Road-Rail Hybrid Vehicle Transitions Using Passive Junction Spans
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rail vehicles face challenges in safely transitioning between road and rail travel, requiring manual intervention, poor braking, weak traction, and limited steering capabilities, especially in junctions, leading to safety concerns and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid vehicle system utilizing retractable wheels, passive junctions, and transition spans that allow vehicles to seamlessly switch between road and rail travel with automatic steering and traction control, using lateral force at junctions and combination wheels for both road and rail support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual operation is used to lower rail wheels for safety, then safety is improved, but operator exposure to danger and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle performs the wheel lowering operation automatically without requiring manual intervention. The system uses sensors to detect the transition span and automatically actuates the wheel lowering mechanism, eliminating the need for operators to exit the vehicle and exposing them to dangerous locations at road-rail intersections
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle prepares for transition by detecting the upcoming transition span using sensors and cameras, then pre-positions the rail wheels for automatic lowering before reaching the transition point, ensuring safe and precise alignment with the rail without manual intervention
2Manufacturing precision
If precise alignment is required for rail wheel lowering, then transition accuracy is improved, but transition time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses cameras and sensors to continuously monitor the vehicle's position and alignment with the transition span, providing real-time feedback to the control system which automatically adjusts the wheel positioning to achieve precise alignment without requiring multiple manual adjustment cycles
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle detects the transition span approach in advance using sensors and cameras, allowing the control system to pre-calculate the required alignment adjustments and execute them automatically before the vehicle reaches the transition point, reducing both transition time and complexity
3Use of energy by moving object
If road wheels are lifted off rail to reduce rolling resistance, then fuel economy is improved, but traction and breaking capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle dynamically adjusts the position of road wheels relative to the rail based on operational requirements. During cruising on rail, road wheels are lifted to reduce rolling resistance and improve fuel economy. During acceleration or braking operations, the system automatically lowers road wheels to contact the rail surface, providing additional traction force when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The road wheels serve multiple functions: they support the vehicle on roads, provide additional traction on rails when lowered, and can be positioned to assist with breaking operations. This multi-functionality allows the vehicle to optimize fuel economy during normal operation while maintaining adequate traction and breaking capability when required
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a hybrid transportation system with hybrid vehicles (H-vehicles) that can travel on pavement (or off-road), then transition to railroad track travel, and then later transition back onto pavement without stopping or requiring an operator to exit the vehicle. At static rail junctions (with no moving switch parts) the H-vehicle selects its outgoing track. Turns at passive junctions are made by applying lateral force which may be applied using multiple methods including side roller diverters, dual flange rail wheels, and steering. Separate road wheels and rail wheels may be employed on an H-vehicle, or a combination wheel can be used with concentric road and rail wheel components. Combination wheels may be locked together or unlocked with relative rotational angular velocities. Transition between road and rail travel is facilitated using transition spans which connect roads to rails. Improved rail-only vehicles (R-) vehicles and junctions are also described.