WO2012104341A1

WO2012104341A1 - Adaptable stairway for connection and transit between a movable platform and a fixed surface, for boarding and disembarking towers, particularly for cruise ships and the like

Info

Publication number: WO2012104341A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/051667
Authority: WO
Inventors: Franco De Angeli; Gabriele ZECCHIN; Giuseppe Veronese
Original assignee: ABACOINGEGNERIA TREVISO Srl; VENEZIA TERMINAL PASSEGGERI SpA
Current assignee: ABACOINGEGNERIA TREVISO Srl; VENEZIA TERMINAL PASSEGGERI SpA
Priority date: 2011-02-03
Filing date: 2012-02-01
Publication date: 2012-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 2013-08-03
Also published as: IT1403732B1; ITPD20110029A1

Abstract

An adaptable stairway (10) for connection and transit between a movable platform (11) and a fixed surface (12, 12a), for boarding and disembarking towers (13) particularly for cruise ships (14) and the like. The adaptable stairway (10) comprises a frame (15) which allows transit and is fixed to a movable platform of a boarding tower, a pack of movable frames (16, 17, 18) being arranged on the frame (15) so that they can slide, each movable frame supporting, in its lower part, a step (19, 20, 21), the movable frames being in turn able to slide with respect to each other, moved so as to slide by means (23) for their coordinated or mutually independent movement, so as to define alternatively – in a first configuration for use, a descending stairway, – or, in a second configuration for use, an ascending stairway, – or, in a third configuration for use, a substantially horizontal walkway.

Description

ADAPTABLE STAIRWAY FOR CONNECTION AND TRANSIT BETWEEN A MOVABLE PLATFORM AND A FIXED SURFACE, FOR BOARDING AND DISEMBARKING TOWERS, PARTICULARLY FOR CRUISE SHIPS AND THE LIKE

The present invention relates to an adaptable transit stairway for safety stairways for boarding and disembarking towers, particularly for cruise ships and the like.

Boarding and disembarking towers, particularly for cruise ships and the like, are currently known whose particularity resides in that they comprise

- a supporting structure with means for sliding on the ground;

- a first platform for ship-side connection, which can translate vertically so as to adapt to the height of an opening for access to the ship or for disembarking from the ship;

- a second connecting platform on the terminal side, which can translate vertically to adapt to the height of the ship terminal;

- at least one elevator for transport between such first platform and such second platform and between such platforms and a region for direct access to the dock,

- pedestrian means for transit on foot between the first platform, the second platform and the dock.

These boarding and disembarking towers have the advantage of being compact, easy to move and adaptable to the various heights of boarding decks and terminals.

Most of all, these boarding and disembarking towers, thanks to a plurality of elevators, spare passengers the long ascending and descending paths that are typical of the walkways which are normally used and which, when hand luggage is carried or even more so for the elderly and the disabled, can be extremely tiring.

The above-cited pedestrian means are generally constituted by one or more safety stairways and are generally fixed to the supporting structure and therefore not built so as to be movable in order to become accessible in case of an emergency from any height at which the first platform for ship-side connection is arranged to operate.

However, the first platform for connection between the boarding tower and the ship must be moved to work at a height that must necessarily adapt to the boarding or disembarking opening of the ship, which in turn is subject to the tide.

This first platform, therefore, is not conceived to meet the requirements of connection and transit of passengers with safety stairways.

The aim of the present invention is to provide an adaptable stairway for connection and transit between a movable platform and a fixed surface, for boarding and disembarking towers, particularly for cruise ships and the like, that allows continuous access to fixed safety stairways from any working height assumed by the movable boarding and disembarking platform.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide an adaptable stairway that has a limited space occupation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an adaptable stairway that is safe and reliable.

Another object of the invention is to propose an adaptable stairway for connection and transit between a movable platform and a fixed surface, for boarding and disembarking towers, particularly for cruise ships and the like, that can be manufactured with known systems and technologies.

This aim, as well as these and other objects that will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an adaptable stairway for connection and transit between a movable platform and a fixed surface, for boarding and disembarking towers, particularly for cruise ships and the like, characterized in that it comprises a frame that allows transit and is fixed to a movable boarding and disembarking platform of a boarding tower, a pack of movable frames being arranged on said fixed frame so that they can slide, each movable frame supporting, in its lower part, a step, said movable frames being in turn able to slide with respect to each other, moved by means for their movement, so as to define alternatively

- in a first configuration for use, a descending stairway,

- or, in a second configuration for use, an ascending stairway,

- or, in a third configuration for use, a substantially horizontal walkway.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the adaptable stairway according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a boarding tower according to the invention operating on a dock;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a boarding tower provided with adaptable stairways according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an adaptable stairway according to the invention, in a first constructive variation with closed frames or frames having a perimetric border, in an active configuration thereof;

