PARKING SYSTEM FOR A CIRCULATING CABLEWAY

Information

  • Patent Application
  • 20240174269
  • Publication Number
    20240174269
  • Date Filed
    November 21, 2023
    9 months ago
  • Date Published
    May 30, 2024
    3 months ago
Abstract
A parking system for cableway includes a feed track; at least two stabling tracks; and a transfer device to transfer the cableway vehicles from the feed track to the at least two stabling tracks including a stationary guide device; a displacement device displaceable in a direction of movement along the stationary guide device between first and second transfer positions and having first and second track segments; wherein in the first transfer position, a cableway vehicle is movable from the first track segment onto the first stabling track and a cableway vehicle is movable from the feed track onto the second track segment; and wherein in the second transfer position, a cableway vehicle is movable from the feed track onto the first track segment and a cableway vehicle is movable from the second track segment onto the second stabling track.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE

This application claims priority to Austrian Patent Application No. A50891/2022 filed on Nov. 24, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.


TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a parking system for a cableway station of a cableway for carrying out a parking operation with a number of cableway vehicles of the cableway.


BACKGROUND

In general, circulating cableways have a number of cableway stations, a number of cableway vehicles, and a conveyor cable for moving the cableway vehicles between the cableway stations. In modern circulating cableways, the cableway vehicles can be decoupled from the conveyor cable in a known manner within the cableway stations and moved through the cableway stations at reduced speed. Such circulating cableways with decouplable cableway vehicles usually also have a parking area in which the cableway vehicles decoupled from the conveyor cable can be parked outside of operating times. Such a parking area is usually located within one of the cableway stations, for example at the same level as the operating area in which the entry and/or exit area for the passengers is located, or if necessary also in a garage below the operating area. In order to transfer the cableway vehicles into their intended parking positions in the parking area, a suitable parking system is generally provided which can comprise one or more conveying devices.


Exemplary parking systems are in EP 0 711 696 A1, AT 392766 B, AT 366328 B, CN 209942318 U or U.S. Pat. No. 3,200,766 A.


Proceeding from the prior art, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide an improved parking system which enables a very easy and quick execution of a parking process for cableway vehicles in a parking area of a cableway station.


SUMMARY

According to the present disclosure, the object is achieved in that the transfer device has a displacement device which can be displaced along a stationary guide device between a first transfer position and a second transfer position, wherein the displacement device has a first track segment and a second track segment, wherein, when the displacement device is in the first transfer position, a cableway vehicle can be moved from the first track segment onto the first stabling track, and a cableway vehicle can be moved from the feed track onto the second track segment and, when the displacement device is in the second transfer position, a cableway vehicle can be moved from the feed track onto the first track segment, and a cableway vehicle can be moved from the second track segment onto the second stabling track. This can significantly reduce the duration of the parking process since a following cableway vehicle can already be moved from the feed track to a waiting position on the transfer device while a cableway vehicle is being transferred to one of the stabling tracks.


According to an advantageous embodiment, the displacement device can have a displacement carriage on which the first track segment and the second track segment are arranged at a distance from one another in a movement direction of the displacement device, wherein the first track segment and the second track segment are jointly displaceable by means of the displacement carriage. This enables a simple structure and simple synchronous control of the movement of the track segments. Alternatively, the displacement device can also have at least one first and one second displacement carriage, wherein the first track segment is arranged on the first displacement carriage and the second track segment is arranged on the second displacement carriage, and wherein the first track segment and the second track segment are displaceable independently of one another by means of the displacement carriage. This allows the movement of the track segments to be controlled more flexibly, which makes different positions, speeds and accelerations possible.


The stabling tracks, the feed track and the track segments of the displacement device advantageously each have a first guide rail for guiding a guide roller of the cableway vehicles. Optionally, the stabling tracks, the feed track and the track segments of the displacement device can each also have a second guide rail for guiding a support guide roller of the cableway vehicles. As a result, the cableway vehicles can be moved in the same way as takes place in a known manner along the vehicle guide rail in the operating area of the cableway station. However, the second guide rails do not necessarily have to extend over the entire length of the respective first guide rails, but could also be provided only in sections, for example. The second guide rails reduce lateral swinging of the cableway vehicles, thereby reducing the risk of damage.


Preferably, the stabling tracks each have a straight section at least in the area of their stabling track ends facing the displacement device, the feed track has a straight section at least in the area of a feed track end facing the displacement device, and the track segments of the displacement device each have a straight section at least in the area of their segment ends, preferably over their entire length. This makes it possible, for example, to avoid curvature jumps, which means that the cableway vehicles can be transferred more easily and without jolting.


The straight sections of the track segments are preferably parallel to one another, and the movement direction of the displacement device along the stationary guide device runs straight, in particular at a right angle to the straight sections of the track segments. Alternatively, the straight sections of the track segments could also be arranged in a track angle relative to one another, and the movement direction of the displacement device along the stationary guide device can run curved, preferably circular. This allows a suitable constructive design of the parking system to be provided depending on the available space.


The stabling track ends of the stabling tracks facing the displacement device are preferably spaced apart from one another in the movement direction of the displacement device in a parking distance which corresponds to at least one vehicle width of a cableway vehicle of the cableway. A sum of the vehicle width and a defined safety distance of, for example, several centimeters are particularly preferably provided as the parking distance. This allows collisions between cableway vehicles on adjacent stabling tracks to be prevented, whereby damage can be avoided. In principle, however, a smaller distance than the vehicle width would also be possible, for example if the cableway vehicles are alternately moved onto the adjacent stabling tracks in a zipper system.


A segment length of the track segments transversely to the movement direction of the displacement device is preferably at least one cable clamping length of a cable clamp or a running gear length of a running gear of a cableway vehicle. This ensures that the entire cableway vehicle can be placed completely on the track segments and then be displaced. For easy handling, it can of course be advantageous if the segment length is longer than the cable clamp length or the running gear length.


