Patents Examined by Zachary L Kuhfuss
  • Patent number: 10933894
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system for non-stop high-speed rail transportation having a high-speed rail car with a movable cabin, and a high-speed rail shuttle reaching a speed equivalent to that of the high-speed rail car. The system also includes a mechanical coupling between the high-speed rail car and the high-speed rail shuttle, and a transfer platform system supporting a transfer of the movable cabin from the high-speed rail car to the high-speed rail shuttle. The present disclosure is also directed to a method of non-stop high-speed rail transportation including operating a high-speed rail car at a high-speed and a high-speed rail shuttle at the high-speed alongside the high-speed rail car. The method also includes coupling the high-speed rail car to the high-speed rail shuttle, transferring a movable cabin from the high-speed rail car to the high-speed rail shuttle, and decoupling the high-speed rail shuttle from the high-speed rail shuttle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Inventor: Mircea Toma
  • Patent number: 10938338
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for conveying an assembly along a track. A rail can include a first planar side, a second planar side, and a third planar side. The first, second, and third planar sides can be arranged to form at least two acute angles. A carriage assembly can include a drive wheel and at least two roller sets. The drive wheel can be configured to contact the first planar side and is configured to translate the carriage assembly along the rail. The at least two roller sets can be configured to contact the two other sides to maintain the carriage in contact with the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Georg Eitelhuber
  • Patent number: 10927518
    Abstract: A system for remotely controlling third rail ribbon heaters is provided for preventing the accumulation of ice and snow on the rails. The system includes a plurality of switching assemblies that control a flow of electric current from the third rail of a railway to ribbon heaters mounted on the third rail. A remotely located digital controller provides switching commands to the switching assemblies via a radio link. The switching assemblies include current and voltage sensors that continuously provide current and voltage information that allows the digital controller to accurately predict when a heater failure condition is likely to occur so that ribbon heaters may be preemptively and safely replaced before failure. Each of the switching assemblies is contained in a junction box that includes both a door panel and a safety switch that disconnects the switching assembly from third rail current when the door panel is opened for improved safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: M.C. DEAN INC.
    Inventor: Walter Krohn
  • Patent number: 10919550
    Abstract: A method for determining the position of a track-guided vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle, includes readjusting a distance measuring device on the vehicle for obtaining position-determining distance measurement values based on position marker information available at position markers on the track, wherein the position marker information is captured by a position marker information recorder connected to the distance measuring device. In order to be able to carry out an exact determination of the position of a track-guided vehicle in a comparatively simple way, the position marker information of the same position marker is detected again by a further position marker information recorder being offset relative to the first position marker information recorder in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a generation of further position-determining distance measurement values is initiated. A positioning device for determining the position of a track-guided vehicle is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Mobility GmbH
    Inventors: Florian Haedicke, Andreas Steingroever, Steffen Ueckert
  • Patent number: 10919544
    Abstract: A safety control system and a method configured for interlocking a Mechanical Gap Filler (hereafter MGF) with both a Platform Screen Door (PSD) and a Guided Vehicle Door (GVD) of a guided vehicle at standstill. The system is disposed along a platform in order to secure the exchange between the platform and a guided vehicle at standstill along the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Mobility GmbH
    Inventors: Andre Marco, Steffen Ueckert
  • Patent number: 10914417
    Abstract: A robotic apparatus comprising first, second, and third wheel assemblies, and a clamping mechanism configured to apply a force for urging the second wheel and the third wheel to pivot in opposing directions towards a plane of the first wheel for securing the first wheel, the second wheel, and the third wheel to the pipe, each wheel assembly including an alignment mechanism for adjusting an orientation of the wheels to allow the robotic apparatus to move along a straight path or a helical path on the pipe. A method for navigating an obstacle on a pipe comprising advancing the robotic apparatus along a helical pathway on the pipe to position an open side of the robotic apparatus in longitudinal alignment with the obstacle, and advancing the robotic apparatus along a straight pathway on the pipe such that the obstacle passes unobstructed through the open side of the robotic apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: ARIX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Karl Petter Wehlin, Bryan R. Duerfeldt, Dianna D. Liu, Gary E. van Deursen, Timothy D. Foldy-Porto
