EP2387525B1

EP2387525B1 - Transportation unit store for cable transportation systems and store operating method

Info

Publication number: EP2387525B1
Application number: EP10703958.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alexander Pechlaner
Original assignee: ROPFIN BV
Current assignee: ROPFIN BV
Priority date: 2009-01-16
Filing date: 2010-01-15
Publication date: 2015-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 2030-01-15
Also published as: ITMI20090035A1; IT1392510B1; WO2010082125A8; WO2010082125A9; EP2387525A1; WO2010082125A1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a transportation unit store for cable transportation systems.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a transportation unit store for cable transportation systems, wherein the store comprises a 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 conveyor extending between a cable transportation system and the track, to transfer the transportation units between the cable transportation system and the track.
The transfer conveyor selectively feeds the transportation units in two opposite directions, one onto and one off the track.

BACKGROUND ART

The transfer conveyor normally comprises a further track; and a feed device comprising a number of tyres, which are arranged in succession over the further track, are driven by a mechanical transmission, and transmit forward motion by contact to the transportation units suspended from and guided by the further track beneath the feed device. This type of transfer conveyor is widely used in cable transportation systems, particularly at arrival/departure stations of detachable systems.
Alternatively, chain conveyors are used to transfer transportation units between a cable transportation system and the store.
One example of a store and a transfer system for transferring transportation units between the cable transportation system and store and along the track is described in Patent EP 0 369 981 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. The transportation units are moved along the track by tilting the track towards the closed end when feeding the transportation units into the store, and towards the open end when unloading the transportation units off the track.
This technical solution has the advantage of requiring no feed device 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.
To eliminate these drawbacks, Patent Application EP 1, 930, 225 proposes a transportation unit store, in which the transportation units are fed into the store by the transfer conveyor, and are withdrawn by a powered trolley running along the track.
Though eliminating the above drawbacks, this solution is not without drawbacks of its own. Firstly, it is expensive, on account of each track having to be equipped with a powered trolley synchronized with the transfer conveyor. And, secondly, since it provides for the transportation units pushing one another along, the thrust between the transportation units tends to tilt them with respect to the vertical, thus impairing engagement of the track by the transportation units to such an extent as to prevent effective thrust by the powered trolley. This problem is further compounded when the transportation units are cars. Moreover, in the case of cars, thrust between adjacent transportation units occurs along the cars, with the risk of damaging them.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a transportation unit store for cable transportation systems, designed to eliminate the drawbacks of the known art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a store of the above type, which is practical and cheap to produce.
According to the present invention, there is provided a transportation unit store for cable transportation systems, wherein the store comprises a 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 conveyor extending between a cable transportation system and the track to transfer the transportation units between the cable transportation system and the track; characterized by comprising an endless conveyor, which extends along the track, is operated by the transfer conveyor, and serves to feed the transportation units along the track.
The endless conveyor therefore has no need for a drive of its own, and is synchronized automatically with the transfer conveyor; and the transportation units, as opposed to being pushed together, are fed along the track by the endless conveyor.
More specifically, the transfer conveyor comprises a further track connected to said track; and a feed device located over the further track and partly over the endless conveyor, so a transportation unit between the endless conveyor and the feed device transfers motion from the feed device to the endless conveyor.
A transmission device between the powered transfer conveyor and the endless conveyor is therefore not required.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of operating a transportation unit store of a cable transportation system.
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a transportation unit store for cable transportation systems,- wherein, the store comprises a 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; a transfer conveyor extending between a cable transportation system and the track; and an endless conveyor extending along the track; the method comprising the step of transferring the transportation units between the cable transportation system and the track by means of the transfer conveyor; and being characterized by feeding the transportation units along the track by means of the endless conveyor; and operating the endless conveyor by means of the transfer conveyor.

