Transferring apparatus having a magnetically floating carrier member with the floating magnets acting through a reduced thickness portion of a wall

Patent 5241912 Issued on September 7, 1993. Estimated Expiration Date:

December 18, 2011. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Transport apparatus
Patent #: 4392435
Issued on: 07/12/1983
Inventor: Moody , et al.

Semiconductor wafer transport system
Patent #: 4540326
Issued on: 09/10/1985
Inventor: Southworth , et al.

Linear induction semiconductor wafer transportation apparatus
Patent #: 4624617
Issued on: 11/25/1986
Inventor: Belna

Semiconductor substrate transport system
Patent #: 4664578
Issued on: 05/12/1987
Inventor: Kakehi

Conveying apparatus
Patent #: 4766993
Issued on: 08/30/1988
Inventor: Kita , et al.

Transferring apparatus operated in a vacuum chamber Patent #: 4998859
Issued on: 03/12/1991
Inventor: Oshima, et al.

Inventors

Assignee

Seiko Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha

Application

No. 809312 filed on 12/18/1991

US Classes:

104/282, Propulsion means employed to suspend car104/138.1, TUBULAR WAY104/284Including means to sense or control car position or attitude with respect to guideway

Examiners

Primary: Oberleitner, Robert J.
Assistant: Morano, S. Joseph

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Adams; Bruce L., Wilks; Van C.

Foreign Patent References

2530216 DE 02/12/1977
92205 JP 04/12/1988
157605 JP 06/12/1988
178704 JP 07/12/1988

International Classes

B60L 013/04
B60L 013/06

Foreign Application Priority Data

1990-12-28 JP

Abstract

The transferring device is provided with a cylindrical partition wall formed with reduced thickness portions 14. A floating carrier 3 is disposed around the cylindrical partition wall and is provided with target pieces 15. The reduced thickness portion 14 is formed by recessing the outer peripheral face 1a of the partition wall 1 along the lengthwise direction thereof. Electromagnets 10, 11 are mounted on an actuating block 4 within the tubular partition wall 1 in opposed relation to the reduced thickness portions 14. The target piece 15 are also opposed in alignment with the reduced thickness portions 14. The partition wall 1 has a sufficient thickness other than the reduced thickness portions 14 so as to ensure physical strength of the partition wall 1. Magnetic force is applied from the electromagnets 10, 11 to the target pieces 15 through the reduced thickness partition 14, thereby supporting the floating carrier 3 with a reduced amount of an exciting current flowing through the electromagnets 10, 11.