SYSTEM FOR OPERATING ELECTRICALLY POWERED VEHICLES ON A ROADBED

• US 3,736,484 A
• Filed: 09/27/1971
• Issued: 05/29/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Herman F. Deyerl, Robert J. Reynolds
• Original Assignee: Herman F. Deyerl, Robert J. Reynolds
• Inventors: Reynolds, Robert J., Deyerl, Herman F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dobeck, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US05/184,105
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 318/587 46/244A,244B 180/2
• US Class Current: 318/587
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 18/12 Electric current supply to toy vehicles through the track
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/02 Electrical arrangements transformers H01F; converters H02M
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/28 non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers

Abstract

A system for controlling wheeled vehicles on a track. The system provides for simultaneous remote control of a number of vehicles which receive both power and control signals from conducting elements on a track so configured as to receive the signals from a remote controller. The system allows unlimited steerability of the vehicles, continuous and smooth speed control, and dynamic braking and reversing of the vehicles.

Claims

1. A system for operating electrically powered vehicles on a roadbed comprising a track defining said roadbed and having continuous conductors arranged to define spaced conducting segments of alternate opposite polarity and strips of insulating material positioned between said conducting segments, said conductors being adapted to receive superimposed alternating and direct current electrical control signals from an external controller means, and a wheeled vehicle operable on said track, said vehicle having first and second electric transducer means for propelling and steering the same, electrical receiving circuit means, commutating diode means and a plurality of electrical contact means, said contact means being arranged to bridge at least two of said conducting segments of opposite polarity for transmitting said signals from the said track to the said electrical receiving circuit means through said commutating diode means, said electrical receiving circuit means having first and second filter means and first and second signal detector meanS responsive to said signals for controlling respectively current supplied to said first and second transducer means and input lines connected to said first and second filter means and to said diode means for transmitting electrical signals from said diode means to said filter means, and said filter means simultaneously isolating said alternating current signals from said direct current signals within said electrical receiving circuit means so that variations in said alternating current signals received from said contact means can be detected by detector means and will not affect said direct current voltage within said electrical receiving circuit.

2. A system for operating electrically powered vehicles on a roadbed as defined by claim 1 and resistor means connected across said input lines of said electrical receiving circuit means to insure a continuous direct current flow in said commutating diode means thereby providing smooth initial vehicle acceleration.

3. A system for operating electrically powered vehicles on a roadbed as defined by claim 1, and first and second amplifier means within said electrical receiving circuit capable of providing varying direct current required by said first and second direct current transducer means while maintaining an essentially constant direct current voltage to said first and second direct current transducer means for a particular control signal condition, thereby utilizing the self-regulating characteristics of said first and second direct current transducer means.

4. A system for operating electrically powered vehicles on a roadbed as defined by claim 1, resistor means connected across said input lines of said electrical receiving circuit means to insure a continuous direct current flow in said commutating diode means, thereby providing smooth initial vehicle acceleration, and said first and second amplifier means within said electrical receiving circuit capable of providing varying direct current required by said first and second direct current transducer means while maintaining an essentially constant direct current voltage to said first and second direct current transducer means for a particular control signal condition, thereby utilizing the self regulating characteristics of said first and second direct current transducer means.

5. A system for operating electrically powered vehicles on a roadbed as defined in claim 1, said first and second filter means each comprising capacitor means in series with inductor means tuned to resonate at a specific alternating current frequency corresponding to the preselected frequency of said alternating current control signals received through said contact means, said filter means being connected between said input lines of said electrical receiving circuit, and the output signal of said filter means being presented across the terminals of said inductor means and connected to said detector means for detecting the voltage level of said alternating current control signal.

6. A system for operating electrically powered vehicles on a roadbed comprising a track defining said roadbed and having continuous conductors arranged to define spaced conducting segments of alternate opposite polarity and strips of insulating material positioned between said conducting segments, said conductors being adapted to receive superimposed alternating and direct current electrical control signals from an external controller means, and a wheeled vehicle operable on said tracks, said vehicle having first and second electric transducer means for propelling and steering the same, electrical receiving circuit means, commutating diode means and a plurality of electrical contact means, said contact means being arranged to bridge at least two of said conducting segments of opposite polarity for transmitting signals from said track to said electrical circuit means through said commutating diode means, said electrical receiving circuit means having first and second filter means and first and second signal detector means Responsive to said signals for controlling respectively current supplied to said first and second transducer means and input lines connected to said first and second filter means and to said diode means for transmitting electrical signals from said diode means to said filter means and resistor means connected across said input lines of said electrical receiving circuit means to insure a continuous direct current flow in said commutating diode means, thereby providing smooth initial vehicle acceleration.

