WO2012047244A1

WO2012047244A1 - Transit system

Info

Publication number: WO2012047244A1
Application number: PCT/US2010/056818
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dae Sung Lee; Woojung Lee
Original assignee: Dae Sung Lee; Woojung Lee
Priority date: 2010-10-07
Filing date: 2010-11-16
Publication date: 2012-04-12

Abstract

A transportation system (10) is provided for moving cars (14) from a first location to a second location that is different from the first location. The system (10) comprises a railway (12) which extends from the first location to the second location and has a plurality of peaks (18) and a plurality of bases (20) positioned between the first and second locations. Each of the peaks (18) are positioned at a first elevation (P), and each of the bases (20) are positioned between an adjacent pair of said peaks (18) and are located at a second elevation (B) which is lower than the first elevation (P). The systems has a plurality of moving units (24), each of which is positioned between an adjacent pair of the peaks (18) for imparting energy (RE) to the car (14), The moving units (24) are arranged so as to allow the car (14) to move from the first location to the second location without being disengaged from the railway (12).

Description

TRANSIT SYSTEM

Cross-reference to Related Applications

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/390,719, filed on October 7, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a transit system, and, more particularly, to a transit or transportation system for transporting cars from one location to another location.

Background of the Invention

The transportation of cargo has long been provided by railway systems. The railway cars that transport the cargo are continuously connected to some means of motive-power (e.g., locomotive engines, etc.) that propels them during their traverse on the railway. There is a need for a system that can efficiently transport railway cars from one location to another location.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a transit system utilizing railway structures and a specially exemplifying suspension structure to support a railway above the ground. The suspension structure supports the railway in an undulating configuration. More particularly, the elevation of the railway undulates between peaks and valleys as it extends along a longitudinal axis. The peaks and valleys have substantially the same maximum and minimum elevations, respectively. As the railway cars traverses the railway, their energy is converted back and forth between primarily potential energy, at the peaks, to primarily kinetic energy at the valleys. However, the cars loose energy due to factors such as rolling and wind resistance. In order to restore the lost energy and enable the cars to continue to traverse the railway, the system provides lost-energy restoring mechanisms (e.g., conveyors) located at strategic positions along the railway (e.g., at some or all of the peaks). As a result of the cyclic conversion of energy, the system does not require a motive-power (e.g., an engine or conveyor) to be continuously connected to the cars to propel them on the railway.

Brief Description of the Drawings

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of a transit system constructed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a support structure and a railway of the transit system shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a railway car of the transport system shown in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conveyor utilized in the transit system of FIG. 1 , the conveyor having driving members attached thereto;

FIG. 4a is a cross-sectional view, taken along section line 4a-4a and looking in the direction of the arrows, of one of the driving members shown in FIG. 4; FIG. 5 is a side schematic view of the support structure, railway car and conveyors of the transit system shown in FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken along section line 6-6 and looking in the direction of the arrows, of the support structure and railway shown in FIG. 2, the railway car being also shown for illustration purposes.

Detailed Description of the Invention

FIG. 1 illustrates a transit system 10 constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The system 10 includes a railway 12 and an unpowered railway car 14, which is adapted to traverse over the railway 12 in a predetermined direction (e.g., a forward direction as indicated by arrow D in FIG. 1 ). For the sake of clarity, it is noted that the system 10 can also be used in connection with a train of unconnected or connected railway cars, each of which has a construction and operation similar to those of the car 14. In FIG. 1 , the car 14 is depicted in solid-line representation at its initial launch position and in phantom-outline at different positions along the railway 12 as the car 14 traverses in the forward direction toward its destination location (not shown). The railway 12 is constructed such that its elevation undulates as it extends in the forward direction, forming a pattern similar to a sine-wave. For example, the elevation of the railway 12 alternately undulates between peak- elevations 18₁ , I8₂ . . . 18_n, all of which are at substantially the same elevation (as indicated by a peak-elevation level line P), and base-elevations 20i , 202, etc.. all of which are at substantially the same elevation (as indicated by a base-elevation level line B).

