AirShip Technologies Group | Don't Tell Us We Can't Change The World!

Drive-by-wire typically removes the mechanical linkages between the controls of a car and the devices that do the work. For the AirShip, the driver does not operate the track spheres and brakes manually, but electronic controls send commands from a central computer, which instructs the vehicle on what to do. The advantage here is that the computer is able to make the track spheres and hubs, regenerative drive, regenerative braking, and air bearings work as one to give the car better handling. This is especially important with bad road conditions in order to give efficient power consumption and to react to emergencies faster than a human driver.

Future Sports Cars are impressive, but none capture Clean Technology to the degree of the Delorean ATG Magnetic-Levitation drive-by-wire track sphere drive train powered by Lithium-ion battery packs!

AirShip Drive-by-Wire

As for steering, the first AirShip concept vehicles will continue to use conventional RACK and PINION steering on the FORWARD DRIVE TRAIN track sphere housing.

For drive-by-wire, AirShip will prove the concept of secondary electronic control systems with track sphere steering before replacing the traditional primary control system of rack and pinion steering. The Delorean ATG production vehicle will however use MagLev science to operate similar to Will Smith's Audi RSQ car in the film, I-Robot.

FORWARD (FWD) COMMAND: For FWD COMMAND, positions the Drive COMMAND Joy Stick in the Forward position. This joy stick lever closes a switch to provide electric power to the FWD Motor. All SHELL BRAKES are disengaged automatically. The FWD Motors F1 and F2 are engaged while side motor S1 is disengaged; AFT Motors A1 and A2 are engaged in the forward motion while side motor S3 is disengaged; LEFT Motor’s L1 and L2 are engaged while side motor S2 is disengaged; RIGHT Motors R1 and R2 are engaged while side motor S3 is disengaged. Actual movement is made via hard wired connections connected to the FORWARD COMMAND Joystick Lever. The Electric Power to these devices follows CPU Instruction # 4 and is controlled by Electric Switches activated by the motion of the joy stick.

AFT COMMAND: The AFT or REVERSE COMMAND, is positioned by the reverse motion or pulling back on the Joy Stick. This joy stick lever closes a switch to provide electric power to the AFT DRIVE where motors A1 and A2 are engaged, while side motor S4 is disengaged; FORWARD motors F1 and F2 are engaged for reverse while side motor S1 is disengaged; Left Motors L1 and L2 are engaged for reverse motion while side motor S2 is disengaged; RIGHT Drive motors R1 and R2 are engaged for reverse while side motor S3 is disengaged. All SHELL BRAKES are disengaged automatically. Actual movement is made via hard wired computer connections connected to the AFT COMMAND Joystick Lever while pulling back on the joy stick. The Electric Power to these devices follows CPU Instruction # 3 and is controlled by Electric Switches activated by the motion of the joy stick.

LEFT COMMAND: To move directly LEFT (as in parking, but without turning), place the LEFT/RIGHT Joystick in the LEFT DRIVE Position. The joystick sends a message to the central computer to automatically disengage the FORWARD DRIVE (FWD) Motors F1 and F2 and engage side motor S1 to the right; disengage AFT Motor A1 and A2 while reengaging S4 to the right, disengage RIGHT Motors R1 and R2 while engaging side motor S3; disengage LEFT DRIVE Motors L1 and L2 while reengaging side motor S2; and ensure all SHELL BRAKES are disengaged from the TRACK SPHERES via hard wired computer connections connected to the LEFT COMMAND Joystick Lever. The Electric Power to these devices follows CPU Instruction # 4 and is controlled by Electric Switches activated by the motion of the joy stick.

RIGHT COMMAND: To move directly RIGHT (as in parking but without turning), place the LEFT/RIGHT Joystick in the RIGHT DRIVE Position. The joystick sends a message to the central computer to automatically disengage the FORWARD DRIVE (FWD) Motors F1 and F2 and engage side motor S1 to the right; disengage AFT Motor A1 and A2 while reengaging S4 to the right; disengage LEFT Motor L1 and L2, but reengage side motor S3, and disengage all SHELL BRAKES (SB’s) from the TRACK SPHERES via hard wired computer connections connected to the RIGHT COMMAND Joystick Lever. The Electric Power to these devices follows CPU Instruction # 5 and is controlled by Electric Switches activated by the motion of the joy stick.

