US 10,370,006 B2Granted

Counterbalancing system for mitigating one or more vehicle-related moments relative to a column in a transportation system

OwnerGonzalo Duran Ariza, Michael Malishinventors

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Abstract

A transportation system is disclosed that includes a monorail (or other vehicle) along a column-supported rail and a movable weight system that repositions and/or accelerates a movable weight with respect to the movable weight's rail to counterbalance a moment associated with the weight and/or a centrifugal force of the monorail relative to the column, where some embodiments also mitigate resonance. Also disclosed is a linear induction motor (LIM) system that enables the LIM to tilt and thereby remain close to the rail, which mitigates potential thrust losses and/or air losses. Further disclosed is an air bearing system where the air bearing has a compliance and a resilience that minimizes air loss between the rail and the bearing. Additionally disclosed is a rotatable wedge system that essentially expands and/or contracts automatically to maintain an adjacency between two rail portions, where some embodiments also mitigate resonance.

Claims71

Dependent claims

A transportation system that is able to at least partially counterbalance a vehicle-related moment via a movable weight-related moment, including:

(i) a support structure planted in the ground between two additional support structures also planted in the ground;
(ii) a track, wherein the track is supported off the ground, at least indirectly, by at least the three support structures, and wherein a portion of the track near the support structure is in an area on a side of the support structure;
(iii) a vehicle that is able to be supported off the ground by the track, at least indirectly, wherein the vehicle is movable along the track between the two additional support structures, wherein the vehicle is able to carry a cargo, and wherein the vehicle-related moment relative to the support structure is able to occur when there is a moving of the vehicle along the track portion near the support structure;
(iv) a movable weight rail, wherein the moveable weight rail is connected, at least indirectly, to the support structure, wherein a portion of the moveable weight rail is in the area on the side of the support structure, wherein another portion of the moveable weight rail is in an other area on another side the support structure, and wherein the area and the other area do not overlap;
(v) a movable weight that is movable along the movable weight rail via a force, wherein the movable weight is positionable at least in a first position along the movable weight rail;
(vi) a motor that, via an instruction, is able to cause a moving of the movable weight along the movable weight rail via the force;
(vii) an electronic device, wherein the electronic device is able to provide, directly or indirectly, the instruction;
(viii) wherein the motor is able to receive the instruction, directly or indirectly, from the electronic device, and wherein the motor is able to perform an implementing of the instruction such that because of the implementing of the instruction:
the moving of the movable weight along the movable weight rail occurs via the force the moveable weight;
(ix) wherein the movable weight-related moment relative to the support structure is able to result from the implementing the instruction by the motor that causes the moving of the moveable weight via the force;
and,
(x) wherein the movable weight-related moment relative to the support structure is able to at least partially counterbalance the vehicle-related moment relative to the support structure that is able to occur when there is the moving of the vehicle along the track portion near the support structure.

9 more elements

A movable weight system that is able to be used with a transportation system—wherein the transportation system at least includes (1) a support structure planted in a ground, (2) a track supported off the ground by at least the support structure, and (3) a vehicle that is capable of a moving along the track, wherein a portion of the track near the support structure is in an area on a side of the support structure, by a vehicle motor—such that the moveable weight system, via an instruction, is able to at least partially counterbalance, via a movable weight-related moment, a vehicle-related moment relative to the support structure that may be caused by the moving of the vehicle along the track portion near the support structure, including:

(i) a movable weight rail, wherein the movable weight rail is connectable, at least indirectly, to the support structure such that, after the movable weight rail is connected, (1) a portion of the moveable weight rail is in the area on the side of the support structure and (2) another portion of the moveable weight rail is in another area on another side of the support structure, and wherein the area and the other area do not overlap;
(ii) a movable weight that is movable along the movable weight rail via a force;
(iii) a motor that, via an implementing of the instruction by the motor, is capable of causing a moving the movable weight along the movable weight rail via the force;
and,
(iv) an electronic device, wherein the electronic device is able to provide, directly or indirectly, the instruction;
and,
wherein:
(v) the motor is able to receive the instruction from the electronic device, directly or indirectly, wherein the motor is able to perform the implementing of the instruction such that the moving the movable weight along the movable weight rail, via the force, results;
(vi) the movable weight-related moment relative to the support structure is able to result because of the implementing the instruction by the motor;
and,
(vii) the movable weight-related moment relative to the support structure is able to at least partially counterbalance the vehicle-related moment relative to the support structure.

