1. A positioning device for positioning a payload, the positioning
device comprising:
a first magnetic element to support a payload that is to be
5 positioned, wherein the payload is to be coupled to the first magnetic
element and is movable in response to the movement of the first
magnetic element;
a first Printed Circuit Board (PCB) comprising a first plurality of
current conductors;
10 a first diamagnetic material layer disposed on the first PCB,
wherein the first diamagnetic material layer is to levitate the first
magnetic element due to a diamagnetic force caused by the first
diamagnetic material layer; and
a second PCB facing the first diamagnetic material layer and being parallel to the first PCB, wherein the first magnetic element is
provided between first diamagnetic material layer and the second
PCB, wherein the second PCB comprises a second plurality of current
conductors, the second plurality of current conductors being parallel to
the first plurality of current conductors, wherein a movement of the first
20 magnetic element between the first PCB and the second PCB is
controllable by supplying electric current to the first plurality of current
conductors and the second plurality of current conductors.
2. The positioning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:
the first PCB comprises a third plurality of current conductors, the
25 third plurality of current conductors being perpendicular to the first
plurality of current conductors,
the second PCB comprises a fourth plurality of current
conductors, the fourth plurality of current conductors being parallel tothe third plurality of current conductors and perpendicular to the
30 second plurality of current conductors, and the movement of the first magnetic element between the first
PCB and the second PCB is controllable by supplying electric current
to the third plurality of current conductors, and the fourth plurality of
current conductors.
5 3. The positioning device as claimed in claim 2, wherein:
the second PCB comprises:
a first face;
a second face opposite the first face, wherein the fourth
plurality of current conductors is nearer to the first face than to
10 the second face, and wherein the second plurality of current
conductors are positioned in between the first and the second
faces;
a fifth plurality of current conductors being near to the second face than to the first face, the fifth plurality of current
15 conductors being parallel to the fourth plurality of current
conductors;
a second magnetic element to support the payload, wherein the
payload is to be coupled to the first magnetic element and to the
second magnetic element and is movable in response to the
20 movement of the first magnetic element and the second magnetic
element;
a third PCB parallel to the first PCB, wherein the third PCB
comprises a sixth plurality of current conductors and a seventh
plurality of current conductors, the sixth plurality of current conductors
25 being parallel to the second plurality of current conductors, the seventhplurality of current conductors being parallel to the fifth plurality of
current conductors and being perpendicular to the sixth plurality of
current conductors, wherein each of the first plurality of current
conductors, the second plurality of current conductors, the third
30 plurality of current conductors, the fourth plurality of current conductors, the fifth plurality of current conductors, the sixth plurality
of current conductors, and the seventh plurality of current conductors
is divided into a first set and a second set, wherein the second PCB is
positioned between the first PCB and the third PCB;
5 a second diamagnetic material layer disposed on the first face of
the second PCB;
a third diamagnetic material layer disposed on the second face
of the second PCB;
a fourth diamagnetic material layer disposed on the third PCB,
10 wherein a levitation and movement of the second magnetic element
between the second PCB and the third PCB is controllable by
supplying electric current to the second plurality of current conductors,
the fifth plurality of current conductors, the sixth plurality of current
conductors, and the seventh plurality of current conductors, wherein the first diamagnetic material layer and the second diamagnetic
material layer are to stabilize the levitation of the first magnetic
element, and wherein the third diamagnetic material layer and the
fourth diamagnetic material layer are to stabilize levitation of the
second magnetic element.
20 4. The positioning device as claimed in claim 3, comprising:
a platform being perpendicular to a plane comprising the first
PCB and being coupled to the first magnetic element and to the
second magnetic element to support the payload, wherein the platform
is movable in response to the movement of the first magnetic element
25 and the second magnetic element; and
a controller to supply electric current to the first plurality of current
conductors, the second plurality of current conductors, the third
plurality of current conductors, the fourth plurality of current conductors, the fifth plurality of current conductors, the sixth plurality
30 of current conductors, and the seventh plurality of current conductors.5. The positioning device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller
is to supply a baseline value to the first plurality of current conductors, the
second plurality of current conductors, the third plurality of current
conductors, the fourth plurality of current conductors, the fifth plurality of
5 current conductors, the sixth plurality of current conductors, and the seventh
plurality of current conductors to position the first magnetic element and the
second magnetic element at an equilibrium position, wherein the baseline
value is a magnitude of electric current supplied to position the first magnetic
element and the second magnetic element at the equilibrium position.
