Linear conveyor

{
  "publication_number": "US11772910B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Linear conveyor",
  "abstract": "A linear conveyor fixed to a base member includes a transfer slider, a frame including a rail along which the transfer slider is moved in a traveling direction, a first support member that is disposed on one end side of the frame with respect to a longitudinal direction of the frame and is fixed to the base member and the frame and supports the frame, a second support member that is disposed on another end side of the frame with respect to the longitudinal direction of the frame and fixed to the base member and supports the frame such that the frame is not fixed with respect to the second support member, and a sliding mechanism with which the second support member and the frame relatively move in the longitudinal direction according to difference in thermal expansion and contraction amounts of the base member and the frame.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A linear conveyor fixed to a base member, the linear conveyor comprising: a transfer slider: a frame including a rail along which the transfer slider is configured to move in a traveling direction; a first support member that is disposed on one end side of the frame with respect to a longitudinal direction of the frame and is fixed to the base member and the frame and supports the frame; a second support member that is disposed on another end side of the frame with respect to the longitudinal direction of the frame and fixed to the base member and supports the frame such that the frame is not fixed with respect to the second support member; and a sliding mechanism with which the second support member and the frame relatively move in the longitudinal direction according to difference in thermal expansion and contraction amounts of the base member and the frame.",
    "2. The linear conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the sliding mechanism is fixed to one of the first support member and the second support member and includes a fitting portion that is fitted to another one of the first support member and the second support member so as to be able to slide.",
    "3. The linear conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the sliding mechanism includes a tubular portion that is fixed to one of the second support member and the frame, and an insertion portion that is fixed to another one of the second support member and the frame and inserted in the tubular portion so as to be able to slide.",
    "4. The linear conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the sliding mechanism includes an auxiliary rail that is directly fixed to one of the base member and the frame, and an auxiliary slider that is directly fixed to another one of the base member and the frame and slides with respect to the auxiliary rail.",
    "5. The linear conveyor according to claim 2, wherein the sliding mechanism includes an auxiliary rail that is directly fixed to one of the second support member and the frame, and an auxiliary slider that is directly fixed to another one of the second support member and the frame and slides with respect to the auxiliary rail.",
    "6. The linear conveyor according to claim 2, further comprising: a fixed module including the frame, the first support member, the second support member, and the sliding mechanism; and a lifting and lowering device including a lifting and lowering frame including a lifting and lowering rail that is arranged linearly adjacent to the rail of the frame of the fixed module in an elongated direction, and the lifting and lowering device is configured to lift and lower the transfer slider.",
    "7. The linear conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the sliding mechanism includes a tubular portion that is fixed to one of the second support member and the frame, and an insertion portion that is fixed to another one of the second support member and the frame and inserted in the tubular portion so as to be able to slide.",
    "8. The linear conveyor according to claim 7, wherein the tubular portion includes a linear bushing that is slidable with respect to the insertion portion and a holder portion that holds the linear bushing.",
    "9. The linear conveyor according to claim 8, wherein the sliding mechanism includes an auxiliary rail that is directly fixed to one of the base member and the frame, and an auxiliary slider that is directly fixed to another one of the base member and the frame and slides with respect to the auxiliary rail.",
    "10. The linear conveyor according to claim 7, wherein the sliding mechanism includes an auxiliary rail that is directly fixed to one of the base member and the frame, and an auxiliary slider that is directly fixed to another one of the base member and the frame and slides with respect to the auxiliary rail.",
    "11. The linear conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the sliding mechanism includes an auxiliary rail that is directly fixed to one of the base member and the frame, and an auxiliary slider that is directly fixed to another one of the base member and the frame and slides with respect to the auxiliary rail.",
    "12. The linear conveyor according to claim 1, wherein the sliding mechanism includes an auxiliary rail that is directly fixed to one of the second support member and the frame, and an auxiliary slider that is directly fixed to another one of the second support member and the frame and slides with respect to the auxiliary rail.",
