Aerial cableway system

Abstract

An aerial cableway system has at least two stations between which vehicles, such as gondola cars, travel as they are pulled by a cable. The stations include a boarding zone for passengers to board the vehicles and a disembarking zone, where passengers disembark from the vehicles. A sensor can be activated by a vehicle entering a station. At least one restricted area with at least one restrictor is located in the station and the restrictor has a controller which can be activated by the sensor.

Claims

1. An aerial cableway system, comprising: at least two stations between which vehicles for transporting passengers are conveyed by cable; said stations containing a loading area for passengers to board the vehicles and an unloading area for passengers to disembark; a sensor disposed for activation by a vehicle entering a station; at least one delimited area in the station; at least one restrictor, including an exit restrictor to exit from said delimited area and an entry restrictor to enter said delimited area; and a controller for said at least one restrictor, said controller being activated by said sensor; and wherein said entry restrictor is opened only when said exit restrictor is closed.

2. The aerial cableway system according to claim 1, which comprises an information transmitter configured to activate said sensor, said information transmitter being carried on each of the vehicles or being disposed in the area of the station.

3. The aerial cableway system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is disposed, in a direction of travel of the vehicles, upstream from the loading area.

4. The aerial cableway system according to claim 1, wherein said controller comprises a time-switch element, and said at least one restrictor permits passage by a predefined number of individual passengers after a predefined period of time following an activation of the sensor by a vehicle.

5. The aerial cableway system according to claim 4, wherein the period of time is variable in dependence on a current speed of the vehicles into and/or through the station.

6. The aerial cableway system according to claim 4, which further comprises a display for displaying the predefined number of passengers and a number of passengers currently located in said delimited area.

7. The aerial cableway system according to claim 1, wherein the delimited area is associated with the loading area and is located upstream from the loading area in an embarking direction by the passengers.

8. The aerial cableway system according to claim 1, wherein said entry restrictor is configured for selectively restricting access to said at least one delimited area and is disposed ahead of said delimited area in an access direction toward the vehicle.

9. The aerial cableway system according to claim 8, wherein said entry restrictor to enter the delimited area is a person-separating system.

10. The aerial cableway system according to claim 9, wherein said entry restrictor is a turnstile.

11. The aerial cableway system according to claim 8, wherein said entry restrictor to enter said delimited area is activated by one further sensor that is controlled by a vehicle entering said loading area or by one further time-switch element.

12. The aerial cableway system according to claim 8, wherein said controller of said entry restrictor to enter said delimited area comprises a counting device and a memory in which a predefined number of passengers for one vehicle is stored.

13. The aerial cableway system according to claim 12, wherein, after activation, a predefined number of passages by individual passengers through said entry restrictor to enter the delimited area is permitted.

14. The aerial cableway system according to claim 13, wherein said entry restrictor is closed after the predefined number of passages has been reached, until a next following activation.

15. The aerial cableway system according to claim 1, wherein said exit restrictor is a restrictor for restricting an exit from said delimited area in an access direction toward the vehicle.

16. The aerial cableway system according to claim 15, wherein said exit restrictor for controlling the exit from said delimited area is at least one of a mechanical barrier or a display device providing information regarding when the passengers are permitted to exit from said delimited area.

17. The aerial cableway system according to claim 16, wherein said exit restrictor comprises one or more of a display, a projector, or a passage provided with a traffic-light system.

18. The aerial cableway system according to claim 16, wherein said sensor is configured to activate a controller of said exit restrictor to exit from said delimited area, and said at least one restrictor further includes an entry restrictor to enter said delimited area and said entry restrictor is activated by said controller of said exit restrictor to exit from said delimited area.

19. The aerial cableway system according to claim 1, wherein said exit restrictor is opened only when said entry restrictor is closed.

20. An aerial cableway system, comprising: at least two stations between which vehicles for transporting passengers are conveyed by cable; said stations containing a loading area for passengers to board the vehicles and an unloading area for passengers to disembark; a sensor disposed for activation by a vehicle entering a station; at least one delimited area in the station; at least one restrictor, including an exit restrictor to exit from said delimited area and an entry restrictor to enter said delimited area; and a controller for said at least one restrictor, said controller being activated by said sensor; and wherein said exit restrictor is opened only when said entry restrictor is closed.