7. A system for operating electrically powered vehicles on a roadbed as defined by claim 6, and first and second amplifier means within said electrical receiving circuit capable of providing varying direct current required by said first and second direct current transducer means while maintaining and essentially constant direct current voltage to said first and second direct current transducer means for a particular control signal condition thereby utilizing the self-regulating characteristics of said first and second direct current transducer means.

8. A system for operating electrically powered vehicles on a roadbed comprising a track defining said roadbed and having continuous conductors arranged to define spaced conducting segments of alternate opposite polarity and strips of insulating material positioned between said conducting segments, said conductors being adapted to receive superimposed alternating and direct current electrical control signals from an external controller means, and a wheeled vehicle operable on said track, said vehicle having first and second electric direct current transducer means for propelling and steering the same, electrical receiving circuit means, commutating diode means and a plurality of electrical contact means, said contact means being arranged to bridge at least two of said conducting segments of opposite polarity for transmitting signals from the said tracks to said electrical circuit means through said commutating diode means, said electrical receiving circuit means having first and second filter means and first and second signal detector means responsive to said signals for controlling respectively current supplied to said first and second transducer means and input lines connected to said first and second filter means and to said diode means for transmitting electrical signals from said diode means to said filter means and first and second amplifier means within said electrical receiving circuit capable of providing varying direct current required by said first and second direct current transducer means while maintaining an essentially constant direct current voltage to said first and second direct current transducer means for a particular control signal condition, thereby utilizing the self regulating characteristics of said first and second direct current transducer means.

9. A system for operating electrically powered vehicles on a roadbed as defined by claim 8, said first and second amplifier means each comprising a transistor means with said direct current transducer means connected to the emitter of said transistor, said transistor means providing varying direct current to said transducer means in response to detected alternating current signals at the said input lines of said electrical receiving circuit, said transistor means maintaining a constant direct current voltage across the terminals of said direct current transducer means for a particular control signal condition.

10. A system for operating electrically powered vehicles on a roadbed comprising a track defining a roadbed and having continuous conductors arranged to define spaced conducting segments of alternate opposite polarity and strips of insulating material positioned between said conducting segments, segments, said conductors being adapted to receive said superimposed alternating and direct current electrical control signals from controller means, and a wheeled vehicle operable on said track, said vehicle having first and second electric transducer Means for propelling and steering the same, electrical receiving circuit means, commutating diode means and a plurality of electrical contact means, said contact means being arranged to bridge at least two of said conducting segments of opposite polarity for transmitting said signals from the said track to the said electrical receiving circuit means through said commutating diode means, said electrical receiving circuit means having first and second filter means and first and second signal detector means responsive to said signals for controlling respectively current supplied to said first and second transducer means and input lines connected to said first and second filter means and to said diode means for transmitting electrical signals from said diode means to said filter means and said contact means mounted on said vehicle being geometrically spaced so that a least two said contact means are in contact with said conducting segments of opposite polarity of said track for all possible orientations of said vehicle on said vehicle on said track.

11. A system for operating electrically powered vehicles on a roadbed as defined in claim 10, and said contact means mounted on said vehicle includes five contacts geometrically spaced so that at least two of said contacts are in engagement with said conducting segments of opposite polarity of said track for all possible orientations of said vehicle on said track.

12. A system for operating electrically powered vehicles on a roadbed as defined in claim 10, and a stiff flat protective piece of insulating material essentially L-shaped mounted on said vehicle extending downward from said vehicle'"'"''"'"'s underside and then extending parallel to the plane of said roadbed and slightly above said plane, with holes therein corresponding to the orientation of said contacts, said contacts protuding through said holes sufficiently to engage said plane.

