Abstract: A simple, inexpensive waterproof/dustproof structure for a movable mechanism such as a machine tool apparatus or the like, providing a liquid reservoir formed between the inner wall of a stationary member and the outer wall of a movable member at a portion equivalent to the entrance of a gap between the stationary member and the movable member. The leading edge of the movable member moves through a liquid LQ that fills the liquid reservoir. The liquid LQ seals off the interior of the apparatus from the exterior to prevent the entry of mist, dust and other foreign matter. The gap may be made comparatively broad without affecting the ability to prevent the entry of foreign matter. The direction of movement of the movable member may be longitudinal, lateral, reciprocal, rotary, or a combination thereof, depending on the type of movable mechanism to which the waterproof/dustproof structure is applied. The liquid LQ may be a working fluid used by a hydraulic bearing or a machining fluid used by a machine tool.

Abstract: An air balance structure that compensates for the weight load of a movable member driven in a straight line along the vertical axis, with a simplified structure and at reduced cost. The box-shaped movable member has an open bottom that accommodates the stationary member therewithin, in which state the movable member is movably supported in the vertical direction by an air bearing created using a gap between the stationary member and the movable member. An air balance chamber that contains pressurized air is formed inside the movable member. After pressure-adjusted air is supplied from the outside to the gap from a jet port through a pipe inside the stationary member, the air flows into the air balance chamber. This flow seals the pressurized air inside the air balance chamber. Pressurized air exhaust is exhausted externally from an exhaust port through a pipe and a flow adjusting device.

Abstract: A fluid bearing which levitates a slider can be configured by providing bearing fluid spraying outlets in appropriate positions on the effective bearing surface of the slider facing each guide surface of a linear bearing. To prevent foreign matter from entering the clearances between bearing surfaces, foreign matter purging fluid outlets are provided at the lower front and lower back ends of the slider to spray a fluid onto the exposed parts of each guide surface.

Abstract: A machining apparatus capable of easily machining a workpiece to reproduce a shape of a machining model or with alternation of a scale in a scanning or profiling direction. A non-contact displacement gauge is fixed to one surface of a tool rest, and a tool to the other surface. A machining model is disposed opposite to the displacement gauge, and a workpiece opposite to the tool. The displacement gauge measures distance to the machining model which is measured by using a probe and outputs an output signal. The output signal is amplified by using an amplifier to drive an actuator that projects the tool. The amplification degree of the amplifier is designed to be adjustable. By so doing, the workpiece can be machined with alternation of the scanning or profiling scale in relation to the machining model.

Abstract: A bolt insertion hole is provided along an edge end portion on a flat surface of a plate-like member, and a tap hole is provided on an end face of the other edge end correspondingly to the bolt insertion hole. A bolt is inserted into the bolt insertion hole and screwed with the tap hole, and a box bearing is formed by means of four plate-like members joined together. The diameter of the bolt insertion hole is made larger than the diameter of the bolt. By changing the insertion position of the bolt with respect to the bolt insertion hole, the distance of a bearing gap inside the bearing, which is formed into the shape of a box, can be adjusted.

Abstract: The length of the bearing surface in the movable portion which moves linearly is larger than the length of the bearing surface in the fixed portion by the stroke of the movement. With this configuration, the bearing surface on the side of the fixed portion always opposes the bearing surface on the side of the movable portion. An air supply source is connected to the fixed portion, and a plurality of air discharge openings through which air is injected are disposed in the bearing surface of the fixed portion to constitute an air bearing. Only the side of the movable portion where the fixed portion is inserted is open. A coil is disposed on the fixed portion and a magnet is disposed on the movable portion so that a linear motor is constituted, thus providing a linear driving device. Cables and the like for supplying compressed air or power are connected to the fixed portion, not to the movable portion, thus no external pressure is applied from the cable and the like, and highly accurate operation is achieved.