When the car 14 traverses the railway 12 from the peak-elevation 18₁ , which represents the initial launch location of the car 14, its total energy TEp equals its potential energy PEp (which is at its maximum) plus its kinetic energy KEp (which is at its minimum). Therefore, TEp = PEp + KEp. When the car 14 traverses the railway 12 at the base elevation 20₁ , its total energy TEb equals its potential energy PEb (which is at its minimum) plus its kinetic energy KEb (which is at its maximum). Therefore, TEb = PEb + KEb. As the car 14 traverses over the railway 12, it loses energy (hereinafter "energy LE") due to factors such as rolling and wind resistance. In order for the car 14 to move continuously over the railway 12 from its initial launch location (i.e., the peak- elevation 18₁) to its destination (not shown) without coming to a complete stop, the system 10 is constructed so as to sequentially supply a quantity of replacement energy RE to the car 14 at predetermined locations along the railway 12 (e.g., at or near the peak-elevations 18₂ - 18_n). More particularly, replacement energy RE supplied to the car 14 at or adjacent each of the peak-elevations 18₂ - 18_n is equal to or greater than energy LE lost by the car 14 during its motion between an adjacent pair of the peak- elevation 18₁ , 18₂ - 18_n. For example, the amount of replacement energy RE supplied to the car 14 at the peak-elevation 18₂ is equal to the energy LE lost by the car 14 during its motion from the peak elevation 18₁ to the peak-elevation 18₂ such that the total energy TEp of the car 14 at the peak elevation 18₂ is substantially equal to or greater than the total energy of the car 14 at the peak elevation 181. Therefore, TEp (at the peak-elevation 18₂)≥ TEp (at the peak-elevation 18₁)-LE +RE.

In order to provide replacement energy RE to the car 14, the system 10 is equipped with a plurality of conveyors 24a, 24b positioned along the railway 12 at locations where the rolling velocity of the car 14 is minimum (e.g., proximate to or at the peak-elevations 18₂ - 18_n). More particularly, each of the conveyors 24a is provided immediately up stream of (i.e., before) a corresponding one of the peak-elevations 18₂ - 18_n, while each of the conveyors 24b is positioned immediately down stream from (i.e., after) a corresponding one of the peak-elevations 18₂ - 18_n. The conveyors 24a, 24b at each of the peak-elevations 18₂ - 18_n cooperate with each other to propel the car 14 in the forward direction so as to supplement the energy LE lost by the car 14 during its motion between an adjacent pair of the peak-elevations 18₁, 18₂ - 18_n. For instance, as the car 14 departs from the peak-elevation 18₁ and approaches the peak-elevation 18₂, its velocity continues to slow down to a point where it may stop before it reaches the peak-elevation 18₂. The conveyor 24a for the peak-elevation 18₂ may be positioned at this location so as to engage and pull the car 14 to and over the peak- elevation 18₁ . As the car 14 moves over the peak-elevation 18₂, it regains its maximum potential energy (i.e., the total energy of the car 14 at the peak-elevation 18₂ is substantially equal to or greater than its total energy at the peak-elevation 18₁ ). The conveyor 24b at the peak-elevation 18₂ is positioned so as to engage the car 14 and push same towards the base-elevation 202- As the car 14 passes over each subsequent peak-elevation, 18_n, a corresponding pair of the conveyors 24a, 24b cooperates to supply the car 14 with replacement energy RE that is equivalent to or greater than the lost energy LE.

