Guideway activated magnetic switching of vehicles

Abstract

A system for switching a transport vehicle comprising: a guideway, a vehicle that moves along the guideway, and a magnetic field source that creates a force on the vehicle to affect motion in a desired direction at a switch. Once the vehicle has started motion through the switch the guidance can be continued by use of permanent magnets until the normal guidance system is effective. The switching scheme can work with any suspension scheme, including wheels and maglev, and can work with any lateral guidance scheme, including horizontal guide wheels and magnetic guidance. The system can be used with very closely spaced vehicles, such as with Personal Rapid Transit, material handling, and elevators with multiple cabs in the same shaft.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 701,777, filed Jul. 22, 2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention pertains to vehicular transport and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for the switching of vehicles on a guideway. [0003] All guideways must have means to choose between alternate directions of travel. Conventional trains use switches with mechanically movable rails that require several seconds to actuate and have maintenance problems. Monorail trains and systems using magnetic or air-cushion suspension typically require motion of large sections of a guideway. Some automated people movers use rubber-tired wheels for suspension and additional vertical-axle wheels for guidance with switching done by moving sections of the guideway. [0004] For some applications, such as personal rapid transit ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] According to further aspects of the invention the switching is initiated by an electromagnet but once the vehicle moves a short distance the switching is completed by means of one or more permanent magnets located on the guideway. A permanent magnet can keep the vehicle on the desired path until the normal guidance mechanism is effective.

[0015] Methods and apparatus according to the invention are suited for, among other things, guiding vehicles that are propelled by a linear motor. With this propulsion scheme and guideway-based magnetic switching the entire propulsion and control system can be located on the guideway so the vehicle can be passive and there is no need to transmit control signals to a moving vehicle.

[0016] These and other aspects of the invention are evident in the drawings and in the claims that follow.

Problems solved by technology

Conventional trains use switches with mechanically movable rails that require several seconds to actuate and have maintenance problems.

In these cases it is not safe to use switches that require substantial motion of sections of the guideway.

This makes it feasible to operate with short headway, but now there is a reliability problem because the vehicle control must be coordinated via guideway based controllers.

Additionally, the switching mechanisms are mechanical which require maintenance and are vulnerable to failure.

Neither of these methods has achieved wide success and guideway-based mechanical mechanisms continuing to dominate switch design.

These techniques have the advantage of being guideway activated and having no moving parts, but they do not work with most types of suspension in use today.

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