Figure 3a is a perspective view of an adaptable stairway according to the invention, in a second constructive variation with open or U-shaped frames, in an operating configuration thereof;

Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a safety stairway adjacent to two adaptable stairways according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a schematic side view of an adaptable stairway according to the invention in a first configuration for use;

Figure 6 is a schematic side view of an adaptable stairway according to the invention in a second configuration for use;

Figure 7 is a schematic side view of an adaptable stairway according to the invention in a third configuration for use;

Figure 7a is a schematic view of the operation of the means for the coordinated movement of the movable frames;

Figure 8 is a side view of an adaptable stairway according to the invention, which has a constructive variation of the means for the coordinated movement of the frames arranged in a pack;

Figures 9 to 11 are each a view of a particular step of operation of the means for the coordinate movement of the frames arranged in a pack in their constructive variation in Figure 8.

With reference to the cited figures, an adaptable stairway for connection and transit between a movable platform and a fixed surface, for boarding and disembarking towers, particularly for cruise ships and the like, is generally designated by the reference number 10.

Figure 1 exemplifies a moving platform 11 that is part of a boarding tower 13, which is extended so as to reach a generic ship 14.

The boarding tower 13 has, in the described example, elevators 13 a, 13b and 13c for connection between the movable platform 11 and, for example, the dock B.

The top view of Figure 2 shows, again by way of example, two stairways according to the invention, respectively 10 and 10a, which are interposed between the movable platform 11 and a corresponding fixed surface 12 and 12a respectively, wherein the fixed surfaces 12 and 12a are landings of a safety stairway 13d, which is also part of the boarding tower 13.

The adaptable connecting stairway 10 comprises, as is clearly visible in Figure 2, a frame 15, which is fixed to a movable boarding and disembarking platform 11, for example a frame with a perimetric border, that allows transit.

A pack of frames, comprising for example three movable frames, correspondingly 16, 17 and 18, is arranged so as to slide on the fixed frame 15.

Each one of the first movable frame 16, the second movable frame 17 and the third movable frame 18 has a perimetric border and supports in its lower part a respective step 19, 20 and 21.

The first movable frame 16, the second movable frame 17 and the third movable frame 18 in turn can slide on each other, moved so as to slide on each other by means 23, described in greater detail hereinafter, for their movement, so as to form alternatively

- in a first configuration for use, a descending stairway,

- or, in a second configuration for use, an ascending stairway,

- or, in a third configuration for use, a substantially horizontal walkway.

In this first constructive variation of the invention, which is to be understood as exemplifying and not limiting the invention, the frames 15, 16, 17 and 18 are of the closed type, i.e., with a perimetric border.

Figure 3a exemplifies a second constructive variation of the adaptable stairway according to the invention, designated therein by the reference numeral 110.

In this second variation, the frames 115, 116, 117 and 118 are of the open type, i.e., for example U-shaped; the movement means 23 are to be understood as equivalent.

A first constructive variation of the means 23 for the movement, provided in this example in a coordinated manner, of the frames 16, 17 and 18 arranged in a pack, is shown in Figures 3, 5, 6 and 7 and is provided by a pair of symmetrical fluid-operated actuation cylinders 26, each of which is fixed at one end to a side of the fixed frame 15 and at the opposite end to the side of the first movable frame 16.

The first movable frame 16 slides on the fixed frame 15 by means of four sliders 27, two for each side, a lower one and an upper one, which are arranged so as to slide on corresponding guides 28, the sliders 27 being integral with the first movable frame 16, while the guides 28 are fixed to the fixed frame 15.

Likewise, by means of similar sliders 27a and similar guides 28a, the second movable frame 17 slides on the first movable frame 16 and, by means of similar sliders 27b and similar guides 28b, the third movable frame 18 slides on the second movable frame 17.

As clearly shown in Figures 5 to 7, for the coordinated and proportional movement of the second frame 17 and the third frame 18 so as to form an ascending or descending stairway or a flat walkway, the means 23 comprise, for each side of the pack of frames, two levers 30 and 31, which operate substantially parallel to each other, a first lever 30, of the third-class type, whose fulcrum 32 is on the side of the fixed frame 15, and a second lever 31 , whose fulcrum 35 is on the side of the third movable frame 18.

The first lever 30 is formed by a flat bar which has two slotted openings 33 and 34, provided coaxially on a same axis that has a radial direction with respect to the first fulcrum 32 of such first lever.

A first engagement element 36, which protrudes laterally from the side of the first movable frame 16 and has a substantially cylindrical contour, mates with the first lever 30 by means of a first slot 33.

