Linear Motor Patents (Class 104/290)
  • Patent number: 10981613
    Abstract: A conveyor device for an automated production line, including at least one conveyor track along a course of the production line, at least one component carrier carriage for transporting components or component assemblies on the production line, wherein the production line includes transfer portions and workstations that are run through by the conveyor track along the course of the production line. The conveyor track is configured as a monorail which extends along a central longitudinal axis of the component carrier carriage. The conveyor track includes a plurality of rollers which are driven at least in part by means of drives and the component carrier carriage includes at least one friction surface, by means of which the component carrier carriage is drivable by the rollers of the conveyor track, in particular is movable dynamically along the conveyor track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: EBZ Systec GmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Stadler
  • Patent number: 10978969
    Abstract: In order to enable safe deceleration of a transport unit of a long-stator linear motor, wherein in a normal mode a plurality of drive coils of the long-stator linear motor are energized in such a way that a magnetic field coupled to a transport unit is moved along a direction of motion in order to move the transport unit along the direction of motion, according to the invention a switching to a controlled short-circuit mode is performed during the braking operation of the transport unit, in which at least some of the drive coils are short-circuited at least over a first time interval in said mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: B&R INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Weber, Leopold Faschang, Stefan Brucker
  • Patent number: 10920825
    Abstract: Provided is a motion guide device load measuring system that can accurately measure loads acting on a motion guide device in use. The load measuring system includes a position detecting unit (4) for detecting the position of a sliding member (12) relative to a track member (11) in a direction of relative movement, and at least one sensor (2a-2d, 3a-3d) for detecting the relative displacement of the sliding member (12) relative to the track member (11) in a radial direction and/or a horizontal direction. A calculating unit (6) calculates loads acting on the motion guide device (1), in association with the position of the sliding member (12), on the basis of position information detected by the position detecting unit (4) and displacement information detected by one or more of the sensors (2a-2d, 3a-3d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Asano, Tetsuhiro Nishide, Takuya Horie, Shinji Aoki, Hiroyuki Takizawa
  • Patent number: 10913362
    Abstract: For a long stator linear motor comprising a switch and secure guidance of the transport vehicles in the direction of movement along the transport track, it is provided that the transport vehicle (Tn) is force-guided, at least in sections, in the direction of movement (x) outside the switch (W), and at least one one-sided track section (2d) is provided on the transport track (2), along which a vehicle guide element (7) only on one side of the transport track (2) interacts with the track guide element (6) on the assigned side of the transport track (2) for the mechanical forced guidance in the direction of movement (x), and the forced guidance in the direction of movement (x) in the transverse direction (y) is canceled in the region of the switch (W).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: B&R INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION GMBH
    Inventors: Alois Holzleitner, Martin Höck, Michael Brucker
  • Patent number: 10897216
    Abstract: A dynamic linear motor is controlled by determining a relative proximity of a moving rotor of the linear motor to a fixed stator segment of the linear motor using a current location of the moving rotor. A current driving characteristic of the linear motor at the current location of the moving rotor is determined. Settings for the fixed stator segment when the moving rotor reaches the fixed stator segment are identified based on the current driving characteristic. The fixed stator segment is driven based on the settings when the moving rotor reaches the fixed stator segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: HYPERLOOP TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Jiaqi Liang
  • Patent number: 10873251
    Abstract: A liner motor based on radical magnetic tubes includes: a dynamicer (mover, QDZ) and a stator (STA), the structure of the stator (STA) is: a stator magnetic tube (SCG) is nested into the inner wall of a pure iron tube (DTG), the stator magnetic tube (SCG) provides a radial magnetic field, a stator tube (DZGD) is formed within the stator magnetic tube (SCG), the dynamicer can travel in the stator tube; the dynamicer iron core is a tube of a radial magnetic field and installed on a tubular coil skeleton, on which winding the dynamicer coil to form the dynamicer main body; the sliders (HDZ) are installed on both ends of the dynamicer main body load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Inventors: Qixing Chen, Qiyu Luo
