WO2009125253A1

WO2009125253A1 - Transportation means and system

Info

Publication number: WO2009125253A1
Application number: PCT/IB2008/052997
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ridas Matonis
Original assignee: Ridas Matonis
Priority date: 2008-04-07
Filing date: 2008-07-25
Publication date: 2009-10-15
Also published as: LT5617B; LT2008031A

Abstract

This invention seeks to develop a transportation system suitable for high-rise buildings and buildings having large horizontal dimensions, factories, and complexes of buildings. In this transportation system self-propelled vehicles move in desired directions, preferably in directions coinciding with axes of Cartesian coordinate system. The self-propelled vehicles are driven by pinion-rack drive construction, powered through contact electricity transmission.

Description

TRANSPORTATION MEANS AND SYSTEM

Technical Field

[1] This invention relates to transportation systems for human being and cargo conveying, particularly to transportation systems for extremely high-rise buildings and buildings having large horizontal dimensions, in which common transportation means, such as lifts, moving walkways or moving staircases, are not sufficient to meet the requirements of the people living and/or working in the building. Background Art

[2] There are known several inventions for transportation systems for human being and cargo conveying. Lifts, mowing walkways and mowing staircases are often used in buildings having five floors or more.

[3] However, even by using above mentioned transportation means, human being and cargo conveying becomes inconvenient and slow in buildings having vertical and horizontal dimensions exceeding hundreds of meters. It is necessary to develop a transportation system, in which human being and/or cargo could be conveyed from the starting-point to the destination point using single boarding, i.e. using only one and the same vehicle and one and the same conveying principle. In order to operate a system having multiple vehicles a complex routing system is required.

[4] American patent No. US5952626 describes personal device of remote control, based on electromagnetic radiation, for routing control in a transport system (elevator system), in which the transport system user designates the destination of his journey and the system performs all the operations of transportation. The user may cancel or change the destination at any moment. The remote control device is recognized by the system according to its unified identification. User commands may be entered by mechanical means, verbal identification and other means of selection.

[5] Japanese patent No. JP52105447 describes the elevator system and the method of elevator request.

[6] Patent No. GB 1007453 describes elevator system with wheeled trolleys moving along fixed tracks on predefined routes. The endless chain may be made of reinforced rubber and the chain sprockets and dogs, w hile the transmission gear of trolleys could be a chain belt or other kind of belt with non-metallic coating.

[7] Japanese inventions patent No. JP2000264210 describes a transport system in which trolleys move along circular path in one direction. It foresees trolley stop locations, where the trolley leaves the circular path and enters a stop loop, in which people and cargo is loaded / unloaded. In this system the trolleys can move horizontally and vertically.All these inventions and solutions available on the market only partially satisfy requirements for transport systems of extremely large buildings. Some expectations of the passengers, such as journey integrity, speed and comfort, cannot be met or can be met only partially. Moreover, complex transportation systems should be economic, energy efficient, and, in case of high-rise building, provide technical solutions ensuring passenger safety and eliminating high material tensions due to the weight of elevation cables or that of other means of elevation. Disclosure of Invention Summary of the Invention

[8] This invention seeks to create a transport system of human being and cargo conveying in ultra high-rise buildings, especially but not exclusively those with horizontal dimensions exceeding 100 m, that is economic in operation, utilizes materials and equipment available on the market, avoids big weights of construction components and thus the tension problem, and transports passengers and cargo fast and without a need to change transportation modes and/or means.

[9] According to these criteria a transportation system has been developed of super high- rise buildings, based on self-propelled trolleys, moving in designated shafts. The trolleys are arranged to move in 3D space, smoothly changing movement direction from vertical to horizontal and vice versa, switching horizontally, or changing movement direction by 90° or other angle, depending on transportation network configuration and form. The construction of the trolleys is made as simple as possible to ensure its durability and reliability. Description of Drawings

[10] Fig.1 - fundamental scheme of a trolley.

[11] Fig.2 - fundamental scheme of trolley movement in transition from horizontal to vertical movement direction.

[12] Fig.3 - fundamental scheme of trolley switching.

[13] Fig.4 - profile (11) cross-sections at a lower wheel (6) and at an upper wheel (5).

Description of the Preferred Embodiment

[14] Further we offer the most suitable implementations of the invention and some others.

The most effective implementation of this invention is a transport system of people and loads for ultra high buildings and especially but not exclusively for buildings having horizontal dimensions exceeding 100 m and the trolley for this system. The system consists essentially of two main components - trolleys (1), which are self-propelled transportation means, and a construction (2) network with rail tracks for trolley movement. Such system corresponds to 3D movement system with transport movements in directions preferably corresponding to axes of Cartesian rectangular coordinate system. Movement directions do not have to coincide with the axes of Cartesian rectangular coordinate system , i.e. the tracks could be inclined or tilted form the vertical or horizontal directions, but for the sake of clarity the description of the system will be based on this simplified example.

