Abstract: A traveling platform includes a side arm, a first guide, and two or more travel auxiliary rollers. The side arm expands and retracts in a Y direction. The first guide extends in an X direction and includes a third inside surface to guide the side arm in the X direction. The two or more travel auxiliary rollers are provided to the first guide and restrict movement of the traveling platform in the Y direction.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a power-taking device for a rail guide vehicle. The rail guide vehicle includes a chassis travelling mechanism and a loading mechanism including a fixing plate, a power plate, an extension plate and a shifting fork, the fixing plate is fixed to the chassis travelling mechanism, the power plate and the extension plate can be translated, and the shifting fork is coupled to, can be translated in synchronization with, and can be rotated with respect to the extension plate. The power-taking device includes: a first conductive part, fixed to the fixing plate; a second conductive part, fixed to the power plate; and a third conductive part, fixed to the extension plate. When the first, second and third conductive parts are in contact, the power-taking device is turned on.

Abstract: A method and system for characterizing performance of a mover operating in a linear drive system is disclosed, where the linear drive system includes multiple track segments and where each track segment includes a segment controller. Each segment controller is configured to obtain an in-system frequency response for a mover present along the track segment. An injection sequence is generated within the segment controller, where the injection sequence includes harmonic content across a range of frequencies to be evaluated. The injection sequence is added to a control module within the segment controller, and the segment controller samples and records motion of the mover in response to the injection sequence. A frequency response corresponding to the recorded motion of the mover resulting from the injection sequence is obtained, and may be utilized to identify a resonant operating point or an undesirable level of the harmonic content present in the sampled data.

Abstract: Disclosed is a linear transport device. A platform car of the linear transport device is detachably mounted on a rail fixed to a base in an opposing direction along which the platform car faces the mounting surface of the base. A linear motor that drives the platform car is provided. The linear motor includes a stator disposed on the base and a mover disposed on the platform car so as to face the stator. One of the stator and the mover is a permanent magnet, and the other is an electromagnet. A relative position variable mechanism for relatively displacing the stator and the mover so as to reduce the magnetic suction force generated between the stator and the mover is provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a linear transport device. A platform car of the linear transport device is detachably mounted on a rail fixed to a base in an opposing direction along which the platform car faces the mounting surface of the base. A linear motor that drives the platform car is provided. The linear motor includes a stator disposed on the base and a mover disposed on the platform car so as to face the stator. One of the stator and the mover is a permanent magnet, and the other is an electromagnet. A relative position variable mechanism for relatively displacing the stator and the mover so as to reduce the magnetic suction force generated between the stator and the mover is provided.

Abstract: Persons on a bicycle or other muscle-powered vehicle, equipped through an attachment means, with a reaction plate secondary of a linear induction motor, LIM, receive intermittent, augmenting propulsion forces from a sequence of spaced LIM primary coil assemblies, positioned flush with a surface on a pathway, to augment the rider's muscle-created propelling forces when the LIM primaries are receiving power supplied by a utility. At each LIM primary, interacting magnetic fields are commonly created as the attached bicycle LIM secondary is moveably positioned by the rider proximately the centerline of a respective LIM primary. The augmenting propelling force results as thrust, derived from the interaction of the respective magnetic fields of the primary and secondary of the now temporarily completed linear induction motor at the respective, spaced locations of the primaries along the pathway.

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.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a pair of guideway engagement members having a controller circuit is configured on a transport vehicle that travels over an elongated guideway. The pair of guideway engagement members have a corresponding pair of bearing members that are each disposed on opposing sides of the guideway. The controller circuit receives a measurement indicative of dynamic movement of the transport vehicle from one or more sensors, and adjusts the stiffness of the pair of guideway engagement members according to the measurements received from the sensors.

Abstract: A conveying device for conveying articles, in particular vehicle bodies, in a known manner comprises at least one skid, which comprises two parallel skid runners and a supporting structure, which connects the skid runners to one another, for the article to be conveyed. The skid runners are supported on two parallel tracks, which extend along a conveying path. As a driving device a linear drive is used, which comprises a plurality of energizable primary parts disposed in a stationary manner along the conveying path. Provided on each skid is a secondary part, which interacts with the actually adjacent primary part. The length of the secondary part in conveying direction is tuned to the distance between the primary parts such that at least one primary part is disposed in the immediate vicinity of the secondary part.

