A robot system includes a track that extends along an axis between a first location and a second location. The track includes a pair of rails and a power transmitter and a radiating cable each extending along the track. A carriage is configured to convey a robot arm along the track. The carriage includes a plurality of wheels configured to roll along the pair of rails, a motor configured to drive at least one of the wheels along one of the rails, a power collector configured to translate along the power transmitter while maintaining contact with the power transmitter so as to conduct electrical power from the power transmitter to the motor, and a transceiver configured to receive and send electronic information from and to the radiating cable.

The invention provides for a high occupancy or heavy-duty vehicle with a battery propulsion power source, which may include lithium titanate batteries. The vehicle may be all-battery or may be a hybrid, and may have a composite body. The vehicle battery system may be housed within the floor of the vehicle and may have different groupings and arrangements.

A motor vehicle has a control device, a first sensor and a global positioning device. The control device has a control unit and a data memory. At least one item of information about an arrangement of an overhead line is stored on the data memory. The control unit is connected to the first sensor and to the global positioning device. The first sensor determines a position of the overhead line relative to the motor vehicle and provides the control unit with the relative position. The global positioning device determines a global position of the motor vehicle and provides the control unit with it. The control unit, on the basis of the established relative position, the established global position and the information about the arrangement of the overhead line, calculates a position of the motor vehicle.

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.

An apparatus for sensing and optimizing the stopping-point accuracy of a vehicle. The apparatus includes at least one sensor unit, which can be arranged on the vehicle, and at least one evaluation unit connected to the sensor unit. The at least one sensor unit is configured to measure a distance relative to a gap profile arranged at a stopping point to which the vehicle travels and to transmit the measurement result to the evaluation unit connected to the sensor unit. There is also described a corresponding system including the apparatus and the distance profile, and also a vehicle with such an apparatus.

An energy transportation and grid support system utilizes at least one transportable containment module capable of storing thermal or chemical energy typically produced from renewable or geothermal sources and providing connectivity with energy conversion equipment typically located in a land or sea-based operating facility. The system includes circuitry to hookup to an adjacent electricity grid for the provision of grid support and/or piping to move thermal energy typically used to drive steam turbines generating electricity. The operating facility also includes a communication arrangement to link with and exchange operations control data with a grid or heating operator and the energy transportation operator. The invention is directed to both apparatus and method for the energy transportation and grid support system.

The invention relates to a compressor system for a rail vehicle, having: a compressor, a cooling device and a control device or an interface for receiving control signals of a control device, wherein the control device is configured to actuate the cooling device independently of the operation of the compressor, and to be able to provide a variable cooling fluid volumetric flow rate, in particular a cooling air volumetric flow rate, which can be specified by way of the control device as an actuating variable.

A speed control and track change detection device for railways is characterised in that it comprises three high-frequency radar sensors located at the vertices of an imaginary triangle and a digital processing device for processing the signals detected by the radars, wherein in the case of the speed control system, both sensors are located at 1 m distance from each other along the axis of the path of the railway and inspect the ground of the infrastructure 2 cm away from the outside of each rail, and according to the temporal offset of the signals obtained the digital processing device estimates the exact speed of the train.

This rapid descent device comprises a valve comprising two chambers, at least one rub strip fastened to the body of the current-collector bow of the pantograph, intended to come into contact with the overhead wire and equipped with degradation detection circuit, at least one supply line of fluid to the main chamber of the valve, at least one feed line intended to feed this fluid to the pilot chamber of the valve, as well as at least one detection line extending from the pilot chamber of the valve, to feed a respective detection circuit. The rapid descent device comprises means for temporary shut out of the feeding of fluid of the main chamber, which reliably ensures the initial raising of the pantograph until the pantograph comes into contact with the overhead wire.

A system and method generate a trip plan for a trip of a vehicle system along a route. The usage of an engine during the trip is determined based on engine operational parameters, energy storage device operational parameters, and one or more objectives of the trip desired to be achieved. The usage of the energy storage device during the trip is also determined based on the engine operational parameters, the energy storage device operational parameters, and the one or more objective, including when to charge or discharge the energy storage device during the trip.