Rail with automatically adjustable length in a transportation system
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B61B-003/00
B61B-013/04
B60V-003/04
B61B-003/02
출원번호
US-0706257
(2015-05-07)
등록번호
US-10046774
(2018-08-14)
발명자
/ 주소
Duran Ariza, Gonzalo
출원인 / 주소
Duran Ariza, Gonzalo
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
1
초록▼
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 cen
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.
대표청구항▼
1. A rail system for preventing a gap along a rail in order to attempt to prevent, or at least attempt to mitigate, a potential performance impairment that might otherwise occur if a bearing were to instead travel along the rail without the gap having been prevented, including: (i) an inner rail sup
1. A rail system for preventing a gap along a rail in order to attempt to prevent, or at least attempt to mitigate, a potential performance impairment that might otherwise occur if a bearing were to instead travel along the rail without the gap having been prevented, including: (i) an inner rail support member;(ii) a first rail section, wherein the first rail section is positioned at least partially around the inner rail support member;(iii) a second rail section, wherein the second rail section is positioned at least partially around the inner rail support member, and the first rail section and the second rail section are at a first distance from each other;(iv) a third rail section, wherein the third rail section is positioned at least partially around the inner rail support member, the third rail section is positioned between the first rail section and the second rail section, and an outer surface portion of the third rail section is adjacent to an outer surface portion of the second rail section;(v) a rotatable rail section, wherein the rotatable rail section is positioned at least partially around the inner rail support member, the rotatable rail section is rotatable at least partially around the inner rail support member, the rotatable rail section is positioned between the third rail section and the first rail section, and an outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section is adjacent to both the outer surface portion of the third rail section and an outer surface portion of first rail section;(vi) wherein when the first rail section and the second rail section are at the first distance from each other (a) a gapless rail surface includes the outer surface portion of the second rail section, the adjacent outer surface portion of the third rail section, the adjacent outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section, and the outer surface portion of the first rail section and (b) the adjacent outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section has a first length; and,(vii) wherein in response to the first rail section and the second rail section becoming a second distance from each other, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, a rotating of the rotatable rail section in a first direction occurs that at least assists in (a) causing the adjacent outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section to have a second length that is greater than the first length and (b) keeping the gapless rail surface gapless when the first rail section and the second rail section have become the second distance from each other, which would not otherwise be gapless when the first rail section and the second rail section have become the second distance from each other but for the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction. 2. The rail system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the rotatable rail section pushes another portion of the rotatable rail section further away from the third rail section and towards the first rail section when the rotating of the rotatable rail section occurs in the first direction. 3. The rail system of claim 2, wherein the portion of the rotatable rail section that pushes the other portion of itself the rotatable rail section further away from the third rail section and towards the first rail section, when the rotating of the rotatable rail section occurs in the first direction, is an edge of the rotatable rail section. 4. The rail system of claim 3, wherein an edge of the third rail section assists in enabling the edge of the rotatable rail section to push the other portion of the rotatable rail section further away from the third rail section and towards the first rail section when the rotating of the rotatable rail section occurs in the first direction. 5. The rail system of claim 1, wherein a shape of the rotatable rail section assists in enabling a portion of the rotatable rail section to push another portion of the rotatable rail section further away from the third rail section and towards the first rail section when the rotating of the rotatable rail section occurs in the first direction. 6. The rail system of claim 5, wherein a shape of the third rail section assists in enabling the portion of the rotatable rail section to push the other portion of the rotatable rail section further away from the third rail section and towards the first rail section when the rotating of the rotatable rail section occurs in the first direction. 7. The rail system of claim 1, wherein a mated relationship between the rotatable rail section and the third section assists in enabling a portion of the rotatable rail section to push another portion of the rotatable rail section further away from the third rail section and towards the first rail section when the rotating of the rotatable rail section occurs in the first direction. 8. The rail system of claim 1, wherein: (i) an edge of the rotatable rail section pushes a portion of the rotatable rail section further away from the third rail section and towards the first rail section when the rotating of the rotatable rail section occurs in the first direction; and,(ii) the edge of the rotatable rail section is at least partially angled with respect to a longitudinal direction of the inner rail support member. 