UNDERGROUND DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF GOODS IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

Underground distribution system for the distribution of goods in an urban environment including at least one micro-tunnel forming at least one loop, extending under the foundations of preexisting surface buildings and/or infrastructures, in which goods, the transportation of which is automated, circulate, and a plurality of exchange stations exchanging with the surface, each including a shaft allowing goods to be lowered down to the micro-tunnel and raised back up after they have been transported within the micro-tunnel.

Claims

1. An underground distribution system for the distribution of goods in an urban environment, comprising: at least one micro-tunnel forming at least one loop, extending under the foundations of preexisting surface buildings and/or infrastructures at a depth of at least 20 m, in which goods, the transportation of which is automated, circulate unidirectionally, a plurality of exchange stations exchanging with the surface, situated on the loop, each comprising a shaft allowing goods to be lowered down to the micro-tunnel and raised back up after they have been transported within the micro-tunnel, at least one ordering station for ordering the goods to be injected into the loop and to be distributed by means of the exchange stations situated on the loop, which ordering station is connected by at least one two-directional transport line to the loop.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, the goods being contained in loading units.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, the exchange stations being configured to transport a plurality of loading units simultaneously to the surface or the micro-tunnel.

4. The system as claimed in claim 2, the exchange stations comprising means for transporting the loading units in a loop between the micro-tunnel and the surface.

5. The system as claimed in claim 2, at least one exchange station being configured to store loading units while they are awaiting a surface pick-up of the goods they transport, the storage being within the corresponding shaft or at the surface.

6. The system as claimed in claim 2, comprising shuttles for transporting the loading units, circulating in the micro-tunnel.

7. The system as claimed in claim 2, the loading units being self propelled so that they can move autonomously in the micro-tunnel.

8. The system as claimed in claim 6, the shuttles being fitted with batteries so that they can be powered autonomously.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8, the shuttles being recharged during their journey by discrete or linear recharging terminals.

10. (canceled)

11. The system as claimed in claim 6, the shuttles having, in cross section, an overall shape that at least partially mirrors that of the micro-tunnel.

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. The system as claimed in claim 1, the micro-tunnel comprising sections assembled one after the other, of a length of between 2.5 and 3.5 m, and with a wall thickness of between 150 and 500 mm, preferably and configured to withstand a boring thrust of at least 500 metric tons.

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. The system as claimed in claim 1, a largest interior dimension of the micro-tunnel, in cross section, being comprised between 1.5 m and 4 m.

18. The system as claimed in claim 1, the micro-tunnel being buried to a depth greater than or equal to 30 m.

19. (canceled)

20. The system as claimed in claim 6, comprising, at the exchange stations a system for unloading and/or loading the shuttles.

21. The system as claimed in claim 1, the shaft of at least one of the exchange stations being sufficiently dimensioned to act as a working shaft when boring the micro-tunnel using a micro-tunneling technique.

22. The system as claimed in claim 6, equipped with a system for regulating the transport of the shuttles without overall flow management intelligence, each loading unit and/or its transport shuttle being fitted with at least one sensor that allows a previous loading unit and/or a shuttle and the exchange stations to be located, allowing the shuttles to regulate their speed according to the weight of traffic, to stop at the exchange stations, and potentially to push a broken-down vehicle in order to bring it out of the micro-tunnel loop.

23. The system as claimed in claim 6, the shuttles being hauled by at least one cable within the micro-tunnel.

24. The system as claimed in claim 17, the cable running between two ends of a section of the loop formed by the micro-tunnel, these ends being situated at exchange stations exchanging with the surface.

25. The system as claimed in claim 17, the shuttles being configured to pass, during their journey within the loop formed by the micro-tunnel, from a first section of loop in which they are moved by a first cable to a second section of loop where they are moved by a second cable different than the first, the transfer from the first section to the second taking place within an exchange station.

26. The system as claimed in claim 6, each exchange station being configured to unload a shuttle arriving at the exchange station of at least some of its content which has reached its destination, and to raise this content back up to the surface.

