US 12,545,506 B2Granted

System for zero radius direction change in an independent cart system

AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.

InventorsYuhong Huang, Daniel I. Lanier

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Abstract

A system for zero radius direction changes in an independent cart system includes a drive magnet array movably mounted to a mover. The drive magnet array includes at least one drive magnet configured to engage an electromagnetic field generated by coils extending along a track and a first engagement member for selectively positioning the drive magnet array between at least a first position and a second position. A switch track segment defines at least a first and second path for the mover. The first path includes coils to generate the electromagnetic field along the first path, and the second path includes coils to generate the electromagnetic field to along the second path. The drive magnet array is aligned with the first path when the drive magnet array is in the first position and with the second path when the drive magnet array is in the second position.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for changing direction in an independent cart system, comprising:

a mover, further comprising:
a body, and
a drive magnet array movably mounted to the body, the drive magnet array, including:
at least one drive magnet, and
a first engagement member for positioning the drive magnet array;
a plurality of track segments, wherein each track segment includes a plurality of coils spaced along a length of the track segment and wherein the plurality of coils are selectively energized to generate an electromagnetic field that interacts with the drive magnet array to propel the mover along the track segment;
and
a switch track segment, further comprising:
a first path extending across the switch track segment in a first direction, wherein the first path includes a first plurality of coils to propel the mover along the first path;
a second path extending across the switch track segment in a second direction, wherein the second direction is different than the first direction, the second path intersects the first path, and the second path includes a second plurality of coils to propel the mover along the second path;
and
a second engagement member, wherein the second engagement member selectively engages the first engagement member to position the drive magnet array between a first position, aligned with the first path, and a second position, aligned with the second path.

9 more elements

A system for changing direction in an independent cart system, comprising:

a mover, further comprising:
a first magnet array mounted on the mover and extending in a first direction on the mover, and
a second magnet array mounted on the mover and extending in a second direction on the mover,
a plurality of track segments, wherein each track segment includes a plurality of coils spaced along a length of the track segment and wherein the plurality of coils are selectively energized to generate an electromagnetic field that interacts with either the first magnet array or the second magnet array to propel the mover along the track segment;
and
a bidirectional track segment, wherein:
the bidirectional track segment includes a first plurality of coils arranged in a first direction along a first length of the bidirectional track segment,
the bidirectional track segment includes a second plurality of coils arranged in a second direction along a second length of the bidirectional track segment,
the first plurality of coils are selectively energized to generate an electromagnetic field that interacts with the first magnet array to propel the mover in the first direction along the bidirectional track segment, and
the second plurality of coils are selectively energized to generate an electromagnetic field that interacts with the second magnet array to propel the mover in the second direction along the bidirectional track segment.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.