Controlled motion system
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorsGlen C. Wernersbach, Keith G. Jacobs
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A controlled motion system having a plurality of movers controlled as they travel along both smart and simple sections of a track. The controlled motion system comprises a control system for controlling the speed of a mover as it travels along a simple section, and permits the pitch or distance between movers to increase or decrease as they travel along a simple section. In a preferred embodiment the controlled motion system includes at least one coupling feature having a driving feature on a simple section for engaging and operably driving a driven feature on each mover such that positive control of each mover is maintained throughout its transition from a smart section to a simple section.
Claims17
A controlled motion system comprising:
- a track having at least one simple section and at least one smart section, wherein said at least one smart section comprising active and reactive elements associated with the at least one smart section and movers and configured for driving and controlling a plurality of movers such that said plurality of movers move independently along the at least one smart section;
- at least one motor for moving said movers along said at least one simple section;
- and
- a control system in communication with said at least one motor for controlling the speed of said at least one motor for increasing or decreasing the speed of movers traveling along said at least one simple section.
A controlled motion system comprising:
- a track having at least one simple section and at least one smart section, wherein said at least one smart section comprising active and reactive elements associated with the at least one smart section and movers and configured for driving and controlling a plurality of movers such that said plurality of movers move independently along the at least one smart section;
- at least one motor for moving said movers along said at least one simple section;
- and
- a control system in communication with said at least one motor for controlling the speed of said at least one motor for increasing or decreasing the speed of movers traveling along said at least one simple section, wherein said control system operates to monitor the position of movers traveling along said at least one simple section using the speed of said at least one motor to calculate the position of said movers, and wherein said control system operates to change the pitch between said movers as they travel along said at least one simple section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.