Device for controlling oscillations of a vehicle of a cable car transport installation and method for operating same

Abstract

A device for controlling the oscillations of a vehicle (2) of a vehicle transport installation (2) by means of at least one movable cable (1), the device comprising a primary longitudinal pivot link (30a) which connects a fastener (20) and an intermediate suspension part (21), a secondary longitudinal pivot link (30b) which connects the intermediate suspension part (21) and a support part (22), a primary transverse pivot link (40a) which connects the fastener (20) to the intermediate suspension part (21), a secondary transverse pivot link (40b) which connects the intermediate suspension part (21) and the support part (22), each pivot link comprising at least one mechanism consisting of a stiffness (31a), (31b), (41a), (42b) and a dissipation element (32a), (32b), (42a), (42b) whose characteristic values ​​are determined according to a method implementing an optimal control strategy for the pendulum oscillations of the vehicle.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of cable transport systems. More particularly, the invention relates to transport systems comprising at least one haul rope to which vehicles are coupled for towing.

[0002] Various types of cable transport systems exist. Some of these systems use one or more aerial traction cables, such as gondola lifts, funitels and DMC lifts, 3S lifts, chairlifts, or cable cars with seats and cabins. Other systems use one or more traction cables attached to vehicles running on a track, either elevated or laid on the ground, such as funiculars. These transport systems allow the movement of one or more vehicles. These vehicles make it possible to transport passengers and / or goods between different locations. These vehicles are also called cabins, gondolas, or seats.

[0003] When the installation's cable line moves, cable oscillations, primarily vertical and possibly accompanied by longitudinal movement, are likely to occur locally between intermediate pylons. These cable oscillations may be coupled to a pendulum-like oscillatory motion of the vehicles attached to it, a motion made possible by a transverse pivot joint between the attachment and the suspension cable. Those skilled in the art commonly refer to these oscillatory phenomena as pumping.

[0004] Pumping is a phenomenon detrimental to the proper functioning of cable transport systems. The oscillations of the cable and vehicles generate loading cycles that lead to increased fatigue of the mechanical components. These oscillations alter the clearance for vehicles along the line and can, in extreme cases, lead to collisions with external elements. The oscillations of the cable and vehicles are a source of discomfort for passengers, causing motion sickness. This phenomenon also affects the acceptability of cable transport for uses other than leisure, such as public transportation in urban areas.

[0005] Fluid-structure coupling of the moving vehicle in the surrounding airflow, of aerodynamic origin, is likely to trigger oscillatory phenomena of the vehicles and the cable, and among other things, pumping.

[0006] The person in the trade thus seeks to avoid triggering the pumping phenomenon on cable transport lines, generally by applying empirical criteria in force in the profession, in an anticipatory manner during the design of the installations and / or in a corrective manner when the phenomenon appears on an installation already in operation. État de la technique antérieure

[0007] In several cases, the vehicle acts as the source of dynamic excitation, triggering coupled oscillations of the cable and the vehicles. Cable transport installation vehicles have a hinge oriented along a horizontal axis, located between the cable attachment and the connecting piece that separates the attachment from the space where passengers and / or transported materials are accommodated. This hinge provides a degree of rotational freedom, allowing the vehicle to maintain its vertical position by gravity throughout its journey.

[0008] Variations in the vehicle's trajectory along the cable generate accelerations that pull the vehicle, which can be likened to a simple pendulum, away from its equilibrium position. This triggers pendulum-like oscillations. In certain configurations, this rotational vibrational energy is transmitted to the cable. This vibrational transfer manifests as cable oscillations that can occur in all three dimensions.

[0009] The state of the art offers several control or design strategies to limit the effects of vehicle pendulum oscillations. Patent document EP 0618380 proposes a dynamic absorber composed of a mass-spring-damper assembly mounted on the vehicle, which can be modeled as a simple pendulum. The invention adopts the principle of a Tuned Mass Damper (TMD), which involves defining values ​​for the mass and stiffness of the additional mass-spring assembly attached to the system whose vibrations are to be damped. This creates an anti-resonance positioned at the location of the linear resonance of the initial system according to the targeted mode. A device for controlling the cable's displacement velocity is proposed in Markus Wenin; Siegfried Ladurner; Daniel Reiterer; Maria Letizia Bertotti; Giovanni Modanese. Validation of the Velocity Optimizationfor a Ropeway Passing over a Support. Sustainability 2021, 13 » to limit the pendulum swing of cable car vehicles when they pass the pylons of the line, which causes a sudden change in trajectory.

[0010] The forces resulting from the interaction between the fluid flow around the vehicle and the vehicle's surface can lead to aerodynamic coupling. This triggers pendulum oscillations. In certain configurations, the rotational vibrational energy is transmitted to the cable. This vibrational transfer manifests as cable oscillations that can occur in all three dimensions.

[0011] The state of the art offers several control or design strategies to limit the effects of aerodynamic coupling between a vehicle and the surrounding airflow. Patent documents EP1843927A1, FR2739604B1, and FR9508623 present a compensation device composed of one or more profiled, deflector-type surfaces configured to generate, under wind pressure, a restoring force that returns the vehicle to a vertical position, thereby stabilizing it dynamically. Patent document WO2022269054A1 proposes a set of protrusions positioned transversely to the direction of travel, across part of the vehicle's width, to create a break in the airflow around the vehicle that causes turbulence. The objective is to avoid critical vibration states in cable cars.

[0012] The state of the art proposes in patent document FR1603157A a suspension device for cable cars to improve the transverse stability of a cabin when passing under the rollers of the intermediate supports and in the disengagement stations.

[0013] Experience shows that the onset of cable and vehicle oscillations is sensitive to internal system factors such as variations in vehicle load, the distance between two successive vehicles along the cable(s), the speed of the moving cable(s), and the mechanical tension applied to the cables. Attempts to optimize the operating parameters of the cable transport system with respect to cable and vehicle oscillations are reported in the prior art.

[0014] Experience also shows that the triggering of vehicle oscillations is particularly sensitive to factors external to the system, such as terrain, the presence of buildings that influence airflow, and wind direction relative to the direction of vehicle movement along the cables. These parameters are likely to change during the operation of the cable transport system, without being easily predictable, and are not directly controllable in practice.

[0015] Thus, the attempts reported by the state of the art with the dimensioning and implementation of devices to control the pendulum dynamics of cable transport installation vehicles sometimes prove insufficient to prevent the triggering of oscillations and vibrational coupling with cable lines.

[0016] In general, predicting the onset of pumping is a complex problem given the diversity of coupled mechanisms that cause it, requiring dedicated models and simulation tools. Furthermore, the triggering and amplitude of pumping oscillations in cable lines depend on parameters that vary during the installation's operation, such as ambient temperature, passenger traffic levels, and the presence of external disturbances like wind and mechanical wear. Therefore, robust prediction of pumping in the face of changes in system properties requires precise knowledge of how the installation's state parameters evolve during operation. Résumé de l'invention

[0017] The present invention aims to overcome at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks and to lead to other advantages by proposing a new device for controlling the oscillations of a vehicle in a cable transport installation and the method for implementing the device.

[0018] Another objective of the invention is to improve passenger comfort and safety during their journey by installing vehicle transport using at least one mobile cable.

