Linear drive conveyor

Abstract

A conveyor system for transporting goods within a warehouse facility. The system includes an array of rails and a carriage movable along the rails to transport goods within the warehouse facility. The drive system includes a driver spaced along the guide rail. The drive may advance the carriage along the guide rail using a linear induction motor. The linear induction motor uses a stepping motor, and optionally a micro-stepping motor. The warehouse management system controls the linear drive system to transport goods throughout the warehouse facility for storage and order fulfillment. A linear drive conveyor system includes a vertical transfer where a carriage can be transferred from one conveyor line to another, without the need for a mechanical process such as lifting or cushioning to move the carriage between the conveyor lines.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63 / 394,153, filed on August 1, 2022, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a conveyor system, and in particular to a material handling conveyor system. Background Art

[0004] Roller conveyors and belt conveyors known in the art include: many moving or dynamic parts, including motors, rollers, bearings, belts, lifts, complex support infrastructure for accessory items such as photo eyes, cable management and scanners. Roller conveyors often require maintenance, calibration and adjustment (including replacement of rollers, replacement of motors, adjustment of roller spacing and compensation) to properly sense and track the products being moved. Special considerations are often required based on the user's product profile.

[0005] Conveyor line transfer segments, often referred to as right angle transfers (RATs), require lifting components to transfer items from one conveyor line to another, or to raise and lower one or both conveying surfaces relative to each other. Lifting components may be electric or pneumatic. Common RATs involve or require complex mechanical designs that require height adjustments or calibrations to properly convey items at an angle. RATs typically include a large number of moving parts, and maintenance of RAT modules can be complex.

[0006] Standard conveyor systems consist of three basic components: straight, curved, and transfer, each designed for specific user needs. Variations on all of these components typically require significant development, installation, and commissioning time, as each unique instance requires some type of mechanical and programming changes. Summary of the invention

[0007] Therefore, a linear drive conveyor system for transporting goods within a warehouse facility includes a plurality of rails disposed within the warehouse facility, a carriage supported on and movable along the rails and configured to support goods for transport within the warehouse facility, a drive system for propelling the carriage along the rails, and an optional warehouse management system adapted to control the drive system to transport the goods on the carriage within the warehouse facility. The drive system includes a drive coupled at a portion of the rails and configured to remotely push and / or pull the carriage without contacting the carriage to propel the carriage along the rails relative to the drive.

[0008] In one aspect, the carriage comprises a plurality of roller supports configured to support the carriage on a support surface of the guide rail. For example, the roller supports may comprise ball bearings.

[0009] In another aspect, each guide track includes a pair of spaced-apart side rails. Each side rail includes a channel formed therein and is configured to receive a portion of one of the roller supports to at least partially retain the roller support in a desired position along the side rails.

[0010] In any of the above aspects, the slide includes a magnetic array and the drive includes a linear induction motor system having a drive coil coupled to the guide rail and configured to magnetically push and / or pull the magnetic array of the slide to advance the slide along the guide rail.

[0011] For example, the linear induction motor includes a two-phase stepper motor or a three-phase motor.

[0012] In any of the above aspects, the conveyor system further comprises a warehouse management system in communication with the drive. In addition, in any of the above aspects, the conveyor system can include a carriage presence sensor coupled to at least one of the guide rail and the carriage, the carriage presence sensor configured to communicate the position of the carriage relative to the drive to the warehouse management system. For example, the presence sensor can be selected from the group consisting of a Hall effect sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, a MEMS sensor, an optical sensor, a mechanical sensor, and an integrated sensor.

[0013] In any of the above aspects, the conveyor system further includes a plurality of drives and a plurality of carriage presence sensors disposed along the guide rail, wherein at least one of the plurality of carriage presence sensors is disposed proximate each of the drives.

[0014] For example, a pair of carriage presence sensors may be provided at each drive, wherein a first sensor of the pair of carriage presence sensors is provided on the upstream side of a specific one of the drives to detect whether the carriage enters the vicinity of the specific drive, and a second sensor of the pair of carriage presence sensors is provided on the downstream side of the specific drive to detect whether the carriage leaves the vicinity of the specific drive.

[0015] In any of the above aspects, the array of rails includes one or more rail intersection regions that form a transfer location for transferring a carriage from one rail to another.

[0016] In any of the above aspects, the conveyor system also includes: an RFID reader system that is set up throughout the warehouse facility and communicates with the warehouse control system; and an RFID tag coupled to the slide, wherein the warehouse control system can track the position of the slide relative to the drive based on the RFID reader system reading the RFID tag of the slide.

[0017] According to another aspect, a method for controlling a transport slide in a warehouse facility includes: providing a linear drive conveyor system having a guide rail array configured to support and guide the transport slide as the transport slide moves throughout the warehouse facility, wherein the slide is propelled by a linear drive system having a series of drives arranged along the guide rails, and the drives are controlled by a warehouse management system; using the warehouse management system to determine that the slide will be transported from a location in the warehouse facility to a desired location; using the warehouse management system to activate a first drive in the series of drives that is close to the slide to push or pull the slide along the guide rails in the direction of the desired location; and activating a second drive in the series of drives that is located downstream of the first drive to continue pushing or pulling the slide along the guide rails in the direction of the desired location.

[0018] In one aspect, the method further comprises deactivating the first driver before activating the second driver.

[0019] In any of the above methods, the method may further include determining the position of the carriage relative to the first actuator using a carriage position sensor, and activating a second actuator to continue pushing or pulling the carriage once the carriage is out of the influence of the first actuator.

[0020] On the other hand, determining the position of the slide relative to the first drive includes: using a first slide presence sensor located on the upstream side of the drive to detect whether the slide enters the vicinity of the first drive, and / or using a second slide presence sensor located on the downstream side of the drive to detect whether the slide leaves the vicinity of the first drive.

[0021] In any of the above methods, each of the series of drivers includes a two-phase stepper motor, and activation of any one of the series of drivers includes micro-stepping the stepper motor.

[0022] For example, microstepping includes driving the stepper motor at a speed less than one full drive step. Optionally, microstepping includes driving the stepper motor at at least one speed selected from 1 / 2 of the drive step, 1 / 4 of the drive step, 1 / 8 of the drive step, 1 / 16 of the drive step, 1 / 32 of the drive step, 1 / 64 of the drive step, 1 / 128 of the drive step, and 1 / 256 of the drive step.

[0023] In any of the above methods, the linear drive conveyor includes multiple slides, and the method also includes using a warehouse management system to determine the current required slide capacity within the warehouse facility, and selectively introducing additional slides into the linear drive conveyor system or removing slides from the linear drive conveyor system to meet the current required capacity.