Now referring to FIG. 2, the system 10 includes a suspension structure 26 having towers 28, which are anchored to the ground 30 by pedestals 32. The suspension structure 26 suspends the railway 12 in an elevated position above the ground 30. More particularly, main-cables 34 are secured to the towers 28 for supporting a plurality of hanging-cables 36 vertically therefrom in a conventional manner. The hanging-cables 36 support a plurality of interconnected frame structures 38 (see also FIGS. 5 and 6). The frame structures 38 are constructed in a conventional manner for supporting the railway 12, which includes a pair of rails 40 (see also FIG. 6). The suspension structure 26 and its components (e.g., the frame structures 38 and the rails 40) may have any conventional constructions. It should be noted that any alternate conventional suspension or support structure, such as a pylon-based structure utilized to support monorails (not shown), may be utilized to support the railway 12.

With reference to FIG. 3, the car 14 has a container 42 and a bed 44 fastened to the container 42. Carriages 46 support the bed 44 and the container 42 on the railway 12. Each of the carriages 46 has a pair of wheels 48 and a driven-member 50 attached thereto. Each of the driven members 50 is provided with bearing and sliding surfaces 52, 54 for purposes to be discussed hereinafter.

The construction of the conveyor 24a for the peak-elevation 18₂ will now be discussed in conjunction with FIGS. 4 and 4a. The conveyor 24a is equipped with a flexible belt 56 having outer and inner surfaces 58, 60 and openings 62. The conveyor 24a is also provided with a plurality of driving-members 64. Each of the driving members 64 is provided with bearing and sliding surfaces 68, 70 and is pivotally attached to the belt 56 by a hinge 66 such that it is pivotable between an extended position (see the solid line representation of the driving member 64 in FIG. 4a) and a depressed position (see the broken line representation of the driving member 64 in FIG. 4a). In their extended positions, the driving members 64 and hence the bearing surfaces 68 project outwardly from the outer surface 58 of the belt 56 through a corresponding one of the openings 62. In their depressed positions, the driving members 64 are retracted into a corresponding one of the openings 62 such that the sliding surfaces 70 are substantially flush with the outer surface 58 of the belt 56. The driving members 64 are urged to their extended positions by urging members (not shown), such as springs. A lip 72 is provided on each of the driving members 64 to prevent the corresponding driving member 64 from pivoting out of its corresponding opening 62 in the belt 56 when a force (not shown) is applied to the bearing surface 68. Still referring to FIG. 4, the belt 56 of the conveyor 24a is supported by a plurality of gears 74, each of which in turn supported by an axel 76. Tracks 78 are positioned on outer opposing edges on the inner surface 60 of the belt 56 for intermeshing with the gears 74. The axles 76 are powered by motors (not shown) so as to rotate the gears 74, which cause the belt 56 to rotate in a predetermined direction (e.g., in the direction indicated by the arrow R in FIG. 4). As illustrated in FIG. 5, the conveyor 24a of the peak-elevation 18₂ is positioned at a location immediately upstream from (i.e., before) the peak-elevation 18₂ such that it is engageable with the car 14 as the car 14 approaches the peak-elevation 18₂ and looses its velocity.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and FIG. 5, the conveyor 24b of the peak-elevation 18₂ is positioned at a location immediately downstream from (i.e., after) the peak- elevation 18₂. This conveyor 24b has a construction and operation that are basically identical to those of the conveyor 24a illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 4b, except that the conveyor 24b pushes the car 14 downwardly from the peak-elevation 18₂ (see FIG. 6). Similarly, the conveyors 24a, 24b of each of the subsequent peak-elevations 18_n have a construction and operation that are basically identical to those of the conveyor 24a, 24b of the peak-elevation 18₂, respectively.

FIGS. 5 and 6 depict a pair of interconnected frame structures 38a and 38b located at or adjacent the peak-elevation 18₂. The frame structure 38a supports the conveyor 24a, while the frame structure 38b supports the conveyor 24b. The frame structure 38a includes structural elements 80, 82 for fixedly supporting the rails 40 and the conveyor 24a. The structural elements 80 may be integral to the towers 28 (see FIG. 2), while the structure element 82 may be connected to the hanging cables 36. Additional structural elements (see, e.g., support elements 84, 86 in FIG. 6) may be provided for supporting the rails 40 and the conveyor 24a on the frame structure 38a. The support elements 86 may also serve as platforms for operating personnel to access the system 10 (e.g., for maintenance).