The stationary guide device can have at least one guide rail, and the displacement device can have a number of rolling elements for movement along the at least one guide rail. For stable movement, it is advantageous if the stationary guide device has two (or more) guide rails spaced transversely to the movement direction of the displacement device, along which guide rails the displacement device can be moved by means of the rolling elements. Suitable rollers, wheels, balls, etc., which are arranged rotatably on the displacement device, can be provided as rolling elements, for example. The rolling elements can also have one or more toothed wheels, and the stationary guide device can have one or more toothed racks along which the toothed wheel(s) roll. This enables precise and reproducible positioning of the displacement device.


For automatic control, it is advantageous if a drive device for driving the displacement device along the stationary guide device is provided. The drive device can, for example, have a drive unit arranged on the displacement device, for example an electric motor. This allows, for example, a number of the above-mentioned rolling elements to be driven. The drive unit would therefore be part of the displacement device and would be moved with it. Alternatively, however, the drive device can also act on the displacement device from the outside and be designed, for example, as a chain drive, toothed belt drive, actuating cylinder, etc. In this case, the drive unit would not be a part of the displacement device and would therefore not be moved with it.


The displacement device preferably has a first conveying device for conveying a cableway vehicle along the first track segment and a second conveying device for conveying a cableway vehicle along the second track segment. As a result, the cableway vehicles can be automatically conveyed along the track segments. In the same way, a third conveying device for conveying cableway vehicles along the first stabling track, and/or a fourth conveying device for conveying cableway vehicles along the second stabling track, and/or a fifth conveying device for conveying cableway vehicles along the feed track can be provided. Preferably, at least one of the conveying devices has a tire conveyor which is designed to interact with a friction lining of a cableway vehicle to convey the cableway vehicle. As a result, the same conveying device can advantageously be used as for the auxiliary drive of the operating area, which reduces the design and control system complexity. Alternatively, at least one of the conveying devices can also have a chain conveyor or a toothed belt conveyor. The chain conveyor or the toothed belt conveyor can, for example, have a number of driver elements which interacts with a component of the cableway vehicle for moving the cableway vehicle. For example, the driver elements could exert a drive force on the hanger, at the upper end of which the cable clamp is arranged and at the lower end of which the conveying body (chair, cab) is arranged.


A control unit for controlling the drive device of the displacement device, and/or for controlling the first conveying device of the displacement device, and/or for controlling the second conveying device of the displacement device, and/or for controlling the third conveying device of the first stabling track, and/or for controlling the fourth conveying device of the second stabling track, and/or for controlling the fifth conveying device of the feed track is preferably also provided. For example, the control unit of the cableway can be used as a control unit which, among other things, also controls the drive of the cableway vehicles. However, a separate control unit could also be provided which, for example, can communicate in a suitable manner with the control unit of the cableway in order to control the parking process.


A first sensor device can also be provided which is designed to generate a first sensor signal representative of a position of the displacement device on the stationary guide device, and/or a second sensor device can be provided which is designed to generate a second sensor signal which is representative of a presence of a cableway vehicle in a defined section of the feed track, and the control unit can be designed to use the first sensor signal and/or the second sensor signal to control the parking process. The control unit can, for example, only activate the available conveying devices of the parking system if it has been recognized on the basis of the sensor signals that a cableway vehicle is located on the feed track and the displacement device is located in one of the transfer positions. A greater degree of automation of the parking system can thereby be achieved.


These objects are merely illustrative of the features and advantages associated with the present disclosure and should not be deemed as limiting in any manner. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the referenced drawings.





BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference is now made more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate the best presently known mode of carrying out the disclosure and wherein similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout all views.



FIG. 1 illustrates a cableway station of a circulating cableway with a parking area in which a parking system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.



FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a parking system according to the present disclosure.



FIG. 3 illustrates a further alternative embodiment of a parking system according to the present disclosure.





DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of technology is merely exemplary in nature of the subject matter, manufacture and use of one or more inventions, and is not intended to limit the scope, application, or uses of any specific invention claimed in this application or in such other applications as may be filed claiming priority to this application, or patents issuing therefrom. The following definitions and non-limiting guidelines must be considered in reviewing the description of the technology set forth herein.


The headings (such as “Background” and “Summary”) and sub-headings used herein are intended only for general organization of topics within the present disclosure and are not intended to limit the disclosure of the technology or any aspect thereof. In particular, subject matter disclosed in the “Introduction” may include novel technology and may not constitute a recitation of prior art. Subject matter disclosed in the “Summary” is not an exhaustive or complete disclosure of the entire scope of the technology or any embodiments thereof. Classification or discussion of a material within a section of this specification as having a particular utility is made for convenience, and no inference should be drawn that the material must necessarily or solely function in accordance with its classification herein when it is used in any given composition.


The citation of references herein does not constitute an admission that those references are prior art or have any relevance to the patentability of the technology disclosed herein. All references cited in the “Detailed Description” section of this specification are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.


The description and specific examples, while indicating embodiments of the technology, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the technology. Moreover, recitation of multiple embodiments having stated features is not intended to exclude other embodiments having additional features, or other embodiments incorporating different combinations of the stated features. Specific examples are provided for illustrative purposes of how to make and use the apparatus and systems of this technology and, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are not intended to be a representation that given embodiments of this technology have, or have not, been made or tested.


“A” and “an” as used herein indicate “at least one” of the item is present; a plurality of such items may be present, when possible. “About” when applied to values indicates that the calculation or the measurement allows some slight imprecision in the value (with some approach to exactness in the value; approximately or reasonably close to the value; nearly). If, for some reason, the imprecision provided by “about” is not otherwise understood in the art with this ordinary meaning, then “about” as used herein indicates at least variations that may arise from ordinary methods of measuring or using such parameters. In addition, disclosure of ranges includes disclosure of all distinct values and further divided ranges within the entire range.



