US 10,239,418 B2Granted

Multi-trajectory track and mover system

AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.

InventorsMichael Wayne Cromheecke, Oliver Charles Wexner Haya, Paul Jerome Grosskreuz, Jeffrey William Dujmovic

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A linear drive transport system may include a track that includes first, second, third, and fourth track surfaces that define perimeter boundaries of the track and a magnetic drive system. The first, second, third, and fourth track surfaces include first, second, third, and fourth trajectories about the track, respectively, which are each different from one another. A mover may move along the track and include first and second leading bearings that interact with the first and second track surfaces, respectively, and first and second lagging bearings that interact with the third and fourth track surfaces, respectively, and a reaction element that interacts with the magnetic drive system to generate a propulsive force. The first and second leading bearings may be coupled to the mover at a first fixed distance from one another, and the first and second lagging bearings may be coupled to the mover at a similar distance.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A linear drive transport system, comprising:

a track comprising a plurality of contact surfaces, wherein the contact surfaces define perimeter boundaries of the track;
a mover comprising a plurality of bearings configured to engage the plurality of contact surfaces and configured to move along the track via a magnetic drive system;
first, second, third, and fourth contact surfaces of the plurality of contact surfaces, wherein the first and second contact surfaces are positioned opposite one another and the third and fourth contact surfaces are positioned opposite one another, wherein the first and second contact surfaces are uniformly spaced apart along straightaway portions of the track by a first spacing distance and the third and fourth contact surfaces are uniformly spaced apart along the straightaway portions of the track by a second spacing distance;
a first leading bearing of the mover engaging the first contact surface and a second leading bearing disposed opposite the first leading bearing and engaging the second contact surface, wherein the first and second leading bearings are coupled to a body of the mover a first fixed distance from one another;
a first trailing bearing of the mover engaging the third contact surface and a second trailing bearing disposed opposite the first trailing bearing and engaging the fourth contact surface, wherein the first and second trailing bearings are coupled to the body of the mover a second fixed distance from one another, the first trailing bearing is coupled to the body of the mover a third fixed distance from the first leading bearing, and the second trailing bearing is coupled to the body of the mover a fourth fixed distance from the second leading bearing;
and
curved portions of the track wherein the first contact surface defines a portion of the perimeter boundary with a first trajectory different than a second trajectory of the second contact surface in the corresponding curved portions of the track, wherein the first and second trajectories maintain contact with the first and second leading bearings throughout the curved portions the track, wherein the first and second contact surfaces are spaced apart along the curved portions of the track by a third spacing distance different from the first spacing distance.

4 more elements

A linear drive transport system, comprising:

a track comprising:
a first track surface, a second track surface, a third track surface, and a fourth track surface that define perimeter boundaries of the track, wherein the first track surface comprises a first trajectory about the track, the second track surface comprises a second trajectory about the track, the third track surface comprises a third trajectory about the track, and the fourth track surface comprises a fourth trajectory about the track, and the first trajectory, the second trajectory, the third trajectory, and the fourth trajectory are each different from one another, wherein the first track surface and the second track surface each bow toward an outer edge of the track while the third track surface and the fourth track surface each maintain a straight path where a straight section of the track transitions to a curved section of the track;
and
a magnetic drive system;
and
at least one mover configured to move along the track, wherein the at least one mover comprises:
a first leading bearing that interacts with the first track surface, a second leading bearing that interacts with the second track surface, a first lagging bearing that interacts with the third track surface, and a second lagging bearing that interacts with the fourth track surface, wherein the first leading bearing and the second leading bearing are coupled to the at least one mover at a first fixed distance from one another, and the first lagging bearing and the second lagging bearing are coupled to the at least one mover at a second fixed distance that is equal to the first fixed distance;
and
a reaction element configured to interact with the magnetic drive system of the track to generate a propulsive force on the mover.

6 more elements

A track of a linear drive transport system, comprising:

a magnetic drive system disposed along the track and configured to interact with a reaction element of a mover to provide a propulsive force on the mover that propels the mover about the track;
and
a first track surface, a second track surface, a third track surface, and a fourth track surface that define perimeter boundaries of the track;
and
a curved portion;
wherein the first track surface comprises a first trajectory about the track, the second track surface comprises a second trajectory about the track, the third track surface comprises a third trajectory about the track, and the fourth track surface comprises a fourth trajectory about the track, and the first trajectory, the second trajectory, the third trajectory, and the fourth trajectory are each different from one another;
wherein the third track surface is disposed beneath the first track surface;
wherein the first trajectory is deeper than the third trajectory along the curved portion;
and
wherein the first track surface, the second track surface, the third track surface, and the fourth track surface are configured to maintain contact with bearings of the mover as the mover travels about the track.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/188,203Filed 21 Jun 2016
Published: US 2017/0361731 A121 Dec 2017
Granted: 26 Mar 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B60L 13/03
Electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways; Magnetic suspension or levitation for vehicles: electric…
B61B 13/12
Other railway systems: systems with propulsion devices between or alongside the rails, e.g. pneumatic systems
B60L 2200/26
Type of vehicles: rail vehicles
B60L
Electric vehicle propulsion