Patent Publication Number: US-2002000357-A1

Title: Guide rollers for vehicle ramp

Description:
DESCRIPTION  
     [0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/051,625, entitled “Machines for Transport of Passengers and Cargo-Dual-Mode Vehicle Entry and Exit Ramp,” filed Jul. 3, 1997. This application contains technical disclosure in common with, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/921,180, currently pending, entitled “Machine for Transport of Passengers and Cargo,” filed Aug. 29, 1997. This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of International Application No. PCT/US97/15543, entitled “Machine for Transport of Passengers and Cargo,” filed Sep. 4, 1997. 
    
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002] This invention relates in general to mass transportation devices and in particular to a vehicle ramp in a mass transportation device.  
       BACKGROUND ART  
       [0003] Mass transportation systems have been developed and proposed for a variety of transportation vehicles. In one example, the system uses vehicles which are carried by a cable or track and which stop for passenger or cargo pick-up and drop-off automatically upon demand which is made known to the system by either human input of some type or computer program. Such systems have been used and proposed for use in high traffic density situations. These systems have been designed for relatively low-speed operations and for relatively short distance applications such as within airports and in downtown areas. Vehicles for such systems have been carried on tracks or guideways. Switching of vehicles from track to track or guideway to guideway has generally been accomplished by employing movable track or guideway elements. Vehicles designed for such use may be used only on the tracks or guideways for which they are designed. Use of the tracks or guideways is also restricted to system captive vehicles designed only for track or guideway use. Some limited-use vehicles have been designed for dual road and track use under manual control. Examples of such a vehicle are normal road use trucks equipped with separate wheels to allow them to be driven by railroad maintenance personnel along railroad tracks under manual control. Some normal road-use automobiles have been adapted with either mechanical steering arms designed to cause the car to follow a steering rail mounted along a special roadway, or electronic sensors designed to cause the car to follow magnets or electrified wires embedded in road pavement. Several disadvantages are inherent in these past systems:  
       [0004] 1. Some of the systems are capable of providing service only between stations and are incapable of providing door-to-door service to passengers and cargo.  
       [0005] 2. Systems designed to allow specially equipped automobiles to operate on automated guideways have not provided on-demand or scheduled station-to-station service for non-automobile passengers.  
       [0006] 3. Inability to provide door-to-door service for passengers and cargo greatly restricts the usefulness of station-to-station systems that use track or guideway only vehicles. Provision of such systems makes it necessary to employ other means such as conventional automobiles or trucks either instead of or in addition to the system. Such automobiles and trucks cause pollution of the atmosphere and require expensive and usually parallel networks of roads and highways.  
       [0007] 4. In order to enable operation under the fall range of weather conditions, track or guideway based systems must either be located in expensive tunnels or completely covered.  
       [0008] 5. Trackways or guideways for past systems have been expensive to build because of needs to provide extensive land grading or massive structural supports for heavy elevated trackways or guideways.  
       [0009] 6. Because past automated track or guideway based systems have been designed for relatively short range or low speed operations, they have not been practical for high-speed, long-distance operation. Thus, it is necessary to transfer passengers and cargo between vehicles for transportation over other than relatively short distances.  
       [0010] 7. Because of items (1) and (6) above, past rail or guideway based systems using captive vehicles have not provided capability for long-distance, door-to-door service for passengers or cargo.  
       [0011] 8. Individual passenger security and privacy are not provided during travel in systems in which relatively large vehicles are used.  
       [0012] 9. Automatic point-to-point transportation of cargo is not provided via the same systems providing passenger travel.  
       [0013] 10. Systems capable of providing station-to-station passenger service have been unable to accommodate dual mode road use and trackway or guideway use vehicles.  
       [0014] Another system uses special railroad cars equipped with wheel ramps arranged to allow automobiles to be driven onto and off of the railroad car for transport. Such cars and ramps are designed to carry several automobiles over conventional railroads. Ramps are also used at loading and unloading points to allow the cars to be driven onto an off of the rail cars. This system has several disadvantages:  
       [0015] 1. The railroad cars are designed to carry a multiplicity of empty automobiles rather than one automobile with passengers.  
       [0016] 2. The special railroad cars are designed to operate on conventional railroads rather than on an automated guideway.  
