Vehicle towing apparatus switchably couplable to guideways

Abstract

Generally and not exclusively, there is disclosed a system and a method for towing (pushing or pulling) a roadway vehicle on a road by a towing apparatus. The towing apparatus is coupled to a roadway guideway displaced generally above a roadway surface. In an embodiment, the system includes an apparatus to couple a vehicle to the roadway guideway, a force generation unit to move the coupled vehicle along the roadway guideway, and a brake unit to decelerate the apparatus and a coupled vehicle. In an embodiment, the system includes a coupling unit to separately couple or not couple the vehicle to one of multiple roadway guideways. In an embodiment, the towing apparatus includes a capability to yaw the vehicle to a determined position by yawing the structure that engages the vehicle to the towing apparatus.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a guideway coupling structure configurable to
 concurrently physically couple the apparatus to two roadway guideways, a first roadway guideway and a second roadway guideway, when the two roadway guideways are in a defined position relative to one another, and configured to concurrently move along each of the two roadway guideways when the guideway coupling structure physically couples the apparatus to the two roadway guideways and the roadway guideways are approximately in the defined position relative to one another; 
 configurable to physically couple to the first roadway guideway and not couple to the second roadway guideway and configured to move along the first roadway guideway; and 
 configurable to physically couple to the second roadway guideway and not the first roadway guideway and to move along the second roadway guideway; 
   a force generation unit configured to generate a first force to move the apparatus along a physically coupled roadway guideway, and a second force to tow a coupled roadway vehicle; and   a vehicle coupling structure configured to couple the apparatus to the roadway vehicle, and to transmit the second force from the apparatus to the coupled roadway vehicle as the apparatus moves along the roadway guideway in response to the first force.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus defined in  claim 1  wherein the guideway coupling structure is configured to switchably physically couple or not physically couple the apparatus to the first roadway guideway, and configured to switchably physically couple or not physically couple the apparatus to the second roadway guideway. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus defined in  claim 2  wherein the guideway coupling structure is switchable based on a received signal. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus defined in  claim 1  wherein the apparatus comprises a brake configured to contact a roadway guideway with a frictional material to decelerate the apparatus in moving along a coupled roadway guideway. 
   
   
       5 . The roadway guideway defined in  claim 1  wherein the roadway guideway is configurable to have a range of vertical displacement with respect to the roadway, and/or a range of horizontal displacement with respect to the roadway. 
   
   
       6 . A system comprising:
 pocketed, dual, separable guideways positionable in reference to a roadway surface;   modules coupleable to the guideways, such that when the modules are coupled to the guideways, the modules are captive therein and configured to run along the guideways;   the modules configured to selectively physically couple to the guideways, and   the modules having a propelling device capable of pulling or pushing the module and a coupled vehicle along each to guideway.   
   
   
       7 . The system defined in  claim 6 , wherein the guideways are positionable in reference to the roadway surface above, beside, and/or upon the roadway surface. 
   
   
       8 . The system defined in  claim 6  comprising:
 a device to couple the module to a roadway vehicle, said device having a spanning structure to approximately span the distance between a head unit and a vehicle engagement structure, said spanning structure terminated by a rotatable joint at each end.   
   
   
       9 . The system defined in  claim 8  wherein said joint comprises a trunnion. 
   
   
       10 . A method comprising:
 moving an apparatus configurable to couple to a roadway vehicle, along two physically coupled roadway guideways, a first roadway guideway and a second roadway guideway, that are in an approximately defined position relative to one another and have a vertical component above the elevation of the surface;   while the apparatus is at a position along the two roadway guideways before a position where the roadway guideways diverge from the defined position, selecting between the apparatus moving along the first roadway guideway and the second roadway guideway;   if the selection is to move along the first roadway guideway, configuring the apparatus to couple to the first roadway guideway if the apparatus was not already coupled to the first roadway guideway, and not couple to the second roadway guideway if the apparatus was not already not coupled to the second roadway guideway, at the position where the first roadway guideway and the second roadway guideway diverge; and   if the selection is to move along the second roadway guideway, configuring the apparatus to couple to the second roadway guideway if the apparatus was not already coupled to the second roadway guideway, and not couple to the first roadway guideway if the apparatus was not already not coupled to the second roadway guideway, at the position where the first section and the second section diverge.   
   
   
       11 . The method defined in  claim 10  wherein the action of coupling the apparatus to the first roadway guideway includes positioning an element of the apparatus in a pocket of the first roadway guideway. 
   
   
       12 . The method defined in  claim 10  wherein the action of decoupling the apparatus from the second roadway guideway includes positioning an element of the apparatus out of a pocket of the second roadway guideway. 
   
   
       13 . An apparatus comprising:
 a vehicle engagement structure configured to physically couple the apparatus to a roadway vehicle, and to transmit a force to move and decelerate a coupled roadway vehicle;   a vehicle engagement combination comprising
 at least two beams attached to the apparatus, longitudinally oriented, and 
   pivotable about a lateral axis of the apparatus;
 at least 2 beams rigidly attached to the vehicle; 
 each beam attached to the apparatus having a fore and aft mouth at a distal end configured to grasp a distal end of the beam attached to the vehicle; 
 each beam attached to the vehicle having a lateral inward facing socket positioned along its length; and 
 the apparatus having bars with a wedge shaped distal end with each bar configured to translate laterally into a socket and each wedge shaped distal end and socket forming a conjugate pair. 
   