  • Patent number: 10620610
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a motion effect generator enables the creation of tangible representations of the motion of three-dimensional (3D) animated models for 3D printing. In operation, the motion effect generator receives a 3D animated model and animates the model through a configurable interval of time. As the motion effect generator animates the model, the motion effect generator applies a motion depiction technique to one or more selected components included in the model—explicitly portraying the motion of the 3D animated model as static motion effect geometries. Subsequently, based on the motion effect geometries, the motion effect generator creates a 3D motion sculpture model that is amenable to 3D printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
    Inventors: Tovi Grossman, Ryan Michael Schmidt, Rubaiat Habib, Cory Mogk, George Fitzmaurice
  • Patent number: 10547233
    Abstract: The present invention provides a linear motor, wherein, a coil is fastened on a mass block that is suspended inside a housing, and a magnet is fastened on the housing and thus does not move during use. In the linear motor of the present invention, the design route that utilizes coil motion to drive mass block motion is different from the traditional route that utilizes magnet motion to drive mass block motion, thereby the traditional “moving-magnet type” is changed into “moving-coil type” of the present invention. When the linear motor provided by the present invention is used in a highly magnetic environment, even if magnetic shield plates for shielding external magnetic induction lines are glued on both outer sides of the housing, because the magnet is fixed stationary itself, no vertical deviation of the magnet due to influence of the shield plates like in the prior art occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: JinLong Machinery & electronics CO., LTD
    Inventors: Shaoping Jin, Shaobin Fang, Shi Chen
  • Patent number: 10532911
    Abstract: A linear propulsion system and method of assembling and testing the same. The linear propulsion system may comprise a track, a vehicle, a mover mounted to the vehicle, and a dual inverter system. The track may include a first plurality of stator sections interleaved with a second plurality of stator sections. The dual inverter system may include first and second multi-phase inverters (52a, 52b) that share input hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Fernando Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 10525698
    Abstract: Printing machine includes a guide; at least one printing station located along the guide; at least one supporting station for supporting a product to be printed by the printing station; at least a first and a second positioning units mounted along the guide, at least one of the positioning units being located at the printing station. The supporting station includes: a motor substantially integral with the supporting station for moving the supporting station along the guide; an acquisition device capable of acquiring an identification code from each of the positioning units when the supporting station is at each of the positioning units; a memory wherein reference codes corresponding to the identification codes and at least one reference distance corresponding to a distance between the first and second positioning units are stored; a processing unit configured to control the motor based on the acquired identification codes and on the reference codes and reference distance stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Machines Highest Mechatronic GMBH
    Inventors: Camelo Zocco, Robert Zelger
  • Patent number: 10447133
    Abstract: The present invention provides a linear motor, wherein, a coil is fastened on a mass block that is suspended inside a housing, a first magnet and a second magnet that have opposite magnetic poles are symmetrically disposed at an upper side and at a lower side relative to the coil in the middle and positioned parallel to the centric plane of the coil, by arranging an upper magnetic steel and a lower magnetic steel at an upper side and at a lower side relative to the mass block in the middle and parallel to the mass block. In the linear motor of the present invention, the design route that utilizes coil motion to drive mass block motion is different from the traditional route that utilizes magnet motion to drive mass block motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: JINLONG MACHINERY & ELECTRONICS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Shaoping Jin, Shaobin Fang, Shi Chen
  • Patent number: 10399774
