Transport apparatus in the form of a long stator linear motor

{
  "publication_number": "US10407246B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Transport apparatus in the form of a long stator linear motor",
  "abstract": "In order to specify a transport apparatus in the form of a long stator linear motor, by which the negative effects of a non-uniform magnetic flux in the joint region between two adjacent transport segments can be at least alleviated, according to embodiments, the spacing between the coil center of an end coil of a transport segment and the relevant end of the transport segment is smaller than half the tooth pitch of the two adjacent end coils of the transport segments, the tooth pitch of the two adjacent end coils corresponding to the tooth pitch of the drive coils of at least one of the transport segments.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A transport apparatus in the form of a long stator linear motor comprising: at least two adjacent transport segments that are mutually spaced in the longitudinal direction by a segment spacing, a plurality of drive coils, mutually spaced by a tooth pitch, being arranged, in the longitudinal direction, on each of the two transport segments, wherein a spacing, in the longitudinal direction, between a coil center of an end coil of a transport segment and an adjacent end of the transport segment is smaller than half a tooth pitch of adjacent end coils of the at least two mutually spaced transport segments, and wherein a tooth pitch of the two adjacent end coils corresponds to the tooth pitch of the drive coils of at least one of the transport segments.",
    "2. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tooth pitches of the drive coils of adjacent transport segments are of the same size.",
    "3. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a maximum segment spacing is 1% of an average value of a total length of two adjacent transport segments.",
    "4. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a maximum segment spacing is set such that the spacing between the coil center of the end coil of the transport segment and the adjacent end of the transport segment corresponds to half a coil width of a drive coil.",
    "5. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a minimum segment spacing is set such that, at a defined maximum temperature, the adjacent transport segments do not touch.",
    "6. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a resilient material is arranged in a joint region between adjacent mutually spaced transport segments.",
    "7. The transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein toothlike extensions are provided on end portions of the transport segments.",
    "8. The transport apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an outer coil end of the end coil of the transport segment, in the longitudinal direction, ends flush with the adjacent end of the transport segment.",
    "9. The transport apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the resilient material has a magnetic permeability greater than that of air at least by a factor of 10.",
    "10. The transport apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the resilient material has a magnetic permeability greater than that of air at least by a factor of 100."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a transport apparatus in the form of a long stator linear motor comprising at least two adjacent transport segments that are mutually spaced in the longitudinal direction by a segment spacing, a plurality of drive coils that are mutually spaced by a tooth pitch being arranged, in the longitudinal direction, on each of the two transport segments.\n\nIn virtually all modern production facilities, it is necessary to move structural elements or components between individual handling or production stations, also over long transport routes, by means of transport apparatuses. A plurality of transport or conveying apparatuses are known for this purpose. Continuous conveyors in various embodiments are often used for this purpose. The various embodiments of belt conveyors are conventional continuous conveyors, in the case of which belt conveyors a rotational movement of an electric drive is converted into a linear movement of the belt conveyor. Conventional continuous conveyors of this kind significantly restrict flexibility; in particular, it is not possible to individually transport separate transport units. In order to meet the requirements of modern, flexible transport apparatuses, what are known as long stator linear motors (LLM) are being used increasingly to replace conventional continuous conveyors.\n\nIn a long stator linear motor, a plurality of electric drive coils that form the stator are arranged side-by-side, in a stationary manner, along a transport route.",
  "cpc": [
    "H02K 41/031",
    "B65G 21/20",
    "B65G 21/2018",
    "B65G 23/23",
    "B65G 23/24",
    "H02K 1/02",
    "H02K 1/14",
    "H02K 1/148",
    "H02K 2213/03"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 21/20",
    "B65G 23/23",
    "B65G 23/24",
    "H02K 1/02",
    "H02K 1/14",
    "H02K 41/03"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "B&R Industrial Automation GmbH"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Michael REINTHALER"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-06-13",
  "publication_date": "2019-09-10",
  "grant_date": "2019-09-10",
  "priority_date": "2017-07-03",
  "application_number": "US-201816007713-A",
  "family_id": "62846009",
  "cited_by_count": 6,
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}