Monorail crane auxiliary transportation system and driving mode switching method thereof

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of rail systems for load-carrying tackles or cranes, and particularly relates to a monorail crane auxiliary transportation system and a driving mode switching method thereof, the monorail crane auxiliary transportation system comprises: a rail mechanism, which comprises a friction rail section for friction driving and a rack rail section provided with a rack; the at least one driving mechanism is arranged on the track mechanism and can walk in the extending direction of the track mechanism, and the driving mechanism is provided with a friction driving part in contact with the friction track section and a gear driving part capable of being meshed with the rack; the transition rack rails are arranged at the two ends of the rack rail section and used for connecting the friction rail section and the rack rail section; the transition rack rail is provided with a guide-in structure used for guiding the gear driving part to be meshed with the rack, and a buffering structure used for buffering impact generated when the gear driving part is initially meshed with the rack.

Description

[0001] This application is based on and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202610006527.8, filed on January 5, 2026, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This invention belongs to the technical field of track systems for load-bearing trolleys or cranes, and particularly relates to a monorail auxiliary transportation system and its drive mode switching method. Background Technology

[0003] Monorail auxiliary transportation systems are key transportation equipment in underground mines, mainly used for the continuous aerial transportation of materials, personnel, and large equipment in coal mines.

[0004] In practical applications, monorails often need to cope with complex conditions such as steep gradients, high humidity track surfaces, and heavy-load transportation. In these situations, the pure frictional driving force between the drive wheels and the track web is easily insufficient, leading to slippage or even runaway, posing a safety hazard. To enhance traction, existing technologies have proposed combining friction drive with rack and pinion drive. For example, a rack is installed in specific sections of the track (such as steep gradients). When the drive mechanism reaches this section, the friction drive mode is switched to gear drive mode, allowing the drive gear to mesh with the rack, using gear transmission to overcome slippage. However, at the moment of switching between these two drive modes, the gear and rack suddenly mesh rigidly, generating a violent instantaneous impact. This impact load not only accelerates the wear, pitting, and even plastic deformation of the gears and rack themselves, significantly shortening the lifespan of core components; furthermore, under heavy-load transportation conditions, it may cause instantaneous uncontrolled swaying of the vehicle body, worsening operational stability and increasing the long-term failure and safety risks of the transportation system.

[0005] Therefore, overcoming the rigid impact generated by the meshing of gears and racks during the aforementioned drive mode switching is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field.

[0006] It should be noted that the information disclosed in this background section is only for understanding the background technology of the present application concept, and therefore, the above description is not considered to constitute prior art information. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This disclosure provides at least one monorail gantry-assisted transportation system and its drive mode switching method.

[0008] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a monorail-assisted transportation system, comprising: The track mechanism includes a friction track section for friction drive and a rack-equipped rack track section; At least one drive mechanism is disposed on the track mechanism and can travel along its extension direction, and the drive mechanism is provided with a friction drive part that contacts the friction track section and a gear drive part that can mesh with the rack. A transition rack is provided at both ends of the rack section to connect the friction rail section and the rack section; wherein the transition rack is provided with an introductory structure for guiding the gear drive unit to mesh with the rack, and a buffer structure for buffering the impact generated when the gear drive unit and the rack initially mesh.

[0009] In one optional embodiment, the friction rail section is provided with an I-shaped track, and the toothed rail section includes a toothed rail base disposed above the I-shaped track, with the racks disposed on both sides of the toothed rail base.

[0010] In one optional embodiment, the drive mechanism includes a walking motor, the friction drive part includes a friction wheel, and the gear drive part includes a drive gear; The friction wheel and the drive gear are coaxially arranged and both are driven by the walking motor.

[0011] In one alternative embodiment, the friction wheel is positioned to contact the web of the I-beam track on the friction track section, thereby driving the drive mechanism to travel along the extension direction of the friction track section; and, The drive gear is positioned to mesh with racks on both sides of the toothed track on the toothed track section, so as to drive the drive mechanism to travel along the extension direction of the toothed track section.

[0012] In one optional embodiment, the toothed rail section further includes a straight toothed rail, and the transition toothed rail is disposed at both ends of the straight toothed rail. One end of the transition toothed rail is connected to the straight toothed rail via a lifting lug, and the other end is connected to the I-shaped rail of the friction rail section via a flange.

