Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has a patterning support constructed to support a patterning device and a substrate support constructed to support a substrate. At least one of the patterning support and the substrate support is moved by an electromagnetic actuator. The actuator has a first part and a second part that are movable relative to each other. The first part has a coil structure, and the second part including a plurality of permanent magnets interacting with the coil structure. The second part is provided with a cooling structure arranged adjacent the permanent magnets. Cooling ducts are arranged between adjacent permanent magnets, or on a side of the permanent magnets facing the coil structure.

Abstract: To provide a less expensive and high-efficient free-piston Stirling cycle machine with an outer diameter of entire machine being relatively small. In a Stirling cycle cooler as a free-piston Stirling cycle machine including a cylinder 7, a piston 18 which is reciprocable inside said cylinder 7 and an electromagnetic driving mechanism 19 for reciprocating said piston 18, said electromagnetic driving mechanism 19 is comprised of a mover 20 and a stator 35, said piston 18 and said mover 20 formed by disposing a permanent magnets 24 outside an inner yoke 23 made of magnetic flux conducting material are disposed in an axial alignment, and said stator 35 and said cylinder 7 are disposed in an axial alignment.

Abstract: A long-proportional-stroke force motor which outputs force proportional to the exciting current. The motor has a magnetic circuit wherein a non-magnetic spacer is positioned axially between a magnetic guide and a magnetic sleeve. An armature moves within a central opening defined by the guide, the spacer and the sleeve. An end portion of the guide, adjacent to the spacer, has a sectional profile through a stepped surface facing radially outward and the corners of the steps define a curve which satisfies the following expressions: ? Y ? X > 0 , ? ? 2 ? Y ? X 2 > 0 , where X is a coordinate on an X-axis corresponding to a central axis of the guide; wherein the armature is moved in a direction along the X-axis by application of exciting current to a coil surrounding the guide, spacer and sleeve; and Y is a coordinate on an axis orthogonal to the X-axis.

Abstract: The personal care appliance drive system includes a pair of linear actuators capable of operating both in an opposing phase mode or in a parallel (in-phase) mode. The system includes a motion converter assembly which converts the opposing phase action of the two linear actuators into a rotational action of an output drive shaft and converts in-phase action to a translation motion of the output shaft or to drive another function of the appliance, such as a pump. The motion converter, operating simultaneously in an opposing phase mode and in-phase modes, produces a complex motion of the workpiece.

Abstract: In a linear motor (1), the detent force is reduced by the height of the iron poles (522) being selected differently in the two outer regions of the coil set, preferably by a gradual reduction of the height of the iron poles (522) towards the ends of the stator (2). In combination with a slight inclination of the magnets, the detent forces are further minimized, with negligible losses of the propulsive force. The exact dimensioning of the iron poles (522) is dependent inter alia on the dimensioning of the coils (51) and other characteristics of the linear motor (1) as a whole, and can be found and optimized by simulations. Here, an optimum is sought between as great a reduction as possible of the detent force amplitude and as high a propulsive force as possible.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing relatively long travel in a transverse direction for a magnetic levitation stage apparatus are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a linear actuator includes a first core, a second core, and at least one coil wrapped around the first core. The first core includes a body portion and a plurality of rails. The body portion has a first axis and a second axis, and the rails have longitudinal axes that are perpendicular to the first axis and parallel to the second axis. The dimensions of the rails along the longitudinal axes are substantially larger than a dimension of the body portion along the second axis. The second core has a third axis that is oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal axes and to the second axis, and is levitated relative to the first core when a current is provided through the coil.

Abstract: A voice coil motor. At least one guide bar is connected to a fixed base. A coil is connected to the fixed base. A support base is movably fit on the guide bar. An annular magnetic member is connected to the support base and surrounded by the coil. A magnetization direction of the annular magnetic member parallels a moving direction of the support base and annular magnetic member. The annular magnetic member includes a first magnetic pole and a second magnetic pole. The first magnetic pole is disposed in the coil and separated from the bottom thereof. The second magnetic pole is disposed outside the coil. The coil interacts with the annular magnetic member to generate a first force, driving the support base and annular magnetic member to move along the magnetization direction of the annular magnetic member.