13. An electrically powered wheeled vehicle for operation on a roadbed which has continuous conductors arranged to define spaced conducting segments of alternate opposite polarity and strips of insulating material position between said conducting segments, said conductors being adapted to receive superimposed alternating and direct current electrical control signals from external controller means, said wheeled vehicle comprising first and second electric transducer means for propelling and steering the same, electrical receiving circuit means, commutating diode means, and a plurality of electrical contact means, said contact means being arranged to bridge at least two of said conducting segments of opposite polarity for transmitting said signals from the track to the electrical circuit means through said commutating diode means, said electrical receiving circuit means having first and second filter means and first and second signal detector means responsive to said signals for controlling respectively current supplied to said first and second transducer means, and input lines connected to said first and second filter means and to said diode means for transmitting electrical signals from diode means to said filter means, said vehicle having unlimited steerablilty and continuous essentially linear speed control in response to said alternating current electrical signals imparted to said vehicle from said track through said contact means.

14. The wheeled vehicle defined by claim 13, wherein said first transducer means is a first electric motor means drivingly connected to one of said vehicle'"'"''"'"'s rear wheels, said second transducer means is a second electric motor means drivingly connected to the other of said vehicle'"'"''"'"'s rear wheels, and a front wheel assembly employing castor means so that in response to differential electrical driving currents imposed on said motor means by said electrical receiving circuit said vehicle may be steered, and in response to common electric driving currents imposed on said motor means by said electrical receiving circuit said vehicle'"'"''"'"'s speed may be continuously coNtrolled.

15. The wheeled vehicle defined in claim 13, wherein said first transducer means is a first electric motor means drivingly connected to both rear wheels of said vehicle, and said second transducer means is connected to steerable front wheels so that in response to electric current imposed on said second transducer means by said electrical receiving circuit the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s front wheels may be turned and thus the said vehicle may be steered, and in response to electric current imposed on said first transducer by electrical receiving circuit the said vehicle'"'"''"'"'s speed may be continuously controlled.

16. A system for operating electrically powered vehicles on a roadbed comprising a track defining a roadbed and having continuous conductors arranged to define spaced conducting segments of alternate opposite polarity and strips of insulating material positioned between said conducting segments, said conductors being adapted to receive superimposed alternating and direct current electrical control signals from external controller means, and a wheeled vehicle operable on said track, said vehicle having first and second electric transducer means for propelling and steering the same, and electrical receiving circuit means, commutating diode means and a plurality of electrical contact means, said contact means being arranged to bridge at least two of said conducting segments of opposite polarity for transmitting signals from said track to said electrical receiving circuit means through said commutating diode means, said electrical receiving circuit means having first and second filter means and first and second signal detector means responsive to said signals for controlling respectively current supplied to said first and second transducer means, and input lines connected to said first and second filter means and to said diode means for transmitting electrical signals from said diode means to said filter means, and said electrical receiving circuit having interconnected auxiliary electrical circuit means capable of receiving a discreet momentary control command signal thereby providing additional control function for the vehicle without need for additional frequencies of said alternating current electrical control signals.

17. A first auxiliary electrical circuit means defined in claim 16, wherein said auxiliary electrical circuit means comprises a differentiator means, a monostable multivibrator means, and a stepping relay means interconnected so that an electrical pulse longer in duration than several alternating current cycles of the specific frequency of the said filter means will be detected by said detector means as a single pulse said single electric pulse being differentiated by said differentiator means and then connected to said monostable multivibrator which in turn drives said stepping relay thereby reversing the electric polarity on said driving transducer means and causing braking by reverse flow of electric current in said driving transducer means and subsequent direction of travel reversal.

18. A second auxiliary electrical circuit means defined in claim 16, wherein said auxiliary electrical circuit means comprises an auxiliary filter means, a rectifier means, an amplifier means, and a stepping relay means so that a low frequency alternating current signal used to momentarily modulate the specific frequency of said filter means is detected by said detector means, the other control signals of lower frequency than the reversing signal are filtered out of said signal by said auxiliary filter means, the resultant low frequency signal is rectified into a pulse by said rectifier means and a capacitor means, then after amplification by said amplifier means said pulse drives the said stepping relay means, said stepping relay means thus reverses electric polarity to the said driving transducer means thereby causing braking action and subsequent direction of travel reversal.