[0013] In one optional embodiment, the transition rack includes racks disposed on both sides thereof and pins passing through them; and, Each rack has a shaft hole that mates with the pin, and the size of the shaft hole is configured to be larger than the diameter of the pin, so that the rack can move towards or away from the pin.

[0014] In one optional embodiment, the buffer structure is disposed between racks on both sides of the transition toothed rail, and includes a mounting base, a pair of movable parts, and a buffer element disposed within the mounting base. One end of the movable part is connected to the buffer element, and the other end abuts against the rack; When the racks on both sides of the transition gear track are initially engaged with the gear drive unit, the moving part is compressed by the racks to compress the buffer element, so that the racks on both sides of the transition gear track move in opposite directions.

[0015] In one alternative embodiment, the buffer element is a spring, disc spring, hydraulic damper, pneumatic damper, electromagnetic buffer, or magnetorheological damper.

[0016] In one alternative embodiment, the racks on both sides of the transition rack are wedge-shaped, forming an introductory structure for guiding the racks to mesh with the gear drive unit.

[0017] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a monorail-assisted transportation system, comprising: The track mechanism includes a friction track section for friction drive and a rack-equipped rack track section; At least one drive mechanism is disposed on the track mechanism and can travel along its extension direction, and the drive mechanism is provided with a friction drive part that contacts the friction track section and a gear drive part that can mesh with the rack. A transition rack is provided between the friction rail section and the rack section; The transition rack includes a pair of racks that can move in opposite directions, and a buffer structure disposed between the pair of racks to provide an elastic restoring force.

[0018] In one optional embodiment, the buffer structure is disposed between racks on both sides of the transition toothed rail, and includes a mounting base, a pair of movable parts, and a buffer element disposed within the mounting base. One end of the movable part is connected to the buffer element, and the other end abuts against the rack; When the racks on both sides of the transition gear track are initially engaged with the gear drive unit, the moving part is compressed by the racks to compress the buffer element, so that the racks on both sides of the transition gear track move in opposite directions.

[0019] In one alternative embodiment, the transition toothed rail further includes pins passing through the racks on both sides thereon; The rack is provided with a shaft hole that mates with the pin, and the size of the shaft hole is configured to be larger than the diameter of the pin, so as to provide room for the rack to move in opposite directions or away from each other.

[0020] In one optional embodiment, the racks on both sides of the transition rack are wedge-shaped, forming an induction structure for guiding the racks to mesh with the gear drive unit. In one optional embodiment, the friction rail section is provided with an I-shaped track, and the toothed rail section includes a toothed rail base disposed above the I-shaped track, with the racks disposed on both sides of the toothed rail base.

[0021] In one optional embodiment, the drive mechanism includes a walking motor, the friction drive part includes a friction wheel, and the gear drive part includes a drive gear; The friction wheel and the drive gear are coaxially arranged and both are driven by the walking motor.

[0022] In one alternative embodiment, the friction wheel is positioned to contact the web of the I-beam track on the friction track section, thereby driving the drive mechanism to travel along the extension direction of the friction track section; and, The drive gear is positioned to mesh with racks on both sides of the toothed track on the toothed track section, so as to drive the drive mechanism to travel along the extension direction of the toothed track section.

[0023] Thirdly, this disclosure also provides a method for switching the drive mode of a monorail-assisted transportation system, comprising the following steps: The drive mechanism travels on the friction track section through contact with the friction drive unit; When the drive mechanism enters the transition gear track, the gear drive part of the drive mechanism contacts the guide structure of the transition gear track. The gear drive unit travels along the guide structure and squeezes the transition toothed track, and the resulting impact force is buffered by the buffer structure of the transition toothed track. Under the action of the elastic buffer structure, the gear drive unit meshes smoothly with the rack, completing the switch from friction drive to gear drive.

[0024] The beneficial effects of this invention are that, by setting a transition rack between the friction rail section and the rack section, when the drive mechanism enters the rack section from the friction rail section, the guide structure set on the transition rack can effectively guide the gear drive unit to smoothly contact and mesh with the rack, while the buffer structure can absorb and attenuate the huge impact force generated at the moment of initial meshing, thereby avoiding rigid collision between the gear and the rack, and significantly improving the smoothness and safety of the switching process.

[0025] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention are realized and obtained through the structures particularly pointed out in the description and drawings.