    "13. The linear conveyor according to claim 1, further comprising: a fixed module including the frame, the first support member, the second support member, and the sliding mechanism; and a lifting and lowering device including a lifting and lowering frame including a lifting and lowering rail that is arranged linearly adjacent to the rail of the frame of the fixed module in an elongated direction, and the lifting and lowering device is configured to lift and lower the transfer slider.",
    "14. A linear conveyor fixed to a base member, the linear conveyor comprising: a transfer slider: a frame having a long shape extending in a longitudinal direction and including a rail along which the transfer slider is configured to move in a traveling direction; a first support member that is disposed on one end side of the frame with respect to the longitudinal direction and is fixed to the base member and the frame; a second support member that is disposed on another end side of the frame with respect to the longitudinal direction and fixed to the base member and supports the frame such that the frame is not fixed with respect to the second support member; and a sliding mechanism including a first member that is fixed to the frame and a second member that is fixed to the base member, and the first member and the second member being in contact with each other and able to slide with each other.",
    "15. The linear conveyor according to claim 14, wherein the second member is fixed to the base member via the second support member.",
    "16. The linear conveyor according to claim 14, wherein the first support member includes a fitting portion, the second member includes a fitting portion that is fitted to the fitting portion of the first support member such that the second member is able to slide with respect to the first support member.",
    "17. The linear conveyor according to claim 14, wherein the first member having a tubular elongated shape extending in the longitudinal direction and fixed to the frame, the second member having an elongated shape extending in the longitudinal direction and one end portion that is fixed to the second support member, the second member being inserted in the first member such that the first member and the second member slide with respect to each other in the longitudinal direction.",
    "18. The linear conveyor according to claim 14, wherein the second support member is in contact with the frame and the base member.",
    "19. The linear conveyor according to claim 14, wherein the first member is an auxiliary slider and the second member is an auxiliary rail along which the auxiliary slider slides.",
    "20. The linear conveyor according to claim 19, wherein the auxiliary rail extends in the longitudinal direction and the auxiliary slider is configured to slide in the longitudinal direction according to difference in thermal expansion and contraction amounts of the base member and the frame."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The technology described herein relates to a linear conveyor.\n\nThere has been known a linear conveyor that moves a transfer slider along a rail. This type of linear conveyor includes a base member, a unit-type fixed module that is fixed to the base member, a linear rail, and a stator including armature coils. The slider includes a rail guide that is guided along the rail and a rotor that is a permanent magnet.\n\nThe configuration disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-64874 includes a fixed base, a gate-like frame extending along a longitudinal direction on the fixed base, and a pair of armatures. One of the armatures is fixed to the frame and the guide rail and another one of the armatures are fixed to the fixed base. The slider is movably supported by the guide rail. The fixed base and the frame include refrigerant holes through which refrigerant flows and are configured as a refrigerant jacket. The heat exchange is performed with the refrigerant for the heat generated by the armature coils to solve the problems such as thermal deformation of the guide rail.\n\nIn the configuration disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-64874, to address issues such as the thermal deformation of the guide rail, the refrigerant needs to be supplied through the refrigerant holes and a circulation pump for flowing the refrigerant is required and this complicates the configuration.\n\nThe technology described herein was accomplished in view of the foregoing circumstances. Thus, the present technology provides a linear conveyor that can suppress problems caused by thermal deformation.",
  "cpc": [
    "B65G 54/02",
    "H02K 11/215",
    "H02K 41/02",
    "H02K 41/031"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 54/02",
    "H02K 41/02",
    "H02K 41/03"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Yamaha Motor Co Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Manabu Katayama",
    "Motonori KAWAUCHI"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-03-20",
  "publication_date": "2023-10-03",
  "grant_date": "2023-10-03",
  "priority_date": "2019-03-20",
  "application_number": "US-201917434706-A",
  "family_id": "72519009",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "JPS61262067A",
    "JP2000159317A",
    "JP2003324888A",
    "JP2004064874A",
    "WO2005062446A1",
    "JP2008271623A",
    "JP2011223700A",
    "KR20120019299A",
    "US20160368718A1",
    "JP2015050831A",
    "US20190131860A1",
    "CN111806993A"
  ]
}