180/360-Degree TURN COMMAND: From a standing position, twist the joy stick while it is seated straight up. This disengages FORWARD Motor F1 and F2 and engages side motor S1; for LEFT and RIGHT DRIVE Motors, disengage all power to L1, S2, L2 and R1, S3 and R2; for AFT Motor disengage motors A1 and A2 while re-engaging side motor S3. All SHELL BRAKES are disengaged from the TRACK SPHERES via hard wired computer connections connected to the Joystick Lever. The Electric Power to these devices follows CPU Instruction # 7 for either a 180 or 360-degree and is controlled by Electric Switches activated by the half or full twisting motion of the joy stick.

FULL PARK: All SHELL BRAKES are engaged in FULL PARK, when the electric power is turned OFF, and when all of the Command levers are in the OFF Positions (see CPU instruction #10.

Calculations for Electric Motor Drive Chain

The following are the calculations for determination of the Drive Chain Electric Motors. The variable speeds that the AirShip electric motors require can be achieved by placing a variable current reostat in series, electrically between the speed controller and the motor.

Distance Traveled for each complete turn of the TRACK SPHERE:

C=3.14 X Diameter = Distance per Turn

Distance = 3.14 X 2 Ft. = 6 Ft

TRACK SPHERE Turning speed:

For Speed of 100 MPH :

100 mi./hr. X 5,280 Ft. per Mile/ 6 Ft. per Turn

= 528,000 Ft. per Hr. / 6 Ft. per Turn

= 88,000 TRACK SPHERE Turns per Hr.

TRACK SPHERE Turns per Min.:

88.000 Turns per Hr. / 60 min per Hr. = 1,467 Turns per Min.

ELECTRIC MOTOR SPEED SPECIFICATION:

Ratio of Motor Turns To TRACK SPHERE Turns :

Ratio = á toÝ or 4 : 1

TRACK SPHERE Turns X Ratio of 4 : 1 =

1,467 Turns Per Min. X 4 =5,868 RPM

ASSUMPTIONS:

TRACK SPHERE Circumference = 6 Ft.

Motor Drive Gear = 1.5 Ft.

If the TRACK SPHERE @ 100 MPH turns atÝ,467 Turns per Min. and the motor turn ratio is 4 to 1, then the motor turns at 4 X 1,467 = 5, 868 RPM. The electric motor Red Line speed is specified at 8,000 RPM. If we desire a lower motor speed @ 100 MPH, we can select a larger diameter for the Motor Drive at the TRACK SPHERE. It is now set at six inches. For example, we could select a ten-inch diameter; this would allow for a slower motor speed at 100 MPH.

The Motor Drive is the cylindrical attachment which extends from the end of the Motor Shaft and is the part pressed against the TRACK SPHERE to transfer the rotation of the Motor to the TRACK SPHERE. The drive is coated with rubber in order to reduce vibration and shock when applied directly on the TRACK SPHERE.

Delorean Drive-by-Wire

Delorean ATG uses a drive-by-wire technology (drive-by-wire throttle system, brake-by-wire, and steer-by-wire) which serves as a replacement of today's hydraulic and mechanical systems in motor vehicles with electronic controls and systems. Additionally, it has a Turning Diameter of Zero! That is it can turn 360-degrees on center or it can reverse direction at 180-degrees on center.

Magnetic levitation, maglev, or magnetic suspension is the method by which the Delorean ATG is suspended with no support other than magnetic fields. The electromagnetic force is used to counteract the effects of the gravitational force.

The electromagnets in the Track Sphere Hubs consist of multiple iron cores placed inside wire coils. The magnetic field strength of the wire coils carrying electric current increases in direct proportion to the number of turns of the coil. Velocity of the spheres is increased or decreased by applying more or less electricity to the electromagnets. Turn direction of the spheres occurs by turning on full quadrants of the spheres or preprogramming and lighting up individual electromagnet coordinates.

Track Sphere Hubs support 14 levels of electromagnets that are spread across four virtual quadrants A - B - C and D. Each electromagnet has power-controllable electromagnetic coordinates. Various track sphere models contain surface magnets with magnetic-North positioned on the outer sphere surface.

The stainless steel Track Sphere Hubs are connected to the Delorean chassis via a support arm and the hubs are supplied electricity via the vehicle's Lithium-ion battery packs. External stainless steel fascia covers the exposed portion of the hub and serves to protect and hide the hub infrastructure. This provides the Delorean with a more natural blended appearance to cover this new drive train technology.

The Delorean Drive-by-Wire Specification calls for electronically manipulating the direction of a track sphere by simultaneously electrically inducing either full quadrants or inducing a rolling series of individual electromagnetic coordinates as shown below.