Entrance Bridge

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an entry bridge with a bridgehead and with a cabin that can be pivoted about a section of the bridgehead by means of a cabin pivot drive, which cabin pivot drive is designed as a chain drive, in which the at least one chain is held on the bridgehead side and the motor drive with a drive pinion meshing with a chain is arranged on the cabin side, wherein the cabin pivot drive is assigned a braking device that blocks the pivotability of the cabin relative to the bridgehead, which braking device can be opened against a restoring force by a brake opening actuator that is connected to a control unit and receives switching commands from this and closes automatically when the brake opening actuator is deactivated by the restoring force stored by the opening process.

[0002] Passenger boarding bridges are boarding bridges and serve as access to an aircraft parked in front of a terminal. When docked at an aircraft entrance, such passenger boarding bridges connect the terminal with the aircraft. Such a passenger boarding bridge has a passenger tunnel. The length and orientation of this tunnel can be adjusted by the terminal. Usually, part of the passenger boarding bridge is a rotunda located at the terminal, relative to which the other components of the passenger boarding bridge can be pivoted. The bridgehead is also part of the passenger tunnel. The passenger tunnel leads into this. The height of the passenger boarding bridge can be adjusted in the area of ​​the bridgehead in order to adapt the height of the bridgehead to the height of the entrance of the respective aircraft. To connect the bridgehead to an aircraft, such a passenger boarding bridge has a cabin, which is sometimes also equipped with a universal interface.The cabin can be pivoted relative to the bridgehead so that the side of the cabin facing the aircraft can be aligned parallel to the outer skin of the aircraft's fuselage. Such a cabin has a length-adjustable cabin section and is equipped with sensors to ensure smooth docking of the side of the cabin facing the aircraft with the outer skin of the aircraft. The cabin of such a passenger boarding bridge houses the driver's station for operating the passenger boarding bridge, which also involves moving the cabin relative to the bridgehead. The same applies to boarding bridges used as ship passenger boarding bridges.

[0003] The cabin swivel drive of such a boarding bridge, such as an aircraft passenger bridge, which allows the cabin to be swiveled relative to the bridgehead, is designed as a chain drive. The chain is fixedly tensioned on the underside of the bridgehead, forming a ring segment. Chain tensioners ensure consistent chain tension. On the cabin side, an electric motor and a pinion driven by it are used to achieve the desired swiveling of the cabin relative to the bridgehead. The pinion meshes with the chain. The cabin is pivotally mounted on the bridgehead by appropriate guides.

[0004] To increase the operational reliability of such a cabin swivel drive, the practice has been in place for some time now. Two chains, one above the other, meshed by two drive pinions on the same drive shaft, improve operational reliability because if one chain fails, for example due to a broken chain, the drive train is maintained and the cabin remains fixed by the engagement of the other drive pinion with the other chain. A break in the drive train would lead to uncontrolled pendulum movements of the cabin relative to the bridgehead, especially if the bridgehead is not horizontal, which is usually the case. In the worst case scenario, uncontrolled pendulum movements relative to the bridgehead could result in people in the bridgehead or cabin falling out of the open-fronted cabin.When moving and setting up such a passenger boarding bridge, at least one person must be present at the driver's position in the cabin. Furthermore, damage to the bridge and other aircraft handling equipment may occur.

[0005] Even if the operational safety of such a passenger boarding bridge has been improved by providing a double-chain drive, a break in both chains or a broken shaft can still cause the passenger in the cabin to swing against the bridgehead, which is dangerous for a person inside. If the cabin is located adjacent to an aircraft fuselage in such a case, damage to the fuselage cannot be ruled out.

[0006] EP 2 801 529 A1 discloses a boarding bridge for aircraft and ships with a holding system. In addition to the cabin pivot drive, this known boarding bridge has a locking mechanism by which the pivoting movement of the cabin relative to the bridgehead can be blocked. For this purpose, a gear ring is arranged on the pivot arms of the cabin, which extend below the floor of the bridgehead, in the region of their bearing axis. The teeth of the gear ring point away from the pivot arms. When the cabin pivots relative to the bridgehead, the gear ring is not pivoted. For the purpose of locking the pivoting movement of the cabin, a translationally movable locking lance with a correspondingly shaped tip is located below the floor of the bridgehead, which is designed to engage between two consecutive teeth of the gear ring.When the cabin is to be pivoted relative to the bridgehead, this locking lance is in a position preloaded by a compression spring, in which its engaging tip does not engage the teeth of the gear ring. The locking lance is coupled to a chain break sensor, which activates the locking lance to engage with its tip between two teeth of the gear ring. According to one embodiment, this is achieved by a wire connected to the rear end of the locking lance with the chain of the cabin pivot drive, which holds the locking lance in its preloaded, deactivated position. Alternatively, a lifting magnet can ensure that the locking lance is in its disengaged, deactivated position when the cabin pivots relative to the bridgehead.

