Linear motor system

1 . A linear motor system, comprising: an energy store subsystem for delivering power to a linear motor subsystem via an electronic converter subsystem, the electronic converter subsystem comprising a reversible power converter, and the linear motor subsystem being connectable to the electronic converter subsystem through a selector switch means, the electronic converter subsystem also being connectable to an energy source through the selector switch means, the electronic converter subsystem being capable of inputting power to the energy store subsystem and of supplying power from the energy store subsystem to the linear motor subsystem.

2 . The linear motor system according to claim 1 , wherein, in a first configuration of the selector switch means, the energy source is connected to the electronic converter subsystem for charging at least one energy store in the energy store subsystem and, in a second configuration of the selector switch means, the electronic converter subsystem is connected to the linear motor subsystem to supply power from the energy store subsystem to the linear motor subsystem.

3 . The linear motor system according to claim 1 , in which the selector switch means is a three-pole switch.

4 . The linear motor system according to claim 1 , in which the selector switch means comprises a pair of two-pole switches.

5 . The linear motor system according to claim 1 , in which the reversible power converter is of a pulse width modulated (PWM) type.

6 . A method of operating a linear motor system, the system comprising an energy store subsystem connected to an electronic converter subsystem, and a linear motor subsystem connectable to the electronic converter subsystem through a selector switch means, the electronic converter subsystem also being connectable to an energy source through the selector switch means, the electronic converter subsystem comprising a reversible power converter, the method comprising repeating the following steps in sequence:

a) charging at least one energy store in the energy store subsystem by connecting the electronic converter subsystem to the energy source through the selector switch means, and

(b) supplying power from the energy store subsystem to the linear motor subsystem by connecting the electronic converter subsystem to the linear motor subsystem through the selector switch means.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , in which after supplying power from the energy store subsystem to the linear motor subsystem in step (b), but before repeating step (a), regenerative power from the linear motor subsystem is fed back to the energy store subsystem through the selector switch means and the electronic converter subsystem.

8 . An apparatus comprising: a plurality of linear motor systems, each linear motor system comprising a linear motor subsystem, an energy store subsystem, and an electronic converter subsystem for feeding power from the energy store subsystem to the linear motor subsystem, selector switch means being provided for connecting the electronic converter subsystem to the linear motor subsystem, the plurality of linear motor systems being connectable in parallel through their respective selector switch means to a single energy source acting as a common facility for the linear motor systems.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , in which the linear motor subsystems comprise separate linear motors operated in parallel with each other.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , in which the linear motor subsystems comprise serially arranged segments of the same linear motor.