Method and apparatus to diagnose a linear synchronous motor system
AssigneeMagneMotion, Inc.
InventorYuhong Huang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for detecting and reporting component failures in a linear drive system may identify failed position sensors, failed position magnets, and failed drive coils in the linear drive system. As a mover travels along a track segment in the linear drive system, signals corresponding to the position of the mover and to the current commanded in each drive coil are stored. Analysis of the stored signals identifies whether one of the position sensors along the track segment, one of the position magnets on the movers, or one of the drive coils, used to propel the movers along the track, has failed.
Claims20
A system for detecting a component failure in a linear drive system, comprising:
- a plurality of movers, wherein each of the plurality of movers includes at least one position magnet mounted to the mover;
- a track including a plurality of track segments defining a closed path along which each of the plurality of movers travels, wherein each of the plurality of track segments includes:
- a plurality of drive coils spaced along the track segment;
- and
- a plurality of position sensors spaced along the track segment, wherein each of the position sensors is operative to detect the at least one position magnet mounted to each mover and to generate a position feedback signal corresponding to the at least one position magnet detected in proximity to the position sensor;
- a memory device operative to store the position feedback signal;
- and
- a processor in communication with the memory device, wherein the processor receives the position feedback signal from each of the plurality of position sensors and wherein the processor is operative to:
- store the position feedback signal from each of the plurality of position sensors on one of the track segments in the memory device as a mover travels along the corresponding track segment,
- compare one cycle of each of the stored position feedback signals to one cycle of each of the other stored position feedback signals, and
- generate a fault signal when one of the stored position feedback signals differs from the other stored position feedback signals.
A method for detecting a component failure in a linear drive system, wherein the linear drive system includes a plurality of movers operative to travel along a track and wherein the track includes a plurality of track segments, the method comprising the steps of:
- generating a current reference signal for each of a plurality of drive coils with a processor for the linear drive system, wherein the plurality of drive coils are spaced along one of the track segments and wherein energization of the drive coils causes a first mover, selected from the plurality of movers, to travel along the track segment;
- storing in a memory device the current reference signal for each of the plurality of drive coils as the mover travels along the track segment;
- generating a plurality of position feedback signals, wherein each of the plurality of position signals is generated by a position sensor spaced along the track segment and is generated responsive to at least one position magnet located on the first mover passing the position sensor as the first mover travels along the track segment;
- storing in the memory device each of the plurality of position feedback signals as the mover travels along the track segment;
- comparing each of the stored position feedback signals to each of the other stored position feedback signals with the processor;
- and
- generating a fault signal with the processor when one of the stored position feedback signals differs from the other stored position feedback signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.