Abstract: The use of externally-pressurized porous media in shaft sealing for turbomachinery is provided for single seals, tandem seals, double-opposed seals, and a ventless seal. These arrangements provide for significant benefits, such as the following: (a) external pressurization allows frozen seal faces to lift open before rotation, (b) pressure is distributed uniformly across the seal face, as opposed to allowing leakage to pass over it, (c) low flow rates of injected gas are possible, (d) the seal faces are self-defending due to the uniform pressure in the gap, and (e) complete elimination of venting process gas is possible. By employing externally-pressurized porous media sealing, a drastic simplification of seal design, as well as gas treatment and seal panel design, is possible.

Abstract: A long travel aerostatic linear stage includes a plurality of rails, a plurality of planar bearing plates, and a plurality of porous media gas bearing. The plurality of planar bearing plates are aligned with and attached to the rails. Each planar bearing plate includes a plurality of metal plates having machined air bearing surfaces. The plurality of porous media gas bearings float on the bearing plates in a non-contact frictionless manner to support a traversing load and control lateral motion of the rails. The rails may include at least one rail which supports the traversing load and at least one rail which controls the lateral motion. The bearing plates are restrained and attached to the rails in a manner that ensures the planar nature of the bearing plates are maintained and the air gap is effective.

Abstract: A gas bearing assembly includes a snap joint for attaching an externally pressurized porous gas bearing to a bearing cartridge. The gas bearing assembly has an adjustment screw which supplies a gas to an end of the adjustment screw via a through bore. The externally pressurized porous gas bearing has a housing portion with a washer and a snap ring. The gas bearing assembly additionally includes an air transfer tube positioned in the end of the adjustment screw and the housing portion. The washer and the snap ring retain the housing portion on the end of the adjustment screw to removably retain the bearing on the bearing cartridge.

Abstract: In order to drastically improve the functionality of flow control, externally-pressurized porous media gas bearings is introduced into valves. The porous media gas bearings mitigate two of the biggest issues with the current technology, which are: (1) leakage of fugitive emissions, and (2) high breakaway torque values for actuating valves. By employing externally-pressurized porous media bearings, fugitive emissions are completely eliminated, and valves can be rotated effortlessly due to the non-contact nature of porous media gas bearings.

Abstract: In order to effect a seal; a porous material which comprises one side of two opposing surfaces is used to restrict and evenly distribute externally pressurized gas, liquid, steam, etc. between the two surfaces, exerting a force which is opposite the forces from pressure differences or springs trying to close the two faces together and so may create a non contact seal that is more stable and reliable than hydrodynamic seals currently in use.

Abstract: The use of externally-pressurized porous media in shaft sealing for turbomachinery is provided for single seals, tandem seals, double-opposed seals, and a ventless seal. These arrangements provide for significant benefits, such as the following: (a) external pressurization allows frozen seal faces to lift open before rotation, (b) pressure is distributed uniformly across the seal face, as opposed to allowing leakage to pass over it, (c) low flow rates of injected gas are possible, (d) the seal faces are self-defending due to the uniform pressure in the gap, and (e) complete elimination of venting process gas is possible. By employing externally-pressurized porous media sealing, a drastic simplification of seal design, as well as gas treatment and seal panel design, is possible.

Abstract: A porous media ventless thrust bearing seal is disclosed. The porous media thrust bearing may include a primary porous media thrust bearing also serving as a seal ring including porous media positioned over a plenum and a port connected to the plenum, and conductive passages for communicating pressurized fluid to the plenums through the ports of the primary ring. The porous media ventless thrust bearing may also include a treated process gas supplied to a port which is closest to the untreated process gas, at a pressure which is higher than the untreated process gas. An inert gas (or fluid in a liquid state) may be supplied to the remaining port, at a pressure which is the same as the untreated process gas. A certain amount of treated process gas may flow into the untreated process gas, and may prevent the untreated gas from entering the porous media seal.

Abstract: In order to provide web handling which mitigates marking of the web, externally-pressurized porous media gas bearings are used for vacuum rollers, which provide differential tension, and also for air turns, which provide non-contact turning of webs. The porous media gas bearings mitigate three of the biggest issues with the current technology, including cost, high flow rates and low pressure, and web marking. By introducing positive pressure or both, various configurations are presented which allow for improved differential tension, or non-contact conveyance. By also employing externally-pressurized radial bearings, more alternatives are provided, including conveyance and lateral motion of webs without the use of motors. Lastly, employing novel lightweight materials allows for yet other configurations which also employ some of the same aforementioned benefits.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for coating and baking and deposition of surfaces on glass substrate or flexible substrate, such as films and thin glass sheets or other similar work pieces as it transitions thru and between small gaps of aero-static or hydro-static porous media bearings and differentially pumped vacuum grooves, in a non-contact manner, in order to process within a vacuum environment. The process is also intended to incorporate simultaneous and immediately sequential ordering of various processes.

