Method for identifying a carriage of a linear transport system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11916499-B2
Application number	US-202117165475-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2021
Priority date	Aug 2, 2018
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

A linear transport system comprises a first carriage and a second carriage, a linear motor for driving the first carriage and the second carriage and a guide rail. The linear motor comprises a stator and a first and a second rotor. The stator has a plurality of drive coils that are arranged along the guide rail individual motor modules comprise a plurality of drive coils. The first rotor is arranged on the first carriage and the second rotor is arranged on the second carriage. The first carriage has a first magnetic field generator. The second carriage has a second magnetic field generator. The first magnetic field generator differs from the second magnetic field generator at least in terms of its magnetic vector field, wherein the magnetic fields of the magnetic field generators are detected to identify the corresponding carriage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for identifying a carriage of a linear transport system,
wherein the linear transport system has a first carriage, a second carriage, a controller and a linear motor for driving the first and the second carriage,
wherein the linear motor comprises a stator having at least two drive coils and comprises a first and a second rotor, wherein the first rotor is arranged on the first carriage and the second rotor is arranged on the second carriage,
wherein the first carriage has a first magnetic field generator that is configured to generate a first magnetic field, and the second carriage has a second magnetic field generator that is configured to generate a second magnetic field,
wherein the first magnetic field generator has a plurality of magnets and the second magnetic field generator has a plurality of magnets,
wherein the magnets of the first magnetic field generator and the magnets of the second magnetic field generator are oriented in each case alternately with the south pole and the north pole facing the motor modules, and
wherein the first magnetic field generator differs from the second magnetic field generator at least in terms of its magnetic vector field, in which the pole orientation of the magnets of the first magnetic field generator of the first carriage is exactly opposite the pole orientation of the magnets of the second magnetic field generator of the second carriage;

the method comprising the following steps:
applying a first control signal to the stator having at least two drive coils, this control signal triggering a first measurement that depends on the magnetic vector field of the magnetic field generators of the two carriages;
receiving at least one first measurement signal associated with one of the two carriages, which measurement signal is based on the first measurement;
identifying the carriage associated with the first measurement signal as the first carriage or as the second carriage based on the at least the first measurement signal, wherein at least one reference value is stored in the controller and is associated with one of the two carriages, wherein the identification of the carriage is based on a comparison between the first measurement signal and the at least one reference value; and
outputting a first or a second identification signal that represents an identification of the carriage associated with the first measurement signal as the first or the second carriage.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a second control signal is applied to the stator having at least two drive coils, this trigging a second measurement that depends on the magnetic vector field of the magnetic field generators of the two carriages, wherein a second measurement signal that is based on the second measurement is received.

3. A method for identifying a carriage of a linear transport system,
wherein the linear transport system has a first carriage, a second carriage, a controller and a linear motor for driving the first and the second carriage,
wherein the linear motor comprises a stator having at least two drive coils and comprises a first and a second rotor, wherein the first rotor is arranged on the first carriage and the second rotor is arranged on the second carriage,
wherein the first carriage has a first magnetic field generator that is configured to generate a first magnetic field, and the second carriage has a second magnetic field generator that is configured to generate a second magnetic field, and
wherein the first magnetic field generator differs from the second magnetic field generator at least in terms of its magnetic vector field;

the method comprising the following steps:
applying a first control signal to the stator having at least two drive coils, this control signal triggering a first measurement that depends on the magnetic vector field of the magnetic field generators of the two carriages;
receiving at least one first measurement signal associated with one of the two carriages, which measurement signal is based on the first measurement;
identifying the carriage associated with the first measurement signal as the first carriage or as the second carriage based on the at least the first measurement signal, wherein at least one reference value is stored in the controller and is associated with one of the two carriages, wherein the identification of the carriage is based on a comparison between the first measurement signal and the at least one reference value; and
outputting a first or a second identification signal that represents an identification of the carriage associated with the first measurement signal as the first or the second carriage;

the method further comprising the following steps:
receiving a first position signal that represents a first position of one of the two carriages,
after receiving the first position signal, outputting at least one first current vector control signal for distributing at least one first current vector via the drive coils based on a first commutation rule to the stator having at least two drive coils as first control signal, in order to drive the carriage located at the first position, and
receiving as the first measurement signal comprises a second position signal, wherein the second position signal represents at least one position of the carriage driven based on the output first current vector control signal after the first current vector control signal has been output, wherein a first kinematic behavior of the carriage is ascertained based on the first position signal and on the second position signal after the first current vector control signal has been output, wherein the carriage is identified as the first or as the second carriage based on the ascertained kinematic travel behavior.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 ,
wherein a first current vector control signal for distributing at least one second current vector via the drive coils based on the first commutation rule to the stator having at least two drive coils as second control signal in order to drive the carriage located at the second position comprises receiving a third position signal as the second measurement signal,
wherein the third position signal represents at least one position of the carriage driven based on the output second current vector control signal after the second current vector control signal has been output,
wherein a second kinematic behavior of the carriage is ascertained based on the second position signal and on the third position signal after the second current vector control signal has been output, and
wherein the carriage is identified as the first or as the second carriage based on the ascertained first and second kinematic travel behavior.

5. A method for identifying a carriage of a linear transport system,
wherein the linear transport system has a first carriage, a second carriage, a controller and a linear motor for driving the first and the second carriage,
wherein the linear motor comprises a stator having at least two drive coils and comprises a first and a second rotor, wherein the first rotor is arranged on the first carriage and the second rotor is arranged on the second carriage,
wherein the first carriage has a first magnetic field generator that is configured to generate a first magnetic field, and the second carriage has a second magnetic field generator that is configured to generate a second magnetic field, and
wherein the first magnetic field generator differs from the second magnetic field generator at least in terms of its magnetic vector field;

the method comprising the following steps:
applying a first control signal to the stator having at least two drive coils, this control signal triggering a first measurement that depends on the magnetic vec

Assignees

• Beckhoff Automation Gmbh

Inventors

• Schönke Tobias
• Grabowski Marco
• Achterberg Jan
• Bettenworth Manuel
• Prüssmeier Uwe

Classifications

• H02P25/064 Primary

  of the synchronous type · CPC title

• B65G54/02

  electrostatic, electric, or magnetic · CPC title

• H02K11/215 Primary

  Magnetic effect devices, e.g. Hall-effect or magneto-resistive elements · CPC title

• H02K41/031

  of the permanent magnet type · CPC title

• H02K16/02

  Machines with one stator and two {or more} rotors · CPC title