Ats Automation Tooling Systems Inc.

Ats, Inc.

Other

Albert Kleinikkink

Roger Hogan

Blake Robert Lambert

John Ditner

Ian Cameron

Louis Ian Cameron

Martin John Juritsch

Graham Knap

Darragh Staunton

Javan Taylor

Don Mowat

Ryan Scott

Bradley James Woodward

Donald J Mowat

Ryan Chubb

Ryan Lloyd Willis Arthur Scott

Scott Charles Lindsay

Jayson Jones

Jeff Lee

Michael Barclay

Brad Northey

Steve Aikens

Kenneth Wayne Nicholson

Philip David Munroe

Calin Alexander

Stephen Aikens

Amir Rajabi

Braden Jon Guenther

Anton Dolgovykh

Allan Dubeau

Clayton Ditzend

Scott Lindsay

Graham Richard Knap

John Leo Ditner

Donald James Mowat

Evan Walsh

Andrew McKAY

A conveyor system configured to allow adjustment of part pitch by moving elements. The conveyor system including: a track; at least two moving elements configured to move on the track; and a pitch assembly mounted on the at least two moving elements, the pitch assembly including: at least one rail provided on at least one of the moving elements; a plurality of nests; and a mechanical linkage connected to the at least two moving elements; wherein the nests are slidably engaged with the rail to maintain linear motion and connected with the mechanical linkage such that, as the moving elements move closer together, the mechanical linkage contracts and slides the plurality of nests closer together for a reduced pitch, and, as the moving elements move apart from each other, the mechanical linkage extends and slides the plurality of nests apart for an increased pitch.

Conveyor system using moving elements to adjust part pitch

A linear motor conveyor system with alternate drive. The system includes: at least one linear motor track section; at least one alternate drive track section having the same configuration as the linear motor track section but incorporating an alternate drive mechanism; a plurality of moving elements configured to move along the linear motor track section and alternate drive track section; and a control system for controlling the moving elements to move on the linear motor track section and the alternative drive track section. The alternate drive track section may include: a belt drive including a belt, a belt drive motor and a friction element on the moving element to engage with the belt such that movement of the belt causes the moving element to move along the track section due to friction. The alternate drive track section may alternatively include a simplified linear motor track section.

Linear motor conveyor system with alternate drive

A control system for an electric motor in a manufacturing environment, the control system including: a safety relay; and a power reduction circuit, wherein, when the safety relay is triggered, the power reduction circuit automatically limits the power supplied to the electric motor from a main power source such that the electric motor operates in a predetermined safe mode. A method for controlling an electric motor in a manufacturing system, the electric motor having a main power supply, the method including: monitoring the manufacturing system associated with the electric motor for a change in condition; on detecting a change in condition: limiting a power supplied to the electric motor, via a power reduction circuit, such that the electric motor operates in a predetermined safe mode. The power reduction circuit includes a reduced power supply and a means of dropping the power supplied to the electric motor quickly.

System and method for electric motor control in a manufacturing environment

A system and method for supporting and connecting conveyor track sections. The system including a mounting stand including: a base configured to connect with a stable surface; and a plurality of adjustable sections, with at least one of each of the plurality of adjustable sections being adjustable in relation to the base and the track section in at least one of at least 5 degrees of freedom, wherein at least some of the plurality of adjustable sections connect with the track sections. The method including: installing and securing a mounting stand on a stable surface; attaching a temporary clamp to align adjacent track sections; adjusting the mounting stand about at least 5 degrees of freedom to match with the adjacent track sections; connecting the mounting stand to the adjacent track sections while maintaining the alignment provided by the temporary clamp; and releasing the temporary clamp.

System and method for supporting and connecting conveyor track

A method and system for wireless communication in a conveyor system. The method includes: formulating a command from a master controller to an accessory controller; translating the command into a simplified protocol; transmitting the simplified command via a wireless communications channel; receiving the simplified command at a wireless receiver; processing the simplified command by the accessory controller; formulating a response to the master controller from the accessory controller; transmitting the response via the wireless communications channel; and translating the response for handling by the master controller. The system includes: a downlink converter/transmitter configured to translate a command into a simplified protocol and send a simplified command via a wireless signal; an accessory receiver/transmitter configured to receive the wireless signal; and an accessory interface configured to communicate the simplified command to the accessory for execution.

Method and system for wireless communication in a conveyor system

A conveyor system and method for controlling the same. The conveyor system includes: at least one moving element; a track including: a straight track section with a first mechanism for moving the moving element; and a curved track section connected to the straight track section including a second mechanism for moving the moving element; and a controller configured to control a speed of the moving element as the moving element moves from the straight track section to the curved track section and vice versa such that a velocity profile of the moving element includes a sinusoidal portion to provide a transition from straight to rotary motion or from rotary to straight motion having a linear position profile. In the method, the controller controls at least one of the first mechanism and the second mechanism to move the moving element according to the velocity profile including the sinusoidal portion.