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 store in accordance with the present invention, and a cable transportation system connected to the store;
Figure 2 shows a larger-scale side view, with parts removed for clarity, of the Figure 1 store;
Figure 3 shows a larger-scale end view, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the Figure 2 store.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Number 1 in Figure 1 indicates as a whole a store for storing transportation units 2 of a self-clamp cable transportation system 3.
Cable transportation system 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 feed device 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 an arrival/departure 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 feed device 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 feed device 8 is shown schematically in the form of a succession of tyres 9, but may be formed in other known ways.
Store 1 comprises a succession of tracks 10; and a transfer conveyor 11 for transferring transportation units 2 between cable transportation system 3 and tracks 10. That is, transfer conveyor 11 is connectable selectively, by known switch devices (not shown), to cable transportation system 3 at arrival/departure station 6, and to all of tracks 10 by means of a branch structure.
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 store 1 design, the number and arrangement of tracks 10 may vary widely, and even store solutions featuring only one track 10 are not excluded.
Transfer conveyor 11 serves to transfer transportation units 2 from cable transportation system 3 to tracks 10 and vice versa.
Accordingly, transfer conveyor 11 comprises a track 12 connectable selectively to track 7 of arrival/departure station 6, and connected to each track 10; and a feed device 13 extending over track 12 and along a portion of each track 10 adjacent to track 12.
In the example shown in the drawings, feed device 13 is defined by a conveyor comprising synchronously operated tyres 9.
Each track 10 comprises a closed end 14 for arresting transportation units 2; and an open end 15, at which transportation units 2 are transferred from track 10 to track 12 and vice versa. In fact, tracks 10 and 12 are connected seamlessly.
Store 1 comprises a number of endless conveyors 16, each extending alongside and along the whole length of a respective track 10.
With reference to Figure 2, each endless conveyor 16 comprises a belt 17 looped about idle pulleys 18 and 19 fitted to track 10. In the Figure 2 example, pulley 19 at open end 15 of track 10 is smaller in diameter than the other pulleys 18.
With reference to Figure 3, store 1 comprises a supporting structure 20 comprising arms 21 (only one shown in Figure 3) for supporting track 10; and rails 22 defining tracks 10. Each rail 22 has a top face 23; a bottom face 24; two sides 25; and, along top face 23, a seat 26 for guiding transportation units 2.
With reference to Figure 2, each transportation unit 2 comprises a trolley 27; a suspension arm 28; and a car 29 connected by suspension arm 28 to trolley 27. In the Figure 2 and 3 example, each trolley 27 comprises a frame 30, two wheels 31, a clamp 32, and a panel 33.
With reference to Figure 3, wheels 31 engage seat 26 to guide transportation unit 2 along track 10; and clamp 32 comprises two jaws 34, 35 for gripping cable 4 (Figure 1).
Panel 33 is located over wheels 31, and cooperates with feed device 13 to feed transportation units 2 along track 12; and jaws 34, 35 are located between wheels 31 and panel 33, and project laterally with respect to a vertical plane containing wheels 31 and panel 33.
Each pulley 18, 19 is mounted to rotate idly about a pin 36 fixed to one side 25 of rail 22, and has a trapezoidal-section groove housing belt 17. Belt 17 is made of elastic material, preferably rubber, and has teeth 37 equally spaced along it, as shown clearly in Figure 2.
With reference to Figure 2, belt 17 has an outer face 38, along which teeth 37 are spaced (Figure 2), and which defines a support for jaws 34, 35.
Feed device 13 overlaps a given portion of endless conveyor 16; and, along the overlap portion, transportation units 2 simultaneously engage feed device 13 and endless conveyor 16.
With reference to Figure 3, feed device 13 comprises a mechanical transmission 39 for transferring motion between tyres 9. In the example shown, feed device 13 is powered reversibly by a known motor not shown.
Feed device 13, track 10, and endless conveyor 16 are arranged as a function of the arrangement of wheels 31, clamp 32 - in particular, jaws 34 and 35 - and panel 33.
In actual use, when feeding transportation units 2 from cable transportation system 3 to store 1 (Figure 1), feed device 13 transfers transportation units 2 along track 12 and the portion of track 10 adjacent to track 12.
When jaws 34, 35 of a transportation unit 2 are positioned contacting belt 17 of endless conveyor 16, belt 17 is moved in the same direction as feed device 13, which means endless conveyor 16 is operated by feed device 13, with no need for a specific drive for endless conveyor 16, and no need for a permanent transmission between feed device 13 and endless conveyor 16.
Endless conveyor 16 is thus able to move forward the transportation units 2 contacting endless conveyor 16 and no longer engaged by feed device 13; the only condition for operating endless conveyor 16 being that there is always at least one transportation unit 2 simultaneously contacting feed device 13 and endless conveyor 16.
More specifically, the step of operating endless conveyor 16 comprises the simultaneous sub-steps of : supporting a trolley 27 of a transportation unit 2 by means of track 10; pushing trolley 27 by means of feed device 13; and moving belt 17 of endless conveyor 16 by means of trolley 27, which drives belt 17 by means of clamp 32 fitted to trolley 27. Belt 17 is preferably driven by means of jaws 34, 35 of clamp 32.
To withdraw the transportation units from store 1, the same operation is performed in the opposite direction.
Clearly, numerous changes may be made to the present invention without, however, departing from the protective scope as defined in the accompanying Claims.