    Abstract: An apparatus for lifting a load on an automated lifting cart, including a lifting surface vertically movable relative to the lifting cart, two pairs of cams positioned underneath the lifting surface having cam profiles shaped to lift the lifting surface upon rotation of the cams, a pair of encoders reading a rotation property of each pair of cams, and a controller configured to control movement of the pairs of cams by synchronizing the rotation properties of the pairs of cams by matching output from the encoders. Additionally, methods of lifting a load using an automated lifting cart including cams with a movement profile and a load profile, and methods of synchronizing drive shafts in a lifting cart using torque current measurements sent from a lead motor to a lag motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Swisslog Logistics, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohan Ramankutty, Christopher Brumm, Rodney Tipton, Pat Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10300793
    Abstract: A system and method for providing power to a plurality of moving elements in a transport system that include: tracking a position of each of the plurality of moving elements in the transport system; and selectively operating a power system provided to the transport system based on the position of each of the plurality of the moving element such that power is independently transferred to each of the plurality of moving elements. In another embodiment, the system and method include: adapting the plurality of moving elements to receive power from a drive component used to drive the plurality of moving elements along the transport system; and controlling the drive component to provide power to the plurality of moving elements, and, in particular, while the moving elements are moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: ATS AUTOMATION TOOLING SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Darragh Staunton, Albert Kleinikkink, John Ditner, Scott Lindsay, Javan Taylor
  • Patent number: 10280041
    Abstract: An elevator system includes a hoistway and an elevator car to travel in the hoistway. Permanent magnets are mounted to the elevator car and primary windings are mounted in the hoistway to form a linear motor. The primary windings having a first section having a first number of turns and a second section having a second number of turns. The first number of turns is less than the second number of turns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Fernando Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 10273096
    Abstract: A conveyor system including: a track comprising a first magnetic element; and a moving element comprising a second magnetic element for interacting with the track to provide a magnetic force that retains the moving element on the track; wherein absent the magnetic force, the moving element is released from the track. In another aspect, a conveyor system includes: a track having at least one guide rail; and a moving element; wherein a magnetic force controls movement of the moving element in a direction of travel and the magnetic force supports the moving element in a second direction perpendicular to the direction of travel; and wherein the at least one guide rail supports the moving element in a third direction perpendicular to both the direction of travel and the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: ATS AUTOMATION TOOLING SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Albert John Kleinikkink, Donald James Mowat, Ryan Lloyd Willis Arthur Scott
  • Patent number: 10196240
    Abstract: An elevator system includes an elevator car having an elevator car subsystem; a guide rail to guide the elevator car along a hoistway; primary windings positioned along the hoistway; permanent magnets coupled to the elevator car, the primary windings and permanent magnets defining a linear motor for imparting motion to the elevator car in response to a drive signal; and secondary windings coupled to the elevator car, the secondary windings generating a current to power the elevator car subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Zbigniew Piech, Wojciech Szelag, Rafal Wojciechowski, Cezary Jedryczka
  • Patent number: 10193431
    Abstract: A linear motor includes a stator, a mover that moves a subject to be moved linearly along the stator, and a multi-member spacer that is interposed between the mover and the subject to be moved. The stator includes a plurality of permanent magnets, the mover includes a plurality of coils arranged to be opposed to the permanent magnets, and the multi-member spacer includes two or more members different in thermal conductivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: SANYO DENKI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akihiko Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10020716
    Abstract: A transverse flux induction motor (“TFIM”) is described in accordance with the present invention. The TFIM may be a linear induction motor or a rotary induction motor. The TFIM includes a primary motor element and secondary motor element. The primary motor element includes a plurality of coils and at least one magnetic element. The plurality of coils are arranged to generate a control flux along a first direction when power is applied to at least one coil of the plurality of coils and the at least one magnetic element is arranged to generate a bias flux in a second direction that is substantially transverse to the first direction. The secondary motor element is moveable in the first direction, relative to the primary motor element, in response to the control flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Robert J. Atmur
