Abstract: A high-speed precision positioning apparatus has a stage supported by a platen. The stage is driven by a plurality of drive motors that are co-planar with the stage and arranged symmetrically around the stage. The drive motors apply drive forces directly to the stage without any mechanical contact to the stage. The drive forces impart planar motion to the stage in at least three degrees of freedom of motion. In the remaining three degrees of freedom the motion is constrained by a plurality of fluid bearings that operate between the stage and the platen. The drive motors are configured as magnets, attached to the stage, moving in a gap formed in-between top and bottom stationary coils. Integral force cancellation is implemented by a force cancellation system that applies cancellation forces to the stage. The cancellation forces, which are co-planar with a center of gravity of the stage and any components that move with the stage, cancel forces generated by planar motion of the stage.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for generating electrical energy. In particular, the invention provides devices and methods by which the explosive energy provided by highly combustible propulsive sources, such as solid, liquid and gaseous propellants, can be used to generate sufficient electrical energy to power devices such as high energy spark generators, portable cardiac defibrilators, lasers and the like. The apparatus used can be compact, highly portable, and reusable. By providing a storage device and electrical discharge control, the method and apparatus can be adapted to power low energy devices over an extended period of time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vibration type actuator apparatus, and is aimed to provide an apparatus capable of determining a phase with which a driving voltage is applied to a piezo-electric member particularly relative to a phase of vibration displacement of a vibration member, shifting to a high-speed driving state in a short time, and abruptly stopping.

Abstract: A magnet type stepping motor which has (1) a stator with three-phase stator windings, and 6m pieces of stator main pole arranged side by side, where m is an integer and ≧1, the stator windings of one phase are wound around every two stator main poles among the 6m pieces of the stator main pole, wherein when the stator windings of one phase are excited with a direct current, m pieces of N pole and M pieces of S pole are formed alternately on the 6m pieces of stator main pole, and (2) a rotor of a cylindrical permanent magnet magnetized in the circumferential direction to form Z/2 pieces of N pole and Z/2 pieces of S pole alternately, where Z is the number of rotor poles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a plunger of a magnetic actuator includes generating a first magnetic flux at the plunger that biases the plunger opposing a first bias from a first spring having a first spring rate. A second spring is disposed in series communication with the first spring. The second spring has a second spring rate, such that a combined spring rate of the first and second springs in series is less than either of the first and second spring rates. A second magnetic flux higher than the first magnetic flux is generated biasing the plunger opposing a second bias from the first spring and the second spring in series communication.

Abstract: A slider unit having built in a moving-coil linear motor ensuring high propulsion, is kept slim in overall height. A moving-coil assembly is made slim, with high stiffness, and is composed of an iron core of platy-configuration, and at least one set of three-phase armature coils wound around the iron core in the form of flat rectangular configuration in a plane intersecting the sliding direction. Comparatively more coil sides of the armature coils contribute to high propulsion. Like poles on either field magnet are placed in opposition to each other across the air gap, whereby the magnetic attraction is cancelled to reduce the load on the linear motion guide unit.

Abstract: In an electric discharge machining apparatus using linear motor drive in which a machining power supply unit supplies an inter-electrode space between an electrode (1) and a workpiece (2) with a machining power and the workpiece (2) is machined while the electrode (1) and the workpiece (2) are moved in relation to each other by means of a driving device (8, 9, 10) implemented by a linear motor, a magnet supporting plate (17) for supporting a magnet (16) which is on the secondary side of the linear motor; a base plate (18) formed with at least one hole portion (18a); a spacer (19) for holding the magnet supporting plate (17) and the base plate (18) while leaving a predetermined space therebetween; and a compressor, (23), a dryer (24), a lubricator (25) and a regulator (26) for injecting compressed gas (20) from the hole portion (18a) toward the magnet supporting plate (17) are provided.

Abstract: An oscillating reluctance motor includes a rotor having a center on which a rotational shaft is fixed thereto, and a pair of teeth protruding from said rotational shaft and arranged in positions opposite to each other; a stator in which a cylindrical space is formed so that the rotor can rotate and first and second winding parts are formed; rotation control means which is installed between the rotor and a stator to control rotation of the rotor, wherein a first winding coil is wound on the first winding part, a second winding coil is wound on the second winding part and the first winding part and the second winding part are formed having an angle centering around the rotational shaft as a pair so that the rotor can perform periodical rotation movement.

Abstract: A linear actuator includes a casing and a retractable member driven by a motor is movably received in the casing and a contact member is connected to the retractable member. A first position switch connected to the motor, a plurality of travel switches and a final position switch connected with a diode are connected to the actuator. These switches are connected in series by normal-close switches. Normal-open switches of the travel switches located between the first position switch and the final position switch are connected to a circuit of the control device. The motor is stopped when the final position switch touches the contact member of the retractable member, the motor is activated, when a current is applied to the diode again.

Abstract: A linear motor drive apparatus has a fixed element (22) having a guide mechanism (23), a movable element (21) guided by the guide mechanism (23) so as to move along a reference plane (P), parallel rows of first magnets (30, 31) disposed in parallel to both sides of the reference plane (P) and mounted to the fixed element 22, and parallel rows of second magnets (26, 27) disposed in parallel to both sides of the reference plane (P) and mounted to the movable element (21), wherein the parallel rows of first magnets (30, 31) has planar symmetry with respect to the reference plane (P), and wherein a steel plate (40) is provided so as to be parallel to the reference plane (P) at an intersection part of the movable element (21) with the reference plane (P), the steel plate (4) having a narrowed end part.

