Material transportation system
First Claim
1. A material transportation vehicle for use on a surface of a magnetically attractive pathway, the material transportation vehicle comprising:
- a friction drive, including;
a first axle having an axis;
a wheel having an outer surface, the wheel having a magnetic characteristic such that the wheel is provided as a magnetic wheel, wherein said magnetic wheel is supported by the first axle;
a second axle having an axis, wherein the first and second axles are disposed such that the axis of said first axle is generally parallel to the axis of said second axle; and
a drive cylinder supported by the second axle, the drive cylinder having a surface coupled to the outer surface of the magnetic wheel with the drive cylinder provided from a material such that there is a magnetic attraction between the surface of the drive cylinder and the outer surface of the magnetic wheel, and wherein the magnetic wheel is adapted to rotate about the taxis of the axle in response to a rotation of the drive cylinder about the axis of the second axle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A material transportation system includes one or more material transportation vehicles, each having magnetic wheels coupled to a magnetically attractive surface that can include a ceiling, a wall, a floor, and/or a transition region. The material transportation vehicles are adapted to carry material from place to place. Each material transportation vehicle has sensors and motor controls that reduce swing motion of the material transportation vehicle and the material coupled thereto. A collision avoidance and traffic control system prevents collisions between the one or more material transportation vehicles.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A material transportation vehicle for use on a surface of a magnetically attractive pathway, the material transportation vehicle comprising:
a friction drive, including;
a first axle having an axis;
a wheel having an outer surface, the wheel having a magnetic characteristic such that the wheel is provided as a magnetic wheel, wherein said magnetic wheel is supported by the first axle;
a second axle having an axis, wherein the first and second axles are disposed such that the axis of said first axle is generally parallel to the axis of said second axle; and
a drive cylinder supported by the second axle, the drive cylinder having a surface coupled to the outer surface of the magnetic wheel with the drive cylinder provided from a material such that there is a magnetic attraction between the surface of the drive cylinder and the outer surface of the magnetic wheel, and wherein the magnetic wheel is adapted to rotate about the taxis of the axle in response to a rotation of the drive cylinder about the axis of the second axle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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(a) a wheel having an outer surface and an axis about which said wheel rotates, said wheel comprising;
(1) first and second metal disks; and
(2) one or more magnets disposed between said first and second metal disks to provide said wheel having a magnetic attractive force;
(b) a first shaft disposed to support said wheel;
(c) a shaft support structure;
(d) one or more bearings disposed in said shaft support structure and coupled to support said first shaft;
(e) a second shaft;
(f) a cylinder having an axis about which said cylinder rotates, said cylinder supported by said second shaft and disposed such that the axis of said cylinder is substantially parallel to the axis of said wheel and such that the magnetic attractive force causes the outer surface of the wheel to be attracted to and in contact with the cylinder; and
(g) a substructure coupled to said support structure;
(h) one or more bearings disposed in said substructure and coupled to said second shaft such that the axis of the cylinder is free to move so the distance between the axis of rotation of the wheel and the axis of the cylinder can vary, thereby allowing the magnetic attractive force between the wheel and the cylinder to preload the wheel and the cylinder together. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification