Pulse-circulating gondola lift

Abstract

The objective is to provide a pulse-circulating gondola lift that can operate automatically while properly maintaining the positions between each group of carriers. [Solution] A cable 14 is wound between pulleys 12 and 13 installed at stations 10 and 11. Multiple carrier groups A, B, C, and D, each consisting of multiple carriers 15, are attached to this cable 14 at regular intervals and operated in a circular manner between stations 10 and 11. The position information of each group is determined by two methods of carrier group position detection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pulse circulation type gondola lift in which a carrier group composed of a plurality of carriers is attached to a cable at a predetermined interval, and the cable is circulated between stops for operation.

Background Art

[0002] A pulse circulation type gondola lift is a ropeway facility that transports people and goods by attaching a group of multiple carriers to a cable at regular intervals. Generally, it is configured as follows. At the stops at both ends, pulleys are pivotally installed, a cable is wound around the pulleys, and the cable is circulated endlessly to form a line. A plurality of carriers are grouped together, and the carriers within the group are fixed to the cable in close proximity to each other.

[0003] On the circulating track of the cable, two sets of carrier groups are arranged at positions on the line that are targeted, that is, when one carrier group is located at one stop, the other carrier group is located at the other stop, and a plurality of carrier groups are arranged at a predetermined interval in such a positional relationship. With the above configuration, any carrier group is operated at high speed when it is located in the line, and when any carrier group arrives at a stop, the speed is reduced to operate at low speed or temporarily stopped to allow passengers to board and alight. (For example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In this type of pulse-circulating gondola lift, each carrier is permanently fixed to the cable, so the cable speed needs to be reduced before the carrier group reaches the disembarking position at the station. Furthermore, unlike reversible cableways that operate back and forth between stations, pulse-circulating gondola lifts do not have a reference position for when the carriers stop. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the position of each carrier group and automatically accelerate and decelerate each carrier group at its designated position.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and aims to provide a pulse-circulating gondola lift that can operate automatically while properly maintaining the positions between each group of carriers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The invention of claim 1 is characterized by winding a cable between pulleys installed at a station, attaching multiple carrier groups consisting of multiple carriers to the cable at regular intervals, operating in a circular manner between stations, and obtaining the position information of each group using two methods of carrier group position detection.

[0008] The invention of claim 2 is characterized in that, in the pulse-circulating gondola lift described in claim 1, the carrier group position detection is performed by an absolute encoder and a pulse signal generated by the rotation of the rope.

[0009] The invention of claim 3 is characterized in that, in the pulse-circulating gondola lift described in claim 1 or claim 2, proximity sensors for detecting the carriers are provided on the carrier arrival side and the carrier departure side of the station, and position information from two types of carrier group position detection is compared with the signals from the proximity sensors. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, by performing position detection using two methods of carrier group position detection, it is possible to provide a pulse-circulating gondola lift that can safely and automatically operate by properly maintaining the positions between each carrier group. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Plan view of a pulse-circulating gondola lift [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a pulse-circulating gondola lift. Pulleys 12 and 13 are pivotally mounted at the base station 10 and the summit station 11, respectively. A cable 14 is wound endlessly between pulleys 12 and 13 and stretched between them. As will be described later, a drive device 18 provided at the summit station 11 rotates pulley 13, causing the cable 14 to circulate between stations 10 and 11.

[0013] The cable 14 has carrier groups A, B, C, and D, each consisting of two carriers 15, attached at regular intervals. Carrier groups A and C, positioned on the track, are symmetrical on the circular path of the cable 14; that is, when carrier group A is located at the base station 10, carrier group C is located at the summit station 11. Similarly, the positional relationship between carrier group B and carrier group D, also positioned on the track, is symmetrical on the circular path of the cable 14.

[0014] As mentioned above, above the pulley 13 pivotally installed at the mountaintop station 11, there is a drive unit 18 consisting of a reduction gear and an electric motor, which rotates the pulley 13. The drive unit 18 is connected to a control device, and by electrically controlling the movement of the drive unit 18 or the pulley 13, the position and speed of carrier groups A, B, C, and D are controlled and the train is operated.

[0015] For example, when detecting the positions of carrier groups A, B, C, and D, the absolute encoder is rotated by the rotation of the drive unit, and the positions of carrier groups A, B, C, and D are calculated and determined based on the signal from this absolute encoder. In this case, the signal information from the absolute encoder can be stored in the control unit, and the position information can be restored when the power is restored even if the power is cut off.

[0016] Another method for detecting the positions of carrier groups A, B, C, and D involves detecting the rotation of the rope wheels supporting the cable 14 within the station using proximity sensors, and calculating the amount of movement of the cable 14 from this pulse signal to determine the positions of carrier groups A, B, C, and D. In this case, if the power supply is interrupted, the position information of carrier groups A, B, C, and D will be lost when the power is restored.

[0017] Both of the above methods for detecting the position of a carrier group rely on calculated positions, so it is necessary to verify whether the actual position is correct. Therefore, proximity sensors are installed on the arrival and departure sides of each station to determine the actual position of the carrier group before it enters the station and after it departs from the departure station.

[0018] When the proximity sensor on the arrival side detects a group of carriers, it automatically slows down and limits the speed to a level suitable for passenger boarding and alighting. Then, the proximity sensor on the departure side activates to detect that the group of carriers has left the station, allowing the carrier group to be operated at a high speed (arbitrary speed).

[0019] The operations of these proximity sensors are used not only for mutual monitoring with the above two types of carrier group position detection but also serve the roles of deceleration position correction and acceleration position correction. That is, during normal operation, the position information of the carrier group is corrected to the actual position of the carrier group by the operation of the proximity switch, and it monitors whether there are any problems in the operation. Also, when the position of the carrier changes due to maintenance work, reverse operation, maintenance of the grip device, etc. outside normal operation, the position information is automatically corrected when the power is turned on.

[0020] In addition, when the above two types of carrier group position detection are used in combination and there are differences in the position information of carrier groups A, B, C, and D between the two methods, the driving speed is automatically controlled to the minimum speed, so that the position information can be corrected without making the operation impossible and the operation can be safely carried out.

Explanation of Signs

[0021] 10 Foothill-side stop 11 Peak-side stop 12 Pulley 13 Pulley 14 Cable 15 Carrier 18 Prime mover A Carrier group B Carrier group C Carrier group D Carrier group

Claims

1. A pulse-circulating gondola lift characterized by winding a cable between pulleys installed at stations, attaching multiple carrier groups consisting of multiple carriers to the cable at regular intervals, operating in a circulating manner between stations, and detecting the position of each group using two methods of carrier group position detection.

2. The pulse-circulating gondola lift according to claim 1, characterized in that the carrier group position detection is performed using an absolute encoder and a pulse signal generated by the rotation of the rope wheel.

3. The pulse-circulating gondola lift according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that proximity sensors for detecting the carriers are provided on the carrier arrival side and the carrier departure side of the aforementioned station, and position information from two types of carrier group position detection is compared with the signals from the proximity sensors.

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