[0026] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 A perspective view of a monorail-assisted transportation system provided in an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 2 A perspective view of a drive mechanism for a monorail auxiliary transportation system provided in an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 3 A structural diagram of a transition rack for a monorail auxiliary transportation system provided in this embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of a transition rack of a monorail auxiliary transportation system provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0029] In the picture: 100. Track mechanism; 110. Friction rail section; 111. I-beam track; 120. Gear rail section; 121. Gear rail base; 122. Rack; 123. Straight gear rail; 200. Drive mechanism; 210. Friction drive unit; 211. Friction wheel; 220. Gear drive unit; 221. Drive gear; 230. Travel motor; 300. Transition gear; 310. Buffer structure; 311. Mounting base; 312. Moving part; 313. Buffer element; 320. Guide structure; 330. Pin; 340. Shaft hole; 400. Hanging lugs; 500, Flange. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] In this document, when it is mentioned that a first component is located on a second component, this can mean that the first component can be directly formed on the second component, or that a third component can be inserted between the first and second components. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, the thickness of the components may be exaggerated or reduced for the purpose of effectively describing the technical content.

[0032] In this document, when an element or layer is referred to as “located,” “joined to,” “connected to,” “attached to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly located, joined, connected, attached to, or coupled to the other element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as “directly on another element or layer,” “directly joined to,” “directly connected to,” “directly attached to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers present. Other terms used to describe relationships between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the related listed items.

[0033] In this document, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As used herein, expressions such as “at least one of…” modify the entire list of elements when following a list of elements, rather than individual elements in the list. For example, the expression “at least one of a, b, and c” should be understood to include only a, only b, only c, both a and b, both a and c, both b and c, or all of a, b, and c.

[0034] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific exemplary configurations only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular articles “a,” “an,” and “the” may also be intended to include plural forms unless otherwise clearly stated herein. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are inclusive and thus specify the presence of features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein should not be construed as requiring them to be performed in the specific order discussed or shown, unless specifically identified as such. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0035] As used herein, the phrases “in one embodiment,” “according to one embodiment,” “in some embodiments,” etc., generally refer to the fact that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic following the phrase can be included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. Therefore, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic can be included in more than one embodiment of this disclosure, such that these phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. As used herein, the terms “example,” “exemplary,” etc., are used to “serve as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation, aspect, or design described herein as “example” or “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or superior to other implementations, aspects, or designs. Rather, the use of the terms “example,” “exemplary,” etc., is intended to present concepts in a specific manner.

[0036] Research has revealed shortcomings in existing technologies: In practical applications, monorails often need to handle complex conditions such as steep gradients, high-humidity track surfaces, and heavy-load transportation. In these situations, the pure frictional driving force between the drive wheels and the track web is prone to insufficiency, leading to slippage or even runaway, posing a safety hazard. To enhance traction, existing technologies have proposed combining friction drive with rack and pinion drive. For example, racks are added to specific sections of the track (such as steep gradients), allowing the drive gear to mesh with the rack, using gear transmission to overcome slippage. However, at the moment of switching from friction drive to gear drive, the gear and rack suddenly mesh rigidly, generating a violent instantaneous impact. This impact load not only accelerates the wear, pitting, and even plastic deformation of the gears and rack themselves, significantly shortening the lifespan of core components; furthermore, under heavy-load transportation conditions, it may cause instantaneous uncontrolled swaying of the vehicle body, worsening operational stability and increasing the long-term operational failure and safety risks of the transportation system.

[0037] Based on the above research, this disclosure provides a monorail auxiliary transportation system, which integrates an introduction structure and a buffer structure on the transition rack connecting the friction rail section and the rack section. The introduction structure guides the gear drive unit to make initial contact with the rack in a progressive manner; the buffer structure actively absorbs and dissipates the enormous impact energy generated at the moment of meshing. This concept transforms the switching process from rigid collision to flexible engagement, thereby achieving smooth, reliable, and automatic switching of the drive mode at the system level.

[0038] The shortcomings of the above solutions are the result of the inventor's practical experience and careful research. Therefore, the discovery process of the above problems and the solutions proposed in this disclosure should be considered as the inventor's contribution to this disclosure.

[0039] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0040] The following detailed description of some embodiments of the present invention is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features can be combined with each other.