[0024] On the other hand, a linear drive conveyor system suitable for controlling processing operations includes a backbone network, a SYNC network for coordinating movement between a first drive and a second drive, and triggers configured to address and synchronize one or more interrupts of the truck network, wherein the SYNC network causes one of the first drive or the second drive to communicate a current state of the first or second drive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a linear drive conveyor grid system according to the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A top perspective view of a guide rail of a linear drive conveyor system;

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A top perspective view of a transport carriage of a linear drive conveyor system of FIG.

[0028] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A bottom perspective view of the carriage;

[0029] Figure 5 is a bottom perspective view of a carriage of a linear drive conveyor system, wherein depiction of the guide rails is omitted to show details of the underside of the carriage;

[0030] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A top perspective view of a set of linear drive motors for a linear drive conveyor system;

[0031] Fig. 7A is a plan view of a circular magnetic drive motor;

[0032] Figure 7B is a plan view of a linear magnetic drive motor;

[0033] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A top perspective view of a linear drive motor of a linear drive system of FIG. 1 , wherein a guide rail, a carriage, and a carriage magnet array are depicted in phantom to show details of the linear drive;

[0034] Fig. 9 yes Figure 8 A top perspective view of the guide rail and linear drive;

[0035] FIG. 10A to FIG. 10B yes Figure 1 A side perspective view of the system depicting sequential movement of the carriage along a guide rail of a linear drive conveyor;

[0036] Fig.11 yes Figure 1 A top perspective view of a right angle transfer section of a linear drive conveyor;

[0037] FIG. 12A to FIG. 12D yes Figure 1 A top perspective view of the system depicting the sequential movement transfer of carriages between conveyor lines at right angle transfers;

[0038] Fig.13 yes Fig. 9 Another top perspective view of the linear drive motor of the linear drive system of FIG. 1 , wherein the guide rail, carriage, and carriage magnet array are depicted in phantom to show details of the linear drive;

[0039] Fig.14 is a top perspective view of an injection / removal point of a linear drive conveyor system according to the present invention;

[0040] Fig.15 is a top perspective view of a carriage having side walls for a linear drive conveyor;

[0041] Fig.16 is an exemplary control diagram for controlling a linear drive conveyor system according to the present invention;

[0042] Fig.17 is a top perspective view of an automated storage and retrieval array or high density storage facility formed by a linear drive conveyor in accordance with the present invention;

[0043] Fig.18 is a top perspective view of an inbound, receiving and shipping array formed by linear drive conveyors in accordance with the present invention;

[0044] Fig.19 is a top perspective view of an automated palletizing array formed by a linear drive conveyor according to the present invention;

[0045] Fig. 20 is a top perspective view of a robotic picking unit and a linear drive conveyor system according to the present invention;

[0046] Fig.21 is a top perspective view of a routing and buffering system formed by a linear drive conveyor according to the present invention;

[0047] Fig. 22 yes Fig.21 A bottom perspective view of the routing and buffering system;

[0048] Fig.23 yes Figure 1 A cutaway top perspective view of a linear induction drive motor of a linear drive conveyor;

[0049] Fig.24 yes Fig.23 A cutaway bottom perspective view of a linear induction drive motor;

[0050] Figures 25 to 29B yes Fig.23 Various cross-sectional views of the linear induction drive motor, depicting various operating states of the drive motor;

[0051] Fig.30 yes Figure 1 A top perspective view of a carriage of a linear drive conveyor system of FIG. 1 , wherein the magnetic array has bar-shaped magnetic elements;

[0052] Fig.31 yes Fig.30 A bottom perspective view of the carriage;

[0053] Fig.32 is a bottom perspective view of a guide tray or frame for supporting a carriage of a linear drive conveyor system;

[0054] Fig.33 yes Fig.32 Another bottom perspective view of the guide tray of the embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover of the linear drive motor is omitted to show the internal structure of the drive motor;

[0055] Fig.34 is a bottom perspective view of another carriage of a linear drive conveyor system according to an aspect of the present invention, the carriage having a t-shaped magnetic array;

[0056] Fig.35 yes Fig.34 A top perspective view of the carriage;

[0057] Fig.36 is a bottom perspective view of a guide tray or frame for supporting a carriage of a linear drive conveyor system according to the present invention, the tray having a centrally located linear drive motor;

[0058] Fig.37 yes Fig.36 A top perspective view of a guide tray of FIG. 1 , wherein an upper cover of a linear drive motor is omitted to show the internal structure of the drive motor;

[0059] Fig.38 is a top perspective view of an active carriage and an intelligent carriage bracket for a linear drive conveyor system according to one aspect of the present invention;

[0060] Fig.39 is a magnetic array arrangement having another Fig.30 A bottom perspective view of the carriage;

[0061] Fig.40 is a top perspective view of a guide tray or frame having another linear induction motor arrangement;

[0062] Fig.41 is a top perspective view of a guide tray or frame having another linear induction motor arrangement;

[0063] Fig.42 is an enlarged perspective view of a linear induction motor with a wireless device such as an RFID reader;

[0064] Fig.43 is a device having another magnetic array arrangement and a wireless device such as an RFID tag Fig.30 A bottom perspective view of the carriage;

[0065] Fig.43A is another arrangement of a wireless device such as an RFID tag Fig.30 A bottom perspective view of the carriage;

[0066] Fig.44 is an enlarged partial perspective view of a carriage having a wireless device such as an RFID tag;

[0067] Fig.45 is a perspective view of a tray guide or frame having a wireless device such as an RFID reader proximate a linear induction motor;

[0068] Fig.46 is an enlarged perspective view of a three-phase linear induction drive or motor with a wireless device such as an RFID reader;

[0069] Fig.46A yes Fig.46 The cross section of the drive;

[0070] Fig.46B is with Fig.46A A similar view showing the first stage of three-phase commutation;

[0071] Fig.46C is with Fig.46B A similar view showing the second phase of three-phase commutation; and

[0072] Fig.46D is with Fig.46C A similar view showing the third phase of three-phase commutation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0073] Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, an article conveyor system for transporting goods within a warehouse facility having a minimum of moving parts is provided. The conveyor system is formed by a linear drive conveyor system 100 having an array of rails 102 spaced throughout the warehouse facility and a carriage 104 supported on and movable along the rails 102 ( Figure 1 ). The carriage 104 is supported on the rail 102 with a minimum of moving parts. In other words, the carriage 104 and the rail 102 interact with each other with virtually no moving parts therebetween, thereby providing an economical, low maintenance, and efficient conveyor system for moving items, boxes, goods, articles, etc. in a warehouse. The carriage 104 is driven (e.g., pushed and pulled) along the rail 102 by a linear drive motor or system 105 having a series or array of linear actuators 106, for example in the form of a linear induction motor ( Figure 4 ). The array of rails 102 may include intersections between two or more rail segments in which the intersection provides a transfer location 126 where the carriage 104 can move or transfer from one rail path to another. The linear drive 106 may utilize a stepper motor, enabling the warehouse control or management system to precisely control the position, acceleration / deceleration, and speed of the carriage 104.

