EP2810843B1 - Safety device for a seat of a chairlift - Google Patents

Description

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to the protection of passengers transported on a seat of a chairlift.

State of the art

Currently, the chairlift is a safe means of air transport and serious accidents are few. In general, the chairlift comprises seats each provided with a railing pivotally mounted between a raised position in which access to the seat is authorized and a lowered position to provide protection for the passengers sitting on the seat during the transport phase. from the boarding station to the landing station,

However, among the most serious accidents, a significant share comes from the fall of passengers and especially during the phases of embarkation and disembarkation. The falls are mainly due to the fact that it is necessary to lower the railing to be protected during transport. The loading and unloading phases are delicate and certain risk factors are difficult to control, for example the raised railing, the apprehension and the clumsiness of the passengers, the unsuitable arrangements ...

In addition, children are particularly concerned because of their small size, their inexperience, their unpredictable reaction to situations. In Indeed, unlike adults, children can easily slip on the seat and go under the guardrail, and thus fall off the chairlift. However, chairlifts (boarding station, seats, ...) are, in most cases, designed to meet the size of adults. Transporting children on chairlifts is a sensitive technical problem that is difficult to overcome. One can quote the Swiss patent application CH 704 867 , which discloses a safety device for a chair lift comprising a detachably mounted footrest for operation in winter or summer, the device may include a parental lock disposed on a seat. But the document does not describe the operation of the parental lock, nor its mode of mounting on the seat.

Object of the invention

The object of the invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, and more particularly to provide a chairlift seat to reduce the risk of a passenger falling, and more particularly a child, sitting on a seat of a chair lift.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a seat of a chairlift, comprising a main railing pivotally mounted on the seat between a raised position in which access to the seat is allowed and a lowered position to provide protection of the seats. passengers sitting on the seat, at least one secondary guard mounted to pivot on the seat between a raised position in which access to the seat is authorized and a lowered position to provide protection for at least one passenger sitting on the seat, each secondary railing having a locking means configured to prevent the secondary guardrail to pivot in its raised position when the main railing is in its lowered position.

Thus, the protective device can be activated as soon as the person is seated on the seat, that is to say at the earliest boarding. In addition, the protection device remains activated during the phases of the journey where the passenger is sitting on the seat, namely during boarding, during the journey in line, and during disembarkation.

The locking means of each secondary bodyguard may be activated so as to prevent the secondary guard from pivoting to its raised position when the main guardrail is in its lowered position after pivoting the secondary railing into its lowered position. .

The locking means of each secondary railing may further comprise a locking piece intended to abut against the main railing to prevent the secondary railing from pivoting in its raised position.

The main railing may include a main rollbar configured to limit passenger movement when the main railing is in its lowered position, and each secondary railing has a roll bar configured to limit the movement of a single passenger when the secondary railing is in its lowered position.

Advantageously, the protective arch of each secondary railing is adapted to the size of the children, and limits the risk for a child to pass between the secondary railing and the seat.

The main railing may also include a secondary bow against which the locking part of each secondary railing bears to prevent the secondary railing from pivoting in its raised position.

The main railing may be pivotally mounted about a main axis of rotation and each secondary guard is pivotally mounted about a secondary axis of rotation offset from the main axis of rotation.

The seat may have several seats to accommodate respectively several passengers and at least one secondary guard is mounted in translation on a rail so as to be positioned opposite one of the seats of the seat.

The seat may comprise a plurality of secondary railings mounted on the seat respectively opposite the seats of the seat. The secondary rotation axes may be coaxial.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1, illustre schématiquement une vue en perspective d'un dispositif de protection dans lequel les garde-corps sont chacun en position abaissée ;
• la figure 2, illustre schématiquement une vue en perspective d'un dispositif de protection dans lequel les garde-corps sont chacun en position relevée ;
• la figure 3, illustre schématiquement une vue en perspective d'un dispositif de protection dans lequel un garde-corps secondaire est en position abaissée et le garde-corps principal est en position relevée ;
• la figure 4, illustre schématiquement une vue en perspective d'un dispositif de protection dans lequel le garde-corps principal est en position abaissée et un garde-corps secondaire est en position relevée;
• la figure 5, illustre schématiquement une vue latérale d'un dispositif de protection dans lequel les garde-corps sont chacun en position abaissée ;
• la figure 6, illustre schématiquement une vue latérale d'un dispositif de protection dans lequel les garde-corps sont chacun en position relevée ;
• la figure 7, illustre de façon schématique une vue antérieure d'un dispositif de protection comprenant plusieurs garde-corps secondaires.