10 6. The positioning device as claimed in claim 5, wherein, to move the
first magnetic element and the second magnetic element translationally in
a direction parallel to the first plurality of current conductors, the controller
is to:maintain the magnitude of electric current supplied to the second
15 set of the third plurality of current conductors, the second set of the
fourth plurality of current conductors, the second set of the fifth plurality
of current conductors, and the second set of the seventh plurality of
current conductors at the baseline value; and
vary magnitude of electric current supplied to the first set of the
20 third plurality of current conductors, the first set of the fourth plurality
of current conductors, the first set of the fifth plurality of current
conductors, and the first set of the seventh plurality of current
conductors to a value different than the baseline value.
7. The positioning device as claimed in claim 5, wherein, to move the
25 first magnetic element and the second magnetic element translationally in
a direction perpendicular to the first plurality of current conductors and to
the third plurality of current conductors, the controller is to at least one of:decrease magnitude of electric current supplied to the third
plurality of current conductors and to the fifth plurality of current
30 conductors from the baseline value and increase magnitude of electric current to the fourth plurality of current conductors and the seventh
plurality of current conductors from the baseline value; and
decrease magnitude of electric current supplied to the first
plurality of current conductors and the sixth plurality of current
5 conductors from the baseline value and increase magnitude of electric
current supplied to second plurality of current conductors from the
baseline value.
8. The positioning device as claimed in claim 5, wherein, to move the
first magnetic element and the second magnetic element translationally in a direction parallel to the third plurality of conductors, the controller is to:
maintain the magnitude of electric current supplied to the second
set of the first plurality of current conductors, the second set of the
second plurality of current conductors, and the second set of the sixth
plurality of current conductors, and
15 vary magnitude of electric current supplied to the first set of the
first plurality of current conductors, the first set of the second plurality
of current conductors, and the first set of the sixth plurality of current
conductors to a value different from the baseline value.
9. The positioning device as claimed in claim 2, wherein:
20 a lengthwise opening extending across the first PCB and awidthwise opening extending across the first PCB divide the first PCB
into a first segment, a second segment, a third segment, and a fourth
segment,
a lengthwise opening extending across the second PCB and a
25 width wise opening extending across the second PCB divide the
second PCB into a fifth segment, a sixth segment, a seventh segment,
and an eighth segment,
a cavity is formed at the second PCB at an intersection of the
lengthwise opening and the widthwise opening;
30 the fifth segment faces the first segment,the sixth segment faces the second segment,
the seventh segment faces the third segment,
the eighth segment faces the fourth segment,
the first segment comprises the first plurality of current
5 conductors,
the fifth segment comprises the second plurality of current
conductors
the second segment comprises the third plurality of current
conductors,
10 the sixth segment comprises the fourth plurality of current
conductors,
the third segment comprises a fifth plurality of current conductors,
the seventh segment comprises a sixth plurality of currentconductors,
15 the fourth segment comprises a seventh plurality of current
conductors,
the eighth segment comprises an eighth plurality of current
conductors,
each of the first plurality of current conductors, the second
20 plurality of current conductors, the third plurality of current conductors,
the fourth plurality of current conductors, the fifth plurality of current
conductors, the sixth plurality of current conductors, the seventh
plurality of current conductors, and the eighth plurality of current
conductors is divided into a first set and a second set,
25 wherein the positioning device comprises:
the first magnetic element provided between the first
segment and the fifth segment,
a second magnetic element provided between the secondsegment and the sixth segment,
30 a third magnetic element provided between the third
segment and the seventh segment,a fourth magnetic element provided between the fourth
segment and the eighth segment, and
a platform is coupled to the first magnetic element, to the
second magnetic element, to the third magnetic element, and to
5 the fourth magnetic element to support the payload, wherein the
platform is movable along one of: the lengthwise opening of the
second PCB, the width wise opening of the second PCB, and the
cavity, in response to the movement of the first magnetic
element, the second magnetic element, the third magnetic
10 element, and the fourth magnetic element.