Abstract: The invention relates to a toy car with adjustable magnetic adhesion for an auto racetrack having ferromagnetic current conductors countersunk in the roadbed. The conductors are in active communication with a permanent magnet countersunk in the chassis of the toy car. The permanent magnet is shiftable in the chassis along an inclined plane in order to adjust the clearance between permanent magnet and the current conductors. According to the invention, the permanent magnet can be shifted along a ferromagnetic holding plate oriented at an angle relative to the roadway plane. The plate is received in a retaining means formed in one piece with the chassis. The underside of the retaining means contains two guide rails, along which the permanent magnet can be shifted.

Abstract: An electromagnetic levitation device comprises an electromagnet (12) which is supported by a structure (13) and is arranged to attract armature (10) carried by another structure (11). Current to the electromagnet (12) is regulated by a control device (16) to ensure that the electromagnetic force exerted by the electromagnet (12) on the armature (10) is sufficient to cause and maintain levitation of the structures (11, 13) at a desired spacing (A in FIG. 1). A decoupling device (17) is arranged between the armature (10) and the structure (11) to accommodate a shock load (L) which reduces the flux gap (15) to zero and decouples the armature (10) from its support structure (11) by moving the stop (20) away from the structure (11). This significantly increases the extent of shock loading that can be tolerated before damage will be incurred.

Abstract: A vessel comprises a cylindrical hull (10) containing a structure (11) carrying machinery (M) supported from the hull (10) by electromagnetic levitation means (12-17) that maintain electromagnetic forces between flux gaps (24) which are arranged to extend radially of the adjacent hull (10) curvature and longitudinally of the hull (10). In this manner, the transmission of noise from the machinery (M) to the hull (10) is obviated so as to reduce the detectable acoustic signal emitted by the vessel and furthermore, radial expansion or contraction of the hull (10) is prevented from mechanical transmission to the structure (11) via the levitation means (12-17).

Abstract: A linear-type shuttle has an air pad 4 that blows air toward a track 5, a chassis 2 that floats above the track 5 due to the air pad 4, a primary side 6a of a linear motor that is installed to be vertically movable on the chassis 2 and that drives the chassis horizontally together with a secondary side 6b on the track 5, a brake skid 11 disposed on the chassis 2 that makes friction contact with the track 5 when the chassis 2 is not floating above the track 5, an operating lever 17 pivotally mounted to the chassis 2 and having one end connected to the primary side 6a, a spring 23 that always forces the primary side 6a upward away from the secondary side 6b via the lever 17, and an electromagnet 20 that moves the primary side 6a downward via the lever 17 against the force of the spring 23 to a predetermined position in relation to the secondary side 6b, such that, when the car 1 is floating, the gap 60 between the primary side 6a and the secondary side 6b of a linear motor is as narrow as possible so that the l

Abstract: An electromagnetic switching system for use in a Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system having a personal rapid transit vehicle with an attached chassis operating over a network of interconnected guideways. The electromagnetic switching system comprises an electromagnetic switching unit mounted on each side of the chassis for directing the transit vehicle into a predetermined path at a switch section of the guideway. The electromagnetic switching unit has an electromagnet for exerting magnetic force on a continuous reaction rail which is attached to an internal sidewall of the guideway.

Abstract: An electromagnet for a MAGLEV system incorporates at least one superconducting coil, operating in AC mode, which surrounds a multiple-pole iron core and is constructed from a layer of epoxy-impregnated pancake coils assembled together along a common axis within a cryostat. The windings of each pancake coil may be constructed from predetermined lengths of Bi(2223) superconductor tape. The coil preferably operates at 77 K. but any temperature lying in a range of 5 K. to 80 K. may be used. Two- and six-pole/coil magnets operating in either AC or DC mode are specifically disclosed.

Abstract: A vehicle system for driving and supporting a vehicle by magnetic force along a vehicle travel path includes a guide rail extending along the vehicle travel path; longitudinal stators stationarily mounted along the guide rail; a vehicle including a vehicle shell and a vehicle chassis supporting the vehicle shell; a carrier bar secured to the chassis; permanent magnets mounted on the carrier bar for cooperating with the longitudinal stators to generate a magnetic carrying force opposing the vehicle weight; and first and second guide rollers each having a roller shaft rigidly supported relative to the carrier bar and rollingly engaging the guide rail for maintaining constant an airgap between the permanent magnets and the longitudinal stators. The first and second rollers take up, until their load limit is reached, any deficiency or excess in the magnetic carrying force to entirely compensate for the vehicle weight.