Claims

A transportation unit store for cable transportation systems wherein the store (1) comprises a track (10) for successively housing a given number of transportation units (2), the track (10) having a closed end (14) , and an open end (15) at which to feed the transportation units (2) in and out; the store (1) further comprising a transfer conveyor (11) extending from the track (10) to tranfer the transportation units (2) between the track and the cable transportation system, characterized by comprising an endless conveyor (16), which extends along the track (10), is operable by the transfer conveyor (11), and serves to feed the transportation units along the track (10) .
A store as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the transfer conveyor (11) comprises a feed device (13) located partly over the endless conveyor (16), so that a transportation unit (2) between the endless conveyor (16) and the feed device (13) transfers motion from the feed device (13) to the endless conveyor (16).
A store as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the endless conveyor (16) comprises a number of idle pulleys (18, 19); and a belt (17) looped about the idle pulleys (18, 19).
A store as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the belt (17) has an outer face (38); and teeth (37) spaced along the outer face (38).
A store as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the track (10) comprises a rail (22) having a top face (23) and a side face (25); the rail (22) supporting said transportation units (2) along the top face (23), and supporting said endless conveyor (16) along the side face (25).
A store as claimed in Claim 2, wherein each transportation unit (2) comprises a trolley (27), in turn comprising at least one wheel (31) which rolls along said track (10), a panel (33) which cooperates with said feed device (13), and a clamp (32) which cooperates with said endless conveyor (16) ; the feed device (13), track (10), and endless conveyor (16) being arranged as a function of the arrangement of the wheel (31), clamp (32), and panel (33).
A method of operating a transportation unit store according to anyone of the previous claims, the method comprising the step of transferring the transportation units (2) between the cable transportation system (3) and the track (10) by means of the transfer conveyor (11); and being characterized by feeding the transportation units (2) along the track (10) by means of the endless conveyor (16); and operating the endless conveyor (16) by means of the transfer conveyor (11).
A method as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the transfer conveyor (11) comprises a feed device (13) located partly over the endless conveyor (16); the method comprising the step of transferring motion from the feed device (13) to the endless conveyor (16) by means of at least one transportation unit (2) simultaneously contacting the endless conveyor (16) and the feed device (13).
A method as claimed in Claim 7 or 8, wherein the step of operating the endless conveyor (16) comprises the simultaneous sub-steps of : supporting a trolley (27) of a transportation unit (2) by means of said track (10); pushing said trolley (27) along the track (10) by means of said feed device (13); and moving an endless belt (17) of said endless conveyor (16) by means of said trolley (27).
A method as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the trolley (27) drives the belt (17) by means of a clamp (32) fitted to said trolley (27); the belt (17) preferably being driven by means of jaws (34, 35) of said clamp (32).