Magnemotion, Inc.

Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Rockwell Automation, Inc.

Brian M Perreault

Tracy M Clark

Yuhong Huang

Richard D Thornton

Jason Young

Michael W Bottasso

Nathanael N King

Jesse R Mendenhall

Robert H Schmidt

Eric J Wildi

Azeddine Choumach

Daniel I Lanier

Haihui Lu

Mark R Cooper

Neil R Bentley

Jason A Young

Michael F Onorato

Michaela R Kaufmann

Hao Yang

Michael Chemello

P Eric Malkowski

Peter Eric Malkowski

Tyler D Roetzer

Sergio L Canales

Zhuo Liu

Cassiopia H Sullivan

Jesus Chung

Eric P Malkowski

Virtual slots are provided to coordinate traffic flow in an independent cart system. Multiple virtual slots are defined along a length of a track for the independent cart system. The track includes multiple track segments, and the independent cart system includes a linear drive system to propel movers along the track. Each of the virtual slots are controlled to travel along the length of the track. The virtual slots are spaced apart at a first distance and are controlled to travel synchronously at a desired speed. Each of the movers is controlled to travel within one of the virtual slots at the desired speed, and each of the movers has a minimum stopping distance greater than the first distance when travelling at the desired speed.

Virtual slots for independent cart system

An independent cart system includes multiple track segments, multiple movers, multiple position sensors, and a controller. Each track segment includes multiple coils along a length of the track segment and a segment controller operative to selectively energize the coils to generate an electromagnetic field. Each mover includes a magnet array having multiple magnets, where the magnet array generates a magnetic field that interacts with the electromagnetic field generated by the coils to propel the mover along the track segments. The position sensors are spaced apart along the length of each track segment and generate a position feedback signal with a waveform as a function of the magnetic field generated by the magnet array on each mover. The controller is operative to receive the position feedback signal from each position sensor and to determine a unique identifier for each mover as a function of the waveform of the position feedback signal.

Magnet arrays for vehicle identification in an independent cart system

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., as described above, that includes a merge region with a flipper and a broadened region of the running surface. The flipper applies a lateral force to the vehicle to alter an angle thereof as the vehicle enters the merge region, and the broadened region continues the merge by contacting the septum of the vehicle, thereby, providing further guidance or channeling for the merge. The flipper, which can be equipped for full or partial deployment, is partially deployed in order to effect alteration of the vehicle angle as the vehicle enters the merge.

Short block linear synchronous motors and switching mechanisms

A system and method for holding position of a mover in an independent cart system includes receiving a current feedback signal corresponding to a current present in at least one coil for a linear drive system in the independent cart system. A motion command for the mover is received, where the motion command defines a desired position along a track of the independent cart system to which the mover is to travel. An electromagnetic pinning control mode is disabled while controlling operation of the at least one mover to the desired position and enabled when the at least one mover is at the desired position.

System and method for electromagnetic pinning and hybrid control of a linear drive system

A system for selecting one of multiple paths in a linear drive system includes track segments having a first drive member and at least one mover having a second drive member for the linear drive system. Each mover includes a drive surface oriented toward the track segment when the at least one mover is driven along the track. Each mover also includes a first channel and a second channel extending along the drive surface. A switch track segment includes a first path and a second path along which the at least one mover may travel, at least one first pin positioned along the first path, and at least one second pin positioned along the second path. The first and second pins are extendable to engage the first and second channels of the at least one mover to direct the mover along either the first path or the second path, respectively.

System and method for controlling direction of a vehicle in an independent cart system

An independent cart system provides a track assembly having a first, second, and third portion with the first and second portions providing drive coils mounted along the length of the track and flanking the second portion devoid of drive coils, the second portion providing an energy transfer coil. A plurality of movers operative to travel along the track, and have a drive member and a pick-up coil mounted for electrical interaction with the energy transfer coil when a given mover is aligned with a given second track portion. The first and second track portions include current drive circuits providing current to respective drive coils to generate electromagnetic fields which engages mover drive members to propel each movers along the track and the second track portion includes an energy transfer circuit providing current to the energy transfer coil to transfer electrical energy through mutual inductance to pick-up coils of the movers.

