A transportation system includes a first passageway and a second passageway arranged in a side-by-side configuration. A first propulsion system is operable to move a first capsule within the first passageway and a second propulsion system is operable to move a second capsule within the second passageway. The second propulsion system is integrally formed with the first propulsion system.

The present invention provides a method for identifying a load and/or wear of a transport element of a transport system with a long-stator linear motor, comprising the steps of: exciting a dynamic system consisting of the long-stator linear motor (160) and the transport element according to at least one excitation pattern; detecting the movement profile of the transport element on the basis of the at least one excitation pattern; and detecting a temporal course of a load current and/or of a load voltage of the long-stator linear motor according to the at least one excitation pattern by means of an integrated measuring device of the long-stator linear motor; wherein a loading condition of the transport element is determined depending on the detected movement profile and the detected temporal course of the load current and/or of the load voltage.

A system for selecting one of multiple paths in a linear drive system includes track segments having a first drive member and at least one mover having a second drive member for the linear drive system. Each mover includes a drive surface oriented toward the track segment when the at least one mover is driven along the track. Each mover also includes a first channel and a second channel extending along the drive surface. A switch track segment includes a first path and a second path along which the at least one mover may travel, at least one first pin positioned along the first path, and at least one second pin positioned along the second path. The first and second pins are extendable to engage the first and second channels of the at least one mover to direct the mover along either the first path or the second path, respectively.

Method for adjusting a transport vehicle for a container handling system, where the transport vehicle comprises two oppositely disposed secondary parts which can be driven electromagnetically as an armature by way of a linear motor system of the container handling system, wherein in a device for adjusting, a first magnetic force of the first secondary part is determined with a sensor, in that a second magnetic force of the second secondary part is determined with the sensor; and in that the first magnetic force and the second magnetic force are compared with one another and/or with at least one reference force, and the two secondary parts are adjusted based thereon at the transport vehicle in such a way that the first magnetic force and the second magnetic force are of the same magnitude.

A polyphase linear induction motor including a movable primary member (100), the primary member (100) including a magnetic material (110), a polyphase winding (120) arranged around the magnetic material, and a stationary longitudinally-extending secondary member (150) separated from the primary member (100) by a gap, the secondary member (150) including an electrically-conductive reaction plate (200) and a backing magnetic material (300), wherein the secondary member includes a middle section (205) and two outer sections (210.1, 210.2), the middle section (205) and the two outer sections (210.1, 210.2) arranged next to each other in parallel to an axis of longitudinal extension of the reaction plate (200).

In order to implement a transfer position in a long-stator linear motor, in which position a transport unit is magnetically steered in order to be deflected from a first transport sections to a second transport section, a stator current is impressed into the drive coils interacting with the transport unit on a first side of the transport unit in the transfer area in order to generate the steering effect on this first side, which stator current either generates only an electromagnetic lateral force or causes only a braking force against the movement direction of the transport unit, or only a combination thereof.

The invention provides in some aspects a transport system comprising a guideway having a plurality of regions in which one or more vehicles are propelled, where each such vehicle includes a magnet. Disposed along each region are a plurality of propulsion coils, each comprising one or more turns that are disposed about a common axis, such that the respective common axes of the plurality of coils in that region are (i) substantially aligned with one another, and (ii) orthogonal to a direction in which the vehicles are to be propelled in that region. The plurality of coils of at least one such region are disposed on opposing sides of the magnets of vehicles being propelled along that region so as to exert a propulsive force of substance on those magnets. In at least one other region, the plurality of coils disposed on only a single side of the magnets of vehicles being propelled in that region exert a propulsive force of substance thereonregardless of whether the plurality of coils in that region are disposed on a single or multiple (e.g., opposing sides) of those magnets.

A system and method for wirelessly providing power to independent movers traveling along a track includes a sliding transformer to transfer power between the track and each mover. The sliding transformer includes a primary winding extending along the track and a secondary winding mounted to each mover. Each of the primary and secondary windings may be formed of a single coil or multiple coils. The primary and secondary windings are generally aligned with each other and extend along the track and along the mover in the direction of travel with an air gap present between the windings. A power converter on the mover may regulate the power supplied to the mover to control an actuator or a sensor mounted on the mover or to activate drive coils mounted on the mover to interact with magnets mounted along the track and, thereby, control motion of each mover.

The invention relates to a transport system, in particular to a multi-carrier system, comprising a central control; a plurality of drive units, wherein the drive units are coupled to the central control by means of a data link; and a plurality of transport elements that are movable by means of the drive units, wherein he central control is configured to communicate control commands to the drive units, with the control commands causing the drive units to make a movement of the transport elements in dependence on the control commands. The transport system in accordance with the invention is characterized in that at least two of the drive units, preferably all the drive units, receive the same control commands.

The invention relates to a method of controlling simultaneously and independently both propulsion and levitation of one or a group of linear induction motors (LIMs). The method consists of a combination of two sub-methods: a current balancing sub-method and a regenerative levitation sub-method.