DE102017219226A1 - Transport device for transporting a nacelle of a gondola system between a gondola station and a route of the gondola system and method for operating a transport device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a transport device (100) for transporting a nacelle (102) of a nacelle system between a gondola station (104) and a driving route (106) of the gondola system. The transport device (100) comprises at least one transport rail piece (108) movably arranged and arrangeable between a line position and a station position for carrying the nacelle (102), the transport rail piece (108) being part of the route (106) in the line position and in the station position in a position in which the nacelle (102) via the gondola station (104) is accessible, and a moving device (112) for moving the transport rail piece (108) between the track position and the station position.

Description

State of the art

The invention is based on a device or a method according to the preamble of the independent claims. The subject of the present invention is also a computer program.

Cable cars are known that can be moved on horizontal rigid rails by means of an electrically driven transport vehicle. This system uses completely conventional gondolas. When changing over to a horizontal section, the nacelle is pushed by a conveyor system onto a transport vehicle moving at the level of the ropes with a rail section mounted on its top side. On this rail section, the nacelle is fixed so that it is rigidly connected to the transport vehicle. This composite continues its drive electrically driven on primarily horizontal sections.

Disclosure of the invention

Against this background, with the approach presented here, a transport device for transporting a nacelle of a gondola system between a gondola station and a route of the gondola system, a method for operating a transport device, a control unit that uses this method, and finally a corresponding computer program according to the main claims are presented ,

The measures listed in the dependent claims advantageous refinements and improvements of the independent claim device are possible.

The approach presented here relates in particular to station and diverter concepts for local passenger transport with individually electrically driven, for example, autonomously operating gondolas on a cableway infrastructure with fixed suspension ropes, for example in the form of suspension rails, which represent an improvement over conventional urban circulating cable cars with coupled cabins.

Conventional urban cable cars are usually based on moving ropes, which is why the route should as far as possible along a straight line. Change of direction is possible at intermediate stations, but this requires an additional drive and thus significantly higher costs. In the same way branches at intermediate stations are possible in principle, but with the same difficulties. The gondola-individually driven version, however, allows direction changes on each pylon.

Stations of conventional cable cars uncouple the gondolas from the circulating cable at the station entrance and transport them on rollers, driven by conveyor chains or belts mounted in the station. In addition, at least one station on the track accommodates a drive with deflection of the circulating cable. Overall, stations are usually designed as a platform on suspension rope level. This results in relatively bulky structures in elevated position, which represent a drastic intervention in the cityscape. Due to the complex construction, a typical route contains only a few intermediate stations.

The core of the approach presented here is the implementation of certain elements that allow a simple influence on the routing of a gondola individually driven cable car and thereby allow branching and stations in a much simpler way. In combination with individually driven gondolas without predetermined lines and a low-cost infrastructure on pylons and ropes, it is possible to realize such extensive network of routes, which differ greatly from the linear guidance of conventional cable cars and trams or commuter trains. This significantly improves the development of urban areas.

Advantageously, the approach presented here allows the implementation of stations with minimal space consumption and modular design. Due to the easy expandability of the infrastructure and the stations, a low entry threshold for the construction of such a system with very good scalability is achieved.

• zumindest ein zwischen einer Streckenposition und einer Stationsposition verfahrbar angeordnetes oder anordenbares Transportschienenstück zum Tragen der Gondel, wobei das Transportschienenstück in der Streckenposition Teil der Fahrstrecke ist und in der Stationsposition in eine Position verfahren ist, in der die Gondel über die Gondelstation zugänglich ist; und
• eine Verfahreinrichtung zum Verfahren des Transportschienenstücks zwischen der Streckenposition und der Stationsposition.

A transport device for transporting a nacelle of a gondola system between a gondola station and a route of the gondola system is presented, the transport device comprising the following features:

• at least one transport rail piece movably arranged between a track position and a station position for carrying the nacelle, wherein the transport rail piece in the track position is part of the track and is moved in the station position to a position in which the nacelle is accessible via the gondola station; and
• a traversing device for moving the transport rail piece between the track position and the station position.

