Monorail vehicle with interior shells arrangement

A monorail vehicle includes a chassis supporting a vehicle body that includes a passenger floor, a first side wall, and a second side wall and first and second propulsion systems. Each propulsion system includes an electric motor and a drive wheel coupled to a rotor of the electric motor. Each electric motor and the drive wheel coupled to the rotor of the electric motor are positioned on both sides of an imaginary plane extension of the passenger floor. First and second shells cover portions of the first and second propulsion system. The first shell is positioned proximate to the first side wall and defines a first space between the second side wall. The second shell is positioned proximate to the second side wall and defines a second space between the first side wall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This application relates generally to a monorail train including monorail vehicles and, more particularly, to drive units (or propulsion units) utilized to propel said monorail train or vehicle along a rail.

Description of Related Art

Prior art monorail trains, including monorail vehicles, include drive units or propulsion systems wherein the drive wheels and the drive motors were operatively coupled together, by a suitable gearing arrangement, with their respective rotation axes transverse or perpendicular to each other. Problems with such prior art arrangements include reduced passenger space in the interior of such vehicles and/or an increase in the overall height of the monorail vehicle to accommodate the drive unit or propulsion system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is a monorail vehicle comprising: a chassis coupled to a body of the monorail vehicle; a drive unit coupled to the chassis, the drive unit comprising an electric motor and a planetary gear assembly rotatably coupled to the electric motor, the planetary gear assembly comprising at least 3 planet gears coupled between a sun gear, which is coupled to a rotor of the electric motor, and a ring gear surrounding the planet gears, the planet gears rotatable within the ring gear (or the planet gears fixed and the ring gear rotatable) in response to rotation of the sun gear by the electric motor; and a rim assembly coupled to the planetary gear assembly for rotation thereby, the rim assembly including a pair of side-by-side rim sections adapted to support a pair of wheels side-by-side for rotation about a rotation axis of the rim assembly that runs coaxial with a rotation axis of the rotor of the electric motor and a rotation axis of the sun gear, the rim assembly further including a hub that extends radially from the rotation axis of the rim assembly and terminates on an interior surface of the rim assembly, wherein one of the rim sections at least partially surrounds and rotates about the planetary gear assembly in response to rotation of the rim assembly by the planetary gear assembly.

The electric motor can be AC motor. The AC motor can be a permanent magnet AC motor. The permanent magnets can be disposed on the rotor.

The hub can terminate on the interior surface of the rim assembly between the pair of side-by-side rim sections.

The planetary gear assembly and the electric motor can be received within a housing that is coupled to the chassis, wherein the one rim section rotates about a section of the housing that houses the planetary gear assembly.

A brake rotor can be coupled to an end of the rotor of the electric motor opposite the sun gear.

An interior of the vehicle can define a passenger pathway that extends longitudinally along one side of the vehicle between an interior surface of the vehicle body and the drive unit.

The electric motor can be disposed within a housing that is coupled to the chassis. The housing can include fluid channels for allowing the passage of a cooling liquid therethrough for removal of heat generated by the electric motor.

Also disclosed is a monorail vehicle comprising: a chassis supporting an elongated vehicle body that includes spaced sides and a passenger floor, wherein a length direction, a height direction and a width (or side-to-side) direction of the elongated vehicle body correspond to X, Y and Z axes, respectively, of a Cartesian coordinate system, wherein the X and Y axes define an imaginary plane that bisects the vehicle body in half; a drive unit coupled to the chassis, the drive unit comprising an electric motor and a gear assembly, the electric motor including a rotor that has an axis that is disposed substantially parallel with the Z axis; and at least one drive wheel coupled to the rotor via the gear assembly, each drive wheel having a rotation axis that is disposed substantially coaxial with the rotor axis, wherein the drive unit is supported by the chassis with the electric motor and at least part of the gear assembly residing entirely in one of the halves of the vehicle body with at least portions of each drive wheel, the electric motor and the gear assembly residing above a plane of the passenger floor of the vehicle body.

A portion of the passenger floor can be disposed between one side of the vehicle body and the portions of each wheel, the electric motor and the gear assembly.

The electric motor can be a permanent magnet AC electric motor. The electric motor can be liquid cooled.

The gear assembly can be a planetary gear assembly. The planetary gear assembly can have at least 3 planet gears coupled between a sun gear and a ring gear which surrounds the planet gears, wherein the sun gear is coupled between the rotor and the planet gears such that the planet gears are rotatable within the ring gear (or the planets can be fixed and the ring gear can rotate) in response to rotation of the sun gear by the rotor.

The vehicle can include a pair of drive wheels supported by a rim assembly which is coupled to the gear assembly by a hub of the rim assembly, wherein at least part of the rim assembly surrounds the gear assembly, which part of the rim assembly is rotatable about the gear assembly in response to rotation of the rim assembly by the motor via the gear assembly.

The pair of drive wheels can have a common rotation axis. The rim assembly can include an individual rim or a pair of rim sections with each rim section supporting one of the drive wheels. The rim assembly can include the hub which extends radially from the common rotation axis and which terminates substantially at the intersection of the pair of rim sections.

