Planar Motor Conveyor Carriers With Wireless Power Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor devices in packaging machines for pourable products face challenges in flexibility, scalability, and wear reduction, with complex architectures and numerous components contributing to inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor device with independently movable carriers powered by a planar motor and wireless energy transmission, allowing for precise control and reduced wear through contactless energy transfer, enabling flexible and efficient package handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional conveyor devices with mechanical contact are used, then packages can be advanced through the packaging machine, but component wear increases and system reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical contact-based propulsion with a magnetic field-based propulsion system. Carriers equipped with magnetic elements are propelled along the conveyor path by electromagnetic actuators, eliminating mechanical friction and contact wear between moving parts while maintaining effective package advancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces magnetic fields as an intermediary between the propulsion system and the carriers. Instead of direct mechanical contact, electromagnetic actuators generate magnetic fields that interact with magnetic elements on carriers, enabling contactless force transmission and reducing wear on both the conveyor components and packaged goods.
2Ease of operation
If complex conveyor architectures with multiple components are used, then packages can be handled and positioned, but device complexity increases and maintenance difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs carriers as multi-functional units that combine package support, magnetic coupling for propulsion, and positioning capabilities. This universal carrier design eliminates the need for separate mechanical gripping devices, positioning mechanisms, and support structures, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive package handling functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple conveyor functions into integrated electromagnetic propulsion and positioning systems. Instead of separate mechanisms for acceleration, deceleration, and positioning, a unified electromagnetic control system manages all motion aspects, reducing the number of independent components and simplifying system architecture.
3Productivity
If high-speed package advancement is required, then productivity increases, but mechanical stress on components increases and wear accelerates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical friction-based propulsion with electromagnetic propulsion to achieve high-speed package advancement. The magnetic field-based system can rapidly accelerate and decelerate carriers without the mechanical stress and wear associated with traditional friction-driven conveyor belts or chains, enabling high productivity with reduced component degradation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a flexible, reliable, and wear-reduced conveyor system that adapts to production speed variations, simplifying the packaging machine architecture and reducing component wear.
Implementation Method 1
a planar motor configured to move the carriers independently from one another along the advancement path
Implementation Method 2
a transmitter located at the powering station and configured for transmitting electrical energy
Data Source
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AI summary
There is described a conveyor device (6) for advancing articles (2) and comprising: a plurality of carriers (7), each carrier (7) being configured to receive and carry at least one article (2) and including at least one electrically-powerable component (10, 18) and a receiver (8) configured for receiving electrical energy and powering the component (10, 18); a planar motor (11) configured to move the carriers (7) selectively and independently from one another; at least one powering station (P); and a transmitter (12) located at the powering station (P) and configured for transmitting electrical energy; the planar motor (11) is configured to selectively move each carrier (7) through said powering station (P), whereby the receiver (8) receives electrical energy from the transmitter (12) thereby powering the component (10, 18).