Parallel connected linear electric motor system

Claim 2

A parallel connected linear electric motor system comprising an armature having at least one coil group including at least one conductor, said coil group being individually connectable in parallel across a power supply through corresponding means for supplying a unidirectional flow of current through said coil group for a predetermined period of time, means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in said coil group, and magnetic field means having at least one field member and a corresponding associated unidirectional magnetic field, said magnetic field means and said armature being operatively associated with a linear track and being arranged to provide a mutual force between said coil group and said magnetic field on flow of said current, thereby producing relative translational motion between said armature and said magnetic field means.

Claim 3

The motor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with said coil group and responsive to the magnetic field influencing said coil group.

Claim 4

The motor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said armature is fixed to and extends along said track and said magnetic field means is a moving member and is mounted for motion relative to said track.

Claim 5

The motor system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with said coil group and responsive to the magnetic field influencing said coil group.

Claim 6

The motor system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said track is formed from a permeable material, a vehicle is secured to said magnetic field member, and said magnetic field member is maintained in operative relationship with said permeable track by magnetic attraction therebetween.

Claim 7

The motor system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with each coil group and responsive to the magnetic field influencing said coil group.

Claim 8

The motor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said magnetic field means is fixed to and extends along said track and said armature is a moving member and is mounted for motion relative to said track.

Claim 9

The motor system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in said coil group includes a magNetic sensor operatively associated with said coil group and responsive to the magnetic field influencing said coil group.

Claim 10

The motor system as claimed in claim 7 wherein a vehicle is secured to said moving member.

Claim 11

The motor system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with said coil group and responsive to the magnetic field influencing said coil group.

Claim 12

The motor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said armature has a plurality of coil groups including at least one conductor, each said coil group being individually connectable in parallel across said power supply through corresponding means for supplying a unidirectional flow of current through said coil group for a predetermined period of time, and the direction of unidirectional current flow in each said coil group being independently selectable by said means for selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current.

Claim 13

The motor system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with each said coil group and responsive to the magnetic field influencing said coil group.

Claim 14

The motor system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said armature is fixed to and extends along said track and said magnetic field means is a moving member and is mounted for motion relative to said track.

Claim 15

The motor system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in each said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with each said coil group and responsive to the magnetic field influencing said coil group.

Claim 16

The motor system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said track is formed from a permeable material, a vehicle is secured to said magnetic field member, and said magnetic field member is maintained in operative relationship with said permeable track by magnetic attraction therebetween.

Claim 17

The motor system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in each said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with each said coil group and responsive to the magnetic field influencing said coil group.

Claim 18

The motor system as claimed in claim 11 wherein said magnetic field means is fixed to and extends along said track and said armature is a moving member and is mounted for motion relative to said track.

Claim 19

The motor system as claimed in claim 17 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in each said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with each said coil group and responsive to the magnetic field influencing said coil group.

Claim 20

The motor system as claimed in claim 17 wherein a vehicle is secured to said moving member.

Claim 21

The motor system as claimed in claim 19 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in each said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with each said coil group and responsive to the magnetic field influencing said coil group.

Claim 22

The motor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said magnetic field means has a plurality of field members each with a corresponding associated unidirectional magnetic field, said magnetic field means and said armature being operatively associated with said linear track and being arranged to provide a mutual force between said coil group and said magnetic fields on flow of said current, thereby producing relative translational motion between said armature and said magnetic field means.

Claim 23

The motor system as claimed in claim 21 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidIrectional current in said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with said coil group and responsive to the magnetic fields influencing said coil group.

Claim 24

The motor system as claimed in claim 21 wherein said armature is fixed to and extends along said track and said magnetic field means is a moving member and is mounted for motion relative to said track.

Claim 25

The motor system as claimed in claim 23 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with said coil group and responsive to the magnetic fields influencing said coil group.

Claim 26

The motor system as claimed in claim 24 wherein said track is formed from a permeable material, a vehicle is secured to said magnetic field member, and said magnetic field member is maintained in operative relationship with said permeable track by magnetic attraction therebetween.

Claim 27

The motor system as claimed in claim 25 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with said coil group and responsive to the magnetic fields influencing said coil group.

Claim 28

The motor system as claimed in claim 21 wherein said magnetic field means is fixed to and extends along said track and said armature is a moving member and is mounted for motion relative to said track.

Claim 29

The motor system as claimed in claim 27 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with said coil group and responsive to the magnetic fields influencing said coil group.

Claim 30

The motor system as claimed in claim 27 wherein a vehicle is secured to said moving member.

Claim 31

The motor system as claimed in claim 29 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with said coil group and responsive to the magnetic fields influencing said coil group.

Claim 32

The motor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said armature has a plurality of coil groups including at least one conductor, each said coil group between individually connectable in parallel across said power supply through corresponding means for supplying a unidirectional flow of current through said coil group for a predetermined period of time, and the direction of said unidirectional current flow in each said coil group being independently selectable by said means for selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current and wherein said magnetic field means has a plurality of field members each with a corresponding associated unidirectional magnet field, said magnet field means and said armature being operatively associated with said linear track and being arranged to provide a mutual force between said coil groups and said magnetic field on flow of said current, thereby producing relative translational motion between said armature and said magnetic field means.

Claim 33

The motor system as claimed in claim 31 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in each said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with each said coil group and responsive to the magnetic fields influencing said coil group.

Claim 34

The motor system as claimed in claim 31 wherein said armature is fixed to and extends along said track and said magnetic field means is a moving member and is mounted for motion relative to said track.

Claim 35

The motor system as claimed in claim 33 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in each said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with each said coil group and responsive to the magnetic fields influencing said coil group.

Claim 36

The motor systEm as claimed in claim 33 wherein said track is formed from a permeable material, a vehicle is secured to said magnetic field member, and said magnetic field member is maintained in operative relationship with said permeable track by magnetic attraction therebetween.

Claim 37

The motor system as claimed in claim 35 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in each said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with each said coil group and responsive to the magnetic fields influencing said coil group.

Claim 38

The motor system as claimed in claim 31 wherein said magnetic field means is fixed to and extends along said track and said armature is a moving member and is mounted for motion relative to said track.

Claim 39

The motor system as claimed in claim 37 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in each said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with each said coil group and responsive to the magnetic fields influencing said coil group.

Claim 40

The motor system as claimed in claim 37 wherein a vehicle is secured to said moving member.

Claim 41

The motor system as claimed in claim 39 wherein said means for independently selecting the direction of flow of said unidirectional current in each said coil group includes a magnetic sensor operatively associated with each said coil group and responsive to the magnetic fields influencing said coil group.