27. The system as claimed in claim 1, the goods to be transported being packaged on pallets or in containers.

28. The system as claimed in claim 6, at least one exchange station comprising a mechanism for transporting a portion of track bearing a shuttle between a position for receiving a new shuttle coming from the transport loop, in which position the portion of track runs in the continuation of the track extending in the micro-tunnel, and a position of switching to a loading/unloading track, which allows one or more loading units transported by the shuttle to be unloaded to a lift or allows the shuttle to receive one or more new loading units to transport.

29. The system as claimed in claim 1, at least one exchange station connecting two sections of the micro-tunnel forming the loop which are oriented in different directions that make a non-zero angle between them.

30. The system as claimed in claim 23, said sections being straight.

31. The system as claimed in claim 6, at least one exchange station comprising a turntable bearing a mobile portion of track on which at least one shuttle may position itself, the turntable being able to adopt a position in which the mobile track aligns with a track for bringing in shuttles, and a position in which said mobile track aligns with the track of the next section of micro-tunnel that is to be navigated.

32-36. (canceled)

37. The system as claimed in claim 1, the transport line comprising a tunnel in which loading units or shuttles circulate two-directionally, or two micro-tunnels in which the loadings units or shuttles circulate in opposite directions.

38. A method for distributing goods in an urban environment using a system as defined in claim 1, comprising: a) bringing goods to an exchange station by a surface means of transport, b) lowering the goods down to the micro-tunnel, c) circulating the goods in the micro-tunnel as far as another exchange station exchanging with the surface, d) raising the goods back up to the surface.

39. The method as claimed in claim 38, further comprising: picking up the goods, delivering the goods to a consignee.

40. The method as claimed in claim 39, the loading unit remaining contained at the exchange station without being raised back up to the surface, while it awaits a request to pick up goods contained therein.

41. The method as claimed in one of claim 38, in which the goods circulate unidirectionally in the micro-tunnel.

42. The method as claimed in claim 38, the goods being injected into the transport loop predominantly via said transport line.

Description

[0089] The invention may be better understood from reading the detailed description which follows, of one nonlimiting exemplary embodiment thereof, and from studying the attached drawing, in which:

[0090] FIG. 1 very schematically shows a view from above of the path followed by the transport loop in one exemplary embodiment of the invention,

[0091] FIG. 2 is a vertical section through the system according to the invention, in the heart of the city,

[0092] FIG. 3 schematically and partially depicts one example of an exchange station exchanging with the surface,

[0093] FIG. 4 schematically and partially depicts an example of a container,

[0094] FIG. 5 schematically and partially depicts, in cross section, an example of an assembly of shuttle and container, traveling in the micro-tunnel,

[0095] FIG. 6 depicts schematically and into perspective one example of an exchange station connecting two sections of the transport loop,

[0096] FIG. 7 depicts an alternative form of exchange station, and

[0097] FIG. 8 depicts, schematically, an alternative form of transport loop.

[0098] The system 1 according to the invention, depicted in the figures, comprises a micro-tunnel 2 which forms a transport loop 7 extending at least partially under a dense urban environment M constituting the heart of a city and comprising, as can be seen in FIG. 2 surface buildings B and buried infrastructures I under which the micro-tunnel 2 extends. The latter is designed to allow the automated transport of goods present in loading units such as containers 3.

[0099] The system 1 comprises exchange stations 4 allowing goods to be lowered from and raised back up to the surface, these exchange stations 4 being arranged along the transport loop 7 so as to allow goods to be routed to various zones Z of the city for local distribution.

[0100] The system 1 also comprises exchange stations 6 at which the ordering of the goods may take place, which ordering activities are scheduled to be performed away from the urban environment M, on the outskirts of the city, so as to make the goods easier to bring in and carry away by surface transport means 8 such as trucks. These exchange stations 6 are also referred to as ordering stations.

[0101] Each exchange station 4 or 6 comprises a shaft 10 within which there extends a system 11 for transporting the loading units, notably containers 3, between the surface and the micro-tunnel 2.

