Abstract: A method and system for detecting and reporting component failures in a linear drive system may identify failed position sensors, failed position magnets, and failed drive coils in the linear drive system. As a mover travels along a track segment in the linear drive system, signals corresponding to the position of the mover and to the current commanded in each drive coil are stored. Analysis of the stored signals identifies whether one of the position sensors along the track segment, one of the position magnets on the movers, or one of the drive coils, used to propel the movers along the track, has failed.

Abstract: The invention provides in some aspects a transport system comprising a guideway with a plurality of propulsion coils disposed along a region in which one or more vehicles are to be propelled. One or more vehicles are disposed on the guideway, each including a magnetic flux source. The guideway has one or more running surfaces that support the vehicles and along which they roll or slide. Each vehicle can have a septum portion of narrowed cross-section that is coupled to one or more body portions of the vehicle. The guideway includes a diverge region that has a flipper and an extension of the running surface at a vertex of the diverge. The flipper initiates switching of vehicle direction at a diverge by exerting a laterally directed force thereon. The extension continues switching of vehicle direction at the diverge by contacting the septum. Still other aspects of the invention provide a transport system, e.g.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide a transport system powered by short block Linear Synchronous Motors (LSMs). The use of short blocks allows vehicles to move under precise control even when they are in close proximity to each other. The design allows the vehicles to be propelled and guided while negotiating sharp turns and negotiating merge and diverge switches. A coreless LSM can be used to create propulsive force without attractive force so as to allow a relatively high drag vehicle suspension, such as a vehicle sliding on a smooth surface.

Abstract: The invention provides in some aspects a transport system comprising a guideway with a plurality of propulsion coils disposed along a region in which one or more vehicles are to be propelled. One or more vehicles are disposed on the guideway, each including a magnetic flux source. The guideway has one or more running surfaces that support the vehicles and along which they roll or slide. Each vehicle can have a septum portion of narrowed cross-section that is coupled to one or more body portions of the vehicle. The guideway includes a diverge region that has a flipper and an extension of the running surface at a vertex of the diverge. The flipper initiates switching of vehicle direction at a diverge by exerting a laterally directed force thereon. The extension continues switching of vehicle direction at the diverge by contacting the septum. Still other aspects of the invention provide a transport system, e.g.

Abstract: A mover for a linear motor system includes a magnet subassembly. The mover includes a magnetic structure disposed on at least one side of the magnet subassembly and creating with the magnetic subassembly a resultant magnetic field. The magnetic structure being centered on a detected center of the resultant magnetic field. The mover includes a body structure mounted on or with reference to the magnetic structure to position a physical center of the body structure at approximately the detected center of the resultant magnetic field.

Abstract: A method and system for detecting and reporting component failures in a linear drive system may identify failed position sensors, failed position magnets, and failed drive coils in the linear drive system. As a mover travels along a track segment in the linear drive system, signals corresponding to the position of the mover and to the current commanded in each drive coil are stored. Analysis of the stored signals identifies whether one of the position sensors along the track segment, one of the position magnets on the movers, or one of the drive coils, used to propel the movers along the track, has failed.

Abstract: A linear drive system provides a combination of distributed control to increase the number of movers which may be supported in the system and centralized control to reduce the separation distance between movers by grouping movers together and placing a reference mover of the group under central control with remaining movers of the group under distributed control. In addition, in precise working locations, or “synchronization zones,” each of the movers can be temporarily placed under central control to further reduce the separation distance and allow improved coordination with industrial processes or machines in the system.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide a transport system powered by short block Linear Synchronous Motors (LSMs). The use of short blocks allows vehicles to move under precise control even when they are in close proximity to each other. The design allows the vehicles to be propelled and guided while negotiating sharp turns and negotiating merge and diverge switches. A coreless LSM can be used to create propulsive force without attractive force so as to allow a relatively high drag vehicle suspension, such as a vehicle sliding on a smooth surface.

Abstract: The invention provides in some aspects a transport system comprising a guideway having a plurality of regions in which one or more vehicles are propelled, where each such vehicle includes a magnet. Disposed along each region are a plurality of propulsion coils, each comprising one or more turns that are disposed about a common axis, such that the respective common axes of the plurality of coils in that region are (i) substantially aligned with one another, and (ii) orthogonal to a direction in which the vehicles are to be propelled in that region. The plurality of coils of at least one such region are disposed on opposing sides of the magnets of vehicles being propelled along that region so as to exert a propulsive force of substance on those magnets.

Abstract: The invention provides in some aspects a transport system comprising a guideway with a plurality of propulsion coils disposed along a region in which one or more vehicles are to be propelled. One or more vehicles are disposed on the guideway, each including a magnetic flux source. The guideway has one or more running surfaces that support the vehicles and along which they roll or slide. Each vehicle can have a septum portion of narrowed cross-section that is coupled to one or more body portions of the vehicle. The guideway includes a diverge region that has a flipper and an extension of the running surface at a vertex of the diverge. The flipper initiates switching of vehicle direction at a diverge by exerting a laterally directed force thereon. The extension continues switching of vehicle direction at the diverge by contacting the septum. Still other aspects of the invention provide a transport system, e.g.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide a transport system powered by short block Linear Synchronous Motors (LSMs). The use of short blocks allows vehicles to move under precise control even when they are in close proximity to each other. The design allows the vehicles to be propelled and guided while negotiating sharp turns and negotiating merge and diverge switches. A coreless LSM can be used to create propulsive force without attractive force so as to allow a relatively high drag vehicle suspension, such as a vehicle sliding on a smooth surface. Further aspects of the invention provide a switching member that is selectively moveable relative to a guideway in order to change a magnetic force acting on the vehicle transverse to a direction of motion of the vehicle.

