A linear motor system includes: a stator including first to tenth coils; a mover including a permanent magnet; a switcher that switches one or more power supply target coils; and a control device that supplies power to the one or more power supply target coils by using a deviation integral value obtained by integrating a speed deviation that is a difference between an instructed speed of the mover and an actual speed of the mover. The control device includes: a compensator that calculates a post-division deviation integral value by dividing a post-summation deviation integral value, which is a value obtained by summing the deviation integral value used to supply power to each of the one or more power supply target coils immediately before the switching, by the total number of the one or more power supply target coils immediately after the switching; and a current control unit.

Improved systems and methods for operating moveable architectural elements (e.g., furniture) are described. The system can include improved features implemented throughout various elements, including hardware elements, controller elements, and/or software elements. As one example, the system can feature the ability to map a characteristic load profile across a particular length of actuation and, if during operation a measured load exceeds the profile, adjust (e.g., stop) the system's motion. The system can also advantageously map its current draw to increase energy efficiency. In addition, the system can include a positioning system that enables it to automatically determine its position upon start up and during operation. In some implementations, the system includes multiple moveable elements (e.g., furniture items). In some cases, power is distributed to the moveable element(s) using a moveable power distribution module. Many other improvements and features are contemplated and described.

A method for moving a rotor in a planar drive system having a first and second stator modules and a rotor. The stator modules are arranged at a distance, forming a gap. First and second magnetic fields are generated by the first and stator modules. The first and second magnetic fields hold the rotor in a vertical position, at a distance from a surface of the first and/or second stator module. The first and/or second magnetic fields have a first magnetic field strength to maintain the rotor in the vertical position, and may be used to change a horizontal position of the rotor. The first stator module has a first close range adjacent the gap, where the first magnetic field has a second field strength when the rotor is moved across the gap, greater than the first magnetic field strength.

Systems and methods for determining proper phase rotation in a linear motor that may be used in an ESP system, where the phase rotations associated with power and return strokes are initially unknown. The method includes providing power to the motor for multiple cycles and monitoring the load (e.g., by monitoring current drawn by the motor) on the motor to determine in which direction (phase rotation) the load on the motor increases. This direction corresponds to the power stroke of the motor. The direction of increasing load is then associated with the power stroke and the motor is operated normally.

A modular in vitro diagnostics (IVD) vessel mover system providing redundant power management includes a plurality of modules which are configured to provide storage to one or more IVD samples. Each module comprising a power failover switch which is configured to receive internal power from an internal primary power source and transmit backup power to one or more of the plurality of modules.

In order to provide a transport unit for a long stator linear motor, wherein the orientation thereof can be easily determined on the long stator linear motor during operational use, according to the invention, the transport unit (1) has a first guide side (FS1) on which a first guide group (G1) is arranged and a second guide side (FS2) on which a second guide group (G2) is arranged. A first magnetic side (S1) positioned laterally relative to the longitudinal direction (x) is opposite a second magnetic side (S2), wherein the first magnetic side (S1) has a magnetic variable with a first value (w1) at a first test distance (a1) from the center of the first longitudinal extension (I1) in the direction of the first end (I1e), and on the first magnetic side (S1), a magnetic variable with a second value (w2), corresponding to the first value (w1), at the first test distance (a1) from the center of the first longitudinal extension (I1) in the direction of the first start (I1a). On the second magnetic side (S2), the transport unit (1) has a magnetic variable with a third value (w3) at a second test distance (a2) from the center of the second longitudinal extension (I2) in the direction of the second end (I2e), and a magnetic variable with a fourth value (w4), corresponding to the third value (w3), at the second test distance (a2) from the center of the second longitudinal extension (I2) in the direction of the second start (I2a), wherein the first and second values (w1, w2) differ from the third and fourth values (w3, w4).

A linear-motor type transport device for transporting material for an absorbent article includes: a shaft portion that has an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction; a pair of guide portions that is disposed on the shaft portion with a predetermined axial-direction space between the guide portions and that forms an orbital transport path that extends along the circumferential direction; a mobile unit that moves on the transport path along the guide portions while supporting a transport head rotatably about a rotation axis; a cam mechanism that rotates the transport head about the rotation axis through a predetermined angle when the mobile unit is moved on the transport path; and a controller that moves the mobile unit by supplying currents to conductors and generating a propulsive force between one of the conductors and a magnet that is disposed on the mobile unit.

A linear motor system includes: a stator including first to tenth coils; a mover including a permanent magnet; a switcher that switches one or more power supply target coils that serve as power supply targets; and a control device that supplies power to the one or more power supply target coils by using a total mass calculated based on a mass of the permanent magnet. The control device includes: an acquirer that acquires a total number of the one or more power supply target coils; a speed control unit that calculates a post-division total mass by dividing the total mass by the total number of the one or more power supply target coils, and generates a torque instruction by using the post-division total mass; and a current control unit that supplies power to the one or more power supply target coils based on the torque instruction.

A linear motor system includes: a stator including first to tenth coils; a mover including a permanent magnet; a switcher that switches one or more power supply target coils; and first to tenth amplifiers provided in one-to-one correspondence with first to tenth coils. One or more amplifiers that serve as new one or more power supply target amplifiers immediately after the switching calculate Δθ (t0), which is a position deviation at time t=t0, based on Δθ (t0)=Δθ (t0−td)+A−B, where A is a difference between an instructed position at time t=t0 and an instructed position at time t=t0−td, and B is a difference between an actual position at time t=t0 and an actual position at time t=t0−td, and supply power to the power supply target coils by the position deviation Aθ (t0).

A system is described in which a magnetic mover includes at least one mover identification device. The system also includes a stator defining a work surface and including an actuation coil assembly and at least one stator identification device operable to interact with the at least one mover identification device. One or more sensors are used to sense a position of the first magnetic mover. One or more stator driving circuits are used to drive the actuation coil assembly to thereby move the first magnetic mover over the work surface. The first magnetic mover includes one or more magnetic components positioned such that interaction of one or more magnetic fields emitted by the one or more magnetic components with one or more magnetic fields generated by the actuation coil assembly when driven by the one or more stator driving circuits enables movement of the first magnetic mover in at least two degrees of freedom.