Linear drive transport system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9957119-B2
Application number	US-201715456231-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2017
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A linear drive transport system includes a plurality of fixed tracks and a junction track disposed on a conveyor configured to align the junction track with each of the plurality of fixed tracks. The plurality of fixed tracks and the junction track include one of electromagnetic coils or permanent magnets arranged in series along the respective plurality of fixed tracks and the junction track. In addition, the linear drive transport system includes a plurality of movers configured to move along the fixed tracks and configured to transition between each of the plurality of fixed tracks and the junction track when aligned, wherein the movers comprise the other of the electromagnetic coils or the permanent magnets.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A linear drive transport system, comprising:
a plurality of fixed tracks;
a junction track disposed on a conveyor configured to align the junction track with each of the plurality of fixed tracks, wherein the plurality of fixed tracks and the junction track comprise one of electromagnetic coils or permanent magnets arranged in series along the respective plurality of fixed tracks and the junction track, and wherein the conveyor comprises a linear drive;
a plurality of movers configured to move along the plurality of fixed tracks and configured to transition between each of the plurality of fixed tracks and the junction track when aligned, wherein the movers comprise the other of the electromagnetic coils or the permanent magnets; and
at least one sensor disposed at one end of each of the plurality of fixed tracks, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to identify at least one of the plurality of movers that traverses at least one respective fixed track of the plurality of fixed tracks.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor comprises a moving magnet linear drive and the junction track is disposed on a mover of the moving magnet linear drive.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor comprises a moving coil linear drive and the junction track is disposed on a mover of the moving coil linear drive.

4. The system of claim 1 , comprising a maintenance track configured to divert at least one of the plurality of movers for maintenance.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fixed tracks is substantially aligned within a plane and wherein the conveyor comprises a transversely oriented linear drive configured to move the junction track along a path transverse to the plurality of fixed tracks and to align with at least one additional fixed track arranged outside of alignment with the plurality of fixed tracks.

6. The system of claim 1 , comprising an additional plurality of fixed tracks, wherein the additional plurality of fixed tracks includes at least a subset of fixed tracks along which the plurality of movers are configured to move.

7. The system of claim 1 , comprising an additional junction track disposed on an additional conveyor configured to align the additional junction track with one or more of the plurality of fixed tracks, the junction track disposed on the conveyor, or both.

8. The system of claim 1 , comprising the junction track and the conveyor positioned between the plurality of fixed tracks and one or more additional fixed tracks, wherein the conveyor is configured to align the junction track with the one or more additional fixed tracks to facilitate transition of a one of the plurality of movers between the junction track and the one or more additional fixed tracks.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more additional fixed tracks are arranged between the conveyor on which the junction track is disposed and an additional conveyor on which an additional junction track is disposed, the additional conveyor configured to align the additional junction track with the one or more additional fixed tracks.

10. A shuttle system for a linear drive transport system, comprising:
a first conveyor configured to move along a path that is transverse to a plurality of linear drive tracks that are configured to transport a linear drive mover in one of a moving magnet configuration or a moving coil configuration, wherein the first conveyor comprises a linear drive;
a junction track disposed on the first conveyor, wherein the junction track is configured to transport the linear drive mover in the same one of the moving magnet configuration or the moving coil configuration as the plurality of linear drive tracks and wherein the first conveyor is configured to align the junction track with at least a first subset of the plurality of linear drive tracks to facilitate transfer of the linear drive mover there between; and
a second conveyor configured to move along a path that is transverse to a direction of movement of the junction track disposed on the first conveyor, wherein the second conveyor is configured to move the junction track and the first conveyor to align the first conveyor to a first subset or a second subset of the plurality of linear drive tracks, wherein the first subset of the plurality of linear drive tracks and the second subset of the plurality of linear drive tracks are disposed on different parallel planes.

11. The shuttle system of claim 10 , wherein the first conveyor comprises a moving magnet linear drive and the junction track is disposed on a mover of the moving magnet linear drive.

12. The shuttle system of claim 10 , comprising the plurality of linear drive tracks substantially aligned within a plane, wherein the path the first conveyor moves along is transversely oriented relative to the plane.

13. The shuttle system of claim 10 , comprising the linear drive mover including a carriage configured to be disposed about a track segment of the plurality of linear drive tracks or the junction track.

14. The shuttle system of claim 13 , wherein the linear drive mover comprises rollers configured to engage opposite sides of the track segment.

15. The shuttle system of claim 13 , wherein the linear drive mover comprises a tag detector configured to read a tag on an article engaged for transportation via the linear drive mover, the tag detector configured to communicate with a supervisory controller configured to monitor locations of articles within the linear drive transport system.

16. A method of positioning movers in a linear drive transport system, comprising:
aligning a first conveyor to a first subset of a plurality of fixed tracks, wherein the first subset of the plurality of fixed tracks is parallel to a second subset of the plurality of fixed tracks positioned above or below the first subset of the plurality of fixed tracks, wherein the first conveyor is configured to move a junction track to a first fixed track of the plurality of fixed tracks in a single plane;
aligning the junction track with the first fixed track of the plurality of fixed tracks by moving the junction track with the first conveyor on which the junction track is disposed by employing electromagnetic propulsion; and
impelling at least one mover along the first fixed track, transitioning the at least one mover from the first fixed track to the junction track, aligning the junction track with a second fixed track of the plurality of fixed tracks using the first conveyor, and transitioning the at least one mover to the second fixed track under the influence of electromagnetic force resulting from interaction between at least one electromagnet coil and at least one permanent magnet.

17. The method of claim 16 , comprising generating the electromagnetic force using interactions between an array of permanent magnets in the at least one mover and a series of electromagnet coils in the first fixed track and the junction track.

18. The method of claim 17 , comprising generating the electromagnetic force using interactions between the array of permanent magnets in the at least one mover and a portion of the series of electromagnet coils in the second fixed track.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein moving the junction track with the conveyor comprises moving a linear drive mover of the first conveyor on which the junction track is disposed along a linear drive track of the first conveyor, wherein the linear drive mover and the linear drive track of the first conveyor are in one of a moving magne

Assignees

• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc
• Rockwell Automation Tech Inc

Inventors

• Wernersbach Glen C
• Jacobs Keith G
• Higgins Dean L
• Craver James A
• Boyle Peter T

Classifications

• B65G47/648

  about a vertical axis · CPC title

• B65G47/643

  in a vertical plane · CPC title

• B65G47/642

  in a horizontal plane · CPC title

• B65G54/02 Primary

  electrostatic, electric, or magnetic · CPC title

• B65G54/025

  the load being magnetically coupled with a piston-like driver moved within a tube · CPC title