# US 10,483,895 B2 · Method and apparatus for wireless power transfer to an independent moving cart

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- Number: US 10,483,895 B2
- Document ID: US10483895B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/686,752
- Filed: 2017-08-25
- Published: 2019-02-28
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-08-25
- Assignees: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Xikai Sun; Peter M. Smit; Oliver C. Haya; Mark R. Cooper; Nanwei Yao
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483895B2

## CPC

- H02P 25/064: of the synchronous type
- B60L 15/005: {for control of propulsion for vehicles propelled by linear motors}
- B60L 15/007: {Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles}
- H01F 38/14: Inductive couplings
- H02J 50/10: using inductive coupling
- H02K 41/031: {of the permanent magnet type}
- H02P 6/006: {Controlling linear motors}
- H02P 6/04: Arrangements for controlling or regulating the speed or torque of more than one motor (H02P6/10 takes precedence)
- H02P 27/06: using DC to AC converters or inverters (H02P27/05 takes precedence)
- B60L 2200/26: Rail vehicles
- B65G 54/02: electrostatic, electric, or magnetic
- Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility
- H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53})
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A system and method for wirelessly providing power to independent movers traveling along a track includes a sliding transformer to transfer power between the track and each mover. The sliding transformer includes a primary winding extending along the track and a secondary winding mounted to each mover. Each of the primary and secondary windings may be formed of a single coil or multiple coils. The primary and secondary windings are generally aligned with each other and extend along the track and along the mover in the direction of travel with an air gap present between the windings. A power converter on the mover may regulate the power supplied to the mover to control an actuator or a sensor mounted on the mover or to activate drive coils mounted on the mover to interact with magnets mounted along the track and, thereby, control motion of each mover.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for wireless power transfer in a motion control system, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of movers;
a plurality of electrical devices; wherein at least one of the electrical devices is mounted to each of the plurality of movers;
a closed track defining a continuous path along which each of the plurality of movers travels;
a primary winding mounted along the closed track including a primary forward conduction path and a primary reverse conduction path, wherein the primary forward conduction path and the primary reverse conduction path are spaced apart from each other and extend longitudinally in a direction of travel along the continuous path and wherein the primary winding is configured to receive power from a power supply;
a plurality of secondary windings, wherein:
each secondary winding is mounted to one of the plurality of movers,
each secondary winding includes a secondary forward conduction path and a secondary reverse conduction path,
the secondary forward conduction path and the secondary conduction path are spaced apart from each other and extend along the mover in the direction of travel, and
each of the secondary forward and reverse conduction paths are generally aligned with the primary forward and reverse conduction paths with an air gap separating the secondary forward and reverse conduction paths from the primary forward and reverse conduction paths as the mover travels along the closed track; and
a plurality of power converters, wherein each of the plurality of power converters is mounted to one of the plurality of movers and is operative to receive power from the secondary winding mounted to the mover and to supply power to the at least one electrical device mounted on the mover.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the primary forward and reverse conduction paths are aligned in a first plane, the secondary forward and reverse conduction paths are aligned in a second plane, the first plane is parallel to the second plane, and the first plane is spaced apart from the second plane by the air gap.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the primary forward conduction path is defined by a first bus bar and the primary reverse conduction path is defined by a second bus bar.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the primary forward and reverse conduction paths are defined by a plurality of electrical conductors defining a winding extending along the closed track.

### Claim 5

The apparatus of claim/wherein the closed track includes a plurality of track segments, the primary winding includes a plurality of windings, and each of the plurality of windings for the primary winding extends longitudinally along one of the plurality of track segments.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a power converter operative to generate an AC voltage having a variable amplitude and a varying frequency, wherein the power converter is the power supply connected to the primary winding.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the primary winding is connected to a utility power supply.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of motor drives, wherein each motor drive is mounted to one of the plurality of movers and wherein each motor drive includes:
a rectifier section, wherein an input of the rectifier section is connected to and receives power from the secondary winding mounted to the corresponding mover and an output of the rectifier section is connected to a dc bus, and
an inverter section, wherein an input of the inverter section is connected to and receives power from the dc bus and wherein the motor drive is operative to provide a variable amplitude and variable frequency voltage at an output of the inverter section; and
a plurality of drive coils mounted to each mover and connected to the output of the inverter section to receive the variable amplitude and variable frequency voltage.

