EP2370300B1

EP2370300B1 - Ropeway transportation unit warehouse

Info

Publication number: EP2370300B1
Application number: EP09759960.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alexander Pechlaner
Original assignee: Rolic International SARL
Current assignee: Rolic International SARL
Priority date: 2008-11-28
Filing date: 2009-11-27
Publication date: 2014-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 2029-11-27
Also published as: ITMI20082123A1; EP2370300A2; WO2010060997A3; WO2010060997A2; IT1392164B1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a ropeway transportation unit warehouse.

BACKGROUND ART

More specifically, the present invention relates to a warehouse comprising at least one track for successively housing a given number of transportation units, and having a closed end, and an open end at which to feed the transportation units in and out; and a transfer unit extending between a ropeway and the track, to feed the transportation units between the ropeway and the track.
The transfer unit has at least one further track; and an auxiliary conveyor for selectively feeding the transportation units in two opposite directions, into and out of the warehouse respectively.
US 2008/152457 and AT 34689 discloses additional motor driven units configured for displacing the transportation units in the warehouse.
The auxiliary conveyor is normally defined by a tyre conveyor, wherein a succession of tyres rotate in the same direction, and transmit motion by contact to the transportation units. This type of auxiliary conveyor is widely used on ropeways, particularly at loading/unloading stations.
Alternatively, chain conveyors are used to transfer transportation units between a ropeway and the warehouse.
One example of a warehouse and transfer system for transferring transportation units between the ropeway and warehouse and within the warehouse itself is described in Patent EP 0369 981 B1 .
This describes a track hinged at its open end to a frame; and an actuator connected to the track, close to the closed end, to tilt the track selectively towards the closed or open end. Within the warehouse, the transportation units are moved by tilting the track towards the closed end when feeding the transportation units into the warehouse, and towards the open end when unloading the transportation units off the track.
This technical solution has the advantage of requiring no auxiliary conveyor along the track, and so provides for considerable saving, considering the number of tracks normally required to achieve a given storage capacity.
On the other hand, it also has drawbacks, foremost of which is the impossibility of installing track supporting columns and, therefore, of employing long tracks. Moreover, not being controlled as they run down the track, the transportation units are subject to impact.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ropeway transportation unit warehouse designed to eliminate the drawbacks of the known art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a warehouse of the above type, which is practical and cheap to produce.
According to the present invention, there is provided a ropeway transportation unit warehouse, wherein the warehouse comprises at least one track, which is adapted to successively house a given number of transportation units and has a closed end and an open end adapted to allow the entrance and exit of the transportation units; a transfer unit, which extends between the ropeway and the track for advancing the transportation units between the ropeway and the track; the transportation unit warehouse being characterized by comprising a thrust carriage, which is slidably coupled to the track and is adapted to exert a force on the transportation units arranged along the track; said force extending along the track and being directed towards the open end both during the entrance and during the exit of the transportation units.
According to the present invention, the thrust carriage serves to brake the transportation units as they are fed into the warehouse, and feed the transportation units towards the open end of the track, when unloading the transportation units off the track, until the last transportation unit on the track engages the transfer unit.
More specifically, the warehouse comprises a thrust mechanism associated with the thrust carriage and for transmitting constant force to the thrust carriage, regardless of the position of the thrust carriage along the track.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the thrust mechanism comprises a weight; and a transmission device connected to the thrust carriage and said weight to establish a relationship between the movement of the weight and the movement of the thrust carriage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic plan view, with parts removed for clarity, of a transportation unit warehouse in accordance with the present invention, and a ropeway;
Figure 2 shows a larger-scale plan view, with parts removed for clarity, of the Figure 1 warehouse;
Figure 3 shows a side view, with parts removed for clarity, of the Figure 2 warehouse;
Figure 4 shows a larger-scale section, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the Figure 3 warehouse along line IV-IV;
Figure 5 shows a larger-scale section, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the Figure 3 warehouse along line V-V;
Figure 6 shows a larger-scale section, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the Figure 3 warehouse along line VI-VI.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a warehouse for storing transportation units 2 of a detachable ropeway 3.