       [0017] 3. The ramps for entry and exit of automobiles to the railroad cars are not designed to allow empty railroad cars designed to transport automobiles to pass freely under the entry and exit ramps to reach and leave the automobile loading position.  
       [0018] 4. The railroad cars are designed to be pulled by conventional railroad engines as parts of conventional railroad trains rather than operating alone under automated control under their own power and control on an automated guideway system.  
       [0019] 5. With some ramps, the vehicle wheels are forced to slide sideways on the ground surface to place them and the vehicle into the desired position.  
       [0020] 6. The ramps also apply undesirable force to the sidewalls of the vehicle tires in order to force the wheels and the vehicle to move sideways.  
       [0021] Still another system proposed makes use of dual mode cars for both conventional road and guideway use. This dual mode car is conveyed by a monorail and has a set of separate street wheels for street use. This car has a wide, lengthwise section down the center of the car to accommodate the monorail and can only fit passengers on either side of the car. The monorail drive wheels are complex.  
       [0022] What is needed is a single system with entrance/exit ramps for rapid and efficient transportation of passengers and cargo both on a door-to-door and station-to-station basis for either short range or long-distance.  
       DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION  
       [0023] conventional streets and roads with provisions for use of the same vehicles for both guideway and road applications and without transfer of passengers or cargo between vehicles when transferring between roads and guideways. The guideway has a pair of rails enclosed by a shroud. A slot extends through an inner side wall of each of the shrouds. The vehicle wheels are carried within the shroud on wheel contacting surfaces, with ends of the axles extending through the slots. An electrical bus bar is located within the shroud for providing power to the vehicle.  
       [0024] Some of the vehicles of this invention have axles which are extensible from a retracted position to an extended position. In the extended position, the wheels are located within the enclosed rails. In the retracted position, the wheels recess within wheel wells of the vehicle for conventional street use. Other vehicles of this invention are dedicated for use only on the guideway.  
       [0025] Both types of vehicles are automatically controlled during guideway use. Vehicles and guideways are designed to provide protection from weather elements including snow, sleet, ice, and rain accumulation that would interfere with operation of the vehicles on the guideways. The design of the vehicles and guideways are such that switching of vehicles between guideways and on and off of the guideways is accomplished without discontinuities or moving parts in either the guideways or the guideway switching mechanisms. Automated car ferry vehicles are designed to hold and carry a single conventional automobile with passengers on the tracked automated transportation system.  
       [0026] The system also has special ramps for loading and unloading the automobiles onto the ferries from conventional streets and roads. In order to provide a system to accomplish the desired alignment of vehicles entering the guideway entrance ramp and to allow adjustment of the vehicle wheel track width upon either entering or exiting guideway access ramps, a special system of roller assemblies is mounted into the surface of the ramps. The tires of a vehicle entering the ramp are forced into a desired position and alignment and maintained in that alignment and position without application of undesirable forces to the sides of the vehicle tires and without sliding on the surface. The track width of the vehicle wheels is adjusted while the vehicle is rolling forward. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
     [0027]FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a vehicle and guideway utilized in a mass transportation system that is constructed in accordance with the invention.  
     [0028]FIG. 2 is an enlarged front sectional view of one side of the guideway of FIG. 1.  
     [0029]FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of an automobile ferry, an automobile and the guideway of FIG. 1.  
     [0030]FIG. 4 is an enlarged side sectional view of a portion of the automobile ferry of FIG. 3.  
     [0031]FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of a loading station for the automobile ferry of FIG. 3.  
     [0032]FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of an unloading station for the automobile ferry of FIG. 3.  
     [0033]FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view of an alternate embodiment of a vehicle ramp constructed in accordance with the invention.  
     [0034]FIG. 8 is a sectional end view of the vehicle ramp of FIG. 7.  
     [0035]FIG. 9 is a plan view of the vehicle ramp of FIG. 7. 