[0041] See Figure 1 This disclosure provides a monorail-assisted transportation system, mainly comprising a track mechanism 100, at least one drive mechanism 200, and a transition rack 300. The track mechanism 100 extends along the tunnel, serving as the load-bearing and travel foundation for the entire system. Specifically, the track mechanism 100 includes a friction track section 110 for regular travel and a rack track section 120 for steep slopes or wet environments. The friction track section 110 is primarily a standard I-beam track 111. The I-beam track 111 extends along the tunnel, and the rack track section 120 includes a rack base 121 positioned above the I-beam track 111 and racks 122 mounted on both sides of the rack base 121. Drive mechanisms 200 are provided on both sides of the track mechanism 100, movably suspended below the track mechanism 100, and capable of traveling along its extension direction. The drive mechanism 200 is the power core of the system, comprising a friction drive unit 210 and a gear drive unit 220.

[0042] See Figure 1 and Figure 2In some embodiments, the friction drive unit 210 includes a friction wheel 211, and the gear drive unit 220 includes a drive gear 221. Both are typically coaxially arranged and driven by the same travel motor 230. The output shaft of the travel motor 230 simultaneously drives the friction wheel 211 and the drive gear 221 to rotate. This integrated design reduces transmission components, simplifies the structure, and improves transmission efficiency. In the friction track section 110, the friction wheel 211 presses against the web of the I-beam track 111, driven by friction. In the gear track section 120, the drive gear 221 meshes with both racks 122, driven by gear transmission. On the friction track section 110, the drive gear 221 is in an idle state and does not mesh with any component. At this time, under the action of the clamping device of the drive mechanism 200, the friction wheel 211 maintains close contact with the web of the I-beam track 111. The travel motor 230 drives the friction wheel 211 to rotate, driving the entire drive mechanism 200 and its load smoothly along the friction track section 110 through friction. When it is necessary to enter the rack section 120, the drive gear 221 meshes with the racks 122 on both sides of the rack. The power of the travel motor 230 is transmitted to the fixed racks 122 through the drive gear 221, thereby generating a strong traction force, and the drive mechanism 200 travels along the rack section 120. In this mode, the friction wheel 211 may slightly disengage or spin freely.

[0043] See also Figure 1 To achieve a smooth, shock-free switching between friction-driven and gear-driven modes, a transition gear track 300 is provided at the junction of the friction track section 110 and the gear track section 120. The transition gear track 300 is located at both ends of the gear track section 120, seamlessly connecting the friction track section 110 and the gear track section 120. The transition gear track 300 includes an inlet structure 320 for guiding the gear drive unit 220 to mesh with the rack 122, and a buffer structure 310 for buffering the impact generated during the initial meshing of the gear drive unit 220 and the rack 122. Through the transition gear track 300, when the drive mechanism 200 switches from friction-driven to gear-driven, its inlet structure 320 automatically and smoothly guides the gear drive unit 220 to mesh with the rack 122, while its buffer structure 310 effectively absorbs and dissipates the impact energy at the moment of meshing, thus completely avoiding rigid collisions. This not only greatly improves the smoothness and safety of drive mode switching and eliminates the risk of vehicle body swaying, but also significantly reduces the impact wear of core transmission components such as gears and rack 122, extending the service life of the entire system. It is especially suitable for complex working conditions with heavy loads and steep slopes.

[0044] See Figure 1 and Figure 3In some embodiments, the track mechanism 100 is composed of a friction track section 110, a rack track section 120, and a transition rack 300 connecting the two, forming a continuous and complete transport path. The main body of the rack track section 120 is a straight rack 123. The straight rack 123 includes a rack base 121, the lower part of which is fixed to the upper part of the I-shaped track 111 by welding or fasteners, and racks 122 are fixedly installed on both sides of the rack base 121 to provide a precise meshing transmission surface for the drive gear 221. The straight rack 123 is usually laid in roadway sections with steep slopes or requiring high traction. Transition racks 300 are provided at both ends of the straight rack 123. One end of the transition rack 300 (i.e., the end closer to the rack track section 120) is connected to the end of the straight rack 123 by a lifting lug 400. The lifting lug 400 connection method allows for a certain adjustment margin in the vertical direction, facilitating the handling of roadway undulations and installation errors. The toothed rail base 121 of the transition toothed rail 300 is installed on the same I-beam track 111 below the straight toothed rail 123 by welding or bolting. This track has the same specifications as the I-beam track 111 of the friction rail section 110, forming a continuous traveling surface together. The end of the transition toothed rail 300 near the friction rail section 110 is rigidly connected to the end of the I-beam track 111 of the friction rail section 110 through a flange 500 located at the end of the I-beam track 111. The flange 500 is locked with fasteners such as high-strength bolts, ensuring sufficient strength and stability at the connection to reliably withstand the complex loads transmitted by the drive mechanism 200 during travel and preventing any harmful relative displacement.