  • Patent number: 9887611
    Abstract: A linear motor includes a mover movable in a first direction and a stator. A yoke includes a pair of back yokes provided opposite to each other so as to sandwich the mover in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A plurality of field magnets are provided on an inner lateral surface of each of the pair of back yokes in the first direction. A pair of auxiliary magnets are provided (i) on end lateral surfaces of the back yokes and (ii) in the vicinity of the field magnets at the extreme end provided in the back yoke. A magnetic member is provided to surround the pair of auxiliary magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kotaro Wada, Doutaro Usui, Takashi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9873573
    Abstract: Sorting device for piece goods, with several sorting trolleys which are moved to run around a first track, and which are each equipped with a controlled load-receiving element for accepting and delivering piece goods, with at least one infeed station situated adjacent to the first track, at which station piece goods can be supplied to a load-receiving element of a sorting trolley located in the area of the infeed station, and with several uptake trolleys that are moved on a second track, wherein one part of the second track within a handover area for the handover of a piece goods item from a sorting trolley to an uptake trolley is arranged adjacent to a part of the first track, and with a central control unit which receives the positional information for the sorting trolleys on the first track and the uptake trolleys on the second track, and through which a load-receiving element of a selected moving sorting trolley can be controlled for the handover of a piece goods item located on it to a selected moving up
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: BEUMER GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Thomas Wiesmann
  • Patent number: 9828218
    Abstract: A set of pallets for transportation systems for transporting passengers and/or goods may include a pulling pallet that pulls a pulled pallet. The pulled and pulling pallets may articulate relative to one another about an axis substantially perpendicular to a direction of displacement of a continuous belt formed by such sets of pallets. The set of pallets may have a support surface for supporting passengers and/or goods, as well as a functional surface opposite the support surface. The functional surface may include a balance having a first end articulated to the functional surface according to an axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of displacement and a second end opposite the first end that has a one or more coupling devices that form a coupling joint between one or more devices that pull the pulling pallet along a trajectory followed by the continuous belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP ELEVATOR INNOVATION CENTER S.A.
    Inventors: Miguel Angel Gonzalez Alemany, Juan Domingo Gonzalez Pantiga, Pedro Ros Zuazua, Alberto Florez Castro, Francisco Palomero Cocho, Aurelio Castaño Lantero, Luis Joaquín Fernandez Alvarez
  • Patent number: 9568046
    Abstract: The invention relates to an easily mountable and highly dynamic radial bearing. According to the invention, a magnetic radial bearing for the rotatable mounting of a rotor (3) is provided, having a stator (2) that comprises several coil assemblies (6). The coil assemblies (6) are arranged around an axis (1) of the radial bearing in a circumferential direction. Each of the coil assemblies (6) has a laminated core (7) having single sheets. Each of the coil assemblies (6) further has an axial field coil (11) that is wound around the corresponding laminated core (7). The single sheets are stacked in the tangential direction in every laminated core (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Erich Bott, Rolf Vollmer
  • Patent number: 9568045
    Abstract: A support and guide device capable of smoothly shifting a moving block configured to move along a guide track from one of a plurality of track rails forming the guide track to another of the plurality of track rails even when clearances are secured at joints between the plurality of track rails. Each of the track rails has auxiliary sliding surfaces formed on both end portions of the each of the plurality of track rails in the longitudinal direction, the auxiliary sliding surfaces formed side by side with a guide surface and being inclined with respect to the guide surface. The moving block includes leading sliding portions each configured to face one of the auxiliary sliding surfaces of the track rail when the moving block reaches one of both end portions of the track rail in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Mochizuki, Hiroomi Kuribayashi, Akito Kaneko