10. The positioning device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controller
is to supply a baseline value to the first plurality of current conductors, thesecond plurality of current conductors, the third plurality of current
conductors, the fourth plurality of current conductors, the fifth plurality of
15 current conductors, the sixth plurality of current conductors, the seventh
plurality of current conductors, and the eighth plurality of current conductors
to position the first magnetic element, the second magnetic element, the
third magnetic element, and the fourth magnetic element at an equilibrium
position, wherein the baseline value is a magnitude of electric current
20 supplied to position the first magnetic element, the second magnetic
element, the third magnetic element, and the fourth magnetic element at the
equilibrium position.
11. The positioning device as claimed in claim 10, comprising a controller, wherein, to move the platform in a direction parallel to the third
25 plurality of current conductors, the controller is to:
maintain the magnitude of electric current supplied to the second
set of the second plurality of current conductors, the second set of the
fifth plurality of current conductors, and the second set of the sixth
plurality of current conductors at the baseline value, andvary magnitude of electric current supplied to the first set of the
first plurality of current conductors, the first set of the second plurality
of current conductors, the first set of the fifth plurality of current
conductors, and the first set of the sixth plurality of current conductors
5 to a value different from the baseline value.
12. The positioning device as claimed in claim 10, comprising a
controller, wherein, to move the platform translationally in a direction parallel
to the first plurality of current conductors, the controller is to:
maintain the magnitude of electric current supplied to the second
10 set of the third plurality of current conductors, the second set of the
fourth plurality of current conductors, the second set of the seventh
plurality of current conductors, and the second set of the eighthplurality of current conductors at the baseline value, and
vary magnitude of electric current supplied to the first set of the
15 third plurality of current conductors, the first set of the fourth plurality
of current conductors, the first set of seventh plurality of current
conductors, and the first set of the eighth plurality of current conductors
to a value different from the baseline value.
13. The positioning device as claimed in claim 10, comprising a
20 controller, wherein, to move the platform translationally in a direction
perpendicular to the first plurality of current conductors and to the third
plurality of current conductors, the controller is to at least one of:
decrease the magnitude of electric current supplied to the second
plurality of current conductors and the sixth plurality of current
25 conductors from the baseline value, and
decrease the magnitude of electric current supplied to the fourth plurality of current conductors and the eighth plurality of current
conductors from the baseline value.14. The positioning device as claimed in claim 10, comprising a
controller, wherein to move the platform rotationally with respect to a
direction perpendicular to the first plurality of current conductors and to the
third plurality of current conductors, the controller is to:
5 maintain the magnitude of electric current supplied to the second
set of the fifth plurality of current conductors, the second set of the
sixth plurality of current conductors, the second set of the seventh
plurality of current conductors, and the second set of the eighth
plurality of current conductors at the baseline value, and vary
10 magnitude of electric current supplied to the first plurality of current
conductors, the first set of the second plurality of current conductors,
the first set of the third plurality of current conductors, the first set of the fourth plurality of current conductors, to a value different from the
baseline value such that the first magnetic element and the third
15 magnetic element are movable translationally in a direction parallel to
the third plurality of current conductors and opposite to each other, and
maintain magnitude of electric current supplied to the second set
of the fifth plurality of current conductors, the second set of the sixth
plurality of current conductors, the second set of the seventh plurality
20 of current conductors, and the second set of the eighth plurality of
current conductors at the baseline value, and vary the magnitude of
electric current supplied to the first set of the fifth plurality of current
conductors, the first set of the sixth plurality of current conductors, the
first set of the seventh plurality of current conductors, and the first set
25 of the eighth plurality of current conductors from a value different than
the baseline value such that the second magnetic element and the
fourth magnetic element are movable translationally in a direction
parallel to the first plurality of current conductors and in a direction opposite to each other .15. The positioning device as claimed in claim 10, comprising a
controller, wherein:
the controller is to vary magnitude of electric current supplied to
the first plurality of current conductors, the second plurality of current
5 conductors, the seventh plurality of current conductors, the eighth
plurality of current conductors from the baseline value such that the
first magnetic element and the fourth magnetic element are movable
translationally in a direction perpendicular to the first plurality of current
conductors and the third plurality of current conductors,
10 the controller is to vary magnitude of electric current supplied to
the third plurality of current conductors, the fourth plurality of current
conductors, the fifth plurality of current conductors, the sixth plurality of current conductors from the baseline value such that the second
magnetic element and the third magnetic element are movable
15 translationally in a direction perpendicular to the first plurality of current
conductors and the third plurality of current conductors, wherein the
movement of the first magnetic element and the fourth magnetic
element are in a direction opposite to the movement of the second
magnetic element and the third magnetic element,
20 the platform is movable rotationally with respect to a direction
parallel to the first, in response to the movement of the first magnetic
element, the second magnetic element, the third magnetic element,
and the fourth magnetic element.