System and method for controlling a moving element on a curved track in a conveyor system

A transporting system and method for a linear motor conveyor system, wherein the conveyor system includes at least one moving element and at least one track on which the moving element moves, the transporting system including: a rotatable element; a motor for rotating the rotatable element; a coupler connected to the rotatable element, wherein the coupler is configured to engage with the moving element when the coupler is positioned in a predetermined relationship with the moving element; and a controller configured to: operatively connect with the linear motor conveyor system; and control at least one of the moving element and the rotatable element so that the coupler is positioned in the predetermined relationship with the moving element on the track such that the coupler strips the moving element off the track.

System and method for moving element transport in a conveyor system

A system and method for tracking a location of a moving element on a conveyor system. The system including: magnetic sensors; a magnetic encoder strip that is readable by the magnetic sensors; and a processor for receiving and processing the sensor readings to determine a location of the moving element. The method including: sensing a current location of the moving element, wherein at least one of the magnetic sensors and magnetic encoder are associated with the moving element; and providing a current location to a conveyor system controller. The system may further include: color sensors; and a color gradient encoder strip that is readable by the color sensors, wherein the color gradient encoder strip and color sensors provide moving element location at start up and the magnetic sensors and magnetic encoder strip track moving element location during operation. In this case, the method is adjusted accordingly.

System and method for tracking a moving element in a conveyor system

A linear motor conveyor system including: a track comprising a shaped guide rail; a plurality of moving elements, each moving element having: a body; at least two bearings supported by the body and configured to match with the shaped guide rail, wherein the bearings are mounted to the moving element such that the moving elements overlap along the direction of the track providing a reduced tooling pitch between the moving elements. A moving element for moving on a track of a conveyor system, the moving element including: a first set of bearings shaped to match with a first shaped guide rail; a second set of bearings configured to abut against a second guide rail; and a body supporting the first and the second bearing, wherein the body is shaped to allow the first bearing to at least partially overlap the body of an adjacent moving element.

Linear motor conveyor system and moving elements therefor providing a reduced tooling pitch

A linear motor conveyor system having a moving element comprising a first and a second magnetic element on opposite sides; a first track comprising a first linear motor configured to generate a dynamic magnetic field which acts on the first magnetic element to provide a first dynamic lateral force and a first dynamic longitudinal force; a second track with a transfer region positioned adjacent to the first track, the second track configured to generate a magnetic field that acts on the second magnetic element to provide a second lateral force; and a controller to control the first linear motor such that the first dynamic lateral force is configured to bias the moving element toward the first linear motor until the moving element reaches a switch point in the transfer region, after which the dynamic lateral forces are selectively adjusted to bias the moving element toward the first or second track.

Linear motor conveyor system with diverter and method for design and configuration thereof

A linear motor conveyor system including: at least one track section comprising: electronic circuitry housed within the track section; and a rotatable segment comprising an end profile that abuts another track section to form a stepped groove sealed by a gasket. A moving element for a linear motor conveyor system including: a body; a first set of bearings attached to the body and angled to abut against a first guide rail of a conveyor system having a protrusion with opposing angled profiles; a second set of bearing attached to the body and designed to abut against a flat profile of a second guide rail of the conveyor system. A dry lubricant provided to the body and configured to lubricate a bearing surface of the linear motor conveyor system supporting the first set of bearings.

Linear motor conveyor system for clean/aseptic environments

A linear motor conveyor system including: a plurality of track sections including a track and an interior area; a track cover covering the track of the plurality of track sections; a top plate covering at least a portion of the interior area of the plurality of track sections; at least one top cover covering at least a portion of the top plate and any uncovered portions of the interior area; and a plurality of gaskets providing a seal between the track cover and track, top cover and top plate such that the interior area of the plurality of track sections are sealed. The track cover may be a strong, flexible material configured to wrap along or around the track to cover any joints between track sections and provide a sealed, easy to clean cover.

A joint system and method for managing alignment tolerances in a track section of a conveyor, the system including: a plurality of track sections, each track section including at least one end to be joined with an adjacent track section and one or more rails on which bearings of moving elements move; and wherein, at the end of each track section, the one or more rails each comprise a finger such that rails from adjacent track sections form an interlaced connection between fingers from each track section and both fingers are angled such that a non-alignment of the rails will not jar a bearing moving over the joint.

System and method for connecting rails on a conveyor track

A curvilinear track section of a linear motor system for use with a moving element including a machine readable medium, the track section including: a curvilinear track portion having a predetermined curved shape; a plurality of sensors provided to the track portion such that each of the plurality of sensors is oriented perpendicular to the direction of motion while the plurality of sensors are placed along the direction of motion and the plurality of sensors are configured such that the machine readable medium will overlap at least two of the plurality of sensors at the same time; and a processor configured to determine a position of the moving element on the curvilinear track section based on the readings from the sensors.

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Cambridge, Canada

Albert Kleinikkink