Ropeway 3 comprises a cable 4; two pulleys 5 (only one shown in Figure 1), about which cable 4 is wound; and two arrival/departure stations 6 (only one shown in Figure 1). Each arrival/departure station 6 comprises a track 7 for supporting and guiding transportation units 2 along a U-shaped path; and an auxiliary conveyor 8 for feeding transportation units 2 along track 7 with a given speed profile. That is, each transportation unit 2 is clamped to cable 4, which runs at constant speed. On entering a loading/unloading station 6, transportation unit 2 is detached from cable 4 by known devices (not shown), is guided by track 7 along the U-shaped path, and is moved forward by auxiliary conveyor 8, by which transportation unit 2 is first slowed down, then moved forward at a constant speed much slower than that of cable 4, and is ultimately accelerated to the speed of cable 4 before being reconnected to cable 4. In Figure 1, auxiliary conveyor 8 is shown schematically in the form of a succession of tyres 9, but may be formed in other known ways.
Warehouse 1 comprises a succession of tracks 10; and a transfer unit 11 for transferring transportation units 2 between ropeway 3 and tracks 10. That is, the transfer unit 11 is connectable selectively, by known switch devices (not shown), to ropeway 3 at loading/unloading station 6.
In the Figure 1 example, tracks 10 are preferably arranged parallel and side by side, though this is in no way binding for the purpose of the present invention. It should also be pointed out that, depending on the requirements of each warehouse 1 design, the number and arrangement of tracks 10 may vary widely, and even warehouse solutions featuring only one track 10 are not excluded.
Transfer unit 11 serves to transfer transportation units 2 from ropeway 3 to tracks 10 and vice versa.
Accordingly, transfer unit 11 comprises a track 12 connected to each track 10 and selectively connectable to track 7 of loading/unloading station 6; and an auxiliary conveyor 13 extending along track 12 and the portion of each track 10 adjacent to track 12.
Auxiliary conveyor 13 is defined by a conveyor comprising tyres 9.
With reference to Figures 2 and 3, each track 10 comprises a closed end 14; and an open end 15 connected to auxiliary conveyor 13.
Warehouse 1 comprises, for each track 10, a thrust carriage 16 movable along respective track 10; and a thrust mechanism 17 associated with a respective track 10 and connected to thrust carriage 16.
With reference to Figure 3, warehouse 1 comprises a supporting structure 18, in turn comprising a base 19; a vertical structure 20 close to the closed ends of tracks 10; columns 21; and rails 22 supported on columns 21 and defining tracks 10.
As shown more clearly in Figures 5 and 6, each rail 22 has a top face 23; a bottom face 24; two sidewalls 25; a seat 26, along top face 23, to guide transportation units 2; and two seats 27 extending along respective sidewalls 25 to guide thrust carriage 16.
With reference to Figure 3, each transportation unit 2 comprises a trolley 28; a suspension arm 29; a chair 30 connected by suspension arm 29 to the trolley 28; and a safety bar 31. In the example shown, each trolley 28 comprises two wheels 32; and a clamp 33, as shown more clearly by the dash line in Figure 5. When lined up, transportation units 2 contact one another at the ends of clamps 33.
Wheels 32 engage seat 26 to guide transportation unit 2 along track 10.
With reference to Figure 3, each thrust carriage 16 comprises a push plate 34; a twin fork 35 integral with push plate 34; and two pairs of facing wheels 36 (Figure 4). As shown more clearly in Figure 4, the facing wheels 36 in each pair engage respective seats 27 along respective opposite sidewalls 27, so thrust carriage 16 is capable of withstanding thrust both along and crosswise to track 10.
Thrust mechanism 17 comprises a weight 37 for producing the force acting on thrust carriage 16; and a transmission mechanism 38 connecting weight 37 to thrust carriage 16. In the example shown, transmission mechanism 38 comprises a hoist, in turn comprising a cable 39 having one end fixed to thrust carriage 16, and one end integral with vertical structure 20, in turn integral with track 10; a return pulley 40 fixed to track 10, close to open end 15; a pulley 41 fixed to track 10 at closed end 14; a pulley 42 fixed to vertical structure 20; and a movable pulley 43 integral with weight 37.
Pulley 40 is connected to the portion of track 10 connected to auxiliary conveyor 13, and defines the maximum travel of thrust carriage 16 towards open end 15.
In the example shown, transmission mechanism 38 comprises two cables 39 wound about pairs of pulleys 40, 41, 42, 43.
Cables 39 are advantageously wound several times about pulleys 42 and 43, so the movement of thrust carriage 16 is greater than the movement of weight 37, and not much vertical space is needed for the vertical movement of weight 37.
In actual use, transportation units 2 are fed onto tracks 10 by transfer unit 11, and are fed by auxiliary conveyor 13 along track 12 and partly along the initial portion of tracks 10. Being opposed in their forward movement by thrust carriage 16, transportation units 2 line up contacting one another at respective clamps 33, as shown in Figure 3, and so are pushed by auxiliary conveyor 13 even along portions of tracks 10 to which auxiliary conveyor 13 does not extend. To unload the transportation units off tracks 10, the loading rotation direction of tyres 9 is inverted, and the transportation units are pushed by thrust carriage 16 towards auxiliary conveyor 13, which receives and transfers transportation units 2 to ropeway 3 along track 12 (Figure 1).
The advantages of the present invention lie in auxiliary conveyor 13 only extending along a very short portion of track 10, thus making warehouse 1 as a whole cheap to produce. Another feature reducing the cost of warehouse 1 is the absence of drives for powering track 10 and transportation units 2 along track 10. Thrust carriage 16 also provides for controlling the position of and preventing collision of transportation units 2. Another advantage lies in tracks 10 being fixed and therefore supportable on columns 21.