16. The positioning device as claimed in claim 10, comprising a
25 controller, wherein:
the controller is to vary magnitude of electric current supplied tothe first plurality of current conductors, the second plurality of current
conductors, the third plurality of current conductors, the fourth plurality
of current conductors from the baseline value such that the first
30 magnetic element and the second magnetic element are movable translationally in a direction perpendicular to the first plurality of current
conductors and the third plurality of current conductors,
the controller is to vary magnitude of electric current supplied to
the fifth plurality of current conductors, the sixth plurality of current
5 conductors, the seventh plurality of current conductors, and the eighth
plurality of current conductors from the baseline value such that the
third magnetic element and the fourth magnetic element are movable
translationally in a direction perpendicular to the first plurality of currentconductors and the third plurality of current conductors, wherein the
10 movement of the first magnetic element and the second magnetic
element are in a direction opposite to the movement of the third
magnetic element and the fourth magnetic element,
the platform is movable rotationally with respect to a direction
parallel to the first, in response to the movement of the first magnetic
15 element, the second magnetic element, the third magnetic element,
and the fourth magnetic element.
17. The positioning device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first
magnetic element, the second magnetic element, the third magnetic
element, the fourth magnetic element, and the platform together form a
20 cross-mark shape.
18. The positioning device as claimed in claim 2, wherein:
a first lengthwise opening extending across the first PCB dividefirst PCB into a first segment and a second segment,
a second lengthwise opening extending across the second PCB
25 divide the second PCB into a third segment and a fourth segment,
the first segment comprises the first plurality of current
conductors and the second plurality of current conductors,
the second segment comprises a fifth plurality of current
conductors and a sixth plurality of current conductors, wherein the fifth
30 plurality of current conductors is parallel to the first plurality of current conductors, wherein the sixth plurality of current conductors is parallel
to the third plurality of current conductors and perpendicular to the fifth
plurality of current conductors,
the third segment comprises the second plurality of current
5 conductors and the fourth plurality of current conductors,
the fourth segment comprises a seventh plurality of current
conductors and an eighth plurality of current conductors, wherein the
seventh plurality of current conductors is parallel to the secondplurality of current conductors, and wherein the eighth plurality of
10 current conductors is perpendicular to the seventh plurality of current
conductors and parallel to the fourth plurality of current conductors,
each of the first plurality of current conductors, the second
plurality of current conductors, the third plurality of current conductors,
the fourth plurality of current conductors, the fifth plurality of current
15 conductors, the sixth plurality of current conductors, the seventh
plurality of current conductors and the eighth plurality of current
conductors is divided into a first set and a second set,
the first magnetic element is positioned between the first
segment and the first PCB,
20 the positioning device comprises:
a second magnetic element positioned between the
second segment and the first PCB,
the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element are
movable translationally between the first PCB and the second PCB in
25 one of: a direction parallel to the first plurality of current conductors, a
direction parallel to the third plurality of current conductors, and a
direction perpendicular to the first plurality of current conductors and
to the third plurality of current conductors by supplying electric current
the fifth plurality of current conductors, the sixth plurality of current
30 conductors, the seventh plurality of current conductors, and the eighth
plurality of current conductors,the payload is movable translationally in one of: a direction
parallel to the first plurality of current conductors, a direction parallel to
the third plurality of current conductors, and a direction perpendicular
to the first plurality of current conductors and to the third plurality of
5 current conductors in response to the movement of the first magnetic
element and the second magnetic element.
