Energy-saving transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying in multi-terrain conditions

Abstract

An energy-saving transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying in multi-terrain conditions performs self-horizontal rail laying through a hydraulic and servo transmission system, to enable a carriage to keep traveling at a uniform speed on horizontal rails. Because without frequently performing actions such as acceleration, deceleration, and braking, the transportation tool needs to overcome only rolling friction to keep uniform motion, energy consumption can be reduced. Support feet of the transportation tool are designed into a bionic hoof shape, and are particularly adapted to special terrains such as mud and swamp. The transportation tool can lay the horizontal rails above an obstacle or shallow water, and can adapt to various special terrains such as shallow water, mud, and swamp. When traveling, the transportation tool can turn as required. The transportation tool is equipped with a lidar for detecting a road surface condition, and has an unmanned driving function.

Description

[0001] The present invention claims priority to the Chinese Patent Application No. 202311311987.4, filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on Oct. 11, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUNDTechnical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to a transportation tool, and in particular, to an energy-saving transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying in multi-terrain conditions.Related Art

[0003] For most existing transportation tools, through combustion of petroleum fuel, thermal energy is converted into kinetic energy to drive a transmission system to perform wheeled rolling, thereby implementing traveling on land. Such a transportation manner not only requires huge amounts of money and manpower to lay long-distance roads or bridges in advance to ensure traveling of transportation tools, but also brings a series of problems such as serious environmental pollution. Such transportation tools even waste extra energy when encountering rugged roads, turns, ups and downs, and the like. In addition, when traveling on uneven roads, the transportation tools vibrate greatly, bringing an uncomfortable experience to users.SUMMARY

[0004] The present invention aims to provide a novel transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying and traveling at a uniform speed, thereby achieving energy saving. In addition, support feet in a bionic hoof shape are introduced, controlled by a computer, and hydraulically driven, to implement rail laying in multi-terrain conditions such as mud, shallow water, and swamp.

[0005] To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention includes a carriage system and a rail system, and adopts a motion manner in which the carriage system travels linearly at a uniform speed on the rail system through rollers.

[0006] The present invention performs self-horizontal rail laying through a hydraulic and servo transmission system, to enable a carriage to keep traveling at a uniform speed on horizontal rails. Because without frequently performing actions such as acceleration, deceleration, and braking, a transportation tool needs to overcome only rolling friction to keep uniform motion, energy consumption can be reduced. Support feet of the transportation tool are designed into a bionic hoof shape, and are particularly adapted to special terrains such as mud and swamp. The transportation tool can lay the horizontal rails above an obstacle or shallow water, and can adapt to various special terrains such as shallow water, mud, and swamp. When traveling, the transportation tool can turn as required.

[0007] In the present invention, the carriage travels at the uniform speed on the horizontal rails, and needs to overcome only rolling friction in a horizontal direction, to reduce energy consumption.

[0008] The present invention lays the horizontal rails above an obstacle or shallow water to travel at the uniform speed, and can adapt to the various special terrains such as shallow water, mud, and swamp.

[0009] Except for turning, the present invention keeps uniform linear motion on the horizontal rails for remaining time. Although retracting and extending of the support feet and rail conveying need to consume some energy, linear uniform motion on steel rails can greatly reduce energy consumption (according to “To Be Solved Dilemma of Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction in Transportation” (by Zhang Jinmeng) published by “China Energy News” on Dec. 10, 2021, an energy consumption ratio of rail transportation to road transportation is 1:5.2), and energy consumption of the rail conveying and the retracting and extending of the support feet can be further reduced by reducing a weight of the rail system, to save energy overall.

[0010] A traveling direction of the present invention can be predicted, thereby improving traveling safety.

[0011] The present invention can also preset a route before departure, to implement on-demand turning during traveling, and can accurately determine a specific time, to lay a good foundation for an unmanned land transportation tool in a later stage.

[0012] The support feet of the present invention are designed into the bionic hoof shape, and a hoof includes gap. The hoof can grip naturally and stretch naturally when landing, and mud and water are squeezed out from the gap of the hoof, to achieve a large grip. The hoof can be naturally folded when retracting, to help mud and water to fall off the support feet, to achieve a firm grip without carrying mud and water, and reduce work, thereby saving energy.

[0013] The rails of the present invention are designed such that two groups of rails are alternately conveyed forward through the carriage. When one group of rails is used for support, the other group of rails is driven forward by a servo motor, to implement alternate advancing, thereby ensuring that there are always laid rails in front of the carriage for the carriage to move forward at the uniform speed.

