Monorail transportation system and vehicle for traveling thereon
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A transportation system comprising:
- an elongated, overhead monorail having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a pair of laterally adjacent, U-shaped channels formed therein, the upper surface of the monorail including at least an inside surface of each of the channels;
a vehicle adapted to selectively travel on one of a road surface and the monorail;
a coupler removably supporting the vehicle from the upper surface of the monorail for travel therealong having a bracket pivotally connected to the top of the vehicle and being pivotable between a ressed position within the top of the vehicle and an extended position, and a pair of guide wheels spaced to be movably received in the U-shaped channels, the wheels being rotatably connected to the bracket; and
a drive wheel connected to the top of the vehicle engaging the lower surface of the monorail when the vehicle is supported therebeneath for propelling the vehicle along the monorail.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A monorail transportation system has an elongated, overhead monorail (12) with a vehicle (14) having a coupler (16) that movably travels along the upper surface of monorail (12) and a drive wheel (20) that engages the lower surface or underside of monorail (12) to propel vehicle (14) therealong. The coupler (16) and drive wheel (20) are recessed in the top of the vehicle (14) during road travel and extended for travel along the monorail (12). The vehicle includes a movable sled (130) that carries the vehicles batteries (56) to balance the vehicle (14) about its longitudinal centerline during travel along the monorail (12).
64 Citations
66 Claims
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1. A transportation system comprising:
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an elongated, overhead monorail having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a pair of laterally adjacent, U-shaped channels formed therein, the upper surface of the monorail including at least an inside surface of each of the channels; a vehicle adapted to selectively travel on one of a road surface and the monorail; a coupler removably supporting the vehicle from the upper surface of the monorail for travel therealong having a bracket pivotally connected to the top of the vehicle and being pivotable between a ressed position within the top of the vehicle and an extended position, and a pair of guide wheels spaced to be movably received in the U-shaped channels, the wheels being rotatably connected to the bracket; and a drive wheel connected to the top of the vehicle engaging the lower surface of the monorail when the vehicle is supported therebeneath for propelling the vehicle along the monorail. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A transportation system comprising:
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an elongated, overhead monorail having a central web and a substantially horizontal flange medially attached to a lower end of the central web; an elongated, electric supply conductor accessible along the monorail; a vehicle adapted to travel on road surfaces under its own power; an extendable coupler recessed within the top of the vehicle, the coupler being extendable out of the vehicle top to removably support the vehicle from the horizontal flange for travel along the monorail, the coupler having a pair of brackets pivotally connected to the top of the vehicle, the brackets being longitudinally spaced apart along the top of the vehicle and being pivotable between a recessed position within the top of the vehicle and an extended position, and a pair of guide wheels rotatably mounted on each of the pair of brackets, the guide wheels being spaced to movably travel on opposing sides of the horizontal flange; an electric connector on said vehicle to draw electric power from the electric supply conductor during travel along the monorail; an electric motor on the vehicle that is electrically connected to the electric connector; and an extendable drive wheel recessed in the top of the vehicle, the drive wheel being extendable out of the vehicle top to engage the bottom surface of the monorail to propel the vehicle when the vehicle is supported beneath the monorail, the drive wheel being operatively interconnected to the electric motor, whereby the vehicle is propelled by its own power when separated from the monorail and is propelled by power from the monorail when traveling therebeneath. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A transportation system comprising:
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an elongated, overhead monorail having an upper surface and a lower surface; and a vehicle adapted to selectively travel on one of a road surface and the monorail, the vehicle having a drive system including upper guide wheels, a lower drive wheel, and a traveler wheel, the upper guide wheels adapted to removably engage the upper surface of the monorail, and the lower drive wheel and traveler wheel adapted to removably engage the lower surface of the monorail for supporting the vehicle from the monorail, the upper guide wheels and traveler wheel being unpowered and the lower drive wheel being powered. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A vehicle for traveling along a monorail comprising:
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a coupler connected to the top of the vehicle adapted to removably support the vehicle from an upper surface of said monorail for travel therealong; a drive wheel accessible at the top of the vehicle for engaging a lower surface of said monorail when the vehicle is supported therebeneath to propel the vehicle along said monorail; and an unpowered traveler wheel accessible at the too of the vehicle for engaging the lower surface of the monorail. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. In a vehicle adapted to travel on a monorail, the vehicle having an electric motor for propelling the vehicle in at least one mode of use, a system for balancing the vehicle comprising:
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a sled movably mountable to the vehicle, the sled supporting a plurality of batteries operatively interconnected to the electric motor for powering same; and means mounted on the vehicle for moving the sled relative said vehicle, whereby the sled may be moved relative to the vehicle to alter the center of gravity of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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41. A method for mounting a vehicle onto a monorail having a central web and a substantially horizontal flange medially attached to a lower end of the central web, the horizontal flange having an upper surface and a lower surface, the vehicle being adapted to travel under its own power on a road surface and having a coupler connected to the top of the vehicle for removably supporting the vehicle from the upper surface of the horizontal flange for travel therealong, the coupler being extendable between a recessed position and an extended position and having a pair of guide wheels spaced to movably travel on opposing sides of the horizontal flange, the guide wheels being rotatably connected to the coupler, and a drive wheel for propelling the vehicle on the monorail, comprising:
