A magnetic bearing system for controlling magnetic coupling between a mobile carriage and a guideway and a method for controlling the magnetic bearing system. The magnetic bearing system includes at least one engine, which includes at least two poles, at least one permanent magnet and at least one coil. The engine is configured to be magnetically coupled to the guideway through at least one air gap.

The invention relates to a linear guideway assembly for contactless linear displacement of a rigid body relative to another rigid body along a linear displacement path (x), said linear guideway assembly comprising: one, single rigid body formed as a linear guideway defining said linear displacement path as well as at least one rigid body formed as a product carrier being displaceable along said single linear guideway, wherein the linear guideway assembly further comprises multiple magnetic bearing assemblies for allowing contactless linear displacement of the at least one product carrier relative to the single, linear guideway, wherein all magnetic bearing assemblies are mounted to the product carrier in such way that the magnetic bearing assemblies are arranged in constraining five degrees of freedom (y, z, , and ) of the product carrier relative to the single, linear guideway, whilst allowing one, translational degree of freedom (x) of the product carrier along the single, linear guideway, wherein all magnetic bearing assemblies, seen in the translational direction (x) of the linear displacement path, are mounted at the side of the product carrier closest to the single, linear guideway.

An apparatus including a first device configured to support at least one substrate thereon; and a first transport having the device connected thereto. The transport is configured to carry the device. The transport includes a plurality of supports which are movable relative to one another along a linear path; at least one magnetic bearing which at least partially couples the supports to one another. A first one of the magnetic bearings includes a first permanent magnet and a second magnet. The first permanent magnet is connected to a first one of the supports. A magnetic field adjuster is connected to the first support which is configured to move the first permanent magnet and/or vary influence of a magnetic field of the first permanent magnet relative to the second magnet.

The invention relates to a magnetic bearing assembly for contactless linear displacement of a rigid body relative to another rigid body along a linear displacement path.

The invention also relates to a linear guideway assembly implementing one or more such magnetic bearing assemblies.

The invention aims to provide a solution for the above identified problems, allowing linear displacement of a rigid body relative to another rigid body along a linear displacement path and in particular allowing control of a translational degree of freedom of a rigid body relative to another rigid body, said magnetic bearing assembly comprising: at least one magnetic bearing module being mounted to one of said rigid bodies and consisting of at least: a ferromagnetic core; a first magnetic element positioned on a first side of said ferromagnetic core; a coil being wound around said ferromagnetic core; at least a first static back iron being mounted to the other one of said rigid bodies and positioned, during use, at some gap distance from said one bearing module.

An apparatus for holding, positioning and/or moving an object is described. The apparatus includes a base, and a carrier which is movable relative to the base. The apparatus further includes at least three magnetic bearings, by means of which the carrier is supported on the base in a contactless manner such that the carrier can be displaced with respect to at least one predefined direction, wherein at least two of the magnetic bearings are configured as actively controllable magnetic bearings. The apparatus has at least one damping unit, which is fixed to the carrier or to the base.

A track element of a non-contact bearing extending in a length direction. The track element includes a conductive material strip having a facing surface with a height and width and a rear surface opposite the facing surfaces. The conductive material strip includes a slit extending in a height direction to form a first leg and a second leg, in which the first leg is bent in a zig-zag shape and the second leg is bent in a zig-zag shape that is complementary to the bending of the first leg. When the conductive material strip is viewed in a direction parallel to the facing surface, the first leg and the second leg cross each other at least once.

An apparatus including a first device configured to support at least one substrate thereon; and a first transport having the device connected thereto. The transport is configured to carry the device. The transport includes a plurality of supports which are movable relative to one another along a linear path; at least one magnetic bearing which at least partially couples the supports to one another. A first one of the magnetic bearings includes a first permanent magnet and a second magnet. The first permanent magnet is connected to a first one of the supports. A magnetic field adjuster is connected to the first support which is configured to move the first permanent magnet and/or vary influence of a magnetic field of the first permanent magnet relative to the second magnet.

Non-contact bearing system, such as a magnetic levitation system, having a geometry. The geometry includes a plurality of track elements arranged to nest together in a length direction. The plurality of track elements are shaped to define at least an upper and a lower null flux crossing and the plurality of nested track elements form a conductive metamaterial. Method for constructing a metamaterial null flux magnetic levitation track with tessellating elements of stamped conductors.

The invention relates a capacitive sensor device for determining a distance between a rigid body and another rigid body in a system for contactless linear displacement along a linear displacement path of the rigid body relative to the other rigid body, the capacitive sensor device comprising a capacitive sensor component with a first sensor node mounted to the rigid body and a second sensor node mounted to the other rigid body; a transmission component having at least a first input node for receiving an input signal as well as an output node for providing an output signal representative of the distance; a frequency-dependent input signal generator operatively connected to the first sensor node of the capacitive sensor component and the first input node of the transmission component being operatively connected to the second sensor node of the capacitive sensor component.

A vehicle for travelling along a linear route guideway, comprising a body configured to accommodate cargo, equipment or passenger(s); traction engines on the body of the vehicle configured to orient the body within relative to the linear route guideway; and a controller for actuating at least one of the traction engines as a function of a desired orientation of the vehicle relative to the linear route guideway. A controller system for a vehicle for travelling along a linear route guideway is also disclosed.