1. A signaling system comprising:
a plurality of on-board devices provided for a plurality of moving vehicles traveling on a track, and including a first on-board device and a second on-board device, the plurality of moving vehicles including a first moving vehicle and a second moving vehicle;
a plurality of station interface devices provided for a plurality of stations along the track, and including a first station interface device and a second station interface device; and
a plurality of branches provided on the track and controlled by the plurality of station interface devices,
wherein the second on-board device of the second moving vehicle which is on a traveling route of the first moving vehicle transmits different moving vehicle related data which indicates data of the second moving vehicle, to the first on-board device of the first moving vehicle,
wherein the first station interface device which controls one of the plurality of branches, transmits station related data which indicates data of the one branch on the traveling route, to the first on-board device,
wherein the first on-board device outputs a command for maintenance of a state of the one branch on the traveling route or switching and maintenance of the state of the one branch to the first station interface device to secure the traveling route based on the different moving vehicle related data and the station related data,
wherein the first station interface device maintains or switches and maintains the state of the one branch on the traveling route to secure the traveling route, and
wherein the first on-board device determines the traveling of the first moving vehicle on the secured traveling route based on the different moving vehicle related data.
2. The signaling system according to claim 1, wherein the first on-board device inquires the different moving vehicle related data to the second on-board device to acquire the different moving vehicle related data, and inquires the station related data to the first station interface device to acquire the station related data.
3. The signaling system according to claim 2, wherein the first on-board device checks whether the traveling route has been secured, based on the station related data and the different moving vehicle related data, and outputs a command to the first station interface device when the traveling route has not been secured.
4. The signaling system according to claim 1, the different moving vehicle related data includes traveling permission limit position data indicating a range where the first moving vehicle succeeding to the second moving vehicle is permitted to travel, and
wherein the first on-board device determines the traveling of the first moving vehicle in the range where the traveling is permitted, based on the traveling permission limit position data.
5. The signaling system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a radio LAN configured to connect the plurality of on-board devices and the plurality of station interface devices to be bi-directionally communicable,
wherein the first on-board device acquires the different moving vehicle related data and the station related data through the radio LAN.
6. A control method of a moving vehicle by using a signaling system, wherein the signaling system comprises:
a plurality of on-board devices provided for a plurality of moving vehicles which travel on a track, and including first and second on-board devices, the plurality of moving vehicles including first and second moving vehicles;
a plurality of station interface devices provided for a plurality of stations along the track, and including first and second station interface devices; and
a plurality of branches provided on the track and controlled by the plurality of station interface devices,
wherein the control method of the moving vehicle, comprises:
transmitting different moving vehicle related data which indicates data of the second moving vehicle, to the first on-board device of the first moving vehicle from the second on-board device of the second moving vehicle which is on a traveling route of the first moving vehicle;
transmitting station related data which indicates data of one of the plurality of branches on the traveling route, to the first on-board device from the first station interface device, which controls the one branch on the traveling route;
outputting a command for maintenance or switching and maintenance of a state of the one branch on the traveling route to the first station interface device from the first on-board device to secure the traveling route based on the different moving vehicle related data and the station related data;
securing the traveling route by maintaining or switching and maintaining the state of the one branch on the traveling route by the first station interface device; and
determining the traveling of the first moving vehicle on the secured traveling route by the first on-board device based on the different moving vehicle related data.
7. The control method of the moving vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the securing the traveling route comprises:
inquiring the different moving vehicle related data to the second on-board device from the first on-board device to acquire the different moving vehicle related data; and
inquiring the station related data to the first station interface device from the first on-board device to acquire the station related data.
8. The control method of the moving vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the outputting the command comprises:
checking whether the traveling route has been secured, based on the station related data and the different moving vehicle related data by the first on-board device, and outputting the command to the first station interface device when the traveling route has not been secured.
9. The control method of the moving vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the different moving vehicle related data includes traveling permission limit position data indicating a range where the first moving vehicle succeeding to the second moving vehicle is permitted to travel, and
wherein the determining the traveling comprises:
determining the traveling of the first moving vehicle in the range where the traveling is permitted, based on the traveling permission limit position data by the first on-board device.
10. The control method of the moving vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising:
acquiring the different moving vehicle related data and the station related data through a radio LAN by the first on-board device.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A centrifuge assembly for separating particles of differing density from a fluid mixture of particles comprising:
a base component disposed for rotation about a central axis thereof and including an inlet for said mixture, a first particle outlet for a first particle type having a first density, a fluid outlet for fluid from which said first particle type has been substantially removed, and a first channel extending from said mixture inlet to said first outlet, said first channel being defined by a radially inner side wall, a radially outer side wall and a channel bottom wall, the radially inner side wall being radially closer than the outer side wall to an axis of rotation of the base component; wherein
at least a part of said first channel extends in an arc proximate an outer peripheral edge of said base component; and
a plurality of spaced mixer components disposed to project into said first channel from said radially inner wall of said first channel, so that as said first particles are separated from said mixture while said base component is rotating and as said mixture flows along said first channel, said plurality of mixer components re-mixes at least some of said separated first particles, said radially outer side wall and said channel bottom wall being free from projecting mixer components.