[0014] A rotating support component of the present invention is designed as a combination of a rotating turntable and rotating support feet. When rotation is required, rail support feet are first retracted, after the rotating support feet are used for support, the turntable in the middle rotates to a required angle and drives the carriage system to rotate, then, the rail support feet are lowered, and further, the rotating support feet are retracted, to complete turning.

[0015] The present invention is equipped with two lidars, to continuously emit radar waves straight ahead and diagonally downward during traveling, to detect a road surface obstacle and a terrain condition. A control system calculates extension lengths of hydraulic rods and a traveling route based on feedback information from the lidars. When it is detected that there is an obstacle ahead, an alarm is first reported through red light, and when the obstacle is not eliminated, if the present invention is in a semi-automatic driving state, the control system chooses to detour or stop and wait. When it is detected that there is a deep pothole ahead, and the deep pothole is about to exceed adjustment limits of the hydraulic rods, the control system attempts to lower a height of a vehicle body to keep the vehicle body level. When an overall condition is not sufficient to keep the vehicle body level, the system chooses to detour the deep pothole.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating traveling on a special road surface;

[0017] FIG. 2 is an appearance view of the present invention, where 2-1 is a perspective view, 2-2 is a side view, and 2-3 is a front view;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of the present invention, where 3-1 is a structural perspective view, 3-2 shows a rail transmission mechanism, and 3-3 illustrates a power gear set; 3-4 is a side view;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a structural diagram of the present invention, where 4-1 is a view for illustrating power transmission; 4-2 is a view for illustrating hydraulic transmission; 4-3 is another view for illustrating power transmission; 4-4 is another view for illustrating hydraulic transmission;

[0020] FIG. 5 is a structural detail diagram of the present invention, illustrating a manner in which rails are connected to a carriage, where 5-1 is a view for illustrating the position at which an outer-rail gear is connected to a carriage; 5-2 is a view for illustrating the interior of a rail; 5-3 is a view for illustrating a rail held to the bottom of the carriage by a rail holding structure; 5-4 is a view for illustrating the rail rolling on a T-shaped structure;

[0021] FIG. 6 is a diagram of a principle of advancing of rails and a carriage according to the present invention, where 6-1 is a view for illustrating a servo motor driving an outer-rail gear to push an outer rail to move forward; 6-2 is a view for illustrating the servo motor drives an inner-rail gear to push an inner rail to move forward; 6-3 is a view for illustrating radar wave emission;

[0022] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of advancing operation according to the present invention, where 7-1 is a view for illustrating a first step of the operation; 7-2 is a view for illustrating a second step of the operation; 7-3 is a view for illustrating a third step of the operation; 7-4 is a view for illustrating a fourth step of the operation; 7-5 is a view for illustrating a fifth step of the operation; 7-6 is a view for illustrating a sixth step of the operation; 7-7 is a view for illustrating a seventh step of the operation; 7-8 is a view for illustrating an eighth step of the operation;

[0023] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of rotating operation according to the present invention, where 8-1 is a view for illustrating a first step of the operation; 8-2 is a view for illustrating a second step of the operation; 8-3 is a view for illustrating a third step of the operation; and

[0024] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of operation on a rugged road surface according to the present invention, where 9-1 is a view for illustrating a first step of the operation; 9-2 is a view for illustrating a second step of the operation; 9-3 is a view for illustrating a third step of the operation; 9-4 is a view for illustrating a fourth step of the operation.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS1. carriage; 2: hydraulic rod; 3. bionic support foot; 4. inner rail; 5: outer rail; 6: inner-rail gear; 7: inner-rail rack; 8: outer-rail gear; 9: outer-rail rack; 10. inner-rail carriage power wheel; 11. outer-rail carriage power wheel; 12. energy supply system; 13. rail holding structure; 14. control center; 15: hydraulic center; 16. rotating apparatus.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The implementations of the present invention are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. An energy-saving transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying in multi-terrain conditions is further described below in detail. Apparently, the embodiments are merely some of rather than all of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0027] The energy-saving transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying in multi-terrain conditions described in this embodiment includes a carriage, a hydraulic rod, bionic support feet, an inner rail, an outer rail, an inner-rail gear, an inner-rail rack, an outer-rail gear, an outer-rail rack, an inner-rail carriage power wheel, an outer-rail carriage power wheel, an energy supply system, a rail holding structure, an operating console, a control center, a hydraulic center, a rotating apparatus, and the like.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating traveling on a special road surface.

