CA1250913A

CA1250913A - Driving system for linear vehicles

Info

Publication number: CA1250913A
Application number: CA000485781A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Yuichi Akihama; Akio Shoji; Haruo Inagaki
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-06-29
Filing date: 1985-06-28
Publication date: 1989-03-07
Also published as: JPH0810962B2; JPS6115502A

Abstract

Abstract:
A driving system for linear vehicles consists of at least one inductor for a linear motor, mounted on the vehicle, and a reaction plate laid on the ground surface to be opposed to the inductor. The reaction plate is formed of a plurality of spaced apart plate members,thus reducing the cost of materials and installation.

Description

~2509~3 Driving system for linear Vehicles This invention relates to a driving system for a linear vehicle or car on which one or a plurality of inductors for a linear motor are mounted, and more particularly to a system of this type that has reaction plates laid along rails in an improved manner.
A reaction plate to act as a secondary conductor or a linear car is generally laid continuously along the whole length of the rails. An example of such a reaction plate is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open No. 116913/1978.
The reaction plate is adapted to apply driving force to the car by magnetic interaction between itself and the inductor. Accordingly, it is necessary for the reaction plate to have a mechanically strong construction and a rigid support structure. Therefore, if a linear vehicle is to be used as a long-distance transportation means, a large quantity of materials and a great deal of labor are required for the installation Sf the reaction plate therefor. At present, such a linear vehi~le is operated experimentally over only a short section, and has not yet been used commercially~
The present invention has been developed in view of the above fact`s. It is an object of the present invention to provide a driving system for linear vehicles that is capable of reducing the quantity of materials and labor required to S~

install a reaction plate.
In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a novel driving system for linear vehicles based on the fact that such a vehicle is moved alternately by the driving force and the inertial force.
More specifically, in one aspect the invention consists of a driving system for a linear vehicle, comprising a tract having rails for guiding wheels of the vehicle, the latter having at least one inductor for a linear motor mounted thereon, and a reaction plate for said linear motor extending along said rails with a clearance between the reaction plate and the inductor, characterized in that the reaction plate consists of a plurality of spaced apart plate members, the distance lS between adjacent plate members varying in accordance with the r.ature of the section of the track in which the plate members are located.
In another aspect, the invention provides a driving system for a linear vehicle, comprising a track having rails for guiding wheels of the vehicle, the latter having an inductor for a linear motor mounted thereon, and a reaction plate for said linear motor extending along said rails with a clearance between the reaction plate and the inductor, characterized in that said vehicle consists of a plurality of cars, said inductor consisting of a plurality of inductor units, said reaction plates consisting of a plurality of plate members having the same length as each other, each of said cars having at least one inductor unit mounted thereon, and said plate members being spaced apart and so arranged that one of said plate ~embers is always at least partially opposed to one of said inductor units.
In the drawings:-~ig. 1 is a diagrammatic, sectioned front elevation showing the relationship between a linear vehicle and its driving system;

~2S~3 - 2a -Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment according to the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the speed of a vehicle in one of the electrified sections shown in Fig. 2;
and Fig. 4 is a schematic side elevation of another embodiment of the present invention, showing the relationship J.250~3 between a train and reaction plate mem~ers.
A linear vehicle 1 is constructed in the same manner as a regular railway car to run on rails 3a, 3b via wheels 2. An inductor 4 is mounted on the vehicle 1 opposed to the ground surface. A reaction plate 5 is laid ~parallel with the inductor 4 between the rails 3a, 3b. ~hen an electric current is supplied to the inductor 4, a shifting magnetic field is generated in the inductor 4, so that a driving force arises due to the magnetic interaction of the reaction plate 5 and the inductor 4. The reaction plate 5 consists of a plurality of plate mem~ers 6 of equal length L
arranged intermittently in the direction in which the linear vehicle moves. Adjacent plate members 6 are spaced from each other by a distance Q. The distance Q is made short in a primary acceleration section ~a) where a large driving force is required, but is longer in a secondary acceleration or inertial section (b) in which a large driving force is no longer required. Section (a) is in the vicinity of a station or one having an angle of inclination, while section (b) is a horizontal one in which the vehicle can move with only a small driving force.
With the reaction plate 5 laid in this manner, the vehicle 1 can be accelerated in each section (a) under substantially the same conditions as a conventional linear vehicle. In each inertial section (b), the vehicle 1 can be moved at a speed in the range of levels Vl, V2 shown in Fig. 3 in a speed line 7. Whi~e the inductor 4 on the vehicle 1 is opposed to a ]plate member 6, a driving force is generated, so that the vl~hicle can be accelerated from the speed Vl to the speed V2. When the inductor 4 has entered a space between plate members 6, the driving force is lost. Consequently, the vehicle continues under its own inertia with its speed decreasing from V2 to Vl. By the time the speed has decreased to Vl, the inductor 4 will again be opposed to a plate member 6, so that the speed again increases to V2. As a result, the vehicle 1 runs in the sections (b) at an average speed intermediate Vl and V2.

~25~9~3 This spacing of the plate members 6 for operatin~ the vehicle in a long-distance section enables reduction of the quantity of reaction plate 5 needed, as well as the quantity of labor for installation of the reaction plates.
In the above embodiment, a vehicle having only one inductor has been assumed, but in practice such vehlcles will generally be equipped with a plurality of inductors. The present invention may also be applied to a complete train consisting of a plurality of individual cars 1, as shown in Fig. 4. In this case, if the plate members 6 are set apart a distance Ql such that one of the plate members is always opposed to one of the inductors on one of the cars, the driving force is balanced with the running resistance. In this way, any decrease in the running speed of the train can be avoided.

Claims

Claims:

1. A driving system for a linear vehicle, comprising a track having rails for guiding wheels of the vehicle, the latter having at least one inductor for a linear motor mounted thereon, and a reaction plate for said linear motor extending along said rails with a clearance between the reaction plate and the inductor, characterized in that the reaction plate consists of a plurality of spaced apart plate members, the distance between adjacent plate members varying in accordance with the nature of the section of the track in which the plate members are located.

2. A driving system for a linear vehicle, comprising a track having rails for guiding wheels of the vehicle, the latter having an inductor for a linear motor mounted thereon, and a reaction plate for said linear motor extending along said rails with a clearance between the reaction plate and the inductor, characterized in that said vehicle consists of a plurality of cars, said inductor consisting of a plurality of inductor units, said reaction plates consisting of a plurality of plate members having the same length as each other, each of said cars having at least one inductor unit mounted thereon, and said plate members being spaced apart and so arranged that one of said plate members is always at least partially opposed to one of said inductor units.