### Claim 9

A method for wirelessly transferring power between a plurality of movers in a motion control system and a closed track along which each of the plurality of movers travels, the method comprising the steps of:
providing power from a power supply to a primary winding mounted along the closed track, wherein the primary winding includes a primary forward conduction path and a primary reverse conduction path spaced apart from each other and extending longitudinally in a direction of travel along the closed track; and
positioning a plurality of movers along the closed track, wherein each of the plurality of movers includes:
a secondary winding having a secondary forward conduction path and a secondary reverse conduction path, wherein:
the secondary forward conduction path and the secondary reverse conduction path are spaced apart from each other and extend along the mover in the direction of travel, and
each of the secondary forward and reverse conduction paths are generally aligned with the primary forward and reverse conduction paths with an air gap separating the secondary forward and reverse conduction paths from the primary forward and reverse conduction paths as the mover travels along the closed track; and
a power converter operative to receive power from the secondary winding mounted to the mover and to supply power to at least one electrical device mounted on the mover.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the primary forward and reverse conduction paths are aligned in a first plane, the secondary forward and reverse conduction paths are aligned in a second plane, the first plane is parallel to the second plane, and the first plane is spaced apart from the second plane by the air gap.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the closed track includes a plurality of track segments, the primary winding includes a plurality of windings, and each of the plurality of windings for the primary winding extends longitudinally along one of the plurality of track segments.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein a power converter is operative to generate an AC voltage having a variable amplitude and a varying frequency and wherein the power converter is the power supply connected to the primary winding.

### Claim 13

An apparatus for wireless power transfer in a motion control system, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of movers;
a closed track defining a continuous path along which each of the plurality of movers travels;
a primary winding mounted along the closed track including a primary forward conduction path and a primary reverse conduction path;
a plurality of secondary windings, wherein:
each secondary winding is mounted to one of the plurality of movers,
each secondary winding includes a secondary forward conduction path and a secondary reverse conduction path, and
each secondary winding is operative to receive power from the primary winding as the mover travels along the closed track;
a plurality of motor drives, wherein each motor drive is mounted to one of the plurality of movers and wherein each motor drive includes:
a rectifier section, wherein an input of the rectifier section is operative to receive power from the secondary winding mounted to the corresponding mover and an output of the rectifier section is connected to a de bus, and
an inverter section, wherein an input of the inverter section is operative to receive power from the dc bus and wherein the motor drive is operative to provide a variable amplitude and variable frequency voltage at an output of the inverter section; and
a plurality of drive coils mounted to each mover and connected to the output of the inverter section on the corresponding mover to receive the variable amplitude and variable frequency voltage.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:
a plurality of electrical devices, wherein at least one of the electrical devices is mounted to each of the plurality of movers; and
a plurality of power converters, wherein:
each of the plurality of power converters is mounted to one of the plurality of movers,
each of the plurality of power converters is operative to receive power from one of the secondary winding and the de bus of the corresponding motor drive mounted to the mover, and
each of the plurality of power converters is operative to supply power to the at least one electrical device mounted on the mover.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the primary forward and reverse conduction paths are aligned in a first plane, the secondary forward and reverse conduction paths are aligned in a second plane, the first plane is parallel to the second plane, and the first plane is spaced apart from the second plane by an air gap.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the primary forward conduction path is defined by a first bus bar and the primary reverse conduction path is defined by a second bus bar.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the primary forward and reverse conduction paths are defined by a plurality of electrical conductors defining a winding extending along the closed track.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the closed track includes a plurality of track segments, the primary winding includes a plurality of windings, and each of the plurality of windings for the primary winding extends longitudinally along one of the plurality of track segments.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a power converter operative to generate an AC voltage having a variable amplitude and a varying frequency, wherein the power converter is the power supply connected to the primary winding.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the primary winding is connected to a utility power supply.