Inductrack III configuration—a maglev system for high loads
AssigneeLawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
InventorRichard F. Post
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Inductrack III configurations are suited for use in transporting heavy freight loads. Inductrack III addresses a problem associated with the cantilevered track of the Inductrack II configuration. The use of a cantilevered track could present mechanical design problems in attempting to achieve a strong enough track system such that it would be capable of supporting very heavy loads. In Inductrack III, the levitating portion of the track can be supported uniformly from below, as the levitating Halbach array used on the moving vehicle is a single-sided one, thus does not require the cantilevered track as employed in Inductrack II.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a movable object;
- a first levitating Halbach array attached to said object;
- a second levitating Halbach array attached to said object;
- a first track comprising a first levitation portion in operative proximity to said first levitating Halbach array such that upon movement of said object, a first levitation force with be generated between said first levitating Halbach array and said first levitation portion;
- a second track comprising a second levitation portion in operative proximity to said second levitating Halbach array such that upon said movement of said object, a second levitation force with be generated between said second levitating Halbach array and said second levitation portion;
- a substantially uniform non-cantilevered support structure supporting said first levitation portion and said second levitation portion such that they are substantially uniformly supported;
- and
- means for adjusting said first levitation force and said second levitation force.
A method for operating a system, wherein said system comprises:
- a movable object;
- a first levitating Halbach array attached to said object;
- a second levitating Halbach array attached to said object;
- a first track comprising a first levitation portion in operative proximity to said first levitating Halbach array such that upon movement of said object, a first levitation force with be generated between said first levitating Halbach array and said first levitation portion;
- a second track comprising a second levitation portion in operative proximity to said second levitating Halbach array such that upon said movement of said object, a second levitation force with be generated between said second levitating Halbach array and said second levitation portion;
- a substantially uniform non-cantilevered support structure supporting said first levitation portion and said second levitation portion such that they are substantially uniformly supported;
- and
- means for adjusting said first levitation force and said second levitation force,
- wherein said method comprises adjusting said first levitation force and said second levitation force by operating said means for adjusting said first levitation force and said second levitation force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.