[0007] This prior art refers to a braking device that also serves the purpose of locking the cabin relative to the bridgehead. This is the passenger boarding bridge disclosed in CN 201777389 U1. It uses an electromagnetic brake which, when activated, acts with one brake pad against a guide flange held on the bridgehead side. The cabin is also supported by rollers on this guide flange. Due to lubricants located on this flange, such a braking device is described in EP 2 801 529 A1 as not meeting the requirements. The braking device of the boarding bridge according to CN 201777389 U1 operates according to a different principle than that described in EP 2 801 529 A1. The braking device of CN 201777389 U1 is activated to effect the braking process. The activation signal is provided by a control device.This braking device is activated when a chain break is detected.

[0008] CN 108216674 A discloses an access bridge whose braking concept corresponds to that described above in EP 2 801 529 A1. This access bridge has a first chain as the drive chain. A pinion of a drive device meshes with this chain and ensures the desired pivoting movement of the cabin relative to the bridgehead. This access bridge has a second chain that serves as the brake chain. A braking device comprising an electromagnet and return elements meshes with the brake chain using a brake pinion. This blocks any pivoting movement of the cabin relative to the bridgehead if the electromagnet used as the brake opening actuator is not open. This braking device is complex in terms of the required components. Furthermore, operational safety cannot be guaranteed if the brake chain is loose or broken.

[0009] Another boarding bridge is known from CN 206171839 U. The braking system of this previously known boarding bridge closes by actuating a control signal when a chain fault, such as insufficient chain tension, is detected. Thus, this boarding bridge also operates according to a different brake activation concept than the boarding bridge described in EP 2 801 529 A1.

[0010] Based on this discussed prior art, the invention is therefore based on the object of proposing an boarding bridge designed, for example, as an aircraft passenger bridge, with a braking device for blocking a pivoting movement of the cabin relative to the bridgehead, which braking device is deactivated, and thus released, by a brake opening actuator for pivoting, and when the brake opening actuator is not activated, such a pivoting movement is prevented, in which not only the occurrence of an undesirable pendulum movement of the cabin relative to the bridgehead as a result of, for example, a chain or shaft breakage, even with a double-shaft drive as the cabin pivot drive, is avoided, but which is also smaller in design than proposed in EP 2 801 529 A1 and operates more reliably.

[0011] This object is achieved according to the invention by a generic passenger boarding bridge mentioned at the outset, in which the braking device comprises a brake caliper mounted on the cabin side as a brake opening actuator with two brake shoes carrying brake pads and a disc-shaped ring segment body arranged on the bridgehead side and engaging between the brake pads, against which the brake shoes with their brake pads act when the brake caliper is deactivated to block a pivoting movement of the cabin relative to the bridgehead and from which the brake shoes with their brake pads are released when the brake caliper is activated.

[0012] This boarding bridge, designed and used as an aircraft passenger boarding bridge, for example, is equipped with a braking device that can be used to block the pivoting of the cabin relative to the bridgehead. The braking device is designed so that, when not activated, it remains closed, thus blocking any pivoting movement of the cabin relative to the bridgehead. If pivoting of the cabin relative to the bridgehead is required, the braking device is opened using a brake opening actuator. This opening of the brake occurs counter to the restoring force of one or more restoring elements. As soon as the brake opening actuator is deactivated, the restoring force stored when the brake is opened ensures that the brake is automatically closed. The restoring force can be stored, for example, in compression springs or compression spring assemblies. The brake opening actuator is connected to a control unit.The brake release actuator is controlled by the control unit, so it receives switching commands from the control unit to activate or deactivate it. This functionality, assigned to the control unit, can easily be assigned to the existing control unit of the passenger boarding bridge's driver's cab.