[0102] This system 11 comprises for example a mechanism that allows the loading units 3 to circulate in a loop, these units being, for example, coupled or otherwise fixed to gondolas 12 while they are being transported in the shaft 10.

[0103] An automated system 14 may be provided at the bottom of the shaft to extract the loading units 3 from the micro-tunnel 2 and load onto the transport system 11, coming and placing the loading units 3 in the gondolas 12. Likewise, a robotic system 15 is provided at the surface in order to extract the loading units 3 or the goods contained therein and allow them to be picked up at the surface.

[0104] The loading units 3 may be self-propelled containers or, as an alternative, may be carried by transport shuttles 17 which circulate unidirectionally in the micro-tunnel 2.

[0105] For preference, as illustrated in FIG. 5, these transport shuttles 17 have a cross-sectional shape which generally mirrors that of the micro-tunnel 2 so as to optimize occupancy of the cross section of the micro-tunnel. Thus, the shuttles 17 may, as illustrated, have a cradle 19 which accepts at least one container 3. The latter preferably then, as illustrated, has a circular cross section concentric with the micro-tunnel 2.

[0106] The shuttle 17 preferably comprises a mechanism that allows it to center itself in the bottom part of the micro-tunnel, for example by altering the angle between the axes of rotation of the wheels 18 of the shuttle which rest against the wall of the micro-tunnel.

[0107] The system 1 may be used as follows, in one exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0108] The containers 3 loaded with the goods are carried by surface transport means 8 to at least one of the exchange stations 6 situated on the outskirts of or outside the city. The containers are then lowered to the micro-tunnel 2. Each container 3 is then transported as far as the exchange station at which at least some of the goods transported need to be delivered, then raised back up to the surface. After these goods have been picked up, the container 3 is lowered back down as far as the micro-tunnel 2 to continue on its round. If necessary, the container 3 is stored at the exchange station awaiting, for example, a surface pickup request.

[0109] When one or more containers are stored in the exchange station, the raising or lowering of a container from the micro-tunnel 2 to and from the surface may be accompanied by a movement of all the other containers.

[0110] Of course, the invention is not restricted to this example.

[0111] In particular, the shape of the containers may be modified, and notably they may be given any shape suited to being transported by surface vehicles and within the micro-tunnel. The goods may also be transported without being containerized.

[0112] The means used to allow the loading units to be moved between the micro-tunnel and the surface may be modified and it is notably possible to envisage one or more lifts that raise or lower one or more loading unit(s).

[0113] The storage of the loading units, notably of the containers, may be performed elsewhere than in the shafts of the exchange stations, for example in one or more depots on the surface or buried to a shallow depth, present for example at the exchange stations 6 in the outskirts.

[0114] Other examples of exchange stations 4 and of the transport system according to the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

[0115] The exchange station 4 in the example of FIG. 6 connects a first section 107a of the transport loop 7 to a second section 107b which is aligned with the first in this example.

[0116] The goods in this example are packaged on pallets within loading units 3.

[0117] The loading units 3 are transported by shuttles 17 which run on rails 40 within the micro-tunnel sections of the transport loop.

[0118] Cable haulage mechanisms 42 are provided for moving the shuttles 17 along the various sections 107 of the transport loop.

[0119] The shuttles 17 comprise a disengageable clamp device which engages with the hauling cable, in a similar way to the mechanisms present on disengageable ski lifts and chair lifts.

[0120] Devices 70 and 80 are provided to respectively perform progressive slowing on arrival at the station 4 and progressive acceleration on leaving the station, using an auxiliary drive system.

[0121] In the example of FIG. 6, the slowing device 70 comprises for example rollers which apply increasing friction to the shuttles 17 as they near the station 4 so as to slow them down as far as the zone at which cable haulage ceases. Each shuttle is then taken over by a conveyor, for example by rollers, which drive it past a system 50 that loads/unloads the loading units 3.

[0122] This system 50 may comprise a roller conveyor 51 for transporting the loading units 3 past the entrance to a lift 60 which allows the loading units 3 to be carried to the surface. The lift may be a two-compartment goods lift, one compartment for example being used to collect the loading units 3 unloaded by the shuttles 17 and the other to receive loading units 3 sent down from the surface and load them onto the shuttles 17, as illustrated.