Abstract: A linear motor comprising a coil assembly and a magnet assembly is provided with a cooling apparatus which comprises a segmented air knife assembly. The segmented air knife assembly has a plurality of slot openings distributed along its length which is coupled to the linear motor and it is operative to discharge cooling air into a gap between the coil assembly and magnet assembly in a discharge direction. An inclined surface extends from the plurality of slot openings and slopes at an obtuse angle away from the discharge direction of the cooling air. Each slot opening is individually configured to discharge the cooling air in the discharge direction at a sufficient velocity so as to entrain atmospheric air along the inclined surface to amplify the cooling air that is so discharged.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a moving magnet type linear slider capable of eliminating a magnet suction force caused by a linear motor to minimize the linear guide friction is provided. The field of the linear motor includes magnet track having a horizontally arranged generally U-shaped magnetic yoke and plural pairs of field permanent magnets arranged on inner opposed surfaces of the magnetic yoke with polarities arranged alternately in a longitudinal direction of the magnetic yoke, each pair of the filed permanent magnets being arranged with opposite polarities faced with each other. The armature of the linear motor includes an armature holder mounted on the side portion of the fixed base in a vertically extended manner, and a planar coreless armature holder horizontally held by the armature holder. The stroke direction length Lmg of the magnet track is set to be longer than the stroke direction length La of the armature.

Abstract: An electromagnetic transducer including a stator and an armature, the armature defining a first axis and being driven to ride between first and second couplers back and forth relative to the stator along the first axis. The second coupler is configured to permit movement of the armature along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis.

Abstract: A cup-shaped sleeve is made mainly of a resin and has an end where a plurality of pieces of a permanent magnet are insert-molded. An auxiliary ring made mainly of a resin is provided along an inner peripheral surface of the cup-shaped sleeve other than an inner peripheral surface thereof where the permanent magnet is provided. The auxiliary ring has its inner peripheral surface identical to the inner peripheral surface of the permanent magnet or located outside relative to the inner peripheral surface of the permanent magnet. When the cup-shaped sleeve is resin-molded, the resin which is a component of the cup-shaped sleeve is prevented from shrinking inward. Therefore, contact between the resin supporting the permanent magnet and the cylinder is prevented. Accordingly, a linear drive device is obtained in which the reciprocation of the piston is prevented from being hindered.

Abstract: An actuator includes a shaft supported in such a manner as to make axial reciprocating movement or rotational reciprocating movement around longitudinal axis thereof, and an electricity conducting member for making contact with the shaft at a plurality of points on a circumferential surface of the shaft used as an electricity conducting path leading to other members. Further, an electric toothbrush includes the actuator as a drive power source for a brush body, and the brush body is adapted to be supplied with an electric current through the shaft.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a stage apparatus which includes a stage movable in a first direction, a linear motor configured to drive the stage in the first direction, a magnet unit having first magnets disposed on the stage and second magnets disposed at both ends of a stroke of the stage such that the same poles of the first and second magnets face each other, and a supporting member supporting the second magnets. The supporting member is supported movably in the first direction.

Abstract: A production machine includes an electrical positioning drive having a stator and a moveable member displaceable relative to the stator in at least one travel direction. The moveable member is mounted, in relation to the stator, in a contactless manner by a magnetic field in at least one of the supporting directions differing from the travel direction. A sensor device is associated with the positioning drive to shift the moveable member relative to the stator in the supporting direction to be detected. A control device is also associated with the positioning drive, and the shift of the moveable member is detected by the sensor device and can be supplied in the supporting direction. A control signal for a positioning magnet system can be determined by the control device, on the basis of the shift of the moveable member in the supporting direction and a nominal positioning of the moveable member.

Abstract: A moveable assembly includes a frame, resilient suspension arms made of carbon nanotube bundles, and a moveable member. The frame is disposed around the moveable member. Each of the resilient suspension arms includes a first end fixed to the frame, and a second end connected to the moveable member. The resilient suspension arms are centro-symmetrically arranged relative to the moveable member such that the moveable member is capable of stably moving along a predetermined direction driven by an external force.