[0013] It is considered particularly advantageous that, due to the design of the braking device, it automatically closes even in the event of a power failure when released by the brake release actuator, thus allowing the cabin to pivot relative to the bridgehead. This prevents the cabin from pivoting relative to the bridgehead. Furthermore, unlike the previously known boarding bridge from EP 2 801 529 A1, the braking device can be tested during every maintenance without the need for subsequent rework. After a brake test, the entire mechanism must be manually reset.

[0014] The braking system comprises a brake caliper (brake calliper) operating like a disc brake. This is typically located on the cabin side. A disc-shaped ring segment body interacts with the brake caliper or its two brake shoes, each equipped with a brake pad, and engages between the brake shoes of the brake caliper, which operates like a pair of pliers. This ring segment body is typically located on the bridgehead side. As a rule, bridgeheads of such passenger boarding bridges designed as passenger boarding bridges have an angle that follows the outer contour of the bridgehead to support and guide the cabin, as well as to guide the chain below the floor of the bridgehead. The horizontal leg of this angle, pointing radially outwards, is used as a support flange for the cabin guide on the bridgehead.In a preferred embodiment of such a passenger boarding bridge, this flange represents the disc-shaped ring segment body that engages between the brake shoes of the brake caliper. The back of this bracket is generally used to guide the two chains of the chain drive, typically in corresponding chain guide channels.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the brake caliper itself is designed to operate electromagnetically. This means that the brake is released electromagnetically by moving the brake shoes away from each other. It is also possible to use other brake release actuators, for example, electric motor-driven, hydraulically operated, or pneumatically operated ones. The advantage of using an electrically operated brake release actuator, for example, an electromagnetically operated brake caliper, is its compact design and the fact that no additional fluid lines are required, as would be the case with hydraulic or pneumatic systems.

[0016] The advantage of such a design for locking the cabin relative to the bridgehead is that even if the chain breaks while the cabin is pivoting, the pivoting movement is effectively blocked. This is different with a passenger boarding bridge equipped with a gear ring and a locking lance as a locking device. Secure engagement of the locking lance in the space between two teeth of the gear ring can only occur when the gear ring is stationary or rotating very slowly. Furthermore, with the boarding bridge according to the invention, effective blocking occurs regardless of the position of the cabin relative to the bridgehead. With locking devices with a gear ring, it can happen that when the gear ring is not moving, the locking lance hits a tooth and not the space between the teeth when locking is intended to occur.Another advantage of the boarding bridge according to the invention is that the brake caliper is mounted on the cabin side and preferably interacts with a ring segment body that follows the contour of the bridgehead. Due to the relatively large distance between the pivot axis of the cabin and this ring segment body in such a design of the boarding bridge, even relatively small forces are sufficient to effectively block the pivoting of the cabin relative to the bridgehead.

[0017] Equipping an access bridge with such a braking device allows it to be used to secure the cabin against unwanted swiveling movement relative to the bridgehead if, during operation, particularly during swiveling of the cabin relative to the bridgehead, the drive train is interrupted, for example, by a broken chain or shaft. The interruption of the drive train is detected by a control unit. In such a case, the brake opening actuator is immediately deactivated, so that, as a result of the braking device then automatically closing, swiveling of the cabin relative to the bridgehead is blocked or no longer possible. Undesired oscillating movements in the event of an interruption in the drive train of the cabin swivel drive can be effectively prevented in this way.Similarly, when commissioning the driver's cab for adjusting the passenger bridge, it can be checked whether the cabin can be pivoted relative to the bridgehead. If a fault is detected in the drive train, such as a broken chain or shaft, this functionality will not be enabled.

[0018] Another advantage of such a braking system associated with the cabin swivel drive is that, for example, when the bridgehead is in the parked position, the cabin is not blocked from swiveling relative to the bridgehead solely by the drive train, but rather by the then closed braking system. It sometimes happens that ground vehicles strike the ground assembly associated with the bridgehead. Because the braking system is closed, impacts introduced into the access bridge and thus into the bridgehead are not transmitted to the drive train of the cabin swivel drive. This means that the drive train is less prone to breakage and wear. And unintentional oscillation of the cabin is prevented. Personal injury or property damage, for example to the aircraft, is thus minimized.

