Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Dual valve fluid actuator assembly
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Application No.: US16485406Application Date: 2018-02-12
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Publication No.: US11092170B2Publication Date: 2021-08-17
- Inventor: Alex Ka Tim Poon , Yeong-Jun Choi , Pai-Hsueh Yang , Sandy Lee , Gaurav Keswani , Rocky Mai
- Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
- Applicant Address: JP Tokyo
- Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
- Current Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
- Current Assignee Address: JP Tokyo
- Agency: Roeder & Broder LLP
- Agent Steven G. Roeder
- International Application: PCT/US2018/017868 WO 20180212
- International Announcement: WO2018/152069 WO 20180823
- Main IPC: F15B9/08
- IPC: F15B9/08 ; F15B9/03 ; F15B11/00 ; F15B11/028 ; F15B11/042 ; F15B13/04

Abstract:
A stage assembly (10) includes a stage (14), and a fluid actuator assembly (24) that moves the stage (14). The fluid actuator assembly (24) includes a piston housing (32) that defines a piston chamber (34); (ii) a piston (36) that separates the piston chamber (34) into a first chamber (34A) and a second chamber (34B); (iii) a supply valve (38C) that controls the flow of the working fluid (40) into the first chamber (34A); and (iv) an exhaust valve (38D) that controls the flow of the working fluid (40) out of the first chamber (34A). The supply valve (38C) has a supply orifice (250G) having a supply orifice area, and the exhaust valve (38D) has an exhaust orifice (352G) having an exhaust orifice area. Moreover, the supply orifice area is different from the exhaust orifice area. Further multiple valves of different sizes can be used in combination for the supply and exhaust for each chamber (34A), (34B).
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