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION  
     [0036] Referring to FIG. 1, a guideway  11  having two enclosed rails  15  for an electric vehicle  16  is shown. Vehicle  16  is electrically powered, having an electrical motor  18  which is powered by a set of batteries  20  while vehicle  16  is driven on conventional roads. A switch  22  between batteries  20  and motor  18  selectively supplies power to motor  18  or disengages batteries  20  from motor  18 . In the embodiment shown, enclosed rails  15  are support by a plurality of support structure beams  13  (only one shown) which are elevated above the ground on support columns  17 . Each enclosed rail  15  extends along an outer end of support beam  13  and has an internal support channel  21  which is secured to an upper side of support structure beam  13 . As shown in FIG. 2, a wheel contact surface or rail  23  is structurally supported from a lower side by each channel  21 . Enclosed rails  15  are enclosed by a shroud  25  which extends upward from support structure  13 . Each shroud  25  has an external vertical side wall  27 , a lower internal vertical side wall  29 , a horizontal top  31  and an inclined upper side wall  33  extending downward from top  31 . Top  31  joins an upper edge of external vertical side wall  27  and is parallel to rail  23 . External vertical side wall  27  supports communication devices  28  mounted along an inner surface for communications between vehicle unit controllers  30  and a system controller  32  (FIG. 1). System controller  32  provides control signals to vehicle unit controller  30  on vehicle  16  by way of communication devices  28 . A pair of electrical power bus bars  35  are also mounted along an inner surface of external side wall  27 . Power bus bars  35  are supplied with power from a power supply  37  (FIG. 1). The term “bus bar” is used generically to include also other means of transmitting electrical power, such as inductive couplings. Wheel contact rail  23  and power bus bars  35  are removable elements to allow replacement in the event of wear.  
     [0037] Upper side wall  33  is at an angle relative to lower side wall  29  and extends farther inward. A downward facing, longitudinally extending slot  41  is defined between the upper edge of lower inner side wall  29  and upper inner side wall  33 . External side wall  27 , top  31 , and upper and lower inner side walls  33 ,  29  are arranged to shield the active guideway elements from weather elements such as rain, ice, sleet, and snow. In the event that small amounts of moisture enter the enclosed rails  15 , drain holes  43  are located along the inner side of wheel contact rail  23  to allow such moisture to drain from the enclosure.  
     [0038] Vehicle  16  has four wheels  51  (only one shown), all of which will move between an extended position shown by the solid lines and a retracted position shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 2. While in the extended position, vehicle wheels  51  are located within shroud  25  and roll on rails  23 . In the extended position, an axle assembly  53  for each pair of wheels  51  extends through slot  41 . Each axle assembly  53  has power pickup and steering interface elements  55  located directly ahead or behind of wheel  51  and supported by an insulating member  57 . Interface elements  55  contact the track power pick-up and steering rails  35  located at the sides of the enclosed rails  15 . Wheels  51  are equipped with rubber tires which roll on rail  23 . Rather than a single motor  18 , an electric drive motor assembly (not shown) may optionally be located at the hub of each wheel  51  to provide vehicle propulsion. Axle assembly  53  includes parallel and offset axles  61 ,  63  running from the underside of vehicle  16 . An actuator  62  selectively moves axles  61 ,  63  between the retracted and extended positions. Actuator  62  may be of various types for causing telescoping movement, such as rack and pinion or hydraulic. Rollers (not shown) are mounted at the exits and entrances of guideway  11  to reduce friction between the wheels  51  and support surfaces, allowing lateral outward and inward movement.  
     [0039] Electrical power is supplied by elements  35  to operate vehicle  16  during enclosed rail operation and to charge dual-mode vehicle batteries  20  to provide power to operate such vehicles when not on guideway  11 . Offset axle  63  connects the vehicle wheel  51  inside the enclosed rail  15  to the rest of vehicle  16 . The offset raises axle  63  over the inner lower vertical member  29 . The vehicle steering mechanism is preloaded to cause the vehicle wheels  51  to steer so as to hold power and steering elements  55  in contact with rails  35  at the side of the enclosed rail  15 , thereby assuring power transfer and causing the vehicle to steer to follow rails  35 . Vehicle control signal interface  28  located on vertical member  27  directly above rails  35 , communicates control information between unit controller  30  and system controller  32 . Such communications allow speed, position, and switching control of vehicles  16  as well as position tracking of all vehicles using the guideway  11 . Vehicle steering and power interfaces are made to follow either the left or right track enclosed rails  15 .  
