MODULAR MONORAIL BUSS CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20130333587A1
• Filed: 03/01/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fata Automation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fata Automation, Inc.
• Inventors: Benish, Ronald Jay, Walkerdine, Robert Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,139,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 104/118
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 13/006 Electric propulsion adapted for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/03 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/38 for collecting current from conductor rails B60L5/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 13/04 Monorail systems
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 3/02 with self-propelled vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A modular, electrified monorail system upon which at least one motorized trolley assembly may be propelled along. The system may incorporate a plurality of rail assemblies adapted to be coupled adjacent to one another to form a generally continuous track. Each rail assembly may make use of an electrified track adapted to provide an electrical signal from an electrical power source to at least one electrical conductor extending coextensively along the electrified track. A controller may be mounted on the electrified track. The controller may be configured to selectively apply and remove the electrical power from the electrified track to control propulsion of the motorized trolley assembly along the electrified track.

Claims

1. A modular, electrified monorail system upon which at least one motorized trolley assembly may be propelled along, the system comprising:

a plurality of rail assemblies adapted to be coupled adjacent to one another to form a generally continuous track, each said rail assembly including;

an electrified track adapted to provide an electrical signal from an electrical power source to at least one electrical conductor extending coextensively along the electrified track;

a controller mounted on the electrified track; and

the controller configured to selectively apply and remove the electrical power from the electrified track to control propulsion of the motorized trolley assembly along the electrified track.

2. The modular system of claim 1, further comprising a remotely located controller in communication with the controller located on each said electrified track, for communicating with the controller on each one of said electrified tracks when to apply and remove power from its associated said electrified track.

3. The modular system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors, each said sensor being positioned adjacent an associated one of the electrified tracks, and in communication with the controller of its said associated electrified track, for generating a signal when the motorized trolley has left its said associated electrified track.

4. The modular system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of sensors, each said sensor being positioned adjacent a longitudinal edge of an associated one of the electrified tracks, and each said sensor being in communication with the controller of its said associated electrified track, for informing the controller of its said associated electrified track when to turn on and off electrical power to its said associated electrified track

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of first sensors, each said first sensor being positioned adjacent a longitudinal edge of an associated one of the electrified tracks, and each said first sensor being in communication with the controller of its said associated electrified track, for informing the controller of an arrival of the motorized trolley on its said associated electrified track;

and

a plurality of second sensors, each said second sensor being positioned adjacent a longitudinal edge of an associated one of the electrified tracks, and each said second sensor being in communication with the controller of its said associated electrified track, for informing the controller of its said associated electrified track to turn on and off power to said associated electrified track; and

wherein the first sensor and the second sensor on each said electrified track are located such that the first sensor is upstream, relative to a direction of travel of the motorized trolley, of the second sensor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller on said associated electrified track communicates information to the remotely located controller, based on signals from the first and second sensors, that the remotely located controller uses to inform an immediately upstream one of the electrified tracks that said associated electrified track is free to receive another one of the motorized trolleys.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical conductor comprises an electrical bus bar.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one conductor comprises a control bus bar for carrying control signals to each of the controllers on each of the electrified tracks.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical conductor comprises a plurality of electrical bus bars extending generally parallel to one another along a surface of the electrified track, and adapted to make physical contact with a portion of the motorized trolley to thus transfer electrical power from at least one of an AC power source or a DC power source to the motorized trolley to propel the motorized trolley along the electrified track.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the rail assembly further includes at least one hanger for supporting the electrified track from an external support beam.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further includes the motorized trolley, and wherein the motorized trolley includes structure for making electrical contact with a portion of the electrified track without impeding movement of the motorized trolley.

12. The system of claim 11, further including:

a load bar extending from the motorized trolley; and

an idler assembly coupled to the load bar and configured to roll along the electrified track when the motorized trolley is being propelled along the electrified track.

13. A modular, electrified monorail system comprising:

a plurality of motorized trolley assemblies which are adapted to be propelled by electrical power;

a plurality of rail assemblies adapted to be coupled adjacent to one another to form a generally continuous track, each said rail assembly including;

an electrified track adapted to provide an electrical signal from an electrical power source to at least one electrical conductor extending coextensively along the electrified track, the at least one electrical conductor adapted to provide the electrical signal to any one of said motorized trolleys that is present the electrified track;

a controller mounted on the electrified track;

the controller configured to selectively apply and remove the electrical power from the electrified track to control propulsion of each of the motorized trolley assemblies along the electrified track; and

a remotely located controller in communication with the controller located on each said electrified track, for communicating with the controller on each one of said electrified tracks when to apply and remove power from its associated said electrified track.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the electrified track includes a plurality of parallel extending buss bars for carrying an electrical power signal.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein each said electrified track includes a first sensor for determining when it is free to receive one of the motorized trolleys from an immediately upstream one of the electrified tracks, and a second sensor that detects when a given one of the motorized trolleys that was present thereon has moved off of onto an an immediately downstream one of the electrified tracks.

18. A method for forming a modular electrified monorail system, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of motorized trolley assemblies that each may be independently propelled via electrical signals;

using a plurality of rail assemblies adapted to be coupled adjacent to one another to form a generally continuous track upon which the motorized trolley assemblies may be propelled;

for each said rail assembly, using;

an electrified track adapted to provide an electrical signal from an electrical power source to at least one electrical conductor extending coextensively along the electrified track;

a controller mounted on the electrified track; and

causing the controller to selectively apply and remove the electrical power from the electrified track to control propulsion of the motorized trolley assembly along the electrified track; and

using a remotely located controller to communicate with each of the controllers and to inform each of the controllers specifically when to apply electrical power to its associated said electrified track, and when to remove electrical power from its associated said electrified track.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising using a first sensor on each of said electrified tracks to communicate to its associated said controller that it is free to receive another motorized trolley from an immediately upstream one of the electrified tracks.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising using a second sensor on each of said electrified tracks to communicate with its associated said controller that a given one of the motorized trolleys has moved off of its associated said electrified track onto an immediately downstream one of the electrified tracks.