[15] In preferred implementation the system is a system of periodically spaced construction elements (traffic nodes). Trolley (1) traffic in identical nodes is performed by identical principles and is operated from the central traffic control station. Trolley stops, switching, entrance into branch-lines, etc., is implemented according to common movement principles of rail vehicles, however, in this system the switching is performed in horizontal as well as in vertical movement directions, see Fig.3.

[16] The trolleys (1) employed in this transportation system are self-propelled vehicles.

Since cable system is not suitable for ultra high-rise buildings - they can brake under their own weight - in optimal case the system employs pinion-rack drive where the rack is fastened to the stable construction of an ultra high-rise building, and the pinions (5, 6) are used as the driving and /or supporting wheels of a trolley. These pinions (5, 6) are connected directly or via speed-reducer to an electric engine that drives the pinions (5, 6) when moving horizontally or ascending and generates electricity when moving descending or braking. Electricity is supplied to the electric engine and generated power is yielded from descending or decelerating trolley through a contact electric network installed in the proximity of the racks (15) or through the racks (15) themselves used as the conductor of the contact electric network, which in this case should be insulated from other metallic components and connected together to form an integral power grid.

[17] Fig. 2 illustrates the principle of trolley (1) movement, when changing the movement direction from horizontal to vertical or vice versa. A specially developed rail (2) made of longitudinal profile (11) having rectangular cross-section and a cut (10) on one side for movement of the supporting element (3). Fig.4 illustrates the driving mechanism that is made of the aforementioned longitudinal profile (11) with pairs of racks (15) and rails (16) fastened to its internal side. These pairs of racks (15) and rails (16) are arranged on opposite inner sides of the aforementioned longitudinal profile (11), so that one of the sides, to which the rails (16) and racks (15) are attached, has a cut (10) for movement of the supporting element. The supporting element (3) is a solid construction, to which a chassis is attached to one end and a trolley (1) through a swivel, to the other. Preferably the chassis is made of two pinion (5, 6) holders (4), pivotably connected to the supporting element (3), orientation of the holders approximately coinciding with the tangent of the racks (15) while trolley is moving. In track sections of a radial curvature having large dimensions, where a trolley changes movement direction from horizontal to vertical and vice versa, slight slack between the pinions (5, 6) and the racks (15) is sufficient for the trolley (1) to pass smoothly across the section and remain stable. In case of transport system having predominantly radial curvatures having large dimensions vertical/horizontal transitions, trolley pinions (5, 6) have damping ability, i.e. are arranged to move with springiness relatively to pinion holders (4) in direction approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the holders (4). Each holder preferably comprises four pairs of pinions (5, 6) attached to it, with two pairs pressing against rails (16) and racks (15) on one side of the profile (11) and with the other two pressing against rails (16) and racks (15) on the opposite side. In this case construction of the chassis has no slack and rather accurately coincides with the tangent of rails and racks (15) at every point of the track. In the case when a constant distance is maintained between the pivot of both pinion holders (4), the supporting element (3) automatically maintains such position that the imaginary longitudinal axis of the supporting element is perpendicular to the tangent of the rails (16) and racks (15). In this case the pivot (9) of the cabin on the supporting element moves along a consistent path, eliminating unnecessary movements and constitutes a reliable support for elastic attachment of the cabin, i.e. via a swivel. When the cabin is fastened this way, the trolley is equipped with swing damping means, i.e. shock-absorbers, etc. Fig. 1 illustrates an additional construction made of several pinions for improved control of trolley swing and superior travelling experience. A big gear (7) is firmly attached to the supporting element (3), while the smaller gear(s) (8) are arranged on the top of the cabin (1). Interlocking of these gears (7, 8) makes it possible to control the tilt of the trolley relatively to the horizontal plane and the supporting element (3). Cabin tilt is controlled in the way that dampens the swing. During acceleration and deceleration the cabin is tilted relatively to the supporting element (3) so that the force of inertia is directed towards the lower part of a passenger seat (or trolley floor in case of a cargo or other support beneath it) and impacts a passenger (or a load) as little as possible in the horizontal direction. This artificial tilt of the cabin (1) improves traveling experience, since the force of inertia does not push a passenger off his/her seat.

[18] Pinion holders (4) are attached to the supporting element (3) via a swivel allowing it to move in at least two directions: direction corresponding to track curvature during trolley (1) transition from vertical to horizontal direction or vice versa and direction of cut (10) curvature during trolley (1) horizontal switching.

[19] Wheel (5, 6) surface of the aforementioned vehicle is made of three main regions or parts: toothed region (12), smooth region (13) and an edge (14). The function of the edge (14) is to swerve the wheels (5, 6) in the desired direction during switching (similar to the standard switching method for train cars). The smooth region (13) of the wheels presses constantly against the rails (16) and during horizontal movement bears all weight of the trolley (1), the toothed region (12) of the wheel serving only the interlocking purpose and not bearing the load, except during vertical movement, when the total weight of the trolley falls exclusively on the teeth of the toothed region (12). This combination of smooth and toothed regions allows for smooth and quiet movement of a trolley (1). Preferably the toothed part of the wheels (12) and the racks (15) should have diagonal teeth - such interlocking is quieter and more comfortable for trolley (1) movement.