[0019] Furthermore, in such an access bridge with a braking device associated with the car swivel drive, the chain drive does not necessarily need to be designed as a double-chain drive, since the improved safety function provided by the second chain drive compared to a single-chain drive is not only taken over by the braking device, but is also performed far more effectively. Of particular note here is the possibility of retrofitting existing access bridges with such a braking device.

[0020] In one design of such an entry bridge, the braking device is assigned at least one chain break sensor connected to the control unit. This is used to detect the current chain tension of the chain of the cabin swivel drive. The chain tension can be detected by detecting the position of the chain in relation to the chain break sensor, and thus by the distance of the chain to the sensor head of the chain break sensor. When the chain is taut, the distance of the chain in the measuring section is smaller than when the chain tension is decreasing or even when the chain breaks. The ACTUAL chain position or ACTUAL chain tension transmitted to the control unit from the chain break sensor is evaluated by the control unit in relation to a TARGET chain position or TARGET chain tension. This can be done by a comparison operation. A deviation in the chain tension between the ACTUAL chain position or ACTUAL chain tension and the TARGET chain position orthe target chain tension. If the deviation of the actual value from the target value exceeds the specified deviation threshold, the control unit sends a control command to deactivate the existing opening actuator. As a result, the brake opening actuator is deactivated and the braking device is immediately closed.

[0021] In such a cabin swivel drive designed as a chain drive, the chain is typically placed in a chain loop around the drive pinion of the drive motor. To make this possible, two spaced-apart chain deflection bodies are provided along the length of the chain. These can be deflection pinions or deflection rollers, for example. The drive pinion is located between these two deflection bodies at a radial distance from them and thus from the actual path of the chain. The preferred position for positioning a chain break sensor is the chain section between the drive pinion and such a chain deflection body. A chain break sensor is arranged on at least one such section. Preferably, both relevant chain sections are used, each of which is assigned a chain break sensor. This increases the reliability of the measurement result.

[0022] In a preferred development, it is provided that in addition to the one, preferably the two, chain break sensors assigned to a chain deflection body, at least one further chain break sensor is provided. While the at least one chain break sensor is arranged on the chain deflection body on the cabin side, the at least one further chain break sensor is mounted on the bridgehead side. Preferably, this at least one further chain break sensor is attached to the ring segment body guiding the at least one chain. With such a design of the boarding bridge, the detection accuracy of a chain tension error is improved, with the result that a blockage of the cabin relative to the bridgehead during pivoting operation of the cabin relative to the bridgehead occurs almost immediately, without having to wait until the loss of chain tension propagates to a sensor mounted on the cabin side or bridgehead side due to the pinion deflection.A blocking of the swivel operation of the cabin relative to the bridgehead is thus possible spontaneously and within 1° of movement relative to the bridgehead.

[0023] The chain break sensors are typically connected in series, so that a blockage of the swivel movement of the cabin relative to the bridgehead is triggered if a corresponding loss of chain tension is detected by just one of the several chain break sensors.

[0024] The chain break sensors are preferably designed to operate without contact with the chain passing by. In one embodiment of such a chain break sensor, inductive proximity sensors are used.

[0025] The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying figures. They show: Fig. 1: A side view of a boarding bridge designed as a passenger bridge without the floor group supporting it on the ground, Fig. 2:a plan view of the aircraft-side end area of ​​the passenger bridge of the Figure 1 with its bridgehead and the cabin attached to it, Fig. 3: a perspective view from below of the floor of the bridgehead with the pivotally connected cabin to show components of the cabin pivot drive, Fig. 4: an enlarged view of a brake calliper as part of the cabin swivel drive, Fig. 5: a partially cut representation of the Figure 4 shown component, Fig. 6: a plan view of the drive unit of the cabin swivel drive, which is held below the floor on the cabin side, its engagement in the drive chains held on the bridgehead side and chain break sensors arranged adjacent to the drive chains and Fig. 7: a bottom view of the bridgehead and the attached cabin of the boarding bridge of the previous figures.