Other advantages and features will emerge more clearly from the following description of particular embodiments of the invention given by way of non-limiting example and represented in the accompanying drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a protection device in which the guardrails are each in the lowered position;
• the figure 2 , schematically illustrates a perspective view of a protection device in which the guardrails are each in the raised position;
• the figure 3 , schematically illustrates a perspective view of a protective device in which a secondary railing is in the lowered position and the main railing is in the raised position;
• the figure 4 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a protective device in which the main railing is in the lowered position and a secondary railing is in the raised position;
• the figure 5 schematically illustrates a side view of a protection device in which the guardrails are each in the lowered position;
• the figure 6 , schematically illustrates a side view of a protection device in which the guardrails are each in the raised position;
• the figure 7 , schematically illustrates an anterior view of a protection device comprising a number of secondary guardrails.

detailed description

On the Figures 1 to 4 , there is shown a passenger protection device 1 intended to be mounted on a seat 2 of a chairlift. The chairlift is not represented for simplification purposes. The chairlift may be of the type with fixed or disengageable grippers. The seat 2 comprises several seats 3, a backrest 4 and a seat structure 5 on which the seats 3 and the backrest 4 are fixed. Each seat 3 allows a passenger to sit on the seat 2 in order to be able to be transported. a boarding and / or landing station at another station. In addition, the seat 2 is configured to be attached to a carrier cable / tractor via a hanger.

The protection device 1 comprises a main railing 6 and at least one secondary railing 7. For example, the protection device 1 includes a single secondary guardrail 7, as illustrated on the Figures 1 to 4 . According to another embodiment illustrated in figure 7 , the protective device 1 comprises several secondary guardrails 7 respectively facing the seat 3 of the seat 2. The guardrail means a member pivotally mounted on the seat 2 between a raised position in which access to the seat 2 is allowed and a lowered position to provide protection for at least one passenger sitting on the seat 2. In general, a guard has a first hoop configured to limit the movement of at least one passenger when the guardrail is in its lowered position. Preferably, the guardrail has a second hoop that acts as a counterweight to facilitate the pivoting of the railing from one position to another. The first and second hoops are pivotally mounted on the seat. Preferably, the first and second arches are joined at their ends to form a single structure having the general shape of a frame.

The main railing 6 is pivotally mounted on the seat 2. The main railing 6 comprises a main frame 8 and one or more bars 9. The main frame 8 is preferably tubular. The main frame 8 comprises a first hoop 8a, noted main hoop, which extends above all the seats 3 and is arranged at the passengers' abdominal height to prevent them from tilting out of the seat 2. The first hoop 8a serves as a transverse bar and protects the passengers during the journey against a slip and a fall from the seat 2. The main frame 8 further comprises a second arch 8b, noted secondary bow, which acts as a counterweight for facilitating the pivoting of the main frame 8 on the seat 2. Each bar 9 has at one end a group of two foot rails 10 which protrude laterally on both sides of the bar 9, each of the feet 10 protruding allows a support for the feet of a passenger sitting on the seat 2. The main frame 8 is pivotally mounted about a main axis of rotation A1 by a first pivot connection 11 mounted on a rear wall 20 of the seat 2. Thus, the main railing 6 is pivotally mounted on the seat 2 between a raised position R1, illustrated in FIGS. figures 2 and 3 , in which access to the seat is authorized, and a lowered position B1, illustrated in figures 1 and 4 to provide protection for passengers sitting on the seat 2. In other words, the first arch 8a limits the movement of passengers when the main railing 8 is in its lowered position B1. In normal use, the main railing 6 is in an initial position in which it is raised R1, a passenger sits on a seat 3 of the seat 2, then it rotates the main frame 8 into its lowered position B1 in which he can put his feet on the foot rails 10, if necessary via skis attached to his shoes.