Abstract: An automated warehouse system a plurality of car passages, and a plurality of transport units, each disposed in a car passage containing parallel rails with vertical webbings, each of the transport units have a car, wheels for running on the rails, a drive for moving the car on the rails, the drive having a linear motor body attached to the car and facing a secondary conductor secured to a rail, a power supplying system for the drive, mounted from one side of the car, and having two parallel induction wires secured to and along a rail, at least one induction coil attached to the car and disposed between the induction wires, the warehouse system further includes the induction wires of each of the transport units being connected in series to one or more common panels.

Abstract: A track-guided transport vehicle system for transporting high loads along a travel path contains for the drive a synchronous linear drive with a long stator along the travel path and an exciter winding on the vehicle. The long stator generates a travelling field that cooperates with a static magnetic field generated by an exciter winding on the vehicle so as to propel the vehicle. In order to supply electric drive energy to the compressor unit serving to generate compressed air for the air cushions, a higher frequency alternating current is superimposed on the current supplied to the windings along the track, with the higher frequency alternating current being coupled by a transformer effect into the winding on the vehicle. The energy can be coupled out there by means of a rectifier and be made available for feeding the electric motor of the compressor unit.

Abstract: A magnetic levitation transport system includes magnetic levitation vehicles each driven by a linear motor to run along a track. Induction lines extend through predetermined blocks of the running track to transmit a high frequency sine-wave current. Each vehicle includes electromagnets to attract levitating magnetic members extending along the running track, a pickup coil resonant with a frequency of the induction lines to generate an electromotive force, and a battery chargeable by the pickup coil. The electromagnets receive power from the pickup coil and/or the battery.

Abstract: A track vehicle such as a Maglev train has a body with superconducting coils mounted thereon which superconducting coils interact with vertically extending coils on guideways of a track to generate a propulsive force. The vehicle runs on wheels at low speeds but at higher speeds the superconducting coils may interact with ground coils to generate a lifting force. In order to reduce or eliminate stresses between the superconducting coils and the vehicle body, the vehicle has one or more wings of airfoil shape which generate lift. That lift may be sufficient to support the whole of the weight of the vehicle, enabling the ground coils to be eliminated. Furthermore, the shape of the superconducting coils may be changed so that they supply more energy to propulsive effects. Preferably the angle of incidence of the wing(s) is variable, to permit the lift generated thereby to be varied.

Abstract: Linear motor supporting apparatus are mounted upon the front and rear portions of each bogie of a vehicle so as to maintain the predetermined distance defined between an on-board coil and a ground stator, the on-board coil and the ground stator together constituting the linear-induction motor. The linear motor supporting apparatus incorporates a servo device which regulates the vertical position of the on-board coil in accordance with the contour of the ground stator so as to maintain the on-board-coil-to-ground-stator distance at the predetermined value. The servo device consists of a valve body, a valve box, and a servo device body. The valve body is secured to a sensor member, which runs upon and is maintained in contact with the ground stator. The valve box is secured to the on-board coil. The servo device body is mounted through means of a spring to the bogie. The ground stator may have some laying errors and there may be variations in its height.

Abstract: An air gap controlling system for a linear motor wherein a comparatively small air gap can be assured between a truck-carried element and a ground-mounted element to assure a high efficiency of the linear motor and construction for driving such ground-mounted element is simplified. Driving means is provided on each truck for driving a truck-carried element of a linear motor to be displaced upwardly or downwardly to adjust an air gap between the truck-carried element and an opposing ground-mounted element which also constitutes the linear motor, and an aimed value of the air gap between the two elements is set in response to a running speed of a velocity of the truck and a truck position signal representative of a position of the truck. At the first truck, the driving means is controlled so that the air gap may be equal to the air gap instruction value which is a rather high value.

Abstract: A plurality of stators of a linear induction motor are arranged at predetermined intervals, and guide rails are mounted on an upper portion of a track frame having a U-shaped section. A levitated object is magnetically levitated below the track frame so as to freely travel along the guide rails. Magnetic support units having electromagnets for obtaining a levitating force, optical gap sensors for detecting gap lengths between the support units and the guide rails, i.e., deviations in a levitating direction, and optical gap sensors for detecting deviations in a guiding direction perpendicular to a traveling direction of the levitated object are respectively arranged on the four corners of the upper surface of the levitated object. The length of each magnetic support unit is larger than the width of each guide rail. Each magnetic support unit is disposed such that the inner ends of the unit and the guide rail are aligned, and the outer end of the unit extends outward from that of the guide rail.