Likewise, a corresponding second engagement element 37, which protrudes laterally from the side of the second movable frame 17, has a substantially cylindrical contour so as to slide within the second slot 34, so that it, too, mates with the first lever 30.

Like the first lever 30, the second lever 31 also is provided by a flat bar which has two slotted openings 38 and 39 provided coaxially on a same axis that has a radial direction with respect to the second fulcrum 35 of the second lever 31.

A first slot 38 is crossed by a corresponding first engagement element 40, which protrudes laterally from the side of the first movable frame 16 and has a substantially cylindrical contour so as to slide within the first slot 38.

Likewise, the second slot 39 is crossed by a corresponding second engagement element 41, which protrudes laterally from the side of the second movable frame 17 and has a substantially cylindrical contour so as to slide within the second slot 39.

When the cylinder 26 is extended, as shown in Figure 6, the first movable frame 16 descends, by means of the sliding between the sliders 27 and the guides 28, with respect to the fixed frame 15, so as to form a first step 44.

The descent of the first movable frame 16 entails the rotation of the first lever 30, by means of the interaction between the engagement element 36 and the first lever 30 by means of the first slot 33.

The second movable frame 17, which is substantially suspended from the first one 16 via the engagement element 37 inserted in the second slot 34 of the first lever 30 and is arranged so as to slide on the first movable frame 16 by means of the corresponding sliders 27a and guides 28a, due to the mating of the first lever 30 with the respective engagement element 37 by means of the second slot 34, moves downward with respect to the first movable frame 16 by a distance that is proportional to the rotation of the first lever 30, according to the canonical rules of Euclidean geometry, which are applied, as shown in Figure 7a, to the lever 30 in a generic configuration which is rotated through an angle A with respect to a horizontal configuration, and applied in particular to the distance l between the first fulcrum 32 and the first engagement element 36 in the rotated configuration of the lever 30, and to the distance R2 between the first fulcrum 32 and the second engagement element 37 in the same rotated configuration of the lever 30; the descent Yl of the first engagement element 36, and therefore of the entire first movable frame 16, is in fact proportional to Rl and to the cosine of the angle A, which is determined between the initial configuration, for example the horizontal configuration of the lever 30 as shown in the figures, and the rotated configuration, for example downward as shown schematically in Figure 7a, and likewise the descent Y2 of the second engagement element 37 is proportional to R2 and to the cosine of the same angle A.

At the same time, the movement of the engagement elements 40 and 41 in relation to the second lever 31, each of which moves integrally respectively with the first engagement element 36 and with the second engagement element 37 in relation to the first lever 30, produces the similar rotation of the second lever 31 , which, by carrying the third movable frame 18 at its end, causes a descent thereof that is proportional to the distance between the second fulcrum 35 and the first engagement element 40, in a manner similar to what has been described above for the first lever 30.

Figure 7 shows schematically the adaptable stairway 10 according to the invention in a configuration that forms an ascending stairway.

In the transition from one configuration to the other, and while maintaining the same configurations, the overall horizontally protruding space occupation K of the adaptable ladder 10 remains constant, as highlighted in said Figures 5 to 7.

An adaptable stairway according to the invention 210 is shown in Figure 8 to be supporting means 223 for the coordinated movement of the frames 16, 17 and 18 arranged in a pack, with a constructive variation of the means 223.

The means 223 for the coordinated movement of the movable frames arranged in a pack 16, 17 and 18 comprise, for each movable frame, two racks, one for each side of the frame, respectively 250, 251 and 252.

The three racks that are located in a parallel arrangement on the same side of the adaptable stairway 210 are moved in a coordinated and synchronous manner by a series of gears in sequence 253, which are enclosed in a protective housing 254, each series of gears being actuated by a same single drive, not shown for the sake of simplicity.

As mentioned, in the constructive examples described above the movable frames 16, 17 and 18 move proportionally, so that the heights of the steps that are formed are always identical to one another. All the constructive variations in which the movable frames move with respect to each other in a non-proportional manner, and substantially autonomously, for example through independent movement means for each one of said movable frames, are also to be understood as being within the scope of the present invention.

Said independent movements means are to be understood as being possibly of the electric or fluid- operated type, such as hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders, or of the mechanical type, or of another type of equivalent functionality.

The solution with movable frames with independent movement means can be preferable in the case of minor differences in height between the fixed surface and the movable platform and it is therefore safer to make the users, i.e., the people passing through, walk over a single step of a certain height rather than three steps of a height that is limited to the point of being dangerous.

In practice it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects.

