US 11,767,180 B1Granted

Systems and methods to perform perpendicular changes in container shuttle direction

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsRajeev Dwivedi, Vivek S. Narayanan, Ganesh Krishnamoorthy, Mohit Malik, Michael Alan Bray

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Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for shuttle turning systems having linear synchronous motors. In one embodiment, an example system for shuttle transportation may include a first linear synchronous motor arranged in a first orientation, a second linear synchronous motor arranged in a second orientation that is transverse to the first orientation, and a shuttle. The shuttle may have a first permanent magnet coupled to the shuttle and a second permanent magnet coupled to the shuttle, where the first permanent magnet is arranged parallel to the first orientation and the second permanent magnet is arranged parallel to the second orientation. The shuttle may be configured to be propelled in a first direction via the first linear synchronous motor and the first permanent magnet, and to be propelled in a second direction via the second linear synchronous motor and the second linear synchronous motor.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a first track having a first incline angle;
a second track coupled to the first track, the second track having a second incline angle and arranged perpendicular to the first track;
a first linear synchronous motor arranged in a first orientation along the first track;
a second linear synchronous motor arranged in a second orientation along the second track, wherein the second orientation is perpendicular to the first orientation;
and
a shuttle configured to transport individual items from a first location to a second location using the first track and the second track, wherein the shuttle is configured to move directly from the first track to the second track, the shuttle comprising:
a shuttle comprising a first permanent magnet coupled to the shuttle, wherein the first permanent magnet is arranged parallel to the first orientation;
and
a second permanent magnet coupled to the shuttle, wherein the second permanent magnet is arranged parallel to the second orientation;
wherein the shuttle is configured to be propelled in a first direction via the first linear synchronous motor and the first permanent magnet, and to be propelled in a second direction via the second linear synchronous motor and the second permanent magnet, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/532,711Filed 22 Nov 2021
Granted: 26 Sep 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B65G 54/02
Non-mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for: electrostatic, electric, or magnetic
B65G 1/0485
Mechanical: check-in, check-out devices
B65G 35/06
Mechanical conveyors not otherwise provided for: comprising a load-carrier moving along a path, e.g. a closed path, and adapted to be engaged by…
H02K 41/02
Propulsion systems in which a rigid body is moved along a path due to dynamo-electric interaction between the body and a magnetic field…