Electromagnetic switch for sliding shoe sorter conveyor system utilizing reversed current flow in electromagnet coil
AssigneeLafayette Engineering, Inc.
InventorsRobert Bruce Robbins, Timothy Lee Johnson, II, Michael Mckenna, Charles O. Burdine, II, Daniel Blake Robbins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method, electromagnetic switch, controller and program product, when energizing an electromagnetic coil to urge a selected shoe into a diverting path downstream of the electromagnetic switch, reverse current flow during at least a portion of the time that the electromagnetic coil is energized to recover energy from the electromagnetic coil.
Claims45
A method of diverting a shoe on a conveyor with an electromagnetic switch configured to selectively direct the shoe from an input path to one of a non-diverting path and a diverting path, the method comprising:
- energizing an electromagnetic coil of the electromagnetic switch to generate a magnetic field urging the shoe towards the diverting path, wherein energizing the electromagnetic coil includes supplying an electrical current to the electromagnetic coil;
- and
- while generating the magnetic field with the electromagnetic coil, alternating between supplying electrical current to the electromagnetic coil and reversing current flow through the electromagnetic coil to recover energy from the electromagnetic coil.
An electromagnetic switch for selectively directing a shoe on a conveyor from an input path to one of a non-diverting path and a diverting path, the electromagnetic switch comprising:
- an electromagnetic coil;
- and
- a drive circuit coupled to the electromagnetic coil, the drive circuit configured to energize the electromagnetic coil to generate a magnetic fieldurging the shoe towards the diverting path, wherein the drive circuit is further configured to, during energization of the electromagnetic coil, alternate between supplying electrical current to the electromagnetic coil and reversing current flow through the electromagnetic coil to recover energy from the electromagnetic coil.
A controller for an electromagnetic switch configured to selectively direct a shoe on a conveyor from an input path to one of a non-diverting path and a diverting path, the controller comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- program code executable by the one or more processors to:
- energize an electromagnetic coil of the electromagnetic switch to generate a magnetic field urging the shoe towards the diverting path,
- wherein the controller is configured to energize the electromagnetic coil by causing an electrical current to be supplied to the electromagnetic coil;
- and
- while the electromagnetic coil is energized to generate the magnetic field, alternate between causing the electrical current to be supplied to the electromagnetic coil and causing current flow to be reversed through the electromagnetic coil to recover energy from the electromagnetic coil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.