Abstract: A method of controlling the amount of magnetostriction in a magnetostrictive actuator is provided. The method compensates for non-ideal influences, such as imperfections in the magnetostrictive member, prestress, stress or load, quality of the magnetic circuit, and temperature. The method includes selectively energizing the coil to build and maintain a current for generating the magnetizing force; measuring the magnetic flux; and applying the magnetic flux as a feedback variable to control the magnetizing force and thereby control the amount of magnetostriction.

Abstract: In the present method for damping the torque oscillations of the drive train of an electrically driven road vehicle, the torque or a torque estimated value and the rotational speed of the electric motor which drives the road vehicle as well as the rotational speed of a wheel or the mean value of the rotational speeds of all the driven wheels of the road vehicle are detected as input variables, an observer estimating, from the input variables, the torque which is transmitted to the wheels by the gear mechanism, a regulating block which is connected downstream of the observer determining a compensation torque from the estimated torque, and the compensation torque being added to the setpoint torque of the electric motor, as a result of which a regulating circuit is obtained. By means of these measures, a travel characteristic which is significantly improved for the driver is achieved and the material loading in the drive train is reduced.

Abstract: An armature unit is made up of a matrix of armature coils each having a rectangular current path. A magnetic pole unit is made up of thrust generating magnets arranged in a matrix at arrangement periods each of which is an integral multiple of each of the arrangement periods at which the armature coils are arranged and having a rectangular magnetic pole surface, interpolating magnets for reinforcing the magnetomotove force, and a magnetic member. A mover is supported by air levitation above a guide surface by the pressure of pressurized gas, and the current supplied to the armature coils is controlled, thus driving the mover. An armature coil is housed in a closed space within a base, and a coolant is supplied from a cooling device into the closed space, thereby cooling the armature coils. Therefore, a substrate mounted on a substrate table integrated with the mover is precisely positioned.

Abstract: A machine tool has an operating unit that can be moved by at least one linear motor (24) along a first guide structure in the direction of a first axis of travel (z-axis) and by at least one second linear motor (21, 22) jointly with the first guide structure along a second guide structure in the direction of a second axis of travel (y-axis). Each linear motor (21, 22, 24) includes primary elements as well as secondary elements (15/1, 17; 15/2, 17; 23).

Abstract: The high-speed linear motor disclosed herein comprises a stationary part and a moving part. The stationary part is composed of conjoined upper and lower primary structures. Each primary structure consists of at least two field magnet modules. The moving secondary part then lies between the two primary structures by a non-wearing bearing so that it can move with high efficiency and no friction loss. A position sensor is provided for precisely positioning a work piece and there is no worry about interruption of feed back signal because there is no wire connection at the moving part.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device where creation of mechanical vibration is made with a system (1) of two or more rotating eccentrics (10). Each eccentric (10) is rotated by an individually controlled motor (11) and the angle position of each eccentric (10) is read by an angle sensor (12). With a control and monitoring system (5), the rotation frequency, direction of rotation and phase position of each eccentric (10) can be controlled. By choosing a number of eccentrics, mass of the eccentrics, rotation frequency, direction of rotation and phase position, a force vector diagram of suitable form, in space and time, can be generated. The invention is intended primarily for use in appliances for dynamic compaction of various materials.

Abstract: Stages are disclosed for holding, e.g., a reticle or substrate while performing charged-particle-beam (CPB) lithography involving the reticle or substrate. The subject stages include at least one linear motor and exhibit reduced adverse effects at an optical axis of magnetic fields generated by the linear motor(s). In one configuration, a stage-driving permanent magnet is split into two magnet subunits that are situated equidistantly from the optical axis. This configuration allows each of the subunits to be situated farther from the optical axis than the single magnet used in a conventional stage. Because the magnitude of a magnetic field generated by a permanent magnet generally is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the permanent magnet, increasing the distance of the magnet from the optical axis reduces the magnitude of the magnetic field, generated by the permanent magnet, at the optical axis.

Abstract: A system and method for a linear motor for driving a plurality of stages along a path are provided. The linear motor system includes a plurality of armature windings arranged to form a path, such as may be straight, curved, opened or closed. The stages include motor magnets that provide a magnet field. An encoder sensor is connected for movement with the stages so as to sense relative movement between the stages and the path. The encoder sensor further is operative to provide an encoder signal having an electrical characteristic indicative of relative movement between the stages and the path.

Abstract: An actuator is provided in which one or more separate compensating coils are employed to alter the distribution of the magnetic flux density in the air gap to produce a substantially constant force throughout the stroke; and in which current in the separate compensating coils can be adjusted with the stroke using separate power supplies and position feedback.

Abstract: In order to suppress virtually completely the cyclic power variation of a linear synchronous motor, the latter has the following features. At least one primary part (1) and at least one secondary part (6), which has a sequence of poles (10) formed by permanent magnets, and is also larger than the length of the primary part (1) in the movement direction (5). The primary part (1) has primary slots (9) which are suitable for receiving monophase or polyphase windings. Moreover, the primary part (1) has means for changing the magnetic force in the movement direction (5) of the linear motor in the region of the end piece (2) of the primary part (1). The end faces (14) of the end pieces (2) extend perpendicular to the movement direction (5) of the linear motor.