Patent ID: 7006201

Claim:
A suction mechanism for retaining a photosensitive tabular member including: (a) a stage that includes an upper surface for placing the photosensitive tabular member, a suction path at least partially disposed along the stage, and plural suction holes that are connected to the suction path and are defined in the stage upper surface; (b) a suction unit that is connected to the suction path and is operable for applying a reduced pressure to the suction path; and (c) mechanically-operated valve members disposed in the respective suction holes, with each valve member being capable of moving between an open position that substantially allows a fluid connection between the stage upper surface side and the suction path and a closed position that substantially blocks the fluid connection, (d) wherein when the photosensitive tabular member is placed on the stage upper surface, only the valve members positioned in a projection region of the photosensitive tabular member on the stage upper surface move to the closed position on the basis of at least one of the self weight of the photosensitive tabular member and an external force applied to the photosensitive tabular member.