2. A centrifuge assembly as in claim 1, wherein said first channel has a substantially constant radial width along the length thereof from adjacent said mixture inlet to a point proximate said first particle outlet and wherein said first channel substantially radially widens in a vicinity of said first particle outlet, said mixer components being disposed upstream, with respect to a mixture flow direction, of the radial widening of the first channel, so that said mixture components are disposed along the length of the first channel having said substantially constant radial width.
3. A centrifuge assembly as in claim 2, wherein said radially outer wall of said first channel is defined at a substantially constant radius along a length of said substantially an entire length of said channel and wherein said radially inner wall of said first channel diverges radially inwardly adjacent the first particle outlet, thereby to define said widened portion of said first channel.
4. A centrifuge assembly as in claim 2, wherein said mixer components are substantially uniformly spaced along the length of the first channel having said substantially constant radial width.
5. A centrifuge assembly of claim 1, further comprising an optical sensor adjacent said first particle outlet for detecting a position of first particles separated from said mixture adjacent said first particle outlet.
6. A centrifuge assembly as in claim 1, wherein said mixer components are substantially uniformly spaced along a substantial portion of the length of the first channel.
7. A centrifuge assembly for separating at least first and second particle types having different densities from a fluid mixture of at least said first and second particle types suspended in a fluid comprising:
a base component having a generally circular shape and defining a path for fluid extending generally in a circumferential direction thereof, wherein said path for fluid is defined in first and second part circumferential stages, and further comprising a generally radial passage communicating a second, terminal end of said first stage and a first, beginning end of said second stage, wherein said first end of said second stage is disposed radially inwardly of said second end of said first stage, wherein said generally radial passage comprises a first radially extending portion, a second, part circumferential portion, and a third, radially extending portion, said second portion extending from an upstream end thereof to a downstream end thereof generally parallel to a portion of said first part circumferential stage in a counter flow direction with respect to a flow direction in said first stage, said second portion having a transverse cross-sectional area greater than a transverse cross-sectional area of either of said first and third portions, and wherein said third portion extends radially inwardly from said downstream end of said second portion to said beginning end of said second stage.
8. A centrifuge assembly as in claim 7, wherein said second portion further comprises at least one particle trap recess in a radially outer wall thereof.
9. A centrifuge apparatus for separating particles from a mixture of fluid and at least said particles comprising:
a generally circular base for being rotated in a first direction about a central axis thereof for generating forces to facilitate separation of said particles from said mixture and a channel extending at least part circumferentially of said base, said channel having an inlet for said mixture, a particle outlet, and a fluid outlet for fluid from which said particles have been substantially removed, said inlet being disposed proximate said center of said base, said channel including a first portion extending radially outwardly from said inlet, a second portion extending part circumferentially of said base proximate an outer periphery of said base to a vicinity of said particle outlet, and a third portion extending at least one of part circumferentially and radially inwardly of said base from a vicinity of said particle outlet to said fluid outlet, wherein said first portion of said channel is constructed and arranged so that particles in said mixture flowing along said first portion experience Coriolis forces for urging said particles towards a downstream outer wall thereof, and said second portion is constructed and arranged such that particles in said mixture flowing along said second portion experience gravitational forces for urging said particles towards a radially outer wall thereof, said particle outlet being disposed along said radially outer wall of said second portion of said channel, upstream of said third portion with respect to a direction of mixture flow through said channel.
10. A centrifuge apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said second portion of said channel has a generally constant radial width along a terminal portion thereof approaching said particle outlet.
11. A centrifuge apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said second portion of said channel has a radial width that gradually increases along a terminal portion thereof approaching said particle outlet.
12. A centrifuge apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said channel includes an abrupt channel expansion adjacent said particle outlet.
13. A centrifuge apparatus as in claim 9, wherein a flow path defined by said channel makes a substantial U-turn in the vicinity of said particle outlet, between said second and third portions.
14. A centrifuge apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said third portion is substantially wider than said second portion.
15. A centrifuge apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said third portion includes a plurality of longitudinal partitions for defining multiple channels therein.
16. A centrifuge apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said third portion is substantially wider than said second portion along substantially an entire length of said third portion.