Aerial-to-Land Transport Unit Transfer With Inclined Guides

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing transportation systems face challenges in precisely controlling the transfer of transporting units from an aerial to a land configuration due to uneven load distribution causing oscillations and potential misalignment, leading to dangerous coupling issues during the transition.

Innovation Solution

The system employs transporting units with roof and floor coupling devices that switch between aerial and land modes, using rolling or sliding bodies on a support frame with inclined guides to stabilize and align the units during transition, ensuring controlled movement by adjusting speed differences and using guides with specific inclinations to create stabilizing torques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the transporting units are transferred from aerial to land configuration, then the units can switch between different transport modes, but oscillations and misalignment occur during transition

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransport mode switching capabilityVSAvoidcoupling precision during transition
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by positioning rolling bodies at the front and rear of the transporting unit floor before the transition begins. These rolling bodies are pre-configured to contact the support frame at specific moments during the transition, proactively stabilizing the unit before misalignment can occur and ensuring proper orientation during the mode switch.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses rolling bodies as intermediary elements between the transporting unit floor and the support frame. These rolling bodies act as mediators that facilitate the transition by rolling along the support frame, absorbing oscillations, and ensuring smooth coupling between the aerial and land transport configurations without direct rigid contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Stability of the object's composition

If the floor of the transporting unit contacts the support frame during transition, then the unit can be stabilized, but damage may occur to the contacting parts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveunit stabilization during transitionVSAvoidcontact part durability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical sliding contact system with a rolling contact system. Instead of the floor directly sliding against the support frame (which causes friction and damage), rolling bodies are introduced that convert the sliding friction into rolling friction, significantly reducing wear and damage to contacting parts while maintaining stabilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies beforehand cushioning by using rolling bodies that are positioned in advance to absorb and cushion the impact and oscillations during the transition. The rolling motion inherently provides a cushioning effect that protects the floor and support frame from direct impact damage while stabilizing the unit during the configuration change.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Strength

If rolling or sliding bodies are used to advance the unit on the frame, then damage to parts is prevented, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact part protectionVSAvoidtransition mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing the rolling bodies to perform multiple functions simultaneously: they stabilize the transporting unit during transition, prevent damage to contact parts, guide the unit's movement along the support frame, and accommodate oscillations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution ensures a controlled and safe transfer of units by minimizing oscillations and ensuring precise alignment, preventing damage and improving the coupling process between aerial and land transport phases.

Implementation Method 1

the inclination of the transporting unit to be progressively geometrically limited and forced for rotating the cabin clockwise along the forward direction

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravitational torque: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

the floor of the transporting unit comprises rolling or sliding bodies configured to progressively roll or slide on the frame of the land transport device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRolling friction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP4461617B1Goods or passenger transportation system with transfer of transporting units from an aerial transporting configuration to a land transporting configuration
Publication Date: 2025.09.24 LEITNER SPA VIPITENO
  • EP4461617B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4461617B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4461617B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A transportation system (1) comprising: at least one transporting unit (6) moved along a direction (A), wherein each unit (6) is moved in a first aerial transport phase and in a second land transport phase, wherein each unit comprises a roof (9) provided with a first coupling device (11) and a floor (10) provided with a second coupling device (12); an aerial transport device configured to couple to the first coupling device (11) during an aerial transport phase; a land transport device configured to couple to the second coupling device (12) during a land transport phase, wherein the land transport device comprises a frame (21) configured to receive the floor (10) of the unit (6); the floor (10) of the unit (6) comprising rolling or sliding bodies (20, 23) configured to progressively roll or slide on inclined guides of the frame of the land transport device along the direction (A) during the transition from aerial transport to land transport.