[0074] The following will refer to Figure 42 to Figure 45 More fully described, the conveyor system 100 may include: a carriage tracking system, for example in the form of wireless devices such as RFID readers and tags to track the position of carriages within the system 100. A primary advantage of a linear drive conveyor system is that no mechanical lifting or transfer is required to transfer a carriage from one conveyor line to another. The linear drive conveyor system can be adapted and configured to supplement or replace many well-known and commercially available material handling systems, including: automatic storage and retrieval systems (ASRS), linear sorters, automatic mixed case palletizers, and standard conveyors, as well as many other systems. The linear drive conveyor system can be integrated with manual or robotic functions, such as robotic picking units and goods-to-person (GTP) workstations. The linear drive conveyor system 100 is well suited for the implementation and integration of neural network processing and artificial intelligence learning programs, which can activate dynamic routing technology to increase the throughput and operational organization of warehouse facilities.

[0075] Now refer to Figures 1 to 16In an illustrative embodiment of the invention, a linear drive conveyor system 100 is configured to transport goods within a warehouse facility (e.g., an e-commerce fulfillment center). The linear drive conveyor system 100 includes: an array of rails 102, which are arranged throughout the warehouse facility; and a plurality of carriages 104, which are supported on the rails 102 and can move along the rails 102. The carriages 104 support goods (e.g., individual items, boxes of items, etc.) for transportation within the warehouse facility. A linear drive system 105 including an array of magnetic linear drive motors or drivers 106 propels the carriages 104 along the rails 102 in response to control from a warehouse control system. As will be described in more detail below, the drivers 106 remotely push and / or pull the carriages 104 without contacting the carriages 104.

[0076] Reference Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Fig. 9 The drivers 106 each include: a drive coil 106a fixed to the guide rail 102 or located beside the guide rail 102 (see Figure 7B A flat linear stator of the drive coil 106a is provided, and the drive coil 106a is addressable and controllable by the warehouse control system. A magnetic array 108 composed of magnetic elements is coupled to each carriage 104, and the drive coil 106a of the driver 106 magnetically affects or interacts with the magnetic array 108. In this way, the drive coil 106a of the driver 106 and the magnetic array 108 of the nearby carriage 104 form: a pair of mating elements that effectively form a linear drive system responsible for moving the carriage 104. In other words, the drive coil 106a and the magnetic array 108 of the carriage 104 must coexist and interact in order to provide a transport tool within the warehouse system.

[0077] In an alternative embodiment, the linear drive conveyor system 100 includes an alternating drive 206 configured to move the carriage 104. Fig.40 As shown, the driver 206 includes a first driver 206a and a second driver 206b spaced apart from each other and disposed on both sides of the guide rail 202. The driver system 206 may further include a third driver 206c spaced apart from the drivers 206a and 206b and disposed at a central position or a near central position relative to the guide rail 202.

[0078] In yet another embodiment, Fig.41As shown, the alternating driver 306 includes: drivers 306a, 306b and 306c that are parallel to each other and spaced apart proportionally, and are disposed on the guide rail 302. The shape, length and thickness of the drivers 206 and 306 can be provided without departing from the scope and intent of the present disclosure. For example, the length of the drivers 206a, 206b, 306a, 306b can be longer, equal to or shorter than the length of the drivers 206c and 206c, and thus have different numbers of driver coils.

[0079] Reference Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the magnetic arrays 108 each include: a plurality of magnetic elements (e.g., ceramic or rare earth magnets) that may have a circular configuration and are arranged in a linear array along each side and edge of the carriage 104. The magnets may be arranged to have alternating magnetic poles, as described below. Alternatively, the magnetic elements may have a different configuration, such as a strip configuration, such as Fig.31 , Fig.34 , Fig.39 and Fig.44 As shown, and further arranged in various configurations, such as Fig.34 , Fig.39 and Fig.43 For example, Fig.31 As best shown in FIG. 1 , the magnetic elements may have a strip configuration arranged in a linear array around each edge of the carriage 104. Alternatively, as Fig.34 As best shown in FIG. 1 , the magnetic elements may have a strip configuration arranged in two linear arrays forming a cross configuration with its center at the center of the carriage. Optionally, as Fig.39 As shown, the carriage 104 may have a combination of arrays - for example, four linear arrays arranged at the four edges of the carriage combined with a cross-shaped configuration extending between each side of the opposing arrays.

[0080] The driver 106 can be located in various locations, such as Figure 1 , Figure 6 , Fig. 12A , Fig.17 , Fig.18 , Fig.19 , Fig.21 , Fig.32 , Fig.36 , Fig.40 , Fig.41 and Fig.45 For example, the driver 106 can be disposed on each edge or each side of the guide rail 102 and cooperate with the magnetic array 108 disposed on each side of the carriage 104 (ie, "dual drive"), as shown in FIG. Figures 1 to 6 , FIG. 10A to FIG. 15 and Figures 17 to 20 shown.

[0081] Optionally, as Figure 6 , Fig.40 and Fig.41 As shown, the driver 106 can be located in the center of the guide rail 102, or as a supplement to the drivers located on both sides of the guide rail ( Figure 6 and Fig.41 ), or as Fig.40 Alternatively, as will be referred to Fig.21 More fully described, a single driver 106 may be provided at a central location along the guide rail 102 that cooperates with a single magnetic array 106 at a central portion of the carriage 104 (i.e., a "single driver"), such as Figure 21 to Figure 22 and Figure 34 to Figure 37 shown.

[0082] It should be appreciated that in a system with a right angle transfer (RAT) position 126, the carriage requires magnetic arrays 108 along two axes to allow the carriage to be driven in both directions of travel. The configuration and number of drive and carriage magnetic arrays can be selected based on required power, capacity, resource allocation, etc. A single drive reduces the number of drives required and halves the number of magnets required on the carriage 104.

[0083] In addition, each carriage 104 includes a plurality or a group of low friction roller supports 110 ( Figure 4 and Figure 5 ), so as to form a support surface 103 ( Figure 2 ) supports the carriage 104. The roller supports 110 of the illustrative embodiment are provided in the form of four (4) ball bearings per carriage 104. Optionally, the ball bearings are damping ball bearings, such as those manufactured by Elmhurst, Illinois. The bearings are commercially available from Supply Company under the part name "Shock Absorbing Flange Mounted Ball Drive Bearings." The shock absorbing properties of these bearings can reduce or eliminate noise as the carriage 104 moves along the rail 102 and can extend the service life of the carriage 104 and the rail 102. The roller support 110 provides an "air gap" or separation distance between the carriage 104, the carriage magnet array 108, and the driver 106, thereby optimizing the effect of the driver 106 on the carriage magnet array 108. Although the support element that supports the carriage 104 on the rail 102 is described herein as a roller support (e.g., a ball drive bearing) having a single moving part (i.e., a ball bearing), it is contemplated that the support element may be provided with no moving parts.