[0026] An air passenger boarding bridge 1 as an exemplary boarding bridge comprises a rotunda 2 arranged on the terminal side. A passenger tunnel 3, which in the illustrated embodiment consists of two segments, is connected to the rotunda 2. The two segments 4, 4.1 of the passenger tunnel 3 are telescopically movable relative to each other, whereby the effective length of the air passenger boarding bridge 1 can be adjusted. The passenger tunnel 3 leads into a bridgehead 5. The bridgehead 5 is connected to the ground from the outside by a staircase (not shown). Operating personnel can use this staircase to enter and exit the bridgehead 5 without having to use the passenger tunnel 3. A cabin 6 is pivotally connected to the bridgehead 5. The cabin 6 is in the plane of the floor of the bridgehead 5, as can be seen from the top view of the Figure 2The cabin 6 is the module with which the passenger boarding bridge 1 is docked to the outer skin of an aircraft. For this purpose, the cabin 6 has a universal interface 7, which can be adjusted in terms of its length, independently of its upper and lower lengths. Sensors ensure that docking with the outer skin of the aircraft's fuselage is smooth. Cabin 6 contains a driver's cab from which the passenger boarding bridge can be moved.

[0027] A chain drive is used to exert the pivoting movement of the cabin 6 relative to the bridgehead 5. In the illustrated embodiment, an electric motor 8 serves as the drive unit. In the illustrated embodiment, the chain drive is designed as a double-chain drive. Two pinions are mounted on the drive shaft of the electric motor 8, each of which meshes with one of the two chains. The two drive chains are held on the bridgehead side. Chain tensioners mounted at the ends ensure consistent chain tension. The electric motor 8 is located on the cabin side.

[0028] The cabin 6 is guided relative to the bridgehead 5 in guides not shown in detail in order to perform the aforementioned pivoting movement.

[0029] In addition to the drive train formed by the aforementioned components, the cabin swivel drive is assigned a braking device. The braking device comprises a brake caliper 9.

[0030] Below the base of the bridgehead 5, an angle 10 is arranged, following its outer contour. This angle has a support flange 11 that extends radially outwards. On the back 12 of the angle 10, the two chains 13, 14 are guided in a chain channel each. Figure 3 In the bottom view shown in the transition area from the bridgehead 5 to the cabin 6, the angle 10 with its support flange 11 projecting outwards in the radial direction can be clearly seen, as well as its curved extension following the outline of the bridgehead 5.

[0031] The brake caliper 9 has two brake shoes 15, 15.1 equipped with replaceable brake pads. The brake shoes 15, 15.1 act with their brake pads from opposite sides on the support flange 11 of the angle 10. The support flange 11 thus engages as a ring segment body between the brake pads of the brake shoes 15, 15.1 of the brake caliper 9 in the manner of a brake disc - here: an annular segment disc. The brake caliper 9 is designed so that, when not activated, the brake shoes 15, 15.1 are closed, thus acting with their brake pads on the flat sides of the support flange 11 and, as a result, blocking or preventing a pivoting movement of the cabin 6 relative to the bridgehead 5. The brake caliper 9 of the illustrated embodiment is designed to operate electromagnetically. The brake shoes 15, 15.1 are moved away from each other electromagnetically to release or open the brake calliper 9.This opening movement occurs against the restoring force of compression springs or compression spring assemblies. These can also be disc springs or disc spring assemblies. The braking device, and thus the brake caliper 9, is opened when the driver's position in the cabin 6 is occupied and the cabin 6 is positioned relative to the bridgehead 5, as shown in . Figure 2 indicated by the double arrow. Otherwise, the brake calliper 9 remains closed, thus blocking any pivoting movement of the cabin 6 relative to the bridgehead 5. The above-described components of the brake calliper 9 are also shown in an enlarged perspective view of the Figure 4 The brake caliper 9 is connected to the floor struts 17 of the cabin 6 by means of a flange plate 16.

[0032] The Figure 5The partial cross-section shown shows the arrangement of the brake calliper 9, connected with its flange plate 16 to the floor struts 17 of the cabin 6 and the design of the angle 10 with its support flange 11 engaging between the brake linings of the brake shoes 15, 15.1. In this section, the two chain channels 18, 18.1 are visible, in which the chains 13, 14 of the cabin swivel drive run. Figure 5 For the sake of simplicity, chains 13, 14 are not shown.