     [0040] The retracted position for each wheel/axle assembly  51 ,  53  allows vehicle  16  to operate on conventional roads using the same wheels  51 , axles  53 , brakes (not shown) and motor  18  as are used during guideway  11  operation. While in the retracted position switch  22  is closed, supplying power from batteries  20  to motor  18 . When vehicle  16  returns to guideway  11 , the wheel and axle assemblies  51 ,  53  are returned to the extended position to run inside enclosed rails  15 . Reconfiguration of dual mode vehicle wheel and axle positions is accomplished by mechanical actuators  62  located inside the dual mode vehicles  16 . The retracted wheel and axle assembly position enables the vehicle wheel track width to be narrowed to be within the vehicle body lines to place wheels  51  inside vehicle fender wells  64  for road use. The extended position places wheels  51  outside of the vehicle lines to enable wheels  51  to run inside the enclosed rails  15  of guideway  11 . The vehicle outside body line is inward of the enclosed rails  15 . FIG. 1 illustrates a dual mode passenger vehicle  16  on guideway  11  with left and right wheel assemblies  51  in their extended positions inside enclosed rails  15  of guideway  11 . While on guideway  11 , switch  22  will be open as batteries  20  will not be supplying power to motor  18 . Motor  18  will receive its power from bus bars  35 . Other types of vehicles, such as high passenger count vehicles or cargo vehicles may be similarly configured for use on guideways  11  or as dual mode vehicles for both use on guideways  11  and conventional roads.  
     [0041] Referring to FIG. 3, automobile ferry  101  is a vehicle for transporting conventional automobiles or cars  103  on guideway  11 . Ferry  101  has a bed or platform  105  which is slightly wider and longer than car  103 . Platform  105  is elevated above guideway support rail  23  by wheel assemblies  106  which are similar to wheel assemblies  51  in the extended position. Wheel assemblies  106  do not need to retract and extend as ferry  101  is dedicated for use on guideway  11 . Ferry  101  has one or more electrical motors (not shown) for powering ferry  101 . Power is supplied and control signals transmitted through bus bars  35  and interface  28  (FIG. 1).  
     [0042] Ferry  101  also has channel-shaped car wheel tracks  107 ,  109  on the top of platform  105  for securing car  103  while ferry  101  is moving. The left hand car wheel track  107  has a width which is designed to position the left automobile wheel  111  in a desired position to assure clearance from the inside of the enclosed rail  15 . The car wheel track  109  at the right side has a greater width than track  107  to compensate for a range of different automobile wheel track widths.  
     [0043] As shown in FIG. 4, each wheel track  107 ,  109  has a pair of wheel stops  114 ,  115  which are shown in a raised position to constrain the longitudinal movement of car  103  while it is on ferry  101 . One of the wheels  113  of car  103  engages wheel track bottom  119  and channel wheel stops  114 ,  115 . The forward wheel stop  115  is shown in the raised position to stop the car in the correct position when driving onto wheel tracks  107 ,  109 . The location of wheel stop  114  is indicated in the lowered position by the solid line  114   a . In this position, car wheel  117  is able to roll over lowered wheel stop  114  until it reaches the raised forward wheel stop  115 . When car wheel  117  reaches the raised forward wheel stop  115 , wheel stop  114  is raised into the position indicated by the dotted line  114  to prevent car wheel  117  from backing up on the wheel track. Upon reaching the destination unloading point, wheel stop  115  is lowered to the position indicated by the dotted line  115   a  and wheel stop  114  is lowered to the position indicated by the solid line  114   a  to permit car  103  to drive forward along the track to leave the car ferry.  
     [0044] Referring to FIG. 5, conventional cars  103  drive onto an elevated ramp  131  that is located directly above empty car ferries  101   a  running along a loading station above guideway  11 . Empty car ferries  101   a  stop in a position so that cars  103  can drive down an inclined ramp section  135  onto the car ferry wheel channels. Upon loading, loaded car ferries  101   b  move away along guideway  11  to the destination selected by the automobile driver under automatic control.  