In operation, the car 14 is moved to the peak-elevation 18₁ by a launching mechanism (not shown), such as, a hoist, conveyor, or switching-rail. In this regard, conveyors similar to the conveyor 24a, 24b may be provided at or adjacent the peak elevation 18, to function as the launching mechanism. Once the car 14 is positioned at the peak-elevation 18₁ , it is permitted to roll toward the base-elevation 20i by the action of gravity, or is pushed toward same by the launching mechanism. Thereafter, the car 14 rolls downhill from the peak elevation 18₁ , picking up speed in the process, until it reaches the base-elevation 20₁ , where its speed is maximum and its potential energy is minimum. The car 14 continues to proceed uphill from the base-elevation 20₁ , losing speed in the process until it reaches a position proximate the peak elevation 18₂ where the conveyor 24a engages the car 14 (see FIG. 5). More particularly, one or more of the bearing surfaces 68 of the driving-members 64 engages one or both of the bearing surfaces 52 of the car 14 and conveys or pulls the car 14 to the peak elevation 18₂. As a result, the car 14 is provided with a quantity of replacement energy RE which is equal to or greater than the quantity of lost energy LE that the car 14 encountered in its traverse from the peak elevation 18₁ to the point of engagement with the conveyer 24a. If the car 14 reaches the conveyor 24a and/or the conveyor 24b with a velocity that is greater than the rotational velocity of the belts 56, then the driving-members 64 will be depressed by the sliding surfaces 54 of the driven-members 50 and pivoted to their depressed positions (i.e., as described above and shown in FIG. 4a) so as to allow the car 14 to traverse over the conveyors 24a, 24b without derailment. As the car 14 moves over the peak-elevation 18₂, it is engaged by the conveyor 24b and is propelled from the peak-elevation 18₂ towards the base-elevation 202. As the car 14 continues to traverse the railway 12 by moving over the subsequent peak-elevations 18_n, it is provided with replacement energy RE by a corresponding set of the conveyors 24a, 24b in a manner similar to that discussed above. Once the car 14 reaches near its destination, it is diverted from the railway 12 and is directed to a parking area (not shown) by a conventional direction changing mechanism (not shown).

As discussed above, the car 14 can be moved from one location to another location in an energy-efficient manner with the use of the system 10 of the present invention. For instance, as the car 14 traverses the railway 12 its energy is converted back and forth between potential energy and kinetic energy in a cyclic manner. In order to sustain the forward motion of the car 14, the transit system 10 is only required to periodically impart energy to the car 14 to supplement energy lost by the car 14 during its transit. Therefore, the car 14 requires no dedicated motive-power device (e.g., an internal combustion engine) to be attached thereto. As a result, the transit system 10 is believed to require less fuel, maintenance, and/or operating-labor costs compared to a conventional railway system (i.e., a system in which motive-power is continuously connected to the cars 14). In addition, the uniform design of the support structure 26 (e.g., its uniform peak-elevations 18₁, 18₂, ^{1 8}n, and uniform base- elevations 20₁ , 20₂) enable it to be fabricated with minimal labor and material costs.

It should be noted that the present invention can have numerous modifications and variations. For instance, the conveyors 24a, 24b at peak-elevation 18₂ may be sized to impart enough additional kinetic energy to the car 14 to propel it over the next peak-elevation without the need for conveyors to be positioned at that peak-elevation. Moreover, the conveyor 24a or the conveyors 24b may be eliminated such that each peak elevation is equipped with only one conveyor. In addition, the conveyors 24a, 24b may be located anywhere between the peak-elevations 18₁ , 18₂, 18_n. Further, the peak-elevations 18₁ , 18₂, 8_n, and the base-elevations 20_{1 i} 202, may deviate from the maximum elevation level line P and the minimum elevation level line B, respectively, if their corresponding conveyors 24a, 24b are constructed such that they impart sufficient replacement energy to the car 14 so as to allow the car 14 to reach the next down stream conveyor without coming to a stop. Also, the towers 28 may be arranged in a non-linear fashion so as to avoid obstacles.

