Multi-rail/roller compliance system for independent mover products
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B65G-047/00
B65G-023/23
B65G-054/02
출원번호
US-0292396
(2016-10-13)
등록번호
US-10029855
(2018-07-24)
발명자
/ 주소
Grosskreuz, Paul J.
Gurevich, Ilya
Lamouree, John C.
Fernandez, Juan A.
Dujmovic, Jeffrey W.
출원인 / 주소
Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Boyle Fredrickson, SC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
11
초록▼
A mover system that provides spatially separated rails of the track interacting with pairs of closely spaced opposed wheels of the mover constraining movement of the mover on the track is provided. Each pair of wheels includes standard cylindrical or crowned wheels contacting the opposed parallel si
A mover system that provides spatially separated rails of the track interacting with pairs of closely spaced opposed wheels of the mover constraining movement of the mover on the track is provided. Each pair of wheels includes standard cylindrical or crowned wheels contacting the opposed parallel sides of standard rectangular rails, retaining the movers on the track in both horizontal and vertical directions normal to a transport direction along the track. The wheels bear loads in a radial direction with respect to axial motion consistent with its naturally positioned strength.
대표청구항▼
1. A mover for use on a track providing a closed loop extending along a track circumferential path and having at least two rails extending along the circumferential path and displaced from each other in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential path, the mover comprising: a frame supporting a
1. A mover for use on a track providing a closed loop extending along a track circumferential path and having at least two rails extending along the circumferential path and displaced from each other in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential path, the mover comprising: a frame supporting a magnetic element on an inner surface and producing an attractive force in a direction toward corresponding magnetic elements on the track and supporting a first, a second, and a third set of bearings;wherein each set of bearings provides two wheels each having peripheral contact surfaces opposed across a gap distance, each wheel having a wheel centerline defined by an axis of rotation of each wheel, and each set of bearings having a midpoint defined between two wheel centerlines of the set of bearings;wherein the axes of the first bearing set and third bearing set are substantially perpendicular to the axes of the second bearing set and substantially perpendicular to the direction of the attractive force of the magnetic element;wherein the gap distance between any two wheels of the same bearing set is less than a distance between the midpoints of any two bearing sets;wherein a distance between the midpoints of the first and third bearing sets is greater than a gap distance of the two wheels of the second bearing set; andwherein the second bearing set is positioned on the inner surface of the frame displaced from the magnetic element of the frame. 2. The mover of claim 1 wherein each of the wheels is rotatable about a respective axis and the axes for the two wheels of each bearing set are parallel and the contact surfaces are opposed across the gap distance. 3. The mover of claim 1 wherein at least one of the two wheels of the first and second set includes a compliant member adapted for expansion of the gap distance. 4. The mover of claim 3 wherein the compliant member is a spring. 5. The mover of claim 1 wherein the wheels have an outer cylindrical periphery providing a hardened steel surface. 6. The mover of claim 1 wherein the wheels have an outer barrel shaped periphery providing a hardened steel surface. 7. The mover of claim 1 wherein each set of bearings provides four wheels each having peripheral contact surfaces rotatable about a wheel centerline defined by an axis of rotation of each wheel and the axes for the four wheels are parallel and the contact surfaces for two of the wheels are in opposition across a gap distance and the wheel centerlines for any two of the wheels is bisected by a midpoint. 8. The mover of claim 7 wherein the four wheels form an isosceles trapezoid wherein inner wheels contacting an inner circumference of the rail of the track form a shorter base of the trapezoid and outer wheels contacting an outer circumference of the rail of the track form a longer base of the trapezoid parallel to the shorter base. 9. The mover of claim 8 wherein the inner wheels are formed outside of a triangle formed by joining a center of curvature of the track and the axes of rotation of the two outer wheels along their radii of curvature and a segment joining the axes of the two outer wheels. 10. The mover of claim 1 wherein the midpoints of any two sets of bearings are displaced by a distance substantially less than a height of the frame. 11. The mover of claim 1 wherein the track further comprises a mover support frame supporting a magnetic element for interacting with the magnetic elements on the mover and supporting a first and a second rail extending along the circumferential path and displaced from each other in a direction perpendicular to the track circumferential path; wherein the track provides two opposed parallel contact surfaces; and wherein the first and second rail are displaced from each other a distance less than a length of the mover support frame. 12. The mover of claim 1 wherein the gap distance between wheels of the first, second and third bearings sets is substantially equal. 