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US 11,053,084 B2Granted
LIM can mover
AssigneeLaitram, L.L.C.
InventorBryant G. Ragan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Can conveyors using various stator coil configurations to spread, gap, align, lane, reject, singulate, and rotate aluminum cans as they are propelled along the length of the conveyor. The electrically conductive cans acting as rotors form linear-induction motors (LIMs) with the stators to move the cans.
Claims19
A can conveyor system comprising:
- a conveyor having a width extending from a first side to a second side, the conveyor conveying cans along a conveying path between the first and second sides;
- a stator including two or more overlapping sets of coils producing electromagnetic flux waves that induce currents in the cans passing the stator along the conveying path, wherein the currents interact with the electromagnetic flux waves to produce forces that divert the cans toward at least one of the first and second sides;
- a flat top surface on which the cans slide and through which an electromagnetic field pattern produced by the electromagnetic flux waves is directed to induce the currents in the cans.
A can conveyor system comprising:
- a conveyor having a width extending from a first side to a second side, the conveyor conveying cans along a conveying path between the first and second sides;
- a stator including one or more sets of coils each producing a field pattern and an electromagnetic flux wave that induces currents in the cans passing the stator along the conveying path, wherein the currents interact with the electromagnetic flux waves to produce forces that divert the cans toward at least one of the first and second sides;
- wherein the field pattern produced by the one or more sets of coils is skewed toward the first side of the conveyor with a maximum field strength closer to the first side than to the second side.
A can conveyor system comprising:
- a conveyor having a width extending from a first side to a second side, the conveyor conveying cans along a conveying path between the first and second sides;
- a stator disposed below the conveying path and including:
- a first set of coils extending in length along the conveying path and in width inward from the first side;
- a second set of coils extending in length along the conveying path and separated from the first set of coils by a seam and extending in width inward from the second side;
- a first coil controller controlling the first set of coils and a second coil controller controlling the second set of coils;
- a pair of side rails confining the cans to a single file straddling the seam;
- wherein the first and second sets of coils produce magnetic flux waves that propel the cans along the conveying path;
- and
- wherein the first and second coil controllers energize the first and second sets of coils at different frequencies to rotate the cans as they are propelled along the conveying path or at the same frequency to avoid rotation.
6 more elements
A can conveyor system comprising:
- a conveyor belt having first and second sides and conveying a stream of cans along an upper carryway run in a direction of belt travel;
- a stator disposed below the carryway run in a central portion of the conveyor belt and producing an electromagnetic flux wave traveling in a direction opposite to the direction of belt travel;
- wherein the electromagnetic flux wave induces currents in the cans passing over the stator that interact with the electromagnetic flux waves to produce forces that impede the motion of the cans in the direction of belt travel to divert the stream toward the first and second sides of the conveyor belt and spread out the cans;
- a flat top surface on which the cans ride and through which an electromagnetic field pattern produced by the electromagnetic flux waves is directed to induce the currents in the cans.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.