The main function of the main guardrail 6 is to protect all the passengers sitting in the seat 2, but it is not suitable for passengers with a small size, especially children, and above all it does not sufficiently protect a child who could be mounted alone on the seat 2. The secondary guardrails 7 are particularly suitable for protecting passengers with a small size. Each secondary railing 7 is pivotally mounted on the seat 2. Each secondary railing 7 comprises a secondary frame 12, preferably tubular. The secondary frame 12 comprises a first arch 12a, noted protective arch, which extends above at least one seat 3. Preferably, the roll bar 12a extends over a single seat , that is to say that it is arranged at the abdominal height of a single passenger to prevent it from tilting out of the seat 2. The roll bar 12a acts as a crossbar and protects at least one passenger during the journey against slipping and falling from the seat 2. The secondary frame 12 comprises a second arch 12b, noted pivoting bar, which acts as a counterweight to facilitate the pivoting of the secondary frame 12 on the seat 2. Each secondary frame 12 is pivotally mounted about an axis of secondary rotation A2 by a second pivot connection 13 mounted on the rear wall 20 of the seat 2. Preferably, the secondary axis of rotation A2 of each secondary guard 7 is offset relative to the main axis of rotation A1 of the 8. When the protection device 1 comprises several secondary guardrails 7, the latter can be mounted on the seat 2 so that the secondary rotation axes A2 are coaxial. According to another embodiment, the secondary axes of rotation A2 are offset with respect to each other. Each secondary railing 7 is pivotally mounted on the seat 2 between a raised position R2, illustrated in FIGS. figures 2 and 4 , in which access to the seat is authorized, and a lowered position B2, illustrated in figures 1 and 3 to provide protection for at least one passenger, preferably a single passenger, in particular the passenger sitting on the seat 3 facing the secondary railing 7. Preferably, the protective arch 12a of each guard- secondary body 12 is configured to limit the movement of a single passenger when the secondary railing 12 is in its lowered position B2. The main function of the secondary railing 12 is to protect a single passenger, especially a passenger having the size of a child. In normal use, the main guardrail 6 and secondary 7 are in an initial position in which they are raised R1, R2, a passenger sits on the seat 3 located next to the secondary railing 7, then it is pivoting the secondary railing 7 into its lowered position B2. It may be noted that the secondary railings 7 are included inside a perimeter delimited by the main frame 8 of the main railing 6. That is to say that the length of each secondary frame 12 is less than to that of the main frame 8. The protective arch 12a is closer to the backrest 4 of the seat 2, relative to the main arch 8a, which tends to press the passenger against the backrest 4 to provide better protection of the passenger. Advantageously, the width of each secondary frame 12 is less than the width of a seat 3 of the seat 2. This allows to tighten the passenger to further limit his movements.

Thus, the dimensions of each secondary railing 7 are smaller than those of the main railing 7. Moreover, the dimensions of each of the secondary frames 12 are suitable for passengers with a small size, such as children, and more particularly to young children who are less than 1.25 m tall.

In addition, each secondary guard 7 comprises a locking means 14 configured to prevent the secondary guard 7 from pivoting to its raised position R2 when the main guard 6 is in its lowered position B1. More particularly, the locking means 14 of each secondary railing 7 is activated when the main railing 6 is lowered B1 after lowering the secondary guard 7. Advantageously, the locking means 14 is activated as long as the guard main body 6 is lowered. It is considered that the locking means 14 of each secondary railing 7 is activated when it prevents the secondary guard 7 from pivoting in its raised position R2. In addition, the locking means 14 is mounted on the secondary railing 7 with which it is associated, and is configured to cooperate with the main railing 6 to prevent the pivoting of the secondary railing 7 towards its raised position. R2 when the main railing 6 is lowered B1. Each locking means 14 comprises a locking piece 14, for example a bar, one end of which is fixed to the secondary frame 12 of the secondary railing 7 with which it is associated. The locking piece 14 is therefore located projecting from the secondary frame 12 and can bear against the main guard 6 lowered B2 when a passenger tries to pivot the secondary guard 7 to its raised position R2. The locking piece 14 is preferably fixed to the pivoting bow 12b of the secondary frame 12 to cooperate with the secondary bow 8b of the main railing 6, that is to say bear against the secondary bow 8b when the locking means 14 is activated. When a passenger attempts to raise the secondary guardrail 7, the 14 bar bears against the secondary roll 8b and prevents the pivoting of the secondary guard 7 to its raised position R2. In particular, the secondary arch 8b serves as a stop for the locking piece 14. This prevents inadvertent pivoting of the secondary guard 7. Such locking means 14 is simple and is particularly suitable for chair lifts that are used especially under extreme temperature conditions. This locking means 14 do not require springs or pivoting elements that tend to wear out. Neither does it require the use of magnets or electromagnets that are particularly sensitive to cold.

