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EP-4680869-B1 - BEARING ASSEMBLY, LINEAR AXIS SYSTEM HAVING SAID BEARING ASSEMBLY, AND INSTALLATION HAVING SAID LINEAR AXIS SYSTEM

EP4680869B1EP 4680869 B1EP4680869 B1EP 4680869B1EP-4680869-B1

Inventors

  • HILLE, VOLKER

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240918

Claims (10)

  1. A bearing assembly (1, 1', 1"), comprising a mover (10, 10', 10") and an aerostatic bearing unit (20, 20', 20"); wherein the mover has a longitudinal axis (X), in the direction of which the mover can be linearly moved back and forth relative to the bearing unit (20, 20', 20") and on which a central tool center point (31) of a tool (30) fastened or to be fastened to the mover lies; and wherein the mover comprises at least two wings (11a, 11b, 11'a, 11'b, 11"a, 11"b, 11"c, 11"d) arranged at an angle to one another, said wings being clamped in the aerostatic bearing unit (20, 20', 20") and each extending radially with respect to the longitudinal axis (X) of the mover.
  2. The bearing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the wings (11a, 11b, 11'a, 11'b, 11"a, 11"b, 11"c, 11"d) are each designed as plates extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis (X).
  3. The bearing assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wings (11a, 11b, 11'a, 11'b, 11"a, 11"b, 11"c, 11"d) protrude from a mover core(12, 12', 12"), through the center of which the longitudinal axis (X) extends and whose diameter (D) is greater than a maximum wing thickness (d).
  4. The bearing assembly according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising the tool (30) fastened to the mover.
  5. The bearing assembly according to claim 4, wherein the tool (30) comprises a gripper, a suction cup, a laser, a cutting tool, a marking needle, a plasma torch and/or a lens and/or is designed as an instrument for structuring wafers using a laser.
  6. The bearing assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mover (10, 10', 10") has a cross-shaped, L-shaped, T-shaped or Y-shaped cross section perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (X), the legs of which are formed by the wings (11a, 11b, 11'a, 11'b, 11"a, 11"b, 11"c, 11"d).
  7. The bearing assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mover (10, 10', 10") is designed symmetrically to a mover symmetry plane (E) containing the longitudinal axis (X).
  8. A linear axis system (100) comprising a bearing assembly (1, 1', 1") according to any one of the preceding claims and a drive unit (40) which is designed to move the mover (10, 10', 10") of the bearing assembly (1, 1', 1") back and forth in the direction of its longitudinal axis (X) relative to the aerostatic bearing unit (20, 20', 20.
  9. The linear axis system (100) according to claim 8, characterized in that said system is designed as a short-stroke actuator.
  10. An installation for producing and/or machining components, comprising at least one linear axis system (100) according to either claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the bearing assembly (1, 1', 1") comprises the tool (30) that is or is to be fastened to the mover (10, 10', 10").

Description

The present invention relates to a bearing arrangement comprising a runner and an aerostatic bearing unit, in particular a bearing arrangement for a linear axis system such as a short-stroke actuator. The invention further relates to a linear axis system with such a bearing arrangement and a drive unit configured to move the runner back and forth relative to the bearing unit in the direction of its longitudinal axis. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system for manufacturing and/or machining components, comprising at least one linear axis system with the bearing arrangement. Bearing arrangements with a linearly reciprocating rotor within a bearing unit find diverse applications, for example in robotics, for positioning, especially assembly tasks, and/or for machining workpieces. Short-stroke linear motors are frequently used, particularly for realizing highly precise linear movements with high acceleration and/or frequent reversals of the direction of movement. For frictionless movement of the rotor, it can advantageously be air-bearing mounted. For example, from the DE 10 2009 054 953 A1 A short-stroke linear motor is known in which the first and second pole elements are arranged adjacent to each other in a comb-like structure. By applying current, opposite magnetic poles can be generated, thus realizing a linear back-and-forth movement of a secondary part relative to a primary part. The secondary part is separated from the primary part by an air gap. In the DE 10 2013 102 922 A1 A linear motor is described with a rotor featuring permanent magnets and air bearings arranged between a stator and an iron core. The permanent magnets are spaced apart from the iron core. This arrangement is intended to achieve both an advantageous effect of the iron core on power generation and the realization of a particularly lightweight rotor. The EP 1 917 447 B1 Disclosure reveals a static bearing device with magnetic preload and motion error correction functions. The bearing device comprises a guide and a table to which segments of static bearings are attached, forming a gap. On both sides of the table, magnetic preload units are arranged, each comprising a permanent magnet, a core, and a coil wound on the core. The US 3 272 568 A Disclosing a guide device with a guide and a body to be guided relative to the guide, to which a tool can be connected. A gas cushion is maintained between the stationary and the movable elements. With such known air bearings, dimensional changes resulting from thermal expansion must be taken into account. This problem is addressed in the EP 1 779 967 A2 This addresses the design of the slide guide of a fast-tool arrangement, particularly for lathes. Processing of optical workpieces revealed. The arrangement The system comprises a moving-coil drive and a slide for linear reciprocating movements. The slide guides a turning tool and is composed of two plane-parallel, perpendicular plates, giving it the cross-section of a T-profile with a web and two flanges projecting in opposite directions. The web and flanges are positioned between pairs of bearing elements. This design is intended to minimize dimensional changes in the slide due to heating and to achieve high slide stiffness with low mass. The DE 10 2004 012 204 B3 This describes an angle air bearing with linearly displaceable elongated guide elements. The angle air bearing has two linearly displaceable elongated guide elements, between which two V-shaped guide planes are formed and equipped with paired guide surfaces facing each other. One of the guide surfaces is formed on a pivot element, which is pivotally mounted about a joint axis parallel to the direction of movement of the associated guide element. This allows angular deviations between the guide surfaces to be avoided with reduced manufacturing effort. The US 6 149 306 A The figure shows a plain bearing in which airflows are generated between the sliding bearing surfaces of a moving body and a stationary body. Compressed air is expanded to atmospheric pressure through nozzles between the bearing surfaces. These airflows reduce the static pressure between the bearing surfaces, creating pressure forces between the moving and stationary bodies. The bearing surfaces and airflows are precisely matched. that the movable body is in a state of force-free equilibrium when it assumes a position in which the bearing surfaces of the movable body are not in contact with the bearing surfaces of the stationary body. The present invention is based on the objective of providing a bearing arrangement, a linear axis system and a manufacturing or processing plant with reduced sensitivity to thermal influences. The problem is solved by a bearing arrangement according to claim 1, a linear axis system according to claim 9 and a system according to claim 10. Advantageous embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims, the description and the figures. A bearing arrangement according to the present in