System and method for operating a system having a rail, a stationary unit, rail-guided mobile parts, and a slotted hollow waveguide

US12091068B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG · DE

Inventors

• Zhidong Hua · Bruchsal, DE
• Jonas Felix Bürgel · Karlsruhe, DE
• Michael Lindenfelser · Bruchsal, DE
• Andreas Wanjek · Waghäusel, DE
• Thomas Schäfer · Karlsdorf-Neuthard, DE
• Josef Schmidt · Graben-Neudorf, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 15, 2019
• Grant date: Sep 17, 2024
• Expiry date: Dec 7, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B61L25/025
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

In a system and method for operating a system having a rail, a stationary unit, rail-guided mobile parts, and a slotted hollow waveguide, either a first one of the mobile parts or the stationary unit functions as a transmitter, and a second one of the mobile parts functions as a receiver. The transmitter is configured for the simultaneous transmission of an electromagnetic signal and an acoustic signal, e.g., at a first instant. The receiver, which is set apart from the transmitter, is configured to detect the arrival of the electromagnetic signal at a second instant and to detect the arrival of the acoustic signal at a third instant. The second mobile part has an evaluation unit which is configured to determine the distance between the transmitter and the receiver based on the acquired second and third instants.