19. The positioning device as claimed in claim 18, comprising:
a first link element coupled to the first magnetic element;
a second link element coupled to the first link element by a first
10 hinge;
a third link element coupled to the second link element by a
second hinge and being parallel to the first plurality of current
conductors;
a fourth link element coupled to the third link element by a third hinge;
a fifth link element coupled to the fourth link element by a fourth
hinge and to the second magnetic element;
the first hinge;
the second hinge;
20 the third hinge; and
the fourth hinge;
wherein:
the third link element is movable translationally in a direction
perpendicular to the first plurality of current conductors and the
25 third plurality of current conductors in response to the movement
of the first link element and the third link element translationally
in a direction parallel to the first plurality of current conductors,
the payload being coupled to the second link element, the
payload is movable translationally in a direction perpendicular to
30 the first plurality of current conductors and the third plurality of current conductors in response to the movement of the second
link element.
20. The positioning device as claimed in claim 19, wherein a controller is
to:
5 maintain the magnitude of electric current supplied to the second
set of the third plurality of current conductors and the second set of the
fourth plurality of current conductors, the second set of the sixth
plurality of current conductors and the second set of the eighth plurality
of current conductors at a baseline value, and vary the magnitude of
10 the electric current supplied to the first set of the third plurality of
current conductors, the first set of the fourth plurality of currentconductors, the first set of the sixth plurality of current conductors, and
the first set of the eighth plurality of current conductors to a value
different from the baseline value such that the first magnetic element
15 and the second magnetic element are movable translationally between
the first PCB and the second PCB in a direction parallel to the first
plurality of current conductors and in a direction opposite to each other,
wherein the baseline value is a magnitude of electric current supplied
to position the first magnetic element and the second magnetic
20 element at an equilibrium position.
the second link element is movable in a direction perpendicular
to the first plurality of current conductors and to the third plurality ofcurrent conductors in response to the movement of the first magnetic
element and the second magnetic element.
25 21. A method for positioning a payload on a positioning device, the
method comprising:
Levitating, by a first diamagnetic material layer, a first magnetic
element between a first diamagnetic material layer and a second PCB
due to diamagnetic force caused by the first diamagnetic material
30 layer, wherein the first diamagnetic material layer is disposed on a first PCB, wherein the second PCB faces the first diamagnetic material
layer and is parallel to the first PCB, wherein the first magnetic element
is provided between the first PCB and the second PCB, and wherein
the first magnetic element is to support a payload that is to be
5 positioned; and
Supplying electric current to a first plurality of current conductors
and a second plurality of current conductors to move the first magnetic
element between the first PCB and the second PCB, wherein the first
plurality of current conductors is a part of the first PCB and the second
10 plurality of current conductors is a part of the second PCB, wherein the
second plurality of current conductors is parallel to the first plurality of
current conductors, wherein the first PCB, the second PCB, and the
first magnetic element are a part of the positioning device,
wherein the payload is coupled to the first magnetic element and
15 is movable in response to the movement of the first magnetic element.22. The method as claimed in claim 21, comprising:
increasing magnitude of electric current supplied to a fourth
plurality of current conductors and a seventh plurality of current
conductors from a baseline value and decreasing magnitude of electric
20 current supplied to a third plurality of current conductors and a fifth
plurality of current conductors from the baseline value to move the first
magnetic element between the first PCB and the second PCB and to
move a second magnetic element between the second PCB and a
third PCB in a direction perpendicular to the first plurality of current
25 conductors and to the third plurality of current conductors, wherein the
third PCB faces and is parallel to the second PCB, wherein the second
PCB is positioned between the first PCB and the second PCB, wherein
the second magnetic element is provided between the second PCB
and the third PCB, wherein the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element is to support a payload that is to be positioned, wherein the first PCB comprises the third plurality of current
conductors perpendicular to the first plurality of current conductors,
wherein the second PCB comprises the fourth plurality of current
conductors being perpendicular to the second plurality of current
5 conductors and the fifth plurality of current conductors being
perpendicular to the second plurality of current conductors and parallel
to the fourth plurality of current conductors, wherein the third PCB
comprises a sixth plurality of current conductors being parallel to the
second plurality of current conductors and the seventh plurality of
10 current conductors being perpendicular to the sixth plurality of current
conductors and parallel to the fifth plurality of current conductors
wherein the third PCB and the second magnetic element are a part of
the positioning device, wherein the baseline value is a magnitude of
electric current supplied to position the first magnetic element and thesecond magnetic element at the equilibrium position.
