# US 2014/0190366 A1 · Vehicle pick-up and delivery device and track-based transportation system provided therewith > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190366 A1 - Document ID: US20140190366A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/240,122 - Filed: 2012-08-23 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-31 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Yasuyuki Mukai; Toshiaki Asanoma; Yoshinobu Murakami; Hiroyuki Maeyama; Akihiro Kubo; Kousuke Katahira - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190366A1 ## CPC - E01B 7/00: Switches; Crossings (operating mechanisms B61L) - B61B 13/00: Other railway systems - B62D 1/26: mechanical, e.g. by a non-load-bearing guide (railways B61) - E01B 25/28: Rail tracks for guiding vehicles when running on road or similar surface (wheel tracks on roads E01C9/02) - E01B: PERMANENT WAY; PERMANENT-WAY TOOLS; MACHINES FOR MAKING RAILWAYS OF ALL KINDS (derailing or rerailing blocks on track, track brakes or retarders B61K) - B61B: RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (lifts or hoists, elevators, escalators, moving walkways B66B) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A vehicle pick-up and delivery device includes: two mainline tracks including a pair of first guide portions which guide a pair of first guide wheels provided on a vehicle on an outer side of each of the first guide wheels; a pick-up and delivery travel path on which the vehicle is capable of traveling and which is provided between the two mainline tracks and is configured to pick up and deliver the vehicle between the two mainline tracks; a second guide portion which is provided inside the pick-up and delivery travel path and guides a second guide wheel disposed below the vehicle; and a switching unit which is provided on the mainline tracks and is capable of switching a direction of the vehicle between a direction along the mainline tracks and a direction along the pick-up and delivery travel path. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle pick-up and delivery device comprising: two mainline tracks which include a pair of first guide portions which guide a pair of first guide wheels provided on a vehicle on an outer side of each of the first guide wheels; a pick-up and delivery travel path on which the vehicle is capable of traveling and which is provided between the two mainline tracks and is configured to pick up and deliver the vehicle between the two mainline tracks; a second guide portion which is provided inside the pick-up and delivery travel path and guides a second guide wheel disposed below the vehicle; and a switching unit which is provided on the mainline tracks and is capable of switching a direction of the vehicle between a direction along the mainline tracks and a direction along the pick-up and delivery travel path, wherein the switching unit includes: a branch guide portion which is provided on an end of the second guide portion and includes a first end and a second end; and a moving unit which is connected to the second end and rotates the branch guide portion around the first end. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle pick-up and delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the two mainline tracks include the pair of first guide portions only at a position in which the vehicle is switched by the switching unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle pick-up and delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of first guide portions are guide rails which are disposed outside both side portions of the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle pick-up and delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of first guide portions are guide rails which are disposed inside both side portions of the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle pick-up and delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of first guide portions are provided to be convex on the mainline tracks and the pick-up and delivery travel path, and are configured of inner surfaces in a width direction of a travel path on which a pair of tires are rolled. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle pick-up and delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the second guide portion is provided at a center in a width direction of the pick-up and delivery travel path. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle pick-up and delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the second guide wheel is a guide roller which is capable of rotating around an axis extending in a vertical direction, and the second guide portion is a guide rail which regulates the second guide wheel in a width direction of the vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vehicle pick-up and delivery device according to claim 7, wherein a concave portion, which is opened upward in a longitudinal direction of the second guide portion and into which the second guide wheel is inserted from above, is formed in the second guide portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The vehicle pick-up and delivery device according to claim 7, wherein the second guide portion is interposed by the second guide wheels which are provided in pairs on the vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle pick-up and delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the switching unit includes: a pair of branch guide portions each of which is capable of guiding the second guide wheel; and a moving unit which is provided on an outer side in a width direction of the branch guide portions, and is capable of moving the pair of branch guide portions to a first position in which one of the branch guide portions is capable of guiding the second guide wheel in a direction along the mainline track and the other of the branch guide portions does not interfere with the second guide wheel, and to a second position in which the other of the branch guide portions is capable of guiding the second guide wheel in a direction along the pick-up and delivery travel path and the one of the branch guide portions does not interfere with the second guide wheel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vehicle pick-up and delivery device according to claim 10, wherein the branch guide portions are provided at a center in a width direction of the mainline track. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle pick-up and delivery device according to claim 11, wherein one of the pair of branch guide portions is a first branch rail which is capable of guiding the second guide wheel to the first position, and the other of the pair of branch guide portions is a second branch rail which is capable of guiding the second guide wheel to the second position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicle pick-up and delivery device according to claim 12, wherein concave portions, which are opened upward in longitudinal directions of the first branch rail and the second branch rail and into which the second guide wheel is inserted from above, are formed on the first branch rail and the second branch rail. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A track-based transportation system comprising: the vehicle pick-up and delivery device according to claim 1; and the vehicle below which the second guide wheel is disposed.