Abstract: A linear driving device that reduces a cogging force with a simple structure as opposed to a drive mechanism having an existing structure, deals with a plurality of cogging waveforms having different periods, and suppresses not only the cogging force but also pitching that is vertical oscillation. The device has a structure provided with a plurality of magnet arrays in which permanent magnets having different polarities are alternately and rectilinearly arranged in the same direction, and a plurality of coil modules having a plurality of teeth and slots fitted with armature coils. The arrangement distance between the coil modules disposed along the displacing direction of each of the magnet arrays equals the sum or remainder of the length corresponding to a half of any one of periods possessed by the cogging force generated when the coil modules move by one magnetic pole and an integer multiple of the length of a magnetic pole pair.

Abstract: A linear encoder comprises a light source, a main scale provided with a measuring pattern having a constant pitch, an index scale to which a measuring pattern having a constant pitch is mounted, and a light receiving element. The light receiving element detects the brightness generated by these patterns superposed one upon another by relative movement of the main scale with respect to the index scale. The linear encoder further comprises pattern end detecting means for detecting the end portion of the measuring pattern provided on the main scale so that the position of the end portion is used as an origin of the encoder.

Abstract: Upper and lower thrust bearing faces and a peripheral radial bearing face are formed to surround peripheral and end portions of a disk provided to a rotating shaft supported by a fluid bearing. Pressurized fluid is supplied to the respective bearing faces from first to third fluid passages to thereby form fluid bearing faces. In order to rotate the rotating shaft, the pressurized fluid is supplied to all the passages to keep the rotating shaft and the disk from contact with a bearing member. In order to brake the rotating shaft, fluid supply to the second passage is interrupted. Thus, the rotating shaft is moved down by pressure on the bearing face on the first passage side and, as a result, the brake member comes in contact with the static portion to apply the brakes.

Abstract: A machining apparatus capable of easily machining a workpiece to reproduce a shape of a machining model or with alternation of a scale in a scanning or profiling direction. A non-contact displacement gauge is fixed to one surface of a tool rest, and a tool to the other surface. A machining model is disposed opposite to the displacement gauge, and a workpiece opposite to the tool. The displacement gauge measures distance to the machining model which is measured by using a probe and outputs an output signal. The output signal is amplified by using an amplifier to drive an actuator that projects the tool. The amplification degree of the amplifier is designed to be adjustable. By so doing, the workpiece can be machined with alternation of the scanning or profiling scale in relation to the machining model.

Abstract: An amplitude of an electrical signal generated on the basis of a light detected by a light receiving part of an optical encoder is monitored and, using the monitored result, a displacement between a moving scale and fixed slits of an optical encoder (or a displacement of a moving part in a motor attached with an optical encoder) is detected. Further, a load applied to a moving part in a motor attached with an optical encoder is detected using the monitored result.

Abstract: An optical encoder includes a moving scale (1), a light source (2) which is always kept lighted, a fixed slit (3) and a light receiving array (4) having a plurality of light receiving units (41, 42). The light from the light source (2) is radiated toward the moving scale (1), thereby to generate signal light for a plurality of channels. The signal light for each channel passes through the opening (31; 32) of the fixed slit (3). The light passed through the opening (31) enters the light receiving unit (41), while the light passed through the opening (32) enters the light receiving unit (42). A plate-shaped light shield member (5) is interposed between the fixed slit (3) and the light receiving array (4) to optically separate the light passed through the opening (31) toward the light receiving unit (42) from the light passed through the opening (32) toward the light receiving unit (42) and thereby to prevent crosstalk between the channels.

Abstract: An optical rotary encoder using a fluid bearing, which is space-saving, holds down the costs for high-precision processing of components, and has excellent maintainability. A rotary disk is fixed to a disk holder and accommodated in a cylindrical case together with a fluid bearing mechanism and an optical detection unit. The optical detection unit and the fluid bearing mechanism compose a static system with the case, which maintains a stationary state even if a rotary shaft is rotated, and are mounted on static system mounting portions with the case. The disk holder and the rotary disk are fitted on the rotary shaft. Compressed air is sprayed onto both sides of the rotary disk through a compressed air flow path and a compressed air nozzle, to thereby restrict the displacement of the disk, which is generated in the direction parallel to the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A rotary encoder easily position-adjusted in relation to a rotary shaft and is reduced in accuracy deterioration attributable to rotational unstableness and the like which is caused after attachment to the rotary shaft. The encoder is a device attached to the rotary shaft to outputting signals with the rotation of the shaft. The encoder includes a rotary disk, a detector for detecting rotational position of the rotary disk, a disk holder for fixedly attaching the rotary disk to the rotary shaft, and a housing for fixing the detector such that the detector is opposed to the rotary disk. The encoder comprises a retainer attachable to and detachable from the disk holder and the housing for retaining positional relation between the disk holder and the housing.