Under a gondola lift system, for example, a passenger transport system in urban environment. Under a gondola station, a stop of the gondola can be understood, for example, for getting in and out or for maintenance purposes. The gondola station can be offset vertically and / or horizontally to the route. Under a route can be understood a route along which the gondola moves between two gondola stations. The route can be formed for example by at least one support cable and / or at least one suspension rail for suspending the nacelle. Under a support cable can be understood as a fixed rope, which can be stretched over one or more pylons. The suspension rail may for example be designed as a torsionally rigid composite of the support cable and at least one rail profile, wherein the composite can be supported at a fixed point such as a pylon. A transport rail piece can be understood as a rigid, movable rail piece, for instance in the form of a suspension rail. The transport rail piece can be arranged or arrangeable between two pylons, for example, and form a transition to a carrying cable, a hanging rail or any other component constituting the travel in the line position. By a process device, for example, a mechanical or hydraulic lifting or pivoting device can be understood.

According to one embodiment, the transport rail piece can be arranged vertically or horizontally movable or be arranged. In this case, the traversing device can be designed to move the transport rail piece vertically and / or horizontally between the track position and the station position. This allows the nacelle to be moved along different axes.

According to a further embodiment, the transport rail piece can be designed as a hanging rail. As a result, the gondola can be transported hanging between gondola station and route.

The route may, for example, include a main route and a branch line running outside the main route. In this case, the transport rail piece according to an embodiment in the line position part of the branch line be. As a result, subsequent gondolas can pass without waiting time on a gondola to be transported.

Furthermore, the transport device may have an adjusting device for guiding the nacelle from the main to the branch line and / or from the secondary line to the main line. This allows the gondola to be automatically diverted between main line and branch line.

In addition, the transport device can have a bridging rail piece which can be moved or arranged between a starting position and a bridging position. This can be arranged in the starting position outside the route and bridged in the bridging position a gap of the route created during movement of the transport rail piece into the station position. In this case, the traversing device may be configured to move the bridging rail piece between the starting position and the bridging position depending on the method of the transporting rail piece. Also by this embodiment, congestion in the process of the nacelle between track and station position can be avoided.

According to a further embodiment, the transport device may have a displaceable and / or rotatably arranged or arrangeable positioning frame. In this case, the transport rail piece and the bridging rail piece can be fastened to the adjusting frame. For example, the transport rail piece and the bridging rail piece can be fastened parallel to one another on the adjusting frame. The adjusting frame can for example be arranged transversely to the route slidably or be arranged. As a result, a simultaneous displacement or rotation of the transport and bridging rail piece is made possible by simple means.

The transport device can have at least one transport rail piece that is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the travel path and has another transport rail piece moveable or disposable between a further line position and an additional station position for carrying a further nacelle and another traversing device for moving the further transport rail piece between the further line position and the further station position , In this case, the further transport rail piece in the further line position may be part of the route and be moved in the further station position in a position in which the further gondola is accessible via a further gondola station. By this embodiment, several consecutive gondolas can be transported between the route and its corresponding gondola station at the same time.

The approach presented here also provides a method for operating a transport device according to one of the preceding embodiments, wherein the method comprises the following step:

Outputting a drive signal to move the transport rail piece by driving the shuttle between the track position and the station position.

The outputting of the drive signal can be effected, for example, by using a satellite navigation signal and / or a sensor signal generated using at least one environment sensor arranged on the nacelle and / or on the travel route and / or a control signal generated using a central server device and / or a mobile terminal. In this case, a satellite navigation signal can be understood to mean a position signal provided by a satellite system such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo or Beidou. The environmental sensor or the environment sensors can be, for example, one or more radar, lidar or ultrasonic sound sensors, one or more cameras or combinations of the aforementioned sensors. The central server device may in particular be a cloud server. By a mobile terminal, for example, a smartphone, tablet or laptop can be understood.

This method can be implemented, for example, in software or hardware or in a mixed form of software and hardware, for example in a control unit.

The approach presented here also creates a control unit which is designed to execute, to control or to implement the steps of a variant of a method presented here in corresponding devices. Also by this embodiment of the invention in the form of a control device, the object underlying the invention can be achieved quickly and efficiently.

For this purpose, the control unit may comprise at least one arithmetic unit for processing signals or data, at least one memory unit for storing signals or data, at least one interface to a sensor or an actuator for reading sensor signals from the sensor or for outputting control signals to the actuator and / or or at least a communication interface for reading or outputting data embedded in a communication protocol. The arithmetic unit may be, for example, a signal processor, a microcontroller or the like, wherein the memory unit may be a flash memory, an EPROM or a magnetic memory unit. The communication interface can be designed to read or output data wirelessly and / or by line, wherein a communication interface that can read or output line-bound data, for example, electrically or optically read this data from a corresponding data transmission line or output in a corresponding data transmission line.

