A method of monitoring tube integrity of a high-speed transportation system. The high-speed transportation system includes at least one tube structure having at least one track, at least one capsule configured for travel through the at least one tube structure between a plurality of stations, a propulsion system adapted to propel the at least one capsule through the structure, and a levitation system adapted to levitate the capsule within the structure. The tube structure is maintained as a low-pressure environment. The method includes directing a vehicle having at least one sensor along a tube path; and detecting a plume of air leaked from the low-pressure environment using the at least one sensor.

Magnetic levitation can be used for transportation purposes. In various embodiments, the vehicle utilizing magnetic levitation can be enclosed within a tube or a tunnel or outside of an enclosed environment. Various cross-sections of vehicles and tubes can be utilized. In various embodiments, the vehicles can be used for personal or mass transportation use. The vehicle can travel in at least two directions with a window at each end of the vehicle.

A wire supporting structure supporting an electric wire extending between a bogie and a carbody in a railcar includes: a support supported by the carbody and including a fitted portion; a carbody-side coupling device supported by the carbody; an electric wire connected to an electrical apparatus of the bogie; an electric wire-side coupling device provided at a tip end of the electric wire and connected to the carbody-side coupling device; and a bracket connected to a part of the electric wire, the part being located close to the electric wire-side coupling device, the bracket including a fitting portion fitted to the fitted portion of the support, the bracket being supported by the support with the fitting portion fitted in the fitted portion.

An off-shore port system includes a land-based port infrastructure area, an off-shore cargo ship docking area located in a body of water, and a transportation system having at least one tube connecting the land-based port infrastructure area and the off-shore cargo ship docking area.

Drive coils in sections of a linear motor track that are normally used to electromagnetically propel movers along the track when such movers are nearby can be used to generate a mid-bus voltage for the section when not being used to propel movers. Such drive coils not being used to propel movers are considered idle and available for mid-bus voltage generation. The mid-bus voltage, and a full-bus voltage from which the mid-bus voltage is derived, in turn, can be applied across other drive coils that are near movers with varying polarities and magnitudes to propel movers along the track. Track sensors can be positioned along the track to detect presences or absences of movers with respect to drive coils for determining propulsion of such movers or generation of the mid-bus voltage. Accordingly, power supplies can be used more efficiently by not requiring them to generate mid-bus voltages in addition to full-bus voltages and DC references.

A conveying system includes at least one guide unit and a carrier. The guide unit includes a traveling surface, at least one guide rail, and a magnetic member formed of a soft magnetic material and including a plurality of salient poles aligned along a conveying path. The carrier includes at least one roller coming in contact with the guide rail from a side direction, at least one wheel coming in contact with the traveling surface, and a plurality of coils provided to overlap with the magnetic member in plan view, and configured to generate thrust along the conveying path and attraction toward the magnetic member by generating a moving magnetic field acting on the magnetic member in accordance with supply of power.

A conveying system includes at least one guide unit and a carrier. The guide unit includes a traveling surface, at least one guide rail, and a magnetic member formed of a soft magnetic material and including a plurality of salient poles aligned along a conveying path. The carrier includes at least one roller coming in contact with the guide rail from a side direction, at least one wheel coming in contact with the traveling surface, and a plurality of coils provided to overlap with the magnetic member in plan view, and configured to generate thrust along the conveying path and attraction toward the magnetic member by generating a moving magnetic field acting on the magnetic member in accordance with supply of power.

A transport system comprising linear motor modules utilized both straight and curved track modules, with movers displaced on the track modules by control of power applied to coils of the modules. Curved track modules have modified spline geometries to provide desired acceleration and jerk characteristics. The modified spline geometries may be defined by more than one generators, such as an equation generator and a spline fit between the equation-generated segment and one or more constrained points or locations. The curved track modules may be divided into 180 degree modules, or may be reduced to 90 degree, 45 degree or other fractional arcs to provide for modular assembly, mirror-image geometries and motion profiles, and the like. The system may be adapted to provide improved motion characteristics based on modification of a conventional spline geometry.

An electrical machine has a braking element and a release device. A rotor of the electrical machine includes the braking element and release device. The electrical machine is located, for example, in a rail vehicle. In order to brake the rotor of the electrical machine in the event of an error in the drive train, an overload torque is generated by the electrical machine. An overload clutch is triggered by the overload torque.

An electrical machine has a braking element and a release device. A rotor of the electrical machine includes the braking element and release device. The electrical machine is located, for example, in a rail vehicle. In order to brake the rotor of the electrical machine in the event of an error in the drive train, an overload torque is generated by the electrical machine. An overload clutch is triggered by the overload torque.