[0045] See Figure 3 In some embodiments, the transition rack 300 has a pair of movable racks 122 facing the end of the friction track section 110 (i.e., the end that the drive gear 221 first contacts), and its tooth profile is machined into a wedge-shaped bevel. When the drive gear 221 of the drive mechanism 200 approaches the transition rack 300 from the friction track section 110 and makes its first contact with the transition rack 300, its teeth will first contact this wedge-shaped bevel. Unlike the instantaneous rigid collision of the vertical end face, the wedge-shaped bevel makes the contact between the gear and the rack 122 a continuous and smooth process with a gradually increasing engagement depth. This greatly reduces the initial contact stress.

[0046] See also Figure 3 In some embodiments, the pair of movable racks 122 are connected together by at least one pin 330. Specifically, a shaft hole 340 is provided at a corresponding position of each movable rack 122. The inner diameter of the shaft hole 340 is configured to be larger than the outer diameter of the pin 330, thereby forming a certain radial fit clearance between the two. Specifically, the movable racks 122 are not rigidly connected to the base, but can pivot around the pin 330 and make small-amplitude movements towards or away from each other within the allowable clearance range.

[0047] See Figure 4 In some embodiments, a buffer structure 310 is disposed between a pair of movable racks 122 to provide elastic restoring force and absorb impact. The buffer structure 310 includes a mounting base 311, fixedly mounted on the base of the transition rack 300, serving as the fixed foundation for the entire buffer structure 310. A buffer element 313 is housed within the mounting base 311. The buffer element 313 can be any of a spring, disc spring, hydraulic damper, pneumatic damper, electromagnetic buffer, or magnetorheological damper, preferably a disc spring. Movable members 312 can be a pair of push rods or sliders. One end of each movable member 312 is connected to the buffer element 313 (e.g., the end of a spring), and the other end abuts against the inner surface of the corresponding movable rack 122. When the drive gear 221 of the drive mechanism 200 first enters the section of the transition rack 300, the drive gear 221 compresses the movable racks 122 on both sides. This compressive force pushes the movable racks 122, which in turn transmits the force to the buffer element 313 (e.g., a spring) through the movable members 312, causing it to be compressed. During this process, due to the gap between the shaft hole 340 and the pin 330, the movable racks 122 on both sides can overcome the initial preload of the buffer element 313 and generate a small opposing movement (such as...). Figure 4 (As shown by arrow F1 in the middle), thus providing a "give way" space for the meshing process. The buffer element 313 effectively absorbs or dissipates most of the instantaneous impact kinetic energy generated by gear meshing through its own elastic deformation or damping effect. After the impact, under the restoring force of the buffer element 313, the moving part 312 pushes the moving rack 122 to reset, so that it maintains a stable and gapless meshing state with the drive gear 221, completing a smooth transition.

[0048] Some embodiments also provide a method for switching the drive mode of a monorail crane, specifically including the following steps: In the initial stage, the drive mechanism 200 operates entirely on the friction track section 110. The friction wheel 211 of the drive mechanism 200 rotates under the drive of the travel motor 230 and maintains a tight contact with the web of the I-beam track 111, relying on friction to drive the entire load to travel along the track extension direction. At this time, the drive gear 221 is in an idle state and does not contact any rack 122.

[0049] Furthermore, when the drive mechanism 200 travels to the junction of the friction rail section 110 and the gear rail section 120, its friction wheel 211 first enters the area of ​​the transition gear rail 300. At this time, the teeth of the drive gear 221 begin to contact the wedge-shaped end of the movable rack 122 on the transition gear rail 300.