  • Patent number: 9428347
    Abstract: A conveyor system including: a track comprising a first magnetic element; and a moving element comprising a second magnetic element for interacting with the track to provide a magnetic force that retains the moving element on the track; wherein absent the magnetic force, the moving element is released from the track. In another aspect, a conveyor system includes: a track having at least one guide rail; and a moving element; wherein a magnetic force controls movement of the moving element in a direction of travel and the magnetic force supports the moving element in a second direction perpendicular to the direction of travel; and wherein the at least one guide rail supports the moving element in a third direction perpendicular to both the direction of travel and the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: ATS AUTOMATION TOOLING SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Albert John Kleinikkink, Donald James Mowat, Ryan Lloyd Willis Arthur Scott
  • Patent number: 9394114
    Abstract: The present invention is a transport device for conveying a product, comprising a movable conveying element for conveying the product, a stationary running rail that defines a running path for the conveying element, a first linear motor drive device, a second linear motor drive device, a control device that actuates the two linear motor drive devices, and a sensor device that detects an orientation of the conveying element relative to the running rail and transmits it to the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Hanisch, Heinrich van de Loecht
  • Patent number: 9379649
    Abstract: A linear motor system includes a stator, a mover, and a controller. The stator includes a plurality of armature coil units arranged so as to be spaced apart from one another at certain intervals. The mover includes a permanent magnet. The controller is configured to sequentially select, as a power-feeding target, an armature coil unit opposing the mover from among the plurality of armature coil units, perform, for the power-feeding target, computation for power-feeding control on the basis of a speed command, and sequentially feed power to the armature coil unit. The controller includes a power-feeding-switching compensation function of performing switching compensation when the power-feeding target is switched to a next armature coil unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Yoshiyasu Takase, Shinya Morimoto, Toru Shikayama, Minoru Koga, Nobuhiro Umeda
  • Patent number: 9150116
    Abstract: A conveyor system has a transport device that can be moved along a substantially vertical path of travel and a linear motor having a primary part arranged on the transport device, and a secondary part arranged along the path of travel, the primary part has a primary winding and at least one permanent magnet, the secondary part has a profile in the direction of the path of travel with alternatingly arranged grooves and teeth, and a brake winding is arranged on the secondary part such that it can generate a braking force by interacting with the permanent magnet to brake the transport device for increasing operational safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Gerhard Matscheko, Zeljko Jajtic
  • Publication number: 20150027338
    Abstract: The transport device for conveying products has several symmetrically configured, movable carriages having inverted U-shape, each carriage having permanent magnets, also has an endless guide rail for guiding the carriages and a linear-motor drive device to drive the carriages. Each symmetric half of each carriage has three running rollers projecting inwardly from sidepieces of the carriage. The three running rollers of the first half rest on first and second guide surfaces on a first side wall of the guide rail, and the three running rollers of the second half rest on first and second guide surfaces on the second side wall of the guide rail. Each guide surface is arranged at an acute angle to a longitudinal center plane of the transport device, and the two guide surfaces of each side wall are at an angle of 80° to 100° to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas Aumann, Joerg Riekenbrauck, Wolfgang Krahl, Roberto Linke
  • Publication number: 20140373747
    Abstract: Power systems for an independent carrier for transport of payloads in an automation system for in vitro diagnostic (IVD) applications. The independent carrier may include an onboard power source and an onboard electrical system electrically connected to the onboard power source for controlling movement of the carrier. The independent carrier may include an onboard propulsion system electrically connected to the onboard power source for propelling the carrier and electrically connected to the onboard electrical system for receiving a command to control the movement of the carrier. Onboard power sources may include: replaceable batteries, rechargeable batteries, induction battery charging, photovoltaic power, Peltier effect power, and external combustion engines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE DIAGNOSTICS INC.
