Long stator linear motor and method for moving a transport unit of a long stator linear motor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10454355-B2
Application number	US-201816022072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2018
Priority date	Jun 29, 2017
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

In a transition of a transport unit of a long stator linear motor from a first control zone to a following second control zone in a movement direction, a first segment control unit is responsible for controlling the movement of the transport unit and the first control zone is extended, in the movement direction, by a number of virtual drive coils. The first segment control unit, which is assigned to the first control zone, calculates manipulated variables for the virtual drive coils, and transmits the manipulated variables for the virtual drive coils to the second segment control unit, which is assigned to the second control zone. The second segment control unit uses the transmitted manipulated variables for the virtual drive coils in order to energize the drive coils of the second control zone for moving the transport unit.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for moving a transport unit comprising an arrangement of drive magnets in a movement direction along a long stator of a long stator linear motor, wherein the long stator being divided into at least a first control zone comprising a plurality of drive coils and a second control zone comprising a plurality of drive coils, wherein the first control zone being controlled by a first segment control unit and the second control zone being controlled by a second segment control unit in that in a control zone the assigned segment control unit calculates the manipulated variables for energizing the drive coils in the control zone that are required for moving the transport unit, as long as, in order to move the transport unit, exclusively drive coils in one control zone are energized, characterized in that, during the transition of the transport unit from the first control zone, in the movement direction, to the following second control zone, wherein drive coils of the first control zone and of the second control zone being energized in order to move the transport unit, initially the first segment control unit remains responsible for controlling the movement of the transport unit and the first control zone is extended, in the movement direction, by a number of virtual drive coils and the first segment control unit that is assigned to the first control zone also calculates the necessary manipulated variables for the required virtual drive coils, in that the first segment control unit transmits the necessary manipulated variables for the required virtual drive coils to the second segment control unit that is assigned to the second control zone, and In that the second segment control unit uses the transmitted manipulated variables for the required virtual drive coils in order to energize the drive coils of the second control zone that are required for moving the transport unit.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second segment control unit assigns the virtual drive coils of the first control zone to drive coils of the second control zone, and uses the received manipulated variables of the virtual drive coils for energizing the assigned drive coils of the second control zone.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, after a defined time point of the transition, the responsibility for controlling the movement of the transport unit switches to the second segment control unit of the second control zone and the second control zone is extended, counter to the movement direction, by a number of virtual drive coils and the second segment control unit that is assigned to the second control zone also calculates the manipulated variables for the required virtual drive coils, in that the second segment control unit transmits the necessary manipulated variables for the required virtual drive coils to the first segment control unit that is assigned to the first control zone, and in that the first segment control unit uses the transmitted manipulated variables for the required virtual drive coils in order to energize the drive coils of the first control zone that are required for moving the transport unit.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the first segment control unit assigns the virtual drive coils of the second control zone to drive coils of the first control zone and uses the received manipulated variables of the virtual drive coils for energizing the assigned drive coils of the first control zone.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the responsibility switches from the first segment control unit to the second segment control unit when the center of the arrangement of the drive magnets of the transport unit transitions from the first control zone to the second control zone.

6. Long stator linear motor comprising a plurality of drive coils that form a long stator of the long stator linear motor, along which a transport unit comprising, an arrangement of drive magnets can be moved in a movement direction, wherein the long stator being divided into at least a first control zone comprising a plurality of drive coils and a second control zone comprising, a plurality of drive coils, wherein a first segment control unit for controlling the drive coils of the first control zone is assigned to the first control zone and a second segment control unit for controlling the drive coils of the second control zone is assigned to the second control zone, wherein the transport unit is moved in that in a control zone the assigned segment control unit calculates the manipulated variables for energizing the drive coils in the control zone that are required for moving the transport unit as long as the transport unit is located exclusively in one control zone, wherein, during the transition of the transport unit from the first control zone, in the movement direction, to the following, second control zone, wherein drive coils of the first control zone and of the second control zone are to be energized in order to move the transport unit, initially the first segment control unit remains responsible for controlling the movement of the transport unit and the first segment control unit calculates manipulated variables for a number of virtual drive coils that virtually adjoin the first control zone in the movement direction, and in that a data communication line is provided which connects the first segment control unit to the second segment control unit and transmits the necessary manipulated variables for the required virtual drive coils to the second segment control unit, and in that the second segment control unit uses the transmitted manipulated variables for the required virtual drive coils in order to energize the drive coils of the second control zone that are required for moving the transport unit.

7. The long stator linear motor according to claim 6 , wherein the second segment control unit assigns the virtual drive coils of the first control zone to drive coils of the second control zone, and uses the received manipulated variables of the virtual drive coils for energizing the assigned drive coils of the second control zone.

8. The long stator linear motor according to claim 6 , wherein, after a defined time point of the transition, the responsibility for controlling the movement of the transport unit switches to the second segment control unit of the second control zone, and the second segment control unit calculates manipulated variables for a number of virtual drive coils that are located virtually in front of the second control zone in the movement direction, in that the second segment control unit transmits the necessary manipulated variables for the required virtual drive coils to the first segment control unit, and in that the first segment control unit uses the transmitted manipulated variables for the required virtual drive coils in order to energize the drive coils of the first control zone that are required for moving the transport unit.

9. The long stator linear motor according to claim 6 , wherein the first segment control unit assigns the virtual drive coils of the second control zone to drive coils of the first control zone, and uses the received manipulated variables of the virtual drive coils for energizing the assigned drive coils of the first control zone.

10. The long stator linear motor according to claim 8 , wherein the responsibility switches from the first segment control unit to the second segment control unit when the center of the arrangement of the drive magnets of the transport unit transitions from the first control zone to the second control zone.

Assignees

• B & R Ind Automation Gmbh

Inventors

• Weber Andreas
• Plainer Manuel
• Brucker Stefan

Classifications

• B60L15/40

  Adaptation of control equipment on vehicle for remote actuation from a stationary place (devices along the route for controlling devices on rail vehicles B61L3/00; central rail-traffic control systems B61L27/00) · CPC title

• B65G54/02

  electrostatic, electric, or magnetic · CPC title

• H02K41/033

  with armature and magnets on one member, the other member being a flux distributor · CPC title

• B65G43/10

  Sequence control of conveyors operating in combination · CPC title

• B60L13/03 Primary

  Electric propulsion by linear motors · CPC title