The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 14, 1997
Filed:
May. 22, 1995
Kazuhiro Oda, Murayama, JP;
Masayoshi Azakami, Kokubunji, JP;
Hideyuki Takizawa, Kokubunji, JP;
Fumio Iwamoto, Takatsuki, JP;
Shoji Iwai, Akashi, JP;
Railway Technical Research Institute, Tokyo, JP;
Sumitomo Precision Products Company Limited, Hyogo, JP;
Abstract
In a leg apparatus with which a supporting wheel for the magnetically levitated vehicle can be lifted up and down freely, a supporting wheel is positioned and hung by a swing arm and a lifting actuator. Usage of only the lifting actuator flat spring having a damper and coil spring or a combination thereof offer a buffer-supporting to enhance better comfortable feeling of riding. The leg can be completely retracted with a short stroke by a contracting action of the lifting actuator having the internal lock. Moreover the vehicle height can be adjusted. The leg apparatus is also designed and constructed in such a way that a damper or spring is installed inside the preventive wall against fire or foreign obstacles. The shock caused on the wheel when a cruising speed is changed from a high speed to a low speed can be mechanically absorbed by coil spring and damper, or coil spring, the flat spring or damper which is provided horizontally and is connected through the connecting such as the bell crank or the like, so that the operational friction force can be minimized when compared to the conventional type of the apparatus using only damper, hence the comfortable feeling of riding is enhanced.