    Inventors: Baris Yagci, Colin Mellars, Benjamin Samuel Pollack
  • Publication number: 20140158014
    Abstract: A system and method for hybrid personal transit and a hybrid personal transit vehicle. The vehicle can include an enclosure and a suspension system including a plurality of wheels, the suspension system adapted to control a positioning of the wheels over a range from substantially vertical to substantially horizontal, wherein the positioning of the wheels is substantially vertical for engaging a road surface, and wherein the positioning of the wheels is substantially horizontal for engaging a rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas PUMPELLY
  • Publication number: 20140137763
    Abstract: Present example embodiments relate generally to a ground transportation system for interacting with one or more vehicles, the vehicle comprising at least one magnetic element fixedly attached to the vehicle, each magnetic element operable to generate a magnetic field having a first magnitude and a first direction, the system comprising a magnetic coil assembly fixedly positioned near an area traversable by the vehicle and comprising a core and a magnetic wire coil wrapped around the core, the magnetic coil assembly operable to generate a magnetic field having a second magnitude and a second direction; and an energy storage unit operable to release energy to and store energy from the magnetic coil assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: PARAMOUNT PICTURES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Margaret G. Brier, John K. Buyco, Chelsea R. Fischbach, Scott M. Ogilvie, Johnson Qu, Ayyappa P. Vemulkar
  • Patent number: 8577585
    Abstract: A transportation system for use in transporting commodities is described herein. The transportation system includes a transportation network that includes a plurality of predefined paths of travel extending between a plurality of locations, and a plurality of transport vehicles. Each transport vehicle of the plurality of transport vehicles is configured to independently travel along the transportation network. A plurality of motor assemblies is oriented along the transportation network. Each motor assembly of the plurality of motor assemblies is oriented with respect to a predefined segment of the transportation network, and configured to move the transport vehicle along the predefined segment. A control system is operatively coupled to each motor assembly to selectively operate each motor assembly to independently convey each transport vehicle of the plurality of transport vehicles along the transportation network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Atmur, Deborah Ann Beron-Rawdon
  • Patent number: 8505463
    Abstract: The wheel-type high-speed railway system includes rails provided on a railroad track and configured such that wheels provided in a bogie of a vehicle come into contact with them, a support provided on a tread surface of a railroad track between the rails, a repulsive Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM) provided between the bogie and the support and configured to improve traveling performance by reducing axle load in a high-speed region, first and second steel plates mounted on both sides of the support in inclined positions, and first and second attractive Dynamic Motion Control (DMC) magnets mounted on the bogie of the vehicle in inclined positions to correspond to the first and second steel plates, and configured to generate attractive force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Korea Railroad Research Institute
    Inventors: Sam-Young Kwon, Hyung-Woo Lee, Chan-Bae Park, Byung-Song Lee, Hyun-June Park, Yong-Hyeon Cho, Nam-Po Kim, Sin-Chu Yang, Jun-Suk Lee, Man-Cheol Kim, Kang-Youn Choe
  • Publication number: 20130199405
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus and a method for transferring substrate processing equipment. One embodiment of the present invention includes a track assembly having a continuous guide rail formed from a unitary body. The track assembly also includes vertically arranged stator strips for driving motor coils of a plurality of carriages. The motor coils in the carriages may be modular including coil segments of various lengths. The coil segments and the carriages may be driven individually and jointly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Jagan Rangarajan, Alpay Yilmaz
  • Publication number: 20130152814
    Abstract: A cable transportation system has a pull cable; at least one transportation unit moving along a given path and connectable selectively to the pull cable by a coupling device; at least one passenger station where the transportation unit is detached from the pull cable; and an auxiliary drive device having a linear electric motor extending along a portion of the given path to move the transportation unit along the passenger station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Rolic Invest S.AR.L
    Inventor: Rolic Invest S.AR.L.
