Track-Guided Vehicle Wheel Layout for Gap-Induced Vibration Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing traveling vehicle systems experience vibrations and noise due to simultaneous passage of wheels through gaps, which are not effectively addressed in the prior art.
Innovation Solution
The traveling vehicle system incorporates a track design with perpendicular first and second tracks intersecting at partial tracks, featuring a coupler and wheels that turn around perpendicular axes, ensuring left and right wheels pass through gaps at different timings, reducing vibrations and noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the wheels are arranged symmetrically on the left and right in the traveling direction, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the wheels pass through gaps simultaneously causing increased vibrations and noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by arranging the four wheels such that the left and right wheels are displaced from each other in the traveling direction. Specifically, the wheels are positioned at the vertices of a quadrilateral where none of the sides are parallel to the track directions, creating an asymmetric configuration that causes wheels to pass through gaps at different timings, thereby reducing simultaneous vibrations and noise.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the wheels are arranged to pass through gaps at different timings, then vibrations and noise are reduced, but the wheel arrangement becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric quadrilateral arrangement of wheels achieves different timing for gap passage without requiring complex control mechanisms. The geometric configuration itself provides the timing differentiation, maintaining relative simplicity while reducing vibrations and noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dimensional aspect by positioning wheels at vertices of a quadrilateral with specific geometric relationships to the track directions. This spatial arrangement in two dimensions creates temporal differentiation in gap passage, resolving the vibration issue without adding temporal control complexity.
3Device complexity
If the traveler uses a conventional symmetric wheel arrangement, then the structure is simple, but simultaneous wheel passage through gaps increases vibrations to the traveling vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the conventional symmetric wheel arrangement into an asymmetric configuration where wheels are positioned at the vertices of a quadrilateral with none of the sides parallel to the track directions. This asymmetric positioning ensures that left and right wheels pass through gaps at different timings, reducing simultaneous vibrations and improving travel reliability while maintaining structural simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A traveling vehicle system may include a traveling vehicle and a track including first tracks, second tracks, and a partial track. The traveling vehicle may include a traveler to travel on an upper side of the track, a main body below the track, and a coupler to couple the traveler and the main body. A gap through which the coupler passes when the traveling vehicle travels may be between the first track and the partial track, and between the second track and the partial track. The traveler may include a direction changer to change a traveling direction of the traveling vehicle by turning wheels respectively around four turning axes perpendicular to respective axles of the wheels. In a plan view, none of sides of a quadrilateral with the turning axes defining vertices thereof is parallel to the first or second track.