FIG. 1 shows a cableway station 2 of a circulating cableway 1 in which an operating area BB and a parking area PB adjoining the operating area are provided. In a known manner, the circulating cableway 1 has a plurality of cableway vehicles 4 which can be moved by a conveyor cable F between the cableway station 2 and one or more further cableway stations (not shown). The shown cableway station 2 serves as an end station in which the cableway vehicles 4 are turned around. A first cable sheave 3 about which the conveyor cable F is deflected is arranged in the cableway station 2 for this purpose. A second cable sheave 3, about which the conveyor cable F is likewise deflected, is arranged in another cableway station (not shown) so that a closed cable loop is formed along which the cableway vehicles 4 can be moved. The cableway vehicles 4 generally have a conveying body for receiving persons and/or objects, for example a chair or a car (indicated in FIG. 1). The conveyor body is arranged in a known manner on a lower section of a hanger and can be suspended with the hanger from the conveyor cable.


Furthermore, the cableway vehicles 4 each have a suitable cable clamp 4a in a known manner, with which the cableway vehicle 4 can be releasably coupled to the conveyor cable F. The cable clamp 4a is generally arranged on an upper section of the hanger. In an entry area E of the cableway station 2, the cable clamp 4a can be opened by a suitable actuating device (not shown) in order to decouple the cableway vehicle 4 from the conveyor cable F. After decoupling, the cableway vehicle 4 can be braked and moved at reduced speed along a stationary vehicle guide device 22 parallel to a platform 20 up to the exit area A. The entry or exit of the passengers P at the platform 20 indicated by the arrows can thereby be facilitated. In the exit area A, the cableway vehicle 4 can be accelerated back up to the speed of the conveyor cable F and tightly coupled to the conveyor cable F again by opening and then closing the cable clamp 4a. To move the cableway vehicles 4 decoupled from the conveyor cable F along the vehicle guiding device 22, a suitable auxiliary drive can be provided in the cableway station 2, for example a known tire conveyor or chain conveyor (not shown).


A suitable vehicle drive device 21 is provided for driving the cableway vehicles 4. The vehicle drive device 21 can have, for example, a first drive unit 21a for driving the cable sheave 3, and a second drive unit 21b for driving the auxiliary drive. The drive units 21a, 21b are shown simplified in FIG. 1. For example, the drive units 21a, 21b may each have a suitable electric machine. Furthermore, a control unit 17 for controlling the vehicle drive device 21 is provided in the circulating cableway 1. The control unit 17 can have suitable hardware and/or software. In addition to controlling the available drive units 21a, 21b of the vehicle drive device 21, the control unit 17 can also be provided for controlling additional functions of the circulating cableway 1, for example for controlling the parking system PS according to the present disclosure, which is described in detail below. The basic structure and the functioning of such a cableway 1 are known, which is why no more detailed description is given at this point.


As mentioned, the operating area BB of the cableway station 2, in which the platform 20 is located, is adjoined by a parking area PB in which the cableway vehicles 4 can be parked outside operating hours or for maintenance. While the platform 20 is naturally accessible for passengers P in the operating area BB, the parking area PB is usually not accessible for passengers P. As mentioned at the outset, contrary to the shown embodiment, the parking area PB could also be provided, for example, at a different level than the operating area BB, for example below or above. This depends on the structural design of the cableway station 2. However, for the function of the parking system PS according to the present disclosure, the position of the parking area PB within the cableway station 2 is immaterial to the description of the present disclosure.


In order to carry out the parking process, a parking system PS according to the present disclosure is provided in the parking area PB. In the parking system PS, a feed track 5, at least one first stabling track 6 and at least one second stabling track 7 are provided. Furthermore, a transfer device 8 is provided for transferring cableway vehicles 4 from the feed track 5 onto the stabling tracks 6, 7. For example, the feed track 5 can be selectively connected to the vehicle guide device 22 arranged in the operating area BB via a suitable switch W, as shown in FIG. 1. As a result, the cableway vehicles 4 can be ejected from the operating area BB into the parking area, for example after closing time. However, this is merely an example, and the parking system PS could also be arranged at a different location of the parking area PB. For example, the parking system could also be arranged (additionally or alternatively) on a point of the parking area PB remote from the operating area BB. In this case, for example, at least one of the stabling tracks 6, 7 could function as the feed track of the parking system PS. As a result, cableway vehicles 4 could be moved from the corresponding stabling track 6, 7 onto further downstream (not shown) stabling tracks.


The transfer device 8 has a displacement device V which is displaceable along a stationary guide device 10 in a movement direction BV specified by the guide device between a first transfer position U1 (shown in FIG. 1) and a second transfer position U2 (not shown in FIG. 1). The displacement device V has a first track segment 11 and a second track segment 12 spaced apart from the first track segment 11 in the movement direction BV. In the shown first transfer position U1, the mutually facing ends 11a, 6a of the first track segment 11 and the first stabling track 6 are aligned so that a cableway vehicle 4 can be moved from the first track segment 11 onto the first stabling track 6. In addition, the mutually facing ends 5a, 12b of the feed track 5 and of the second track segment 12 are aligned so that a cableway vehicle 4 can be moved from the feed track 5 onto the second track segment 12. When the displacement device V is located in the second transfer position U2 (not shown), the mutually facing ends 5a, 11b of the first track segment 11 and the feed track 5 are then aligned so that a cableway vehicle 4 can be moved from the feed track 5 onto the first track segment 11. In addition, the mutually facing ends 12a, 7a of the second track segment 12 and of the second stabling track 7 are aligned so that a cableway vehicle 4 can be moved from the second track segment 12 onto the second stabling track 7. In order to reliably avoid a collision, a sufficiently small distance between the ends 5a, 11b, 12b or 6a, 11a or 7a, 12a facing each other can also be provided.


