Vehicle

Abstract

 A vehicle utilized as a model car or a rescue car for a tall building comprises a plurality of wheels running along rails or a track. Each wheel comprises a magnet wheel made up of a disc-shaped permanent magnet and at least one high-permeability magnetic disc adhered to one or both sides of the magnet.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to such vehicle as a locomotive of a train running on rails, a model car, or rescue car for use in tall buildings or the like, and more particularly a vehicle whose tractive force, braking force, climbing force and electric adhesive force are greatly improved.

[0002] Among vehicles running on rails may be mentioned a vehicle requiring a large tractive force such as a traction car. In a prior art traction car, in order to increase the traction force and the braking force, the weight of the car was increased and in order to increase the climbing force sand was sprinkled on the surface of rails to increase the friction between the rails and the wheels of the car. In a model car, tyres made of natural rubber or silicone rubber are mounted about the car wheels for increasing the friction between the wheels and the rails or track to improve the climbing force.

[0003] However, there are limits for the tractive force or climbing force improved by increasing the friction between the car wheels and the rails or track, so that in prior art vehicles it has been difficult to run it along steep rails or track.

[0004] It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved vehicle or car capable of increasing adhesive force to rails by unique utilization of the magnetic force of a magnet, increasing tractive force, braking force and climbing force and improving electric contact characteristic for improving current collecting performance.

[0005] Another object of this invention is to provide a vehicle having an automatic centripetal performance so that the vehicle can stably run on the track without the danger of derailment.

[0006] According to this invention there is provided a vehicle of the type wherein a self-running type carriage having a plurality of running wheels is caused to run - along a track, characterised in that each wheel comprises a magnet wheel made of at least one disc-shaped permanent magnet and at least one high-permeability magnetic disc adhered to one or both sides of the or each magnet.

[0007] Where a pair of permanent magnets are disposed on the opposite sides of a high-permeability magnetic disc, poles of the same polarity are disposed to confront each other so as to decrease leakage flux.

[0008] When the vehicle of this invention is used as a rescue car for a tall building, the car is caused to climb up and down the building by utilizing strong attractive force between the magnet wheels and rails installed along one vertical wall of the building.

[0009] Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a model car embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the internal construction of the model car shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a wheel utilized in the model car shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing one example of a disc-shaped permanent magnet utilized in the wheel;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view for explaining the principle of adhesion of a wheel utilizing a permanent magnet wheel;

Figure 6 is a side view, partly in section, showing a first modification of the wheel;

Figure 7 is a side view, partly in section, showing a second modification of the wheel;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic sectional view useful to explain the principle of adhesion of the wheel shown in Figure 7;

Figures 9 - 11 are diagrammatic sectional views showing still other modifications of the wheel;

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing still another modification of the wheel;

Figure 13 is a graph showing the relation between the air gap and the adhesive force of a permanent magnet;

Figure 14 is a perspective view showing a tall building, utilizing a rescue car embodying the invention; and

Figure 15 is a perspective view showing the rescue car shown in Figure 14.

[0010] Figure 1 shows an application of the vehicle of this invention to a model car 10 having front and rear shafts ' 11 each carrying a pair of wheels 12 rolling along rails 13. The rails 13 are made of high permeability magnetic material, for example steel.

[0011] Driving means such as an electric motor 15 shown in Figure 2 is contained in the casing 14 of the model car 10. The motor 14 is constituted by a stator 16 secured to the casing 14 and a rotor 17 having an integral output shaft 18 concentric therewith. Worm gears are formed on the front and rear ends of the shaft 18 to engage worm wheels 20 secured to shafts 11 for driving wheels 12. The motor 15 is connected to a power source, for example a battery, not shown, through input terminals, current collecting shoes, not shown, and the rails.

[0012] Each wheel 12 of the car 10 is constructed as shown in Figure 3. Thus the wheel 12 is constituted by a disc-shaped permanent magnet 21 sandwiched between magnetic discs 22 and 23 having the same diameter as the permanent magnet 21, these members forming a magnetic wheel. The magnetic discs 22, 23 are made of a magnetic material having a high permeability such as steel.

[0013] One of the magnetic discs 22 and 23 of the wheel 12 is integrally formed with the shaft 11 which projects through the central openings 25 and 26 of the permanent magnet 21 and the other magnetic disc 23. The other magnetic disc 23 is provided with an integral guide flange 27. The weight of the car at the time of running is transmitted to the rails 13 through the magnetic discs 22 and 23. Thus, the car weight is supported by both magnetic discs 22 and 23.

[0014] The disc-shaped magnet 21 can be formed by subjecting ferrite type magnetic material to powder metallurgical technique or injection moulding, or by moulding a mixture of rear earth metal type magnetic material and nylon type resinous material. The latter rare earth metal plastic magnet can produce a strong magnetic force, so that it is suitable for a super power magnet. Where the running wheel 12 has a large diameter, a number of sector-shaped magnets 28 are combined into a single disc-shaped magnet 21A as shown in Figure 4 with their polarities aligned.

