Passenger cable transportation system

Abstract

A passenger cable transportation system, the cable system comprising: at least one cabin for transporting passengers; at least one station for passengers boarding and landing from the cabin; two lateral guides facing each other and configured to guide the cabin into the station along an advancing direction, wherein there is a clearance between the lateral guides and the cabin; and at least one blocking device configured to block the cabin in relation to the lateral guides at least along a direction transversal to the advancing direction level with at least one part of the station.

Claims

1. A passenger cable transportation system comprising: a passenger station; two U-shaped lateral guides facing each other and configured to guide a cabin along an advancing direction into the passenger station where the cabin traverses the advancing direction in a U-shape, wherein a clearance is defined between the U-shaped lateral guides and the cabin; and at least one blocking device comprising a pusher that is at least one of: integrated in a platform of the passenger station and in a first one of the U-shaped lateral guides associated with at least one part of the passenger station, wherein when the cabin is stopped from advancing at the passenger station, the pusher is configured to selectively push the cabin in abutment against a second one of the U-shaped lateral guides to block oscillations of the cabin in relation to the U-shaped lateral guides at least along a direction transversal to the advancing direction and a cabin pushing surface of the pusher is moveable from a retracted position substantially within a vertical wall of the at least one of the platform and the first one of the U-shaped lateral guides to a projecting position wherein the cabin pushing surface of the pusher is in contact with a portion of the cabin.

2. The passenger cable transportation system of claim 1, wherein in the projecting position, the pusher is configured to push the cabin in abutment against the second one of the U-shaped lateral guides and in the retracted position, the cabin is free to advance between the U-shaped lateral guides.

3. The passenger cable transportation system of claim 1, wherein the pusher comprises a pushing head defining an outer profile complementarily shaped to an outer profile of a surface on which the pusher head acts.

4. The passenger cable transportation system of claim 3, wherein the pushing head defines a concave shape and the surface on which the pusher head acts defines a convex shape.

5. The passenger cable transportation system of claim 4, wherein the pushing head is sprung and moveably mounted on a slide configured to orthogonally translate in relation to one of the U-shaped lateral guides such that the pushing head and the slide are integral with each other until contact with the cabin occurs, and after contact with the cabin occurs, the slide is configured to advance in relation to the pushing head to generate a pushing force against the cabin.

6. The passenger cable transportation system of claim 5, wherein the pushing head is rotatable in relation to the slide such that when the cabin is not centered in relation to the pushing head, the advancement of the slide generates a rotation of the pushing head so that the pushing head engages to the cabin.

7. The passenger cable transportation system of claim 1, wherein the pusher comprises a deformable pusher configured to be selectively inflated to an inflating configuration in which the pusher pushes the cabin in abutment against the second one of the U-shaped lateral guides.

8. The passenger cable transportation system of claim 1, wherein the cabin comprises a footboard and the pusher is configured to be positioned flush with the footboard.

9. The passenger cable transportation system of claim 1, wherein the pusher and the U-shaped lateral guides are configured to enable a continuous advancing of the cabin into the passenger station.

10. The passenger cable transportation system of claim 1, wherein the blocking device comprises another pusher configured to selectively push the cabin in abutment against the second, opposite one of the U-shaped lateral guides.

11. A passenger cable transportation system blocking device comprising: a pusher that is at least one of: integrated in a platform of a passenger station and in a first one of two U-shaped lateral guides associated with at least one part of the passenger station, wherein the two U-shaped lateral guides face each other to guide a cabin along an advancing direction into the passenger station where the cabin traverses the advancing direction in a U-shape and when a clearance is defined between the U-shaped lateral guides and the cabin is stopped from advancing at the passenger station, the pusher is configured to selectively push the cabin in abutment against a second one of the two U-shaped lateral guides to block oscillations of the cabin in relation to the U-shaped lateral guides at least along a direction transversal to the advancing direction and a cabin pushing surface of the pusher is moveable from a retracted position substantially within a vertical wall of the at least one of the platform and the first one of two U-shaped lateral guides to a projecting position wherein the cabin pushing surface of the pusher is in contact with a portion of the cabin.

