TAURUM Technologies

True Innovation

the ROTARY RAIL-SWITCH

A disruptive invention on a rapid, smooth and widely applicable rail/track switching mechanism and system.
The technology is protected with a worldwide family of granted patents.

 Potential


  • improve traditional railways switching
  • enhance industrial automated conveyor systems
  • boost passenger capacities in amusement rides
  • facilitate the definitive implementation of revolutionary transport solutions

 Advantages


  • efficiency of rotary dynamics
  • operating speed
  • simplicity & versatility
  • wide range of usability

 Target industries


The SpinSwitch® invention may attract any firms that design, manufacture or operate rail-related products and services in the industries of:

  •   Transportation
  •  Amusement Rides
  •   Industrial Automation

 Applications


SpinSwitch® can be used in a wide and varied range of applications:

  • 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
IP Infringement Warning

⚠️ ANY MAKING, USING, OR SELLING OF A TRACK SWITCHING DEVICE
THAT INDEPENDENTLY ROTATES RAIL SEGMENTS
COULD BE AN ACT OF INFRINGEMENT
OF ONE OR MORE PATENTS OF THE SPINSWITCH® PATENT FAMILY.

Please contact us if you become aware of any possible violations.

APPLICATIONS


Dynamic 3D Examples


Conventional Railway

(inside track engagement)

Industrial Transport

(bilateral engagement)

Monorail

(suspended railway)

Maglev / Monobeam

(high-speed bullet train)

Roller Coaster

(outside-track engagement)

Personal Rapid Transit

(inside-track engagement)

Note on SpinSwitch® for Roller Coasters

SpinSwitch, the Rotary Rail-Switch, applied to Roller Coasters

Amusement ride designers rarely include operative track switches in the design of their roller coasters. This is because they only consider traditional sideway-moving railway turnouts, which in general present the disadvantages/limitations of slowness, bulkiness unreliability, basic vehicle-rail engagement profiles, only two ways switching, and horizontality of layout.

Fortunately, the SpinSwitch® can eliminate or minimize a great majority of the aforementioned drawbacks and restrictions thanks to the boldness of its rotary dynamics and the adaptability of its simple and smart design.

Incorporating rotary-rail-switch-based track-switching devices in the design of amusement rides opens up a new dimension of significant improvements relating to riding capacity and customer experience (whilst maintaining safety standards). Following, there are some examples of SpinSwitch® applications on roller-coaster design:

  • One rotary track switch is placed before the station and another rotary track switch is placed after the station. This enables simultaneous loading/unloading with a double station (reducing customer waiting times), allows using trains with more wagons (and thus more riding capacity), and, due to transferring the status of critical block from the station to another shorter-in-time block, the riding cycle overlaps are increased and an additional train is added to definitively boost riding capacity.
  • Same example as above, where the diverging rotary track switch is placed not before the doubled station but before the pre-station break section, which is also doubled.
  • Same example as any of prior ones, where the converging rotary track switch is placed not after the doubled station but after the climb-hill section, which is also doubled.
  • Diverging/converging rotary track switches are placed mid-course of the fastest and most thrilling section of the ride. On one hand, this may enable further reduction of the critical block, further increase of riding cycle overlaps, and inclusion of an additional train to further boost riding capacity. On the other hand, it may also enable offering customers a more extended and diverse customer experience via branching the ride into 2 or 3 different ones, and/or it may simple allow replacing or complementing the conventional customer-experience restricting mid-course break sections.

In sum, track switches based on the SpinSwitch® can revolutionize amusement rides by boosting riding capacities (via additional trains and longer trains) and by enhancing customer experiences (via lower pre/post-ride waiting times and via more diverse and thrilling rides).

THE PATENTS


 Patent Family


SpinSwitch® IP comprises a PCT, a granted European Patent, and multiple national patents, a majority of them granted.

  Patent Scope


SpinSwitch® patents and patenting rights are especially valuable due to the width of their international classification and inventive scope.