9. The rail system of claim 8, wherein: (i) an edge of the third rail section assists in enabling the edge of the rotatable rail section to push the portion of the rotatable rail section further away from the third rail section and towards the first rail section when the rotating of the rotatable rail section occurs in the first direction; and,(ii) the edge of the third rail section is at least partially angled with respect to the longitudinal direction of the inner rail support member. 10. The rail system of claim 1 wherein when the rotating of the rotatable rail section occurs in the first direction a rubbing of an edge of the rotatable rail section against an edge of the third rail section simultaneously occurs. 11. The rail system of claim 10, wherein: (i) a rotating of the rotatable rail section at least partially around the inner rail support member is able to occur in a second direction that is opposite the first direction;(ii) the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the second direction causes the adjacent outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section to either (i) return to the first length or (ii) become another length that is less than the second length;(iii) the edge of the rotatable rail section assists in enabling the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the second direction to cause the adjacent outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section to either (i) return to the first length or (ii) become the other length that is less than the second length;(iv) the edge of the rotatable rail section is at least partially angled with respect to a longitudinal direction of the inner rail support member;(v) the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the second direction results from a squeezing of the rotatable rail section between the third rail section and the first rail section; and,(vi) the rubbing of the edge of the rotatable rail section against the edge of the third rail section also occurs, simultaneously, when the rotating of the rotatable rail section occurs in the second direction. 12. The rail system of claim 11, wherein the simultaneous rubbing of the edge of the rotatable rail section against the edge of the third rail section, when (a) the rotating of the rotatable rail section occurs in the first direction and (b) the rotating of the rotatable rail section occurs in the second direction, is able to mitigate a potential resonance condition, if occurring, with respect to the rail system. 13. The rail system of claim 10, wherein the rubbing of the edge of the rotatable rail section against the edge of the third rail section is able to cause a mitigating of a resonance condition, if occurring, with respect to the rail system. 14. The rail system of claim 13, wherein: (i) a rotating of the rotatable rail section in a second direction causes the adjacent outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section to either (i) return to the first length or (ii) become another length that is less than the second length; and,(ii) the rubbing of the edge of the rotatable rail section against the edge of the third rail section also occurs when the rotatable rail section rotates in the second direction. 15. The rail system of claim 1, wherein the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction occurs automatically in response to the first rail section and the second rail section becoming the second distance from each other. 16. The rail system of claim 15, wherein the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction occurs automatically, in response to the first rail section and the second rail section becoming the second distance from each other, due to an energy storage device. 17. The rail system of claim 16, wherein the rotatable rail section is able to rotate at least partially around the inner rail support member in a second direction without any assistance from the energy storage device. 18. The rail system of claim 16, wherein the energy storage device is a spring connected to the rotatable rail section. 19. The rail system of claim 16, wherein the energy storage device is a spring-like element connected to the rotatable rail section. 20. The rail system of claim 15, wherein the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction occurs, simultaneously, as the first rail section and the second rail section become the second distance from each other. 21. The rail system of claim 20, wherein the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction occurs, in response to the first rail section and the second rail section becoming the second distance from each other, due to an energy storage device that is in communication with the rotatable rail section. 22. The rail system of claim 21, wherein the energy storage device is connected to the rotatable rail section and the inner rail support member, and wherein the energy storage device is a spring, or at least has spring-like properties. 23. The rail system of claim 1, wherein: (i) a rotating of the rotatable rail section at least partially around the inner rail support member is able to occur in a second direction that is opposite the first direction;(ii) the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the second direction causes the adjacent outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section to either (i) return to the first length or (ii) become another length that is less than the second length;(iii) an edge of the rotatable rail section assists in enabling the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the second direction to cause the adjacent outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section to either (i) return to the first length or (ii) become the other length that is less than the second length; and,(iv) the edge of the rotatable rail section is at least partially angled with respect to a longitudinal direction of the inner rail support member. 24. The rail system of claim 23, wherein the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the second direction results from a squeezing of the rotatable rail section between the third rail section and the first rail section. 25. The rail system of claim 24, wherein the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the second direction occurs automatically. 