[0019] According to a first aspect, the invention provides a device for controlling the longitudinal oscillations of a vehicle in a vehicle transport installation by means of at least one movable cable, the device comprising: A primary longitudinal pivot joint that allows rotational movement between a vehicle attachment to the cable and an intermediate suspension part, along a horizontal axis oriented perpendicular to the cable axis, in order to maintain the verticality of the vehicle independently of the inclination of the cable to which it is attached by the attachment; A secondary longitudinal pivot joint that allows rotational movement between the suspension part and a support part attached to the part of the vehicle intended to accommodate passengers and / or materials, along a horizontal axis oriented perpendicular to the cable axis. The suspension and support parts, respectively rotating around the axes defined by the primary and secondary longitudinal link, are characterized by their longitudinal inertia which corresponds to the distribution of mass around each of the longitudinal rotation axes expressed in kilogram square meters.

[0020] According to at least one embodiment of the device described in the first aspect, the center of the secondary longitudinal pivot joint is positioned at a point lower than the center of the primary longitudinal joint. The secondary longitudinal joint is characterized by the distance between the center of the primary longitudinal joint and that of the secondary longitudinal joint, expressed in meters.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the device described in the first aspect, a return mechanism is actuated by rotation at the primary longitudinal link between the vehicle attachment and the intermediate suspension component. The return mechanism is characterized by an angular stiffness value, expressed in newton-meters per radian. Hereafter, the return mechanism is a component possessing a stiffness activated by the relative rotation between the two parts, such as a torsion spring or a magnetic return force.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the device described in the first aspect, a return mechanism is actuated by rotation at the secondary longitudinal joint between the intermediate suspension member and the support member. The return mechanism is characterized by an angular stiffness value, expressed in newton meters per radian.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the device described in the first aspect, a dissipative element is actuated by rotation at the primary longitudinal link between the vehicle attachment and the intermediate suspension component, and its role is to dissipate rotational energy. The dissipative element is characterized by a linear damping coefficient expressed in newton meters per radian per second.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the device described in the first aspect, a dissipation element is actuated by rotation at the secondary longitudinal joint between the intermediate suspension piece and the support piece, and its role is to dissipate the rotational energy. The dissipation element is characterized by a linear damping coefficient expressed in newton meters per radian per second.

[0025] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the stiffnesses associated with the return mechanisms located at the primary and secondary longitudinal pivot joints are variable and controlled with mutual control as a function of the evolution of the rotation angles.

[0026] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the damping coefficients associated with the dissipation elements located at the primary and secondary longitudinal pivot joints are variable and controlled with mutual control as a function of the evolution of the rotation angles.

[0027] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the suspension part corresponds to the vehicle suspension and the support part corresponds to the seat frame or the vehicle cabin.

[0028] According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the reference point of the return mechanism, located at the primary longitudinal link, is adjusted according to the relative angle between the attachment and the intermediate suspension piece in order to generate a return force towards a vertical position of the suspension piece, maintaining the verticality of the stiffness reference.

[0029] According to a second aspect, the invention provides a device for controlling the transverse oscillations of a vehicle in a vehicle transport installation by means of at least one movable cable, the device comprising: A primary transverse pivot joint which allows rotational movement between the vehicle attachment to the cable and the intermediate suspension part, along a horizontal axis oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the primary longitudinal pivot joint; A secondary transverse pivot joint which allows rotational movement between the suspension part and the support part, attached to the part of the vehicle intended to accommodate passengers and / or materials, along a horizontal axis oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the secondary longitudinal pivot joint.

[0030] The suspension and support parts, respectively rotating around the axes defined by the primary and secondary transverse link, are characterized by their transverse inertia which corresponds to the distribution of mass around each of the transverse rotation axes expressed in kilogram square meters.

[0031] According to at least one embodiment of the device in the second aspect, the center of the secondary transverse pivot joint is positioned at a point lower than that of the center of the primary joint. The secondary transverse joint is characterized by the distance between the center of the primary transverse joint and that of the secondary transverse joint, expressed in meters.

[0032] According to one embodiment of the device in the second aspect, a return mechanism is actuated by rotation at the primary transverse link between the vehicle attachment and the intermediate suspension component. The return mechanism is characterized by an angular stiffness value, expressed in newton-meters per radian.

[0033] According to one embodiment of the device in the second aspect, a return mechanism is actuated by rotation at the secondary transverse joint between the intermediate suspension member and the support member. The return mechanism is characterized by an angular stiffness value, expressed in newton-meters per radian.

[0034] According to one embodiment of the device in the second aspect, a dissipation element is actuated by rotation at the primary transverse link between the vehicle attachment and the intermediate suspension component, and its role is to dissipate rotational energy. The dissipation element is characterized by a linear damping coefficient expressed in newton-meters per radian per second.

[0035] According to one embodiment of the device in the second aspect, a dissipation element is actuated by rotation at the secondary transverse joint between the intermediate suspension piece and the support piece, and its role is to dissipate the rotational energy. The dissipation element is characterized by a linear damping coefficient expressed in newton meters per radian per second.

[0036] According to an embodiment of the second aspect, the stiffnesses associated with the return mechanisms located at the primary and secondary transverse pivot joints are variable and controlled with mutual servocontrol as a function of the evolution of the rotation angles.

[0037] According to an embodiment of the second aspect, the damping coefficients associated with the dissipation elements located at the primary and secondary transverse pivot joints are variable and controlled with mutual control as a function of the evolution of the rotation angles.

[0038] According to an embodiment of the second aspect, the suspension part corresponds to the vehicle suspension and the support part corresponds to the seat frame or the vehicle cab.

[0039] According to an embodiment of the first and second aspects, the primary and secondary longitudinal and transverse links are combined to form a ball joint allowing to cover an angular continuum of rotation of the suspension and support parts according to the three dimensions of space.

[0040] According to a third aspect, the adjustment of the characteristic parameters of the oscillation control device of a vehicle in a vehicle transport installation by at least one mobile cable according to the invention is established by a method comprising: A step for calculating the vibration modes of the cable line of the cable transport installation, established from an analytical and / or numerical model representative of the cable line; A step for calculating the vibration modes of the vehicle, without a vehicle oscillation control device, established from an analytical and / or numerical model representative of the vehicle; A step for detecting dynamic interactions and risks of amplification of the dynamic response of the cable and / or the vehicle; A step for calculating the vibration modes of the vehicle's longitudinal and transverse oscillation control device, established from a numerical model representative of the device;A step of numerical optimization of the characteristic parameters of the representative model of the device for controlling the longitudinal and transverse oscillations of a vehicle with respect to the dynamic behavior of the control device and the dynamic behavior of the cable line; A step of defining the values ​​of the physical parameters characteristic of the components of the device for controlling the longitudinal and transverse oscillations of a vehicle according to the first and second aspects of the invention.

[0041] According to at least one embodiment of the third aspect, the calculated vibration modes provide information on the content of the system's dynamic response under external loading, according to the principle of modal decomposition valid in the linear domain of small displacements. Each mode is characterized by a vibration frequency, such that each point of the system is assumed to oscillate in phase, and a deformation that indicates the relative amplitude of the oscillations at each point of the system.

[0042] According to an embodiment of the third aspect, the mechanical model adopted to represent the control device of the first aspect is implemented according to the principle of a double, planar, undamped pendulum, composed of: A first homogeneous weighted bar, articulated by a pivot joint with respect to a frame assumed to be fixed; A second homogeneous weighted bar, articulated by a pivot joint with the first bar; A return mechanism and a rotational dissipation element with a link between the frame and the first bar; A return mechanism and a rotational dissipation element with a link between the first bar and the second bar.

[0043] According to an embodiment of the third aspect, the mechanical model adopted to represent the control device according to the first and second aspects is realized by combining the model of two double plane pendulums, isolated and not coupled to each other, oscillating respectively in the longitudinal and transverse directions.

