Lim-driven roller transfer apparatus
AssigneeLaitram, L.L.C.
InventorsB.L.J. Gysen, J.W. Jansen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An activated roller transfer apparatus for transferring articles between one conveyor and another. The roller transfer apparatus comprises a linear-induction-motor stator as a primary and electrically conductive article-supporting rollers as a secondary. The linear-motor stator generates a traveling magnetic flux wave that induces eddy currents in the rollers. The eddy currents produce magnetic fields that interact with the flux wave to produce forces that rotate the rollers to propel articles across a gap between the ends of the two conveyors. The stator is generally trapezoidal in shape to comport with the shape of the gap.
Claims28
A conveyor transfer apparatus comprising:
- an array of electrically conductive rollers rotatable on axes perpendicular to a conveying direction;
- a stator disposed below the array of electrically conductive rollers and including a magnetic core having:
- a short side;
- a long side parallel to the short side, wherein the long side is nearer the array of electrically conductive rollers than the short side and extends in a conveying direction from a first end to a second end;
- a plurality of slots spaced apart in the conveying direction and extending in depth from the long side toward the short side and in length transverse to the conveying direction to form poles with pole faces on the long side between consecutive slots and first and second end faces on the long side at the first and second ends;
- windings in the slots and around the poles to generate a magnetic flux wave traveling along the conveying direction to induce eddy currents in the array of electrically conductive rollers and cause the electrically conductive rollers to rotate in the conveying direction.
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A linear-motor stator comprising:
- a magnetic core including:
- a short side;
- a long side parallel to the short side and joined by first and second end sides to form a generally trapezoidal cross section;
- a plurality of slots spaced apart between the first and second end sides and extending in depth from the long side toward the short side to form poles with pole faces on the long side between consecutive slots and first and second end faces on the long side at the first and second end sides;
- windings in the slots and around the poles to generate a magnetic flux wave traveling along the long side.
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A conveyor system comprising:
- a first conveyor and a second conveyor extending in a conveying direction to an exit end;
- the second conveyor arranged end to end with the first conveyor across a gap and extending in the conveying direction from an entrance end;
- a transfer apparatus disposed in the gap and including:
- an array of electrically conductive rollers rotatable on axes perpendicular to the conveying direction;
- a linear-motor stator disposed below the array of electrically conductive rollers and including a magnetic core having:
- a short side;
- a long side parallel to the short side, wherein the long side is nearer the array of electrically conductive rollers than the short side and extends in the conveying direction from a first end to a second end;
- wherein the first end overlaps a portion of the first conveyor at the exit end and the second end overlaps a portion of the second conveyor at the entrance end.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.