     [0045]FIG. 6 shows the general arrangement of elements for unloading of automobiles  103  from loaded ferries  101   b  at the automobile destination. Loaded car ferries  101   b  approach the unloading point. Car ferries  101   b  stop at the correct position to allow cars  103  to be driven from the car ferry onto an inclined ramp  141  after the loaded ferry  101   b  stops. Cars  103  then drive away on an elevated ramp  143  to conventional streets or roads. Unloaded car ferries  101   a  move away either toward a car loading ramp or toward main line enclosed rails to another station under automatic control.  
     [0046] In its operational form, the ferry system provides a means to load, transport, and unload single conventional automobiles with driver and passengers inside by way of automated car ferries operating on weather-proof enclosed rails. Loaded ferries move non-stop from point of loading to destination as selected by the automobile driver.  
     [0047] Referring now to FIG. 7, vehicle ramp  151  comprises a set of cylindrical rollers  153 , each of which is mounted to a frame  155 . A bearing  157  is located between each end of each roller  153  and frame  155 . Each roller  153  may rotate independently of the others without contacting them.  
     [0048] As shown in FIG. 8, roller assemblies  151   a ,  151   b  with rollers  153  are inclined toward each other in a V-shaped trough at a slight angle of approximately 10° relative to horizontal. A junction  159  is located in the valley between roller assemblies  151   a ,  151   b . Junction  159  may be formed by a hinge (not shown) or may be a permanent trough. Roller assemblies  151   a ,  151   b  are configured in such a manner as to cause the vehicle wheel  161  to roll sideways toward junction  159  between the two roller assemblies  151   a ,  151   b . After wheel  161  settles into junction  159 , it will roll along in smooth, stable and linear path.  
     [0049] A separate set of roller assemblies  163  is mounted horizontally level in a common plane so that its rollers  165  are able to support and allow the vehicle&#39;s other wheel  167  to roll freely from side to side (indicated by arrows) as necessary to position wheel  167  and the supported vehicle at the desired position. Wheels  161  and  167  are connected by an axle  169 .  
     [0050] In FIG. 9, the overall arrangement of a guideway system having a pair of parallel tracks is shown. Roller assemblies  151   a ,  151   b  are inclined to form junction  159  along the centerline  171  of the track. As stated previously, junction  159  causes the wheels of the vehicles moving onto the system of rollers assemblies  151  to shift and follow the junction  159  as the vehicle moves along the track. Once a wheel is located in junction  159  it will remain there as long as it is on the track. Roller assembly  163   a  is mounted level to support the wheels on the opposite side of the vehicle and allow the wheels on this side of the vehicle to move freely from side to side as necessary. Roller assembly  163   b  has greater width than assembly  163   a  to allow for increasing track of the vehicle as it moves from left to right.  
     [0051] The ramp in the lower portion of FIG. 9 defines a path and alignment for a vehicle illustrated at progressive positions  173 ,  175 ,  177  and  179  along the system. As the vehicle enters, it may be expected to be in the incorrect position and alignment as shown at  173 . Upon entering the system, the vehicle achieves the desired position and alignment at  175 . As the vehicle rolls through the system, the vehicle wheel track width is progressively extended at position  177 . By the time the vehicle reaches position  179 , the ramp is at its greatest width to accommodate the fully extended wheels. At this point the vehicle is ready to enter the guideway system.  
     [0052] The invention has significant advantages which overcome problems associated with previous systems. The system enables the weight of the vehicle to supply the necessary force to shift the vehicle sideways to achieve the desired alignment and position. The vehicle moves sideways on rollers in the supporting surface so that the vehicle tires are not forced to slide on the supporting surface. No side force is applied to the vehicle wheels to accomplish the desired sideways movement of the vehicle and its wheels. The wheels on one side of the vehicle are placed in and maintained in a desired position without undue side forces being applied to the vehicle tires and wheels. The wheels on the opposite side of the vehicle are allowed to move freely in a sideways movement during vehicle wheel track width adjustments without sliding actions with respect to the supporting surface by maintaining the wheels on a system of rollers in the supporting surface arranged to roll in the direction of the necessary wheel movement.  
     [0053] Although only the preferred embodiments of devices for carrying out the invention have been disclosed above, it not to be construed that the invention is limited to such embodiments. Other modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the rollers may be used to help align conventional cars with the ferries and loading/unloading ramps. The rollers may also be used in other non-guideway applications where it is necessary to align vehicles with minimal effort.