The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 30, 2019
Filed:
Sep. 29, 2017
Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc., Mayfield Heights, OH (US);
Patrick E. Ozimek, Milwaukee, WI (US);
Jonathan D. Hoffman, Milwaukee, WI (US);
Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc., Mayfield Heights, OH (US);
Abstract
Drive coils in sections of a linear motor track that are normally used to electromagnetically propel movers along the track when such movers are nearby can be used to generate a mid-bus voltage for the section when not being used to propel movers. Such drive coils not being used to propel movers are considered 'idle' and available for mid-bus voltage generation. The mid-bus voltage, and a full-bus voltage from which the mid-bus voltage is derived, in turn, can be applied across other drive coils that are near movers with varying polarities and magnitudes to propel movers along the track. Track sensors can be positioned along the track to detect presences or absences of movers with respect to drive coils for determining propulsion of such movers or generation of the mid-bus voltage. Accordingly, power supplies can be used more efficiently by not requiring them to generate mid-bus voltages in addition to full-bus voltages and DC references.