Dual International Classification


The SpinSwitch® invention is exceptionally classified by WIPO as belonging not to 1 but to 2 primary IPC categories:

A – Human Necessities | Health, Life-Saving & Amusement
A63G 7/00

A – HUMAN NECESSITIES | HEALTH; LIFE-SAVING; AMUSEMENT

A63 – SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS

A63G – MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT

A63G 7/00 – Up-and-down-hill tracks or switchbacks

A63G 21/14

A – HUMAN NECESSITIES | HEALTH; LIFE-SAVING; AMUSEMENT

A63 – SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS

A63G – MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT

A63G 21/00 – Chutes; Helter-skelters

A63G 21/14 – • with driven slideways

E – Fixed Constructions | Building
E01B 23/06

E – FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS | BUILDING

E01 – CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES

E01B – PERMANENT WAY; PERMANENT-WAY TOOLS; MACHINES FOR MAKING RAILWAYS OF ALL KINDS

E01B 23/00: Easily dismountable or movable tracks, e.g. temporary railways

E01B 23/02: • Tracks for light railways, e.g. for field, colliery, or mine use

E01B 23/06: • • Switches; Portable switches; Turnouts

E01B 25/12

E – FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS | BUILDING

E01 – CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES

E01B – PERMANENT WAY; PERMANENT-WAY TOOLS; MACHINES FOR MAKING RAILWAYS OF ALL KINDS

E01B 25/00: Tracks for special kinds of railways

E01B 25/08: • Tracks for mono-rails with centre of gravity of vehicle above the load-bearing rail

E01B 25/12: • • Switches; Crossings

Triple Invention


Each of SpinSwitch® patents relate to not 1 but 3 independent inventions, presented via 3 independent patent claims: 1) a rail-switching unit, 2) a track-switching unit, and a 3) track-switching system.

Ownership & Authorship


Key owners of  the invention’s Intellectual Property are SpinSwitch Technologies SL. and inventor Daniel Sáenz Löbsack.

Patent Drawings


Patent Claims


Patent Excerpts


Abstract

A rail-switching unit,

  • functioning singly or combined with other same units as part of a track-switching unit of a track-switching system of a vehicle-guiding system,
  • comprising a rotatable ensemble (rotatable-hub with attached switch-rails and auxiliary components) and stationary elements (main fixed-rail, branch fixed-rails and supporting structure),
  • wherein the fixed-rails are attached to common rails and the rotatable-hub selectively rotates to allow engagement of each switch-rail simultaneously with the main fixed-rail and with a corresponding branch fixed-rail with the purpose of creating alternative continuous rail paths for the vehicles to move through the rail/track-switching unit.

The mechanism is applicable to mono/multi-railed tracks, to supporting/suspended vehicles, to traditional/rail-wrapping wheels-assemblies, to diverge/merge/cross-points, and to a wide variety of track-switching configurations.

The invention provides a method and apparatus requiring switch-rails driving forces of minimal magnitude and minimal variability to maximize energy-efficiency, precision and ease of control of the device.

Background
In the specific case of widespread railways and other mass-transit systems with large and heavy vehicles, track-switching systems (also called track points) are especially critical because of the potential significantly large damage associated to the risk of derailment. In these applications, a fast, compact and reliable switch device offering more than the two standard states (straight route and turnout route) could imply miscellaneous improvements in the form of reduced costs, abated risks, increased capacities and improved operation speeds.

In the specific case of some modern or nascent applications such as Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) or other Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) systems, a fast and reliable track-switching technology could not only overcome many disadvantages and drawbacks, but also significantly increase their capacity and, hence, make these new and disruptive transit systems definitively feasible under a medium or high scale of transport demand. The same line of thought applies to some track-based materials/products handling systems used in factories or other industrial installations.

In the specific case of amusement rides in attraction/theme parks or the like, fast and reliable guideway switching systems that are also compatible with wheels-assemblies presenting rail-wrapping profiles, could not only overcome many drawbacks, but could also lead the industry into a new generation of roller coasters or similar attractions with a substantial improvement of their capacity, customer enjoyment value and consequent business profitability

Prior Art
Some attempted solutions have tried to overcome the mentioned drawbacks and disadvantages and/or to cover the mentioned potential opportunities, but only partially, insufficiently or, in practice, inconveniently. Following there are some examples:

