Patent ID: 10046774

Abstract:
A transportation system is disclosed that includes a monorail (or other vehicle) along a column-supported rail and a movable weight system that repositions and/or accelerates a movable weight with respect to the movable weight's rail to counterbalance a moment associated with the weight and/or a centrifugal force of the monorail relative to the column, where some embodiments also mitigate resonance. Also disclosed is a linear induction motor (LIM) system that enables the LIM to tilt and thereby remain close to the rail, which mitigates potential thrust losses and/or air losses. Further disclosed is an air bearing system where the air bearing has a compliance and a resilience that minimizes air loss between the rail and the bearing. Additionally disclosed is a rotatable wedge system that essentially expands and/or contracts automatically to maintain an adjacency between two rail portions, where some embodiments also mitigate resonance.