Before boarding the passengers on the seat 2, the seat 2 arrives in the boarding station and all the main guardrail 6 and secondary 7 are in their initial position, that is to say in their raised position R1 , R2. In the raised position R1, R2 seats 3 are accessible and passengers can sit on the seat 2. In particular, passengers with a small size, such as children, sit on a seat 3 located next to a secondary railing 7. Then, we lower the secondary guardrail or 7 to protect the children. In particular, the secondary frames 12 are devoid of footrests and can thus lower the side rails 7 immediately after the child sits, while the seat 2 is still in the boarding station. Thus, the passenger who sits next to a secondary railing 7 can be protected at the earliest during the boarding phase. Each secondary railing 7 has a light weight relative to the weight of the main railing 6 and can be rotated by an adult or a child. It can be noted that when the main railing 6 is in its raised position R1, the secondary railings 7 can pivot from their raised position R2 to their lowered position B2 and vice versa. In addition, as the seat 2 is in the boarding station, the main railing 6 can not be lowered because the foot rails 10 prevents it. Then seat 2 leaves the station boarding and lowering the guardrail-main 6. More particularly, the locking means 14 of the secondary railings 7 do not prevent the lowering of the main railing 6. After lowering the guardrail 6, each locking means 14 prevents the secondary guard 7 to which it is associated to be raised as the main railing 6 is in its lowered position B1. In general, the main railing 6 is kept in the lowered position B1 during the entire journey of the passengers to the landing station, and the small size passengers are protected. In addition, during the landing of the passengers at the landing station, pivots the main guardrail 6 in its raised position R1, then pivots each secondary guard 7 to release the passengers who can then disembark. In other words, when the main railing 6 is pivoted into its raised position R1, the locking means 14 of each secondary railing 7 is deactivated.

However, there is a situation in which the main railing 6 is lowered without lowering the secondary railing 7, as illustrated in FIG. figure 4 . For example when the passengers each have a large size. If the main railing 6 is lowered before lowering the secondary railing 7, the secondary railing 7 can rotate from its raised position R2 to its lowered position B2 and vice versa. In this case, the locking means 14 is not activated because it does not prevent the pivoting of the secondary guard 7 to its raised position R2. In any case, if a passenger has a size larger than that of a child, he sits on a seat 3 located, for example opposite a secondary railing 7, and he is not obliged to lower this secondary railing 7 because the main railing 6 is sufficient to protect it from a fall from the chairlift.

On the Figures 5 and 6 two side views of the protection device 1 as defined above are shown. A rail 21 can be mounted on the wall posterior 20 of the backrest 4 of the seat 2. Each secondary guardrail 7 can be mounted movable in translation on the rail 21 so as to be placed opposite one of the seats 3, before the use of the chairlift. The secondary guardrails 7 can also be removably mounted to precisely modify their location on the seat 2. It has also been shown on the Figures 5 and 6 , first and second circles C1, C2 respectively representing the paths described by the secondary hoops 8b and protection 12b when pivoting about their respective axes of rotation A1, A2. The circles C1, C2, may for example have the same radius. Preferably, the radius of the first circle C1 is greater than that of the second circle C2. In this preferred embodiment, a reference shift is chosen between the two axes of main A1 and secondary A2 rotation, so that the secondary railing 7 can not pivot in its raised position R2 as long as the locking means 14 is activated.

On the figure 5 the main guard 6 and the secondary guard 7 are in the lowered position B1, B2. In this case, the main railing 6 can pivot about its main axis of rotation A1 to its raised position R1, by describing the first circle C1. Moreover, when attempting to pivot the secondary guard 7 to its raised position R2, the bar 14 bears against the main frame 8, in particular against the secondary bow 8b. Thus, the secondary railing 7 can not pivot to its raised position R2.