[0123] Next, the shuttles 17 leave the station 4 being progressively accelerated by the device 80 which allows the shuttles 17 to reach the speed of the haulage cable so as to be driven thereby.

[0124] In the alternative form of FIG. 7, the micro-tunnel sections 107a and 107b make an angle between them and the exchange station 4 comprises a loading/unloading system. The shuttles that arrive at the exchange station 4 are successively positioned on a section of track 90 that is able to move sideways between a first position in which it is a continuation of the rails 40 of the upstream section 7a, to receive the shuttle 17, and second a position as illustrated in FIG. 7, for unloading the shuttle 17, in which this mobile section of track 90 aligns with a loading/unloading track 91. This track 91 moves past an opening for transferring the loading units 3 to a lift 60 so that these can be raised/lowered.

[0125] Once the loading units 3 have been loaded or unloaded onto or from the shuttles 17 that file past the lift 60 using any suitable transfer mechanism, the shuttles are positioned on a second mobile section of track 92, which can be moved sideways between a position allowing the loading of the shuttles 17 traveling along the track 91 and a position in which this mobile section is aligned with a third section of track 95 situated on a turntable 96. This turntable 96 allows the shuttle 17 previously positioned on the second mobile section of track 92 to be picked up and its rails can be aligned with the track 40 of the downstream second section 107b so that the shuttle 17 can depart onto this section.

[0126] Such a system for loading/unloading the shuttles 17 allows rapid and automated handling of the loading units 3, compatible with cable haulage 42, and the presence of the mobile platform table 96 makes the loop easier to build by allowing the use of loop sections 107 that are straight or substantially straight.

[0127] In some alternative forms that have not been illustrated, the shuttles 17 can be made to pivot without a turntable by making them run on castors or rollers in place of rails between the sections 107a and 107b and by using guide means which, if appropriate, allow them to negotiate a relatively tight bend.

[0128] It is also possible, in alternative forms that have not been illustrated, to bring the shuttles to an unloading/loading track without simultaneously transporting them with the rails on which they are engaged, by moving them using a conveyor.

[0129] It is even possible in another alternative form to unload or load the shuttles while they are on a track lying as a continuation of the tracks running in the sections 107 of the micro-tunnel.

[0130] For preference, the micro-tunnel and the exchange stations are placed under a reduced atmosphere of oxygen or under an inert atmosphere so as to reduce the risks of fire. That makes it possible to limit the cost of the infrastructure by rendering unnecessary certain safety devices which would otherwise be required for compliance with the standards.

[0131] In the example of FIGS. 6 and 7, the loading units 3 are goods on pallets.

[0132] FIG. 8 depicts an alternative form of embodiment of the transport loop 7, comprising straight or substantially straight micro-tunnel sections 107 connected by the exchange stations 4 which are, for example, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

[0133] The main flow of goods injected into the loop 7 may run on a line 110 referred to as a feeder, connected to a peripheral ordering station 6 in the outskirts, which constitutes a rear base, and where the goods that are to be transported are packaged and ordered according to their destination. Thus, goods intended to pass through one and the same exchange station 4 of the loop 7 in order to reach their final destination are packaged within the one same loading unit, and this packaging may advantageously take place at the ordering station. The order in which the shuttles are loaded at the ordering station 6 may also be performed according to the destination of the goods loaded onto each of these shuttles. The station 6 may thus manage a significant proportion of the flow of goods injected into the loop, and make it possible to limit the flow of goods loaded onto the shuttles from the exchange stations 4 situated on the loop.

[0134] The line 110 may be two-directional and produced in the form of a two-track tunnel or of two micro-tunnels which may or may not be parallel.

[0135] Of course, the invention is not restricted to one particular type of loading unit 3 and any type of container may be used.

[0136] At the surface, the exchange stations may comprise a storage zone for storing the loading units 3 while they are waiting to be sent to a loading or unloading bay where they may be installed on electric vehicles for example.