[0015] When the wheel 12 is constructed as shown in Figure 3, in other words, when the disc-shaped magnet 21 is sandwiched between the high permeability discs 22 and 23 for forming a laminated magnet wheel, and when this magnet wheel 12 is set on a high-permeability plate 30 (corresponding to a rail) as shown in Figure 5, most of the lines of magnetic force H generated by the N pole of the magnet 21 returning to its S pole after passing through the disc 22, plate 30 and disc 23 thus decreasing stray flux. For this reason, it is possible to obtain an extremely high flux density to increase the attractive force for the plate 30.

[0016] Since the strength of the attractive force is generally proportional to the square of the flux density, as the flux density increases, the attractive force increases greatly, thus proportionally increasing the tractive force, braking force and the climbing force of the carriage 10. Thus, in order to increase the tractive force, etc., it is necessary to increase the flux density and to increase the permeability of the material. For this reason, the magnetic discs and the rail are influenced by their material, thickness and shape. More particularly, where high-permeability material is used, the lines of magnetic flux issued from the N pole of the magnet 21 tend to pass through the high-permeability material rather than through surrounding atmosphere, so that by unique utilization of this tendency, the flux density can be increased.

[0017] In the wheel 12 shown in Figure 3, the magnet wheel 12 constructed by sandwiching disc-shaped magnet 21 between magnetic discs 22 and 23, but the magnetic wheel 12 can be constructed as shown in Figure 6. Thus, after bonding magnetic discs 22 and 23 to the opposite sides of the disc-shaped magnet 21, the assembly is clamped between a clamping disc 32 and a guide flange disc 33 to complete the magnet wheel 12. The clamping disc 32 has a shaft 11 integral therewith and extending through the magnetic discs 22 and 23, and the magnet 21 and is supported by the boss 32 of the guide flange disc 33.

[0018] Further, the wheel 12 may have a laminated construction as shown in Figure 7 in which two disc-shaped magnets 21a and 21b and three magnetic discs 22a, 22b and 22c are alternately laminated. In this case the disc-shaped magnets 21a and 21b are disposed such that their poles of the same polarity oppose each other so as to produce a flux distribution as shown in Figure 8. With this construction, leakage of the flux at both ends of the magnet wheel is small, thereby increasing the attractive force of the respective magnetic discs 22a, 22b and 22c, which in turn increases the adhering efficiency of the magnet wheel.

[0019] According to the constructions shown in Figures 6 and 7, since the external force applied to the wheel 12 borne by the strong magnetic discs 22, 23, or 22a, 22b and 22c, the relatively weak magnet discs 21, or 21a and 21b can be protected.

[0020] Different from the construction shown in Figure 8, when two magnetic discs 21a and 21b are disposed with their poles or the opposite polarities face each other, leakage flux increases so that sufficient attractive force cannot be obtained.

[0021] The construction of the running wheel is not limited to those shown in Figures 3, 6 and 7 but may for instance have constructions diagrammatically shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11.

[0022] Thus, the running wheel 12 shown in Figure 9 is constructed by bonding a magnetic disc 22 to one side of the disc-shaped magnet 21 having the same diameter as the disc 22. With this construction too, most of the magnetic flux issued from the pole of the magnet 21 passes through the high-permeability magnetic disc 22 and the plate 8 to be attracted so that the flux density at the attracting surface can be increased, thereby increasing the attractive force.

[0023] In a modified running wheel 12 shown in Figure 10, a magnetic disc 22 is interposed between a pair of disc-shaped magnets 21a and 21b with their poles of the same polarity opposed each other. With this construction, most of the magnetic flux passing through the magnetic disc 22 is directed to the plate 30 to be attracted, so that the flux density passing through the magnetic disc 22 and the plate 30 increases greatly, thus producing a large attractive force.

[0024] Figure 11 shows a magnet wheel 12 of the sandwich construction in which two magnetic discs 22a and 22b are interposed between three disc-shaped magnets 21a, 21b and 21c having the same diameter as the magnetic discs. In this case too, adjacent magnets are disposed with their poles of the same polarity opposed each other. When magnets 21a, 21b and 21c are disposed in this manner, magnetic discs 22a and 22b function effectively to increase the attractive force of the magnet wheel. More particularly, since adjacent magnets are disposed with their poles of the same polarity opposed each other, the disc-shaped magnets can be laminated in the axial direction so as to increase the attractive efficiency.

[0025] Figure 12 shows the magnet wheel 12 comprising three magnetic discs 22a, 22b and 22c, and two disc-shaped magnets 21a, 21b each interposed between two of the magnetic discs 22a, 22b and 22c. In the magnet wheel 12, the magnetic flux concentrates well at both sides of the magnet wheel 12. Each magnetic disc 22a, 22b and 22c acts effectively on the attraction. Thus the magnet wheel 12 can be put to various uses other than the running wheel.

[0026] The relation between the air gap and the attractive force of a permanent magnet is generally shown by a curve A shown in Figure 13 showing inverse proportionality to square. This curve A shows that as the air gap decreases, the attractive force of the magnet increases greatly. Accordingly when the magnet wheel is used for a running wheel by taking into consideration the curve A showing the relation between the attractive force and the air gap, the tractive force, breaking force and the climbing force of the self-running carriage 10 can be increased greatly. Further the carriage can run not only on the magnet wheels provided on its top surface but also in various manners.