The vehicle can include a bogie coupling the drive unit and each drive wheel to the chassis.

Also disclosed is a monorail vehicle comprising: a chassis supporting a vehicle body that includes a passenger floor and at least one side wall; an electrical motor supported by the chassis; and a drive wheel coupled to a rotor of the electric motor with a rotation axis of the drive wheel substantially coaxial with an axis of the rotor, wherein portions of the drive wheel and the electric motor are positioned on both sides of an imaginary plane extension of the passenger floor.

A gear assembly can be coupled substantially coaxially between the rotor and the drive wheel.

The gear assembly can be a planetary gear assembly that has a rotational axis coaxial with the axis of the rotor and the rotation axis of the drive wheel. Portions of the gear assembly can be positioned on both sides of the imaginary plane extension of the passenger floor.

The passenger floor can run or extend between a front and a rear of the vehicle body and in a space between the drive wheel and the side wall.

A bogie can couple the electrical motor and the drive wheel to the chassis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying figures where like reference numbers correspond to like elements.

A monorail train2comprises one or more monorail vehicles4which travel along a single rail6, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. This single rail6is also known as beam or track or guideway.

FIG. 1shows the side view of a lead monorail vehicle4aand a partial view of a following monorail vehicle4bwhich is coupled to monorail vehicle4ain a manner known in the art to form monorail train2. Other monorail vehicles may be coupled in series to the end of vehicle4bopposite vehicle4ato form a monorail train of any suitable and/or desirable length. Each vehicle4of train2receives electrical power via dual third rails, contact wires or electrified channels8attached to or enclosed in single rail6.

With reference toFIG. 2and with continuing reference toFIG. 1, each monorail vehicle4includes one or more drive units10. Each drive unit10is coupled to one or more drive wheels12which roll along a top part of single rail6. Each drive unit10is coupled to a bogie14which supports drive unit10and drive wheels12in the manner discussed above, and which also supports guide wheels16on opposite sides of single rail6. The number and physical arrangement of guide wheel16on opposite sides of single rail6can be selected in any suitable or desirable manner by one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, in the embodiment shown inFIG. 1, each bogie14supports three guide wheels on either side of single rail6in a T-arrangement, with two guide wheels at the top of the T and a single guide wheel at the bottom of the T. The number and arrangement of guide wheels shown inFIG. 1, however, is not to be construed as limiting the invention in any manner.

With reference toFIG. 3and with continuing reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, each monorail vehicle4has a body18which is supported by a frame20to which each bogie14of vehicle4is coupled. Vehicle body18includes spaced sides22, a passenger floor24, and a roof26. Each side22can optionally include one or more windows28and one or more passenger doors30that facilitate ingress and egress of passengers between the inside and outside of body18. In one non-limiting embodiment, each door30comprises one or more panels32which move in a first manner to reveal the opening between the interior and exterior of body18and which move in an opposite manner to close off the opening. In one non-limiting embodiment, each panel32can be a so-called pocket door which can slide between two wall panels of a side22to form the passenger door opening and which can slide from between the two wall panels to close off the passenger opening.

For the purpose of description, the length, height, and width (or side-to-side) direction or elongated vehicle body18can be considered to correspond to X, Y and Z axes respectively of a Cartesian coordinate system. The X and Y axes define an imaginary plane that divides vehicle body in half along the X direction. More desirably, the X and Y axes define an imaginary plane34that bisects the vehicle body18in half. The X and Z axes can be thought of as defining an imaginary plane36extension (shown in phantom inFIG. 2) of passenger floor24.

Drive unit10includes an AC electric motor38and a gear assembly40that is coupled to each drive wheel12. As shown inFIG. 2, electric motor38is disposed in one of the halves of vehicle body18defined by imaginary plane34. In addition, all or substantially all of gear assembly40is disposed in the same side of vehicle body18as AC electric motor38. In addition, at least portions of each drive wheel12, AC electric motor38, and gear assembly40reside above imaginary plane extension36of passenger floor24.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, because drive unit10can be placed all or substantially all in one of the halves (one side) of the vehicle defined by imaginary plane34, wheels12, and drive unit10can be covered by a shell42that is integral with one side22of vehicle body18(the left side22inFIG. 2) but which defines a space44between the other side22of vehicle body18(the right side22inFIG. 2) and the portions of each drive wheel12, electric motor38, and gear unit40residing above imaginary plane extension36of passenger floor24. Stated differently, because of the arrangement of drive unit10, bogie14, and wheels12, a portion of passenger floor24can be disposed between one side22of vehicle body18(the right side inFIG. 2) and the portions of each wheel12, electric motor38, and gear assembly40that reside above the imaginary plane extension36of passenger floor24.

With reference toFIG. 4, as discussed above, drive unit10includes AC electric motor38and gear assembly40received within a housing46. AC electric motor38includes a stator48and a permanent magnet rotor assembly50. Stator48includes a magnetically susceptible core52and windings54disposed on core52in a manner known in the art. Windings54can be connected to a power convertor (not shown) disposed on monorail vehicle4for controlling the supply of AC electrical power to AC electrical motor38in a manner known in the art to cause rotation of permanent magnet rotor assembly50in an appropriate rotationally direction (clockwise and/or counterclockwise).