[0029] Bionic support feet 3 of a transportation tool according to the present invention can be extended by required lengths based on a road surface condition as driven by hydraulic rods 2, to keep rails straight and ensure that a vehicle body is always level. As shown in the figure, the transportation tool according to the present invention can travel on a rugged road, and not only can avoid road laying, but also can be used for disaster relief, topographic and geological exploration, and the like on special terrains.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram (an appearance view) of an overall structure of a transportation tool according to the present invention.

[0031] The system includes a carriage and rails in hardware. The carriage is a cuboid structure inside which a space for accommodating passengers or loading items is installed. A console is located in the middle of a front end of the carriage, to help a driver and passengers to perform control and operations. Four rails are located below the carriage, and are divided into two inner rails and two outer rails. The carriage is driven by rollers to travel on the rails, and has two, front and rear rollers for each rail, and there are eight rollers in total.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of the present invention.

[0033] Two, front and rear hydraulic rods are mounted on each rail, and there are eight hydraulic rods in total. A support foot in a bionic hoof shape is mounted under each hydraulic rod. The support feet are supported on the ground, and heights of the rails and the vehicle body are adjusted by using the hydraulic rods, to keep the rails and the vehicle body level and as consistent as possible in height.

[0034] Rollers of the carriage meshed with each group of rails (inner and outer) are all equipped with corresponding power wheels (10, 11), and under the driving of the power wheels, the carriage perform linear uniform motion along the rails.

[0035] The rotating apparatus is located in the middle of the carriage, and can drive the carriage as a whole to rotate together with the rails. Four hydraulic rods are also mounted below the structure. A support foot in a bionic hoof shape is mounted under each hydraulic rod. When the vehicle body rotates, the support feet are supported on the ground, and the height of the vehicle body is adjusted by using the hydraulic rods, to keep the vehicle body level and not inclined, and keep the height as unchanged as possible.

[0036] For rotation of the carriage, a computer of the control system calculates an angle, and a servo motor controls the rotation to a required angle.

[0037] All power comes from an energy supply system (12). The energy supply system (12) is generally a battery.

[0038] FIG. 4 is a structural diagram of the present invention, illustrating positions of a control center and a hydraulic center.

[0039] A control center 14 is located at a front end of the carriage.

[0040] A hydraulic center 15 is located at a position on a right side of the rear of the carriage, and provides power to hydraulic rods of all support feet.

[0041] 4-1 is a schematic diagram of power transmission.

[0042] 4-2 illustrates transferring hydraulic power to support feet of rails through the hydraulic center.

[0043] 4-3 is a schematic diagram of power transmission.

[0044] 4-4 is a schematic diagram of hydraulic transmission.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a structural detail diagram of the present invention, illustrating a manner in which rails are connected to a carriage.

[0046] FIG. 5-1 illustrates a position at which an outer-rail gear is connected to the carriage.

[0047] In FIG. 5-2, an interior of a rail is designed into an inverted T shape, to help 13 to better engage with the rail, and rollers are arranged inside 13 to reduce friction.

[0048] In FIG. 5-3 and FIG. 5-4, a rail is held to a bottom of the carriage by a rail holding structure (13) in an inverted T shape. The T-shaped structure is equipped with small roll axes to ensure smooth rolling of the rail thereon.

[0049] FIG. 6 is a diagram of a principle of advancing of rails and a carriage according to the present invention.

[0050] In 6-1, when an outer rail needs to be conveyed forward, the servo motor drives an outer-rail gear 8 to rotate clockwise, to push the outer rail to move forward. In this case, an outer-rail carriage power wheel 11 stops working and is in a free state. An inner-rail power wheel 10 drives the carriage to advance.

[0051] In 6-2, when an inner rail needs to be conveyed forward, the servo motor drives an inner-rail gear 6 to rotate counterclockwise, to push the inner rail to move forward. In this case, an inner-rail carriage power wheel 10 stops working and is in a free state. An outer-rail power wheel 11 drives the carriage to advance.

[0052] In 6-3, during traveling, radar waves are continuously emitted straight ahead and diagonally downward.

[0053] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of advancing operation according to the present invention.

[0054] Linear motion of the present invention includes two parts of motion. One is that inner and outer rails are alternately used for support and are continuously laid forward, to ensure that there are always rails in front of the carriage for traveling. Moreover, the carriage keeps advancing at a uniform speed on the rails, but constantly changes a driving manner: inner-rail driving or outer-rail driving.

[0055] In 7-1, inner-rail feet are used for support, and outer-rail feet are retracted.

[0056] In 7-2, inner-rail feet are used for support, and the carriage and the outer rails advance together.

[0057] In 7-3, inner-rail feet are used for support, and the carriage and the outer rails advance together.

[0058] In 7-4, inner-rail feet are used for support, the outer rails reach target positions (½ of the inner rails), the outer rails stop, then the support feet are lowered, and the carriage continues advancing.