  • Patent number: 8347789
    Abstract: A transport system, including a rail system and carriages movably disposed thereon, the rails being encompassed by a primary conductor system to which at least one secondary coil, included by the carriage, is inductively coupled for the contactless transfer of electrical energy and/or information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sew-Eurodrive GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Konstantin Wolf, Josef Schmidt, Günter Becker, Leobald Podbielski
  • Publication number: 20120304885
    Abstract: This invention is based on using rail road system for automatic address transportation of people and cargo. This invention allows usage of existing rail roads, many miles of which are not used or partially used. This invention including design of vehicle that will be using for automatic address transportation. This allows excluding the most complicated part of rail roads—switches, and transform rail road from active to passive system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventor: Yuriy Vysochan
  • Patent number: 8297196
    Abstract: An apparatus for transferring substrates includes a carrier to which substrates are loaded, an upper transfer unit transferring the carrier horizontally by applying thrust to the carrier, a lower transfer unit maintaining the lower body of the carrier at the horizontal in a non-contact status, a magnetic levitation module levitating the carrier magnetically, and a lower damper unit maintaining the lower center of gravity of the carrier levitated by the magnetic levitation module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yeongjin Yeo, Seungheon Choi, Geejo Lee
  • Publication number: 20120266776
    Abstract: An aerial tramway system that conveys carriers between terminals along a haul rope, in which the carriers (a) detach from the haul rope within at least one of the terminals for loading and unloading, and (b) reattach to the haul rope for conveyance to the next terminal, includes one or more Linear Synchronous Motors (LSMs) within at least one of the terminals, that move the carriers for at least part of the time that the carriers are detached from the haul rope. The system also includes a plurality of the carriers, each carrier comprising a reaction rail that includes at least one magnet configured for magnetic interaction with the one or more LSMs. A carrier for an aerial tramway system includes a chair, a freight carrier or a gondola, and a reaction rail that interacts with a linear synchronous motor of the system, to control movement of the carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Charles R. Peterson, Jeffrey A. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20120132101
    Abstract: A reaction component or plate for a linear induction motor incorporates a flexibility increasing feature and a wear resistant feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: HM ATTRACTIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Richard D. Hunter, Andreas Tanzer
  • Patent number: 8162770
    Abstract: A reaction component or plate for a linear induction motor incorporates a flexibility increasing feature and a wear resistant feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: HM Attractions Inc.
    Inventors: Richard D. Hunter, Andreas Tanzer
  • Patent number: 8102132
    Abstract: A starting apparatus is disclosed for at least two synchronous machines, which starting apparatus includes an exciter unit which is provided for each synchronous machine and is associated with the respective synchronous machine. Each exciter unit can be connected to the field winding of the associated synchronous machine. A superordinate control unit is provided, with the superordinate control unit being connected via a communication link to each exciter unit. Furthermore, the starting apparatus includes at least one stator feed unit and at least one switching device, which is provided for each stator feed unit and is associated with the respective stator feed unit, in which case the respective switching device can be connected to the associated stator feed unit, the respective switching device can be connected to at least one synchronous machine, and the switching devices can be connected to one another when there are a plurality of switching devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Tobias Keller, Rudolf Wieser
  • Publication number: 20110259236
    Abstract: The wheel-type high-speed railway system includes rails provided on a railroad track and configured such that wheels provided in a bogie of a vehicle come into contact with them, a support provided on a tread surface of a railroad track between the rails, a repulsive Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM) provided between the bogie and the support and configured to improve traveling performance by reducing axle load in a high-speed region, first and second steel plates mounted on both sides of the support in inclined positions, and first and second attractive Dynamic Motion Control (DMC) magnets mounted on the bogie of the vehicle in inclined positions to correspond to the first and second steel plates, and configured to generate attractive force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Sam-Young Kwon, Hyung-Woo Lee, Chan-Bae Park, Byung-Song Lee, Hynn-June Park, Yong-Hyeon Cho, Nam-Po Kim, Sin-Chu Yang, Jun-Suk Lee, Man-Cheol Kim, Kang-Youn Choe
  • Patent number: 7958830