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supplying the elongated, overhead monorail; supplying a road surface; reducing the vertical separation between the monorail and the road surface while propelling the vehicle along the road surface and under the monorail; and while the vehicle is still moving, engaging the opposing sides of the horizontal flange with the guide wheels and the drive wheel with the lower surface of the horizontal flange and increasing the vertical separation between the monorail and the road surface; whereby the coupler supports the vehicle beneath the monorail and the drive wheel propels the vehicle therealong. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A method for dismounting a vehicle from a monorail having a central web and a substantially horizontal flange medially attached to a lower end of the central web, the horizontal flange having an upper surface and a lower surface, the vehicle being adapted to travel under its own power on a road surface and having a coupler connected to the top of the vehicle for removably supporting the vehicle from the upper surface of the horizontal flange for travel therealong, the coupler being extendable between a recessed position and an extended position and having a pair of guide wheels spaced to movably travel on opposing sides of the horizontal flange, the guide wheels being rotatably connected to the coupler, and a drive wheel for propelling the vehicle on the monorail, comprising:
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supplying the elongated overhead monorail; supplying a road surface; reducing the vertical separation between the monorail and the road surface while propelling the vehicle along the monorail until the vehicle contacts the road surface; energizing the road surface wheels; and while the vehicle is still moving, disengaging the guide wheels from the opposing sides of the horizontal flange and drive wheel from the lower surface of the horizontal flange and propelling the vehicle on the road surface wheels from underneath the monorail. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
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47. A transportation system comprising:
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an elongated, overhead monorail having a central web and a substantially horizontal flange medially attached to a lower end of the central web, the horizontal flange having an upper surface and a lower surface; a vehicle adapted to selectively travel on one of a road surface and the monorail; a coupler accessible at the top of the vehicle removably supporting the vehicle from the upper surface of the horizontal flange for travel therealong, the coupler being extendable between a recessed position and an extended position and having a pair of guide wheels spaced to movably travel on opposing sides of the horizontal flange, the guide wheels being rotatably connected to the coupler; and a drive wheel accessible at the top of the vehicle engaging the lower surface of the horizontal flange when the vehicle is supported therebeneath for propelling the vehicle along the monorail. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
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51. A transportation system comprising:
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an elongated, overhead monorail having an upper surface and a lower surface; and a vehicle adapted to selectively travel on one of a road surface and the monorail, the vehicle having a coupler removably supporting the vehicle from the upper surface of the monorail for travel therealong, the coupler including a pair of brackets pivotally connected to the top of the vehicle, the brackets being longitudinally spaced apart along the top of the vehicle and being pivotable between a recessed position and an extended position, and a pair of guide wheels rotatably mounted on each of the pair of brackets, the guide wheels being spaced to movably travel on opposing sides of the overhead monorail, and a drive wheel engaging the lower surface of the monorail when the vehicle is supported therebeneath for propelling the vehicle along the monorail, the vehicle including a propulsion system for propelling the vehicle when traveling on a road surface and an electric motor, mechanically independent from the propulsion system, for propelling the vehicle when traveling on the monorail. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A transportation system comprising:
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an elongated, overhead monorail having a central web, a substantially horizontal flange medially attached to a lower end of the central web, the horizontal flange having a lower surface and right and left sides, and a pair of substantially vertical outer rails extending upwardly from respective ones of the right and left sides of the horizontal flange; and a vehicle adapted to selectively travel on one of a road surface and the monorail, the vehicle having a coupler removably supporting the vehicle from the upper surface of each of the outer rails for travel therealong and a drive wheel engaging the lower surface of the horizontal flange when the vehicle is supported therebeneath for propelling the vehicle along the monorail. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A transportation system comprising:
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an elongated, overhead monorail having an upper surface and a lower surface; a vehicle adapted to ;
selectively travel on one of a road surface and the monorail and having a configuration generating upwardly directed lift at high speeds sufficient to exceed the weight of the vehicle;a coupler accessible at the top of the vehicle removably supporting the vehicle from the upper surface of the monorail for travel therealong; and a drive wheel accessible at the top of the vehicle engaging the lower surface of the monorail when the vehicle is supported therebeneath for propelling the vehicle along the monorail, the drive wheel being movable relative to the top of the vehicle such that when the coupler disengages from the upper surface of the monorail, the drive wheel remains engaged with the lower surface of the monorail.
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62. The transportation system of claim 62, the drive wheel being selectively extendable.
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63. A method for propelling a vehicle along a monorail having an upper surface and a lower surface, the vehicle having a coupler accessible at the top of the vehicle removably supporting the vehicle from the upper surface of the monorail for travel therealong and a drive wheel resiliently connected to the top of the vehicle for engaging the lower surface of the monorail to propel the vehicle therealong, the vehicle having a configuration generating upwardly directed lift at high speeds sufficient to exceed the weight of the vehicle comprising:
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supplying the monorail; removably supporting the vehicle from the upper surface of the monorail by the coupler; engaging the lower surface of the monorail with the drive wheel; propelling the vehicle along the monorail with the drive wheel; accelerating the vehicle until the upwardly directed lift generated by the vehicle exceeds the weight of the vehicle; lowering the drive wheel such that the upwardly directed lift raises the vehicle, thereby disengaging the coupler from the upper surface of the monorail; and continuing to propel the vehicle with the drive wheel. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66)
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Specification