  • Patents US 1,112,965 or US 4,015,805 relate to switch track sliding devices..
  • Patents US 2010/0,147,183 and US 6,273,000 relate to transversal-axis rotary-guided devices..
  • Patents US 8,020,49 and US 7,997,540 relate to longitudinal-axis rotary-guided devices..
  • Patent US 3,313,243 also relates to longitudinal-axis rotary-guided devices in which a whole track segment is attached to a barrel..
  • Patent GB 2,516,706 relates to special junctions and vertical-transversal movement and presents a system to switch between two tracks on a horizontal plane..
  • Patent US 4,030,422 relates to switching of guideway with vertical layout..
  • Patent CN 18,660,871 relates to a single-track stack assembly for a straddle-type monorail railway of a monorail track presenting a rotatable ensemble that always includes a branch switch-rail connected to a rolling gear..
  • Patent GB 1,404,648 discloses monorail track assemblies for transport systems where a monorail track with a rail that has a rectangular cross-section or a near-vertical flanks section is used by vehicles with a lateral guidance..


Variations to the Invention
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s), it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations, or combinations of them, can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations (as well as combinations of them) that fall within the true scope of the invention. Some of those modifications and variations may be originated in specific requirements such as the following:

  • adaptation to a two-ways track-switching application (among other possible changes, by removing one or more of the switch-rails and/or one or more of the branch fixed-rails and associated elements, or by simplifying, reducing, modifying or suppressing structure elements as well as blocking, halting, or movement guiding mechanisms);
  • adaptation to a more-than-three-ways track-switching application (among other possible changes, by installing additional switch-rails and branch fixed-rails or by installing a consecutive set of three-ways track-switching systems);
  • adaptation to merge-point application applications (among other possible changes, by modifying the positioning and orientation of the track-switching units);
  • adaptation to a horizontal-layout track-switching application such as that of a common railway (among other possible changes, by positioning the rail-switching units below the rails and orienting them facing upwards, and/or by modifying the structural and supporting components, and/or by reinforcing the rotation blocking mechanisms);
  • adaptation to applications where the track plane is inclined (among other possible changes, by adequately positioning and orienting the rail-switching units);
  • adaptation to applications where the curved switch-rails have the same curvature profile, or where all switch-rails have the same longitudinal length (among other possible changes, by adapting and simplifying the rotatable hub, rotating guides and the structures);
  • adaptation to applications where the internal ends of the branch fixed-rails do not form a plane (among other possible changes by varying the range of angular movements of the rotatable hub);
  • adaptation to applications where the curved switch-rails have different longitudinal lengths (among other possible changes, by adapting the rotatable hub, rotating guides and the structures);
  • adaptation to applications where the straight switch-rails may not be perfectly straight, or the curved-rails may not be uniformly curved (among other possible changes, by adapting accordingly the shapes of the switch-rails and corresponding fixed-rails);
  • adaptation to applications where one actuator is shared by several rail-switching units (among other possible changes, by providing a direct or indirect mechanical link between the rail-switching units upon which a same actuator would, directly or indirectly, transmit the rotational force);
  • adaptation to vertical-layout track-switching applications where the track rails are not supported from the outside lateral sides of the track, but from the internal lateral sides of the rails (among other possible changes, by positioning the rail-switching units inside the track and orienting them facing outwards);
  • adaptation to applications where the track rails are supported from above (among other possible changes, by modifying the positioning the rail-switching units above the rails and orienting them downwards);
  • adaptation to applications with stricter safety, reliability and/or performance requirements (among other possible changes, by providing additional blocking, halting, or movement guiding mechanisms, or reinforcing the described ones, and/or by using additional mechanical or magnetic methods to improve the engagement of switch-rails with fixed-rails at their active positions, and/or by adapting the covers and structures so as to maximize the solidness and precision of the system and minimize the probability of interferences with the mechanisms);
  • adaptation to applications with laxer safety and/or performance requirements (among other possible changes, by adapting, simplifying or discarding the described blocking, halting, and movement/engagement guiding mechanisms);
  • adaptation to applications requiring a wheels-assembly covering only two sides or only one side of the rail (among other possible changes, by modifying and simplifying the switch-rail and fixed-rail profiles);
  • adaptation to applications requiring different shapes, profiles and contacts between wheels and rail surfaces (among other possible changes, by modifying the switch-rail and fixed-rail profiles);
  • adaptation to mono-rail applications (among other possible changes, by reducing to one the number of rail-switching units per track-switching unit, or by simplifying the control system);
  • adaptation to applications where the vehicle moves along more than two rails (among other possible changes, by increasing to more than two the number of rail-switching units per track-switching unit);
  • adaptation to applications where the vehicles are suspended from and below the rails (among other possible changes, by modifying the positioning and orientation of the rail-switching units);
  • adaptation to applications with restricted g-forces (among other possible changes, by modifying the longitudinal length and shape of the switch-rails, and/or by adapting the rotating guides and the structures);
  • adaptation to applications where the movement of the vehicles along the guideway is not provided by means of rolling wheels, but by means of alternative technologies (or a mix of them), such as, for example, electromagnetic levitation, direct contact sliding, air-cushioning, or continuous rolling tracks (among other possible changes, by adapting the shape profiles of switch-rails and fixed-rails, and/or by modifying the positioning and orientation of the rail-switching units);
  • adaptation to crossing-points or applications where switching is needed to establish right connections between several inbound and outbound rails (among other possible changes, by combining rail-switching units for diverge-points and merge-points, by adapting the shape profiles of switch-rails and fixed-rails to allow minimal physical discontinuities at the rail crossings, by modifying the general shape, positioning and orientation of the rail-switching units, or by modifying the tracks layout so as to minimize possible crossing conflicts);
  • adaptation to other guideway-switching applications where the vehicles may move along the inside of guideways with tubular forms (among other possible changes, by modifying the mating profiles);
  • adaptation to other guideway-switching applications where vehicles move along the guideways not with a primary purpose of conveying goods or transporting passengers, but with secondary purposes such as those of maintenance or supervision of the guideways.