[0044] According to at least one embodiment of the third aspect, the characteristics of the control device are described by a set of parameters representative of its mechanical behavior in rotation along the two longitudinal and transverse directions: The stiffness of the rotational movement allowed by the primary longitudinal pivot joint between the cable attachment and the first bar, representative of the intrinsic rotational stiffness of the joint and the stiffness of the return mechanism; The stiffness of the rotational movement allowed by the secondary longitudinal pivot joint between the first and second bars, representative of the intrinsic rotational stiffness of the joint and the stiffness of the return mechanism; The stiffness of the rotational movement allowed by the primary transverse pivot joint between the cable attachment and the first bar, representative of the intrinsic rotational stiffness of the joint and the stiffness of the return mechanism; The stiffness of the rotational movement allowed by the secondary transverse pivot joint between the first and second bars, representative of the intrinsic rotational stiffness of the joint and the stiffness of the return mechanism;The damping of the rotational movement allowed by the primary longitudinal pivot joint between the cable attachment and the first bar, representing the intrinsic rotational dissipation of the joint and the damping coefficient of the rotating dissipation element; The damping of the rotational movement allowed by the secondary longitudinal pivot joint between the first and second bars, representing the intrinsic rotational dissipation of the joint and the damping coefficient of the rotating dissipation element; The damping of the rotational movement allowed by the primary transverse pivot joint between the cable attachment and the first bar, representing the intrinsic rotational dissipation of the joint and the damping coefficient of the rotating dissipation element;The damping of the rotational movement allowed by the secondary transverse pivot joint between the first and second bars, representing the intrinsic rotational dissipation of the joint and the damping coefficient of the rotating dissipation element; The distance between the centers of rotation of the primary and secondary joints along the longitudinal direction; The distance between the centers of rotation of the fastener and cable and of the primary joint along the transverse direction; The distance between the centers of rotation of the primary and secondary joints along the transverse direction; The mass of the fastener; The mass of the suspension component; The mass of the support component.

[0045] According to an embodiment of the third aspect, the adjustment of the characteristic parameters of the oscillation control device of a vehicle in a vehicle transport installation by at least one moving cable is adaptive and carried out in real time during the operation of the installation according to the following method: A step involving measurements performed on the actual system in real time of a set of quantities representative of the operating state of the installation: cable speed, vehicle load, cable tension, wind direction and speed, vehicle oscillations, and the status of the characteristic parameters of the control device according to the invention; A step involving the calculation of the vibration modes of the installation's cable line from a digital twin calibrated and updated based on the measurements performed in real time; A step involving the calculation of the vibration modes of the vehicle oscillation control device from a digital twin calibrated and updated based on the measurements performed in real time;A step of numerical optimization of the characteristic parameters of the representative digital twin of the vehicle oscillation control device with respect to the dynamic behavior of the control device and the dynamic behavior of the cable line; A step of adjusting the characteristic physical parameters of the vehicle oscillation control device via effectors to modify and control the stiffness and damping of the joints.

[0046] According to an embodiment of the third aspect, the adjustment of the characteristic parameters of the oscillation control device of a vehicle of a vehicle transport installation by at least one mobile cable is adaptive and carried out in real time according to a machine learning process which is based on a modeling, learning and inference step.

[0047] The state of the art allows the dynamic properties of a vehicle's longitudinal oscillations to be controlled by acting solely on the distance d separating the attachment and the vehicle's center of gravity; the frequency f 1 of the longitudinal oscillations according to a simple physical pendulum model being given by the relation f 1 = 1 2 π g d In practice, the change in distance d is limited by space constraints related to vehicle dimensions and station areas. Thus, the dynamic properties of longitudinal vehicle oscillations are difficult for a person skilled in the art to control with the current state of the art.

[0048] The prior art allows the dynamic properties of a vehicle's transverse oscillations, coupled to the torsional dynamics of the cable to which the vehicle's attachment is fixed, to be controlled by acting on Young's modulus. E of the cable, its radiusR, its surface A, the distance d separating the attachment point and the vehicle's center of gravity, the length of the vehicle's attachment jaws on the cable l g and the mass of the vehicle M the frequency f 2 of the transverse oscillations coupled to the cable according to a simple physical pendulum model being given by the relation f 2 = 1 2 π ER 4 A Md 2 l g In practice, these various parameters are difficult to modify given other design constraints. Indeed, the cable properties are fixed by the choice of cable, which is itself constrained by other design considerations. The mass of the vehicles is not controllable because it depends on the vehicle load, which in turn depends on the instantaneous flow of passengers passing through the cable transport system. The dimensions of the clamp jaws depend on design considerations, particularly with regard to the clamping force. In practice, the distance dis limited by space constraints related to vehicle dimensions and station areas. Thus, the dynamic properties of the vehicles' transverse oscillations are difficult for a person skilled in the art to control with the current state of the art.

[0049] The invention thus makes it possible to create four rotational joints of the vehicle, around four distinct axes, which aims to: Introduce two distinct modes of longitudinal oscillations and two distinct modes of transverse oscillations of the vehicle, which form a family of modal deformations, natural frequencies and modal dampings, controlled by the stiffness, damping and inertia parameters associated with each of the links; Control the dissipation of vibrational energy at resonance by positioning the damping at the links activated in a preferential manner by the deformation of the targeted mode; Break the periodicity of the longitudinal oscillations of the vehicle as known to the person skilled in the art, comprising a single joint located between the attachment and the suspension, by constructing a double-joint system that has neither periodic solutions nor quasi-periodic solutions with high oscillation amplitudes.To break the periodicity of the transverse oscillations of the vehicle, as known to a person skilled in the art, comprising a single natural articulation located between the attachment and the suspension and introduced by the torsional stiffness of the cable, by constructing a double-joint system which has neither periodic solutions nor quasi-periodic solutions with high amplitudes of oscillation.

[0050] Adjusting the parameters of the device according to the invention allows for influencing the vehicle's dynamic oscillatory properties, which are fixed at the design stage or adaptively based on changes in the cable line's dynamic properties, in order to limit the dynamic effects responsible for vibration amplification detrimental to the system's safety, comfort, and performance. Specifically, for each vibration mode of the device according to the invention, the proportion of the relative movement of the suspension component, connected to the attachment, with respect to the support component, which accommodates the users or transported materials, is controllable by modifying the values ​​of the stiffness, mass, and length parameters.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the invention provides a device for controlling the oscillations of a vehicle in a cable transport installation comprising at least one computing system configured to implement the method for adjusting the device according to the invention.

[0052] In one embodiment, the computing system includes at least one processor. It is therefore understood that the computing system can be a central processing unit or a remote computer server. The control device can access the remote computer server via a wired or wireless connection to the internet.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the invention further provides a cable vehicle transport installation comprising at least one control device according to the invention.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the control device configured to act on the oscillations of a vehicle includes a user interface coupled to a processor and configured to allow a user to set a threshold for the comparison step from which the active correction is triggered by the control device and its servo system.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the invention provides a computer program comprising portions of program code for the execution of the method of controlling the oscillations of a vehicle of a cable transport installation according to the invention, when said program is executed on a computer.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the invention finally provides a computer program comprising a set of instructions which, once loaded onto a computer, enable the implementation of the method for controlling the oscillations of a vehicle in a cable vehicle transport installation according to the invention.