[0084] For example, the carriage 104 may be supported at the rails by, for example, a bracket formed of a low friction material, such as a self-lubricating plastic (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)) and / or a highly elastic material (e.g., ultra-high molecular weight plastic (UHMW)). The carriage 104 may be provided with a wall or lip 111 to hold items on the carriage 104, such as Fig.15 The carriage can also be provided with a compartment system, such as Fig.38 and Fig.44 It is contemplated that a service carriage may be adapted to service the system, such as a "cleaning carriage" having brushes and a vacuum to clean the system tracks, or a "sensing carriage" that uses an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to measure track smoothness and drive smoothness.

[0085] The carriage 104 may include: an "active carriage" 104a ( Fig.38 ) or test carriage plate, which can be configured for connection to new equipment being configured (such as third-party requirements (e.g., customer-specific parameters, etc.)) or a newly installed drive, or for automated testing and quality assurance checks during assembly of the linear drive conveyor system 100 in a facility, and / or for post-processing testing / loading.

[0086] If you will refer to Fig.44 More fully described, another carriage 504 can be guided into a "smart bracket" having a mechanism to pull the carriage into the bracket and engage a harness connected to a device on the carriage (e.g., a computer, controller, etc.). The smart bracket reads an RFID device 582, such as an RFID tag on the carriage. The central control system of the smart bracket identifies the device on the carriage and the smart bracket on which the carriage is located. The smart bracket is then powered on. The central control sends a wake-up signal for the bracket. The carriage is powered on and connected to a remote system that loads predefined information (e.g., a computer image) to the device on the carriage, and then predetermined tests can be performed to verify the information loading. Once completed, the device on the carriage will receive a shutdown signal, or the carriage will receive a signal to shut down the power to the device. The power to the smart bracket is turned off. The carriage is ejected into the linear drive conveyor system 100 and routed to its desired location.

[0087] In another embodiment, the smart cradle includes a wireless device in the form of a near field communication (NFC) circuit having an NFC controller coupled to an antenna element and may include a processing unit to read an electronic tag and / or connect to another NFC-enabled carriage 104. In yet another embodiment, the movable carriage 104a may connect to the smart cradle via a communication protocol such as Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Ultra Wideband (UWB), or any other suitable type or wireless communication protocol.

[0088] Optionally, the carriage is formed of a non-ferrous material (e.g., recycled plastic, aluminum, carbon fiber, etc.). In the illustrated embodiment, the carriage 104 comprises a square plate, and the rails 102 are arranged in a ninety degree grid. It should be appreciated that a rectangular carriage plate may also be used, as long as the rails are appropriately spaced in the corresponding directions to accommodate the rectangular plate. It is also contemplated that an equilateral triangle carriage may be used, with an array of rails arranged such that the rails are arranged in three directions with 120 degree intersection angles between the rails. Other shapes of carriage plates and rail arrangements may also be used, such as reference Fig.17 and Fig.21 Optionally, the guide rail is formed from aluminum or other non-ferrous material, such as by extrusion, stamping, molding, etc.

[0089] Due to the permanent magnet system 108 of the carriage 104 and the iron core of the linear magnetic drive 106, the moving carriage will automatically stop during power failure. The carriage magnet is attracted by the iron core of the drive 106 in the non-powered mode and provides a stopping force when power is lost, thus providing an inherent safety feature. In some cases, such as at the sensing and removal point 121 ( Fig.14 ) a mechanical stop may be used. For example, a spring return solenoid may be used to provide a mechanical stop when needed. Regenerative braking may be incorporated into the system to increase efficiency as it dissipates and captures energy. Spring return solenoids or deployable pins may be provided on the inclined and descending portions of the rails to prevent the carriage (e.g., one carrying a heavy load) from sliding backwards during a power outage.

[0090] Each guide rail 102 includes a pair of spaced-apart side rails 102a and 102b ( Figure 2 ). Each side rail includes a channel or groove 112 formed therein to receive a portion of the roller support 110. The channel 112 holds the roller support 110 in a desired position along the side rail 102a or 102b. The guide rails can be formed by extrusion or stamping, and the modular sections of the guide rails can be interchangeable such that: the side rails 102a and 102b do not require a unique design or form, thereby reducing unique components in the linear drive conveyor system 100. The channels 112 and / or the bearing surfaces 103 of the side rails 102a and 102b can be lined or coated with a low friction material, such as a self-lubricating plastic (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)) and / or a highly elastic material (e.g., ultra-high molecular weight plastic (UHMW)). Figures 1 to 6 , Figures 8 to 15 and Figures 17 to 20 A guide rail 102 is depicted in the form of a pair of side rails 102a, 102b.

[0091] In another embodiment, the guide rail 102 may be Figure 21 to Figure 22 , Figure 32 to Figure 33 and Figure 36 to Figure 37The guide tray 128 is provided in the form of a guide tray / frame 128 as shown in FIG. The guide tray 128 is configured with channels 112 similar to the side rails 102a, 102b. The unitary connection or solid connection between the channels 112 of the guide tray 128 can increase the strength and rigidity of the carriage support surface and can reduce the support infrastructure used to support the support surface. Examples of the support infrastructure are shown in FIG. Fig.21 and Fig. 22 shown.

[0092] The linear drive conveyor system 100 can be formed by only straight sections of the guide rails 102 and the transfer 126, and its configuration can provide solutions for sorting, shipping, picking workstations (e.g., robotic picking units), storage, and replenishment. For example, it can provide Fig.21 and Fig. 22 The routing and buffering system 127 of the arrangement of the linear drive conveyor system 100 shown in the figure can achieve efficient sorting and transfer of goods within the facility. Fig. 20 ) can be incorporated into or positioned next to the guide rail 102, wherein the integration enables the robot 136 to interact with the precisely positioned slide without having to transfer items from the slide 104. The robot unit 136 is equipped with the status and identification of the slide. Multiple paths can be provided near the robot unit 136, allowing efficient routing of donor (e.g., inventory) slides or totes and destination (e.g., order) slides or totes. The linear drive conveyor system 100 can also be configured for human-machine interface, such as integration with goods-to-person (GTP) order fulfillment.

[0093] Due to the characteristics and advantages of linear induction motors, the long straight sections of the rails 102 can achieve higher carriage speeds, thereby facilitating increased throughput.

[0094] A carriage presence sensor 114, such as a Hall effect or magnetic proximity sensor, may be provided at each drive 106. The sensor 114 communicates the position of the carriage 104 relative to the drive 106 to the warehouse control system so that the warehouse control system can accurately control the drive 106 to position the carriage at a precise location within the facility. Alternatively, each carriage presence sensor 114 may include a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) sensor that is miniaturized through a combination of micro-mechanical, micro-electronic, and semiconductor process technologies.

