NON-CONTACT RADIAL SYNCHRONIZATION
A wheel, a magnet-wheel system and a method including a wheel for a transport vehicle movable along a guideway in a transportation system. The transportation system includes a conductive surface arranged substantially parallel to the guideway. The wheel includes at least one magnet is affixed to at least one of an exterior of the wheel or an interior of the wheel. The wheel is rotatably drivable by drag forces created in the conductive surface, which is spatially separate from the wheel in transport.
1 . A wheel for a transport vehicle movable along a guideway in a transportation system, wherein the transportation system comprises a conductive surface arranged substantially parallel to the guideway, the wheel comprising:
at least one magnet affixed to at least one of an exterior of the wheel or an interior of the wheel,
wherein the wheel is rotatably drivable by drag forces created in the conductive surface, which is spatially separate from the wheel in transport.
2 . The wheel according to claim 1 , further comprising a wheel running surface defining an outer periphery,
wherein the at least one magnet is affixed to an interior circumference of the wheel running surface.
3 . The wheel according to claim 2 , wherein the wheel running surface comprises a non-magnetic material.
4 . The wheel according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a plurality of magnets distributed around the interior circumference of the wheel running surface.
5 . The wheel according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one magnet is affixed to an inner or outer side of wheel in a region of the outer periphery.
6 . The wheel according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a plurality of magnets distributed around the inner or outer side of the wheel in the region of the outer periphery.
7 . The wheel according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a permanent magnet or an electromagnet.
8 . A wheel-magnet system for a transport vehicle in a transportation system, the transportation system including a guideway along which the transport vehicle is movable and a track transported over a guideway, the wheel-magnet system comprising:
a wheel;
at least one magnet affixed to at least one of an exterior of the wheel or an interior of the wheel,
wherein the wheel, which is spatially separated from the track in transport, is rotatably drivable by drag forces created by Eddy currents induced in the track.
9 . The wheel-magnet system according to claim 8 , wherein the wheel further comprises a wheel running surface defining an outer periphery,
wherein the at least one magnet is affixed to an interior circumference of the wheel running surface.
10 . The wheel-magnet system according to claim 9 , wherein the wheel running surface comprises a non-magnetic material.
11 . The wheel-magnet system according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a plurality of magnets distributed around the interior circumference of the wheel running surface.
12 . The wheel-magnet system according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one magnet is affixed to an inner or outer side of wheel in a region of the outer periphery.
13 . The wheel-magnet system according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one magnet comprises a plurality of magnets distributed around the inner or outer side of the wheel in the region of the outer periphery.
14 . The wheel-magnet system according to claim 8 , which is a passive system configured to rotate the wheels at a speed corresponding to a transport speed of the transport vehicle along the guideway.
15 . The wheel-magnet system according to claim 8 , wherein the transport vehicle is guided along the guideway via magnetic coupling, and, while in transport, the wheel running surfaces of wheels are spatially separated from the track by a distance of 50 mm or less.
16 . A method for performing a touchdown event for a transport vehicle moving along a guideway, wherein wheels of the moving transport vehicle include at least one affixed magnet and are spatially separated from tracks on which the wheels roll after the touchdown event, the method comprising:
inducing Eddy currents in the tracks via the least one magnet affixed to the wheels, whereby drag is created to impart a rotational force on the wheels; and
lowering the wheels into contact with the tracks.
17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one magnet is affixed to at least one of an exterior of the wheel or an interior of the wheel.
18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the wheel further comprises a wheel running surface defining an outer periphery, and the at least one magnet is affixed to an interior circumference of the wheel running surface.
19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one magnet is affixed to an inner or outer side of wheel in a region of the outer periphery.
20 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the wheels form a passive system to match the rotational speed of the wheels to the moving speed of the transport vehicle along the guideway.