On the figure 6 , the main guardrail 6 and secondary 7 are in the raised position R1, R2. In this case, the main railing 6 can pivot about the main axis of rotation A1 to its lowered position B1, by describing the first circle C1. In this case, the locking means 14 does not prevent the pivoting of the main railing 6. Moreover, the secondary railing 7 can also pivot about the secondary axis of rotation A2 to its lowered position B2 , describing the second circle C2. Thus, the main guard rail 6 and secondary 7 can pivot about their axis of rotation A1, A2 independently of one another.

In any event, whatever the position of the secondary railing 7, the locking means 14 does not prevent the pivoting of the main railing 6 from one position to another. In particular, in the case where the secondary railing 7 is lowered after lowering the main railing 6, the locking piece 14 bears against the main railing but does not prevent the secondary guardrail 7 to pivot in raised position R2. The locking means 14 is then deactivated. Preferably, a weight of the main railing 6 will be chosen greater than that of the secondary railing 7 so that the main railing 6 can pivot in its raised position R1 by pushing the secondary railing 7 without being prevented from pivoting by the lock piece 14. It can also be noted that when the secondary guard 7 is lowered after lowering the main railing 6, the secondary railing 7 can almost reach its lowered position B2 and provide sufficient protection to the passenger .

In this way, a particularly child-friendly protective device is provided which includes an independent secondary guard which can be mounted on any chairlift seat. The device is very simple to use, requires little maintenance, and can be removed from the seat without having to disassemble the seat or the main railing. It can quickly equip all existing chairlifts and provide effective protection for passengers.

Claims (9)

1. Chair (2) of a chairlift, comprising a safety device for passengers, the safety device comprising a main safety bar (6) mounted pivoting on the chair (2) between a raised position (R1) in which an access to the chair is allowed and a lowered position (B1) to enable a protection to the passengers seated on the chair, and at least one secondary safety bar (7) mounted pivoting on the chair (2) between a raised position (R2) in which an access to the chair is allowed and a lowered position (B2) to enable a protection to at least one passenger seated on the chair, characterized in that each secondary safety bar (7) comprises a locking means (14) configured so as to prevent the secondary safety bar (7) from pivoting into its raised position (R2) when the main safety bar (6) is in its lowered position (B1).
2. Chair (2) according to claim 1, wherein the locking means (14) of each secondary safety bar (7) is activated in order to prevent the secondary safety bar (7) from pivoting into its raised (R2) when the main safety bar (6) is in its lowered position (B1) once the secondary safety bar (7) is pivoted into its lowered position (B2).
3. Chair (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the locking means (14) of each secondary safety bar (7) comprises a locking part for bearing against the main safety bar (6) in order to prevent the secondary safety bar (7) from pivoting into its raised position (R2).
4. Chair (2) according to claim 3, wherein the main safety bar (6) comprises a main frame bar (8a) configured so as to limit the movements of the passengers when the main safety bar (6) is in its lowered position (B1), and each secondary safety bar (7) comprises a protection frame bar (12a) configured so as to limit the movements of only one passenger when the secondary safety bar (7) is in its lowered position (B2).
5. Chair (2) according to claim 4, wherein the main safety bar (6) comprises a secondary frame bar (8b) against which the locking part of each secondary safety bar (7) bears in order to prevent the secondary safety bar (7) from pivoting into its raised position (R2).
6. Chair (2) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the main safety bar (6) is mounted pivoting about a main axis of rotation (A1) and each secondary safety bar (7) is mounted pivoting about a secondary axis of rotation (A2) offset from the main axis of rotation (A1).
7. Chair (2) according to one of claims 1 to 6, comprising several seats (3) for receiving several passengers respectively and at least one secondary safety bar (7) is mounted in translation on a rail (21) so as to be positioned facing one of the seats (3) of the chair.
8. Chair (2) according to claim 6, comprising several seats (3) for receiving several passengers respectively and the device comprises several secondary safety bars (7) mounted on the chair (2) respectively facing the seats (3) of the chair.
9. Chair (2) according to claim 8, wherein the secondary axes of rotation (A2) are coaxial.

Images