PURPOSE: To simplify the structure by disposing a ferromagnetic guide board within the moving range of an overhead traveling gear and providing the traveling gear with coils for attracting the traveling gear to the guide board and a plurality of moving coils for inducing eddy current in the guide board and then feeding power to the coils.
CONSTITUTION: A magnetic guide board 2, comprising a laminate of an iron plate and a steel plate or an aluminum board, is laid over the entire moving range of a gear traveling on a ceiling 1. The traveling gear 3 comprises attraction coils 32, 32 disposed at the opposite ends of the body 31, a plurality of moving coils 33 arranged in flush with the coil 32, and an attraction unit 34 disposed at an appropriate position on the body 31 while projecting from the coils 32, 33. Power is then fed to the attraction coil 32 and air is fed to the attraction unit 34 so that the traveling gear 3 is suspended from the guide board 2 without contacting therewith. Power is then fed sequentially to desired moving coils so as to induce eddy current in the guide board 2 thus moving the traveling gear 3 in the desired direction. According to the constitution, a rail can be eliminated and the traveling gear can be moved in an arbitrary direction through a light and simple structure.
OKOCHI MASAYUKI
KISHI YASUHIRO
