Transportation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9604798-B2
Application number	US-201615007883-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2016
Priority date	Feb 8, 2015
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A high-speed transportation system includes at least one transportation structure having at least one track, at least one capsule configured for travel through the at least one structure between a plurality of stations, a propulsion system adapted to propel the at least one capsule through the structure, and a levitation system adapted to levitate the capsule within the structure. At least one track is positioned to provide balancing force vectors to achieve stability for the capsule.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A high-speed transportation system, the system comprising:
at least one enclosed transportation structure having at least one track;
at least one capsule configured for travel through the at least one structure between a plurality of stations;
a propulsion system adapted to propel the at least one capsule through the structure; and
a levitation system adapted to levitate the capsule within the structure,
wherein the at least one track is positioned to provide balancing force vectors to achieve stability for the capsule, and
wherein the enclosed transportation structure comprises a tube maintained as a low-pressure environment.

2. The high-speed transportation system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one track is positioned to provide balancing horizontal force vectors to achieve horizontal stability for the capsule.

3. The high-speed transportation system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one track is positioned to provide balancing vertical force vectors to achieve vertical stability for the capsule.

4. The high-speed transportation system of claim 1 , wherein the levitation system comprises at least one fluid bearing arranged on the capsule and interacting with the at least one track arranged in the structure.

5. The high-speed transportation system of claim 4 , wherein each fluid bearing comprises an air bearing.

6. The high-speed transportation system of claim 4 , wherein the fluid bearings are configured to inject a fluid between the track and the fluid bearings so as to support the capsule.

7. The high-speed transportation system of claim 6 , wherein each fluid bearing is operable to recycle the fluid within the fluid bearing and/or to recycle fluid from an upstream bearing.

8. The high-speed transportation system of claim 1 , wherein the levitation system comprises a magnetic levitation system.

9. The high-speed transportation system of claim 8 , wherein the magnetic levitation system comprises at least one Halbach array.

10. The high-speed transportation system of claim 8 , wherein the magnetic levitation system comprises at least one electromagnet.

11. The high-speed transportation system of claim 8 , wherein the magnetic levitation system comprises at least one permanent magnet.

12. The high-speed transportation system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one capsule additionally comprises wheels for at least intermittently supporting the capsule on the at least one track.

13. The high-speed transportation system of claim 1 , wherein the capsule comprises at least one air bearing arranged to interact with the at least one track.

14. The high-speed transportation system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one air bearing has a “U”-shaped profile.

15. The high-speed transportation system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one air bearing has a “V”-shaped profile.

16. The high-speed transportation system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one air bearing comprises a pair of fins extending from the capsule.

17. The high-speed transportation system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one track is arranged in the structure beneath the capsule, such that the at least one track supports a weight of the capsule.

18. The high-speed transportation system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one switching station arranged in a transportation path along the at least one structure, the transportation path having one upstream transportation path and one downstream transportation path, and at least one additional upstream or downstream transportation path.

19. The high-speed transportation system of claim 18 , wherein the transportation path includes the one upstream path and a plurality of divergent downstream paths.

20. The high-speed transportation system of claim 18 , wherein the transportation path includes the one downstream path and a plurality of divergent upstream paths.

21. The high-speed transportation system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one switching station comprises a moveable skid having two diverging track portions thereon, the skid being moveable to align one of the diverging track portions with an upstream track portion and a downstream track portion.

22. The high-speed transportation system of claim 1 , wherein the capsule comprises a plurality of support bearings along an exterior surface of the capsule.

23. The high-speed transportation system of claim 22 , further comprising a feed forward signal generator operable to transmit operating conditions for one of the plurality of support bearings to a rearward support bearing to assist in controlling for the rearward support bearing.

24. The high-speed transportation system of claim 23 , wherein the signal generator provides data regarding control of at least one of a bearing angle and a bearing fluid flow rate.

25. The high-speed transportation system of claim 1 , further comprising an active track alignment system comprising:
at least one sensor operable to detect a misalignment of the at least one track;
a processor configured to determine a track adjustment based on the detected misalignment; and
a track actuator to make the track adjustment to move the at least one track into proper alignment.

26. A high-speed transportation system, the system comprising:
at least one transportation structure having at least one track;
at least one capsule configured for travel through the at least one structure between a plurality of stations;
a propulsion system adapted to propel the at least one capsule through the structure; and
a levitation system adapted to levitate the capsule within the structure,
wherein the at least one track is positioned to provide balancing force vectors to achieve stability for the capsule,
wherein the levitation system comprises at least one fluid bearing arranged on the capsule and interacting with the at least one track arranged in the structure, and
wherein each fluid bearing comprises a liquid bearing.

27. A high-speed transportation system, the system comprising:
at least one transportation structure having at least one track;
at least one capsule configured for travel through the at least one structure between a plurality of stations;
a propulsion system adapted to propel the at least one capsule through the structure; and
a levitation system adapted to levitate the capsule within the structure,
wherein the at least one track is positioned to provide balancing force vectors to achieve stability for the capsule,
the transportation system further comprising at least one switching station arranged in a transportation path along the at least one structure, the transportation path having one upstream transportation path and one downstream transportation path, and at least one additional upstream or downstream transportation path,
wherein the at least one switching station comprises a moveable door operable to selectively rotate to connect an upstream track portion with a selected downstream track portions.

28. A high-speed transportation system, the system comprising:
at least one transportation structure having at least one track;
at least one capsule configured for travel through the at least one structure between a plurality of stations;
a propulsion system adapted to propel the at least one capsule through the structure; and
a levitation system adapted to levitate the capsule within the structure,
wherein the at

Assignees

• Hyperloop Tech Inc

Inventors

• BAMBROGAN Brogan
• Giegel Joshua

Classifications

• B63B35/00

  Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B60L13/03

  Electric propulsion by linear motors · CPC title

• E02D29/063

  Tunnels submerged into, or built in, open water (construction or placing of caissons in general E02D23/00; joining caissons to each other under water, in general E02D25/00) · CPC title

• B60L13/06

  Means to sense or control vehicle position or attitude with respect to railway · CPC title

• E02D29/04

  Making large underground spaces, e.g. for underground plants, e.g. stations of underground railways; Construction or layout thereof (E02D29/10 takes precedence; water-supply or sewerage plants E03; layout of water power plants E02B9/00; making large underground chambers by underground methods only E21D13/00) · CPC title