[0095] In another embodiment, a carriage presence sensor, an optical sensor, or a mechanical sensor, etc., may be formed on the same substrate without departing from the scope and intent of the present disclosure. The carriage presence sensor 114 detects the polarity of the magnetic field and the nearby magnetic field. Optionally, a pair of carriage presence sensors 114 are provided at each drive 106, including: a first sensor located at one end (e.g., upstream side) of a particular drive for detecting the entry of the carriage when the carriage moves close to the drive (within the drive's influence area); and a second sensor located at the other end (e.g., downstream side) of the particular drive for detecting the exit of the carriage when the carriage moves away from the drive (out of the drive's influence area), which can be used to determine the entry time and general pulse positioning / speed. In this way, the warehouse control system is able to activate or deactivate the drive coil 106a (or a portion of the drive coil 106a) of a particular drive 106 to accelerate, decelerate, or maintain the travel rate of the carriage when the carriage enters the vicinity of the drive and when the carriage exits or leaves the slide's influence area. The carriage presence sensor 114 can be configured to determine occupancy (i.e., whether the carriage is proximate to a particular drive), velocity information (i.e., the rate at which the carriage is passing a particular drive), and inter-zone or inter-drive movement coordination or sequencing, in addition to determining the carriage's entry and exit from the drive's zone of influence. It should be appreciated that, while other sensors (e.g., optical or mechanical sensors) may be used in addition to or in place of the magnetic proximity sensor, for simplicity and reduction of components, it is preferred to use only the magnetic proximity sensor.

[0096] Optionally, the driver 106 is configured as a two-phase stepper motor (eg, a motor using an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC)), such as Figures 23 to 29B As shown, other phase configurations of linear induction motors known in the art may be used to drive the carriage, such as a three-phase linear induction motor, such as Figures 46 to 46D Other types of drivers, such as MEMS actuators, or brushless DC motors, etc., may be used without departing from the scope and intent of the present disclosure.

[0097] exist Figures 23 to 29B In the illustrated embodiment, the linear drive system 105 includes: a two-phase stepper linear induction motor or driver 106 ( Figure 1 , Figures 3 to 6 , Figures 8 to 15 and Figures 23 to 29B )、Slide magnet array 108 ( Figures 3 to 5 , Figure 7B , Figure 8 and Figures 23 to 29B ), carriage presence sensor 114 ( Figure 6 , Figures 8 to 9 , Fig.13 and Figures 23 to 29B )、driving coil 106a( Figure 6 , FIG. 7B to FIG. 15 and Figures 23 to 29B ), the laminate stator 116 ( Figures 23 to 29B )、manifold 118( Figures 23 to 29B ; such as iron shunt plate) and heat sink 120 ( Figures 23 to 29B ), the heat sink 120 can be an optional element of the linear induction motor. In addition to or as an alternative to the above-described ASICs, it is also contemplated that a microcontroller and circuitry may be used to implement stepper control functions similar to those implemented by the ASIC, which may enable higher power / capacity capabilities. Examples of stepper ASICs include types similar to those used in MCC conveyors sold by Dematic Corp. of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and include externally mounted stepper motors. Stepper motors may include: brushless DC motors (BLDC) paired or coordinated with field oriented control (FOC) and internally mounted drives. It should be appreciated that different forms of ASICs may occupy the same space but provide different amounts of drive current and control.

[0098] Reference Fig.25 , provides a schematic diagram of the linear induction motor 105a in an "idle state" in which the magnetic attraction of the drive coil 106a is activated / deactivated to hold or maintain the carriage in a static position. Figure 26 to Figure 2 8 provides a sequential schematic diagram of the operation or commutation of the linear induction motor 105a, wherein the warehouse control system controls the magnetic attraction of the drive coil 106a to drive the carriage 104. Each drive coil 106a includes a pair of coils, wherein every other coil 106a has a pair of "A coils" 122 (such as Fig.26 ), and every other coil 106a has a pair of "B coils" 124 (as shown Fig.26 124). The warehouse control system is operable to address or control the A coils 122 independently of the B coils 124. Thus, under the control of the warehouse control system, the A coil pair 122 and the B coil pair 124 can each be polarized to either a north pole or a south pole. The magnetic array 108 of the carriage 104 includes a north pole portion 108a (at Figures 23 to 29B ) and the south pole portion 108b (shown in Figures 23 to 29B 100 ). Depending on the polarity configuration of the A coil 122 and the B coil 124, the coils 122 and 124 affect (e.g., push or pull) the north pole portion 108a and the south pole portion 108b of the magnetic array 108 of the carriage. The arrangement and number of the A coil 122, the B coil 124, the north pole portion 108a, and the south pole portion 108b enable the warehouse control system to precisely control the movement and positioning of the carriage 104 within the system 100.

[0099] An example of the relative interaction of the elements of the linear drive system 105, which are controlled by the warehouse control system under a step control sequence (see Figures 26 to 28B ).like Fig.26 As shown, the A coils 122 are aligned with the south pole portion 108b on the carriage array 108, while the B coils 124 are balanced or separated on the north pole portion 108a and the south pole portion 108b. When the warehouse control system activates or polarizes the B coils 124 to the south pole setting, they attract the north pole portion 108a of the carriage magnet array 108 to cause the carriage 104 to be pulled forward (see Fig.27A ) until the B coil 124 is approximately aligned with the north pole portion 108a, at which point the A coils 122 are each balanced or separated on the north pole portion 108a and the south pole portion 108b ( Fig.27B ). When the warehouse control system activates or polarizes the A coils 122 to a south pole setting, they attract the north pole portion 108a of the carriage magnet array 108, causing the carriage 104 to be pulled forward (see Fig.28A ) until the A coil 122 is approximately aligned with the north pole portion 108a, at which point the B coils 124 are each balanced or separated on the north pole portion 108a and the south pole portion 108b ( Fig.28B ). When properly sequenced and controlled by the warehouse control system, activation and deactivation of the A coil 122 and the B coil 124 enable the carriage to move forward along the rails (e.g., at a constant speed or at an accelerated speed). The above steps can be reversed to slow, stop and / or reverse the movement of the carriage 104.