[0050] Furthermore, as the drive gear 221 fully enters the transition tooth path 300 and continues to penetrate along the wedge-shaped surface, its teeth begin to engage with the normal tooth surfaces of the movable rack 122. Due to inertia, this engagement generates a certain impact force. This impact force manifests as a radial compressive force exerted by the drive gear 221 on the movable racks 122 on both sides. The compressive force pushes the movable racks 122, which are then transmitted to the buffer element 313 of the buffer structure 310 through the contacting movable element 312. The buffer element 313 is compressed or generates damped motion, converting most of the instantaneous impact kinetic energy generated by the engagement into elastic potential energy for storage or into heat dissipation through the damping effect. Simultaneously, under the action of the compressive force, the movable racks 122 on both sides overcome the initial force of the buffer element 313, using the pin 330 as a fulcrum, and generate a small opposing motion within the allowable clearance range of the shaft hole 340, providing a dynamic "give way" space for gear engagement. Under the action of the elastic restoring force or damping force of the buffer element 313, the impact is quickly suppressed. The movable rack 122 is reset under the push of the buffer structure 310, forming a stable and shock-free fully meshed state with the drive gear 221.

[0051] In summary, this monorail auxiliary transportation system, by setting a transition rack 300 between the friction rail section 110 and the rack section 120, allows the drive mechanism 200 to enter the rack section 120 from the friction rail section 110. The guide structure 320 on the transition rack 300 can effectively guide the gear drive unit 220 to smoothly contact and mesh with the rack 122, while the buffer structure 310 can absorb and attenuate the huge impact force generated at the moment of initial meshing, thereby avoiding rigid collision between the gear and the rack 122 and significantly improving the smoothness and safety of the switching process.

[0052] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0053] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms used herein do not imply order or sequence unless expressly indicated herein. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments, the first element, component, region, layer, or segment discussed above may be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer, or segment.

[0054] Spatially relative terms, such as “inside,” “outside,” “below,” “below,” “down,” “above,” “up,” etc., may be used herein to describe the relationship between one element or feature illustrated in the figures and another element or feature. In addition to the orientations depicted in the figures, spatially relative terms may be intended to cover different orientations of the device in use or operation. For example, if the device in the figure is flipped, an element described as “below” or “below” other elements or features would be oriented as “above” other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can cover both above and below orientations. The device may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein are interpreted accordingly.

[0055] Based on the above-described preferred embodiments of the present invention, and through the foregoing description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the inventive concept. The technical scope of this invention is not limited to the contents of the specification, but must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A monorail-assisted transportation system, characterized in that, include: The track mechanism (100) includes a friction track section (110) for friction drive and a rack track section (120) provided with a rack (122). At least one drive mechanism (200) is disposed on the track mechanism (100) and can travel along its extension direction, and the drive mechanism (200) is provided with a friction drive part (210) that contacts the friction track section (110) and a gear drive part (220) that can mesh with the rack (122). A transition gear track (300) is provided at both ends of the gear track section (120) to connect the friction track section (110) and the gear track section (120); wherein the transition gear track (300) is provided with an inlet structure (320) for guiding the gear drive unit (220) and the rack (122) to mesh, and a buffer structure (310) for buffering the impact generated when the gear drive unit (220) and the rack (122) initially mesh.

2. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The buffer structure (310) is disposed between the racks (122) on both sides of the transition toothed rail (300), and includes a mounting base (311), a pair of movable parts (312), and a buffer element (313) disposed in the mounting base (311). One end of the movable part (312) is connected to the buffer element (313), and the other end abuts against the rack (122); When the racks (122) on both sides of the transition gear (300) are initially engaged with the gear drive unit (220), the moving part (312) is compressed by the racks (122) to compress the buffer element (313), so that the racks (122) on both sides of the transition gear (300) move in opposite directions.

3. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The buffer element (313) is a spring, disc spring, hydraulic damper, pneumatic damper, electromagnetic buffer, or magnetorheological damper.

4. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The friction rail section (110) is provided with an I-shaped rail (111), and the toothed rail section (120) includes a toothed rail base (121) disposed above the I-shaped rail (111), and the rack (122) is disposed on both sides of the toothed rail base (121).

5. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism (200) includes a walking motor (230), the friction drive unit (210) includes a friction wheel (211), and the gear drive unit (220) includes a drive gear (221). The friction wheel (211) and the drive gear (221) are coaxially arranged and both are driven by the walking motor (230).

6. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The friction wheel (211) is positioned to contact the web of the I-beam track (111) on the friction track section (110) to drive the drive mechanism (200) to travel along the extension direction of the friction track section (110); and, The position of the drive gear (221) is configured to mesh with the racks (122) on both sides of the toothed track on the toothed track section (120) so as to drive the drive mechanism (200) to travel along the extension direction of the toothed track section (120).

7. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The toothed rail section (120) also includes a straight toothed rail (123), and the transition toothed rail (300) is disposed at both ends of the straight toothed rail (123). One end of the transition toothed rail (300) is connected to the straight toothed rail (123) through a lifting lug (400), and the other end is connected to the I-shaped rail (111) of the friction rail section (110) through a flange (500).

8. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The transition rack (300) includes racks (122) disposed on both sides thereof and pins (330) passing through them; and, Each rack (122) is provided with a shaft hole (340) that mates with the pin (330), and the size of the shaft hole (340) is configured to be larger than the diameter of the pin (330), so that the rack (122) can move towards or away from the pin (330).

9. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The racks (122) on both sides of the transition rack (300) are wedge-shaped, forming an inlet structure (320) for guiding the racks (122) to mesh with the gear drive unit (220).

10. A monorail-assisted transportation system, characterized in that, include: The track mechanism (100) includes a friction track section (110) for friction drive and a rack track section (120) provided with a rack (122). At least one drive mechanism (200) is disposed on the track mechanism (100) and can travel along its extension direction, and the drive mechanism (200) is provided with a friction drive part (210) that contacts the friction track section (110) and a gear drive part (220) that can mesh with the rack (122). A transition toothed track (300) is disposed between the friction track section (110) and the toothed track section (120); The transition toothed track (300) includes a pair of racks (122) that can move in opposite directions, and a buffer structure (310) disposed between the pair of racks (122) to provide an elastic restoring force.

11. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The buffer structure (310) is disposed between the racks (122) on both sides of the transition toothed rail (300), and includes a mounting base (311), a pair of movable parts (312), and a buffer element (313) disposed in the mounting base (311). One end of the movable part (312) is connected to the buffer element (313), and the other end abuts against the rack (122); When the racks (122) on both sides of the transition gear (300) are initially engaged with the gear drive unit (220), the moving part (312) is compressed by the racks (122) to compress the buffer element (313), so that the racks (122) on both sides of the transition gear (300) move in opposite directions.

12. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The transition rack (300) also includes pins (330) passing through racks (122) on both sides thereon. The rack (122) is provided with a shaft hole (340) that mates with the pin (330), and the size of the shaft hole (340) is configured to be larger than the diameter of the pin (330) to provide room for the rack (122) to move in opposite directions or away from each other.

13. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The racks (122) on both sides of the transition rack (300) are wedge-shaped, forming an inlet structure (320) for guiding the racks (122) to mesh with the gear drive unit (220).

14. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The friction rail section (110) is provided with an I-shaped rail (111), and the toothed rail section (120) includes a toothed rail base (121) disposed above the I-shaped rail (111), and the rack (122) is disposed on both sides of the toothed rail base (121).

15. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The drive mechanism (200) includes a walking motor (230), the friction drive unit (210) includes a friction wheel (211), and the gear drive unit (220) includes a drive gear (221). The friction wheel (211) and the drive gear (221) are coaxially arranged and both are driven by the walking motor (230).

16. The monorail-assisted transportation system as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The friction wheel (211) is positioned to contact the web of the I-beam track (111) on the friction track section (110) to drive the drive mechanism (200) to travel along the extension direction of the friction track section (110); and, The position of the drive gear (221) is configured to mesh with the racks (122) on both sides of the toothed track on the toothed track section (120) so as to drive the drive mechanism (200) to travel along the extension direction of the toothed track section (120).

17. A method for switching drive modes in a monorail-assisted transportation system as described in any one of claims 1-16, characterized in that, include: The drive mechanism (200) travels on the friction track section (110) by contacting the web of the I-shaped track (111) through the friction wheel (211) of the friction drive unit (210); When the drive mechanism (200) enters the transition gear track (300), the drive gear (221) of the gear drive part (220) of the drive mechanism (200) contacts the wedge-shaped guide structure (320) of the transition gear track (300); The drive gear (221) travels along the wedge-shaped guide structure (320) and squeezes the rack (122) of the transition toothed track (300), causing the racks (122) on both sides to be compressed and move towards each other, compressing the buffer element (313) between them, so as to buffer the impact force generated by meshing. Under the restoring force of the buffer element (313), the drive gear (221) meshes smoothly with the rack (122), completing the switch from friction drive to gear drive.

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