NON-CONTACT DANCER MECHANISM, WEB ISOLATION APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR USING THE SAME

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a new mechanism for conveying a web of brittle material from an upstream process to a downstream process when manufacturing or processing of the web. SOLUTION: A mechanism for conveying a web of brittle material 200 includes a guide rail 108 and a non-contact dancer mechanism 102 having a variable position web support plenum adjustably positioned on the guide rail 108. The variable position web support plenum 104 includes an arcuate outer surface 107 with a plurality of fluid vents 103 for emitting a fluid to support the web of brittle material 200 over and spaced apart from the arcuate outer surface thereby preventing mechanical contact and damage to the web of brittle material 200. A support plenum counterbalance 110 is mechanically coupled to the variable position web support plenum 104, wherein the support plenum counterbalance 110 supports at least a portion of a weight of the variable position web support plenum 104 on the guide rail 108. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT