Wireless controlled railcar cargo loading system

{
  "publication_number": "US10913467B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Wireless controlled railcar cargo loading system",
  "abstract": "A railcar loading system utilizing roller ball track assemblies, or the like, in the center to enable cargo to be moved thereover in any direction (moving cargo in/out and within the railcar). Powered movement devices (e.g., rollers, conveyors) are utilized in the center to assist in movement of cargo in/out or within the railcar. Roller track assemblies, or the like, are utilized on sides of railcar to move cargo to/from the sides. Airbags may be utilized in track assemblies and powered movement devices to raise devices up when activated. Railcar may include an air connector on each side to provide air to solenoid valve that routes air to appropriate airbags. Cargo table is used to move cargo from cargo bay to railcar. Wireless controller may be used to control railcar and table including what tracks are raised and direction cargo is to be moved (what powered movements devices are operational).",
  "claims": [
    "1. A railcar loading system comprising a plurality of roller ball tracks located in a center of a railcar between doors thereof, wherein the roller ball tracks are capable of being activated to raise a plurality of roller balls above a floor of the railcar and enable cargo to move in any direction thereover; a first plurality of roller tracks located on a first side of the railcar, wherein the first plurality of roller tracks are capable of being activated to raise a first plurality of rollers above the floor and enable cargo to move in a first direction from the center of the railcar to the first side of the railcar or in a second direction from the first side of the railcar to the center of the railcar; a second plurality of roller tracks located on a second side of the railcar, wherein the second plurality of roller tracks are capable of being activated to raise a second plurality of rollers above the floor and enable cargo to move in the first direction from the second side of the railcar to the center of the railcar or in the second direction from the center of the railcar to the second side of the railcar; a first powered movement device located in the center of the railcar, wherein the first powered movement device is capable of being activated to raise above the floor and to operate in a third direction to move cargo in the third direction associated with moving cargo into the railcar or to operate in a fourth direction to move cargo in the fourth direction associated with moving cargo out of the railcar; at least one second powered movement device located in the center of the railcar, wherein the at least one second powered movement device is capable of being activated to raise above the floor and to operate in the first direction to move cargo in the first direction within the railcar or operate in the second direction to move cargo in the second direction within the railcar; and a wireless controller to control operation of the system.",
    "2. The railcar loading system of claim 1, wherein the wireless controller includes track buttons to control operation of respective ones of the plurality of roller ball tracks, the first plurality of roller tracks and the second plurality of roller tracks.",
    "3. The railcar loading system of claim 1, wherein the wireless controller includes direction buttons associated with moving the cargo in the first, the second, the third or the fourth directions, wherein when a particular direction button of the direction buttons is depressed associated ones of the first powered movement device and the at least one second powered movement device are activated to be raised and to operate in the direction associated with the particular direction button that is depressed for as long as the particular direction button is depressed.",
    "4. The railcar loading system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of roller ball tracks, the first plurality of roller tracks, the second plurality of roller tracks, the first powered movement device and the at least one second powered movement device include airbags, wherein the associated airbags are inflated to raise appropriate ones of the roller balls, the first plurality of rollers, the second plurality of rollers, the first powered movement device and the at least one second powered movement device above the floor.",
    "5. The railcar loading system of claim 4, further comprising an air connection on each side of the railcar; and a solenoid air valve to route air to the associated airbags based on signals received thereby.",
    "6. The railcar loading system of claim 1, further comprising a cargo table located on a cargo bay capable of connecting to the railcar, the cargo table including a third plurality of roller tracks, wherein the third plurality of roller tracks are capable of being activated to raise a third plurality of rollers above a floor of the cargo table and enable cargo to move in the third direction from the cargo table to the railcar or in the fourth direction from the railcar to the cargo table; and a third powered movement device, wherein the third powered movement device is capable of being activated to raise above the floor and to operate in the third direction to move cargo in the third direction associated with moving cargo into the railcar or to operate in the fourth direction to move cargo in the fourth direction associated with moving cargo out of the railcar; and a control panel for receiving commands from the wireless controller and providing the commands to the railcar and the cargo table.",
    "7. The railcar loading system of claim 6, wherein the control panel and the wireless controller are paired together so that commands from the wireless controller are interpreted based on which side of the railcar the control panel is located.",
    "8. The railcar loading system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first powered movement device and the at least one second powered movement device is a powered roller.",
    "9. The railcar loading system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first powered movement device and the at least one second powered movement device is a powered conveyor.",
    "10. A railcar loading system comprising at least one cargo railcar having a door on each side thereof and including a first plurality of tracks located in a center of the railcar between the doors thereof, wherein the first plurality of tracks are capable of being activated to raise a first plurality of movable parts above a floor of the railcar, wherein the first plurality of moveable parts enable cargo to move in any direction thereover; a second plurality of tracks located on a first side of the railcar, wherein the first plurality of tracks are capable of being activated to raise a second plurality of moveable parts above the floor, wherein the second plurality of moveable parts enable cargo to move in a first direction from the center to the first side of the railcar or in a second direction from the first side to the center of the railcar; a third plurality of tracks located on a second side of the railcar, wherein the third plurality of tracks are capable of being activated to raise a third plurality of moveable parts above the floor, wherein the third plurality of moveable parts enable cargo to move in the first direction from the second side to the center of the railcar or in the second direction from the center to the second side of the railcar; a first powered movement device located in the center of the railcar, wherein the first powered movement device is capable of being activated to raise above the floor and to operate in a third direction to move cargo in the third direction associated with moving cargo into the railcar or to operate in a fourth direction to move cargo in the fourth direction associated with moving cargo out of the railcar; and at least one second powered movement device located in the center of the railcar, wherein the at least one second powered movement device is capable of being activated to raise above the floor and to operate in the first direction to move cargo in the first direction within the railcar or operate in the second direction to move cargo in the second direction within the railcar; a cargo table capable of connecting to the railcar, the cargo table including a fourth plurality of tracks, wherein the fourth plurality of tracks are capable of being activated to raise a fourth plurality of moveable parts above a floor of the table and enable cargo to move in the third direction from the table to the railcar or in the fourth direction from the railcar to the table; and a third powered movement device, wherein the third powered movement device is capable of being activated to raise above the floor and to operate in the third direction to move cargo in the third direction associated with moving cargo into the railcar or to operate in the fourth direction to move cargo in the fourth direction associated with moving cargo out of the railcar; a wireless controller to control operation of the railcar and the cargo table; and a control panel for receiving commands from the wireless controller and providing the commands to the railcar and the cargo table.",
    "11. The railcar loading system of claim 10, wherein the control panel and the wireless controller are paired together so that commands from the wireless controller are interpreted based on which side of the railcar the control panel is located.",
    "12. The railcar loading system of claim 10, wherein the wireless controller includes track buttons to control operation of respective ones of the first plurality of tracks, the second plurality of tracks, the third plurality of tracks or the fourth plurality of tracks.",
    "13. The railcar loading system of claim 10, wherein the wireless controller includes direction buttons associated with moving the cargo in the first, the second, the third or the fourth directions, wherein when a particular direction button of the direction buttons is depressed associated ones of the first powered movement device, the at least one second powered movement device, and the third powered movement device are activated to be raised and to operate in the direction associated with the particular direction button that is depressed for as long as the particular direction button is depressed.",
    "14. The railcar loading system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first powered movement device, the at least one second powered movement device, and the third powered movement device is a powered roller.",
    "15. The railcar loading system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the second, third or fourth plurality of tracks are roller tracks and the second, third or fourth plurality of moveable parts are rollers.",
    "16. The railcar loading system of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of tracks are roller ball tracks and the first plurality of moveable parts are roller balls.",
    "17. A railcar loading system comprising at least one cargo railcar having a door on each side thereof and including a plurality of roller ball tracks located in a center of the railcar between the doors thereof, wherein the plurality of roller ball tracks include airbags that are capable of being inflated when the plurality of roller ball tracks are activated to raise a plurality of roller balls above a floor of the railcar and enable cargo to move in any direction thereover; a first plurality of roller tracks located on a first side of the railcar, wherein the first plurality of roller tracks include airbags that are capable of being inflated when the first plurality of roller tracks are activated to raise a first plurality of rollers above the floor and enable cargo to move in a first direction from the center of the railcar to the first side of the railcar or in a second direction from the first side of the railcar to the center of the railcar; a second plurality of roller tracks located on a second side of the railcar, wherein the second plurality of roller tracks include airbags that are capable of being inflated when the second plurality of roller tracks are activated to raise a second plurality of rollers above the floor and enable cargo to move in the first direction from the second side of the railcar to the center of the railcar or in the second direction from the center of the railcar