In the present case, a control device can be understood as meaning an electrical device which processes sensor signals and outputs control and / or data signals in dependence thereon. The control unit may have an interface, which may be formed in hardware and / or software. In the case of a hardware-based design, the interfaces can be part of a so-called system ASIC, for example, which contains various functions of the control unit. However, it is also possible that the interfaces are their own integrated circuits or at least partially consist of discrete components. In a software training, the interfaces may be software modules that are present, for example, on a microcontroller in addition to other software modules.

In an advantageous embodiment, the controller controls the nacelle. For this purpose, the control unit can access, for example, sensor signals such as acceleration or environmental sensor signals. The control takes place via suitable actuators of the nacelle, such as drive or servo motors or brake actuators.

Also of advantage is a computer program product or computer program with program code which can be stored on a machine-readable carrier or storage medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory or an optical memory and for carrying out, implementing and / or controlling the steps of the method according to one of the embodiments described above is used, especially when the program product or program is executed on a computer or a device.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer Transportvorrichtung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel;
• 2 eine schematische Darstellung einer Transportvorrichtung aus 1 in Stationsposition;
• 3 eine schematische Darstellung von Varianten einer Anordnung einzelner Stationselemente für verschiedene Kapazitätsbedarfe in der Draufsicht;
• 4 eine schematische Darstellung einer Stelleinrichtung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel;
• 5 eine schematische Darstellung einer Stelleinrichtung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel;
• 6 eine schematische Darstellung einer Stelleinrichtung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel;
• 7 eine schematische Darstellung einer Stelleinrichtung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel;
• 8 eine schematische Darstellung eines Steuergeräts gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel; und
• 9 ein Ablaufdiagramm eines Verfahrens gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description. It shows:

• 1 a schematic representation of a transport device according to an embodiment;
• 2 a schematic representation of a transport device 1 in station position;
• 3 a schematic representation of variants of an arrangement of individual station elements for different capacity requirements in plan view;
• 4 a schematic representation of an adjusting device according to an embodiment;
• 5 a schematic representation of an adjusting device according to an embodiment;
• 6 a schematic representation of an adjusting device according to an embodiment;
• 7 a schematic representation of an adjusting device according to an embodiment;
• 8th a schematic representation of a control device according to an embodiment; and
• 9 a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment.

In the following description of favorable embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals are used for the elements shown in the various figures and similar acting, with a repeated description of these elements is omitted.

1 shows a schematic representation of a transport device 100 according to an embodiment. The transport device 100 serves to transport a gondola 102 a gondola lift system, such as an autonomous passenger transport system in an urban environment, between a gondola station 104 and a driving route 106 of the gondola lift system. Exemplary is the route 106 formed here by a fixed to a fixed support cable torsionally fixed hanging rail. The transport device 100 includes a transport rail piece 108 where the gondola 102 is attached hanging. According to this embodiment, the transport rail piece 108 according to the construction of the route 106 designed as a rigid, movable Fahrwegteil in the form of a suspension rail piece and between two pylons 110 movably arranged between a track position and a station position. In 1 is the transport rail piece 108 shown in the track position where it is part of the route 106 is. In the station position is the transport rail piece 108 Move to a position where the gondola 102 over the gondola station 104 is accessible to passengers. For moving the transport rail section 108 includes the transport device 100 a suitable traversing device 112 , For example, a pneumatically or by cable mechanically actuated lifting device for lifting and lowering the transport rail piece 108 , Accordingly, the gondola is located 102 in 1 in raised position with freely passable route 106 ,

According to this embodiment, the gondola station 104 an enclosure 114 with own door mechanism 116 , analogous to an elevator door on.

2 shows a schematic representation of a transport device 100 out 1 in the station position. Here is the gondola 102 For example, in lowered position at street level with interrupted route 106 ,

The 1 and 2 show the simplest form of a gondola station, which is integrated into the route. This is by a suitable arrangement of pylons, such as shown here by way of example of two directly adjacent pylons 110 , a short section of the route 106 formed by a rigid, ie not flexible supported by a cable rail. A section of this rail with at least cabin width serves as a transport rail piece 108 and is movable orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the running rail, whereby the nacelle 102 is moved out of the normal route. In the embodiment shown here, the gondola moves 102 on the movable transport rail piece 108 on, as long as this is aligned with the rest of the rail. Is the gondola 102 on the transport rail piece 108 come to a standstill and secured for example in a suitable manner mechanically or purely electronically via the drive, the transport rail piece 108 with the gondola 102 lowered. The lowering process is exemplary here using a hydraulic system as a traversing device 112 shown. But there are also other known from the prior art linear actuators such as cables or spindle drives available.