[0057] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description on the one hand, and from several examples of embodiment given by way of indication and not limitation with reference to the attached schematic drawings on the other hand. Brève description des dessins

[0058] [ Fig. 1 ] There figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a transport installation using at least one moving cable and employing the control method of the invention. Fig. 2 ] There figure 2 is a schematic illustration of the device for controlling the pendulum oscillations of a vehicle in a cable-driven vehicle transport system operating according to the control method of the invention. Fig. 3 ] There figure 3 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the device for controlling the longitudinal oscillations of a vehicle in a cable transport system, acting according to the control method of the invention. Fig. 4 ] There figure 4 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of the device for controlling the transverse oscillations of a vehicle in a cable transport system, acting according to the control method of the invention. Fig. 5 ] There figure 5 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of the method for controlling the oscillations of a vehicle in a cable transport system. Fig. 6 ] There figure 6 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of the strategy for the vehicle oscillation control process, in which decoupling is achieved between the cable and the vehicle of a cable transport installation to limit the effects of excitation of the cable(s) caused by vehicle oscillations. Fig. 7 ] There figure 7 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of the strategy for the method of controlling the oscillations of a vehicle, according to which decoupling is achieved between the cable and the vehicle of a cable transport installation to limit the effects of vehicle excitation caused by oscillations of the cable(s). Fig. 8 ] There figure 8 is a schematic illustration of one embodiment of the strategy for the method of controlling the oscillations of a vehicle, according to which a coupling is made between the cable and the vehicle of a cable transport installation. Fig. 9 ] There figure 9 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the method for controlling the oscillations of a vehicle in a cable transport installation for which the adjustment of the characteristic parameters is adaptive. Description des modes de réalisation

[0059] It should first be noted that while the figures illustrate the invention in detail for its implementation, they can, of course, also serve to further define the invention where necessary. It should also be noted that, throughout all the figures, similar elements and / or those performing the same function are indicated by the same numbering.

[0060] There figure 1 The figure shows a transport system 100 using the control device 200 according to the invention. The transport system 100 comprises a movable, guided cable 1 supported by a plurality of intermediate supports 3, also referred to as pylons. Each intermediate support 3 has a bearing 4 which forms the contact interface with the cable 1. The bearings 4 are referred to by those skilled in the art as a rocker arm, shoe, or deflection bracket, depending on the type of support and whether the cable is fixed or movable. In an embodiment not shown, the transport system 100 comprises a plurality of cables 1 which may be fixed or movable.

[0061] Cable 1 is a traction and support cable, meaning that it provides both traction and support for the vehicles 2 attached to it. Cable 1 is a continuous, closed-loop cable. It is a metallic cable consisting of multiple strands of wire twisted into a helix. The cable is primarily composed of steel.

[0062] The transport system 100 also includes vehicles 2. These vehicles 2 can be used to transport people and / or equipment. The vehicles 2 are configured to be coupled to and pulled by cable 1. More specifically, the transport system 100 can be a gondola lift, in which case the vehicles 2 are enclosed, or a chairlift where the vehicles 2 are open. In an embodiment not shown, the transport system 100 may include other haul ropes and / or carrying ropes, particularly when the vehicles 2 have a large carrying capacity and are heavy. These other ropes can be haul ropes or carrying ropes.

[0063] The transport facility 100 also includes two end stations 50 and 60 for loading and / or unloading people and / or equipment into vehicles 2. Stations 50 and 60 are also called terminals. Thus, as illustrated by the figure 1 , cable 1 allows vehicles 2 to be moved by traction from the first station 50 to the second station 60, and vice versa.

[0064] In an embodiment not shown, the transport facility may include at least one intermediate station located along the cable. It is also intended for the embarkation and / or disembarkation of passengers and / or the transshipment of equipment, depending on the type of use of the transport facility 100.

[0065] The cable 1 is moved by a drive pulley 6, which is itself driven by a main drive unit 9 consisting of a geared motor assembly in the end station 60, also called the drive station. The end station 50 has a non-motorized idler pulley 5 coupled to a cable 1 tensioning system. The idler pulley 5 is therefore not driven by the main drive unit 9 or any other drive unit. The idler pulley 5 rotates freely. The idler pulley is also called a free-running pulley.

[0066] In another embodiment not shown, the tensioning system is located in the drive station 60. The tensioning system includes a mobile cable tensioning trolley 1, the trolley supporting the drive pulley 6. The drive pulley 6 then plays a combined role, both tensioning and driving.

[0067] There figure 2 Figure 1 shows a vehicle 2 of the cable transport line 1 using the control device 200 according to the invention. In one embodiment, the vehicle 2 has a pendulum-type structure articulated in rotation about a transverse direction around the main axis 12 of the cable 1 to which it is connected by the attachment 20, which provides a fixed connection when the vehicle 2 is on the installation line. The intrinsic geometric and mechanical properties of the cable 1 define a transverse rotational stiffness 11 between the cable 1 and the attachment 20. The intrinsic geometric and mechanical properties of the cable and the contact with the attachment 20 define a rotational damping 10 between the cable 1 and the attachment 20. The values ​​of stiffness 11 and damping 10 are fixed by the choice of cable and are not part of the adjustment values ​​of the control device according to the invention.

[0068] In an embodiment illustrated by the figure 2 The vehicle 2 includes a primary longitudinal pivot joint 30a which allows rotational movement between the attachment 20 and the intermediate suspension part 21 about an axis 33a. The pivot joint 30a is oriented about the horizontal axis 33a perpendicular to the axis 12 of the cable 1 in order to maintain the verticality of the vehicle independently of the inclination of the cable 1. The joint 30a includes at least one mechanism 31a consisting of a stiffness activated by the relative rotation between the parts 20 and 21, actuated by the rotation between the attachment 20 and the suspension part 21 at the joint 30a and whose angular stiffness value is configured to implement the method which is described later in the description.The link 30a includes at least one dissipation element 32a actuated by rotation between the attachment 20 and the suspension piece 21 to the link 30a and whose dissipation value is configured to implement the method which is described later in the description.

[0069] In one embodiment, the mechanism 31a includes an element exerting a restoring force with respect to a given angular position, such as a torsion spring or a magnetic field.

[0070] In one embodiment, the dissipation element 32a comprises an element exerting a force proportional to the angular velocity, such as a damper or a brake, with dissipation generated by a fluid friction mechanism, by contact between solids or a magnetic field.

[0071] In an embodiment illustrated by the figure 2 The vehicle 2 includes a secondary longitudinal pivot joint 30b that allows rotational movement between the intermediate suspension member 21 and the support member 22 along an axis 33b. The support member 22 is directly connected to the passenger area (seat or cabin) or to the transported materials. The pivot joint 30b is oriented along the horizontal axis 33b perpendicular to the axis 12 of the cable 1 to allow rotational movement between the suspension 21 and the support member 22. The joint 30b includes at least one mechanism 31b consisting of a stiffness activated by the relative rotation between the members 21 and 22, actuated by the rotation between the suspension 21 and the support member 22 at the joint 30b, and whose angular stiffness value is configured to implement the method described later.The link 30b includes at least one dissipation element 32b actuated by rotation between the suspension 21 and the support piece 22 at the link 30b and whose dissipation value is configured to implement the method which is described later in the description.

[0072] In one embodiment, the mechanism 31b includes an element exerting a restoring force with respect to a given angular position, such as a torsion spring or a magnetic field.

[0073] In one embodiment, the dissipation element 32b comprises an element exerting a force proportional to the angular velocity, such as a damper or a brake, with dissipation generated by a fluid friction mechanism, by contact between solids or a magnetic field.

[0074] In an embodiment illustrated by the figure 2 The vehicle 2 includes a primary transverse pivot joint 40a which allows rotational movement between the attachment 20 and the intermediate suspension part 21 about an axis 43a. The pivot joint 40a is oriented about the horizontal axis 43a parallel to the axis 12 of the cable 1 to allow rotational movement between the attachment 20 and the intermediate suspension part 21. The joint 40a includes at least one mechanism 41a consisting of a stiffness activated by the relative rotation between the parts 20 and 21, actuated by the rotation between the attachment 20 and the suspension part 21 at the joint 40a, and whose angular stiffness value is configured to implement the method described later in the description.The link 40a includes at least one dissipation element 42a actuated by rotation between the attachment 20 and the suspension piece 21 to the link 40a and whose dissipation value is configured to implement the method which is described later in the description.

[0075] In one embodiment, the mechanism 41a includes an element exerting a restoring force with respect to a given angular position, such as a torsion spring or a magnetic field.

[0076] In one embodiment, the dissipation element 42a comprises an element exerting a force proportional to the angular velocity, such as a damper or a brake, with dissipation generated by a fluid friction mechanism, by contact between solids or a magnetic field.

[0077] In an embodiment illustrated by the figure 2 The vehicle 2 includes a secondary transverse pivot joint 40b that allows rotational movement between the intermediate suspension member 21 and the support member 22 along an axis 43b. The support member 22 is directly connected to the passenger area (seat or cabin) or to the transported materials. The pivot joint 40b is oriented along the horizontal axis 43b parallel to the axis 12 of the cable 1 to allow rotational movement between the suspension 21 and the support member 22. The joint 40b includes at least one mechanism 41b consisting of a rotationally actuated stiffness between the suspension 21 and the support member 22 at the joint 40b, and whose angular stiffness value is configured to implement the method described later.The link 40b includes at least one dissipation element 42b actuated by rotation between the suspension 21 and the support piece 22 at the link 40b and whose dissipation value is configured to implement the method which is described later in the description.

[0078] In one embodiment, the mechanism 41b includes an element exerting a restoring force with respect to a given angular position, such as a torsion spring or a magnetic field.

[0079] In one embodiment, the dissipation element 42b comprises an element exerting a force proportional to the angular velocity, such as a damper or a brake, with dissipation generated by a fluid friction mechanism, by contact between solids or a magnetic field.

[0080] In one embodiment, the position of the pivot links 30a, 30b, 40a, 40b on the vehicle 2 relative to the cable 1, the mass of the intermediate suspension part 21, the mass of the support part 22, the angular stiffness values ​​of the return mechanisms 31a, 31b, 41a, 41b and the dissipation values ​​of the dissipation elements 32a, 32b, 42a, 42b are determined by the method 300 implementing an optimal control strategy 400 of the pendulum oscillations of the vehicle 2.

[0081] In one embodiment, the angular stiffness values ​​of the return mechanisms 31a, 31b, 41a, 41b and the dissipation values ​​of the dissipation elements 32a, 32b, 42a, 42b are fixed at the design stage to implement the method described later. According to this embodiment, the stiffness and dissipation values ​​are not adjustable and do not vary during system operation, apart from irreversible drift effects related to component wear and aging.

[0082] In an alternative embodiment, the angular stiffness values ​​of the return mechanisms 31a, 31b, 41a, 41b and the dissipation values ​​of the dissipative elements 32a, 32b, 42a, 42b are adjustable by a manual adjustment made directly on the vehicle 22 to implement the method which is described later in the description.

[0083] In an alternative embodiment, the angular stiffness values ​​of the return mechanisms 31a, 31b, 41a, 41b and the dissipation values ​​of the dissipative elements 32a, 32b, 42a, 42b are variable by an automatic adjustment carried out in real time by means of an adjustment device, not shown, and connected to a calculation system, not shown, configured to implement the process which is described later in the description.

[0084] The computing system can be a central processing unit comprising at least one single-core or multi-core processor. In another embodiment, the computing system is a remote computer server to which the device for adjusting the angular stiffness values ​​of the return mechanisms 31a, 31b, 41a, 41b and the dissipation values ​​of the dissipative elements 32a, 32b, 42a, 42b has access via a wired connection or a wireless connection via a communication network, such as the internet. The connection to the communication network can be secure.

[0085] According to one embodiment, a hydraulic system allows action to vary the stiffness value of the return mechanisms 31a, 31b, 41a, 41b and the dissipation values ​​of the dissipative elements 32a, 32b, 42a, 42b.

[0086] In one embodiment, the longitudinal and transverse oscillations of vehicle 2 are controlled via parameters 201: The position of the secondary pivot joint 30b relative to the primary pivot joint 30a given by the distance h1; The mass m21 of the intermediate suspension part 21; The stiffness values ​​k31a and k31b of the return mechanisms 31a and 31b; The damping values ​​c32a and c32b of the dissipative elements 32a and 32b; The mass m22 of the support part 22; The position of the primary pivot joint 40a relative to the axis 12 of the cable 1 given by the distance h2; The position of the secondary pivot joint 40b relative to the primary pivot joint 40a given by the distance h3; The stiffness values ​​k41a and k41b of the return elements 41a and 41b; The damping values ​​c42a and c42b of the dissipative elements 42a and 42b.

[0087] There figure 3 Figure 2a shows a longitudinal view of vehicle 2 of the cable transport line 1 using the control device 200 according to the invention. In one embodiment, the longitudinal oscillations of the vehicle around axes 33a and 33b are controlled via parameters 201 of the control device 200: The position of the secondary pivot joint 30b relative to the primary pivot joint 30a given by the distance h1; The mass m21 of the intermediate suspension part 21 and the mass m22 of the support part 22; The stiffness values ​​k31a and k31b of the return mechanisms 31a and 31b; The damping values ​​c32a and c32b of the dissipative elements 32a and 32b.

[0088] There figure 4 Figure 2b shows a cross-sectional view of vehicle 2 of the cable transport line 1 using the control device 200 according to the invention. In one embodiment, the transverse oscillations of the vehicle around axes 12, 43a and 43b are controlled via parameters 201 of the control device 200: The position of the primary pivot joint 40a relative to the axis 12 of the cable 1 given by the distance h2; The position of the secondary pivot joint 40b relative to the primary pivot joint 40a given by the distance h3; The mass m21 of the intermediate suspension part 21 and the mass m22 of the support part 22; The stiffness values ​​k41a and k41b of the return elements 41a and 41b; The damping values ​​c42a and c42b of the dissipative elements 42a and 42b.

[0089] The method for controlling the oscillations of a vehicle on a cable transport system will now be described. A schematic representation of the control method is shown in the diagram. figure 5 .

[0090] The control method 300 includes a step 301 for predictive calculation of the dynamic behavior of the cable line 1 of the cable transport system 100. In one embodiment, the dynamic calculation step 301 is performed using a model representing the dynamic motion of the cable lines 1 to which the vehicles 2 are attached. The results are obtained by solving the underlying mechanical model using analytical, numerical, and / or mixed analytical-numerical methods. In one embodiment, the dynamic calculation step consists of predicting the vibration modes 301a of the cable line 1, which, under certain assumptions, provide information on the overall vibration response of the cable line 1 under any dynamic load, by applying a modal superposition whereby the vibration response is decomposed into a set of contributions from each of the modes.Each vibration mode contains information on the relative phase motion of each point of cable 1, provided by the modal deformation Φ. c,i 301b, and information on the number of times the oscillations of cable 1 repeat periodically per unit time at the natural frequency f c,i 301c.

[0091] In an alternative embodiment, the 301a modes are used to form a model reduction basis in order to establish a reduced mechanical model for performing dynamic calculations.

[0092] The control method 300 includes a step 302 for predictive calculation of the dynamic behavior of vehicles 2, of the cable transport system 100, decoupled from cable 1 and without a control device 200. In one embodiment, the dynamic calculation step 302 is performed using a model representing the dynamic motion of the vehicle 2 without a control device 200. The results are obtained by solving the underlying mechanical model using analytical, numerical, and / or mixed analytical-numerical methods. In one embodiment, the dynamic calculation step consists of predicting the vibration modes 302a of the vehicle 2 without a control device 200, which, under certain assumptions, provide information on the overall vibration response of the vehicle under any dynamic load, by applying a modal superposition whereby the vibration response is decomposed into a set of contributions from each of the modes.Each vibration mode contains information on the relative phase motion of each point of vehicle 2, provided by the modal deformed Φ. v,i 302b, and information on the number of times the oscillations of vehicle 2 repeat periodically per unit time at the natural frequency f v,i 302c.

[0093] In an alternative embodiment, the 302a modes are used to form a model reduction basis in order to establish a reduced mechanical model for performing dynamic calculations.

[0094] In an alternative mode, a model that represents the coupled dynamic behavior between cable lines 1 and vehicles 2 makes it possible to group steps 301 and 302 of the control process 300 into a single step.

[0095] The control method 300 includes a predictive detection step 303 of dynamic interactions between the cable line 1 and the vehicles 2, according to which modal interactions, linear or non-linear, with or without dynamic instability, would lead to phenomena of internal excitation, internal resonance, energy transfers, and amplification of the vibration response between the cable 1 and the vehicles 2. These dynamic interactions can take various forms, such as: A phenomenon of vibrational energy transfer from vehicle 2 to cable 1, with or without amplification by dynamic instability; A phenomenon of vibrational energy transfer from cable 1 to vehicle 2, with or without amplification by dynamic instability.

[0096] In one embodiment of step 303, the detection of dynamic interactions is carried out by a linear modal analysis by studying the coincidences between natural frequencies.

[0097] In another embodiment of step 303, the detection of dynamic interactions is carried out by a non-linear analysis by studying couplings of non-linear origin, internal resonances and unstable regimes.

[0098] At the end of step 303 of the control procedure 300, if no dynamic interaction is detected between the cable line 1 and the vehicles 2 of the cable transport installation 100, steps 304, 305 and 306 are not applied and the control device 200 is not implemented.

[0099] In an alternative embodiment, in which no dynamic interaction is detected between the cable line 1 and the vehicles 2 at step 303, steps 304, 305 and 306 of the control method 300 are activated according to a strategy of damping the vibrations of the cable 1 by coupling with the vehicle 2, which then plays the role of damper.

[0100] At the end of step 303 of the control process 300, if at least one dynamic interaction is detected between the cable line 1 and the vehicles 2 of the cable transport installation 100, steps 304, 305 and 306 are activated and the control device 200 is implemented.

[0101] The control method 300 includes a step 304 for calculating the dynamic behavior of vehicles 2 decoupled from the cable 1 of the cable transport system 100 and with the control device 200. In one embodiment, the dynamic calculation step 304 is performed using a model representing the dynamic motion of the vehicle 2 with the control device 200. The results are obtained by solving the underlying mechanical model using analytical, numerical, and / or mixed analytical-numerical methods. In one embodiment, the dynamic calculation step consists of predicting the vibration modes 304a of the vehicle 2 with the control device 200, which provide information, under certain assumptions, on the general vibration response of the vehicle coupled to the control device under the effect of any dynamic loading.The vibration response is thus obtained by applying a modal superposition whereby the vibration response is decomposed into a set of contributions from each of the modes. Each vibration mode contains information on the relative motion, assumed to be in phase, of each point of the vehicle 2 equipped with the control device 200, provided by the modal deformation Φ. vc,i 304b, and information on the number of times the oscillations of vehicle 2, equipped with the control device, are reproduced periodically per unit of time, at the natural frequency f vc,i 304c.

[0102] The control method 300 includes a step 305 for optimizing the parameters 201 of the vehicle 2 oscillation control device 200 according to a control strategy 400a, 400b, 400c. The optimization step 305 consists of determining the optimal value of the parameter set 201 that maximizes or minimizes a criterion defined by the application of the control strategy 400, possibly subject to constraints. In one embodiment, the optimization criterion relates to a measurement of the amplitude of the vibration behavior of the vehicles 2 and the cables 1 predicted by step 304.

[0103] In an embodiment illustrated by the figure 6 A control strategy 400a aims to minimize vehicle oscillations to limit the transfer of dynamic disturbances to the cable. When vehicle oscillations 50a are generated by a mechanism external to the system, such as wind, or internal to the system, such as crossing an intermediate support, dynamic coupling can occur with the cable and lead to oscillations 60a transmitted to the cable line 1. Control strategy 400a aims to approach a system state in which vehicle oscillations 50a are canceled by a dedicated setting of the parameter set 201. Thus, any cable oscillations 60b caused by sources external to the system are not sustained or amplified by internal coupling with the vehicle oscillations.

[0104] In one implementation of control strategy 400a, a study of vibration transfers using a linear approach, by decomposing the vehicle study from that of the cable, consists of dynamically decoupling the two targeted subsystems. The objective of the optimization is: To separate the frequencies of the pendulum oscillation modes of the vehicles 2 equipped with the control device 200 by adjusting the parameters 201 with respect to the frequencies of the modes of the cable line 1, in order to avoid frequency coincidences between the modes that could be favorable to resonant vibration couplings; To adapt the modal shapes of the vehicles 2 equipped with the control device 200 in order to limit the vibration transfer between the excitation point on the vehicles 2 and the cable 1. In particular, it is sought to decouple the vibration of the support part 22 with respect to the intermediate part 21 in order to limit the effect of the excitation of the external wind, acting preferentially on the lower part of the support 22 of the vehicle 2 which has a large surface area, and its transmission to the cable 1 via the upper part of the vehicle composed of the part 21 and the attachment 20.

[0105] In one embodiment of control strategy 400a, a study of nonlinear vibration transfers between the pendulum oscillations of the vehicles, caused by external excitations and changes in vehicle trajectory along the longitudinal and transverse directions, and the oscillations of the cable is carried out. The objective of the vibration transfer study is: To establish in detail the conditions favorable to instability phenomena by parametric excitation of cable 1 by vehicle 2 and / or to an exchange of energy between modes which take place in a configuration for which geometric nonlinearities are activated; To conduct a sensitivity study of these vibrational transfers to parameters 201 to determine the value of these parameters 201 which allows to achieve the objective of limiting the transfer of oscillations from vehicles 2 to cable 1.

[0106] In one embodiment, the limitation of non-linear vibrational energy exchange is achieved by acting on the internal resonance phenomenon, guided by the ratios between the frequencies of the modes which involve movement of the cable and the vehicles.

[0107] In an embodiment illustrated by the figure 7 A control strategy 400b aims to minimize vehicle oscillations caused by the transmission of dynamic disturbances from the cable. When cable oscillations 60c are generated by a mechanism external to the system, such as wind, or internal to the system, such as the movement of the vehicles, dynamic coupling can occur with the vehicles and cause vehicle oscillations 50b. Control strategy 400b aims to approach a system state in which vehicle oscillations 50b are canceled by a dedicated setting of parameter set 201.

[0108] In one implementation of control strategy 400b, a study of vibration transfers using a linear approach, by decomposing the vehicle study from that of the cable, consists of dynamically decoupling the two targeted subsystems. The objective of the optimization is: To separate the frequencies of the pendulum oscillation modes of the vehicles 2 equipped with the control device 200 by adjusting the parameters 201 with respect to the frequencies of the modes of the cable line 1 in order to avoid frequency coincidences between the modes that could be favorable to resonant vibration couplings; To adapt the modal shapes of the vehicles 2 equipped with the control device 200 in order to limit the vibration transfer between the excitation point on the vehicles 2 and the cable 1. In particular, it is sought to decouple the vibration of the support part 22 with respect to the intermediate part 21 in order to limit the transmission of oscillations from the cable 1 to the support part 22 via the upper part of the vehicle composed of the part 21 and the attachment 20.

[0109] In one embodiment of control strategy 400b, a study of nonlinear vibration transfers between the pendulum oscillations of the vehicles and the oscillations of the cable is carried out. The objective of the vibration transfer study is: To establish in detail the conditions favorable to instability phenomena by parametric excitation of vehicle 2 by cable 1 and / or to an exchange of energy between modes which take place in a configuration for which geometric nonlinearities are activated; To conduct a sensitivity study of these vibrational transfers to parameters 201 to determine the value of these parameters 201 which makes it possible to achieve the objective of limiting the transfer of oscillations from cable 1 to vehicles 2.

[0110] In one embodiment, the limitation of non-linear vibrational energy exchange is achieved by acting on the internal resonance phenomenon, guided by the ratios between the frequencies of the modes which involve movement of the cable and the vehicles.

[0111] In an embodiment illustrated by the figure 8 A control strategy 400c aims to minimize cable oscillations by transferring vibration to the vehicles and dissipating the oscillations, based on the principle that the vehicle acts as a dynamic absorber. When cable oscillations 60c are generated by a mechanism external to the system, such as wind, or internal to the system, such as the movement of vehicles, control strategy 400b promotes dynamic coupling with the vehicles, which then become the site of vibration energy dissipation, in order to approach a system state where the cable oscillations 60c are canceled by a dedicated setting of parameter set 201.

[0112] In one implementation of the 400c control strategy, a study of vibration transfers using a linear approach, by decomposing the vehicle study from that of the cable, consists of dynamically decoupling the two targeted subsystems. The objective of the optimization is: To bring the frequencies of the pendulum oscillation modes of vehicles 2 equipped with the control device 200 closer together by adjusting the parameters 201 with respect to the frequencies of the modes of the cable line 1 in order to promote frequency coincidences between the modes which may be favorable to resonant vibration couplings; To adapt the modal shapes of vehicles 2 equipped with the control device 200 in order to promote vibration transfer between the cable 1 and the vehicles 2 and then the dissipation of the oscillations of vehicles 2.

[0113] In one embodiment of the 400c control strategy, a study of nonlinear vibration transfers between the pendulum oscillations of the vehicles and the oscillations of the cable is carried out. The objective of the vibration transfer study is: To establish in detail the conditions favorable to instability phenomena by parametric excitation of vehicle 2 by cable 1 and / or to an exchange of energy between modes which take place in a configuration for which geometric nonlinearities are activated; To conduct a sensitivity study of these vibrational transfers to parameters 201 to determine the value of these parameters 201 which allows to achieve the objective of promoting the transfer of oscillations from cable 1 to vehicles 2.

[0114] In one embodiment, the non-linear exchange of vibrational energy to promote the transfer of oscillations from the cable 1 to the vehicles 2 is obtained by the phenomenon of internal resonance, which is notably guided by the ratios between the frequencies of the modes which involve movement of the cable and the vehicles.

[0115] A control strategy 400d consists of studying the oscillations of vehicles 2 caused by changes in trajectory along the path of the cable line 1 when passing supports 3 and entering and exiting stations 50, 60 and determining the value of parameters 201 which allow limiting these pendulum oscillations of vehicles 2 of transient origin.

[0116] According to one embodiment, control strategies 400a, 400b, 400c and 400d can be combined with each other to achieve the desired objective.

[0117] The control process 300 includes a step 306 of adjusting the parameters 201 of the control device according to the optimization 305. The adjustment step 306 consists of applying the stiffness values ​​of the return mechanisms 31a, 31b, 41a, 41b, the dissipation values ​​of the dissipative elements 32a, 32b, 42a, 42b, the relative distances between the pivot links 30a, 30b, 40a, 40b, the mass of the intermediate suspension part 21, the mass of the support part 22 given by the optimization step 305 and which are retained for the design of the control device 200.

[0118] In one embodiment, the angular stiffness values ​​of the return mechanisms 31a, 31b, 41a, 41b, the dissipation values ​​of the dissipation elements 32a, 32b, 42a, 42b and the distances h1, h2 and h3 between the pivot links 30a, 30b, 40a, 40b are fixed at the design stage after the optimization step 305.

[0119] In one embodiment, the angular stiffness values ​​of the return mechanisms 31a, 31b, 41a, 41b, the dissipation values ​​of the dissipative elements 32a, 32b, 42a, 42b and / or the distances h1, h2 and h3 between the pivot links 30a, 30b, 40a, 40b are adjustable by a manual adjustment made directly on the vehicle 22 at the end of the optimization step 305.

[0120] In one embodiment, the angular stiffness values ​​of the return mechanisms 31a, 31b, 41a, 41b, the dissipation values ​​of the dissipative elements 32a, 32b, 42a, 42b and / or the distances h1, h2 and h3 between the pivot links 30a, 30b, 40a, 40b are variable at the end of the optimization step 305 by an automatic adjustment carried out in real time by means of an adjustment device.

[0121] A schematic representation of an alternative mode of the 300 control process is illustrated on the figure 9according to which measurements 307 representative of the dynamic behavior of the vehicles 2 and / or measurements 308 representative of the dynamic behavior of the cable 1 are carried out in real time. These measurements are collected and processed by sensors during the dynamic calculation steps 301, 302, the step 303 of detection of the dynamic interactions between the cable and the vehicles, and optimization 305 to recalibrate the models used at each step of the control process 300, improve the prediction of the dynamic behavior of the vehicles 2 coupled to the cable 1 and improve the control of oscillations.

[0122] According to this embodiment, the process (300) comprises at least one of the following steps: A step (301) for predictive calculation of the dynamic behavior of the cable line (1); A step (302) for predictive calculation of the dynamic behavior of vehicles (2) without a control device (200) and decoupled from the cable (1); A step (303) for predictive detection of the dynamic interactions between the cable line (1) and the vehicles (2); A step (304) for predictive calculation of the dynamic behavior of vehicles (2) equipped with the control device (200); A step (305) for optimization of the parameters (201); A step (306) for adjusting the parameters (201) according to step (305); A step (307) for real-time measurement of the dynamic behavior of the cable (1), used by steps (301), (302), (303); A real-time measurement step (308) of the dynamic behavior of the vehicle (2), used by the step (301), (302), (303).

[0123] A computing system, not shown, is configured to implement process 300. The computing system can be a central processing unit comprising at least one single-core or multi-core processor. In another embodiment, the computing system is a remote computer server to which the process has access via a wired or wireless connection over a communication network, such as the internet. The connection to the communication network can be secure. For carrying out the measurement steps, the computing system is coupled to at least one sensor, not shown, capable of performing these measurements in real time and transmitting the measured values ​​to the computing system.

[0124] The description of the control method 300 and the device configured to implement it is developed for a mobile cable transport system with several vehicles distributed along a single cable loop to which they are attached. The principle detailed in this description nevertheless remains valid for reciprocating and continuous-motion systems with one or more vehicles on each track, and one or more mobile and / or fixed cables.

[0125] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples just described and many modifications can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Control device (200) of the oscillations of a vehicle (2) of a vehicle transport installation (100) (2) by at least one movable cable (1), the device comprising: - A primary longitudinal pivot link (30a) along a horizontal axis (33a) oriented perpendicularly to the axis (12) of the cable (1), which allows a rotational movement between a fastener (20) and an intermediate suspension part (21) of the vehicle (2), comprising at least one mechanism (31a), consisting of a stiffness and a dissipation element (32a), activated by the relative rotation between the fastener (20) and the intermediate suspension part (21) of the vehicle (2);- A secondary longitudinal pivot link (30b) along a horizontal axis (33b) oriented perpendicularly to the axis (12) of the cable (1), which allows a rotational movement between the intermediate suspension part (21) and a support part (22) of the vehicle (2), comprising at least one mechanism (31b), consisting of a stiffness and a dissipation element (32b), activated by the relative rotation between the intermediate suspension part (21) and the support part (22) of the vehicle (2); - A primary transverse pivot joint (40a) along a horizontal axis (43a) oriented parallel to the axis (12) of the cable (1), which allows a rotational movement between the attachment (20) and the intermediate suspension part (21) of the vehicle (2), comprising at least one mechanism (41a), consisting of a stiffness and a dissipation element (42a), actuated by the relative rotation between the attachment (20) and the intermediate suspension part (21) of the vehicle (2);- A secondary transverse pivot link (40b) along a horizontal axis (43b) oriented parallel to the axis (12) of the cable (1), which allows a rotational movement between the intermediate suspension part (21) and the support part (22) of the vehicle (2), comprising at least one mechanism (41b), consisting of a stiffness and a dissipation element (42b), actuated by the relative rotation between the intermediate suspension part (21) and the support part (22) of the vehicle (2);the position of the primary longitudinal pivot joint (30a), of the secondary longitudinal pivot joint (30b), of the primary transverse pivot joint (40a), of the secondary transverse pivot joint (40b) relative to the axis (12) of the cable (1), the mass of the intermediate suspension part (21), the mass of the support part (22), the angular stiffness values ​​of the return mechanisms (31a, 31b, 41a, 42b) and the dissipation values ​​of the dissipation elements (32a, 32b, 42a, 42b) being determined according to a method (300) implementing an optimal control strategy (400) of the pendulum oscillations of the vehicle (2).; 2. Control device (200) according to the preceding claim wherein the mechanisms (31a, 31b, 41a, 41b) comprise an element exerting a restoring force with respect to a given angular position of the linkage, such as a torsion spring or a magnetic field.

3. Control device (200) according to claim 1 wherein the dissipation elements (32a, 32b, 42a, 42b) exert a force proportional to the angular velocity at the linkage, such that the type of dissipation element is a damper or a brake, with dissipation generated by a fluid friction mechanism, by contact between solids or a magnetic field.

4. Control device (200) according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the angular stiffness values ​​of the return mechanisms (31a, 31b, 41a, 41b) and the dissipation values ​​of the dissipation elements (32a, 32b, 42a, 42b) are fixed at the design stage to implement the method (300).

5. Control device (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the angular stiffness values ​​of the return mechanisms (31a, 31b, 41a, 41b) and the dissipation values ​​of the dissipation elements (32a, 32b, 42a, 42b) are adjustable by manual adjustment to implement the method (300).

6. Control device (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the angular stiffness values ​​of the return mechanisms (31a, 31b, 41a, 41b) and the dissipation values ​​of the dissipation elements (32a, 32b, 42a, 42b) are variable by an automatic adjustment carried out in real time by means of an adjustment device and connected to a computing system configured to implement the method (300).

7. Control device (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the longitudinal and transverse oscillations of the vehicle (2) are controlled by means of the parameters (201): - The position of the secondary pivot joint (30b) relative to the primary pivot joint (30a) given by the distance h1; - The mass m21 of the intermediate suspension part (21); - The stiffness values ​​k31a and k31b of the return mechanisms (31a) and (31b); - The damping values ​​c32a and c32b of the dissipative elements (32a) and (32b); - The mass m22 of the support part (22); - The position of the primary pivot joint (40a) relative to the axis (12) of the cable (1) given by the distance h2; - The position of the secondary pivot joint (40b) relative to the primary pivot joint (40a) given by the distance h3; - The k41a and k41b stiffness values ​​of the return elements (41a) and (41b);- The damping values ​​c42a and c42b of the dissipative elements (42a) and (42b).; 8. A method (300) for implementing the control device (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method (300) comprises at least one of the following steps: - A step (301) for predictive calculation of the dynamic behavior of the cable line (1); - A step (302) for predictive calculation of the dynamic behavior of vehicles (2) without the control device (200) and decoupled from the cable (1); - A step (303) for predictive detection of the dynamic interactions between the cable line (1) and the vehicles (2); - A step (304) for predictive calculation of the dynamic behavior of vehicles (2) equipped with the control device (200); - A step (305) for optimizing the parameters (201); - A step (306) for adjusting the parameters (201) according to step (305);- A real-time measurement step (307) of the dynamic behavior of the cable (1), used by the predictive calculation step (301) of the dynamic behavior of the cable line (1), the predictive calculation step (302) of the dynamic behavior of vehicles (2) without a control device (200) and decoupled from the cable (1), and the predictive detection step (303) of the dynamic interactions between the cable line (1) and the vehicles (2); - A real-time measurement step (308) of the dynamic behavior of the vehicle (2), used by the predictive calculation step (301) of the dynamic behavior of the cable line (1), the predictive calculation step (302) of the dynamic behavior of vehicles (2) without a control device (200) and decoupled from the cable (1), and the predictive detection step (303) of the dynamic interactions between the cable line (1) and the vehicles (2).

9. A method (300) for implementing the control device (200) according to the preceding claim, wherein the optimization step (305) consists of determining the optimal value of the set of parameters (201) allowing the maximization or minimization of a criterion defined by the control strategy (400) of the oscillations of the vehicle (2), namely: - According to a strategy (400a), by decoupling the vibration of the support part (22) with respect to the intermediate part (21) in order to limit the vibration transfer from the vehicle (2) to the cable (1); - And / or according to a strategy (400b), by decoupling the vibration of the support part (22) with respect to the intermediate part (21) in order to limit the vibration transfer from the cable (1) to the vehicle (2); - And / or according to a strategy (400c), by promoting the vibration transfer from the cable (1) to the vehicle (2) in order to dissipate the vibration energy at the level of the vehicle (2);- And / or according to a 400d strategy, by limiting the pendulum oscillations of the vehicles (2) caused by changes in trajectory along the path of the cable line (1) when crossing supports (3) and when entering and exiting stations (50, 60).; 10. Control device (200) for a vehicle transport installation by mobile cable (100) comprising at least one computing system, which can be coupled to at least one sensor, configured to implement the steps of the process (300) according to claims 8 and 9.

11. Mobile cable vehicle transport installation (100) implementing at least one control device (200), according to any one of claims 1 to 7 or according to claim 10, or a method (300) according to any one of claims 8 to 9.

12. Computer program comprising portions of program code for the execution of the steps of the method (300) of implementing the control device (200) of the oscillations of a vehicle of a mobile cable vehicle transport installation (100) according to any one of claims 8 to 9, when said program is executed on a computer.

Images