Method for open-loop and/or closed-loop control of a linear drive, the control device, a linear drive and a system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10971987-B2
Application number	US-201615778165-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2016
Priority date	Nov 24, 2015
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A method for open-loop and/or closed-loop control of a linear drive, a linear drive; and a system, wherein the linear drive includes at least one segment, at least one rotor, at least one machine station and a control device, where the at least one rotor is moved in a direction via the at least one segment, at least a portion of at least one segment is within a region accessible by the machine station, the movement of the at least one rotor is controlled in an open-loop and/or closed-loop manner by the control device and/or control unit, the controlling occurs in accordance with a movement pattern for the rotor, and where the movement of a particular rotor in the region accessible by the associated machine station is specified by a movement profile in accordance with the mode of operation of the associated machine station.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for one of open-loop and closed-loop control of a linear drive comprising at least one segment, at least one rotor, at least one machine station and a control device, the method comprising:
moving the at least one rotor in a direction via the at least one segment, at least a portion of at least one segment being within a region of influence of the at least one machine station;
controlling the movement of the at least one rotor in at least one of an open-loop and closed-loop manner by at least one of (i) the control device and (ii) a control unit, said controlling occurring in according with a movement pattern for the rotor; and
specifying the movement of the at least one rotor within the region of influence of an associated machine station by a movement profile in accordance with a mode of operation of the associated machine station;
wherein a plurality of rotors are transferred together into the region of influence of the associated machine station.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a respective movement profile is specified by one of (i) the control device and (ii) the associated machine station.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the movement of the at least one rotor is specified by the control device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the movement of the at least one rotor is determined during operation of the linear drive.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein determination of the movement pattern is performed by the control device, wherein the movement pattern is implemented through at least the following steps:
a) determining an available number of rotors which are available for the associated machine station,
b) determining a capability of the associated machine station to accept an intended number of rotors,
c) if the available number of rotors is at least as great as the intended number of rotors, the transfer the intended number of rotors into the region of influence of the associated machine station,
d) working through the movement profile of the rotors in the region of influence of the associated machine station,
e) transferring the rotors are out of the region of influence of the associated machine station after the movement profile has been worked through.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein a reduced number of rotors is transferred in step c) into the region of influence of the machine station if a predetermined waiting time has elapsed, and wherein, in step d), a modified movement profile is performed by the rotors.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the modified movement profile depends on a reduced number of rotors which are transferred into the region of influence of the associated machine station.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the modified movement profile depends on a reduced number of rotors which are transferred into the region of influence of the respective machine station.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the region of influence of the machine station is specified by segments which are assigned to the associated machine station.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the rotors are collected outside the region of influence of the associated machine station.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
assigning a succession of machine stations to respective rotors;
wherein the succession indicates a sequence in which the respective rotors pass through the at least one machine station.

12. A control device for a linear drive, comprising:
a processor; and
memory;
wherein the control device is configured to provide at least one of (i) open-loop and (ii) closed-loop control by:
moving the at least one rotor in a direction via the at least one segment, at least a portion of at least one segment being within a region of influence of the at least one machine station;
controlling the movement of the at least one rotor in at least one of an open-loop and closed-loop manner by at least one of (i) the control device and (ii) a control unit, said controlling occurring in according with a movement pattern for the rotor; and
specifying the movement of the at least one rotor within the region of influence of an associated machine station by a movement profile in accordance with a mode of operation of the associated machine station;
wherein a plurality of rotors are transferred together into the region of influence of the associated machine station.

13. A linear drive comprising at least one segment, one or more rotors and the control device as claimed in claim 12 .

14. A system comprising at least one machine station and the linear drive as claimed in claim 13 .

15. The system as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the system comprises one of (i) a machine tool, (ii) a production machine and (iii) packaging machine.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Jaentsch Michael
• Klaus Maximilian
• Rastaetter Gerhard
• Sailer Robin
• Spindler Carsten
• Szathmary Csilla

Classifications

• B65G54/02 Primary

  electrostatic, electric, or magnetic · CPC title

• B65G43/10

  Sequence control of conveyors operating in combination · CPC title

• G05B19/19

  characterised by positioning or contouring control systems, e.g. to control position from one programmed point to another or to control movement along a programmed continuous path · CPC title

• B23Q15/24

  of linear position · CPC title

• G05B2219/41327

  Linear induction motor · CPC title