# US 11,027,754 B2 · Cable or similar transport installation, and vehicle suitable for such installation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,754 B2 - Document ID: US11027754B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/633,640 - Filed: 2018-07-24 - Published: 2020-12-03 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-27 - Assignees: Vinci Construction - Applicants: Vinci Construction - Inventors: Jérôme Stubler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027754B2 ## CPC - B61B 7/06: with self-propelled vehicles - B61B: RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (lifts or hoists, elevators, escalators, moving walkways B66B) ## Abstract A transport installation includes a traction member extending in a circuit and associated with an external power source so as to be moved along the circuit, a vehicle having a power storage system, a motor system, a generator system and a fixed support adjacent to the circuit. The generator system of the vehicle includes a generator that may be activated to supply power to the storage system when the vehicle is coupled to the traction member and driven along the circuit by the traction member. The motor system of the vehicle includes a motor that may be activated to receive power from the storage system and move the vehicle relative to the fixed support. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transport installation, comprising: at least one traction member extending along a circuit and associated with an external power source so as to be moved along the circuit; at least one vehicle having a power storage system, a motor system and a generator system; and at least one fixed support adjacent to the circuit; the generator system of the vehicle comprising at least one generator that may be activated to supply power to the storage system when the vehicle is coupled to the traction member and driven along the circuit by the traction member; and the motor system of the vehicle comprising at least one motor that may be activated to receive power from the storage system and move the vehicle relative to the fixed support. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transport installation as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one vehicle loading/unloading station, adjacent to at least one circuit defined by a respective traction member and comprising a fixed support operably supporting the moving vehicle at the loading/unloading station. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The transport installation as claimed in claim 1, comprising a vehicle travel path including a plurality of sections, each section having a traction member extending along a respective circuit between two ends of the section and a fixed support being arranged between ends of two consecutive sections of the path so that the vehicle moves between the two consecutive sections by activation of at least one motor of the motor system of the vehicle while being supported by the fixed support. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The transport installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor system of the vehicle comprises at least one motor that may be controlled to move the vehicle relative to the traction member when the vehicle is moving along the circuit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The transport installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a first set of at least one wheel capable of rolling on the fixed support while being driven by a motor of the motor system of the vehicle, and a second set of at least one wheel capable of bearing on the traction member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The transport installation as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one wheel of the second set is arranged to participate in the coupling of the vehicle to the traction member when it bears on the traction member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The transport installation as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one wheel of the second set is arranged to perform the coupling of the vehicle to the traction member when it bears on the traction member, under the effect of the friction between the at least one wheel of the second set and the traction member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The transport installation as claimed in claim 7, wherein the motor system of the vehicle is adapted to control at least one of the wheels of the first and second sets so that the vehicle is moved at a speed V1 relative to the fixed support and a speed V2 relative to the traction member, the speeds V1 and V2 being such that the difference V1-V2 is equal to the speed V of movement of the traction member relative to the fixed support. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The transport installation as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one wheel of the first set may be controlled to send power to at least one generator of the generator system when it is driven in rotation by the movement of the vehicle coupled to the traction member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The transport installation as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one wheel of the second set may be driven by at least one motor of the motor system of the vehicle when the vehicle is coupled to the traction member so as to change the speed of movement of the vehicle relative to the speed of the traction member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The transport installation as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least one wheel of the second set may be controlled to send power to at least one generator of the generator system of the vehicle when it is driven in rotation while the vehicle is supported by the fixed support at a speed of movement which is zero or less than the speed of movement of the traction member. ### Claim 12 A vehicle, comprising: an interface selectively coupling the vehicle to a traction member extending in a circuit; a power storage system; a generator system including at least one generator that may be activated to supply power to the storage system when the vehicle is coupled to the traction member and driven along the circuit by the traction member moved by an external power source; and a motor system including at least one motor that may be activated to receive power from the storage system and move the vehicle relative to a fixed support adjacent to the circuit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the motor system comprises at least one motor that may be controlled to move the vehicle relative to the traction member when the vehicle is moving along the circuit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The vehicle as claimed in claim 12, comprising a first set of at least one wheel capable of rolling on the fixed support while being driven by a motor of the motor system, and a second set of at least one wheel capable of bearing on the traction member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one wheel of the second set is arranged to participate in the coupling of the vehicle to the traction member when it bears on the traction member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least one wheel of the second set is arranged to perform the coupling of the vehicle to the traction member when it bears on the traction member, under the effect of the friction between the at least one wheel of the second set and the traction member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the motor system is adapted to control at least one of the wheels of the first and second sets so that the vehicle is moved at a speed V1 relative to the fixed support and a speed V2 relative to the traction member, the speeds V1 and V2 being such that the difference V1-V2 is equal to the speed V of movement of the traction member relative to the fixed support. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one wheel of the first set may be controlled to send power to at least one generator of the generator system of the vehicle when it is driven in rotation by the movement of the vehicle coupled to the traction member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one wheel of the second set may be driven by at least one motor of the motor system when the vehicle is coupled to the traction member so as to change the speed of movement of the vehicle relative to the speed of the traction member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one wheel of the second set may be controlled to send power to at least one generator of the generator system when it is driven in rotation while the vehicle is supported by the fixed support.