12. The passenger cable transportation system blocking device of claim 11, wherein in the projecting position, the pusher is configured to push the cabin in abutment against the second one of the U-shaped lateral guides and in the retracted position, the cabin is free to advance between the U-shaped lateral guides.

13. The passenger cable transportation system blocking device of claim 11, wherein the pusher comprises a pushing head defining an outer profile complementarily shaped to an outer profile of a surface on which the pusher head acts.

14. The passenger cable transportation system blocking device of claim 13, wherein the pushing head defines a concave shape and the surface on which the pusher head acts defines a convex shape.

15. The passenger cable transportation system blocking device of claim 14, wherein the pushing head is sprung and moveably mounted on a slide configured to orthogonally translate in relation to one of the U-shaped lateral guides such that the pushing head and the slide are integral with each other until contact with the cabin occurs, and after contact with the cabin occurs, the slide is configured to advance in relation to the pushing head to generate a pushing force against the cabin.

16. The passenger cable transportation system blocking device of claim 15, wherein the pushing head is rotatable in relation to the slide such that when the cabin is not centered in relation to the pushing head, the advancement of the slide generates a rotation of the pushing head so that the pushing head engages to the cabin.

17. The passenger cable transportation system blocking device of claim 11, wherein the pusher comprises a deformable pusher configured to be selectively inflated to an inflating configuration in which the pusher pushes the cabin in abutment against the second one of the U-shaped lateral guides.

18. The passenger cable transportation system blocking device of claim 11, further comprising another pusher configured to selectively push the cabin in abutment against the first one of the U-shaped lateral guides.

19. A passenger cable transportation system blocking device comprising: a substantially U-shaped clamp associated with at least one part of a passenger station, such that when a clearance is defined between two U-shaped lateral guides and a cabin is stopped advancing at the passenger station, the clamp is configured to grip, at least along a direction transversal to an advancing direction, a portion of the cabin in relation to the two U-shaped lateral guides, wherein the two U-shaped lateral guides face each other and are configured to guide the cabin along the advancing direction into the passenger station where the cabin traverses the advancing direction in a U-shape.

20. The passenger cable transportation system blocking device of claim 19, wherein the clamp is configured to selectively grip a fin portion projecting outside the cabin below a floor of the cabin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure will become clear from the following description of an example of an embodiment, which is not limiting, with reference to the Figures in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view of a passenger boarding and landing station of a passenger cable transportation system;

(3) FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic view of the cabin in FIG. 1 along the advancing direction, wherein an embodiment of a blocking device is visible according to the present disclosure in the form of a lower clamp;

(4) FIGS. 3 and 4 show schematic views of an embodiment of a blocking device according to the present disclosure in the form of a pusher; and

(5) FIGS. 5 to 10 schematically show operating phases of the passenger cable transportation system, wherein the boarding and landing platform is equipped with the pusher according to FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) Referring now to the example embodiments of the present disclosure illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 10, FIG. 1 shows a perspective schematic view of a passenger boarding and landing station 3 of a cabin 2 passenger cable transportation system 1. The station 3 comprises a couple of lateral guides 4 configured to contain and guide the cabin along the advancing direction D in the station 3. In FIG. 1, the path, in plan view, of the guides is U-shaped and the station 3 can be a upstream or downstream station, where the cabin 2 inverts the direction of travel in a U. FIG. 1 also shows a platform 6, arranged along a part of the outer guide 4 where passengers board and land.

(7) FIG. 2 is a view of the cabin 2 along the advancing direction D and shows the arrangement of the cabin 2 in detail in relation to the lateral guides 4 at the passenger boarding and landing platform 6.