Abstract: A plurality of stators of a linear induction motor are arranged at predetermined intervals, and guide rails are mounted on an upper portion of a track frame having a U-shaped section. A levitated object is magnetically levitated below the track frame so as to freely travel along the guide rails. Magnetic support units having electromagnets for obtaining a levitating force, optical gap sensors for detecting gap lengths between the support units and the guide rails, i.e., deviations in a levitating direction, and optical gap sensors for detecting deviations in a guiding direction perpendicular to a traveling direction of the levitated object are respectively arranged on the four corners of the upper surface of the levitated object. The length of each magnetic support unit is larger than the width of each guide rail. Each magnetic support unit is disposed such that the inner ends of the unit and the guide rail are aligned, and the outer end of the unit extends outward from that of the guide rail.

Abstract: An orientable axle with independent wheels comprises a beam perpendicular the axis of the wheels. It also comprises sensors (16, 20) for measuring the position of the beam with respect to the track; a reference position with respect to the track is predetermined. Electromagnets (22) carried by the axle cooperate with the track for exerting on the axle a force for orientating it. A control circuit delivers a current to the electromagnets for moving the axle in an angular direction which tends to cancel out the difference between the measured position and the reference position. The axle can be used on railroad vehicles having to negociate curves at high speeds.

Abstract: A linear motor type monorail conveying apparatus is disclosed including a pair of carriers adapted to ride on the monorail and a load bar positioned beneath the monorail connection the pair of carriers. A linear induction motor is carried by the load bar with the secondary member of the linear motor mounted on the lower surface of the monorail structure and the primary member formed as an integral part of the linear motor and spaced slightly beneath and parallel to the secondary member.

Abstract: The fixed magnetic structure of a linear synchronous motor for a railway system is supported above the tracks by steel ribs so that thermal expansion of the ribs is similar to expansion of steel vehicles on the railway. The moving parts of the linear synchronous motor are mounted on the vehicle so as to follow the fixed parts closely for optimum coupling of force between the fixed and moving parts.

Abstract: In a transporting system, four magnetic units are mounted on corners of carrier and the carrier is suspended under rails by electromagnetic attractive forces acting between the magnetic units and the bottom section of the rails. Each of the magnetic unit has a permanent magnet and electromagnets and gap sensors are provided on the carrier to sense a gap between each magnetic unit and rail. A battery for supplying a current to the magnetic unit is mounted on the carrier 15. The carrier is floated in a zero steady-state power control mode, even when an external force is applied to the carrier by a zero steady-state power control circuit which maintain the steady-state current supplied to the magnetic unit to be substantially zero. The carrier is softly landed on the rail or started to move from the rail in response to an external command in a soft landing or a soft start mode by an actuating unit 67.

Abstract: A transportation system of a floated-carrier type according to this invention includes a carrier capable of running along guide rails with a cargo and load carried thereon. A magnetic unit is mounted on the carrier to float the carrier from the guide rails. A slowing-down device is provided to slow down the carrier when the carrier is just about to enter into a stop position. Projections of ferromagnetic material are provided on the side of predetermined portions of guide rails which the magnetic unit of the carrier confronts when the carrier is stopped in the stop position. The magnetic unit, together with the guide rails, establishes a magnetic circuit. The magnetic resistance in the magnetic circuit is smaller at the predetermined portions of the guide rails where the aforementioned projections are provided than at other portions of the guide rails.

Abstract: Disclosed is a single, integrated linear synchronous unipolar motor having high-energy permanent magnets operable along a substantially linear demagnetization curve and a polyphase coil. Collectively, the permanent magnets and polyphase coil provide for propulsion, suspension, braking and lateral control of a vehicle along a passive reaction rail. The permanent magnets provide the primary force for suspending the vehicle from the guideway, with a DC field control coil controlling the suspension gap between the vehicle and the reaction rail. The polyphase coil propels the vehicle along the track at a speed dependent upon the voltage and frequency of the supplied signal. The motor exhibits a high power factor and efficiency factor, resulting in a motor that can be operated from a power source having a lower KVA rating than that required for previous linear motor arrangements and that can be used in concert with a low-cost, passive guideway.

Abstract: A conveyor device for alignment in which minutely displaceable members and hydraulic fluid supply pads are disposed between a slide and a guide. The relative position of the slide and the guide is adjusted by controlling the dimension of the minutely displaceable members.

