Importance

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Abstract

A conveyor is of a low power consumption type and has a decreased amount of gas generation. The conveyor is provided with a floating member having a conveying rod on which a workpiece is laid; a conveying body magnetically coupled with the floating member through a sleeve-like partition wall; sensor portions for detecting positions of the floating member; electromagnets for generating magnetic forces for supporting the floating member; targets provided on the floating member so as to face the electromagnets; and an adjusting unit for taking a balance of forces to be applied to the magnetic support portions composed of the electromagnets, the targets and the sensor portions. With thus constructed conveyor, even if the conveying article load (i.e., workpiece weight) is changed, a space between the floating member and the sensor portions may be adjusted within a controllable range with a small amount, of excited magnetic current by the adjusting unit. Accordingly, the heat generation amount is decreased so that a temperature of the sleeve-like member which is kept in contact with the vacuum is also decreased to reduce the discharged gas amount. Furthermore, the number of the electromagnets may be reduced without reducing the possible conveying weight.

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First Claim