In the shown example, the displacement device V has a (single) displacement carriage 9 on which the first track segment 11 and the second track segment 12 are arranged at a distance from one another. The first track segment 11 and the second track segment 12 can therefore be moved back and forth between the first transfer position U1 and the second transfer position U2 by means of the displacement carriage 9. According to an alternative embodiment (which is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2), however, the displacement device V can also have at least one first displacement carriage 9a and one second displacement carriage 9b. In this case, the first track segment 11 is arranged on the first displacement carriage 9a and the second track segment 12 is arranged on the second displacement carriage 9b. The first track segment 11 and the second track segment 12 can therefore be moved independently of one another along the stationary guide device 10 between the first transfer position U1 and the second transfer position U2 by means of the displacement carriages 9a, 9b.


The stabling tracks 6, 7, the feed track 5 and the track segments 11, 12 of the displacement device V can each have a first guide rail 6_1, 7_1, 5_1, 11_1, 12_1 for guiding main guide rollers of the cableway vehicles 4. In addition, the stabling tracks 6, 7, the feed track 5 and the track segments 11, 12 of the displacement device V can in each case also have a second guide rail 6_2, 7_2, 5_2, 11_2, 12_2 (not shown in FIG. 1) for guiding support guide rollers of the cableway vehicles 4. Within the scope of the present disclosure, the main guide rollers are to be understood as those rollers of a cableway vehicle 4 with which the cableway vehicle 4 is moved along a main guide rail of the vehicle guide device 22. The weight of a cableway vehicle 4 is therefore supported on the main guide rail of the vehicle guide device 22 via the main guide rollers. As a rule, one or more such main guide rollers are arranged in the region of the cable clamp 4a.


Within the scope of the present disclosure, the support guide roller is understood to be those rollers of a cableway vehicle 4 which are provided in addition to the main guide rollers and with which the cableway vehicle 4 is guided along a support guide rail running parallel to the main guide rail of the vehicle guide device 22. The support guide rollers serve to minimize lateral pendulum movements of the cableway vehicle 4 transversely to the movement direction. In general, one or more such support guide rollers are arranged in the region of the cable clamp 4a per cableway vehicle 4. The structural design and the function of the vehicle guide device 22 and the main guide rollers and the support guide rollers are known, which is why no further description is given here.


Furthermore, it can be advantageous if the stabling tracks 6, 7 have a straight section in each case at least in the region of their stabling track ends 6a, 7a, that the feed track 5 has a straight section at least in the region of its feed track end 5a, and that the track segments 11, 12 of the displacement device V each have a straight section at least in the region of their segment ends 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b. In the shown example, track segments 11, 12 are straight over their entire length. Of course, other courses of the stabling tracks 6, 7, of the feed track 5 and of the track segments 11, 12 would also be conceivable, for example curved courses.


In the example according to FIG. 1, the longitudinal axes of the straight track segments 11, 12 are parallel to one another, and the movement direction BV of the displacement device V runs along a straight line, here normal to the longitudinal axes of the track segments 11, 12. In an alternative embodiment (which is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 3), the longitudinal axes of the track segments 11, 12 can also be arranged in a segment angle ß relative to one another, and the movement direction BV of the displacement device V can run curved, preferably circular. Depending on the available space, a suitable embodiment can be selected. A combination of several and possibly different parking systems PS within a parking area PB would naturally also be possible.


In order to reliably avoid a collision of cableway vehicles 4 on adjacent parking rails 6, 7, it is advantageous if at least the stabling track ends 6a, 7a of the stabling tracks 6, 7 facing the displacement device V are spaced apart from one another in the movement direction BV of the displacement device V in a parking distance PA which corresponds to at least one vehicle width FB of a cableway vehicle 4. However, the parking distance PA is preferably selected to be somewhat larger. For example, the parking distance PA can be a sum of the vehicle width FB and a defined safety distance. The safety distance can be, for example, in the range of a few centimeters up to one meter or more. The distance between the track segments 11, 12 (or between the ends 11a, 12a) is therefore half the parking distance PA.


As mentioned, however, the stabling tracks 6, 7 do not necessarily have to be straight and also do not necessarily have to be arranged at a right angle to the movement direction BV of the displacement device V (as in FIG. 1). For example, the stabling tracks 6, 7 could also be straight and can each be arranged at a specific angle relative to the movement direction BV of the displacement device V. The stabling tracks 6, 7 could also be arcuate or curved. In order to reliably avoid a collision of cableway vehicles 4 on the adjacent parking rails 6, 7, the parking distance PA should, of course, not be less than the minimum possible over the entire length of the parking rails 6, 7. However, the cableway vehicles 4 could also be parked in a type of zipper system on the stabling tracks 6, 7, so that they partially overlap in the transverse direction (transversely to the longitudinal direction). In this case, the parking distance PA could also be less than the vehicle width FB.


A segment length SL of the track segments 11, 12 of the displacement device V (transversely to the movement direction BV of the displacement device V) is preferably at least one cable clamping length SKL of a cable clamp 4a. The cable clamping length SKL of the cable clamp 4a is shown in FIG. 1 by way of example for the cableway vehicle 4 which is located in front of the entry area E in the cableway station 2.


If the circulating cableway 1 is designed as a multi-cable circulating cableway, the cableway vehicles 4 then have at least one additional suspension cable beyond the conveyor cable F. A running gear with a number of rollers is provided on each of the cableway vehicles 4, with which the respective cableway vehicle 4 rolls along the at least one suspension cable. The suspension cable therefore serves as a path, and the conveyor cable F serves as a hauling cable for driving the cableway vehicle 4. In such a multi-cable circulating cableway 1, the segment length SL of the track segments 11, 12 is preferably at least one running gear length of the running gear of a cableway vehicle 4 (not shown). This ensures that the track segments 11, 12 have a sufficient length in order to completely accommodate a cableway vehicle 4. Known multi-cable circulating cableways are, for example, the two-part cableway with a hauling cable and a suspension cable or the three-cable circulating cableway (also referred to as 3C-way) with two suspension cables and a hauling cable.


