Automated electric transportation system
First Claim
1. An automated electric transportation system comprising, in combination,a) a self propelled electrically driven vehicle having an electric propulsion motor, for carrying objects and people therein including a driver,b) onboard electrical energy storage means contained within said vehicle to provide electrical energy for propelling and controlling the vehicle when electrical energy is unavailable from a fixed source,c) combined road wheels and rail wheels integral with said vehicle for supporting and driving the vehicle on a road and alternatively on rails,d) a road network providing a smooth continuous support for the vehicle when driven by said road wheels,e) manual control means incorporated into said vehicle permitting the driver to regulate direction and propulsion of the vehicle,f) a rail network disposed on a railroad bed to support and guide the vehicle riding on said rail wheels,g) rail power transmission and replenishing means incorporated into said rail network for supplying electrical energy to the vehicle while driven thereon and replenishing onboard storage means,h) automatic control and indicating means integrated into said vehicle for self directing and identifying the vehicle while driven on the rail network,i) extendable overhead lifting means integral with said vehicle having propulsion means therein for lifting the vehicle on and off of the rail network and for propelling the vehicle to the road network,j) ingress means adjacent to and above said rail and road network permitting the vehicle to enter the rail network using the overhead lifting means to lift the vehicle from a road and deposit it on the rail network, andk) egress means adjacent to and above said rail and road network permitting the vehicle to leave the rail network using the overhead lifting means by lifting the vehicle from the rail network and deposit it on the road network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automated electric transportation system which has an electrically driven vehicle (30) including onboard energy storage (34), combined road wheels (56) and rail wheels (58) along with manual controls (68) for transporting people and objects from one place to another. A network of roads (60) and rails (62) is employed with an electrical power bus (100) positioned adjacent to the rails for electrically powering the vehicle while on the rails. An overhead monolift (196) removes the vehicle from the road using a strut arm (208) with casters (184) that extends above the vehicle and deposits the vehicle on the railroad tracks where it is controlled by an onboard computer (134). Automatic controls and indication (132) including this computer regulate the speed and relationship to other vehicles while on the rail network. Another monolift (196) removes the vehicle from the tracks in a similar manner. Energy consumption is measured and billed to users of the rail network (62) through a master rail network computer (118).
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An automated electric transportation system comprising, in combination,
a) a self propelled electrically driven vehicle having an electric propulsion motor, for carrying objects and people therein including a driver, b) onboard electrical energy storage means contained within said vehicle to provide electrical energy for propelling and controlling the vehicle when electrical energy is unavailable from a fixed source, c) combined road wheels and rail wheels integral with said vehicle for supporting and driving the vehicle on a road and alternatively on rails, d) a road network providing a smooth continuous support for the vehicle when driven by said road wheels, e) manual control means incorporated into said vehicle permitting the driver to regulate direction and propulsion of the vehicle, f) a rail network disposed on a railroad bed to support and guide the vehicle riding on said rail wheels, g) rail power transmission and replenishing means incorporated into said rail network for supplying electrical energy to the vehicle while driven thereon and replenishing onboard storage means, h) automatic control and indicating means integrated into said vehicle for self directing and identifying the vehicle while driven on the rail network, i) extendable overhead lifting means integral with said vehicle having propulsion means therein for lifting the vehicle on and off of the rail network and for propelling the vehicle to the road network, j) ingress means adjacent to and above said rail and road network permitting the vehicle to enter the rail network using the overhead lifting means to lift the vehicle from a road and deposit it on the rail network, and k) egress means adjacent to and above said rail and road network permitting the vehicle to leave the rail network using the overhead lifting means by lifting the vehicle from the rail network and deposit it on the road network.
Specification