Personal rapid transit system having linear induction motor installed on bottom of vehicle

Abstract

A personal rapid transit (PRT) system having a linear induction motor installed on the bottom of a vehicle is provided. Since a linear induction motor is installed on the bottom of a vehicle, the structure of the personal rapid transit (PRT) system is simplified and the stable driving thereof is possible. Further, since an auxiliary ramification wheel is provided, an accident by the vehicle seceding from a track occurring during ramification can be prevented in advance. That is, since only a single linear induction motor is installed horizontally on the bottom of the vehicle and thus the vehicle is driven, the structure of the personal rapid transit (PRT) system is more simplified and becomes lighter, and a production cost can be reduced, in comparison with an existing system using a pair of linear induction motors. In addition, even if a ramification device is failed during ramification, a track secession can be suppressed with an auxiliary ramification wheel provided, to thereby guide a stable running. Further, since a ramification rail is received and installed in a guide rail, the size of the personal rapid transit (PRT) system can be compact. Also, since the ramification rail is installed only within a ramification section and need not be installed over the whole sections, the installation cost of the personal rapid transit (PRT) system can be also reduced.

1 . A personal rapid transit (PRT) system having a linear induction motor installed on the bottom of a vehicle, in which a vehicle is installed in and runs alone a guiding path constituted by guidance path walls forming a substantially rectangular space whose upper portion is opened upward, the personal rapid transit (PRT) system comprising: 
 a motor driving member installed on the bottom of the vehicle;    a linear induction motor having a reaction rail attached on the bottom of the guidance path in correspondence to the motor driving member; and    a ramification device having a pair of left and right ramification rails attached on the inner upper portion of the guiding path and ramification electric magnets installed in the left and right sides of the upper portion of a vehicle body in the vehicle in correspondence to the ramification rails, for generating a magnetic attraction force between the ramification rails and the ramification electric magnets in order to switch the vehicle into a desired track at a junction by any one of magnetized ramification electric magnets.    
     
     
         2 . The personal rapid transit (PRT) system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a pair of auxiliary rails which are opposingly bent inwards from the opened upper portion of the guiding path constituted by the guidance path walls; and    a pair of left and right ramification auxiliary wheels installed on the left and right sides of the upper portion of the vehicle body, in which one of the ramification auxiliary wheels is driven upwards correspondingly in close to the auxiliary rail located toward a desired track to run.    
     
     
         3 . The personal rapid transit (PRT) system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a pair of left and right guiding wheels mounted on the upper portion of the main frame in the vehicle, for supporting and guiding the vehicle while moving along the left and right guidance path walls; and    guiding rails attached on the guidance path walls in correspondence to the guiding wheels, respectively.    
     
     
         4 . The personal rapid transit (PRT) system of  claim 1  or  3 , wherein said guiding rail is shaped in a substantially ⊂ shape, in which the ramification rail is accommodated.  
     
     
         5 . The personal rapid transit (PRT) system of  claim 4 , wherein said ramification rail accommodated in said guiding rail is installed only in the ramification section.  
     
     
         6 . The personal rapid transit (PRT) system of  claim 1 , further comprising a braking device for grasping the upper ad lower portions of the guiding rail and stopping the vehicle.