The stationary guide device 10 preferably has at least one guide rail 10a and the displacement device V has a number of rolling elements 13 with which the displacement device V rolls along the at least one guide rail 10a. The number of rolling elements 13 can, for example, have rollers, wheels, balls, or the like, which are mounted in a suitable manner on the displacement device V. For example, the displacement carriage 9 can have a frame, for example made of profiled tubes, as indicated in FIG. 1. The rolling elements 13 can be arranged on the side of the frame of the displacement carriage 9 and roll along the guide rails 10a, 10b.


As shown in FIG. 1, the stationary guide device 10 can also have two (or more) guide rails 10a, 10b spaced transversely to the movement direction BV of the displacement device V, along which guide rails the displacement device V can be moved by means of the rolling elements 13. The guide rails 10a, 10b could, for example, each have a U-shaped profile rail with open sides facing one another. In this case, the rolling elements 13 could be accommodated between the opposite (upper and lower) legs of the U-shaped profile rails. The number of rolling elements 13 can, for example, also have one or more toothed wheels, and a suitable toothed rack could be provided on the at least one guide rail 10a (not shown). Precise and reproducible positioning of the displacement device V along the stationary guide device 10 can thereby be achieved.


Furthermore, a drive device 14 for driving the displacement device V along the stationary guide device 10 can be provided in the parking system PS. The drive device 14 can, for example, have an electric drive unit, for example an electric motor, which is arranged on the displacement device V, for example on the displacement carriage 9 in FIG. 1. In this case, the drive device 14 can, for example, be designed to drive one or more rolling elements 13 and can be moved along with the displacement device V. Alternatively, the drive device 14 could also act, for example, from outside on the displacement device V and would therefore not be a part of the displacement device V. in this case, the drive device 14 could, for example, have a chain drive, a toothed belt drive, an actuating cylinder or the like, and can be arranged on a suitable stationary structure of the cableway station 2.


Furthermore, the displacement device V can have a first conveying device 15 for conveying a cableway vehicle 4 along the first track segment 11 and a second conveying device 16 for conveying a cableway vehicle 4 along the second track segment 12. In the shown example, the first conveying device 15 and the second conveying device 16 are each designed as a tire conveyor, similar to the auxiliary drive mentioned above, which can be provided for moving the cableway vehicles 4 decoupled from the conveyor cable F along the vehicle guide device 22. A tire conveyor can have a number of tires arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the respective track segment 11, 12, as schematically indicated in FIG. 1. The tires can be driven by a suitable drive unit, for example an electric motor which can be controlled by the control unit 17, for example, as indicated in FIG. 1 by the connecting lines. The drive units of the conveying devices 15, 16 are not shown for the sake of simplicity. To drive the cableway vehicles 4, the tires of the tire conveyors can interact in a known manner with a friction lining of the cableway vehicle 4 which can be provided, for example, in the region of the cable clamp 4a. Of course, this is to be understood only by way of example, and the conveying devices 15, 16 could also be designed differently, for example as chain conveyors, toothed belt conveyors, etc.


It is also advantageous if, in the parking system PS, a third conveying device (not shown) for conveying cableway vehicles 4 along the first stabling track 6, and/or a fourth conveying device (not shown) for conveying cableway vehicles 4 along the second stabling track 7, and/or a fifth conveying device (not shown) for conveying cableway vehicles 4 along the feed track 5 are provided. The third, fourth and fifth conveying devices can, for example, in turn have a tire conveyor, chain conveyor, toothed belt conveyor, or the like. However, the stabling tracks 6, 7 could in principle also be designed to be drive-free. The cableway vehicles 4 could, for example, be pushed by the respective following cableway vehicle 4 from the first or second conveying device 15, 16 onto the respective stabling track 6, 7. A (preferably changeable inclination) of the stabling tracks 6, 7 would also be conceivable so that the cableway vehicles 4 can be moved along the stabling tracks 6, 7 by gravity.


In addition to controlling the drive device 14 of the displacement device V, the first conveying device 15 and the second conveying device 16 of the displacement device V, the control unit 17 can also be designed to control the third conveying device of the first stabling track 6, to control the fourth conveying device of the second stabling track 7 and to control the fifth conveying device of the feed track 5.


Furthermore, it is advantageous if a first sensor device 18 is provided which is designed to generate a first sensor signal S1 representative of a position of the displacement device V on the guide device 10. Likewise, a second sensor device 19 can be provided which is designed to generate a second sensor signal S2 representative of a presence of a cableway vehicle 4 in a specified section of the supply track 5. The control unit 17 can use the first sensor signal S1 and the second sensor signal S2 for controlling the parking process, in particular for controlling the first and second conveying devices 15, 16 of the track segments 11, 12 and for controlling the fifth conveying device of the feed track 5. The specified section of the feed track 5 can, for example, be a region of a specific length, e.g., a few meters, adjacent to the end 5a.


For example, the control unit 17 can activate the first and second conveying devices 15, 16 of the track segments 11, 12 only when it has been detected on the basis of the first sensor signal S1 that the displacement device V is located in the first transfer position U1 or in the second transfer position U2, and if it has been recognized on the basis of the second sensor signal S2 that a cableway vehicle 4 is located on the feed track 5. The sensor devices 18, 19 can each have a number of suitable sensors which communicate wired or wirelessly with the control unit 17. For example, electrical end switches or inductive, capacitive, or optical sensors can be used as sensors. For the sake of simplicity, the sensor devices 18, 19 are shown in FIG. 1 in the region of the control unit 17. In practice, the sensors are of course arranged at a suitable location in order to generate the respective sensor signal S1, S2.