(8) When advancing, as we know, the cabin 2 is suspended from the ground by an upper clamp 12 constrained to a cable (not shown) positioned above the roof 13 of the cabin 2. If the clamp 12 were to be released from the cable in the station 3, the cabin 2 is nonetheless suspended thanks to a roller 14 carrying the clamp 12 that rolls on a rail (not shown) positioned above the roof 13 of the cabin 2. The cabin 2 shown in FIG. 2 also comprises a footboard 10 configured to assist passengers with boarding and landing, arranged outside the cabin entrance and exit door (not shown). Said footboard 10 is substantially in flush with the platform 6 or with the upper edge of the lateral guide 4. As we know, the cabin 2 is also equipped with an outside space 15 where passengers can put skis, rackets or other accessories.

(9) As we can see in FIG. 2, the lateral guides 4, at least level with the passenger boarding and landing part, have a distance between them that is slightly greater than the width of the cabin 2 in order to contain the cabin and guide the cabin, without blocking the cabin. Said transversal clearance is represented in FIG. 2 by reference number 16 and is schematized as the distance present between the footboard 10 of the cabin 2 and the lateral guide 4 supporting the platform 6.

(10) FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the blocking device of the present disclosure configured to block the cabin 2 in relation to the lateral guides 4 at least along a direction T transversal to the advancing direction D level with at least one part of the station 3. In particular, FIG. 2 shows a blocking device in the form of a lower clamp 23 (only outlined), which acts against a fin portion 24, projecting at the bottom outside the cabin 2 below the floor 25. In said Figure, the lower clamp 23 is shown fixed and planted in the ground. However, the clamp can be fixed to a lateral guide 4 and/or the clamp can be housed on a slide or a guide parallel to the advancing direction D so as not to stop the advancing of the cabin 2. The lower clamp 23 can move, in a known manner, from an initial configuration of free insertion of the fin portion 24 in the mouth of the clamp 23 to a second configuration, wherein the mouth of the clamp 23 is clamped to hold the fin portion 24. In said last configuration, even though the clearance 16 is still present, the movement along the transversal T direction or rolling rotations of the cabin 2 are prevented from the start. In FIG. 2, the lower clamp 23 is substantially aligned with the upper clamp 12. However, the position of the clamp 23 can be different to the position shown as long as the clamp prevents movement along the transversal T direction or rolling rotations of the cabin 2.

(11) FIGS. 3 to 10 show an alternative or complementary embodiment of the blocking device of the present disclosure. In particular, FIGS. 3-10 show a blocking device in the form of a pusher configured to selectively push the cabin 2 in abutment against at least one lateral guide 4.

(12) FIG. 3 shows a broken view of an embodiment of the disclosure, which envisions a pusher 5 integrated into the platform 6, in the form of a rigid pusher 7. It should be appreciated that FIG. 3 is a non-limiting example of the disclosure, according to which, for example, the pusher device 5 could be of a different type, for example not rigid but inflatable, or it could be integrated into the cabin 2, for example in the footboard 10 or in the lateral guide 4 opposite the platform 6.

(13) The rigid pusher 7 in FIG. 3 comprises a pushing head 8 facing the footboard 10 and a slide 11 onto which the pushing head 8 is mounted sprung and mobile, both in translation and in rotation. In said example, the pusher 5 is completely integrated with the platform 6 so that during the resting phases, it is hidden beneath the platform 6, not projecting from the lateral guide 4. The slide 11 is mounted onto tracks 17 (only partially visible) that are orthogonal to the lateral guide 4 and it is driven by a special motor 18.

(14) FIG. 4 shows how the pushing head 8 is connected to the slide 11 according to said embodiment. In particular, a sliding block coupling 19 is put between the slide 11 and the pushing head 8, fitted with a preloaded spring 20. Said coupling is consequently configured so that until the first contact of the pushing head 8 with the footboard 10, the spring 20 keeps the pushing head 8 integral with the slide 11. After the first contact, and during the initial pushing phase of the cabin 2, the slide 11 advances even further while the pushing head 8 stays still against the footboard 10. This further advancing of the slide 11 results in the compression of the spring 20, which generates a corresponding pushing force on the cabin 2 that is then blocked against the lateral guide opposite 4. Again, in FIG. 4 we can see how the pushing head 8 is connected to the sliding block 19 by a rotating plate 22, which enables the pushing plate 8 to rotate in relation to the slide 11 around an axis orthogonal to the platform 6.

