Patent ID: 7016020

Claim:
A positioning device for positioning an object, comprising: a first drive unit for positioning the object in a first direction within a first operating range, said first drive unit comprising a first part and a second part in which the first part is connected to said object and is movable relative to the second part; a second drive unit for displacing said first drive unit in the first direction within a second operating range that is larger than said first operating range, said second drive unit comprising a first part connected to said second part of said first drive unit and movable relative to a second part of said second drive unit; and a permanent magnet system comprising a permanent magnet connected to either of said object or said first part of said first drive unit and a second part connected to either said second part of said first drive unit or said first part of said second drive unit, wherein said permanent magnet system is configured to generate a force that moves said object in the first direction, said force being a function of a relative position in the first direction of said object and said first part of said second drive unit.