The design of the parking system PS has now been sufficiently described. For the sake of completeness, the use of the parking system PS for executing a parking process with a number of cableway vehicles 4 is described below.


First, a first cableway vehicle 4 is moved onto the feed track 5, for example by the vehicle guide device 22 via the switch W. If the parking system PS is additionally or alternatively located at another location in the parking area PB, one of the stabling tracks 6, 7 can then also function as the feed track, for example. For the sake of simplicity, however, reference is made to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. If the displacement device V is located in the first transfer position U1 shown in FIG. 1, the first cableway vehicle 4 can then be moved from the feed track 5 onto the second track segment 12 of the displacement device V. This can take place, for example, by simultaneous activation of the second conveying device 16 of the second track segment 12 and of the third conveying device (not shown) of the feed track 5. If the displacement device V is located in the second transfer position U2 (not shown in FIG. 1), the first cableway vehicle 4 can then be moved from the feed track 5 onto the first track segment 11 of the displacement device V. This can take place, for example, by simultaneous activation of the first conveying device 15 of the first track segment 11 and of the third conveying device (not shown) of the feed track 5.


If the first cableway vehicle 4 is located on the second track segment 12 (which can optionally be detected by another sensor device, for example), the displacement device V, including the first cableway vehicle 4, is moved along the stationary guide device 10 from the first transfer position U1 to the second transfer position U2. This can be done by the control unit 17 correspondingly controlling the drive unit 14 of the displacement device V. If the first cableway vehicle 4 is located on the first track segment 11 (which can in turn be detected by another sensor device, for example), the displacement device V, including the first cableway vehicle 4, is moved along the stationary guide device 10 from the second transfer position U2 into the first transfer position U1.


If the displacement device V is located in the respective end position (first or second transfer position U1, U2) (which can be detected, for example, by the first sensor device 18), then the first cableway vehicle 4 is moved from the first track segment 11 onto the first stabling track 6 or from the second track segment 12 onto the second stabling track 7. This can be done by the control unit 17 controlling the first or second conveying device 15, 16 and, if applicable, any provided third conveying device of the first stabling track 6 or any provided fourth conveying device of the second stabling track 7.


While the first cableway vehicle 4 is moved in the first transfer position U1 from the first track segment 11 of the displacement device V onto the first stabling track 6, a subsequent second cableway vehicle 4 can already be moved from the feed track 5 onto the second track segment 12 of the displacement device V. In the same way, the second cableway vehicle 4 can already be moved from the feed track 5 onto the first track segment 11 of the displacement device V, while the first cableway vehicle 4 is moved in the second transfer position U2 from the second track segment 12 onto the second stabling track 7. As a result, the parking process can be accelerated compared to the prior art, because the subsequent cableway vehicle 4 can already be parked on the displacement device V. The described parking process can now be repeated with additional cableway vehicles 4 following the second cableway vehicle 4. When a maximum storage capacity on the first stabling track 6 and/or on the second stabling track 7 is reached, another subsequent cableway vehicle 4 can also be parked, for example, on the first track segment 11 or the second track segment 12 of the displacement device V.



FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the parking system PS according to the present disclosure. While the displacement device V has a single displacement carriage 9 in the example according to FIG. 1, the displacement device V according to FIG. 2 has two separate displacement carriages 9a, 9b which can be moved independently of one another along the stationary guide device 10. In the shown example, the stationary guide device 10 has a single guide rail 10a. Of course, two parallel guide rails 10a, 10b would also be conceivable as shown in FIG. 1, or possibly also more than two guide rails. The first track segment 11 is arranged on the first displacement carriage 9a, and the second track segment 12 is arranged on the second displacement carriage 9b. A first conveying device 15 for conveying a cableway vehicle 4 along the first track segment 11 is provided on the first displacement carriage 9a and can be designed as a tire conveyor (only by way of example). In the same way, a second conveying device 16 for conveying a cableway vehicle 4 along the second track segment 12 is provided on the second displacement carriage 9b and can in turn be designed as a tire conveyor (merely by way of example). The tires of the tire conveyors 15, 16 indicated in FIG. 2 can be driven by a suitable drive unit which can be controlled by the control unit 17. Furthermore, a third conveying device for conveying the cableway vehicles 4 along the first stabling track 6, a fourth conveying device for conveying the cableway vehicles 4 along the second stabling track 7, and a fifth conveying device for conveying the cableway vehicles 4 along the feed track 5 are provided here. The third, fourth and fifth conveying devices can in turn have a tire conveyor, as indicated in FIG. 2, but alternatively could also have another suitable drive, e.g., a chain conveyor, toothed belt conveyor, etc.


While the track segments 11, 12 in the example according to FIG. 1 only have a first guide rail 11_1, 12_1 for the main guide rollers of the cableway vehicles 4, in the example according to FIG. 2, the track segments 11, 12 each have an additional second guide rail 11_2, 12_2 for the support guide rollers of the cableway vehicles 4. Lateral pendulum movements of the cableway vehicles 4 can thereby be reduced (in particular during the movement of the displacement carriages 9a, 9b), whereby the risk of damage can be reduced. In an advantageous manner, the stabling tracks 6, 7 also each have a first guide rail 6_1, 7_1 for the main guide rollers of the cableway vehicles 4 and a second guide rail 6_2, 7_2 arranged parallel thereto for guiding the support guide rollers of the cableway vehicles 4. As indicated in FIG. 2, the second guide rails 6_2, 7_2 of the stabling tracks 6, 7 do not have to extend over the entire length of the first guide rail 6_1, 7_1, but could optionally also be shorter and can be provided, for example, only in a section adjacent to the displacement device V. In the sections of the stabling tracks 6, 7 more remote from the displacement device V, it can be sufficient if only first guide rails 6_1, 7_1 are provided.