[0033] In the illustrated embodiment, the brake caliper 9 is designed to act on the support flange 11 with a force of more than 10 kN when not activated. This means that the brake pads act on the support flange 11 with this clamping force. In the illustrated brake caliper 9, the clamping force is 12 kN. The surface area of ​​a brake pad in the illustrated embodiment is approximately 44 cm². The size of the surface of the brake pads resting on the support flange 11 is preferably greater than 30 cm². Such a surface area of ​​a brake pad allows a braking effect at forces of 10 kN and more, which effectively block a pivoting movement of the cabin 6 relative to the bridgehead 5, even if lubricant residues are present on the support flange 11 due to the cabin being guided by rollers.

[0034] Part of the braking system are also several chain break sensors 19 (see Figure 3 ). In Figure 3Two of the four chain break sensors 19 actually used can be seen.

[0035] The chain drive of cabin 6 opposite bridgehead 5 is in Figure 6 Since the two chains 13, 14 run vertically above each other, Figure 6only the upper chain 13 can be seen. The outer radial edge of the support flange 11 is indicated by a dash-dotted line in this figure. The electric motor 8, which is attached to the cabin side, meshes with a chain 13, 14 using a drive pinion 20. For this purpose, each chain 13, 14 is guided in a chain loop 21. The chain loop 21 is formed by two deflection pinions 22, 22.1 spaced apart from one another in the chain direction, between which the drive pinion 20 is arranged at a radial distance from these. The chain path is indicated by dashed lines, with the exception of the chain sections between the deflection pinions 22, 22.1 and the drive pinion 20. The chain break sensors 19, which in the illustrated embodiment are inductively operating proximity sensors, are designed to detect the breakage between a deflection pinion 22 or 22.1 and the drive pinion 20 with regard to the distance of the chain from the sensor head of the chain break sensor 19. If the chain 13 or 14 is tensioned as intended, it is located at a predetermined distance from the sensor head of the respective chain break sensor 19. In the event of a chain break, the chain tension suddenly decreases, causing the distance of the chain section monitored by the chain break sensor 19 to change suddenly. The chain break sensors 19, like the brake caliper 9, are connected to the control unit of the cabin 6. The data recorded by the chain break sensors 19 are evaluated by the control unit. These actual chain positions (corresponding to the actual chain tension) applied to the sensor input of the control unit are compared with a desired chain position (distance of the chain from the sensor head). A threshold value for a chain position deviation is also predefined.If this threshold is exceeded, if the brake caliper 9 is activated to open the brake shoes 15, 15.1, the brake caliper 9 is deactivated. As a result, the brake shoes 15, 15.1 close spontaneously due to the energy stored in the return springs, thus preventing the car 6 from pivoting relative to the bridgehead 5. A change in the distance of a chain 13, 14 from the sensor head of a chain break sensor 19 can be positive or negative. In the event of a chain break, it is quite possible for the chain to flop and for the actual position to change in both directions.

[0036] The lower chain 14 is also assigned two chain break sensors 19 (see also Figure 3 ), which work in the same way and act on the control unit.

[0037] The bottom view of the passenger bridge 1 shows that two chain break sensors 19.1 are also provided on the bridgehead side on the back 12 of the bracket 10. These two additional chain break sensors 19.1 are each mounted on the chain channel 18, 18.1 in the Figure 7 marked locations. The two chain break sensors 19.1 are each arranged at a different angular distance from the end of the chain.

[0038] The chain break sensors 19, 19.1 are connected in series so that a blocking of the cabin 6 relative to the bridgehead 5 is triggered as soon as a loss of chain tension is detected by one of the chain break sensors 19, 19.1.

[0039] The braking device significantly improves the operational reliability of a pivoting movement of the cabin 6 relative to the bridgehead 5, since a fault in the drive train leading to a change in the chain tension, such as a broken chain or a broken drive shaft, spontaneously leads to the closing of the brake shoes 15, 15.1 of the brake caliper 9, should the braking device be opened and the driver's cab in the cabin 6 be occupied. Similarly, when the passenger boarding bridge 1 is put into operation to move it, a check is carried out to determine whether the chains 13, 14 are located in the chain sections monitored by the chain break sensors 19, 19.1 at the predefined distance from the measuring heads of the chain break sensors 19, 19.1. If this is not the case, a pivoting movement of the cabin 6 relative to the bridgehead 5 is not permitted, and thus the brake caliper 9 is not opened. This is accompanied by an error message recognizable to the operating personnel.