According to this embodiment, the lowering operation takes place in a closed enclosure 114 analogous to a lift shaft. Arrived in the station position, here a lower position on road level, automatically opening doors of the housing are aligned 114 with automatically opening doors of the gondola 102 , again analogous to elevators or automatic subways. In this simplest variant is the route 106 interrupted during the extension or entry procedure.

3 shows a schematic representation of four variants 300 . 302 . 304 . 306 an arrangement of individual station elements for different capacity requirements in plan view. Shown are variants for expansion and capacity increase in the 1 and 2 shown simplest variant in plan view.

The variant 300 shows the gondola station 104 with the gondola 102 and the enclosure 114 the elevator shaft for lowering the gondola 102 on street level. A second gondola 308 is located in front of the gondola station 104 in waiting, until in the gondola station 104 located gondola 102 is raised again and the driving distance 106 connected again.

The variant 302 has two parallel movable rail sections: the Transport rail section 108 and a bridging track piece 310 , In an initial position is the transport rail piece 108 , here the right rail section, into the route 106 inserted while the bridging rail piece 310 outside the route 106 is located, here to the left of the route 106 , Holds the gondola 102 at the gondola station 104 on, the gondola 102 by means of the shuttle initially horizontal to the right from the route 106 moved out. This is the bridging rail piece 310 from the home position to a lock-up position in which the bridging rail piece 310 in the by the horizontal method of the transport rail piece 108 resulting gap in the route 106 inserted and connected to this. 3 shows the bridging rail piece 110 in the bridging position. Thereby two advantages are achieved. The actual gondola station can be moved horizontally 104 For example, be placed on a pedestrian roadside area while driving the route 106 laterally offset to run over a roadway. In addition, the driving distance 106 already after a very short shift for passing gondolas 308 be released.

The variant 304 Realizes these advantages by a switch, in which the route 106 into a mainline 312 and a parallel, short branch line 314 branches, in which the transport rail piece 108 is inserted. This will block the mainline 312 reduced to the switching time of the switch, which is typically within a safety distance of the gondolas 102 . 308 he follows. On the branch line 314 Again, these are the two basic principles of the variants 300 . 302 realized. The in the variant 304 shown combination of the transport rail piece 108 with the branch line 314 is particularly useful if the mainline 312 is heavily used, the gondola station 104 itself is little frequented.

According to this embodiment, the branch line 314 one in the longitudinal direction of the branch line 314 to the transport rail piece 108 staggered another transport rail piece 316 to carry the other gondola 308 on. The further transport rail piece 316 is analogous to the transport rail piece 108 movable between a further track position and a further station position by means of a suitable further traversing device, here by way of example vertically. This is the further transport rail piece 316 in the further track position part of the branch line 314 and lowered in the further station position in a position in which a further transport rail piece 116 hanging gondola over another gondola station 318 is accessible. The route 106 , especially the branch line 314 , As required, any number of transport rail pieces arranged one behind the other. Accordingly, it is possible to have any number of gondola stations, for example in the form of elevator shafts, one behind the other along the route 106 to place, whereby very high station capacities can be achieved. So even subsequent capacity increases are possible without much effort.

The variant 306 represents a combination of variants 302 . 304 and additionally allows a horizontal displacement of the gondolas 102 . 308 on the branch line 314 , The gondola stations 104 . 318 are not below, but laterally offset to the branch line 314 arranged. The variant 306 allows maximum capacity with a minimum of gondolas waiting for the release of interrupted sections.

4 shows a schematic representation of an adjusting device 400 according to an embodiment. The adjusting device 400 is part of the transport device and designed to be the nacelle between the main line 312 and the branch line 314 redirect. Shown are schematic diagrams of three variants 402 . 404 . 406 for different track elements to realize branching and tight curves.

The variant 402 corresponds to the application of a classic, known by railroad switch on the considered cable car system. Here is the flexible on ropes guided route 106 in a suitable location, such as on a pylon or a group of pylons or on a freely suspended frame structure, in a rigid rail over. In this rigid section is by a laterally pivotable section 408 realized a Y-turnout.

The variant 404 shows a tangential switch 410 , Here, two parallel, laterally displaceable rail sections are arranged on a pylon, a pylon group or other frame structure. In the rest position, both sections are in the two parallel routes 312 . 314 integrated. If a gondola to change from one route to the other, it stops on the rigid section and is laterally shifted to the parallel route. During the process both routes are 312 . 314 briefly interrupted until the tangential switch 410 has returned to the starting position. The tangential switch 410 may be part of the station variants described above.