About patents in general


What does a granted patent certify?
A granted patent certifies the patented invention to be:

  • patentable,
  • novel,
  • non-obvious,
  • industrially applicable, and
  • useful to society.
What are the requirements for a patent to be granted?
For a patent to be granted, the invention specified in the application must strictly meet the requirements of:

  • patentable subject-matter (must present concrete and technical character, in any field of technology),
  • novelty (must have never been used or published anywhere in the world, must not be part of the “state of the art”),
  • inventive step / non-obviousness (must imply substantial technical advance compared to existing knowledge, must not be obvious to a person skilled in the art), and
  • usability / industrial applicability (must have practical utility in an industry).
What rights derive from owning a patent?
A patent is an exclusive intellectual property asset that gives its owner:

  • legal rights to exclude others from making, using, distributing, selling, offering to sell, importing or exporting any products based on the patented invention,
  • within a geographical scope (usually the jurisdiction of the patent-issuing country),
  • for a limited period of time (usually 20 years from filling),
  • in exchange for enabling public disclosure of the invention.

A patent is a very strong and valuable weapon of litigation.

What control over the market gives you a patent?
Owning a valid patent is in theory equivalent to posessing full legal rights over a market monopoly, this is, having theoretical full legal operational and commercial control on any products that fall within the descriptive scope of the patented invention, inside a concrete territory and during a specific period of time.

SPINSWITCH TECHNOLOGIES


a Deep Tech startup, built around the Rotary Rail-Switch, a high-tech engineering invention

Parenting Company


Taurum Technologies provides support in the creation, funding, and managing of diverse entrepreneurial projects to deliver patented innovations.

REACT


License

Exploitation rights on our intellectual property assets, be them full or partial rights, and be them on patents granted, patents pending of grant, or rights to patent, could be available for purchasing via a specific licensing agreement. Given the vast geographical reach and wide scope of applicability of our patents, we are open to option agreements and licensing demarcations on industry, usage, exclusivity, and type of rights.

Purchase

Some of our IP assets, be them national patents granted, patents pending of grant, rights to patent, or trademarks, could be available for straightforward full sale and official public reassignment of the IP rights ownership. If your interest is in a patent still pending of grant, we are also open to option sale-purchase agreements, conditioned to the successful granting of the patent.

Invest

If you are an investor willing to believe in the economic and business potential of this innovation venture, please contact us to place preliminary enquires or to coordinate an exploratory conversation.

Kindly note that status of maturity, licensing and ownership of IP is subject to change.

Please, email to:

You may also contact us via LinkedIn.