[0100] The following provides an example of the relative interaction of the elements of the linear drive system 105, which are controlled by the warehouse control system in a synchronized control sequence to achieve zone-to-zone motion control (see Fig.29A and Fig.29B ). The zone-to-zone (i.e., drive-to-drive) movement of the carriage 104 is controlled and regulated based on point-to-point communication (via the warehouse control system) and entry and exit information from the carriage presence sensor 114. The carriage presence sensor 114 can sense the incoming magnetic pole or polarity of the carriage magnetic array 108, and the warehouse control system can be operated to control the stepper motor of the drive 106 to coordinate what state the coils (122 and 124) are activated / deactivated to maintain the speed, acceleration or deceleration of the carriage 104. For example, Fig.29A and Fig.29BAs shown in the sequence in FIG. 1 , the upstream carriage presence sensor 114 senses the south pole of the nearest magnetic pole portion of the magnetic array 108 of the carriage 104. Based on the known distance between the carriage presence sensor 114 and the drive coils 122 and 124, the warehouse control system can activate / deactivate the coils 122, 124 in the appropriate sequence and with precise timing to control the movement of the carriage with high precision and accuracy. When the first magnetic pole portion (i.e., the south pole portion 108b) of the carriage magnetic array 108 approaches the first drive coil (i.e., the B coil 124 of the driver 106), the warehouse control system polarizes the B coil 124 to the north pole to attract or pull the first south pole portion 108b of the carriage (see FIG. 1 ). Fig.29A ).

[0101] The arrangement and use of the two-phase stepper drive 106 allows, for example, "microstepping" or activations less than a full step to be performed in 1 / 128 steps, which allows the carriage to move in increments of 1 / 128 of the width of a single magnet (i.e., 1 / 128 of the width of a particular pole portion of the magnetic array 108). Microstepping can provide additional benefits within the linear drive conveyor 100, such as reducing noise or "drive chatter," which is typically present in full-step operation of linear induction motors. It should be understood that other step intervals or sizes may also be suitable for the system 100, for example, the drive may be configured to control movement of the carriage 104 in 1 / 2 of a drive step, 1 / 4 of a drive step, 1 / 8 of a drive step, 1 / 16 of a drive step, 1 / 32 of a drive step, 1 / 64 of a drive step, 1 / 128 of a drive step, and 1 / 256 of a drive step.

[0102] As described above, the array of rails 102 includes one or more intersection regions of the rails 102 that represent or form transfer locations 126 for the carriage 104 to transfer from one of the rails 102 to another of the rails 102 ( Figure 1 and Figures 11 to 12D ). In the illustrated embodiment, the transfer position 126 is a "right angle transfer (RAT)" or a ninety degree / vertical transfer. The RAT includes a drive oriented along the direction of each rail to enable the warehouse control system to re-orient the carriage 104 or change the direction of the carriage 104. Compared to the right angle transfer systems commonly used and known in traditional conveyor systems, the transfer position 126 requires very few components other than the appropriate rails 102 and drives 106. The transfer position 126 does not require any changes to the height of the carriage 104 to redirect the carriage to the new conveyor line (i.e., rails). FIG. 12A to FIG. 12D Sequential steps of an exemplary movement of the carriage 104 to transfer from one vertical rail 102 to another vertical rail 102 are shown.

[0103] The following provides an example of a control system 100 for transferring a carriage from one rail 102 to a vertical rail. The carriage 104 approaches a transfer position 126 ( Fig. 12A ), and the warehouse control system uses the drive 106 at the transfer position 126 that is in line with the current guide rail 102 to slow down the speed of the slide ( Fig. 12B ). The control system controls the drive 106 to align the carriage 104 with the center point of the transfer position 126. The control system then activates the drive 106 aligned with the new vertical rail 102 to move the carriage 104 onto the new rail 102. The carriage 104 Fig. 12C is depicted as moving in one direction along the new guide rail 102, while Fig.12D 102 is depicted as moving in the other direction along the new rail 102. The system 100 utilizes the carriage presence sensor 114 ( FIG. 12A to FIG. 12D ) to detect the magnet array 108 of the carriage 104 to verify that the carriage is properly aligned in the transfer 126 so that it can move freely onto the new rail 102. For example, the warehouse control system uses the presence sensor 114 on the drive 106 that is in line with the new rail 102 to verify that the magnet array 108 of the carriage is properly aligned on the drive 106, which ensures that the carriage support 110 is aligned with the channel 112 of the new rail 102. Once the alignment is verified, the carriage 104 can move in any of the four rail directions of the transfer section 126.

[0104] The linear drive conveyor 100 may include an RFID reader system that is distributed throughout the warehouse facility and communicates with the warehouse control system. For example, each carriage in the system 100 may include a wireless device, such as a unique RFID tag that the RFID reader system can read. Fig.42 As best shown in FIG. 4 , the drive 406 may include a wireless device 482 (e.g., an RFID reader) mounted proximate to one of the carriage presence sensors. In this manner, when the drive is mounted to the rail, similar to the carriage presence sensor, the wireless device 482 may be located within an opening provided in the rail, such as Fig.45 As best shown, the slide is facing the slide as it moves on the drive. In addition, wireless devices (such as RFID readers) can be installed, for example, at decision locations (such as RAT 126) and slide introduction and removal points 121 ( Fig.14 ) place.

[0105] As described above, each carriage can include a wireless device. Thus, the warehouse control system can be operated to track the position of each carriage relative to the drive. In this way, items can be identified before they are placed on the carriage, so only the carriage needs to be tracked within the system. In some examples, the linear drive conveyor system 100 can include a "find item" locator (not shown) in the warehouse facility. Using a unique communication protocol, the locator can identify items that are incorrectly placed in or transferred by the carriage.

[0106] Now refer to Figure 42 to Figure 45 , various embodiments of a linear drive conveyor system including a wireless communication device are disclosed. The wireless communication device (e.g., an NFC device, an RFID device, a short-range communication device, or any other suitable wireless communication protocol for communicating with an external device) can be disposed at various locations on the linear drive conveyor. In some examples, the RFID device can be mounted on, integrated into, formed as part of, or made of the same substrate as the carriage or rail. Fig.42 As shown, a wireless device 482 (e.g., an RFID tag) is coupled to one end of the drive system 406. In other examples, wireless devices 582, 682, 782 (e.g., RFID tags) can be coupled to the housing of the carriage 504, below the carriages 604, 704 (e.g., at or near the center of the carriage 604), or at one of the four corners of the carriage 704. In yet another embodiment, an RFID tag 882 near the drive 806a, 806b is coupled to each side of the rail 802, as shown in FIG. 48. In addition to transmitting data such as the carriage position, faulty item ID, etc. to the RFID reader system, the data can also include carriage status, such as fault / no response signal and signal strength, etc. For additional details of the drive, rail, and carriage, please refer to the drive 106, rail 102, and carriage 104, respectively.

[0107] As described above, the linear drive conveyor system 100 can include a three-phase drive, and optionally can also include a three-phase drive with a much lower voltage than traditional drives (24-48VDC). Similar to the stepper version, the magnetic array 908 uses permanent magnets to provide a fixed magnetic field that can be attracted or repelled to cause linear motion. In a stepper-based system, the two phases are 120° apart from each other, while in a three-phase configuration, each of the three phases is 120° apart from the other two phases. This allows for greater overlap of "steps", resulting in higher torque, efficiency, and possible position accuracy.

