Patent ID: 7125319

Claim:
An apparatus for processing an edge of a sheet of material, said apparatus comprising: an encapsulation device for supporting two surfaces of the material; a processing device for processing the edge adjacent to the supported two surfaces of the material that is located on a first side of said encapsulation device; and said encapsulation device substantially prevents particles and other contaminants generated when said processing device processes the edge of the material from reaching the two surfaces of the material located on a second side of said encapsulation device, wherein said encapsulation device includes: a support plate; a pair of porous plates supported by said support plate and pressurized by air received from said support plate which flows through the porous plates and supports the two surfaces of the material within a gap between the porous plates, wherein the pressurized air emitted from the porous plates substantially prevents particles and other contaminants generated when said processing device processes the edge of the material from reaching the two surfaces of the material located on the second side of said encapsulation device; and wherein said encapsulation device further includes a pair of guide wheels for guiding the two surfaces of the material within the gap between the porous plates.