A vibration damper or isolator

• Main Author: VAN DE SANDE HENRICUS J. A.,VROOMEN HUBERT G. J. J. A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 25.04.2007
• Subjects: APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; BLASTING; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ELECTROGRAPHY; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; HOLOGRAPHY; LIGHTING; MATERIALS THEREFOR; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES,e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTORDEVICES; PHYSICS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; SPRINGS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

A system for use in for example the production of semiconductors comprises a chamber ( 10 ) having a sealed inner space ( 11 ), such as a vacuum chamber. A heavy mass ( 14 ), such as a table, is arranged within the vacuum chamber and is supported or carried by one or more vibration dampers or isolators ( 15 ). Each vibration isolator comprises a hollow or tubular member ( 18 ) having an open inner end portion, which extends into the sealed space of the chamber ( 10 ). A support structure ( 21 ) is arranged at the inner end of the hollow member for supporting the mass or table ( 14 ). The opposite ends of a bellows ( 24 ) are sealingly connected to the hollow member ( 18 ) and the support structure ( 21 ), respectively, so as to seal the inner space ( 26 ) of the hollow member ( 18 ) from the inner space ( 11 ) of the chamber ( 10 ). A surface part of the support structure is exposed to a to a gas pressure different from that of the sealed inner space of the chamber, so as to at least partly balance the weight of the support structure ( 21 ) and the mass or payload ( 14 ) supported thereby.