A wear detection device for a conveyor belt (1) includes magnet members (12a and 12b) buried in a conveyor belt (11) having an endless belt shape, a magnetic sensor (13j) which is arranged opposite to an outer circumferential surface of the conveyor belt (11) and is configured to detect magnetic fields from the magnet members (12a and 12b) to generate an output signal, and a calculation unit (141) which is configured to calculate the thickness of the conveyor belt (11) according to the output signal generated by the magnetic sensor (13j). The wear detection device for a conveyor belt (1) further includes a storage unit (142) which is configured to store the thickness calculated by the calculation unit (141), and a processing unit (143) which is configured to calculate the decrease amount of the thickness per a predetermined moving load amount of the conveyor belt (11) according to the thickness stored in the storage unit (142) and determine whether or not this value exceeds a threshold value set in advance.

Provided are a conveyor belt further enhancing the durability of loop coils embedded in the conveyor belt so as to detect vertical tears in the conveyor belt; and a belt conveyor system using the conveyor belt. A conveyor belt includes a core layer having a plurality of metal cords extending in the belt longitudinal direction arranged in parallel in the belt width direction; an upper cover rubber and a lower cover rubber disposed so as to interpose a core layer from above and below; a plurality of loop coils embedded at intervals in the belt longitudinal direction in the lower cover rubber; and protective layers being disposed between the core layer above and each of the loop coils below and embedded in the lower cover rubber at intervals in the belt longitudinal direction.

The present invention provides a dual rail track system for independently moveable carts in an industrial control environment in which upper and lower rails of a track are substantially L shaped to allow upper and lower groups of rollers of a cart to orthogonally contact the upper and lower rails, respectively, to provide vertical and horizontal control of the cart while in motion along the track. The shape of the rails and arrangement of the rollers, orthogonal with respect to the rails in vertical and horizontal planes, provides an efficient support system allowing high speed movement of carts, including through turns, with only two rails and with symmetric weight distribution of the cart. Flexible members provided with respect to each roller also provide resiliency to allow the rollers to adapt to variations in the track.

A controller for an independent cart system simplifies programming and automatically adapts operation each mover travelling along a track. The controller includes a configuration table defining segments of the track, which includes a maximum velocity and/or a maximum acceleration for each mover within the segment. A motion command for a mover commands motion across multiple segments between the starting point and the ending point. As the mover travels, the controller receives a position feedback signal corresponding to the present location of the mover. The controller obtains the maximum velocity and/or maximum acceleration for the mover corresponding to the segment in which it is located. The controller automatically adjusts the speed and/or acceleration of the mover along the segment in which it is presently located. As the mover transitions between segments, the controller automatically adjusts the speed and/or acceleration according to the new segment in which the mover is located.

A system to automatically calibrate gains and/or offsets for each position feedback signal in order to reduce variations between position feedback signals for each sensor in a linear drive system is disclosed. As a mover travels along a track segment, the segment controller records the position feedback signal output from each position sensor corresponding to a magnet on the mover passing the position sensor. The segment controller determines peak values for each position feedback signal and compares the peak values against a target peak value. The segment controller then adjusts a gain value for each sensor by a ratio of the target peak value to a measured peak value. The segment controller periodically monitors the position feedback values generated by one mover as it travels along the track segment and automatically updates the sensor gains as previously described.

A system for monitoring conveyor belts is disclosed. The system includes a printed inductive antenna loop, a transmitter, a detector, and circuitry. The antenna is printed on and/or installed (inserted) into a conveyor belt. The transmitter is proximate the printed antenna and is configured to generate an electromagnetic field. The detector is configured to measure an induced electric field from the printed inductive antenna loop. The circuitry is configured to detect damage of the conveyor belt based on the measured induced electromagnetic field.

An assembly line includes a conveyor belt and an energy charging system. The energy charging system includes (i) a resonator having a TX resonator disposed along the conveyor belt and a RX resonator mounted on and transported by the conveyor belt, (ii) an impedance matching network in communication with the resonator, (iii) and an energy storage device in communication with at least one of the resonator and the impedance matching network. V.sub.min is a minimum voltage of the energy storage device, and V.sub.cap is a voltage across the energy storage device measured in real time. Energy is transferred from the TX resonator to the RX resonator when the V.sub.cap is less than V.sub.min of the energy storage device.

A linear motor system may include a plurality of track sections that may enable a mover to traverse a track formed by the plurality of track sections. The system may also include a plurality of connection modules, such that each connection module of the plurality of connection modules may physically couple two respective adjacent track sections of the plurality of track sections and communicatively couple the two respective adjacent track sections of the plurality of track section. Each connection module may also electrically couple the two respective adjacent track sections of the plurality of track section.

Apparatus for monitoring alignment of a transverse member conveyor. The member is attached transversely at opposite end portions to two parallel endless chains includes two position sensors affixed and located transversely adjacent to each chain and each other. One or more targets are attached to link(s) of each chain, and at predetermined distances from the member. The position sensors inductively or magnetically sense the relative position of the target(s) on each chain with respect to the respective position sensor adjacent the chain, and send a signal comparing the target and sensor proximity with respect to the target on each chain. This allows determination of whether the opposite end portions of the member attached to the respective chains are aligned transversely within predetermined tolerance limits. Another aspect is monitoring a single position on an endless chain. Another aspect monitors chain catenary.

A linear motor system has multiple modular track sections joined end-to-end to form a track along which movers may be displaced by the control of magnetic fields generated by coils disposed in each track section. A curved track section is provided that includes a non-constant radius of curvature that is a non-linear function of the run length along the curved track section. The curved track section may have a number of different radii of curvature, and one or more of them may be based on a non-linear function of the run length. The resulting curvature provides improved dynamic performance of movers driven along the curved track section.