In particular, the invention provides an adaptable stairway for connection and transit between a movable platform and a fixed surface, for boarding and disembarking towers, particularly for cruise ships and the like, that allows access to the fixed safety stairways from any operating height assumed by the movable boarding and disembarking platform thanks to the movable frames, which can slide either independently of each other or in a coordinated and proportional manner on each other so as to form a rising or descending stairway the total height of which can be proportionate to the difference in height between the movable platform and the fixed surface to which the movable platform is to be connected.

Moreover, the invention provides an adaptable stairway for transit which has a limited space occupation and for which it is therefore easy to provide a compartment for ascent and descent in the boarding tower to which they belong.

Moreover, the invention provides a stairway that is adaptable and safe and reliable, since the frames, either having a perimetric contour or U- shaped, provide a portal that allows a safe transit from the movable platform to the fixed surface.

Last but not least, the invention provides an adaptable stairway for connection and transit between a movable platform and a fixed surface, for boarding and disembarking towers, particularly for cruise ships and the like, that can be provided by means of known systems and technologies.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. PD2011A000029 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. An adaptable stairway (10) for connection and transit between a movable platform (11) and a fixed surface (12, 12a), for boarding and disembarking towers (13) particularly for cruise ships (14) and the like, characterized in that it comprises a frame (15) which is fixed to a movable platform of a boarding tower that allows transit, a pack of movable frames (16, 17, 18) being arranged on said fixed frame (15) so that it can slide, each movable frame supporting, in its lower part, a step (19, 20, 21), said movable frames being in turn able to slide with respect to each other, moved by means (23) for their movement, so as to define alternatively

- in a first configuration for use, a descending stairway,

- or, in a second configuration for use, an ascending stairway,

- or, in a third configuration for use, a substantially horizontal walkway.

2. The adaptable stairway according to claim 1, characterized in that said means (23) for the movement of the movable frames (16, 17, 18) are constituted by at least one fluid- operated actuation cylinder (26), which is fixed at one end to a side of the fixed frame (15) and at the opposite end to the side of the first movable frame (16), said first movable frame (16) being arranged so as to slide on the fixed frame (15) by means of four sliders (27), two for each side, a lower one and an upper one, arranged so as to slide on corresponding guides (28), the sliders (27) being jointly connected to the first movable frame (16) while the guides (28) are fixed to the fixed frame (15); likewise, by means of similar sliders (27a, 27b) and similar guides (28a, 28b), the second movable frame (17) slides on the first movable frame (16) and the third movable frame (18) slides on the second movable frame (17).

3. The adaptable stairway according to claim 2, characterized in that for the coordinated and proportional movement of the second frame (17) and the third frame (18) to define an ascending or descending stairway or a flat walkway, said means (23) comprise, for each side of the pack of frames, two levers (30, 31) which operate substantially parallel to each other, a first lever (30), of the third-class type, whose fulcrum (32) is on the side of the fixed frame (15), and a second lever (31), with the fulcrum (35) on the side of the third movable frame (18), said first lever (30) being constituted by a flat bar which has two slotted openings (33, 34) provided coaxially on a same axis that has a radial direction with respect to the first fulcrum (32) of said first lever, a first slot (33) being crossed by a corresponding first engagement element (36), which protrudes laterally from the side of the first movable frame (16) and has a substantially cylindrical shape so as to slide within the first slot (33), the second slot (34) being crossed by a corresponding second engagement element (37), which protrudes laterally from the side of the second movable frame (17) and has a substantially cylindrical shape so as to slide within the second slot (34), said second lever (31) being constituted by a flat bar which has two slotted openings (38, 39) provided coaxially on a same axis that has a radial direction with respect to the second fulcrum (35) of the second lever (31), a first slot (38) of said second lever (31) being crossed by a corresponding first engagement element (40), which protrudes from the side of the first movable frame (16), and a second slot (39) of said second lever (31) being crossed by a corresponding second engagement element (41), which protrudes laterally from the side of the second movable frame (17).

4. The adaptable stairway according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said frames (15, 16, 17, 18) are of the closed type, i.e., of the type with a perimetric border.

5. The adaptable stairway according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said frames (115, 116, 117, 118) are of the open type, i.e., have a U- shaped contour.

6. The adaptable stairway according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said means (123) for the coordinated movement of the movable frames arranged in a pack (16, 17, 18) comprise, for each movable frame, at least one rack (150, 151, 152), said racks being moved in a coordinated and synchronous manner by a series of gears in sequence (153) enclosed in a protective housing (154), said series of gears being actuated by a same single motor drive.

7. The adaptable stairway according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the transition from one configuration to the other, and during the retention of the same configurations, the overall horizontally protruding space occupation (K) of the adaptable stairway (10) remains constant.

8. The adaptable stairway according to claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, characterized in that said movable frames (16, 17, 18) are adapted to move with respect to each other in a manner which is not proportional and substantially autonomous by independent movement means for each one of said movable frames.