[0040] The invention has been described using exemplary embodiments. Without departing from the scope of the applicable claims, numerous further possibilities for implementing it will become apparent to a person skilled in the art without the need for these further possibilities to be described in detail. List of reference symbols

[0041] 1Passenger boarding bridge 2Rotunda 3Passenger tunnel 4, 4.1Segment 5Bridgehead 6Cabin 7Universal interface 8Electric motor 9Brake opening actuator / caliper 10Angle 11Support flange 12Back 13Chain 14Chain 15, 15.1Brake shoe 16Flange plate 17Floor strut 18, 18.1Chain channel 19, 19.1Chain break sensor 20Drive pinion 21Chain loop 22, 22.1Redirection pinion

Claims

1. Boarding bridge with a bridge head (5), with a passenger tunnel (3), with a cabin slewing drive unit, and with a cabin (6), which can be slewed about a section of the bridge head (5) by means of the cabin slewing drive unit, said cabin slewing drive unit being configured as a chain drive and comprising a motor drive (8), wherein at least one chain (13, 14) is held on the bridge head side, and the motor drive (8), with a drive pinion (20) meshing with one of the chains (13, 14) is arranged on the cabin side, wherein a braking device is assigned to the cabin slewing drive, blocking the slewing capacity of the cabin (6) in relation to the bridge head (5), this braking device being capable of being opened against a resetting force by a brake opening actuator (9) connected to a control unit and receiving switching commands from this unit, and, with the brake opening actuator (9) deactivated, closes automatically due to the resetting force stored by the opening procedure, characterised in that the braking device comprises a brake calliper held on the cabin side, operating in the manner of a disk brake, as a brake opening actuator (9), with two brake blocks (15 15.1) carrying brake pads, and a disk-shaped ring segment body (11), arranged on the bridge head side and engaging between the brake pads, against which the brake blocks (15, 15.1) with their brake pads take effect, with the braking calliper (9) deactivated, in order to block a slewing movement of the cabin (6) in relation to the bridge head (5), and of which the brake blocks (15, 15.1) with their brake pads are released when the brake calliper (9) is activated.

2. Boarding bridge according to claim 1, characterised in that the braking device comprises at least one chain break sensor (19), connected to the control unit, for detecting the ACTUAL position of the at least one chain of the cabin slewing drive, and that the control unit is configured such as to compare the ACTUAL position of the chain as detected at the present time with a REFERENCE chain position, and, in the event of a deviation of the ACTUAL position from the REFERENCE position which exceeds a predetermined threshold value, issues a control command for deactivating the brake opening actuator (9).

3. Boarding bridge according to claim 2, characterised in that the at least one chain (13, 14) is laid around the drive pinion (20) of the cabin slewing drive, by means of a chain loop (21) which is formed by two chain deflecting bodies (22, 22.1), spaced at a distance from one another in the longitudinal extension of the chain (13, 14), and the drive pinion (20) arranged between these, and that the chain break sensor (19) for monitoring the ACTUAL position of the chain in this piece of chain is arranged between one of the chain deflection bodies (22, 22.1) and the drive pinion (20).

4. Boarding bridge according to claim 3, characterised in that in each case a chain break sensor (19) is arranged between two deflecting bodies (22, 21) and the drive pinion (20).

5. Boarding bridge according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that at least one further chain break sensor (19.1) is arranged on the bridge head side.

6. Boarding bridge according to claim 5, characterised in that the additional chain break sensors (19.1) are secured to the ring segment body (11) with a different angular distance at the respective chain end.

7. Boarding bridge according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the chain break sensors (19, 19.1) are arranged in a row.

8. Boarding bridge according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the ring segment body of the braking device is the horizontal support flange (11), pointing outwards in the radial direction, of a guide of the cabin (6) at the bridge head (5).

9. Boarding bridge according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the brake opening actuator (9) is configured as operating electromagnetically or as an electric motor.

10. Boarding bridge according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the brake opening actuator is configured as operating hydraulically or pneumatically.

11. Boarding bridge according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that, in order to store the resetting force, provision is made for one or more pressure springs and / or one or more pressure spring packets, in each case taking effect on a brake block (15, 15.1).

12. Boarding bridge according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterised in that the at least one chain break sensor (19) is an inductively operating proximity sensor.

13. Boarding bridge according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that it is configured as an air passenger bridge.