[20] Fig.1 illustrates fundamental scheme of a trolley (1). The trolley consists of a cabin, a supporting element (3) and a chassis. Optimally the engine is mounted on the supporting element and the torque is transmitted to the wheels via a transmission shaft. In this case one engine is sufficient to drive all driving wheels uniformly. Since trolley (1) movement path contains turns and transitions between horizontal and vertical directions, the wheels moving on the outer arch have the ability to slip.

[21] In this implementation mode transport system consists of a rail network and a trolley fleet. The number of trolleys is selected according to the number of people living or working in the building and their needs or the intensity of load traffic. Since the trolleys are self-propelled vehicles, they can be introduced into the system and removed thereof independently.

[22] All traffic in such transportation system is controlled by a computerized system that employs selected algorithms to coordinates user travel routes. Each trolley is identified and steered in the system in away that ensures the fastest arrival to the selected destination and avoids congestions in any point of the system.

[23] Trolley (1) stops and people boarding/landing locations optimally are set as branches to horizontal tracks. One boarding/landing stop could have more than one stop position for a trolley. The number of such stop positions depends on the capacity of transport thoroughfare. The same computerized system, that controls trolley (1) routing, also distributes empty trolleys in the system in such a way that relative amount of empty trolleys would stay constant in the stops, i.e., if there is a shortage of trolleys in one stop the system automatically redirects the trolleys from the stops with excessive trolleys. The system allows for easy employment of existing principles and systems of traffic management, such as tracking of passenger flow, measurement of line loads, methods of forecasting of traffic intensity in different nodes of the system with the aim to shorten the passenger waiting and traveling time, etc.

Claims

[1] Self-propelled rail-moving vehicle for human being and cargo conveying, comprising a cabin for passengers and/or cargo, characterized in that this vehicle (1) is arranged to move on horizontally as well as vertically installed rails (2), employing a pinion-rack drive, in which the pinions (5, 6) function as wheels of the vehicle and the rack (15), as rails on which the vehicle moves, said wheels besides the pinion part having an edge (14) used for steering of the trolley in the desired direction.

[2] The vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the rails can be installed in any desirable orientation in space.

[3] The vehicle according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the racks are installed inside a semi-closed profile (11) of a rectangular cross-section and the profile has a continuous cut (10) on one of its sides for movement of the trolley supporting element (3).

[4] The vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that inside the aforementioned profile (11) are installed two pairs of racks, so that one pair is arranged on the profile (11) side having said continuous cut (10) and the other is arranged on the opposite side.

[5] The vehicle according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the chassis of the aforementioned vehicle consists of at least two pairs of pinions (5, 6).

[6] The vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that chassis of the vehicle (1) consists of more than two pairs of pinions (5, 6), preferably eight pairs of pinions (5, 6) fixed to pinion holders (4) that are connected to the supporting element (3) by a swivel.

[7] The vehicle according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that in this vehicle the holder (3) is connected to the cabin by a swivel (9) and equipped with tilt adjustment means (7,

8) for elimination of undesirable swing of the trolley at the start of the movement, change of direction, switching or deceleration. [8] The vehicle according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that smooth rails (16) are installed besides the racks (15) and the trolley

(1) wheels also have a smooth part pressing against these smooth rails (16).

[9] The vehicle according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the aforementioned toothed part (12) of the wheels (5, 6) and the rack surface have diagonal teeth.

[10] The vehicle according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that trolley (1) wheels (5, 6) are installed in a way that allows for elastic movements relatively to wheel holders (4), especially in those path sections where the direction of the trolley (1) changes from horizontal to vertical and vice versa.

[11] The vehicle according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that an engine is connected to the wheels (5, 6) of this vehicle to drive them and is fitted to generate electricity when the vehicle is descending under the pull of gravity or when the vehicle is decelerating.

[12] The vehicle according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the vehicle is arranged to receive electric power for the engine(s) and transmit the energy generated in said engine(s) through the contact electric grid that is installed in the proximity of the rails (15, 16).

[13] The vehicle according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that this vehicle is fitted to receive/yield electric energy via contact using the rails (16) and racks (15) as conductors.

[14] Transportation system of people and loads in ultra high-rise buildings and buildings of large horizontal dimensions, characterized in that in this system self-propelled vehicles move in 3D rail network, in which they can change direction of their movement switching themselves horizontally or vertically or change movement direction form vertical to horizontal and vice versa.

[15] Transportation system according to claim 14, characterized in that the system employs self-propelled vehicles according to any of points 1-13.

[16] Transportation system according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that in the system self-propelled vehicles move essentially in three directions coinciding with the axes of Cartesian coordinate system.

[17] Transportation system according to any of the claims 14-16, characterized in that the transportation network is made of identical or similar construction blocks - traffic nodes connected by straight lines, the length thereof depending on the building and its dimensions.

[18] Transportation system according to any of the claims 14-17, characterized in that trolley traffic is controlled centrally from main control station and trolley routing and distribution among stop locations is performed by a computerized system of the control center.