System and method for in-line wireless energy transfer and sensing in an independent cart system

An improved system for preventing collisions between movers while improving throughput in a linear drive system utilizes a continually variable vehicle length for each mover. A vehicle length is assigned to each mover, where the vehicle length is a minimum track length required by the vehicle to avoid physically contacting a neighboring vehicle along the track. The vehicle length for each mover is then determined for each location along the track based on both the track geometry and the mover geometry. The vehicle length is continually variable along the length of the track allowing movers to be positioned as close together as possible for each location along the track based on both the track geometry and the mover geometry. The continually variable vehicle length provides collision prevention between movers while increasing throughput of movers along segments of the track that do not require the largest spacing between movers.

System and method for collision prevention in a linear motion system

An independent mover transport system and related method. The system comprises a mover having an axis, and a track. The track includes first and second track segments, and a controller operative to drive a first coil of the first track segment to control movement of the mover along the first track segment towards the second track segment. The controller is further operative to define a first zone for the first track segment, define a second zone for the first track segment, drive the first coil to control movement of the mover with the first set of controller gain values when the location of the axis is in the first zone, and drive the first coil to control movement of the mover with second set of controller gain values when the location of the axis is in the second zone.

Independent mover transport system and method of extending range of operations in an independent mover transport system

A method may include receiving topology information associated with a linear motor system that includes multiple track modules. Each track module may include one or more motors. The topology information may include one or more media access control (MAC) addresses associated with the motors. The method may also include associating one or more IP addresses with the MAC addresses associated with the motors, generating a configuration file associated with the linear motor system based on the topology information and the IP addresses, and transmitting one or more commands to the motors to control or adjust one or more operations of the motors based on the configuration file.

Automated discovery and configuration techniques

A motion control system for an independent cart system provides for a minimum spacing between movers that is less than the width of a coil used to control motion of the movers. Blocks are statically or dynamically defined along the length of each track segment, where the width of a block is less than the width of a coil along the same track segment. Dividing the width of each coil into smaller block widths provides for an improved resolution of control for each mover. The blocks may also establish collision prevention between movers without requiring knowledge of the position of adjacent movers. Each block is assigned to a single mover at a time, but multiple blocks may be assigned to a single mover. A mover is permitted to only move within those blocks assigned to it and cannot have blocks assigned to it that are already assigned to another mover.

Method and apparatus for providing improved motion control of movers in an independent cart system

A system automatically calibrates gains and/or offsets for each position feedback signal in order to reduce variations between position feedback signals for each sensor in a linear drive system. As a mover travels along a track segment, the segment controller records the position feedback signal output from each position sensor corresponding to a magnet on the mover passing the position sensor. The segment controller periodically monitors the position feedback values generated by one mover as it travels along the track segment and automatically updates the sensor gains as a function of a ratio of a target peak value to a measured peak value of the position feedback signal. The segment controller also records the position feedback signal from each sensor when no mover is traveling past the sensor. The segment controller periodically monitors the position feedback values received when no mover is present and automatically updates sensor offset values.

System and method for automatic runtime position sensor offset calibration in a linear motion system

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.

Transport system powered by short block linear synchronous motors

A system to automatically calibrate gains and/or offsets for each position feedback signal in order to reduce variations between position feedback signals for each sensor in a linear drive system is disclosed. As a mover travels along a track segment, the segment controller records the position feedback signal output from each position sensor corresponding to a magnet on the mover passing the position sensor. The segment controller determines peak values for each position feedback signal and compares the peak values against a target peak value. The segment controller then adjusts a gain value for each sensor by a ratio of the target peak value to a measured peak value. The segment controller periodically monitors the position feedback values generated by one mover as it travels along the track segment and automatically updates the sensor gains as previously described.

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Stow, MA, United States of America

Brian M Perreault