Linear motors with yokes having inclined marginal teeth

1 . A linear motor for a transport system with a transport element movable on a guide track, the linear motor comprising:

a yoke comprising a plurality of teeth arranged one after another between two ends of the yoke; and

a plurality of drive coils arranged at the teeth and configured to cooperate with one or more drive magnets of the transport element to bring about a drive force for moving the transport element along the guide track of the transport system,

wherein the teeth have marginal teeth arranged at the two ends of the yoke,

wherein the marginal teeth at the two ends of the yoke are inclined with respect to the other teeth, and

wherein the other teeth are all substantially parallel to one another and project in substantially the same direction.

2 . The linear motor according to claim 1 , wherein the transport system is a multi-carrier system.

3 . The linear motor according to claim 1 , wherein one or both of the marginal teeth are inclined in the direction of extent of the yoke.

4 . The linear motor according to claim 1 , wherein the teeth each has a first tooth flank, a second tooth flank, a first forming angle between a free end of the tooth and the first tooth flank, and a second forming angle between the free end and the second tooth flank, and wherein the first forming angle and/or the second forming angle of the marginal teeth are different from the respective first and/or second forming angles of the other teeth.

5 . The linear motor according to claim 4 , wherein a sum of the first and second forming angles of the marginal teeth is identical to a sum of the first and second forming angles of the other teeth.

6 . The linear motor according to claim 1 , wherein the teeth each has a tooth base, with the tooth bases of adjacent teeth being spaced apart from one another by a tooth base spacing, and with the tooth base spacing of the marginal teeth from their adjacent teeth being different from the tooth base spacing of the other teeth from one another.

7 . The linear motor according to claim 1 , wherein the teeth each has a tooth base, with the tooth bases of adjacent teeth being spaced apart from one another by a tooth base spacing, and with the tooth base spacing of the marginal teeth from their adjacent teeth being smaller than the tooth base spacing of the other teeth.

8 . The linear motor according to claim 1 , wherein the marginal teeth have a smaller width than the other teeth.

9 . The linear motor according to claim 1 , wherein the marginal teeth have a greater height from a tooth base to the free end of the respective tooth than the other teeth.

10 . The linear motor according to claim 9 , wherein the number of windings of the drive coils arranged at the marginal teeth is identical to the number of windings of the drive coils arranged at the other teeth.

11 . The linear motor according to claim 9 , wherein the respective free end of the marginal teeth projects beyond its respective drive coil in a connection region, with the connection region being suitable for attaching a cover of the linear motor.

12 . The linear motor according to claim 1 , wherein the yoke has a yoke thickness that is reduced in the region of the marginal teeth.

13 . A linear motor for a transport system with a transport element movable on a guide track, the linear motor comprising:

a yoke comprising a plurality of teeth arranged one after another between two ends of the yoke; and

a plurality of drive coils arranged at the teeth and configured to cooperate with a drive magnet of the transport element to generate a drive force that moves the transport element along the guide track of the transport system,

wherein the teeth have marginal teeth arranged at the two ends of the yoke,

wherein at least one of the marginal teeth is inclined with respect to the other teeth, and

wherein the teeth each has a free end with a head at the free end, the heads of adjacent teeth are spaced apart from one another by a tooth pitch, the tooth pitch increases towards the marginal teeth, and a largest tooth pitch is located between the marginal teeth and respective ones of the teeth adjacent the marginal teeth.

14 . The linear motor according to claim 13 , wherein both of the marginal teeth are inclined with respect to the other teeth.

15 . The linear motor according to claim 13 , wherein the teeth and/or the heads of the teeth are individual parts formed separately from the yoke, with the heads projecting at least partly laterally over the teeth.

16 . The linear motor according to claim 13 , wherein the marginal teeth are both inclined with respect to the other teeth, and wherein the other teeth are all substantially parallel to one another and projecting in substantially the same direction.

17 . The linear motor according to claim 13 , wherein the two ends of the yoke each includes a stepped shelf interposed between the marginal tooth and a respective one of the other teeth immediately adjacent the marginal tooth.

18 . The linear motor according to claim 13 , wherein the marginal teeth each has a substantially uniform first width along a length thereof and all of the other teeth have a substantially uniform second width, wider than the first width, along a length thereof.

19 . A linear motor for a transport system with a transport element movable on a guide track, the linear motor comprising:

a yoke comprising a plurality of teeth arranged one after another between two ends of the yoke; and

a plurality of drive coils arranged at the teeth and configured to cooperate with a drive magnet of the transport element to generate a drive force that moves the transport element along the guide track of the transport system,

wherein the teeth have marginal teeth arranged at the two ends of the yoke,

wherein at least one of the marginal teeth is inclined with respect to the other teeth, and

wherein the marginal teeth each has a substantially uniform first width along a length thereof and all of the other teeth have a substantially uniform second width, wider than the first width, along a length thereof.

20 . A linear motor for a transport system with a transport element movable on a guide track, the linear motor comprising:

a yoke comprising a plurality of teeth arranged one after another between two ends of the yoke; and

a plurality of drive coils arranged at the teeth and configured to cooperate with a drive magnet of the transport element to generate a drive force that moves the transport element along the guide track of the transport system,

wherein the teeth have marginal teeth arranged at the two ends of the yoke,

wherein at least one of the marginal teeth is inclined with respect to the other teeth, and

wherein the two ends of the yoke each includes a stepped shelf interposed between the marginal tooth and a respective one of the other teeth immediately adjacent the marginal tooth.