Vacuum transport tube vehicle, system, and method for evacuating a vacuum transport tube

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10538254-B2
Application number	US-201715476399-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2017
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

A vacuum transport tube vehicle, system, and method for evacuating a vacuum transport tube are provided. The vehicle has a first end having a first end outer surface. An annular gap is formed between the first end outer surface and an inner surface of the vacuum transport tube. The vehicle has a second end having a second end outer diameter, and a body in the form of a piston with a structural framework. The vehicle has an orifice extending from a first inlet portion in the first end to a second outlet portion of the vehicle. The vehicle has a drive assembly coupled to the body, and a power system. The vehicle evacuates the vacuum transport tube by reducing pressure within the tube with each successive vehicle pass through the tube, until a desired pressure is obtained and a vacuum is created in the interior of the tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vacuum transport tube vehicle for evacuating a vacuum transport tube, the vacuum transport tube vehicle comprising:
a first end comprising a piston head, the first end having a first end outer diameter and a first end outer surface, wherein an annular gap is formed between the first end outer surface and an inner surface of the vacuum transport tube, when the vacuum transport tube vehicle is installed in an interior of the vacuum transport tube;
a second end having a second end outer diameter;
a body disposed between the first end and the second end, the body comprising a piston having a structural framework;
at least one orifice extending from a first inlet portion in the first end through to a second outlet portion of the vacuum transport tube vehicle, the second outlet portion positioned aft of the first inlet portion, wherein when the vacuum transport tube vehicle moves through the interior of the vacuum transport tube, air flows through the at least one orifice and the annular gap, and a delta pressure is created between a forward pressure in front of the vacuum transport tube vehicle and an aft pressure behind the vacuum transport tube vehicle, such that the aft pressure is lower than the forward pressure;
a drive assembly coupled to the body for driving the vacuum transport tube vehicle through the vacuum transport tube; and
a power system coupled to the drive assembly for powering the drive assembly,
wherein the vacuum transport tube vehicle is configured to create a vacuum with a desired pressure in the interior of the vacuum transport tube by causing successive vehicle pass through the vacuum transport tube such that the pressure in the interior of the vacuum transport tube is reduced through each vehicle pass.

2. The vacuum transport tube vehicle of claim 1 wherein the piston head has a forward surface comprising one of, a flat forward surface, and a curved forward surface, including a convex forward surface, and a concave forward surface.

3. The vacuum transport tube vehicle of claim 1 wherein the annular gap has a gap distance in a range of about 0.25 inch to about 1.0 inch between the inner surface of the vacuum transport tube and the first end outer surface of the vacuum transport tube vehicle, when the vacuum transport tube vehicle is installed in the vacuum transport tube.

4. The vacuum transport tube vehicle of claim 1 wherein a length of the second end outer diameter is less than a length of the first end outer diameter.

5. The vacuum transport tube vehicle of claim 1 wherein the structural framework comprises a plurality of stiffened panels, a plurality of longitudinal stiffener members, one or more brace members, one or more cross support members, and one or more circumferential frame members.

6. The vacuum transport tube vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one orifice comprises a passageway extending from the first inlet portion in the first end through the body to the second outlet portion formed in the second end of the vacuum transport tube vehicle.

7. The vacuum transport tube vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one orifice has an orifice diameter that is variable and that is configurable based on a desired speed and a desired power of the vacuum transport tube vehicle.

8. The vacuum transport tube vehicle of claim 1 wherein the drive assembly comprises a plurality of drive wheels arranged in a circumferential arrangement around the body, the plurality of drive wheels being in contact with the inner surface of the vacuum transport tube, when the vacuum transport tube vehicle moves through the vacuum transport tube.

9. The vacuum transport tube vehicle of claim 8 wherein the power system comprises one or more electric motors coupled to one or more of the plurality of drive wheels.

10. The vacuum transport tube vehicle of claim 1 wherein the drive assembly comprises a magnetic levitation (mag-lev) propulsion system comprising a plurality of guide magnets and a plurality of vehicle magnets to create both lift and substantially frictionless propulsion to move the vacuum transport tube vehicle through the vacuum transport tube.

11. A vacuum transport tube vehicle system for evacuating a vacuum transport tube, the vacuum transport tube vehicle system comprising:
a vacuum transport tube having an inner surface, an outer surface, and an interior;
one or more vacuum transport tube vehicles configured for moving through the interior of the vacuum transport tube and evacuating air from the interior of the vacuum transport tube over a route length of a vacuum transport tube route, each of the one or more vacuum transport tube vehicles comprising:
a first end comprising a piston head, the first end having a first end outer diameter and a first end outer surface, wherein when each vacuum transport tube vehicle is installed in the vacuum transport tube, an annular gap is formed between the inner surface of the vacuum transport tube and the first end outer surface;
a second end having a second end outer diameter;
a body disposed between the first end and the second end, the body comprising a piston having a structural framework;
at least one orifice extending from a first inlet portion in the first end through to a second outlet portion of the vacuum transport tube vehicle, the second outlet portion positioned aft of the first inlet portion, the at least one orifice configured to allow air to flow from a forward space in front of the vacuum transport tube vehicle to an aft space behind the vacuum transport tube vehicle, to create a delta pressure between a forward pressure in the forward space and an aft pressure in the aft space, such that the aft pressure is lower than the forward pressure;
a drive assembly coupled to the body for driving the vacuum transport tube vehicle through the vacuum transport tube; and
a power system coupled to the drive assembly for powering the drive assembly;
wherein the one or more vacuum transport tube vehicles are configured to create a vacuum with a desired pressure in the interior of the vacuum transport tube by causing successive vehicle pass through the vacuum transport tube such that the pressure in the interior of the vacuum transport tube is reduced through each vehicle pass; and

one or more pressure barriers positioned in the interior of the vacuum transport tube aft of the one or more vacuum transport tube vehicles.

12. The vacuum transport tube vehicle system of claim 11 further comprising a route end boundary assembly positioned at a route end of the vacuum transport tube route, the route end boundary assembly comprising a first route end pressure barrier, a second route end pressure barrier, and a flapper valve.

13. The vacuum transport tube vehicle system of claim 11 wherein the vacuum transport tube vehicle system comprises an amount of three (3) vacuum transport tube vehicles to twenty (20) vacuum transport tube vehicles, installed in series within the vacuum transport tube.

14. The vacuum transport tube vehicle system of claim 11 wherein the vacuum transport tube vehicle system comprises a multi-stage vehicle arrangement comprising two or more vacuum transport tube vehicles connected together, in series, via one or more connector elements.

15. The vacuum transport tube vehicle system of claim 11 wherein the annular gap has a gap distance in a range of about 0.25 inch to about 1.0 inch between the inner surface of the vacuum transport tube and the first end outer surface at the first end of the vacuum transport tube vehicle, when the vacuum transport tube vehicle is moving through the interior of the vacuum t

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Grip Robert Erik
• Dehaan Mark A
• Vassberg John C
• Rothaupt Ted K

Classifications

• B61B13/10

  Tunnel systems (pneumatic tubes conveyors B65G {; B61C15/045 takes precedence}) · CPC title

• B61B13/08

  Sliding or levitation systems (vehicles with air cushions between rails and vehicles B60V3/04) · CPC title

• B61B13/122 Primary

  Pneumatic systems · CPC title