[0108] Reference Fig.46 and FIG. 46A to FIG. 46D, each driving coil of the three-phase driver 906 does not have a pair of "A coils" and a pair of "B coils", but includes a group of three coils, namely, an A coil, a B coil, and a C coil (respectively, coils 906a, 906b, and 906c). Fig.47A As best shown in , using three phases and examining the peak of phase A (910a), phase A has the highest amplitude (power) of the three phases while being in positive polarity, which will create an attractive force in this state. Phase B (910b) and phase C (910c) are of opposite polarity but have about 1 / 2 the amplitude of phase A. This creates attractive and repulsive forces based on the magnets they are close to. As the sine wave continues, these "middle" drive segments provide the direction of motion.

[0109] Reference Fig.47B , check the peak of phase B (910b), which has the highest amplitude (power) of the three phases and is in positive polarity, which will produce attraction in this state. Phase A (910a) and phase C (910c) have opposite polarity, but the amplitude is about 1 / 2 of phase A. This will produce attraction and repulsion based on the magnets they are close to.

[0110] Finally, refer to Fig.47C , checking the peak of phase C (910c), phase C has the highest amplitude (power) of the three phases and is in positive polarity, which will create an attraction in this state. Phase A (910a) and phase B (910b) are opposite polarity but have about 1 / 2 the amplitude of phase A. This creates attraction and repulsion based on the magnets they are close to. As these three waves progress, it creates motion in a very specific direction. However, the starting state must be very specific, otherwise if not done correctly using a three-phase drive, it may push motion in the wrong direction or cause a stall. This is why servo systems (such as three-phase positioning) are more expensive than two-phase (stepping) systems, which are more certain in direction but do not have the efficiency of three-phase.

[0111] The present invention provides a method for controlling a transport carriage 104 in a warehouse facility, the method comprising: providing a linear drive conveyor system 100 having an array of guide rails 102, the guide rails 102 being used to support and guide the carriage as it moves throughout the warehouse facility. The carriage is propelled along the guide rails 102 by a linear drive system 105 having a series of drivers 106. The drivers 106 are controlled by a warehouse management system. The method comprises: using the warehouse management system to determine that the carriage is to be transported from one location in the warehouse facility to another / desired location elsewhere in the facility. The warehouse management system activates a first driver 106 that is closest to the carriage 104 and upstream thereof to push and / or pull the carriage along the guide rails 102 in the direction of the desired location. In turn, the warehouse management system then activates another driver 106 that is directly downstream of the first driver to continue to push or pull the carriage 104 along the guide rails in the direction of the desired location. It may be necessary or desirable to deactivate the first / upstream driver 106 before activating the second / downstream driver 106.

[0112] The method of controlling the carriage 104 includes determining the position of the carriage relative to the first actuator 106 using the carriage position sensor 114, and then activating the second actuator 106 to continue pushing or pulling the carriage once the carriage is out of the influence of the first actuator. The method may also include determining the position of a portion of the magnetic array 108 of the carriage 104 relative to the carriage position sensor 114 and / or relative to one or more drive coils 122, 124 of the actuator 106. Determining the position of the carriage relative to the first actuator includes detecting the carriage entering the vicinity of the first actuator using a first carriage presence sensor on the upstream side of the actuator 106, and / or detecting the carriage leaving the vicinity of the first actuator using a second carriage presence sensor on the downstream side of the actuator. The method of controlling the movement of the carriage 104 may include microstepping the stepper motor of the actuator 106, or in other words, driving the stepper motor with less than one full drive step. For example, microstepping can include driving the stepper motor at any of the following exemplary levels, including: 1 / 2 drive step size, 1 / 4 drive step size, 1 / 8 drive step size, 1 / 16 drive step size, 1 / 32 drive step size, 1 / 64 drive step size, 1 / 128 drive step size, and 1 / 256 drive step size.

[0113] The method may also include determining the current required carriage capacity within the warehouse facility using a warehouse management system, which may then include introducing additional carriages into the linear drive conveyor system 100 or removing carriages from the linear drive conveyor system to meet the current required capacity within the warehouse facility. The carriage may be injected or introduced into the system by pushing the carriage into the injection zone 121. The dynamic injection and removal of the carriage 104 may reduce congestion during low capacity periods, and additional carriages may be injected during high demand situations. Due to the uniformity and flatness of the surface, the injection / sensing / removal process may be automated, for example using a carriage buffer connected to the injection zone 121. The operator may drop or place the carriage directly onto the rail from above. For example, a robotic stacker and depalletizer may be used to drop and pick the carriage from the rail. This may also be performed with a robotic arm.

[0114] Reference Fig.16 , showing connector interlocks, and depicting a control interface 140 of the system 100. The interface 140 includes: a controller for power / power-on 142, a trigger 144 for addressing and synchronization interrupts, a trunk network (such as CAN or other) 146, and local node-to-node SYNC communication 148 for coordinating motion between the drives 106. The power 142 is coupled and delivered to each device / drive. Each drive 106 provides its own regulation and regeneration management. The main communication network takes the form of a trunk network 146, providing simplified installation and enabling branch routing. In some embodiments, the interface 140 may include multiple controllers to provide connections to other networks and / or drives 106 using the same or different protocols via one or more of the following: Ethernet, Ethernet Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS), High Speed ​​Serial Interface (HSSI), Local Interconnect Network (LIN), Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI), Intelligent Network Interface Circuit, etc. SYNC 148 is a node-to-node communication system, in which communication is performed between a single point to a single point, a single point to two or more points, or multiple points. The SYNC 148 of each driver 106 communicates its current state to its immediate neighbors (ie, upstream and downstream drivers 106). The flip-flop 144 is provided in the form of a pair of wires to provide a self-addressing method for the backbone network 146 while also providing basic notification to neighboring nodes.

[0115] Examples of use cases are described below, some of which are in Figures 17 to 22 Shown in. Fig.17102 and transfer 126 are depicted to provide an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) or a high-density storage system 129. Each transfer area 126 and each storage location 130 has its own drive. In this configuration, multiple inbound and outbound orders and / or inventory items can be accessed or stored simultaneously. The array of rails 102 and transfer 126 provide multiple inbound and outbound routes, thereby reducing potential bottlenecks or jams, which can increase throughput. For example, the slides carrying items can move items from the ASRS 129 to any desired location in the facility without transferring the items to another form of transport (e.g., from a shuttle to a buffer to an elevator to a conveyor). The blocking item / slide can be moved out of the side aisle 132 and into the main aisle 134. The blocking item can be returned to its original storage location 130 without the need for a buffer location to store the blocking item. In other words, during transportation in the system, the items always remain on their respective slides, so the blocking items can be moved by simply moving their respective slides away without the need for vehicle transfer. Using the large array 135 of track 102 ( Fig.18 ) and transfer 126( Fig.18 ), can be more efficient inbound, receiving and shipping. The array 138 of rails 102 and transfer 126 can be configured for a palletizing system, such as an automated mixed case palletizing system, to be able to randomly input goods into many different pallets being built and also be able to output completed pallets in sequence. Using the ASRS 129 configuration and / or the palletizing array 138 ( Fig.19 ) facilitates quick retrieval of orders. In this way, the warehouse control system can prioritize orders so that "ready" orders (e.g., ready to ship, ready to be packaged, ready for customer pickup, etc.) can be pre-positioned or prioritized in the array, while on-demand orders (i.e., orders that are not currently ready) can maintain a "normal" rate or priority level. For example, the system can be controlled to effectively move all items in an order to the front of the system so that they can be pre-consolidated for rapid picking when they are ready to be picked. This can be particularly beneficial during off-peak hours, when system resources can be dedicated to organization and optimization, rather than fulfillment. Optionally, the array can be dynamic and able to dynamically organize itself to ensure that the desired items are always front and center.

[0116] Thus, the linear drive conveyor provides a material handling and transport system with a minimum of moving or dynamic parts. The conveyor includes: a right-angle transfer without any lifting or dynamic parts, which greatly simplifies the system compared to conventional right-angle transfers, thereby reducing resource requirements and costs. The conveyor includes: a carriage supported on a guide rail and driven by a linear drive. Goods supported on the carriage can remain on the carriage during transportation and storage within the system.

[0117] Changes and modifications may be made to the specifically described embodiments without departing from the principles of the invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims

1. A conveyor system for transporting goods within a warehouse facility, the conveyor system comprising: a plurality of guide rails disposed within the warehouse facility; a carriage supported on and movable along the rails and configured to support goods for transport within the warehouse facility; a drive system, the drive system being used to propel the carriage along the guide rail; as well as The drive system includes a drive coupled to a portion of the guide rail and configured to remotely push and / or pull the slide without contacting the slide to advance the slide along the guide rail relative to the drive, and the drive communicates with and responds to the warehouse management system.

2. The conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein: The carriage includes a plurality of roller supports configured to support the carriage at a support surface of the rail.

3. The conveyor system according to claim 2, wherein: Each of the roller supports includes a ball bearing.

4. The conveyor system according to claim 2, wherein: Each of the guide rails includes a pair of spaced-apart side rails, each of the side rails includes a channel formed therein, and the channel is configured to receive a portion of one of the roller supports to at least partially retain the roller support in a desired position along the side rails.

5. The conveyor system according to claim 1, wherein: The carriage comprises a magnetic array, and the drive comprises a linear induction motor system having a drive coil coupled to the guide rail and configured to magnetically push and / or pull the magnetic array of the carriage so as to propel the carriage along the guide rail.

6. The conveyor system according to claim 5, wherein: The linear induction motor includes a two-phase stepper motor or a three-phase motor.

7. The conveyor system according to claim 5, further comprising: a warehouse management system adapted to control the drive system to move goods on the carriage within the warehouse facility; and a carriage presence sensor coupled to at least one of the rail and the carriage and configured to communicate a position of the carriage relative to the drive to the warehouse management system.

8. The conveyor system according to claim 7, further comprising: A carriage presence sensor coupled to at least one of the rail and the carriage, and the carriage presence sensor is configured to communicate the position of the carriage relative to the drive to the warehouse management system, and optionally, wherein the presence sensor is selected from the group consisting of a Hall effect sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, a MEMS sensor, an optical sensor, a mechanical sensor, and an integrated sensor.

9. The conveyor system according to claim 8, comprising: A plurality of the drives and a plurality of the carriages are provided along the guide rail and there are sensors, wherein at least one of the plurality of the carriage sensors is provided adjacent to each of the drives.

10. The conveyor system of claim 9, wherein: A pair of the carriage presence sensors is provided at each of the drives, wherein a first sensor of the pair of carriage presence sensors is provided on an upstream side of a specific one of the drives to detect that the carriage enters the vicinity of the specific drive, and a second sensor of the pair of carriage presence sensors is provided on a downstream side of the specific drive to detect that the carriage leaves the vicinity of the specific drive.

11. The conveyor system of claim 1, wherein: The array of guide rails includes one or more intersection regions of the guide rails, the intersection regions forming a transfer location for a carriage to transfer from one of the guide rails to another of the guide rails.

12. The conveyor system of claim 1, further comprising: a system of RFID readers located throughout the warehouse facility and in communication with the warehouse control system; and an RFID tag coupled to the carriage, wherein the warehouse control system is operable to track the position of the carriage relative to the drive based on the RFID reader system reading the RFID tag of the carriage.

13. A method of controlling a transport carriage in a storage facility, the method comprising: Providing a conveyor system having an array of rails configured to support and guide a transport carriage as it moves throughout a warehouse facility, wherein the carriage is propelled by a drive system having a series of drives disposed along the rails; determining that the carriage is to be transported from a location in a warehouse facility to a desired location; activating a first actuator of the series of actuators proximate to the carriage to push or pull the carriage along the rail in the direction of the desired position without contacting the carriage; and A second actuator in the series of actuators, downstream from the first actuator, is activated to continue pushing or pulling the carriage along the rail in the direction of the desired position.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: The first driver is deactivated before activating the second driver.

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, further comprising: A carriage position sensor is used to determine the position of the carriage relative to the first actuator, and once the carriage has escaped the influence of the first actuator, the second actuator is activated to continue pushing or pulling the carriage.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein: Determining the position of the slide relative to the first drive includes: using a first slide presence sensor located on the upstream side of the drive to detect that the slide enters the vicinity of the first drive, and / or using a second slide presence sensor located on the downstream side of the drive to detect that the slide leaves the vicinity of the first drive.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein: Each of the series of drivers includes a two-phase stepper motor, and activating any one of the series of drivers includes micro-stepping the two-phase stepper motor.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein: Microstepping includes driving the stepper motor in less than one full drive step.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein: The micro-stepping includes driving the stepper motor with at least one selected from the following: 1 / 2 of the driving step, 1 / 4 of the driving step, 1 / 8 of the driving step, 1 / 16 of the driving step, 1 / 32 of the driving step, 1 / 64 of the driving step, 1 / 128 of the driving step and 1 / 256 of the driving step.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein: The conveyor system includes a plurality of said slides, and the method further includes determining, using a warehouse management system, a current required capacity of slides within a warehouse facility, and selecting one of introducing additional slides into the conveyor system and removing slides from the conveyor system to meet the current required capacity.

21. A conveyor system suitable for controlling a processing operation, comprising: Backbone network; a SYNC network for coordinating motion between the first actuator and the second actuator; and a trigger configured to address and synchronize one or more interrupts of the backbone network; The SYNC network enables one of the first driver or the second driver to transmit a current state of the first driver or the second driver.

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