TRANSPORT VEHICLE DESIGNED TO BE PULLED BY AN OVERHEAD CABLE AND INSTALLATION COMPRISING A VEHICLE OF SAID TYPE

Abstract

Transport vehicle designed to be pulled by an overhead cable, including an attachment device configured to attach the vehicle to the overhead cable, a support structure configured to support at least one chair, and a hanger arm connecting the support structure to the attachment device, said at least one chair being mounted rotationally on the support structure.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to transport by overhead cable, and more particularly to installations of chairlift type and vehicles of these installations.

STATE OF THE ART

A large number of chairlifts are currently used to transport passengers to elevated locations and most of them are fairly old. A chairlift is a transport installation equipped with chairs suspended on an overhead cable, which acts as both carrying and hauling cable.

Swiss Patent application CH704725 can be cited which discloses a chairlift each chair of which comprises seats, a grip clamping the hauling cable of the chairlift, a hanger arm extending along a vertically-oriented longitudinal axis and connected to the grip, and a horizontal support situated above the seats and coupled to the hanger arm by means of a pivot-link so that the horizontal support can rotate around the longitudinal axis of the hanger arm. This chairlift enables the seat of the chairs to be made to rotate in the direction of one side of the chairlift to provide an unobstructed view of the landscape situated on this side.

But this type of chairlift does not procure thrilling sensations as the passengers are kept in a comfortable position. These chairlifts are further generally used in winter and are not used, or used very little, in summer.

A requirement therefore exists to use the chairlifts in summer when the passengers can no longer go skiing, and more particularly to propose chairlifts which provide thrilling sensations and which can be used both in summer and in winter.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

One object of the invention consists in remedying these shortcomings, and more particularly in providing means for creating thrilling sensations for the passengers transported by overhead hauling cable in total safety.

According to one feature of the invention, a transport vehicle designed to be pulled by an overhead cable is proposed, comprising an attachment device configured to attach the vehicle to the overhead cable, a support structure configured to support at least one chair, and a hanger arm connecting the support structure to the attachment device.

In this vehicle, the chair is mounted rotationally on the support structure.

The vehicle thus procures thrilling sensations in complete safety as the support structure can remain fixed to the hanger arm.

The hanger arm can extend along a longitudinal axis and said at least one chair is mounted rotationally around an axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

The passengers are thus inclined in the direction of movement of the chair which procures original sensations that are more thrilling than those procured by traditional chairlifts. Such a vehicle further makes it possible to take the passengers closer to the ground in order to increase the sensation of speed, which enhances the sensations of thrills.

The chair can comprise a harness mounted swiveling on the chair between a raised position in which access to the chair is allowed and a lowered position to provide protection for a passenger seated on the chair.

The vehicle can comprise a tilt system configured to animate in rotation said at least one chair with respect to a reference position of the chair.

The chair can be configured to rotate around the axis of rotation so that the field of view of the passenger seated in the chair is directed towards the ground.

The vehicle can comprise several chairs situated side by side according to an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

According to another feature of the invention, an overhead cable transport installation is proposed, comprising at least one vehicle as defined in the foregoing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages and features will become more clearly apparent from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention given for non-restrictive example purposes only and represented in the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a cable transport installation according to the invention;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a side view of a vehicle according to the invention where the chair occupies a reference position; and