  • Patent number: 10913638
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a device for fixing a gantry crane rail in a factory building and a gantry crane system using the same. The device comprises a main body, which comprises a top portion, a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The top portion is fixed to a bottom surface of a beam of the factory building, and the first surface and the second surface are substantially parallel to the crane rail. The device further comprises a first protruded support positioned on the first surface and a second protruded support positioned on the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: RUENTEX ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTON, CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Samuel Yin, Pin-Pin Teng
  • Patent number: 10907737
    Abstract: A locomotive sanding system is described for conveying sand from a sand tower to a sand box mounted on a locomotive. The invention is designed to prevent personnel from being subjected to sand and sand dust during the sand box being filled with sand from the sand tower. The system includes a universal sealing nozzle which may be used with the locomotive sanding system or other devices. The universal sealing nozzle includes an expansion seal extending therearound which may be moved from a retracted position to an expanded position. When the nozzle is inserted into the fill pipe of the sand box, the expansion seal is expanded to sealably engage the inside surface of the fill pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventors: Mark G. Keffeler, David P. Keffeler
  • Patent number: 10906566
    Abstract: A running gear for a rail vehicle includes a front and a rear wheel sets, each provided with left and right wheels. A passive hydraulic wheel set steering system includes a control valve hydraulically connected to hydro-mechanical converters for converting motion of each of the wheels towards and away from the median transverse vertical plane. The control valve is movable between a first position in which the front left and right hydro-mechanical converter assemblies are disconnected from the rear left and right hydro-mechanical converter assemblies, and a second position in which each of the front left and right hydro-mechanical converter assemblies is connected to at least a respective one of the rear left and right hydro-mechanical converter assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventors: Jani Dede, Volker Brundisch
  • Patent number: 10899368
    Abstract: In a method for producing different rail variants from an assembly set, and system having a vehicle which is movable on a rail part, the assembly set includes a rail profile part and two different reactive components, and the rail profile part includes an interface at which one of the different reactive components is optionally able to be connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: SEW-EURODRIVE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Josef Schmidt, Ralf Berger, Markus Thome
  • Patent number: 10899374
    Abstract: A video analytic sensor system and methods for sensing an operating state of a railroad crossing gate processes images to detect and communicate railroad crossing gate position information to non-railroad systems such as vehicular traffic control systems. The sensor system may be retrofit to existing railroad crossing gates and does not require modification to or direct connection with existing railroad systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: THE ISLAND RADAR COMPANY
    Inventor: Thomas N. Hilleary
  • Patent number: 10895042
    Abstract: A monoblock concrete crosstie for railway tracks that achieves a high performance in operation includes a steel structure that is formed from ultra-resistant high strength steel plates embedded in a concrete element and having pre-stressed cold rolled wires with ends that form button head knots which are anchored to the steel plates. The crosstie includes rail seats with a convex channeled formation that is mateable with an extending member of a faceplate wherein the railseat has a width less than the width of the faceplate, and a center of the face plate has a first distance from a center of the concrete element and a center of the rails seat has a second distance from the center of the concrete element, the first distance greater than the second distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Inventor: Mauricio Javier Gutierrez Romero
  • Patent number: 10895043
    Abstract: A track includes a travel path including a travel face with which travel wheels of a vehicle come into contact while rolling. The travel path includes a plurality of travel path forming units that are arranged to be adjacent to each other in a travel direction of the vehicle and of which each includes a unit travel face forming part of the travel face and a positioning unit that fixes a relative position between travel path forming units adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINEERING, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Asanoma, Yukihide Yanobu, Hiroyuki Kono, Koji Uchida, Akihisa Kawauchi, Yoshinobu Murakami, Yasuyuki Mukai
  • Patent number: 10875555
