Sumitomo Precision Products Co., Ltd.

Railway Technical Research Institute

Masamichi Yamada

Kazuhiro Oda

Hideyuki Takizawa

Fumio Iwamoto

Shoji Iwai

According to this invention, wheels are pivotally supported by a fork arm comprising a lever-type supporting component, an expandable lifting actuator having damper serially arranged to buffer and support thereof at other end end of arm of said supporting component. With this structure, a complete retraction of wheels can be achieved. Hence the supporting component can be used both as the supporting leg apparatus to vertically support the magnetically levitated vehicle and the guide leg apparatus to mechanically guide the vehicle along the guideway side wall. It is, therefore, characterized with the simple structure, light weight, small storage space, and easy to perform maintenance. This invention also discloses the guide leg apparatus in which the stopper ring apparatus guides mechanically the vehicle in place of the guide leg apparatus, when the guide leg apparatus malfunctions or in emergency when magnets are turned off while magnetically levitating at high speed and said leg apparatus mentioned is separately placed. It enables for the guide leg apparatus to retract while levitating and cruising the vehicle magnetically at high speed. Remarkable reduction of running resistance and the running noise as well can be achieved and the storage space for the guide leg apparatus can be smaller with less weight.

Growing community of inventors

Kobe, Japan

Masamichi Yamada