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a side view of the vehicle of FIG. 2 where the chair has rotated with respect to its reference position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A transport installation 1 by overhead cable 2, comprising at least one vehicle 3, has been represented in FIG. 1. The installation 1 is preferably a chairlift comprising an overhead cable 2 which acts as both carrying and hauling cable on which the vehicles 3 are attached in order to be pulled. Each vehicle 3 comprises an attachment device 4, a hanger arm 5 and a support structure 6. The attachment device 4 is configured to attach the vehicle 3 to the overhead hauling cable 2. The attachment device 4 can be a fixed grip for attachment of the vehicle 3 to the cable 2 in permanent manner, or a detachable grip to attach the vehicle 3 to the cable 2 in removable manner. The hanger arm 5 is connected to the attachment device 4, and extends along a longitudinal axis L. The longitudinal axis L is vertically oriented when the vehicle 3 is at a standstill. The support structure 6 is connected to the hanger arm 5 via a first end of the hanger arm 5. The hanger arm 5 is further connected to the attachment device 4 via a second end of the hanger arm 5 opposite the first end. In particular, the attachment device 4 attaches the vehicle 3 to the overhead cable 2 at an attachment point. In other words the longitudinal axis L passes through the first end of the hanger arm 5 and the overhead cable 2, i.e. the attachment point of the attachment device 4. The support structure 6 can be formed from an assembly of cylindrical parts, which can be bars, tubes, full rods, or a combination of the three. What is meant by cylinder is a solid limited by a cylindrical surface generated by a set of parallel lines, referred to as generatrix, pressing on a closed flat curve, referred to as directrix, and two planes cutting the generatrix. In general manner, the support structure 6 forms a frame connected to the hanger arm 5.

The vehicle 3 further comprises at least one chair 7 to 9 mounted on the support structure 6 and suspended on the cable 2 when the vehicle 3 is attached to the cable 2. For example, the vehicle 3 can comprise several chairs 7 to 9 situated side by side according to a main axis R perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. The main axis R can also be perpendicular to an axis of attachment X of the attachment device 4. The axis of attachment X is an axis along which the hauling cable 2 extends when the attachment device 4 is attached to the hauling cable 2. The axis of attachment X extends in the direction in which the vehicle 3 travels when the latter is pulled by the hauling cable 2. More particularly, the chairs 7 to 9 are of bucket seat type, i.e. individual chairs with a backrest engaging the passenger's hips so that the passengers are firmly ensconced in the chair 7 to 9.

In particular, the vehicle 3 comprises at least one chair 7 to 9 mounted rotationally on the support structure 6 around an axis of rotation R perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. The axis of rotation R corresponds to the main axis R described above. Preferentially, all the chairs 7 to 9 are mounted rotationally around the axis of rotation R. As a variant, it can be envisaged for the chairs 7 to 9 to have different axes of rotation from one another. For example, all the axes of rotation of the chairs 7 to 9 are parallel to one another and are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. When the chairs 7 to 9 have the same axis of rotation R, the axis of rotation R can be located in the middle of the frame formed by the support structure 6. For example, the axis of rotation R passes through the set of backrests of the chairs. It can also be situated in the part of the frame located in proximity to the hanger arm 5.

Preferentially, each chair 7 to 9 comprises a harness 10 mounted swiveling on the chair 7 to 9 between a raised position in which access to the chair 7 to 9 is allowed, and a lowered position to provide protection of a passenger seated on the chair 7 to 9. Each chair 7 to 9 can further be equipped with a safety bar 11 mounted pivoting between a raised position and a lowered position so as to immobilise the passenger's legs. In particular, the harness 10 is shaped to protect the passenger's torso by securing the latter between the backrest and the harness 10 when the harness 10 is in the lowered position. It is also possible to design a specific protection harness that can secure both the passenger's torso and legs, and in this case the safety bar 11 is no longer necessary.