Abstract: In order to effect a seal; a porous material which comprises one side of two opposing surfaces is used to restrict and evenly distribute externally pressurized gas, liquid, steam, etc. between the two surfaces, exerting a force which is opposite the forces from pressure differences or springs trying to close the two faces together and so may create a non contact seal that is more stable and reliable than hydrodynamic seals currently in use.

Abstract: In order to effect a seal a porous material which comprises one side of two opposing surfaces is used to restrict and evenly distribute externally pressurized gas, liquid, steam, etc. between the two surfaces, exerting a force which is opposite the forces from pressure differences or springs trying to close the two faces together and so may create a non-contact seal that is more stable and reliable than hydrodynamic seals currently in use. A non-contact bearing is also disclosed having opposing surfaces with relative motion and one surface issuing higher than ambient pressure through a porous restriction, wherein the porous restriction is part of a monolithic porous body, or a porous layer, attached to lands containing a labyrinth, the porous restriction and lands configured to not distort more than 10% of a gap created from differential pressure between each side of the porous restriction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for coating and baking and deposition of surfaces on glass substrate or flexible substrate, such as films and thin glass sheets or other similar work pieces as it transitions thru and between small gaps of aero-static or hydro-static porous media bearings and differentially pumped vacuum grooves, in a non-contact manner, in order to process within a vacuum environment. The process is also intended to incorporate simultaneous and immediately sequential ordering of various processes.

Abstract: In order to effect a seal; a porous material which comprises one side of two opposing surfaces is used to restrict and evenly distribute externally pressurized gas, liquid, steam, etc. between the two surfaces, exerting a force which is opposite the forces from pressure differences or springs trying to close the two faces together and so may create a non contact seal that is more stable and reliable than hydrodynamic seals currently in use.

Abstract: In order to effect a seal; a porous material which comprises one side of two opposing surfaces is used to restrict and evenly distribute externally pressurized gas, liquid, steam, etc. between the two surfaces, exerting a force which is opposite the forces from pressure differences or springs trying to close the two faces together and so may create a non contact seal that is more stable and reliable than hydrodynamic seals currently in use.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning, drying, coating, baking etching and deposition of surfaces on glass substrate as it transitions thru and between small gaps between hydro-static porous media bearings. Due to the non-contact nature of the device extremely high pressures can be induced upon the work piece through various fluids without damage to the substrate, allowing the system to utilize the viscous nature of fluids to accomplish the desired cleaning, drying, coating, etching or baking. The process also allows for simultaneous and immediately sequential ordering of processes.

Abstract: Thin substrates, such as flat glass panels, are levitated on a porous media air bearing creating a pressurized film of air and preloaded against the air film by negative pressure areas. The pressure can be distributed most uniformly across the pressure areas by defusing the pressure through a porous medium. Such a bearing can be used for glass flattening by holding the glass such that the unevenness is migrated to the side opposite the side to be worked on.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning, drying, coating, baking etching and deposition of surfaces on glass substrate as it transitions thru and between small gaps between hydro-static porous media bearings. Due to the non-contact nature of the device extremely high pressures can be induced upon the work piece through various fluids without damage to the substrate, allowing the system to utilize the viscous nature of fluids to accomplish the desired cleaning, drying, coating, etching or baking. The process also allows for simultaneous and immediately sequential ordering of processes.

Abstract: A stage for processing a substrate, especially useful for vacuum applications, has a recess just large enough to hold a substantially flat substrate and a chuck or holder, but not much more. The perimeter of both top and bottom of the stage has air bearing surfaces separated from the recess by differentially pumped grooves and seal lands. The air bearing lands are guided between two reference surfaces and the seal lands, being substantially coplanar, create a resistance to flow between the bearings and the recess. On the other side of one of the reference plates mounts the radiation source or process. The opposite reference plate may have a large aperture, non-contact pumping port. This improves vacuum capability and stage precision. The stage may operate in a vacuum environment itself or can provide multiple stages moving between processes or inspection steps within the same tool or process sequence.

Abstract: A stage for processing a substrate, especially useful for vacuum applications, has a recess just large enough to hold a substantially flat substrate and a chuck or holder but not much more. The perimeter of the recessed side has an air bearing surface separated from the recess by differentially pumped groves and seal lands. The air bearing lands are urged against a reference plate guide surface and the seal lands being substantially coplanar create a resistance to flow between the groves and recess, on the other side of the base reference plate mounts the radiation source. The VCS may operate in a vacuum environment itself, or in another preferred embodiment, it provides the possibility for multiple stages moving between process or inspection steps within the same tool or process sequence.

Abstract: A permanent magnet motor is provided with a housing, a rotating shaft supported within the housing, and magnetic coils arranged within the housing. A hydrostatic bearing is disposed on the rotating shaft, the hydrostatic bearing having a permanent magnet incorporated therewith that restricts movement of the rotating shaft in a radial direction.