Abstract: A linear driving device of compact size capable of fundamentally canceling a reactive force produced in acceleration and deceleration of a slider within the linear driving device. A slider and a stator constitute a linear motor. The stator is supported to move linearly on the base by an air bearing and the slider is supported to move linearly on the stator. When the slider is driven by the stator to move in one axial direction, a reactive force is exerted on the stator in an opposite axial direction to move the stator in the opposite direction, so that substantially no force is transmitted from the stator to the base. A ratio of weights of the stator and the slider is lopsided so that motion strokes of these members are different. Since the reactive force produced in acceleration and deceleration is canceled within the linear driving device and is not transmitted to the base, any undesirable effect is caused outside of the linear driving device.

Abstract: A groove having a V-shaped section is provided on a bonding surface of an IC chip being as a first small part, while an elongate projection having a V-shaped section to engage with the groove of the first IC chip is provided on a corresponding portion of a bonding surface of an IC chip being as a second small part. Then, the IC chips are bonded together by the action of a holding force resulting from fitting the elongate protection of the second IC chip to the groove of the first IC chip, together with a bonding force produced between the bonding surfaces by interatomic force and metallic bond.

Abstract: A linear driving device of compact size capable of fundamentally canceling a reactive force produced in acceleration and deceleration of a slider within the linear driving device. A slider and a stator constitute a linear motor. The stator is supported to move linearly on the base by an air bearing and the slider is supported to move linearly on the stator. When the slider is driven by the stator to move in one axial direction, a reactive force is exerted on the stator in an opposite axial direction to move the stator in the opposite direction, so that substantially no force is transmitted from the stator to the base. A ratio of weights of the stator and the slider is lopsided so that motion strokes of these member are different. Since the reactive force produced in acceleration and deceleration is canceled within the linear driving device and is not transmitted to the base, any undesirable effects is caused outside of the linear driving device.

Abstract: A groove (3) having a V-shaped section is provided on a bonding surface (1a) of an IC chip (1) being as a first small part, while an elongate projection (4) having a V-shaped section to engage with the groove (3) of the first IC chip (1) is provided on a corresponding portion of a bonding surface (2a) of an IC chip (2) being as a second small part (2). Then, the IC chips (1, 2) are bonded together by the action of a holding force resulting from fitting the elongate protection (4) of the second IC chip to the groove (3) of the first IC chip (1), together with a bonding force produced between the bonding surfaces by interatomic force and metallic bond.

Abstract: A pneumatic bearing motor with a pneumatic bearing capable of being downsized without lowering the mechanical rigidity thereof. A stator of the pneumatic bearing motor comprises a slot-less stator core and winding which is formed by winding a wire on the stator core into a toroidal shape in a maimer of regular winding. Since the stator does not have projections as exist in conventional stators, it is not necessary to form counterbores in a housing and make wall thickness of the housing large for bearing stress concentration caused by the counterbores. Thus, it is possible to reduce the wall thickness of the housing of the motor and downsize the motor.

Abstract: A stator structure for a motor of high precision by suppressing influence of electromagnetic noise between windings and a distribution pattern layer in a printed board. A shield is provided between the windings and the distribution pattern layer of the printed board to shield the electromagnetic noise and suppress the influence of the electromagnetic noise to thereby enable precise control of the motor. A multilayered printed board is arranged on an axial end face of the stator core and the windings are formed around the stator core and the multilayered printed board to enfold them toroidally in a regular winding manner. The multilayered printed board comprises a distribution pattern layer for connection with the windings and a shield layer for shielding electromagnetism between the distribution pattern layer and the windings.