    Abstract: A contactless energy supply for electrical consumers mounted on the mobile part of a linear motor is provided, the energy supply being provided without additional voltage sources. A higher frequency energy supply field is superposed over the propulsion field, the energy supply field being inductively decoupled using the energy transmitting interface of the secondary part, and supplying consumers mounted on the secondary part with energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Rexroth Indramat GmbH
    Inventors: Eberhard Schemm, Bernd Schnurr
  • Patent number: 7954434
    Abstract: An apparatus for transferring substrates includes a carrier to which substrates are loaded, an upper transfer unit transferring the carrier horizontally by applying thrust to the carrier, a lower transfer unit maintaining the lower body of the carrier at the horizontal in a non-contact status, a magnetic levitation module levitating the carrier magnetically, and a lower damper unit maintaining the lower center of gravity of the carrier levitated by the magnetic levitation module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yeongjin Yeo, Seungheon Choi, Geejo Lee
  • Patent number: 7836830
    Abstract: A railway bogie is provided with two cross-members for supporting a linear induction motor, mounted on the axle boxes via of resilient mounting apparatus allowing pivoting movement of each cross-member about a transversal axis of rotation. A system of five links is used to connect the linear induction motor to the cross-members. The links are located in such a way that the resultant of the vertical forces transmitted by the linear induction motor to each cross-member is located at a first centre position on the first transversal axis equidistant from the axle boxes. The mounting apparatus are further provided with height adjusters that allow adjustment of the height and cross level position of the linear induction motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventor: Edwin Joseph Searancke
  • Publication number: 20100199877
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a freight transportation system includes a track comprising a pair of rails and a linear motor reaction plate disposed between the rails and a transport vehicle having a universal intermodal container bay configured to accommodate a plurality of containers. The transport vehicle includes one or more suspension systems each having a plurality of steel wheels engaged with the rails. The freight transportation system further includes a linear induction propulsion system coupled to the transport vehicle and operable to work in conjunction with the linear motor reaction plate to move the transport vehicle, and a control system coupled to the linear induction propulsion system and operable to control the movement of the transport vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: Stephen S. Roop, Craig E. Roco, Leslie E. Olson, Curtis A. Morgan
  • Publication number: 20100089274
    Abstract: A universal cross belt sorter system (1) consisting of four major components: a monorail track (26), a drive car (20), multiple cross belt cars (24) and system controls. The drive cars (20) pull multiple cross belt cars (24) along the track (26). The cross belt cars (24) are typically loaded with material, which is then discharged into outlets. An outlet may be a chute, a bin, a conveyor, a truck, etc. Sortation systems are typically used to consolidate material according to selected parameters, such as zip code, customer order, to replenish a specific store and many other identifying information. The cross belt cars (24) are loaded with material at induction areas (3). The types or methods of inducting material onto the cross belt cars (24) range from manual to semi-automatic to fully automatic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventor: Robert Austin
  • Patent number: 7654203
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a freight transportation system includes a track comprising a pair of rails and a linear motor reaction plate disposed between the rails and a transport vehicle having a universal intermodal container bay configured to accommodate a plurality of containers. The transport vehicle includes one or more suspension systems each having a plurality of steel wheels engaged with the rails. The freight transportation system further includes a linear induction propulsion system coupled to the transport vehicle and operable to work in conjunction with the linear motor reaction plate to move the transport vehicle, and a control system coupled to the linear induction propulsion system and operable to control the movement of the transport vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: Stephen S. Roop, Craig E. Roco, Leslie E. Olson, Curtis A. Morgan
  • Patent number: 7615894
    Abstract: A high voltage, low current electric motor. The motor comprises a drive shaft turned by a sprocket that is driven by an assembly of electromagnets. A carrier supporting permanent magnets travels in a tubular track formed into an endless loop around the sprocket. The carrier preferably comprises a chain formed of interconnected links, each link housing a magnet. The tubular track is non-ferrous and forms a core for a plurality of coils spaced around the tube. A sequencing circuit in the motor sequentially energizes the coils to cause the carrier to circulate around the tube by repelling and attracting the magnets. Teeth on the sprocket engage the chain so that as the chain travels through the tube the sprocket is rotated. Preferably, the coils are double-wound so that a direction control circuit may be included to selectively reverse the direction of the carrier's travel. Speed control also may be included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Inventor: Clarence D. Deal