[0059] In 7-5, the inner-rail feet are used for support, the outer rails place support feet in place, and the carriage advances to intersections of the outer rails.

[0060] In this case, the outer rails perform support instead, the support feet of the inner rails start to be retracted, the carriage changes to be driven by the outer rails, and the carriage continues advancing.

[0061] In 7-6, the outer-rail feet are used for support, the inner-rail feet are retracted, and the carriage and the inner rails advance together.

[0062] In 7-7, the outer-rail feet are used for support, and the carriage and the inner rails advance together.

[0063] In 7-8, the outer-rail feet are used for support, the inner rails and the carriage advance together to the middle of the outer rails, the inner rails stop, then the support feet are lowered, and the carriage continues advancing.

[0064] In this way, the inner rails and the outer rails are alternately conveyed forward, to implement an uninterrupted self-rail laying while the carriage keeps traveling at the uniform speed.

[0065] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of rotating operation according to the present invention.

[0066] Rotating motion of the present invention is completed by a resultant force of a central rotating mechanism and central support feet. Specific actions are as follows:

[0067] 8-1: Extend the central support feet fixed under the central rotating mechanism.

[0068] After the central support feet are extended into place, rail support feet are retracted, and the four rails are recovered, so that the rails are located at a middle position of the carriage.

[0069] 8-2: The control system controls a rotating servo motor based on an angle calculated by a computer, to drive the rotating mechanism to rotate by a required angle, to drive the carriage and the rails to rotate together.

[0070] 8-3: After the carriage and the rails rotate into place, lower the support feet of the inner rails, retract the central support feet, and start linear motion.

[0071] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of operation on a rugged road surface according to the present invention.

[0072] Working states of main components of the present invention are shown in the following figures:

[0073] 9-1 illustrates a state in which the outer rails are used for support and the inner rails are retracted.

[0074] In 9-2, during passing through an uneven road surface, the support feet are extended by different lengths based on a terrain, to ensure the carriage level.

[0075] 9-3 illustrates a state in which the support feet are retracted. In the retracted state, an end of a foot in a bionic hoof shape naturally tilts downward, to help mud to slide off the foot, thereby reducing a total weight of the support foot and reducing energy consumption.

[0076] 9-4 illustrates a state in which the support feet are lowered. After being lowered, the end of the foot in the bionic hoof shape is naturally attached to the ground, thereby improving a grip.

[0077] Specific embodiments described in the present invention are merely examples of the present invention. A person skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs may make various modifications or supplements to the described specific embodiments or replace the specific embodiments in a similar manner, without departing from the protection scope of the present invention.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0026]The implementations of the present invention are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. An energy-saving transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying in multi-terrain conditions is further described below in detail. Apparently, the embodiments are merely some of rather than all of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0027]The energy-saving transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying in multi-terrain conditions described in this embodiment includes a carriage, a hydraulic rod, bionic support feet, an inner rail, an outer rail, an inner-rail gear, an inner-rail rack, an outer-rail gear, an outer-rail rack, an inner-rail carriage power wheel, an outer-rail carriage power wheel, an energy supply system, a ra...

[0001] The present invention claims priority to the Chinese Patent Application No. 202311311987.4, filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on Oct. 11, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUNDTechnical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to a transportation tool, and in particular, to an energy-saving transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying in multi-terrain conditions.Related Art

[0003] For most existing transportation tools, through combustion of petroleum fuel, thermal energy is converted into kinetic energy to drive a transmission system to perform wheeled rolling, thereby implementing traveling on land. Such a transportation manner not only requires huge amounts of money and manpower to lay long-distance roads or bridges in advance to ensure traveling of transportation tools, but also brings a series of problems such as serious environmental pollution. Such transportation tools even waste extra energy when encountering rugged roads, turns, ups and downs, and the like. In addition, when traveling on uneven roads, the transportation tools vibrate greatly, bringing an uncomfortable experience to users.SUMMARY

[0004] The present invention aims to provide a novel transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying and traveling at a uniform speed, thereby achieving energy saving. In addition, support feet in a bionic hoof shape are introduced, controlled by a computer, and hydraulically driven, to implement rail laying in multi-terrain conditions such as mud, shallow water, and swamp.

[0005] To achieve the foregoing objective, the present invention includes a carriage system and a rail system, and adopts a motion manner in which the carriage system travels linearly at a uniform speed on the rail system through rollers.