In an alternate embodiment, each car 14 or group of connected cars may be individually fitted with a small remotely controllable motive-power unit (e.g., an internal combustion engine) for powering the car 14 in instances where the conveyors 24a, 24b are not functioning or removed from the railway (e.g., for maintenance). Also, the conveyors 24a, 24b may be replaced with other mechanisms such as motorized rotating rubber tires (not shown) that are sized, shaped and strategically positioned on the frame structures 38a and 38b to impart replacement energy to the car 14 to supplement energy lost by the car 14 during its transit.

It will be understood that the embodiment described herein is merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications, including those described above, are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A transportation system for moving a car from a first location to a second location, which is different from the first location, comprising a railway over which the car is movable, said railway extending from the first location to the second location and having a plurality of peaks and a plurality of bases positioned between the first and second locations, each of said peaks being positioned at a first elevation, each of said bases being positioned between an adjacent pair of said peaks and located at a second elevation which is lower than the first elevation of each of said adjacent pair of said peaks; and a plurality of moving units, each of which is positioned between an adjacent pair of said peaks for imparting energy to the car, each of said moving units being arranged so as to allow the car to move from the first location to the second location without being disengaged from said railway.

2. The system of Claim 1 , wherein the energy imparted to the car by each of said moving units is not less than energy lost by the car during its transit between an adjacent pair of said peaks of said railway.

3. The system of Claim 1 , wherein each of said moving units is arranged such that the car is in constant engagement with said railway throughout its transit from the first location to the second location.

4. The system of Claim 1 , wherein said plurality of moving units include a plurality of first moving units and a plurality of second moving units, each of said peaks of said railway has an upstream side positioned toward the first location and a downstream side positioned toward the second location.

5. The system of Claim 4, wherein each of said first moving units is positioned on said upstream side of a corresponding one of said peaks; and wherein each of said second moving units is positioned on said downstream side of a corresponding one of said peaks.

6. The system of Claim 1 , wherein each of said moving units includes a conveyor for engaging the car so as to push the car in a forward direction.

7. The system of Claim 6, wherein each of said conveyors of said moving units includes a rotatable belt and a plurality of driving members attached to said belt, each of said driving members being sized and shaped so as to engage a driven member attached to the car and to push the car in the forward direction as the car passes by a corresponding one of said moving units.

8. The system of Claim 7, wherein each of said driving members is pivotally attached to a corresponding one of said belts of said conveyors of said moving units so as to allow the car to pass thereover.

9. The system of Claim 1 , wherein said first elevations of at least one adjacent pair of said peaks are substantially identical to each other.

10. The system of Claim 9, wherein said second elevations of at least one adjacent pair of said bases are substantially identical to each other.

11. The system of Claim 10, wherein said railway includes a plurality of segments, each of which has an undulating shape extending between an adjacent pair of said peaks, said undulating shape of at least one of said segments being identical to said undulating shape of an immediately downstream one of said segments.

12. The system of Claim 11 , wherein each of said undulating shapes of said segments is substantially identical to one another.

13. A transit system, comprising a movable car; a railway for moving the car from a first location to a second location, which is different from the first location, said railway extending from the first location to the second location and having a plurality of peaks and a plurality of bases positioned between the first and second locations, each of said peaks being positioned at a first elevation, each of said bases being positioned between an adjacent pair of said peaks and located at a second elevation which is lower than said first elevation of each of said adjacent pair of said peaks; and a plurality of moving units, each of which is positioned between an adjacent pair of said peaks for imparting energy to the car, each of said moving units being arranged so as to allow the car to move from the first location to the second location without being disengaged from said railway.