Shuttle Position Handover Across Conveyor and Electromagnetic Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport systems face challenges in maintaining observability and determining the position of shuttles across different types of conveyors, particularly when shuttles transition between low-cost continuous conveyors and high-precision electromagnetic transport units, leading to potential errors and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a conveyor sensor unit in the conveyor unit to determine the position of shuttles during handovers between different conveyor types, using stator sensors in the electromagnetic transport unit to maintain observability and control shuttle movement, enabling accurate determination of shuttle parameters and preventing collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If shuttles are transported using low-cost continuous conveyors, then system cost is reduced, but position observability and control precision are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces sensor units as intermediary devices that detect shuttle positions at the boundaries between conveyor types. These sensors act as mediators to transfer position information from the low-cost conveyor system to the control system, enabling observability without requiring expensive sensors throughout the entire conveyor system. The sensor units at handover points bridge the information gap between different conveyor types.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed with universal functionality to handle position data from multiple conveyor types (continuous conveyors and electromagnetic transport units) through a unified control architecture. The system can process position information from both low-cost and high-precision conveyors using the same control logic, eliminating the need for separate control systems for different conveyor types and reducing overall system complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If shuttles are handed over between different conveyor types, then system flexibility is improved, but position determination accuracy deteriorates during transition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by determining the shuttle position in advance during the handover process. Sensor units detect the shuttle's position at the boundary points before the handover is complete, allowing the control system to know the exact position beforehand. This enables the system to prepare appropriate control commands for the next conveyor segment, ensuring continuous and accurate position tracking throughout the transition.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where sensor units continuously monitor shuttle positions at handover points and provide real-time position information to the control system. This feedback loop ensures that position accuracy is maintained during handovers by constantly updating the control system with current shuttle positions, allowing for dynamic adjustment of control parameters to compensate for transition effects.
3Measurement precision
If position sensors are installed on all conveyors, then position observability is maintained, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of position sensing from the entire conveyor system and concentrates it at critical handover points. Instead of installing sensors on all conveyors, the system places sensor units only at the boundaries where shuttles are handed over between different conveyor types. This extraction approach maintains position observability at critical transition points while significantly reducing the overall number of sensors and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses cost-effective sensor units that are inexpensive but sufficient for their specific function of detecting shuttle positions at handover points. These affordable sensors replace the need for expensive, complex position sensing systems throughout the entire conveyor network, achieving adequate position observability at critical points while minimizing overall system cost and complexity.
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
Enables continuous observability and accurate determination of shuttle positions and parameters across various conveyor types, enhancing system efficiency and preventing errors, while reducing overall costs by integrating low-cost conveyors with high-precision units.
Implementation Method 1
the electromagnetic transport unit interacts with the at least one shuttle in an magnetic effective area of the electromagnetic transport unit in order to move the at least one shuttle in said magnetic effective area
Implementation Method 2
position sensors (like AMR sensors, Hall elements, etc.) are provided on the stator
Implementation Method 3
By controlling the energization of the drive coils, a moving electromagnetic field, a so-called electromagnetic drive field, can be generated, which interacts with the drive magnets of the shuttle to move the shuttle
Implementation Method 4
The interaction of the electromagnetic drive field and the magnetic field of the drive magnets of the shuttle produces a thrust force (possibly also in different directions), that move the shuttle in the desired direction
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
To provide a method and an improved transport system (1), wherein the position determination of at least one shuttle (11) of the transport system (1) is enabled across different types of conveyors, a conveyor sensor unit (13) is provided in a conveying unit (3), in that the at least one shuttle (11) is handed over from an effective area (E3) of the conveyor unit (3) to a magnetic effective area (E2) of an electromagnetic transport unit (2) or vice versa, wherein during handing over the at least one shuttle (11), the at least one shuttle (11) is at least temporarily in the effective area (E3) of the conveyor unit (3) and in the magnetic effective area (E2) of the electromagnetic transport unit (2), wherein the position of the at least one shuttle (11) is determined by the conveyor sensor unit (13) or by the electromagnetic transport unit (2) and in that when the at least one shuttle (11) is just in the effective area (E3) of the conveyor unit (3), the position of the at least one shuttle (11) in the effective area (E3) of the conveyor unit (3) is determined by the conveyor sensor unit (13).