[0006] The present invention performs self-horizontal rail laying through a hydraulic and servo transmission system, to enable a carriage to keep traveling at a uniform speed on horizontal rails. Because without frequently performing actions such as acceleration, deceleration, and braking, a transportation tool needs to overcome only rolling friction to keep uniform motion, energy consumption can be reduced. Support feet of the transportation tool are designed into a bionic hoof shape, and are particularly adapted to special terrains such as mud and swamp. The transportation tool can lay the horizontal rails above an obstacle or shallow water, and can adapt to various special terrains such as shallow water, mud, and swamp. When traveling, the transportation tool can turn as required.

[0007] In the present invention, the carriage travels at the uniform speed on the horizontal rails, and needs to overcome only rolling friction in a horizontal direction, to reduce energy consumption.

[0008] The present invention lays the horizontal rails above an obstacle or shallow water to travel at the uniform speed, and can adapt to the various special terrains such as shallow water, mud, and swamp.

[0009] Except for turning, the present invention keeps uniform linear motion on the horizontal rails for remaining time. Although retracting and extending of the support feet and rail conveying need to consume some energy, linear uniform motion on steel rails can greatly reduce energy consumption (according to “To Be Solved Dilemma of Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction in Transportation” (by Zhang Jinmeng) published by “China Energy News” on Dec. 10, 2021, an energy consumption ratio of rail transportation to road transportation is 1:5.2), and energy consumption of the rail conveying and the retracting and extending of the support feet can be further reduced by reducing a weight of the rail system, to save energy overall.

[0010] A traveling direction of the present invention can be predicted, thereby improving traveling safety.

[0011] The present invention can also preset a route before departure, to implement on-demand turning during traveling, and can accurately determine a specific time, to lay a good foundation for an unmanned land transportation tool in a later stage.

[0012] The support feet of the present invention are designed into the bionic hoof shape, and a hoof includes gap. The hoof can grip naturally and stretch naturally when landing, and mud and water are squeezed out from the gap of the hoof, to achieve a large grip. The hoof can be naturally folded when retracting, to help mud and water to fall off the support feet, to achieve a firm grip without carrying mud and water, and reduce work, thereby saving energy.

[0013] The rails of the present invention are designed such that two groups of rails are alternately conveyed forward through the carriage. When one group of rails is used for support, the other group of rails is driven forward by a servo motor, to implement alternate advancing, thereby ensuring that there are always laid rails in front of the carriage for the carriage to move forward at the uniform speed.

[0014] A rotating support component of the present invention is designed as a combination of a rotating turntable and rotating support feet. When rotation is required, rail support feet are first retracted, after the rotating support feet are used for support, the turntable in the middle rotates to a required angle and drives the carriage system to rotate, then, the rail support feet are lowered, and further, the rotating support feet are retracted, to complete turning.

[0015] The present invention is equipped with two lidars, to continuously emit radar waves straight ahead and diagonally downward during traveling, to detect a road surface obstacle and a terrain condition. A control system calculates extension lengths of hydraulic rods and a traveling route based on feedback information from the lidars. When it is detected that there is an obstacle ahead, an alarm is first reported through red light, and when the obstacle is not eliminated, if the present invention is in a semi-automatic driving state, the control system chooses to detour or stop and wait. When it is detected that there is a deep pothole ahead, and the deep pothole is about to exceed adjustment limits of the hydraulic rods, the control system attempts to lower a height of a vehicle body to keep the vehicle body level. When an overall condition is not sufficient to keep the vehicle body level, the system chooses to detour the deep pothole.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating traveling on a special road surface;

[0017] FIG. 2 is an appearance view of the present invention, where 2-1 is a perspective view, 2-2 is a side view, and 2-3 is a front view;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of the present invention, where 3-1 is a structural perspective view, 3-2 shows a rail transmission mechanism, and 3-3 illustrates a power gear set; 3-4 is a side view;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a structural diagram of the present invention, where 4-1 is a view for illustrating power transmission; 4-2 is a view for illustrating hydraulic transmission; 4-3 is another view for illustrating power transmission; 4-4 is another view for illustrating hydraulic transmission;

[0020] FIG. 5 is a structural detail diagram of the present invention, illustrating a manner in which rails are connected to a carriage, where 5-1 is a view for illustrating the position at which an outer-rail gear is connected to a carriage; 5-2 is a view for illustrating the interior of a rail; 5-3 is a view for illustrating a rail held to the bottom of the carriage by a rail holding structure; 5-4 is a view for illustrating the rail rolling on a T-shaped structure;

[0021] FIG. 6 is a diagram of a principle of advancing of rails and a carriage according to the present invention, where 6-1 is a view for illustrating a servo motor driving an outer-rail gear to push an outer rail to move forward; 6-2 is a view for illustrating the servo motor drives an inner-rail gear to push an inner rail to move forward; 6-3 is a view for illustrating radar wave emission;

