Propulsion arrangement equipped with a linear motor

Claim 1

A propulsion arrangement for a body movable along a track defining a direction of motion, the body being subjected to outer forces such as centrifugal forces, comprising a winding carrier assembly including two ferromagnetic winding carriers disposed next to each other transversely to the direction of motion, said carriers having respective outermost outside surfaces extendiNg in the direction of motion and facing away from each other, said surfaces being spaced a distance m from each other, a common direct-current excitation winding mounted on said carriers, additional windings mounted on said winding carriers for developing a travelling wave, said additional windings being displaced one from the other by one pole pitch Tau p; and ferromagnetic return means for coacting with said winding carrier assembly for developing a propulsion force for moving the body, said ferromagnetic return means comprising a plurality of ferromagnetic bars arranged in a row transverse to the direction of motion, each of said bars having a length corresponding to said distance m and being a width b having a value defined by the relation: b < OR = Tau p, and each two mutually adjacent ones of said bars having a center-to-center spacing corresponding to twice said pole pitch 2 Tau p, said ferromagnetic winding carriers being positioned relative to said ferromagnetic return means so that the attraction forces developed between said winding carriers and said return means are opposed to the outer forces, and an electrodynamic guidance system having a support and guidance arrangement equipped with conductor loops for generating a flux having a low loss zone of zero flux value, said support and guidance arrangement also having a stabilization arrangement, said electrodynamic guidance system and said winding carrier assembly together with said return means being arranged relative to each other so as to cause the lift component of the forces developed between said carrier assembly and said return means to act to maintain said stabilization arrangement in said zone.