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising a guideway coupling structure configured to couple the apparatus to a roadway guideway, and to generate a propulsive force to move along a coupled guideway and tow a coupled roadway vehicle. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  where the proximal end of each beams attached to the apparatus is lower than the distal end of each beam attached to the vehicle. 
   
   
       16 . An apparatus comprising:
 a guideway coupling structure configured to couple the apparatus to a roadway guideway;   a vehicle engagement structure configured to physically couple the apparatus to a roadway vehicle, and to transmit a force to move a coupled apparatus along the roadway guideway; and   a system configured to yaw the vehicle engagement structure to a determined rotational position.   
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the system is configured to yaw a coupled roadway vehicle to a determined rotational position. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , comprising:
 a sensing unit to determine the rotational position of the vehicle coupling structure;   a rotational position determining unit to determine a desired rotational position about the vehicle engagement structure;   a unit to generate a first signal to a force generation unit, the first signal including an indication to yaw the vehicle engagement structure, and being based at least partially on the desired position determined by the rotational position determining unit; and   the force generation unit to yaw the vehicle engagement structure according to the indication of the first signal.   
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein
 the force generation unit includes an electric motor configured to yaw the vehicle engagement structure in response to the indication of the first signal;   the signal generated by the unit is a voltage; and   the force generation unit is configured to approximately apply said voltage to the electrical motor.   
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , comprising a braking unit to controllably retard the yawing of the vehicle engagement structure. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the apparatus includes at least one joint between the guideway coupling structure and the vehicle engagement structure; and   the system is configured to yaw the vehicle engagement structure by rotating about the at least one joint.   
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , comprising:
 a sensing unit to determine the rotational position about each of the at least one joint;   a rotational position determining unit to determine a desired rotational position about each of the at least one joint;   a unit to generate a first signal to a force generation unit, the first signal including an indication for each of the at least one joint to rotate about each of the at least one joint, and being based at least partially on the desired position determined by the rotational position determining unit; and   the force generation unit is configured to rotate about each of the at least one joint according to the indication of the first signal.   
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein
 the force generation unit includes an electric motor configured to rotate about at least one of the at least one joint in response to the indication of the first signal;   the signal generated by the unit is a voltage; and   the force generation unit is configured to approximately apply said voltage to the electrical motor.   
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , comprising a braking unit to controllably retard rotation about the at least one joint. 
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein the unit is configured to generate a second signal to the braking unit, the second signal including for each of the at least one joint an indication for the braking unit to retard rotation about the joint, the second signal to be based at least partially on the desired position determined by the rotational position determining unit about the joint; and
 the braking unit is configured to retard rotation about the at least one joint in response to the indication of the second signal.   
   
   
       26 . An apparatus comprising:
 a guideway coupling structure configured to physically couple the apparatus to a roadway guideway;   a vehicle engagement structure configured to couple the apparatus to a roadway vehicle, and to transmit a force to move a coupled apparatus along the roadway guideway; and   a unit having at least one joint between the guideway coupling structure and the vehicle engagement structure; and   a system configured to rotate about at least one of the joint.   
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , comprising:
 a sensing unit to determine the rotational position about each of the at least one joint;   a rotational position determining unit to determine a desired rotational position about each of the at least one joint;   a unit to generate a first signal to a force generation unit, the first signal including an indication for each of the at least one joint to rotate about the at least one joint, and being based at least partially on the desired position determined by the rotational position determining unit; and   the force generation unit configured to rotate about the at least one joint according to the indication of the first signal.   
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein
 the force generation unit includes an electric motor configured to rotate about at least one of the at least one joint in response to the indication of the first signal;   the signal generated by the unit is a voltage; and   the force generation unit is configured to approximately apply said voltage to the electrical motor.   
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , comprising a braking unit to controllably retard rotation about the at least one joint 
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 29  wherein:
 the unit is configured to generate a second signal to the braking unit, the second signal including for each of the at least one joint an indication for the braking unit to retard rotation about the joint, the second signal to be based at least partially on the desired position determined by the rotational position determining unit about the joint; and   the braking unit is configured to retard rotation about the at least one joint in response to the indication of the second signal.   
   
   
       31 . A method of operating a vehicle transportation system, the vehicle transportation system configured to tow a coupled vehicle and having a first coupling structure to couple the vehicle transportation system to a guideway such that the vehicle transportation system may move along the guideway, and a second coupling structure to couple the vehicle transportation system to the vehicle, the method comprising:
 sensing the yaw position of the second coupling structure while the vehicle transportation system is towing a coupled vehicle and moving along a coupled guideway;   determining a desired yaw position of the second coupling structure; and   rotating the second coupling structure to the desired yaw position.   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising braking the rotation of the coupling structure at a desired position. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31  wherein said determining is at least partially in response to the rotational position of the second coupling structure and the position of the vehicle transportation system along the guideway.