[0022] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of advancing operation according to the present invention, where 7-1 is a view for illustrating a first step of the operation; 7-2 is a view for illustrating a second step of the operation; 7-3 is a view for illustrating a third step of the operation; 7-4 is a view for illustrating a fourth step of the operation; 7-5 is a view for illustrating a fifth step of the operation; 7-6 is a view for illustrating a sixth step of the operation; 7-7 is a view for illustrating a seventh step of the operation; 7-8 is a view for illustrating an eighth step of the operation;

[0023] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of rotating operation according to the present invention, where 8-1 is a view for illustrating a first step of the operation; 8-2 is a view for illustrating a second step of the operation; 8-3 is a view for illustrating a third step of the operation; and

[0024] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of operation on a rugged road surface according to the present invention, where 9-1 is a view for illustrating a first step of the operation; 9-2 is a view for illustrating a second step of the operation; 9-3 is a view for illustrating a third step of the operation; 9-4 is a view for illustrating a fourth step of the operation.LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS1. carriage; 2: hydraulic rod; 3. bionic support foot; 4. inner rail; 5: outer rail; 6: inner-rail gear; 7: inner-rail rack; 8: outer-rail gear; 9: outer-rail rack; 10. inner-rail carriage power wheel; 11. outer-rail carriage power wheel; 12. energy supply system; 13. rail holding structure; 14. control center; 15: hydraulic center; 16. rotating apparatus.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The implementations of the present invention are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. An energy-saving transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying in multi-terrain conditions is further described below in detail. Apparently, the embodiments are merely some of rather than all of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0027] The energy-saving transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying in multi-terrain conditions described in this embodiment includes a carriage, a hydraulic rod, bionic support feet, an inner rail, an outer rail, an inner-rail gear, an inner-rail rack, an outer-rail gear, an outer-rail rack, an inner-rail carriage power wheel, an outer-rail carriage power wheel, an energy supply system, a rail holding structure, an operating console, a control center, a hydraulic center, a rotating apparatus, and the like.

[0028] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating traveling on a special road surface.

[0029] Bionic support feet 3 of a transportation tool according to the present invention can be extended by required lengths based on a road surface condition as driven by hydraulic rods 2, to keep rails straight and ensure that a vehicle body is always level. As shown in the figure, the transportation tool according to the present invention can travel on a rugged road, and not only can avoid road laying, but also can be used for disaster relief, topographic and geological exploration, and the like on special terrains.

[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram (an appearance view) of an overall structure of a transportation tool according to the present invention.

[0031] The system includes a carriage and rails in hardware. The carriage is a cuboid structure inside which a space for accommodating passengers or loading items is installed. A console is located in the middle of a front end of the carriage, to help a driver and passengers to perform control and operations. Four rails are located below the carriage, and are divided into two inner rails and two outer rails. The carriage is driven by rollers to travel on the rails, and has two, front and rear rollers for each rail, and there are eight rollers in total.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of the present invention.

[0033] Two, front and rear hydraulic rods are mounted on each rail, and there are eight hydraulic rods in total. A support foot in a bionic hoof shape is mounted under each hydraulic rod. The support feet are supported on the ground, and heights of the rails and the vehicle body are adjusted by using the hydraulic rods, to keep the rails and the vehicle body level and as consistent as possible in height.

[0034] Rollers of the carriage meshed with each group of rails (inner and outer) are all equipped with corresponding power wheels (10, 11), and under the driving of the power wheels, the carriage perform linear uniform motion along the rails.

[0035] The rotating apparatus is located in the middle of the carriage, and can drive the carriage as a whole to rotate together with the rails. Four hydraulic rods are also mounted below the structure. A support foot in a bionic hoof shape is mounted under each hydraulic rod. When the vehicle body rotates, the support feet are supported on the ground, and the height of the vehicle body is adjusted by using the hydraulic rods, to keep the vehicle body level and not inclined, and keep the height as unchanged as possible.

[0036] For rotation of the carriage, a computer of the control system calculates an angle, and a servo motor controls the rotation to a required angle.

[0037] All power comes from an energy supply system (12). The energy supply system (12) is generally a battery.

[0038] FIG. 4 is a structural diagram of the present invention, illustrating positions of a control center and a hydraulic center.

[0039] A control center 14 is located at a front end of the carriage.

[0040] A hydraulic center 15 is located at a position on a right side of the rear of the carriage, and provides power to hydraulic rods of all support feet.