to the second side of the railcar; a first powered roller located in the center of the railcar, wherein the first powered roller includes an airbag that is capable of being inflated when movement in a third direction associated with moving cargo into the railcar or in a fourth direction associated with moving cargo out of the railcar is activated, when the airbags are inflated the first powered roller is raised above the floor and is to operate in the third direction to move cargo in the third direction or to operate in the fourth direction to move cargo in the fourth direction; at least one second powered roller located in the center of the railcar, wherein the at least one second powered roller includes an airbag that is capable of being inflated when movement in the first direction or the second direction is activated, when the airbags are inflated the at least one second powered roller is raised above the floor and is to operate in the first direction to move cargo in the first direction or operate in the second direction to move cargo in the second direction; an air connection on each side of the railcar; an electrical/data connection on each side of the railcar; and a solenoid air valve to route air to the appropriate airbags based on signals received thereby; a cargo table capable of connecting to the railcar, the cargo table including a third plurality of roller tracks, wherein the third plurality of roller tracks include airbags that are capable of being inflated when the third plurality of roller tracks are activated to raise a third plurality of rollers above a floor of the table and enable cargo to move in the third direction from the table to the railcar or in the fourth direction from the railcar to the table; a third powered roller, wherein the third powered roller includes an airbag that is capable of being inflated when movement in the third direction associated with moving cargo into the railcar or in the fourth direction associated with moving cargo out of the railcar is activated, when the airbags are inflated the third powered roller is raised above the floor and is to operate in the third direction to move cargo in the third direction or to operate in the fourth direction to move cargo in the fourth direction; an air connection; and an electrical/data connection; an air source for providing air to the railcar and the cargo table; a wireless controller to control operation of the railcar and the cargo table; and a control panel for receiving commands from the wireless controller and providing the commands to the railcar and the cargo table.",
    "18. The railcar loading system of claim 17, wherein the control panel and the wireless controller are paired together so that commands from the wireless controller are interpreted based on which side of the railcar the control panel is located.",
    "19. The railcar loading system of claim 17, wherein the wireless controller includes track buttons to control operation of respective ones of the plurality of roller ball tracks, the first plurality of roller tracks, the second plurality of roller tracks and the third plurality of roller tracks.",
    "20. The railcar loading system of claim 17, wherein the wireless controller includes direction buttons associated with moving the cargo in the first, the second, the third or the fourth directions, wherein when a particular direction button of the direction buttons is depressed associated ones of the first powered roller, the at least one second powered roller, and the third powered roller are activated to raise above the floor and to operate in the direction associated with the particular direction button that is depressed for as long as the particular direction button is depressed."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The use of trains to transport cargo has long been known. The trains can transport large amounts of cargo on fixed pathways (tracks) between locations. As the railcars have doors substantially centered on the sides thereof, the cargo enters the appropriate side of the railcar and is then moved within the railcar. Depending on the orientation of the train with respect to the platform at the station (cargo bay), the cargo needs to be moved either to the left or the right to get to the front or back of the railcar.\n\nFIG. 1A illustrates a simplified side view of an example railcar 100. The railcar 100 includes a sliding door 110 centrally located on each side of the railcar 100 (only one door visible in the side view) and separating the railcar 100 into a first section (e.g., front, back) 120 and a second section (e.g., back, front) 130.\n\nFIG. 1B illustrates a simplified side view of the example railcar 100 having racks 140 of cargo loaded therein. As illustrated, the cargo racks 140 are loaded to the left and right of the door 110 (front and back of the railcar 100) and there is a gap 150 where no racks are located so as to enable the racks 140 to be loaded and unloaded from the railcar 100 onto a loading dock. The number and size of the cargo racks 140 is in no way intended to be limited to the illustrative example.\n\nFIG. 1C illustrates a simplified top view of a railcar 100 on railroad tracks 160 at a cargo bay 170. As illustrated, the cargo bay 170 is on the right side of the railcar 100 but is in no way limited thereto. Furthermore, the railcar 100 is not limited in the direction in which it will be traveling.",
  "cpc": [
    "B61D 47/005",
    "B61D 3/04",
    "B65G 13/02",
    "B65G 13/12",
    "B65G 2203/0233",
    "B65G 39/025",
    "B65G 43/00",
    "B65G 67/20",
    "B66F 3/35"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B61D 3/04",
    "B61D 47/00",
    "B65G 13/02",
    "B65G 13/12",
    "B65G 39/02",
    "B65G 43/00",
    "B65G 67/20",
    "B66F 3/35"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Rollerbed Systems LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Rich Ascani",
    "Jim Youse"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-04-24",
  "publication_date": "2021-02-09",
  "grant_date": "2021-02-09",
  "priority_date": "2018-04-25",
  "application_number": "US-201916393692-A",
  "family_id": "68292117",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
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}