The device for pivoting an arbor about a determined axis includes at least one magnetic bearing including a magnet which exerts a force of attraction on a pivot, made of magnetic material, of the arbor. Further, the bearing includes a magnetic flux centring structure arranged between the magnet and the pivot, and a support for the centring structure. This centring structure includes a peripheral portion and a central portion resiliently connected to the peripheral portion by at least one connecting element, the central portion being formed of a highly magnetically permeable material and having smaller dimensions than those of the magnet. The peripheral portion is rigidly force fitted to the support so that the central portion is centred on the pivot axis.

A device for stirring a liquid or a granular material comprising a stirring agitator, a rotating drive shaft for rotating the stirring agitator, a rotating drive shaft for rotating the stirring agitator, a stationary axle extending in an essentially vertical direction about which the stirring agitator is adapted to rotate, and a transfer arrangement for contactless transfer of rotation of the drive shaft to the stirring agitator. The device has a center axis around which the stirring agitator and the drive shaft are adapted to rotate, and means for generating a magnetic force exerting an upwardly directed force component on the stirring agitator. The means for generating a magnetic force comprises a first element arranged in a stirring agitator and a second element associated with the stationary axle. At least one of the first element and the second element comprises a permanent magnet. At least one of the first element and the second element is arranged such that the center axis extends through the first element and/or the second element.

An arrangement for a lithography apparatus has a component and a weight compensating device to compensate for a weight of the component. The weight compensating device includes a first magnetic device and a second magnetic device. The first magnetic device is designed to exert a first magnetic force on the component. The first magnetic force exceeds the weight of the component. The first magnetic force acts counter to the weight of the component. The second magnetic device is designed to exert a second magnetic force on the component. The second magnetic force acts in the direction of the weight of the component. The first magnetic force corresponds to the sum of the second magnetic force and the weight. The second magnetic device is designed to reduce the second magnetic force at the same time and by the same absolute value as the first magnetic force.

The device for pivoting an arbor of a rotating member, on a determined pivot axis, inside a timepiece movement includes at least one magnetic bearing including a magnet which exerts a force of attraction on a pivot made of magnetic material, of the arbor, and an endstone arranged between the magnet and the pivot, the endstone being formed of a material having a hardness greater than 500 HV and a friction coefficient less than or substantially equal to 0.1 with the material of which the pivot is made. The material forming the endstone has a high magnetic permeability and the endstone has, in cross-section to the pivot axis, smaller dimensions than those of the magnet, said endstone being arranged in the timepiece movement to be centred on the determined pivot axis.

Provided are a fluid dynamic bearing, a motor, and an optical deflector, for which a fixed shaft can be attached with little axial eccentricity. The bearing (10) is equipped with a fixed shaft (11), a sleeve (20) provided so as to be capable of rotating around the fixed shaft (11), dynamic pressure generating sections (22, 23) provided in the sleeve (20), and a lower case (30) for securing the lower end (11a) of the fixed shaft (11). In addition, the bearing is equipped with a retaining case (40), which has a chuck (52) that retains the upper end (11b) of the fixed shaft (11) secured by the lower case (30), and which can be secured to the lower case (30) in a state that does not generate pressure causing the axial center of the fixed shaft (11) to move.

An energy conversion system includes a stationary structure and a rotatable structure configured to rotate relative to the stationary structure. The system includes at least one blade member mounted to and extending radially outward from the rotatable structure. The blade member is configured to interact with fluid currents to cause the rotatable structure to rotate about an axis of rotation. The system includes a first magnetic bearing component disposed on the rotatable structure and a second magnetic bearing component disposed on the stationary structure. The magnetic bearing components have an aligned position in which the components are axially aligned along the axis of rotation with respect to each other. Axial displacement of the magnetic bearing components from the aligned position generates a magnetic field between the components that provides an axially-directed restoring force between the rotatable structure and the stationary structure to reposition the components to the aligned position.