    Abstract: An energy supply device for a switch machine is configured to be fed a direct voltage and to provide an alternating voltage suitable for the switch machine. Accordingly, in order to be able to produce a railway switch more economically, the energy supply device is configured to control the switch machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Mobility GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Bienek, Philip Fosu Okyere
  • Patent number: 10864923
    Abstract: A single pole aerial tramway apparatus carries multiple cycles in an upright position along the path of overhead cables from an aerial tramway. A single, bowed pole supports a multi-cycle support assembly on which multiple cycles are mounted. The bowed pole has a medial region that arcs distally from the cycles, so as to create additional space for loading and carrying the cycles. A bracket forms a junction point that detachably connects a pole cable end of the bowed pole to a cable extension member from the cable. The bracket may be hinged to enable the pole to sway to reduce mechanical stress. A multi-cycle support assembly attaches to the pole cycle end. A primary stabilization bar and a secondary stabilization bar carry and balance the multi-cycle support assembly. Cycle racks set on the stabilization bars receive the cycles in a front tire depression and a rear tire brace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Inventor: Kelly J. Deason
  • Patent number: 10858017
    Abstract: A method of controlling a vehicle to soft-land at a target destination includes: determining a terminal set, which is a set of system states of the vehicle under which the vehicle will converge to a target set under constant zero control input; determining a sequence of polytopes, each polytope being an approximation of a backward reachable set of system states of the vehicle; and controlling the vehicle to reach the destination based on the determined polytopes. The method may be performed by one or more controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventor: Donglei Fan
  • Patent number: 10858019
    Abstract: A device attached to a railcar of a train is provided. The device comprises a radio frequency (RF) transceiver to transmit and receive a RF signal. The device includes a RF modem configured to convert the received RF signal into a low frequency (LF) analog signal. The device includes a digital signal processor to process the LF signal. The digital signal processor includes a phase detector, a loop filter, and a digitally controlled oscillator. The phase detector compares the LF signal and a reference signal to generate an error signal. The phase detector also determines a state of the digital signal processor, the state being one of a lock state or an out of lock state. Further, the phase detector detects an event that the RF signal is lost and generate a loss signal. The loop filter filters the error signal and generates an error control signal. The digitally controlled oscillator generates the reference signal based on the error control signal, the state, and the loss signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Progress Rail Services Corporation
    Inventor: George E. Toth
  • Patent number: 10858015
    Abstract: A rail vehicle includes a car body having both a passenger space and a stowage space that is provided with a controller and at least one station for accommodating light electric vehicles. The stations have a chassis, a holding structure, a locking mechanism, and a power outlet. The holding structure can hold the light electric vehicle stationary. The locking mechanism can retain the light electric vehicle in the holding structure. The power outlet can deliver electrical power to a battery of the light electric vehicle when the light electric vehicle is secured in the holding structure and connected to the power outlet. The power outlet can be connected to an electrical power network of the rail vehicle. The controller can selectively send a release signal to the locking mechanism, so as to release the locking mechanism, and to selectively operate the power outlet so as to deliver the electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventor: BenoƮt Lery
  • Patent number: 10843095
    Abstract: A kit for assembling a modular toy race track. The kit includes at least one generally U-shaped straight-track segment formed of folded paperboard, at least one generally U-shaped curved-track segment formed of molded plastic and at least one track connections formed of molded plastic for interconnecting a pair of track segments to form a raceway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Inventor: Steven Paperno
  • Patent number: 10843716
    Abstract: A distributed interlocking device, architecture and process are disclosed, and are based on segregating vital logic for a signal installation by type of signal equipment. A plurality of intelligent signal devices is disclosed, wherein each intelligent signal device is used to control a basic signal unit. A signal unit includes a set of signal apparatuses that are geographically and logically interrelated. An intelligent signal device receives data related to the states of other signal devices, determines and controls its own operational states, and communicates its own operational states to other devices. A generic intelligent signal device is also disclosed. Further, a plurality of new concepts, and signal control functions are provided, and include a vital change management process, and a failure recovery scheme based on dynamic reconfiguration of home and distant control functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Mobility, Inc.
    Inventor: Nabil Ghaly