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 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.

A switch arrangement for a track-borne vehicle has at least two articulatedly interconnected switch segments mounted so as to be movable with respect to a base surface. At least one switch segment has a drive. At least two switch segments are interconnected by means of an articulation, which has at least two degrees of rotational freedom. The articulation also or alternatively can have at least one degree of translational freedom, which is optionally formed with at least one additional degree of rotational freedom.

A switch arrangement for a track-borne vehicle has at least two articulatedly interconnected switch segments mounted so as to be movable with respect to a base surface. At least one switch segment has a drive. At least two switch segments are interconnected by means of an articulation, which has at least two degrees of rotational freedom. The articulation also or alternatively can have at least one degree of translational freedom, which is optionally formed with at least one additional degree of rotational freedom.

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 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.

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 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.

The invention relates to a switch (1) of a transport system for a movable transport element (T), where the switch (1) comprises a main track (3) and a secondary track (4) branching off, where the movable transport element (T) can be guided from a transition region (2), in which the secondary track (4) branches off from the main track (3), optionally along the main track (3) or transferred into the secondary track (4), where one or more linear motor sections (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d) are respectively provided at the main track (3) and the secondary track (4) for moving the movable transport element (T), where a normal force is present between the movable transport element (T) and the adjacent linear motor section or the adjacent linear motor sections (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d), characterized in that devices for altering the normal force are provided in the transition region. The invention also relates to a transport system comprising such a switch and a transport element for such a transport system.