Permanent magnet rotor50includes one or more permanent magnets56, desirably in place of rotor windings, to facilitate AC electric motor38being lighter and smaller than a conventional AC motor while providing a higher power output. In one non-limiting embodiment, AC electric motor is a 160 kw motor. However, this is not to be construed as limiting the invention. Moreover, the description herein of AC electric motor38having a permanent magnet rotor50is not to be construed in any manner as limiting the invention.

To maintain the compactness of drive unit10, gear assembly40is preferably a planetary gear assembly that includes a sun gear58, coupled to one end of a drive shaft60of rotor assembly50. The planetary gear assembly forming gear assembly40includes three or more planet gears62that surround and mesh with sun gear58. A ring gear64surrounds and meshes with planet gears62. To facilitate rotation of planet gears62around sun gear58in response to rotation of sun gear58by drive shaft60(in addition to rotation of each planet gear around its own rotation axis), planet gears62are held in fixed relation to each other by a planet carrier assembly66comprised of a first part66aand a second part66bon opposite sides of planet gears62. Each planet gear62is coupled to planet carrier assembly66via a planet bearing ring68that enables the corresponding planet gear62to rotate about its rotational axis during rotation of the entire planet carrier assembly66by sun gear58.

A planet carrier bearing ring70supports planet carrier assembly66for rotation about sun gear58in response to rotation thereof. Desirably, a rotational axis86of drive shaft60of AC electric motor38, a rotational axis88of sun gear58and a rotational axis of planet carrier assembly66are coaxial.

Planet carrier assembly66also includes a hub connection housing72coupled to first part66aof planet carrier assembly66for rotation with planet carrier assembly66in response to rotation of sun gear58by AC electric motor38. A portion74of stationary housing46surrounds rotatable hub connection housing72of planet carrier assembly66. A bearing ring (not shown) is disposed between portion74of stationary housing46and rotatable hub connection housing72to support the rotation thereof in operation.

AC electric motor38includes cooling channels76disposed in one or more stationary portions of AC electric motor38. Each cooling channel76is adapted to facilitate the flow of a cooling liquid therethrough whereupon AC electric motor38can be liquid cooled.

With reference toFIG. 5and with continuing reference toFIG. 4, as shown inFIG. 5, hub connection housing72of planet carrier assembly66is coupled via bolts78to a hub79(or wheel flange) of a rim assembly80that is coupled to the planet carrier gear assembly comprising gear assembly40for rotation thereby. Rim assembly80includes a pair of side-by-side rim sections82aand82badapted to support a pair of drive wheels12side-by-side for rotation about a rotation axis84of rim assembly80that is disposed or runs coaxial with a rotation axis86of rotor60and a rotation axis88of sun gear58. As can be seen inFIG. 5, rotation axes84,86, and88are coaxial (or substantially coaxial). As can also be seen inFIG. 5, hub79extends radially from rotation axis84of rim assembly80and terminates on an interior surface of rim assembly80. Desirably, hub79extends radially from rotation axis84of rim assembly80and terminates substantially at the intersection90of rim sections82aand82b. InFIG. 5, each rim section82aand82bincludes a portion of a drive wheel12(shown in phantom) on the bottom of said rim section to facilitate an understanding of the invention.

Because of the connection of hub79to hub connection housing72which is coupled to the planetary gear assembly comprising gear assembly40, drive shaft60rotating sun gear58, planet gears62and hub connection housing72also rotates hub79and rim sections82aand82babout a rotation axis84of rim assembly80.

As can be seen inFIG. 5, rim section82aat least partially surrounds and will rotate about the planetary gear assembly that comprises gear assembly40in response to rotation of rim assembly80via gear assembly40.

With continuing reference toFIG. 5, a brake flange is coupled to an end of drive shaft60opposite gear assembly40. InFIG. 5, sun gear58has been omitted from rotor60for simplicity. A brake rotor94is coupled to brake flange92. Brake rotor94can be utilized in combination with brake pads (not shown) coupled to bogie14in a manner known in the art for braking drive wheels12.

As can be seen, disclosed is a compact drive unit10which can be coupled to a rim assembly, with a rotation axis of AC electric motor38coaxial with a rotation axis of rim assembly80. A gear assembly40, desirably a planetary gear assembly, can be coupled between AC electric motor38and rim assembly80with the rotation axis of the gear assembly40coaxial with the rotation axes of AC electric motor38and rim assembly80. The combination of the disclosed drive unit and the disclosed rim assembly provides a compact arrangement for driving drive wheel12along rail6. More specifically, the coaxial (or substantially coaxial) arrangement of the rotation axes84,86and88of rim assembly80, drive shaft60, and sun gear58/planetary gear assembly avoids having to use a space consuming angled gear assembly arrangement to couple an electric motor to a rim assembly with their respective rotation axes disposed transverse or perpendicular to each other.

The present invention has been described with reference to the accompanying figures. Obvious modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.