SUSPENDED COACH DRIVE BOGIE

• US 20140130700A1
• Filed: 11/13/2013
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Swift Tram, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Swift Tram, Inc.
• Inventors: Lawrence, Carl Eugene
• Application Number:
  US14/079,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20140130700A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 104/89
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 3/02 with self-propelled vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 30/00 Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance

Abstract

A suspended coach drive bogie advantageously provides several enhancements to existing systems, including junction switching, higher speeds, reserved energy storage for emergency operations and for assistance with meeting peak grid electrical load demand, cooperative computing with multiple bogies, and self-diagnostics of the bogies which serves to make systems employing the same more reliable, faster, safer, and more energy efficient than other automated people movers.

Claims

1. A drive bogie for travel inside an elevated guide way carrying a suspended coach through a slot in the underside of said guide way, said bogie comprising:

at least one electrically powered motor; and

means for storage of electrical energy for said motor gained by regenerative braking of said bogie.

2. The drive bogie of claim 1, wherein said means for storage of electrical energy may be utilized to provide power to said bogie in cases of normal supply electrical power failure.

3. The drive bogie of claim 1, wherein said stored electrical energy may be utilized to supplement power required by said bogie during acceleration.

4. The drive bogie of claim 1 wherein said bogie further comprises:

steering actuation means for enabling said bogie to divert in alternate directions at a junction in said guide way.

5. The drive bogie of claim 1 wherein said stored electrical energy may be utilized to provide power to an electrical grid.

6. The drive bogie of claim 1 wherein said bogie comprises two or more electric motors to provide tractive propulsion to the bogie in the event of a single motor failure.

7. The drive bogie of claim 6, wherein each of said two or more electric motors are capable of being driven at different speeds and torques in order to ascertain the traction forces between wheels respectively driven by said motors and said guide way.

8. The drive bogie of claim 1 wherein said electrically driven motor is configured to be excited to produce electrical power during deceleration and to assist in reducing the speed of the bogie as required.

9. The drive bogie of claim 1 wherein said bogie further comprises:

four or more wheels, each wheel incorporating a tread, and wherein said tread is in contact with guide way tracks inside of said guide way, respective shapes of said tread and said track serving to center said tread in said track at higher velocities of said bogie.

10. The drive bogie of claim 1 wherein said bogie further comprises:

a microprocessor and associated sensors, to compile data and enable autonomous operation of said bogie.

11. The drive bogie of claim 10 wherein said microprocessor is configured to perform self-diagnostics concerning the conditions of components and systems within said bogie, a coach attached to said bogie and other systems associated with the fixed guide way.

12. The drive bogie of claim 10 wherein said microprocessor is configured to determine a location of said bogie and utilize information relative to said location during diagnostic analysis and while in communications with other bogies.

13. The drive bogie of claim 10 wherein said microprocessor is configured to analyze data received from said sensors and determine traction force and friction force between bogie wheel tread and guide way track, and determine specific actions to be taken based on said analysis.

14. The drive bogie of claim 10 wherein said microprocessor is configured to initiate actions designed to protect internal systems, components, and passengers in the event of a cyber-attack.

15. The drive bogie of claim 1 wherein said bogie is configured to communicate with a control center and other bogies to coordinate actions.

19. The drive bogie of claim 1 wherein said bogie further comprises:

an enclosure having a configuration serving to reduce aerodynamic drag of said bogie.

20. The drive bogie of claim 1 wherein said enclosure is functional as a fluid-to-air heat exchanger.

16. A service bogie for travel inside an elevated, fixed guide way through a slot in the underside of said guide way, said service bogie comprising:

at least one electrically powered motor; and

means for coupling said service bogie to other bogies traveling in said guide way to provide additional motive force thereto.

17. The service bogie of claim 16 wherein said service bogie is configured to perform measurements and gather data related to one or more of track conditions of said guide way, conditions of said guide way, communications quality, tower conditions, ambient weather conditions, other non-guide way conditions or obstruction monitoring.

18. The service bogie of claim 17 wherein said service bogie is configured to effectuate repair operations to said guide way, said guide way components and towers from which said guide way is suspended.