21. An aerial cableway system, comprising: at least two stations between which vehicles for transporting passengers are conveyed by cable; said stations containing a loading area for passengers to board the vehicles and an unloading area for passengers to disembark; a sensor disposed for activation by a vehicle entering a station; at least one delimited area in the station; at least one restrictor, including an exit restrictor to exit from said delimited area and an entry restrictor to enter said delimited area; and a controller for said at least one restrictor, said controller being activated by said sensor; and wherein said entry restrictor is opened only when said exit restrictor is closed and said exit restrictor is opened only when said entry restrictor is closed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) Therein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an aerial cableway system according to the invention in the area of a station, and

(3) FIGS. 2 to 5 show a delimited area for passengers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows an aerial cableway system in the area of a station, wherein the vehicles 1 are cars. The cars 1 and the guidance or the drive of the cars can be designed as is known from the prior art. The cars 1 enter the station in direction of travel 2, are redirected there in a redirection area 3, and exit the station in direction of travel 4. An unloading area 5 for the passengers is provided upstream from the redirection area 3. A loading area 6 for the passengers is provided in the redirection area 3.

(5) A sensor 7, which is activated by a vehicle 1 entering the station, is situated upstream from the loading area 6, as viewed in direction of travel 2 of the vehicle 1, namely in the area in which a vehicle 1 enters the station, in the exemplary embodiment shown. Two delimited areas 8 for passengers are situated next to the loading area 6. In the access direction as viewed toward the vehicle, the delimited areas 8 each comprise a restrictor 9 to entry into the delimited area 8 in the form of two turnstiles 10 situated next to each other. The delimited areas 8 each comprise a second restrictor 11 to exit from the delimited area 8, a better view of said restrictors being provided in 2 to 5. The restrictor 11 to exit from the delimited area 8 is a passage provided with a traffic light system which comprises illuminated bars 13, wherein the color red means that the delimited area may not yet be exited, and the color green means that the delimited area may be exited. If necessary, the color yellow can be used, which can mean that the passengers may exit the delimited area soon. Barriers 12 are provided at the sides.

(6) When a vehicle 1 entering the station activates the sensor 7, the sensor 7 activates a controller of the restrictor 11 to exit from the delimited area 8, whereby the restrictor 11 to exit from the delimited area 8 is opened after a certain period of time has passed, and displays color green. Persons located in the delimited area 8 can now enter the loading area 6. While the restrictor 11 to exit from the delimited area 8 is open, the restrictor 9 to enter the delimited area 8 is closed in order to ensure that other passengers do not inadvertently enter the loading area 6.

(7) After a further period of time has passed or if the passengers have exited the delimited area 8, the restrictor 11 to exit from the delimited area 8 closes again, wherein the color red is displayed and its controller opens the restrictor 9 to enter the delimited area 8. While the restrictor 9 to enter the delimited area 8 is open, the restrictor 11 to exit from the delimited area 8 is closed (red).

(8) A controller of the turnstiles comprises a counting device as well as a memory in which a predefined number of passengers for one vehicle 1 is stored. After activation of the turnstiles by the controller of the restrictor 11 to exit from the delimited area 8, a predefined number of individual passengers can enter the delimited area 8. When the predefined number of passengers has entered the delimited area 8, the turnstiles are blocked again until the next activation by the sensor 7. The persons located in the delimited area 8 remain in the delimited area 8 until a new vehicle 1 entering the station activates the sensor 7, which activates the controller of the restrictor 11 to exit from the delimited area 8, whereby the restrictor 11 to exit from the delimited area 8 is opened again (green) after a certain period of time has passed.

(9) In summary, an exemplary embodiment of the invention can be represented as follows:

(10) An aerial cableway system comprises at least two stations between which vehicles 1, in particular cars, can travel as they are pulled by a cable, wherein the stations include a loading area 6 for passengers to board vehicles 1 and an unloading area 5 for passengers to deboard vehicles 1. A sensor 7 which is can be activated by a vehicle 1 entering a station. At least one delimited area 8 comprising at least one restrictor 9, 11, which includes a controller which can be activated by the sensor 7, is located in the station.