The invention provides in some aspects a transport system comprising a guideway with a plurality of propulsion coils disposed along a region in which one or more vehicles are to be propelled. One or more vehicles are disposed on the guideway, each including a magnetic flux source. The guideway has one or more running surfaces that support the vehicles and along which they roll or slide. Each vehicle can have a septum portion of narrowed cross-section that is coupled to one or more body portions of the vehicle. The guideway includes a diverge region that has a flipper and an extension of the running surface at a vertex of the diverge. The flipper initiates switching of vehicle direction at a diverge by exerting a laterally directed force thereon. The extension continues switching of vehicle direction at the diverge by contacting the septum. Still other aspects of the invention provide a transport system, e.g., as described above, that includes a merge region with a flipper and a broadened region of the running surface. The flipper applies a lateral force to the vehicle to alter an angle thereof as the vehicle enters the merge region, and the broadened region continues the merge by contacting the septum of the vehicle, thereby, providing further guidance or channeling for the merge. The flipper, which can be equipped for full or partial deployment, is partially deployed in order to effect alteration of the vehicle angle as the vehicle enters the merge.

The invention provides in some aspects a transport system comprising a guideway having a plurality of regions in which one or more vehicles are propelled, where each such vehicle includes a magnet. Disposed along each region are a plurality of propulsion coils, each comprising one or more turns that are disposed about a common axis, such that the respective common axes of the plurality of coils in that region are (i) substantially aligned with one another, and (ii) orthogonal to a direction in which the vehicles are to be propelled in that region. The plurality of coils of at least one such region are disposed on opposing sides of the magnets of vehicles being propelled along that region so as to exert a propulsive force of substance on those magnets. In at least one other region, the plurality of coils disposed on only a single side of the magnets of vehicles being propelled in that region exert a propulsive force of substance thereon—regardless of whether the plurality of coils in that region are disposed on a single or multiple (e.g., opposing sides) of those magnets.

A system includes a phase break input unit, one or more vehicle location detectors, and one or more processors. The phase break input unit is configured to obtain phase break location information indicating a location of a phase break along a route to be traversed by a vehicle. The one or more vehicle location detectors are configured to obtain vehicle location information indicating at least one of location of the vehicle or movement of the vehicle. The one or more processors are configured to determine an estimated arrival time of the vehicle at the phase break using the phase brake location information and the vehicle location information, and send a phase break control signal to a control system of the vehicle responsive to the estimated arrival time satisfying a threshold.

A track switching arrangement for a track-based guided transportation system, wherein the track switching arrangement forms diverging pathways and enables vehicle-side switching of a vehicle in the guided transportation system. The track switching arrangement includes an upstream pathway; two downstream pathways; and a path switching transition region having the diverging pathways between the upstream pathway and the two downstream pathways. Each of the pathways includes track elements configured to interact with one or more respective bearings of the vehicle to provide levitation to the vehicle and/or guidance for the vehicle.

A switch is presented for a magnetically suspended or at least guided vehicle. The switch comprises a fork from a first track segment to a second and third track segment. An elongate conductive module, for example a conductive wire is provided along at least the first track segment and optionally along the second and third track segment. The conductive module comprises conductor segments that guide a current with a directional component substantially parallel the length of the track, at a first surface of the track. With an electromagnet provided on a carriage having a pole directed to the first surface of the track, a Lorentz force may be provided for urging the carriage in a direction perpendicular to the length of the track. This allows a carriage moving along the first track segment to be urged towards the second or third track segment at the other side of the fork.

To provide a semiconductor device signal transmission circuit for drive-control, a method of controlling a semiconductor device signal transmission circuit for drive-control, a semiconductor device, a power conversion device, and an electric system for a railway vehicle capable of preventing malfunction due to noise while speeding up or reducing loss of a switching operation. The semiconductor device signal transmission circuit for drive-control that is connected between a semiconductor device constituting an arm in a power conversion device and a drive circuit configured to drive the semiconductor device, including: an inductor; and an impedance circuit including a switch and connected in parallel with the inductor.

The present disclosure relates to a matrix electromagnetic-suspension system attachable to transportation vehicles. The system comprises a plurality of electromagnetic-suspension modules, each module comprises: an armature; a coil wound on the armature; an adjustable power source connected to the coil, configured to control the intensity of a first magnetic field; and two permanent magnets disposed in contact with the armature, by means of opposite poles, which generate a second magnetic field. The plurality of modules are disposed in a matrix which ensures that the adjacent poles of the permanent magnets of adjacent modules have the same polarity.

The invention relates to a vehicle for transporting a biological sample, the vehicle being movable on a circuit, the circuit comprising: —an input path, a first output path and a second output path, —a turn-off enabling the vehicle travelling on the input path to be redirected to the first output path or the second output path, —a first guide path extending along the input path, the turn-off and the first output path, —a guide device which can be configured in: —a first configuration in which the guide device cooperates with the first guide path so as to direct the vehicle to the first output path when the vehicle passes through the turn-off, —a second configuration in which the guide device does not cooperate with the first guide path, enabling the vehicle to reach the second output path.

A track switching arrangement for a track-based guided transportation system, wherein the track switching arrangement forms diverging pathways and enables vehicle-side switching of a vehicle in the guided transportation system. The track switching arrangement includes an upstream pathway; two downstream pathways; and a path switching transition region having the diverging pathways between the upstream pathway and the two downstream pathways. Each of the pathways includes track elements configured to interact with one or more respective bearings of the vehicle to provide levitation to the vehicle and/or guidance for the vehicle.

Levitation and Propulsion Unit-2 (LPU-2) is a thrust generating device able to generate resultant force to create motion without mass flow and/or momentum exchange. The technology primarily uses electromagnetic energy, permanent magnetic repulsive energy and kinetic energy, to generate internal resultant thrust or motion. This thrust generating device comprises of one or two rapid action enable and high driving force electromagnet moving magnet linear actuators with minimum moving parts. The technology mainly leverages on compression and expansion of compressed repulsive magnetic flux. Through regulation and systematic control of current to each electromagnet, the device is able to generate resultant force or motion without external interaction.