8 more elements

A transportation system that is able to at least partially counterbalance a vehicle-related moment, via a movable weight-related moment, wherein the vehicle-related moment at least includes a centrifugal-force related moment, including:

(i) a support structure;
(ii) a curved track that is connected, at least indirectly, to the support structure, wherein the support structure supports, at least indirectly, the curved track off the ground;
(iii) a vehicle that is supported off the ground, at least indirectly, by the curved track, wherein the vehicle is movable along the curved track, wherein the vehicle is moveable through a position that is along a portion of the track that is near the support structure, wherein the position along the track portion is in an area on a side of the support structure, and wherein the vehicle-related moment relative to the support structure may occur when a moving of the vehicle along the track portion that is near the support structure occurs;
(iv) a movable weight rail that is connected, at least indirectly, to the support structure, wherein the moveable weight rail extends from the area on the side of the support structure to another area on another side of the support structure, and wherein the area and the other area do not overlap;
(v) a movable weight that is movable along the movable weight rail, wherein the movable weight is positionable in at least a first position along the movable weight rail;
(vi) a motor that is capable, via a connection between the motor and the movable weight, of an implementing of an instruction that causes a moving the movable weight along the movable weight rail;
and,
(vii) a control system that is able to communicate, at least indirectly, to the motor and is thus able to provide the instruction, at least indirectly, to the motor;
and,
wherein:
(viii) the instruction involves an accelerating of the movable weight;
(ix) the movable weight-related moment relative to the support structure, which includes an acceleration-related moment relative to the support structure, results from the implementing of the instruction by the motor;
and,
(x) the movable weight-related moment relative to the support structure is able to at least partially counterbalance the vehicle-related moment relative to the support structure that is able to occur when there is the moving of the vehicle along the track portion that is near the support structure—wherein the vehicle-related moment at least includes the centrifugal-force related moment relative to the support structure.

11 more elements

A movable weight system, for attempting to cause an at least partial counterbalancing of a vehicle-related moment that may occur relative to a structure—wherein the structure at least helps support off a ground a track, along which a vehicle is movable via a power from a power source—via an instruction, from an electronic device, that is able to ultimately lead to a movable weight-related moment, including:

(i) a movable weight rail, wherein the movable weight rail is connectable, at least indirectly, to the structure;
(ii) a movable weight, wherein the moveable weight (a) is moveable along the moveable weight rail, (b) is positionable in a first position along the movable weight rail, and (c) is positionable in a second position along the movable weight rail;
(iii) a motor that is able to cause a moving of the moveable weight along the movable weight rail;
(iv) wherein the motor that is able to receive, directly or indirectly, the instruction from the electronic device;
(v) wherein the motor is able to perform an implementing of the instruction;
(vi) wherein the implementing of the instruction by the motor is able to cause the moving of the movable weight away from the first position and towards the second position;
(vii) wherein the moving of the movable weight away from the first position and towards the second position is able to cause the movable weight-related moment relative to the structure;
(viii) wherein the movable weight-related moment relative to the structure is able to cause the at least partial counterbalancing of the vehicle-related moment relative to the structure;
(ix) wherein the moveable weight does not need to be in the first position in order for the vehicle to be movable along the track via the power from the power source—such that the vehicle being moveable along the track, via the power from the power source, is not dependent on the moveable weight being in the first position;
and,
(x) wherein the moveable weight, also, does not need to be in the second position in order for the vehicle to be movable along the track via the power from the power source—such that the vehicle being moveable along the track, via the power from the power source, is, also, not dependent on the moveable weight being in the second position.

8 more elements

A movable weight system, for attempting to cause an at least partial counterbalancing of a vehicle-related moment that may occur relative to a structure—wherein the structure at least helps support off a ground a track, along which a moving of the vehicle is able to occur—via an instruction that ultimately leads to a movable weight-related moment and via a power source, including:

(i) a movable weight rail, wherein the movable weight rail is connectable, at least indirectly, to the structure;
(ii) a movable weight, wherein the moveable weight is moveable along the moveable weight rail;
(iii) a motor, powered by the power source, that is able to cause a moving of the moveable weight along the movable weight rail;
(iv) wherein the motor that is able to receive the instruction;
(v) wherein the motor is able to perform an implementing of the instruction;
(vi) wherein the implementing of the instruction by the motor is able cause the moving of the movable weight along the moveable weight rail;
(vii) wherein the moving of the movable weight along the moveable weight rail is able to cause the movable weight-related moment relative to the structure;
and,
(viii) wherein the movable weight-related moment relative to the structure is able to cause the at least partial counterbalancing of the vehicle-related moment relative to the structure.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/706,385Filed 7 May 2015 · continuation
Priority: 12 Aug 2013
Published: US 2015/0329097 A110 Dec 2015
Granted: 6 Aug 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B61B 13/08
Other railway systems: sliding or levitation systems
B60V 3/04
Land vehicles, e.g. road vehicles: co-operating with rails or other guiding means, e.g. with air cushion between rail and vehicle
B61B 3/00
Elevated railway systems with suspended vehicles
B61B 3/02
Elevated railway systems with suspended vehicles: with self-propelled vehicles

Family

Application61/865,119Us provisional application · filed 12 Aug 2013
Application14/458,248Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Aug 2014
US 2015/0353100 A1Pre-grant publication · published 10 Dec 2015
US 9,701,319 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2015/0329097 A1Published application
US 10,370,006 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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