(15) FIGS. 5 to 10 show operating phases of the pusher 5 in FIG. 3 in two different conditions. The pushing head 8 is represented by a dotted pattern for clarity in these Figures, also to highlight the movements of the slide 11 positioned below the pushing head 8. In particular, FIGS. 5 to 7 show the state, wherein the cabin 2 is centered in relation to the pushing head 8 of the pusher device 5.

(16) FIG. 5 outlines an initial phase wherein, after crossing part of the station 3, the cabin 2 comes level with the passenger boarding and landing platform 6. The advancing of the cabin 2 to the platform 6 is guaranteed by the presence of the clearance 16 present between the footboard 10 and the lateral guide 4. According to this example, the cabin 2 is stopped level with the center of the pushing head 8 and then the pusher device 5, hidden in the platform 6, is activated.

(17) FIG. 6 shows an intermediate phase, wherein the pushing head 8 comes into contact with the footboard 10 of the cabin. In particular, during the approaching movement the pushing head 8 moves integrally with the slide 11, which is driven, in turn, by the motor 18 along the guides 17.

(18) After contact between the pushing head 8 and the footboard 10, the cabin 2 comes into contact with the lateral guide 4 positioned on the opposite side in relation to the footboard 10, preventing the pushing head 8 from advancing. In this state, the motor 18 is configured and controlled so as to enforce a further advancing on the slide 11, which then translates in relation to the pushing head 8 thanks to the sprung sliding block 19. Said further advancing results in the compressing of the spring 20 that reacts by transferring the load to the pushing head 8, which transmits it, in turn, to the cabin 2 through the footboard 10.

(19) FIG. 7 outlines this last phase wherein the spring 20 is compressed. The relative movement of the slide 11 in relation to the pushing head 8 is further guided by a couple of telescopic arms 21 having ends connected to the pushing head 8 and the slide 11 respectively.

(20) FIGS. 8 to 10 show operating phases of the pusher 5 in FIG. 3, wherein the cabin 2 is nonetheless stopped with the footboard 10 not centered in relation to the pushing head 8 of the pusher device 5.

(21) FIG. 8 outlines an initial phase, wherein, after crossing part of the station 3, the cabin 2 comes level with the passenger boarding and landing platform 6. The advancing of the cabin 2 towards the platform 6, as described previously, is guaranteed by the clearance 16 present between the footboard 10 and the lateral guide 4.

(22) FIG. 9 shows an intermediate phase, wherein the pushing head 8 comes into contact with the footboard 10 of the cabin. As the footboard 10 is not centred in relation to the pushing head 8, said initial contact does not take place level with the whole surface of the pushing head 8, but only along a short part of the surface of the pushing head, or only in a lateral point. As with the previous example, during the approaching movement, the pushing head 8 moves integrally with the slide 11 driven, in turn, by the motor 18 along the guides 17.

(23) The subsequent advancing of the slide 11 makes the pushing head 8 rotate around the rotating plate 22, coupling the whole front surface of the footboard 10 with the pushing head 8. The telescopic rods 21 are hinged to the pushing head 8 and slide 11 so as to guide said rotation of the pushing head 8 in relation to the slide 11.

(24) Said rotation, and the subsequent advancing of the slide 11, result in the compression of the spring 20, which, as in the previous case, reacts by transferring the load to the pushing head 8, transmitting the load, in turn, to the cabin 2 through the footboard 10.

(25) FIG. 10 outlines said last phase, wherein the pushing head 8 is inclined to couple along the whole development of the footboard 10 with the spring 20 is compressed.

(26) Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations can be made to the passenger cable transportation system described here without going beyond the scope of the accompanying claims. Accordingly, various changes and modifications to the presently disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.