[0041] 4-1 is a schematic diagram of power transmission.

[0042] 4-2 illustrates transferring hydraulic power to support feet of rails through the hydraulic center.

[0043] 4-3 is a schematic diagram of power transmission.

[0044] 4-4 is a schematic diagram of hydraulic transmission.

[0045] FIG. 5 is a structural detail diagram of the present invention, illustrating a manner in which rails are connected to a carriage.

[0046] FIG. 5-1 illustrates a position at which an outer-rail gear is connected to the carriage.

[0047] In FIG. 5-2, an interior of a rail is designed into an inverted T shape, to help 13 to better engage with the rail, and rollers are arranged inside 13 to reduce friction.

[0048] In FIG. 5-3 and FIG. 5-4, a rail is held to a bottom of the carriage by a rail holding structure (13) in an inverted T shape. The T-shaped structure is equipped with small roll axes to ensure smooth rolling of the rail thereon.

[0049] FIG. 6 is a diagram of a principle of advancing of rails and a carriage according to the present invention.

[0050] In 6-1, when an outer rail needs to be conveyed forward, the servo motor drives an outer-rail gear 8 to rotate clockwise, to push the outer rail to move forward. In this case, an outer-rail carriage power wheel 11 stops working and is in a free state. An inner-rail power wheel 10 drives the carriage to advance.

[0051] In 6-2, when an inner rail needs to be conveyed forward, the servo motor drives an inner-rail gear 6 to rotate counterclockwise, to push the inner rail to move forward. In this case, an inner-rail carriage power wheel 10 stops working and is in a free state. An outer-rail power wheel 11 drives the carriage to advance.

[0052] In 6-3, during traveling, radar waves are continuously emitted straight ahead and diagonally downward.

[0053] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of advancing operation according to the present invention.

[0054] Linear motion of the present invention includes two parts of motion. One is that inner and outer rails are alternately used for support and are continuously laid forward, to ensure that there are always rails in front of the carriage for traveling. Moreover, the carriage keeps advancing at a uniform speed on the rails, but constantly changes a driving manner: inner-rail driving or outer-rail driving.

[0055] In 7-1, inner-rail feet are used for support, and outer-rail feet are retracted.

[0056] In 7-2, inner-rail feet are used for support, and the carriage and the outer rails advance together.

[0057] In 7-3, inner-rail feet are used for support, and the carriage and the outer rails advance together.

[0058] In 7-4, inner-rail feet are used for support, the outer rails reach target positions (½ of the inner rails), the outer rails stop, then the support feet are lowered, and the carriage continues advancing.

[0059] In 7-5, the inner-rail feet are used for support, the outer rails place support feet in place, and the carriage advances to intersections of the outer rails.

[0060] In this case, the outer rails perform support instead, the support feet of the inner rails start to be retracted, the carriage changes to be driven by the outer rails, and the carriage continues advancing.

[0061] In 7-6, the outer-rail feet are used for support, the inner-rail feet are retracted, and the carriage and the inner rails advance together.

[0062] In 7-7, the outer-rail feet are used for support, and the carriage and the inner rails advance together.

[0063] In 7-8, the outer-rail feet are used for support, the inner rails and the carriage advance together to the middle of the outer rails, the inner rails stop, then the support feet are lowered, and the carriage continues advancing.

[0064] In this way, the inner rails and the outer rails are alternately conveyed forward, to implement an uninterrupted self-rail laying while the carriage keeps traveling at the uniform speed.

[0065] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of rotating operation according to the present invention.

[0066] Rotating motion of the present invention is completed by a resultant force of a central rotating mechanism and central support feet. Specific actions are as follows:

[0067] 8-1: Extend the central support feet fixed under the central rotating mechanism.

[0068] After the central support feet are extended into place, rail support feet are retracted, and the four rails are recovered, so that the rails are located at a middle position of the carriage.

[0069] 8-2: The control system controls a rotating servo motor based on an angle calculated by a computer, to drive the rotating mechanism to rotate by a required angle, to drive the carriage and the rails to rotate together.

[0070] 8-3: After the carriage and the rails rotate into place, lower the support feet of the inner rails, retract the central support feet, and start linear motion.

[0071] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of operation on a rugged road surface according to the present invention.

[0072] Working states of main components of the present invention are shown in the following figures:

[0073] 9-1 illustrates a state in which the outer rails are used for support and the inner rails are retracted.

[0074] In 9-2, during passing through an uneven road surface, the support feet are extended by different lengths based on a terrain, to ensure the carriage level.

[0075] 9-3 illustrates a state in which the support feet are retracted. In the retracted state, an end of a foot in a bionic hoof shape naturally tilts downward, to help mud to slide off the foot, thereby reducing a total weight of the support foot and reducing energy consumption.