26. The rail system of claim 25, further including an energy storage element, wherein: (i) the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction results from a first force associated with the energy storage element, wherein the rotatable rail section is able to receive the first force from the energy storage element; and,(ii) the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the second direction results when a second force is greater than the first force. 27. The rail system of claim 26, wherein the second force is a force of nature. 28. The rail system of claim 27, wherein the force of nature is at least one of: (i) a temperature related force, and (ii) a geologic force. 29. The rail system of claim 25, wherein the rotating of the rotatable rail section in at least one of (a) the first direction and (b) the second direction is able to cause a mitigating of a potential resonance condition if occurring, with respect to the rail system. 30. The rail system of claim 29, wherein an element connected to the rotatable rail section is able to assist, when the rotatable rail section rotates in the at least one of (a) the first direction and (b) the second direction, in the mitigating of the potential resonance condition, if occurring. 31. The rail system of claim 30, wherein the element one of (a) is a spring and (b) has spring-like properties, wherein the element is connected between the inner rail support member and the rotatable rail section. 32. The rail system of claim 26, wherein the energy storage element that provides the first force is a spring that is connected between the rotatable rail section and the inner rail support member. 33. The rail system of claim 1, wherein the second length is at least 1% greater than the first length. 34. The rail system of claim 1, wherein an element connected to the rotatable rail section is, via the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction, able to assist in a mitigating of a resonance condition, if occurring, with respect to the rail system. 35. The rail system of claim 34, wherein the element is a spring, or at least has spring-like properties, and is connected to the rotatable rail section. 36. A rail system for preventing a gap along a rail in order to attempt to prevent, or at least attempt to mitigate, a potential performance impairment that might otherwise occur if a bearing were to instead travel along the rail without the gap having been prevented, including: (i) a first rail section;(ii) a second rail section, wherein the first rail section and the second rail section are at a first distance from each other;(iii) a third rail section, wherein the third rail section is positioned between the first rail section and the second rail section;(iv) a rotatable rail section, wherein the rotatable rail section is positioned between the third rail section and the first rail section, and the rotatable rail section is rotatable in a first direction;(v) wherein when the first rail section and the second rail section are at the first distance from each other before a rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction occurs: (a) a gapless rail surface includes an outer surface portion of the second rail section, an outer surface portion of the third rail section, an outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section, and an outer surface portion of the first rail section and (b) the outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section, of the gapless rail surface, has a first length, wherein the first length is associated with a longest part of the outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section of the gapless rail surface before the rotatable rail section has rotated in the first direction; and,(vi) wherein when the first rail section and the second rail section are at a second distance from each other, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, after the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction occurs: (a) the outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section, of the gapless rail surface, has a second length that is greater than the first length, wherein the second length is associated with a longest part of the outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section, of the gapless rail surface, after the rotatable rail section has rotated in the first direction, and (b) the gapless rail surface remains gapless, which would not otherwise remain gapless when the first rail section and the second rail section are at the second distance from each other but for the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction that has caused the outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section, of the gapless rail surface, to have the second length. 37. The rail system of claim 36, further including a spring, or at least a spring-like element, attached to the rotatable rail section that (a) at least partially assists in the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction and (b) enables the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction to be automatic; and, wherein:(i) a difference between the first length and the second length is at least substantially equal to a difference between the first distance and the second distance;(ii) the second length is at least 0.001% greater than the first length;(iii) an edge of the rotatable rail section and an edge of the third rail section have a mated relationship that assists in the first length becoming the second length;(iv) the mated relationship assists in a reducing of the second length at least towards the first length as a result of a rotating of the rotatable rail section in a second direction that is opposite the first direction; and,(v) the mated relationship is an at least partially angled one with respect to a longitudinal direction of at least one of (a) the first rail section and (b) the second rail section. 38. The rail system of claim 36, further including: (i) a mated relationship between the rotatable rail section and the third rail section, (ii) an element that causes a force to operate on the rotatable rail section such that the rotatable rail section rotates in the first direction in response to the force, and (iii) a support member that at least helps keep the rotatable rail section positioned between the third rail section and the first rail section. 