Preferably, the vehicle 3 comprises a tilt system 12 configured to animate in rotation the chairs 7 to 9 with respect to respective reference positions of the chairs 7 to 9. A reference position can be a position in which the backrest of the chair is vertical and the seat of the chair is horizontal, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The tilt system 12 can further comprise a transmission part 13, a rotation mechanism 14, and a transmission cable 15 connecting the rotation mechanism 14 to the transmission part 13. The rotation mechanism 14 can comprise a set of gears configured to move the chairs 7 to 9 in rotation, and commanded by hydraulic or pneumatic jacks, or commanded by one or more electric motors. The transmission cable 15 is then an electric cable connected to the jacks or to the electric motors and the transmission part 13 is a control button 13. As a variant, the rotation mechanism 14 comprises a wireless apparatus to control the jacks or the electric motors, the wireless apparatus being commanded by the control button 13 and the electric cable 15 is then no longer necessary. Preferentially, the set of gears of the rotation mechanism 14 is controlled by a transmission cable 15 of mechanical type. The mechanical-type cable 15 can be flexible. According to another variant, the mechanical-type cable 15 can be replaced by several rods articulated on one another. The transmission part 13 can be a lever arm. In particular, the lever arm 13 is mounted mobile on the support structure 6, between a first position P in which the lever arm 13 raises the chairs 7 to 9 to their reference position, and a second position Q in which the lever arm 13 inclines the chairs 7 to 9. What is meant here by raises is the fact that the chairs 7 to 9 are directed upwards, in particular in the direction of the attachment device 4, i.e. the apexes of the backrests are directed towards the attachment device 4. What is meant by inclines on the other hand is the fact that the chairs 7 to 9 are directed towards the ground, in other words the apexes of the backrests are directed away from the attachment device 4, i.e. directed towards the ground. Preferably, the chairs 7 to 9 are configured to rotate around their axes of rotation so that the field of vision V of the passengers seated in the chairs is directed towards the ground. The orientation of the field of vision V of the passengers has been represented by the reference O. In other words, the chairs are inclined in the direction of the axis of attachment X, i.e. in the direction in which the vehicle 3 is moving. When the chairs 7 to 9 are inclined, the passengers are in an extremely marked position with regard to the ground, which creates thrilling sensations. The incline of the chairs 7 to 9 further modifies the traditional references of the passengers where the passenger's torso is kept in a vertical position, which enhances the thrilling sensations.

In FIG. 2, the chairs 7 to 9 have been represented at a standstill in a station and occupying their reference position. In their reference position, the lever arm 13 occupies its first position P. The harnesses 10 and safety bars are raised and the passengers can board the chairs 7 to 9. Then the harnesses 10 and safety bars 11 are lowered, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Once the passengers are secured in the chairs 7 to 9, the user inclines the chairs 7 to 9 in the direction of the ground by moving the lever arm 13 to its second position Q, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The vehicle 3 is then ready to be hauled by the cable 2. More particularly, the chairs 7 to 9 keep their inclined positions throughout the run until they reach the unloading end station. The passengers are thus suspended in mid-air with their field of vision V directed towards the ground. Such a vehicle procures hitherto original sensations that are much more thrilling than those that can be experienced with a traditional chairlift.

As a variant, the lever arm 13 can comprise a fixed or mobile sheave 16 to automatically trigger the chairs 7 to 9 tilting. For example, the loading and unloading stations can comprise triggering means, such as rails or cams, which operate in conjunction with the sheave 16 when the vehicle 3 is moved in the station and passes in front of the trigger. It is thus possible to propose an installation 1 in which the passengers board the chairs 7 to 9, while the vehicle 3 is still moving in the station. Furthermore, when the trigger of the loading station comes into contact with the sheave 16, the chairs 7 to 9 are inclined in the loading station and before the vehicle 3 leaves the loading station. In opposite manner, the unloading station comprises a reverse trigger which raises the sheave 16 and moves the lever arm 13 to its first position to return the chairs 7 to 9 to the reference position in the unloading station. When the vehicle 3 has reached the unloading station, the tilt system 12 enables raising the chairs 7 to 9 to return them to their reference positions to facilitate the passengers to alight.

The installation and vehicle which have just been described enable new sensations to be created that are much more thrilling than those procured by traditional chairlifts.

Claims

1-5. (canceled)

6. Transport vehicle designed to be pulled by an overhead cable, comprising: an attachment device configured to attach the vehicle to the overhead cable,a support structure configured to support at least one chair, anda hanger arm connecting the support structure to the attachment device, the hanger arm extending along a longitudinal axis and said at least one chair being mounted rotationally on the support structure around an axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein said at least one chair is configured to rotate around the axis of rotation so that the field of vision of the passenger seated in said at least one chair is directed towards the ground.

7. Vehicle according to claim 6, wherein said at least one chair comprises a harness mounted swiveling on said at least one chair between a raised position in which access to said at least one chair is allowed and a lowered position to provide protection for a passenger seated on said at least one chair.

8. Vehicle according to claim 6, comprising a tilt system configured to animate in rotation said at least one chair with respect to a reference position of said at least one chair.

9. Vehicle according to claim 6, comprising several chairs situated side by side according to an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

10. Overhead cable transport installation, comprising at least one vehicle according to claim 6.