Abstract: Control of Linear Synchronous Motors involves a number of low level issues of motor control—such as sensing precise position, controlling current in stator windings, and obeying commands from high level controllers—and high level vehicle control—such as stopping and starting, switching and merging, limiting speed and acceleration, synchronizing relative motion, preventing collisions and accidents, and dealing with failures. In most cases there is a master controller that directs vehicles based on simple commands but in other cases it is desirable to allow an external agent to provide more detailed control—such as synchronizing motion between a vehicle and a robot or allowing human operator control. This patent describes a versatile control scheme that allows both simplified high level control and, when or where necessary, control by an external agent. The result is a transport system and method that provides efficient and precise movement of vehicles on a guideway.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide a transport system powered by short block Linear Synchronous Motors (LSMs). The use of short blocks allows vehicles to move under precise control even when they are in close proximity to each other. The design allows the vehicles to be propelled and guided while negotiating sharp turns and negotiating merge and diverge switches. A coreless LSM can be used to create propulsive force without attractive force so as to allow a relatively high drag vehicle suspension, such as a vehicle sliding on a smooth surface.

Abstract: Control of Linear Synchronous Motors involves a number of low level issues of motor control—such as sensing precise position, controlling current in stator windings, and obeying commands from high level controllers—and high level vehicle control—such as stopping and starting, switching and merging, limiting speed and acceleration, synchronizing relative motion, preventing collisions and accidents, and dealing with failures. In most cases there is a master controller that directs vehicles based on simple commands but in other cases it is desirable to allow an external agent to provide more detailed control—such as synchronizing motion between a vehicle and a robot or allowing human operator control. This patent describes a versatile control scheme that allows both simplified high level control and, when or where necessary, control by an external agent. The result is a transport system and method that provides efficient and precise movement of vehicles on a guideway.

Abstract: A system is disclosed that controls the power flow to Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM) stators for a vehicle transport system. This invention allows multiple vehicles to operate in close proximity in a guideway without requiring an excessive number of separate controllers. It can be used in conjunction with schemes now in use and is particularly useful in elevator hoistways or for automated people movers near stations.

Abstract: The invention provides novel mechanisms and methods for effecting rotational and translational motion in three dimensions of objects carried by, or coupled to, actuators that move along a pathway. Vehicles or other conveyances (collectively, “vehicles”) that utilize mechanisms and methods can increase the performance of and decrease the cost of transportation, shipping, manufacturing, materials handling and other systems. In one aspect, the illustrated embodiment provides such a vehicle or other conveyance having two (or more) actuators adapted for movement along a pathway. The actuators are propelled or otherwise capable of motion, relative to each other so that the distance between can be increased or decreased. When desired, that distance can also be maintained the same, e.g., regardless of whether the actuators are moving.

Abstract: Synchronous motors according to the invention operate at higher efficiency, with lower cost, reduced mass and reduced cogging. Magnet dimensions are selected that reduce cogging forces to a negligible amount even though there are fewer slots than normal. Optionally, it is possible to use non-overlapping windings with deeper and open slots. The approach is applicable to both rotary and linear motors and motors using either permanent magnets or electromagnets in the field structure. It is particularly relevant to linear or rotary motors that have a large air gap, and to small motors that must deliver a high ratio of thrust or torque to motor mass.

Abstract: The invention provides novel mechanisms and methods for effecting rotational and translational motion in three dimensions of objects carried by, or coupled to, actuators that move along a pathway. Vehicles or other conveyances (collectively, “vehicles”) that utilize mechanisms and methods can increase the performance of and decrease the cost of transportation, shipping, manufacturing, materials handling and other systems. In one aspect, the illustrated embodiment provides such a vehicle or other conveyance having two (or more) actuators adapted for movement along a pathway. The actuators are propelled or otherwise capable of motion, relative to each other so that the distance between can be increased or decreased. When desired, that distance can also be maintained the same, e.g., regardless of whether the actuators are moving.

Abstract: Magnetic levitation methods and apparatus use arrays of vehicle magnets to provide three forces: suspension, guidance and propulsion. The magnets, which can be permanent magnets or superconducting magnets operating in the persistent current mode, have associated control coils that allow the magnets to provide a controllable attractive force to a laminated steel rail. The control coils adjust the gap between the magnets and the rails so as to be in stable equilibrium without requiring significant power dissipation in the control coils. These same magnets and steel rails also provide lateral guidance to keep the vehicle on the track and steer the vehicle on turns. The suspension control coils can provide lateral damping by means of offset magnets in the suspension arrays. Windings in transverse slots in the steel rails are excited with currents that react against the field produced by the vehicle magnets to create vehicle propulsion.

Abstract: A system for switching a transport vehicle comprising: a guideway, a vehicle that moves along the guideway, and a magnetic field source that creates a force on the vehicle to affect motion in a desired direction at a switch. Once the vehicle has started motion through the switch the guidance can be continued by use of permanent magnets until the normal guidance system is effective. The switching scheme can work with any suspension scheme, including wheels and maglev, and can work with any lateral guidance scheme, including horizontal guide wheels and magnetic guidance. The system can be used with very closely spaced vehicles, such as with Personal Rapid Transit, material handling, and elevators with multiple cabs in the same shaft.