39. The rail system of claim 36, further including: (i) an energy storage device that is in communication with the rotatable rail section, wherein the energy storage device is able to supply a force that causes the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction to occur; and,(ii) a support member that at least helps enable the rotatable rail section to be positioned relative to the third rail section. 40. The rail system of claim 36, further including a support member that at least helps enable the rotatable rail section to be positioned relative to the third rail section. 41. The rail system of claim 40, further including an energy storage device that is in communication with the rotatable rail section, wherein the energy storage device is able to supply a first force that enables the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction to occur. 42. The rail system of claim 41, wherein: (i) the rotatable rail section is able to rotate in a second direction that is opposite the first direction; and,(ii) the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the second direction results from a second force. 43. The rail system of claim 40, further including a spring, wherein the spring is connected to (a) the rotatable rail section and (b) the support member, and wherein the spring is able to cause the rotating of the rotatable rail section in the first direction to occur, automatically and as, the first rail section and the second rail section become the second distance from each other. 44. A transportation system for preventing a rail gap in order to attempt to prevent, or at least attempt to mitigate, a potential performance impairment that might otherwise occur without the rail gap having been prevented, including: (i) a vehicle;(ii) a rail;(iii) an air bearing attached to the vehicle such that the vehicle travels along the rail when the air bearing travels along the rail;(iv) an inner rail support member, wherein the inner rail support member includes a curved outer surface portion;(v) a first rail section of the rail, wherein the first rail section is positioned at least partially around the inner rail support member;(vi) a second rail section of the rail, wherein the second rail section is positioned at least partially around the inner rail support member, and the first rail section and the second rail section are at a first distance from each other;(vii) a third rail section of the rail, wherein the third rail section is positioned at least partially around the inner rail support member, the third rail section is positioned between the first rail section and the second rail section, and an outer surface portion of the third rail section is adjacent to an outer surface portion of the second rail section;(viii) a rotatable rail section of the rail that has a curved inner surface portion, wherein the curved inner surface portion of the rotatable rail section is positioned at least partially around the curved outer surface portion of the inner rail support member, the curved inner surface portion of the rotatable rail section is rotatable at least partially around the curved outer surface portion of the inner rail support member in a first direction, the rotatable rail section is positioned between the third rail section and the first rail section, and an outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section is adjacent to both the outer surface portion of the third rail section and an outer surface portion of first rail section;(ix) wherein when the first rail section and the second rail section are at the first distance from each other (a) a gapless rail surface includes the outer surface portion of the second rail section, the adjacent outer surface portion of the third rail section, the adjacent outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section, and the outer surface portion of the first rail section and (b) the adjacent outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section has a first length;(x) wherein in response to the first rail section and the second rail section becoming a second distance from each other, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, a rotating of the curved inner surface portion of the rotatable rail section at least partially around the curved outer surface portion of the inner rail support member in the first direction occurs that at least assists in (a) causing the adjacent outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section to have a second length that is greater than the first length and (b) keeping the gapless rail surface gapless when the first rail section and the second rail section have become the second distance from each other—which enables the air bearing to travel over the gapless rail surface, when the adjacent outer surface portion of the rotatable rail section has the second length, which would not otherwise be gapless when the first rail section and the second rail section have become the second distance from each other but for the rotating of the curved inner surface portion of the rotatable rail section in the first direction; and,(xi) an energy storage device that is in communication with the rotatable rail section, and wherein the energy storage device is able to supply a force that at least assists in the rotating of the curved inner surface portion of the rotatable rail section around the curved outer surface portion of the inner rail support member in the first direction. 45. The rail system of claim 44, wherein the energy storage device is one of (a) a spring and (b) a spring-like element, wherein the energy storage device is connected to the rotatable rail section. 46. The rail system of claim 45, wherein the curved inner surface portion of the rotatable rail section is able to rotate at least partially around the curved outer surface portion of the inner rail support member in a second direction without any assistance from the energy storage device. 47. The rail system of claim 46, wherein the curved inner surface portion of the rotatable rail section is able to rotate around the curved outer surface portion of the inner rail support member in the second direction via a force of nature.
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