Safety barrier in an independent cart system and method of using the same
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorsYuhong Huang, Sawyer J. Desotelle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A safety barrier for an independent cart system includes a housing with a base and an indicia portion extending from the base. The indicia portion provides a visual indication of a present location for the housing. A magnet is mounted within the base of the housing, and the magnet generates a sensor magnetic field. A sensor is mounted at a fixed location along a track for the independent cart system, and the sensor generates a feedback signal corresponding to the sensor magnetic field. A controller is operative to inhibit travel of a mover at the fixed location along the track when the feedback signal indicates the magnet is proximate the sensor.
Claims20
A system for restricting travel in an independent cart system, comprising:
- a safety barrier, including:
- a housing including a base and an indicia portion extending from the base, wherein the indicia portion provides a visual indication of a present location for the housing, and
- a magnet mounted within the base of the housing, wherein the magnet generates a safety barrier magnetic field;
- a sensor mounted at a fixed location along a track for the independent cart system, wherein the sensor generates a feedback signal corresponding to the safety barrier magnetic field;
- and
- a controller in communication with the sensor to receive the feedback signal and operative to inhibit travel of a mover at the fixed location along the track when the feedback signal indicates the magnet is proximate the sensor, wherein:
- the mover includes a drive magnet mounted on the mover for propulsion along the track,
- the sensor generates a second feedback signal corresponding to a second magnetic field from the drive magnet when the mover is not inhibited from travelling along the track, and
- the second feedback signal is different than the feedback signal corresponding to the safety barrier magnetic field.
A system for restricting travel in an independent cart system, comprising:
- a mover including a drive magnet mounted on the mover, wherein a magnetic field generated by the drive magnet interacts with an electromagnetic field emitted from a track for the independent cart system to propel the mover along the track;
- a safety barrier including a safety magnet mounted within the safety barrier, wherein the safety barrier is positioned at a desired location along a length of the track and the safety magnet generates a sensor magnetic field;
- a plurality of sensors spaced along the length of the track, wherein each of the plurality of sensors generates a first feedback signal corresponding to a present position of the mover along the length of the track when the mover is proximate a corresponding sensor and each of the plurality of sensors generates a second feedback signal corresponding to the safety barrier being positioned at the desired location when the desired location is proximate the corresponding sensor;
- and
- a controller operative to:
- receive the first feedback signal and the second feedback signal from each of the plurality of sensors,
- determine the present position of the mover as a function of the first feedback signal, and
- determine the desired location as a function of the second feedback signal.
A method for restricting travel in an independent cart system, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a safety barrier at a desired location along a length of a track for the independent cart system, wherein the safety barrier includes a magnet generating a safety barrier magnetic field;
- generating a feedback signal corresponding to the safety barrier magnetic field with a sensor mounted at a fixed location along the length of the track;
- receiving the feedback signal at a controller for the track;
- and
- inhibiting travel of a mover at the desired location along the track when the feedback signal indicates the magnet is proximate the sensor, wherein:
- the mover includes a drive magnet mounted on the mover for propulsion along the track,
- the sensor generates a second feedback signal corresponding to a second magnetic field from the drive magnet when the mover is not inhibited from travelling along the track, and
- the second feedback signal is different than the feedback signal corresponding to the safety barrier magnetic field.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.