# US 12,119,173 B2 · Magnetic levitation system, base and carrier of a magnetic levitation system, and method of levitating a carrier > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,119,173 B2 - Document ID: US12119173B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/607,599 - Filed: 2019-04-29 - Published: 2022-06-30 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-29 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Henning Aust; Timo Adler; Clemens Pihan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12119173B2 ## CPC - H01F 7/0236: {Magnetic suspension or levitation (for vehicles B60L13/04; magnetic bearings F16C39/063)} - H10P 72/3206: {the substrate being handled substantially vertically} - C23C 14/50: Substrate holders - C23C 14/568: {Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations (C23C14/562 takes precedence)} - C23C 16/4587: {the substrate being supported substantially vertically} - C23C 16/54: Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating - H10P 72/3204: {using magnetic elements} - H10P 72/3314: {Continuous loading and unloading into and out of a processing chamber, e.g. transporting belts within processing chambers} - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract A magnetic levitation system for transporting a carrier is described. The magnetic levitation system includes a base defining a transportation track, a carrier movable relative to the base along the transportation track, and a plurality of active magnetic bearings provided at the base and configured to face a guided structure of the carrier. The guided structure includes a first guided zone and a second guided zone configured to interact with the plurality of active magnetic bearings and a recessed zone. The recessed zone is arranged between the first guided zone and the second guided zone in a transport direction of the carrier and is recessed with respect to the first guided zone and the second guided zone. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A magnetic levitation system for transporting a carrier, comprising: a base defining a transportation track; a carrier movable along the transportation track; and a plurality of active magnetic bearings provided at the base and configured to face a guided structure of the carrier, the guided structure comprising: a first guided zone and a second guided zone configured to interact with the plurality of active magnetic bearings; and a recessed zone arranged between the first guided zone and the second guided zone in a transport direction of the carrier, the recessed zone being recessed with respect to the first guided zone and the second guided zone, wherein one or more controllers are configured to actively control at least one magnetic bearing of the plurality of active magnetic bearings when the at least one magnetic bearing faces one of the first guided zone and the second guided zone, and wherein the one or more controllers are configured to switch off the active control of the at least one magnetic bearing when the at least one magnetic bearing faces the recessed zone. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The magnetic levitation system of claim 1, wherein the first guided zone and the second guided zone define a first plane, the first plane having a first distance from the plurality of active magnetic bearings during the carrier transport, and wherein the recessed zone defines a second plane, the second plane having a second distance from the plurality of magnetic bearings greater than the first distance during the carrier transport. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The magnetic levitation system of claim 2, wherein the first distance is 2 mm or less, and/wherein the second distance is 3 mm or more. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The magnetic levitation system of claim 2, wherein the first distance is about 1.5 mm and the second distance is about 5 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The magnetic levitation system of claim 1, wherein the carrier has an upper carrier surface, a front part of the upper carrier surface in the transport direction constituting the first guided zone and a rear part of the upper carrier surface in the transport direction constituting the second guided zone. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The magnetic levitation system of claim 1, wherein the first guided zone and the second guided zone have a dimension of 30 cm or more in the transport direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The magnetic levitation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more controllers are for individually controlling the plurality of active magnetic bearings depending on a carrier position along the transportation track. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The magnetic levitation system of claim 1, further comprising a linear motor for moving the carrier along the transportation track, wherein the linear motor is configured to determine a carrier position along the transportation track and to forward the carrier position to one or more controllers of the plurality of active magnetic bearings. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The magnetic levitation system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of permanent magnets configured to contribute to a carrier levitation force are provided at the recessed zone. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The magnetic levitation system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of permanent magnets are arranged in two parallel traces at a distance corresponding to a distance between magnetic material components of the plurality of active magnetic bearings. ### Claim 11 A carrier of a magnetic levitation system, the carrier being movable along a transportation track defined by a base, the carrier comprising: a guided structure including a first guided zone and a second guided zone configured to magnetically interact with a plurality of active magnetic bearings; and a recessed zone arranged between the first guided zone and the second guided zone in a transport direction of the carrier and recessed with respect to the first guided zone and the second guided zone, wherein the recessed zone has a dimension of 1 m or more in the transport direction. ### Claim 12 A base of a magnetic levitation system, the base defining a transportation track for a carrier and comprising: a plurality of active magnetic bearings for generating a levitation force for holding the carrier; and one or more controllers for individually controlling the plurality of active magnetic bearings depending on a carrier position along the transportation track, wherein the one or more controllers are configured to actively control a first subset of the plurality of active magnetic bearings facing one of a first guided zone and a second guided zone of the carrier and to not actively control a second subset of the plurality of active magnetic bearings facing a recessed zone of the carrier arranged between the first guided zone and the second guided zone. ### Claim 13 A method of levitating a carrier, the carrier comprising a first guided zone, a second guided zone, and a recessed zone between the first guided zone and the second guided zone in a transport direction of the carrier, the method comprising: controlling a plurality of active magnetic bearings for levitating the carrier with respect to a base, wherein a first subset of the plurality of active magnetic bearings facing one of the first guided zone and the second guided zone is actively controlled, or switched on, and a second subset of the plurality of active magnetic bearings facing the recessed zone is not actively controlled, or switched off. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: transporting the carrier along a transportation track defined by the base; and repeatedly determining a carrier position along the transportation track and allocating magnetic bearings of the plurality of active magnetic bearings to the first subset to the second subset depending on the carrier position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein a first part of a levitation force levitating the carrier acts between the first subset of the plurality of active magnetic bearings and the first and second guided zones, and a second part of the levitation force acts between the second subset of the plurality of active magnetic bearings and a plurality of permanent magnets provided at the recessed zone. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the first part of the levitation force is actively controlled to maintain a constant distance between the first subset and the first and second guided zones. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the second part of the levitation force is generated by passive units. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the carrier has an essentially vertical orientation during transport. ### Claim 19 A magnetic levitation system for transporting a carrier, comprising: a base defining a transportation track; a carrier movable along the transportation track; and a plurality of active magnetic bearings provided at the base and configured to face a guided structure of the carrier, the guided structure comprising: a first guided zone and a second guided zone configured to interact with the plurality of active magnetic bearings; and a recessed zone arranged between the first guided zone and the second guided zone in a transport direction of the carrier, the recessed zone being recessed with respect to the first guided zone and the second guided zone, wherein the recessed zone has a dimension of 1 m or more in the transport direction.