Claims

A transportation unit warehouse for a ropeway, wherein the warehouse (1) comprises at least one track (10), which is adapted to successively house a given number of transportation units (2) and has a closed end (14) and an open end (15) adapted to allow the entrance and exit of the transportation units (2) ; a transfer unit (11), which extends between the ropeway (3) and the track (10) for advancing the transportation units (2) between the ropeway (3) and the track (10); the transportation unit warehouse being characterized by comprising a thrust carriage (16), which is slideably coupled to the track (10) and is adapted to exert a force on the transportation units (2) arranged along the track (10); said force extending along the track (10) and being directed towards the open end (15) both during the entrance and during the exit of the transportation units (2).
A warehouse according to claim 1 comprising a thrust mechanism (17) associated with the thrust carriage (16) and adapted to transmit a constant force to the thrust carriage (16) regardless of the position assumed by the thrust carriage (16) along the track (10).
A warehouse according to claim 2, wherein the thrust mechanism (17) comprises a weight (37); and a transmission device (38) connected to the thrust carriage (16) and to said weight (37) so as to establish a relationship between the movement of the weight (37) and the movement of the thrust carriage (16).
A warehouse according to claim 3, wherein the transmission device (38) comprises at least one rope (39) having one end fixed to the thrust carriage (16) and one end fixed to a support element (20) integral with the track (10); a return pulley (40) fixed to the track (10) near the open end (15) ; and a pulley (41) fixed to the track (10) at the closed end (14).
A warehouse according to claim 4, wherein the transmission device (38) comprises a pulley (42) fixed to the support element (20); and a movable pulley (43) integral with the weight (37).
A warehouse according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each transportation unit (2) comprises a respective trolley (28); the track (10) comprising a rail (22) having a first seat (26) adapted to guide the trolley (28) along the rail (22), preferably said seat (26) extending along the upper face (23) of the rail (22).
A warehouse according to claim 6, wherein the rail (22) comprises at least a second seat (27) adapted to guide the thrust carriage (16) along the rail (22).
A warehouse according to claim 7, wherein the thrust carriage (16) comprises at least a pair of facing and coaxial wheels (36); the rail (22) comprising a pair of second seats (27) extending along the flanks (25) of the rail (22).
A warehouse according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transfer unit (11) comprises a further track (12); and an auxiliary advancing device (13) being extended along said further track (12) and along a portion of the track (10) adjacent to the open end (15) of the track (10).
A warehouse according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of tracks (10); the transfer unit (11) comprising a group of further tracks (12) for connecting each track (10) to the ropeway (3) and an auxiliary advancing device (13) being extended along the further tracks (12) and along portions of the tracks (10); said portions of the tracks (10) being adjacent to the open ends (15) of said tracks (10).