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.

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.

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: 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.

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.