stabilizing levitation, by a second diamagnetic material layer,
third diamagnetic material layer, and a fourth diamagnetic material
layer, of the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element
and the third PCB due to a diamagnetic force caused by the second
20 diamagnetic material layer, the third diamagnetic material layer, and
the fourth diamagnetic material layer, wherein the second diamagnetic
material layer is disposed on a first face of the second PCB, the third
diamagnetic material layer is disposed on a second face of the second
PCB, and the fourth diamagnetic material layer is disposed on the third
25 PCB.
wherein the payload is coupled to the first magnetic element and
the second magnetic element and is movable in response to the
movement of the first magnetic element and the second magnetic
element.
23. The method as claimed in claim 21, comprisingvarying magnitude of electric current supplied to the first plurality
of current conductors, the second plurality of current conductors, a
seventh plurality of current conductors, an eighth plurality of current
conductors to a value different from a baseline value to move the first
5 magnetic element and a fourth magnetic element translationally in a
direction perpendicular to the first plurality of current conductors and a
third plurality of current conductors and varying magnitude of electric
current supplied to the third plurality of current conductors, a fourth
plurality of current conductors, a fifth plurality of current conductors, a
10 sixth plurality of current conductors to a value different from the
baseline value move a second magnetic element and a third magnetic
element translationally in a direction perpendicular to the first plurality
of current conductors and the third plurality of current conductors,
wherein the movement of the first magnetic element and the fourthmagnetic element are in a direction opposite to the movement of the
second magnetic element and the third magnetic element, wherein the
third plurality of current conductors and the seventh plurality of current
conductors are perpendicular to the first plurality of current conductors
and are a part of the first PCB, wherein the fourth plurality of current
20 conductors and the eighth plurality of current conductors are
perpendicular to the second plurality of current conductors and are a
part of the second PCB, wherein the fifth plurality of current conductors
is parallel to the first plurality of current conductors and is a part of the
first PCB, wherein the sixth plurality of current conductors is parallel to
25 the sixth plurality of current conductors and is a part of the second
PCB, wherein the second magnetic element, the third magnetic
element, and the fourth magnetic element are a part of the positioning
device, and wherein the baseline value is a magnitude of electric
current supplied to position the first magnetic element , the second magnetic element, the third magnetic element and the fourth magnetic
element at an equilibrium position.wherein the payload is coupled to the first magnetic element, to
the second magnetic element, the third magnetic element and the
fourth magnetic element and is movable rotationally in a direction
parallel to the first plurality of current conductors, in response to the
5 movement of the first magnetic element and the third magnetic
element.
24. The method as claimed in claim 21, comprising:
varying magnitude of electric current supplied to a first set of a
third plurality of current conductors, a first set of a fourth plurality of
10 current conductors, a first set of a fifth plurality of current conductors,
and a first set of a seventh plurality of current conductors from a
baseline value and maintaining the magnitude of electric current
supplied to a second set of the third plurality of current conductors, a second set of the fourth plurality of current conductors, a second set
15 of the fifth plurality of current conductors, and a second set of the
seventh plurality of current conductors at the baseline value, to move
the first magnetic element and a second magnetic element
translationally in a direction parallel to the first plurality of current
conductors and in a direction opposite to each other, wherein the third
20 plurality of current conductors is perpendicular to the first plurality of
current conductors and is a part of the first PCB, wherein the fourth
plurality of current conductors is perpendicular to the second plurality
of current conductors and is a part of the second PCB, wherein the
fifth plurality of the current conductors is a part of the first PCB and is
25 parallel to the third plurality of current conductors, and wherein the
seventh plurality of current conductors is a part of the second PCB and
is parallel to the fourth plurality of current conductors, wherein each of
the third plurality of current conductors, the fourth plurality of currentconductors, the fifth plurality of current conductors, and the seventh
30 plurality of current conductors is divided into a first set and a secondset, wherein the baseline value is a magnitude of electric current
supplied to position the first magnetic element and the second
magnetic element at an equilibrium position,
wherein the payload is movable translationally in a direction
5 perpendicular to the first plurality of current conductors and to the third
plurality of current conductors, in response to the movement of the first
magnetic element and the second magnetic element.