Abstract: Continuous, vertically tensioned steel cables 31, 32 or straps 39, 40, 41 mounted in an elevator shaft 2 serve as tracking standards for air gap detectors 33, 34, 35 mounted to a passanger cage 5. The detector outputs differentially control electromagnet pairs 6, 7, 8 mounted on the cage and cooperable with vertical guide rails 1 to maintain the sensed air gaps at a constant, predetermined value.

Abstract: A floating carrier type transporting system comprises guide rails whose bottom section is formed by a ferromagnetic material, a carrier free to run along the guide rails, a magnetic supporting device for floating the carrier, a linear induction motor for drining the carrier that is floated by the magnetic supporting device to run along the guide rails, a sensor unit for detecting the changes in magnetic reluctance and/or magnetomotive force in the magnetic circuit that is mounted on the carrier, a control device for controlling the excitation current that is to be flowed in the electromagnet based on the output from the sensor unit, and a roll damping device for damping the rolling that is generated in the carrier in the state of running under the action of the magnetic supporting device and the linear induction motor.

Abstract: A carrier which transports semiconductor chips or the like can run along two rails made of a ferromagnetic material and extending along a running path. The carrier has four supports projecting from its bottom. Four magnets units are supported by the supports, respectively, and each magnet unit includes a permanent magnet and a pair of electromagnets such that the magnet units face the rails. The carrier is held floated with respect to the rails by electromagnetic forces acting between the magnet units and rails. The supports support four gap sensors which detect the gap between the magnet units and rails and produce an output signal corresponding to the gap. Magnetic flux control unit is provided on the underside of the carrier to control the current supplied to the electromagnets in accordance with the outputs of the gap sensors to maintain the gap constant within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A magnetic suspension for a railway vehicle with electromagnetic carrying, guiding and driving gear, wherein the forces of the exciter and transverse flux magnets support, guide, drive and brake together with an active motor section by regulating the gap distance from a track-side reaction rail measured by gap, measured by gap sensors, and wherein the vehicle includes hover frames and the magnets are resiliently mounted to the hover frames in such a way that both supporting and guiding magnets as well as the carrying magnets of the two longsides of the vehicles are separated from each other as to action and the hover frames are coupled to the vehicle superstructure through spring means is disclosed. Each magnet includes at least four coils and the transvers flux magnets have adjacent coils with coil lengths selected so that within the magnet coil peripheries of the adjacent coils, lying side by side, do not coincide.

Abstract: The incremental detection of the vehicle position of a magnetic levitation vehicle, particularly having an elongate stator motor, can occur with at least one coded measuring strip which extends in the direction of travel with a fixed positional assignment to the stator winding and can occur with a sensor system disposed on the vehicle. The sensor system comprises a plurality of sensors disposed at a distance in the direction of travel for detecting the coding. For reliably identifying the relative and the absolute vehicle position given high resolution of the measured signals, the measuring strip, in addition to a pole position coding, also exhibits a slot coding for determining the vehicle location and the sensors arranged independently of the drive system comprise measuring windings for the pole position decoding and measuring windings for the slot decoding.

Abstract: An improvement in an inductive repulsion type vehicle magnetic levitation and guide system for a curved track in which the vehicle is levitated by an electromagnetic force generated between levitation conductors having the same time constant and laid in two parallel rows on the ground at specific intervals in the direction of travel of the vehicle and levitation superconductive magnets on the vehicle capable of being electromagnetically coupled with the levitation conductors, the magnets being opposed to the levitation conductors at a specific distance from the levitation conductors. The vehicle is guided by an electromagnetic force generated between guide conductors having the same time constant successively positioned at specific intervals in the direction of travel of the vehicle and guide superconductive magnets mounted on the vehicle opposed to the guide conductors at a specific distance from the guide conductors.

Abstract: A conveyance system having an overhead guide rail above a surface and one or more vehicles which are guided by the rail and partially supported on the surface by a wheel structure. Preferably, the guide rail includes the stator of a linear induction motor which cooperates with a rotor element in a propulsion member for the vehicle. A handpole on the vehicle connects the propulsion member to a passenger-carrying platform on the wheel structure. The handpole is sufficiently vertical to be readily grasped by a passenger for support while riding and assistance in getting on and off the vehicle, and yet the pole is sufficiently inclined to partially support the vehicle and permit its movement in response to the propulsion member. The preferred system uses simple, lightweight vehicles which can be readily installed over a pre-existing surface such as a sidewalk or corridor and are arranged to move continuously therealong at a slow passenger-transfer speed and a faster speed between transfer points.