The variant 406 includes a rigid section similar to the variant 404 , with the difference that here takes place a rotation about a vertical axis. Thus, a change between two intersecting lines can be realized in a confined space without complex Tangentialfahrstrecken, also called cloverleaf crossing. A sub-variant is the use for the realization of tight turns or hairpin bends in a confined space.

The 5 to 7 show schematic representations of a control device 400 according to various embodiments. Shown are details of the exemplary implementation of in 4 shown variants with pylons 500 , Frame structure 502 and actuators 504 in each case in the plan view and a corresponding sectional view. The respective cutting lines are indicated by dashed dotted lines.

8th shows a schematic representation of a control device 800 for driving a traversing device of a transport device according to an embodiment, such as the above with reference to the 1 and 2 described moving device. The control unit 800 includes a drive unit 810 for outputting a drive signal 812 to move the transport rail piece by appropriately driving the traversing between the track and station position.

9 shows a flowchart of a method 900 for operating a transport device according to an embodiment. The procedure 900 For example, by the above with reference to 8th described control unit to be executed. According to one embodiment, the method comprises 900 an optional step 910 in which, depending on the exemplary embodiment, a satellite navigation signal, a sensor signal generated using at least one environmental sensor arranged on the nacelle and / or on the route are read or a control signal generated using a central server device or a mobile terminal. In a further step 920 the output of the drive signal is carried out using the satellite navigation signal, the sensor signal or the control signal, in order to control the traversing device for transporting the nacelle in a suitable manner.

If an exemplary embodiment comprises a "and / or" link between a first feature and a second feature, then this is to be read so that the embodiment according to one embodiment, both the first feature and the second feature and according to another embodiment either only first feature or only the second feature.

Claims (12)

Transport device (100) for transporting a nacelle (102) of a gondola lift system between a gondola station (104) and a driving route (106) of the gondola system, the transport device (100) comprising the following features: at least one transport rail piece (108) movably arranged between a track position and a station position for supporting the nacelle (102), wherein the transport rail piece (108) in the track position is part of the track (106) and moved to a position in the station position, in which the gondola (102) is accessible via the gondola station (104); and a traversing device (112) for moving the transport rail section (108) between the track position and the station position. Transport device (100) according to Claim 1 in which the transport rail piece (108) is vertically or horizontally movable or can be arranged, wherein the traversing device (112) is designed to move the transport rail piece (108) vertically and / or horizontally between the line position and the station position. Transport device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transport rail piece (108) is designed as a hanging rail. Transport device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the travel route (106) comprises a main route (312) and a branch route (314) running outside the main route (312), wherein the transport rail section (108) is part of the branch route ( 314). Transport device (100) according to Claim 4 with an adjusting device (400) for guiding the nacelle (102) from the main (312) to the branch line (314) and / or from the secondary line (314) to the main line (312). Transport device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, with a bridging rail piece (310) movably arranged between an initial position and a bridging position, wherein the bridging rail piece (310) is arranged in the starting position outside the travel path (106) and in the bridging position Method of the transport rail piece (108) bridged in the station position gap of the route (106), wherein the traversing device (112) is adapted to move the bridging rail piece (310) depending on the method of the transport rail piece (108) between the starting position and the bridging position. Transport device (100) according to Claim 6 , with a displaceable and / or rotatably arranged or arrangeable positioning frame, wherein the Transport rail piece (108) and the bridging rail piece (310) are attached to the adjusting frame. Transport device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, with at least one in the longitudinal direction of the route (106) to the transport rail piece (108) and between a further line position and a further station position movably arranged or arranged further transport rail piece (316) for supporting a further nacelle ( 308) and a further traversing device for moving the further transport rail section (316) between the further track position and the further station position, wherein the further transport rail piece (316) in the further track position is part of the route (106) and moves into a position in the further station position in which the further gondola (308) is accessible via a further gondola station (318). Method (900) for operating a transport device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the method (900) comprises the following step: Outputting (920) a drive signal (812) to move the transport rail (108) by driving the shuttle (112) between the line position and the station position. A controller (800) having a unit (810) configured to perform the method (900) of Claim 9 execute and / or control. A computer program configured to perform the method (900) in accordance with Claim 9 execute and / or control. Machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program is based Claim 11 is stored.

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