The basic function of the parking system PS according to FIG. 2 is the same as in FIG. 1. In the shown first transfer position U1, the first displacement carriage 9a is positioned such that the first track segment 11 is aligned with the first stabling track 6 so that a cableway vehicle 4 can be moved from the first track segment 11 onto the first stabling track 6. In addition, the second displacement carriage 9b is positioned in the first transfer position U1 such that the second track segment 12 is aligned with the feed track 5 so that a cableway vehicle 4 can be moved from the feed track 5 onto the second track segment 12. In the second transfer position U2 (not shown), the first displacement carriage 9a is positioned such that the first track segment 11 is aligned with the feed track 5 so that a cableway vehicle 4 can be moved from the feed track 5 onto the first track segment 11. The second displacement carriage 9b is positioned in the second transfer position U2 such that the second track segment 12 is aligned with the second stabling track 7, so that a cableway vehicle 4 can be moved second track segment 12 onto the second stabling track 7.


Due to the mutually independent mobility of the displacement carriages 9a, 9b, however, they do not always have to be moved simultaneously and not always at the same speed or acceleration during the execution of the parking process. This enables a more flexible control of the parking process. Of course, the two displacement carriages 9a, 9b can also be synchronized so that they are moved simultaneously. In this case, the displacement carriages 9a, 9b each have their own drive unit 14a, 14b, e.g., in the form of an electric motor. In this case, the drive devices 14a, 14b are part of the displacement carriages 9a, 9b and are moved together therewith. As already mentioned in FIG. 1, however, one or more external drive devices 14 could also be provided which act on the displacement carriages 9a, 9b, but are not part of the displacement carriages 9a, 9b (for example chain drive, toothed belt drive, etc.).



FIG. 3 shows another alternative embodiment of the parking system PS according to the present disclosure. The parking system PS is constructed substantially the same as in FIG. 1 and has a displacement device V with a (single) displacement carriage 9 which can be moved along a stationary guide device 10 which has two parallel guide rails 10a, 10b. In contrast to FIG. 1, however, the stationary guide device 10 is not straight here, but curved. The displacement carriage 9 is therefore movable in a curved movement direction BV along the stationary guide device 10 between the first transfer position U1 shown in FIG. 3 and the second transfer position U2 (not shown in FIG. 3). In an advantageous embodiment, the movement direction BV can be, for example, a circular path with a circle center M. Of course, other curve shapes would also be conceivable, for example an elliptical path or the like.


In this case, the feed track 5 is straight and runs from the circle center M in the radial direction to the stationary guide device 10. The first track segment 11 and the second track segment 12 of the displacement carriage 9 are straight and also run in the radial direction. While the track segments 11, 12 in FIG. 1 are arranged parallel to one another, the track segments 11, 12 are arranged in FIG. 3 in a track segment angle α relative to one another on the displacement carriage 9. The stabling tracks 6, 7 are also straight here and adjoin the stationary guide device 10 at the side opposite the feed track 5 and also run in the radial direction. The stabling tracks 6, 7 are arranged in a stabling track angle β relative to one another, which corresponds to twice the track segment angle α. Furthermore, the function of the parking system PS is unchanged compared to the embodiment according to FIG. 1. This means that the displacement carriage 9 can be moved between the shown first transfer position U1 and the second transfer position U2 (not shown).


In the shown first transfer position U1, the first free end 11a of the first track segment 11 is aligned with the free end 6a of the first stabling track 6, and the second free end 12b of the second track segment 12 is aligned with the free end 5a of the feed track 5. In the second transfer position U2 (not shown), the second free end 11b of the first track segment 11 is aligned with the free end 5a of the feed track 5, and the first free end 12a of the second track segment 12 is aligned with the free end 7a of the second stabling track 7. In order to avoid repetition, reference is made to the explanations of FIG. 1 with regard to the advantageous embodiments, which apply analogously to the embodiment of FIG. 3.


Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure have been described above to explain the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to utilize the present disclosure. However, as various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings, including all materials expressly incorporated by reference herein, shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by the above-described exemplary embodiment but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