13. A track used with a mover traveling along the track along a track circumferential path and having at least a first, a second, and a third set of bearings having peripheral contact surfaces rotatable about axes and the axes for two wheels of each first, second, and third set of bearings are parallel and the axes of the first bearing set and third bearing set are substantially perpendicular to the axes of the second bearing set, wherein each set of bearings provides two wheels each having peripheral contact surfaces opposed across a gap distance, each wheel having a wheel centerline defined by an axis of rotation of each wheel, and each set of bearings having a midpoint defined between two wheel centerlines of the set of bearings, wherein the gap distance between any two wheels of the same bearing a set is less than a distance between the midpoints of any two bearing sets, and wherein a distance between the midpoints of the first and third bearing sets is greater than a gap distance the two wheels of the second bearing set, the track comprising: a mover support frame supporting a magnetic element for interacting with corresponding magnetic elements on the mover and producing an attractive force in a direction toward the magnetic element of the frame and supporting a first rail, a second, and a third rail extending along the circumferential path, the first and second rail displaced from each other in a direction perpendicular to the track circumferential path and the second and third rail displaced from each other in a direction perpendicular to the track circumferential path;wherein the track provides two opposed parallel contact surfaces;wherein the first and second rail are displaced from each other a distance less than a length of the mover support frame;wherein the axes of the first bearing set and third bearing set of the mover are positioned substantially perpendicular to the direction of the attractive force of the magnetic elements; andwherein the second bearings set is displaced from the magnetic element on the mover. 14. The track of claim 13 wherein the first and second rails are independently separable from the mover support frame and have a rectangular cross section. 15. The track of claim 13 wherein the mover support frame further supports a third rail extending along the circumferential path and displaced from the first and second rails in a direction perpendicular to the track circumferential path. 16. The track of claim 13 wherein the mover support frame provides a first lateral face, a second lateral face parallel to the first lateral face, and a third transverse face extending between the first and second lateral face, and defining a track attachment surface wherein the first rail is mounted to the first lateral face, the second rail is mounted to the third transverse face, and a third rail is mounted to the second lateral face. 17. The track of claim 13 wherein a width of the first and second rail is at least 10 times less than a length of the mover support frame. 18. The track of claim 13 wherein the opposed parallel contact surfaces of the first, second, and third rails are perpendicular to the first lateral face, second lateral face, and third transverse face, respectively. 19. The track of claim 13 wherein the rails are hardened steel. 20. A method of transporting a mover on a track along a transport direction comprising: providing a track support frame providing a first face, a second face, and a third face defining a track attachment surface holding a plurality of individually controlled electromagnetic coils effective for creating electromagnetic fields, the track attachment surface carrying a first rail, a second rail, and a third rail each having opposed parallel surfaces extending along the transport direction, the mover providing a first lateral arm communicating with the first face, a second lateral arm communicating with the second face, and a mounting platform extending between the first lateral arm and second lateral arm and holding magnetic elements on an inner surface and producing an attractive force in a direction toward the electromagnetic fields of the track support frame, the mover carrying a first, a second, and a third set of wheels contacting the opposed parallel surfaces of the first, second, and third rails, respectively, in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction and in a direction perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the wheels, and the first and second rails separated on different perpendicular faces of the track support frame and the second and third rails separated on different perpendicular faces of the track support frame and substantially perpendicular to the direction of the attractive force of the magnetic element, wherein each set of bearings provides two wheels each having peripheral contact surfaces opposed across a substantially equal gap distance, each wheel having a wheel centerline defined by an axis of rotation of each wheel, and each set of bearings having a midpoint defined between two wheel centerlines of the set of bearings, wherein the gap distance between any two wheels of the same bearing set is less than a distance between the midpoints of any two bearings sets, wherein a distance between the midpoints of the first and third bearing sets is greater than a gap distance the two wheels of the second bearing set, and wherein the second bearing set is positioned on the inner surface of the frame displaced from the magnetic elements of the mounting platform:mounting the mover to the track assembly;transporting the mover along the track assembly along the transport direction; andrestraining movement of the mover in a normal direction perpendicular to a direction of motion of the mover along the track assembly and a vertical direction perpendicular to the transport direction and perpendicular to the normal direction.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (11)
Schwarzkopf Anton (Von-Heidenheim-Str. 5 8909 Mnsterhausen DEX), Amusement ride.
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