[0076] 9-4 illustrates a state in which the support feet are lowered. After being lowered, the end of the foot in the bionic hoof shape is naturally attached to the ground, thereby improving a grip.

[0077] Specific embodiments described in the present invention are merely examples of the present invention. A person skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs may make various modifications or supplements to the described specific embodiments or replace the specific embodiments in a similar manner, without departing from the protection scope of the present invention.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0026]The implementations of the present invention are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. An energy-saving transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying in multi-terrain conditions is further described below in detail. Apparently, the embodiments are merely some of rather than all of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0027]The energy-saving transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying in multi-terrain conditions described in this embodiment includes a carriage, a hydraulic rod, bionic support feet, an inner rail, an outer rail, an inner-rail gear, an inner-rail rack, an outer-rail gear, an outer-rail rack, an inner-rail carriage power wheel, an outer-rail carriage power wheel, an energy supply system, a ra...

Claims

1. An energy-saving transportation tool performing self-horizontal rail laying in multi-terrain conditions, wherein the transportation tool performs self-horizontal rail laying through a hydraulic and servo transmission system, to enable a carriage to keep traveling at a uniform speed on horizontal rails, wherein because without frequently performing actions such as acceleration, deceleration, and braking, the transportation tool needs to overcome only rolling friction to keep uniform motion, energy consumption can be reduced; support feet of the transportation tool are designed into a bionic hoof shape, and are particularly adapted to special terrains such as mud and swamp; the transportation tool can lay the horizontal rails above an obstacle or shallow water, and can adapt to various special terrains such as shallow water, mud, and swamp; when traveling, the transportation tool can turn as required; and the transportation tool is equipped with a lidar for detecting a road surface condition, and has an unmanned driving function.

2. The transportation tool according to claim 1, wherein the carriage always travels at the uniform speed on the horizontal rails, to avoid extra energy consumption for braking, climbing, acceleration and deceleration, and the like, and needs to overcome only rolling friction in a horizontal direction, to reduce energy consumption.

3. The transportation tool according to claim 1, wherein the transportation tool lays the horizontal rails above the obstacle or shallow water to travel at the uniform speed, and can adapt to the various special terrains such as shallow water, mud, and swamp.

4. The transportation tool according to claim 1, wherein except for turning, the transportation tool keeps uniform linear motion on the horizontal rails for remaining time; and although retracting and extending of the support feet and rail conveying need to consume some energy, linear uniform motion on steel rails can greatly reduce energy consumption, and energy consumption of the rail conveying and the retracting and extending of the support feet can be further reduced by reducing a weight of a rail system, to save energy overall.

5. The transportation tool according to claim 1, wherein the transportation tool can also preset a route before departure, to implement on-demand turning during traveling, and can accurately determine a specific time, to lay a good foundation for an unmanned land transportation tool in a later stage.

6. The transportation tool according to claim 1, wherein the support feet of the transportation tool are designed into the bionic hoof shape, and a hoof comprises gap, wherein the hoof can grip naturally and stretch naturally when landing, and mud and water are squeezed out from the gap of the hoof, to achieve a large grip; and the hoof can be naturally folded when retracting, to help mud and water to fall off the hoof, to achieve a firm grip without carrying mud and water, and reduce work, thereby saving energy.

7. The transportation tool according to claim 1, wherein the rails of the transportation tool are designed such that two groups of rails are alternately conveyed forward through the carriage, and when one group of rails is used for support, the other group of rails is driven forward by a servo motor, to implement alternate advancing, thereby ensuring that there are always laid rails in front of the carriage for the carriage to move forward at the uniform speed.

8. The transportation tool according to claim 1, wherein a rotating support component of the transportation tool is designed as a combination of a rotating turntable and rotating support feet, and when rotation is required, the rotating support feet are first lowered, then rail support feet are retracted, and the rails are retracted; and then, the turntable in the middle is driven by a servo motor to rotate to a required angle, and drives a carriage system to rotate, and after the carriage system rotates into place, the rail support feet are lowered, and then the rotating support feet are retracted.

9. The transportation tool according to claim 1, wherein the transportation tool is equipped with two lidars, to continuously emit radar waves straight ahead and diagonally downward during traveling, to detect a road surface obstacle and a terrain condition, and a control system calculates extension lengths of hydraulic rods and a traveling route based on feedback information from the lidars; and when it is detected that there is an obstacle ahead, an alarm is first reported through red light, and when the obstacle is not eliminated, the control system chooses to detour or stop and wait.

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