[0027] Figures 14 and 15 show an application of this invention to an elevator car 40 such as a rescue car.

[0028] As shown in Figure 14, electrically insulated rails 42 are installed along the wall surfcace of a tall building 41 such as a hotel or a business office, and the self-running elevator car 40 is moved in the vertical direction along the rails 42. An emergency door 43 is provided for each floor of the tall building, and a door 44 (see Figure 15) is provided for the elevator car 40 to confront the emergency door 43 when the elevator car stops at a given floor-of the building.

[0029] The running of the elevator car 40 is controlled by a control panel 45a installed in the car or a remotely located control panel. A plurality of running wheels 45 are secured to both sides of the elevator car 40. Each of the running wheels 45 comprises a magnet wheel as shown in Figures 3 through 11, so that the magnet wheels attract the rails 42. The respective wheels 45 are driven by geared motors or oil pressure motors 46.

[0030] As shown in Figure 15, an ultrasonic automatic stopping device 47 is provided for the car 40 for detecting the position thereof and for stopping the same. The casing 48 of the elevator car 40 is fabricated with heat resistant fortified walls, and a parachute housing 49 is mounted on the top or bottom surface of the casing 48. A rigid dome is provided for the elevator car 40 to withstand against falling objects. Further, the running wheels 45 are protected against falling objects.

[0031] The elevator car 40 shown in Figure 15 is normally installed on the tall building 41, or carried to be installed on the building at the time of occurrence of an emergency.

[0032] When an emergency occurs, the elevator car 40 is mounted on the rails 42 and the wheels 45 are driven by suitable sources of drive to run the elevator car 40 in the vertical direction under the control of the control panel 45a or the like to rescue people who failed to escape safely.

[0033] Although in the foregoing embodiments the invention is applied to a model car and an elevator car, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to these applications and that the invention is also applicable to railway cars, material carrying cars, or a special car such as a car running beneath an elevated highway in which rails are secured to the lower surface of a floor of the highway and magnet wheels of this invention are mounted on the roof of a car.

[0034] Further it should be understood that the number of the disc-shaped magnets is not limited to 1 - 3, but the number may be increased to 4 or more. The diameter of the disc-shaped magnets can be made smaller than that of the magnetic discs. Where rails are constructed as racks, gear teeth are formed about the periphery of the magnetic discs.

[0035] As above described, in the running wheel of this invention, since a magnet wheel is constituted by a disc-shaped permanent magnet, and one or more high-permeability magnetic discs adhered to the magnet, the magnet wheel can increase the attractive force to the track or rail, whereby it is possible to produce a large tractive force and a braking force without using specific measures such as a sand sprinkle device, a heavy construction of a locomotive, increase in the weight of a model car, rubber tyres or the like. The wheel of this invention can not only increase the attractive force but also increase the climbing force in proportion to the attractive force. Accordingly it is possible to run a car equipped with wheels of this invention along rails installed at a steep angle or in the vertical direction. When a large attractive force is given, the car can be moved on magnet wheels of this invention mounted on its top surface.

[0036] Moreover, as the centre of the magnetic force of the disc-shaped magnet is always maintained at a position to create a pulling force between it and the central portion of the track or rails, the so-called centripetal force is created, whereby the can can be automatically restored to the original position, which is effective to prevent derailment or lateral displacement of the car.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising a carriage having a plurality of running wheels arranged to run along a track, characterised in that each of said wheels comprises a magnet wheel made of at least one disc-shaped permanent magnet and at least one high-permeability magnetic disc adhered to one or both sides of the or each said magnet.

2. The vehicle according to Claim 1, wherein said magnetic disc is made of an iron plate or a steel plate and has the same or a little larger diameter than said magnet.

3. The vehicle according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of said magnets and said magnetic discs are laminated alternately.

4. The vehicle according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein a pair of said magnets are adhered to the opposite sides of a magnetic disc, with the poles of the same polarity of said magnets opposed each other.

5. The vehicle according to any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein said vehicle comprises a model car driven by an electric motor for driving four wheels running along spaced rails.

6. The vehicle according to any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein said vehicle comprises a rescue car running along rails installed along a vertical wall of a building.

7. The vehicle according to Claim 6, wherein said rescue car is provided with a door aligning with emergency doors of the respective floors of said building.

8. The vehicle according to Claim 6 or 7, wherein said rescue car comprises a plurality of wheels on both sides running along said rails, each wheel comprising a disc-shaped permanent magnet and at least one high-permeability magnetic disc.

9. The vehicle according to Claim 1, wherein said wheel comprises a disc-shaped permanent magnet, a pair of high-permeability magnetic discs on the opposite sides of said magnet, and a clamping disc and a guide flange disc clamping said magnet and magnetic discs therebetween, said guide flange disc being provided with a boss, and said clamping disc being provided with a central shaft extending through the central openings of said magnet and said magnetic discs and through said boss.

10. A wheel comprising at least one disc-shaped permanent magnet and at least one high-permeability magnetic disc adhered to one or both sides of the or each said magnet.

Drawing