Claims
  • 1. A parking system for a parking area of a cableway station of a cableway having a plurality of cableway vehicles of the cableway, comprising: a feed track;at least a first stabling track and a second stabling track; anda transfer device configured for transferring the cableway vehicles from the feed track onto the first and second stabling tracks, further comprising: a stationary guide device;a displacement device configured for displacement in a direction of movement along the stationary guide device between a first transfer position and a second transfer position;the displacement device having a first track segment and a second track segment;wherein in the first transfer position, one of the cableway vehicles is movable from the first track segment onto the first stabling track and one of the cableway vehicles is movable from the feed track onto the second track segment; andwherein in the second transfer position, one of the cableway vehicles is movable from the feed track onto the first track segment and one of the cableway vehicles is movable from the second track segment onto the second stabling track.
  • 2. The parking system according to claim 1, wherein the displacement device further comprises one of: a displacement carriage on which the first track segment and the second track segment are arranged at a distance from one another in the direction of movement of the displacement device, configured to jointly displace the first track segment and the second track segment, orat least a first displacement carriage and a second displacement carriage, wherein the first track segment is arranged on the first displacement carriage and the second track segment is arranged on the second displacement carriage, wherein the first and second displacement carriages are configured to independently displace the first track segment and the second track segment.
  • 3. The parking system according to claim Error! Reference source not found., wherein the first and second stabling tracks, the feed track, and the first and second track segments each have at least one of: a first guide rail configured to guide a main guide roller of the cableway vehicles; anda second guide rail configured to guide a support guide roller of the cableway vehicles.
  • 4. The parking system according to claim 1, wherein: the first and second stabling tracks each have a straight section at their respective ends facing the displacement device;the feed track has a straight section at its end facing the displacement device; andthe first and second track segments each have a straight section at least at their respective ends.
  • 5. The parking system according to claim 4, wherein the straight sections of the first and second track segments are configured in one of the following arrangements: parallel to one another and wherein the direction of movement of the displacement device along the stationary guide device is straight; orin a track angle relative to one another and wherein the direction of movement of the displacement device along the stationary guide device is curved.
  • 6. The parking system according to claim 4, wherein the ends of the first and second stabling tracks facing the displacement device are spaced apart from one another in the direction of movement of the displacement device by a parking distance corresponding to one of: at least one vehicle width of one of the cableway vehicles, ora sum of the vehicle width and a fixed safety distance.
  • 7. The parking system according to claim 1, wherein a segment length of each of the first and second track segments transverse to the direction of movement of the displacement device corresponds to one of: at least one cable clamping length of a cable clamp, ora running gear length of a running gear of one of the cableway vehicles.
  • 8. The parking system according to claim 1, the stationary guide device further comprising at least one of: at least one guide rail, the displacement device comprising a plurality of rolling elements configured to move along the at least one guide rail, andat least two guide rails spaced apart transversely to the direction of movement of the displacement device.
  • 9. The parking system according to claim 1, further comprising a drive device configured to drive the displacement device along the stationary guide device.
  • 10. The parking system according to claim 1, wherein the displacement device further comprises a first conveying device configured to convey one of the cableway vehicles along the first track segment and a second conveying device configured to convey one of the cableway vehicles along the second track segment.
  • 11. The parking system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of: a third conveying device configured to convey one of the cableway vehicles along the first stabling track;a fourth conveying device configured to convey one of the cableway vehicles along the second stabling track; andfifth conveying device configured to convey one of the cableway vehicles along the feed track.
  • 12. The parking system according to claim 10, at least one of the first and second conveying devices comprises at least one of: a tire conveyor, wherein the cableway vehicle comprises a friction lining, and wherein the tire conveyor engages the friction lining to convey the cableway vehicle;a chain conveyor; anda toothed belt conveyor.
  • 13. The parking system according to claim 9, further comprising a control unit configured to control the drive device.
  • 14. The parking system according to claim 13 further comprising at least one of: a first sensor device configured to generate a first sensor signal representative of a position of the displacement device on the stationary guide device, anda second sensor device configured to generate to generate a second sensor signal representative of a presence of a cableway vehicle in a defined section of the feed track; andwherein the control unit is configured to control the parking system as a function of, in part, at least one of the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal.
  • 15. A method of parking cableway vehicles of a cableway having a plurality of cableway vehicles, the cableway having a parking system according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: moving a first cableway vehicle from: the feed track onto the first track segment when the displacement device is in the second transfer position; orfrom the feed track onto the second track segment when the displacement device is in the first transfer position,displacing the displacement device and the first cableway vehicle along the stationary guide device between the second transfer position and the first transfer position; andmoving the first cableway vehicle: from the first track segment onto the first stabling track, when the displacement device is in the first transfer position; orfrom the second track segment onto the second stabling when the displacement device is in the second transfer position.
  • 16. The method of parking cableway vehicles of a cableway according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of: moving a second cableway vehicle: from the feed track onto the second track segment, while the first cableway vehicle is moved from the first track segment onto the first stabling track; orfrom the feed track onto the first track segment, while the first cableway vehicle is moved from the second track segment onto the second stabling track.
  • 17. A cableway having a plurality of cableway stations and having a plurality of cableway vehicles movable between the cableway stations using a conveyor cable, at least one cableway station having a parking area and a parking system according to claim 1, comprising a vehicle guiding device in the at least one cableway station having a parking area, the at least one cableway station also having an entry area and an exit area, the vehicle guiding device configured for movement of the cableway vehicles decoupled from the conveyor cable along the vehicle guiding device from the entry area to the exit area and for movement of the decoupled cableway vehicles from the vehicle guiding device onto the feed track.
  • 18. A method of parking cableway vehicles in a parking area of a cableway station of a cableway having a plurality of cableway vehicles, comprising the steps of: moving a first cableway vehicle along a feed track and from the feed track onto one of: a first track segment of a displacement device, the displacement device being configured for displacement along a direction of movement between a first transfer position and a second transfer position, when the displacement device is in the second transfer position; ora second track segment of the displacement device, the second track segment being spaced apart from the first track segment in a direction of movement of the displacement device, when the displacement device is in the first transfer position;moving the first cableway vehicle along a stationary guide device between the first transfer position and the second transfer position and: from the first track segment onto a first stabling track when the displacement device is in the first transfer position; orfrom the second track segment onto a second stabling track, the second stabling track being spaced apart from the first stabling track in the direction of movement of the displacement device, when the displacement device is in the second transfer position.
  • 19. The method of parking cableway vehicles according to claim 18, further comprising the step of moving a second cableway vehicle following the first cableway vehicle along the feed track and onto one of: the second track segment, while the first cableway vehicle is moved from the first track segment onto the first stabling track; orthe first track segment, while the first cableway vehicle is moved from the second track segment onto the second stabling track.
  • 20. The method of parking cableway vehicles according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of: repeating the steps of claim 19 with at least one following cableway vehicle following the second cableway vehicle; andparking one of the at least one following cableway vehicles on one of the first or second track segments when a maximum storage capacity is reached on at least one of the first stabling track and the second stabling track.
  • 21. The parking system according to claim 10, further comprising a control unit configured to control at least one of the first conveying device; and the second conveying device.
  • 22. The parking system according to claim 11, further comprising a control unit configured to control at least one of the third conveying device; the fourth conveying device; and the fifth conveying device.
  • 23. The parking system according to claim 11, at least one of the third, fourth, and fifth conveying devices comprises at least one of: a tire conveyor, wherein the cableway vehicle comprises a friction lining, and wherein the tire conveyor engages the friction lining to convey the cableway vehicle;a chain conveyor; anda toothed belt conveyor.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
A50891/2022 Nov 2022 AT national