Linear motor conveyor system and moving elements therefor providing a reduced tooling pitch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12264022-B2
Application number	US-202318479877-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2023
Priority date	Feb 13, 2017
Publication date	Apr 1, 2025
Grant date	Apr 1, 2025

Abstract

A linear motor conveyor system including: a track comprising a shaped guide rail; a plurality of moving elements, each moving element having: a body; at least two bearings supported by the body and configured to match with the shaped guide rail, wherein the bearings are mounted to the moving element such that the moving elements overlap along the direction of the track providing a reduced tooling pitch between the moving elements. A moving element for moving on a track of a conveyor system, the moving element including: a first set of bearings shaped to match with a first shaped guide rail; a second set of bearings configured to abut against a second guide rail; and a body supporting the first and the second bearing, wherein the body is shaped to allow the first bearing to at least partially overlap the body of an adjacent moving element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A linear motor conveyor system comprising:
a track comprising:
at least one guide rail; and

a plurality of moving elements, each moving element comprising:
a body;
at least one bearing supported by the body and configured to move along the at least one guide rail; and
a bearing suspension system configured to provide suspension to the at least one bearing, wherein the bearing suspension system comprises a vertical rotary axis configured to allow the at least one bearing to pivot in relation to the at least one guide rail.

2. A linear motor conveyor system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one bearing comprises two bearings mounted to the moving element such that the plurality of moving elements overlap along the direction of the track providing a reduced tooling pitch between the moving elements.

3. A linear motor conveyor system according to claim 2 , wherein the guide rail comprises a plurality of guide rails and the two bearings are configured such that different bearings can run on different guide rails to allow the bearings and moving elements to overlap.

4. A linear motor conveyor system according to claim 1 , wherein the track further comprises a second guide rail and wherein the moving element further comprises:
a second set of bearings configured to abut against the second guide rail; and
the bearing suspension system is configured to provide a suspension to the second set of bearings.

5. A linear motor conveyor system according to claim 1 , wherein the bearing suspension system further comprises a thinned body of the moving element configured to bias the at least one bearing towards the at least one guide rail.

6. A linear motor conveyor system according to claim 1 , wherein the bearing suspension system further comprises the at least one bearing having a hollow area in the interior of the bearing.

7. A linear motor conveyor system according to claim 1 , wherein the bearing suspension system further comprises an arm, wherein the arm is configured to support the at least one bearing and bias the at least one bearing toward the at least one guide rail.

8. A moving element for moving on a track of a linear motor conveyor system, the moving element comprising:
at least one magnet for interacting with a linear motor of the track to move the moving element along at least one guide rail using electromagnetic forces;
at least one bearing;
a body supporting the at least one bearing; and
a bearing suspension system configured to provide a suspension to the at least one bearing, wherein the bearing suspension system comprises a vertical rotary axis configured to allow the at least one bearing to pivot in relation to the at least one guide rail.

9. A moving element according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one bearing comprises:
a first set of bearings shaped to match with and abut against a first shaped guide rail of the at least one guide rail;
a second set of bearings configured to abut against a second guide rail of the at least one guide rail; and
a body supporting the first set of bearings and the second set of bearings, wherein the body is shaped to allow at least one of the first set of bearings and the second set of bearings to at least partially overlap the body of an adjacent moving element.

10. A moving element according to claim 9 , wherein the bearing suspension system is configured to provide a suspension to the second set of bearings.

11. A moving element according to claim 8 , wherein the bearing suspension system further comprises a thinned body of the moving element configured to bias the at least one bearing toward the second guide rail.

12. A moving element according to claim 8 , wherein the bearing suspension system further comprises the at least one bearing having a hollow area in the interior of the bearing.

13. A moving element according to claim 8 , wherein the bearing suspension system further comprises an arm, wherein the arm is configured to support the at least one bearing and bias the at least one bearing toward the at least one guide rail.

Assignees

• Ats Corp

Inventors

• Kleinikkink Albert
• Hogan Roger
• Cameron Ian

Classifications

• H02K41/02 Primary

  Linear motors; Sectional motors · CPC title

• H02K41/031

  of the permanent magnet type · CPC title

• B65G35/08

  comprising trains of unconnected load-carriers, e.g. belt sections, movable in a path, e.g. a closed path, adapted to contact each other and to be propelled by means arranged to engage each load-carrier in turn · CPC title

• H02K5/10

  with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers · CPC title

• B65G54/02 Primary

  electrostatic, electric, or magnetic · CPC title