate across said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification