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Spain-based SME offers simple and versatile rotary rail switch technology

Country of Origin: Spain
Reference Number: TOES20201228001
Publication Date: 23 February 2021

Summary

A Spanish firm has developed and patented a new technology for a rotary switch. The technology consists of a simple and versatile rail/track turnout device to improve switching in traditional railways and industrial automation systems, to improve passenger capacity and customer experience in amusement rides, and to enable the definitive implementation of revolutionary transport solutions. The firm is seeking for financial and licensing agreements.

Description

A Spanish innovative firm offers its patented technology consisting of a simple and versatile rotary switch. The  system is a novel, fast, smooth and widely applicable rail or track switching mechanism created:
- to improve switching in traditional railways and industrial conveyors,
- to boost passenger capacities and customer experiences in amusement rides, and
- to facilitate the definitive implementation of revolutionary transport solutions.
Due to its powerful simplicity, the rail switch can be used with a wide range of applicability comparing to traditional switching systems which are expensive and have complex designs. Flagship applications of the rail switch technology are those where 2-ways or 3-ways converging or diverging track-switching is conducted for mass-moving systems where tracks present tridimensional-layout configurations and vehicles are guided with rail-wrapping wheels-assemblies, this is, track switching for modern transportation systems (e.g. maglev bullet trains, suspended monorails, personal rapid transit / mass transit / people moving / hyperloop systems,…) and for a variety of amusement rides (e.g. roller coasters).
Miscellaneous virtual prototypes have been developed for the following applications:
- Conventional railway, 3-ways, top+inside rail-wrapping, rail-crossings uncovered
- Industrial transport (bilateral rail engagement), 2-ways, top+inside+outside rail-wrapping, rail-crossings solved
- Monorail – suspended railway, 2-ways, top+outside+bottom rail-wrapping, no rail-crossings
- Maglev – monobeam high-speed train, 2-ways, top+outside+bottom rail-wrapping, rail-crossings solved
- Roller coaster (outside-track engagement), 2-ways, top+outside+bottom rail-wrapping, rail-crossings solved
- Personal rapid transit (vertical layout, inside-track engagement), 3-ways, top+inside+bottom rail-wrapping, rail-crossings solved
The company is looking for financial and license agreement and it is especially open to the consideration of country and market/sector exclusivity schemes.
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Advantages and Innovations

The major advantages of the rotary switch invention are:
1) the efficiency of its rotary dynamics,
2) the wide scope of its applicability, e.g.:
- mono and multi-railed tracks,
- supporting and suspended vehicles,
- traditional and modern rail-wrapping wheels-assemblies,
- diverging, merging and crossing points,
- varied tridimensional track-switching configurations,
A flagship application of this innovation is when used for track-switching within people/loads mass-moving systems where tracks present tridimensional-layout configurations and/or where vehicles are guided with rail-wrapping wheels-assemblies, this is, when switching tracks in the context of:
- modern transportation systems (e.g. maglev trains, suspended monorails, personal rapid transit systems...),
- and amusement rides such as roller coasters.
In the specific case of applications for the amusement parks industry, track switches based on the novel switch can revolutionize roller coasters or the like:
- by boosting riding capacities (via additional trains and/or longer trains enabled after placing rotary switches to duplicate slow sections such as those for station loading and unloading, hill-climbing or final pre-station breaking and waiting) and
- by enhancing customer experiences (via lower pre/post-ride waiting times and via more diverse and thrilling rides enabled after placing rotary switches at mid-course of fast and thrilling sections of the rides).
Given the high level of IP protection of the invention and the simplicity of its patent, a fundamental strategic advantage associated to the acquisition or licensing of the invention, is the set of benefits derived from producing, commercializing, distributing and using rotary switches under a legal status of monopolistic exclusivity.

Stage Of Development

Prototype available for demonstration

Stage Of Development Comment

Due to its simplicity, this invention offers a wide range of applicability. They have so far developed virtual (not physical) three-dimensional dynamic prototypes covering six different applications.

Requested partner

At this stage, the company is looking for private firms or investors interested in purchasing the technology or licensing the IP rights, be these rights global, regional or per country.

Cooperation offer is closed for requests