Drive system equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to drive system equipment of an amusement ride, which comprises: means for generating energy; means for storing the generated energy; and means for outputting the stored energy to an external device.

Description

VEHICLES TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a means of transport, in particular a cable car cabin of a cable car system, a system comprising the means of transport, in particular a cable car system, and a corresponding method for operating a means of transport, in particular a cable car system. BACKGROUND

[0002] Cable car systems, such as chairlifts and gondolas, are very popular in both winter and summer, but they require a lot of energy to operate. Therefore, it is a constant effort to operate cable car systems as climate-neutrally as possible.

[0003] .For example, various cable car systems are known from the state of the art which obtain a portion of the energy required for their operation from the environment. One known example is the installation of solar panels on the roofs of the mountain and valley stations of a cable car system. The energy thus generated can be supplied to the cable car system and cover up to a third of the cable car system's total power requirements. Furthermore, systems are also known from document EP 1 601 564 B1 in which a heating device in a chair is supplied with power from a power source located in the station while the chair is in a cable car system station. This energy can be used to heat the chair seats for greater passenger comfort during the ride.

[0004] The inventors have set themselves the task of providing a means of transport, in particular a cable car system, which enables sustainable and efficient energy generation. SUMMARY

[0005] The stated object is achieved by a cable car cabin having the features of claim 1, a cable car system having the features of claim 7, a method having the features of claim 11, a means of transport having the features of claim 18, a system having the features of claim 19, and a method having the features of claim 23. Various embodiments and further developments of the present invention are described in the dependent claims.

[0006] A cable car cabin of a cable car system is described. The cable car cabin moves between a mountain station and a valley station of the cable car system. It has an energy generation device designed to generate energy. It also has an energy storage device connected to the energy generation device and designed to store energy generated by the energy generation device. The cable car cabin also has an energy transmission device designed to transmit at least a portion of the energy stored in the energy storage device to the mountain and / or valley station.

[0007] A cable car system is also described, comprising: a cable car cabin according to the previous paragraph, as well as a mountain station and a valley station between which the cable car cabin moves. The mountain and / or valley station has a take-off device designed to interact with the energy transmission device of the cable car cabin and to take off the portion of the energy stored in the energy storage device of the cable car cabin.

[0008] Furthermore, a method is described which comprises the following: obtaining energy by an energy-generating device arranged on a cable car cabin of a cable car system which moves between a mountain station and a valley station of the cable car system; storing the obtained energy by an energy storage device arranged on the cable car cabin; and delivering at least a portion of the stored energy to the mountain and / or valley station.

[0009] A ride-hailing device is also described, comprising: means for generating energy; means for storing the generated energy; and means for delivering the stored energy to an external device. A system is also described, comprising the ride-hailing device and the external device. The external device can be a drive motor of a cable car system, a drive motor of a roller coaster system, or an energy storage device of a vehicle fleet.

[0010] A method is also described which comprises the following steps: obtaining energy by an energy-generating device arranged on a vehicle; storing the obtained energy by an energy storage device arranged on the vehicle; and delivering at least a portion of the stored energy to a further device.

[0011] This makes it possible, in particular, to generate energy from unused areas of the cable car cabins in an environmentally friendly way and thus supply the local power grid. The energy storage device allows energy to be generated throughout the entire gondola ride, which can then be released upon arrival at the valley or mountain station. This allows the cable car system to be operated particularly efficiently and sustainably. SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTERS

[0012] To better understand the features and advantages of the invention, some embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the attached Figures 1 to 4. However, the representations of the figures illustrate only some embodiments and are not to be considered limiting, since other, equally effective embodiments may exist. It should be noted that some of the details and / or features shown in the figures are not drawn to scale for reasons of clarity.

[0013] Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a cable car system.

[0014] Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a cable car cabin according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 3 shows a schematic view of the cable car cabin according to Figure 2 upon arrival at a valley station.

[0016] Figure 4 shows a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment.

[0017] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a cable car system 100. The cable car system 100 is designed in the example as a gondola lift and comprises a plurality of Cable car cabins 1, also called gondolas, for transporting people and / or goods. The cable car cabins 1 are suspended from a cable 110 and move between a valley station 2 and a mountain station 3, which is located higher than the valley station 2. The system is driven by a motor 23.

[0019] Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a cable car cabin 1 that can be used in the cable car system 100 of Figure 1. The cable car cabin 1 is connected to the haulage cable 110 by a suspension device 18. The cable car cabin 1 comprises an energy harvesting device 11 that is designed to harvest energy. The energy harvesting device 11 can harvest energy from the environment (“energy harvesting”), for example from the sun or from the wind. In the example shown, the energy harvesting device 11 is designed as a plurality of solar cells, also called photovoltaic (PV) systems 11, which receive sunlight and convert it into electrical energy. In the example shown, the solar cells are mounted on a roof 15 of the gondola 1. Mounting solar cells on the roof is particularly simple and offers good sun exposure for the solar cells.For even better exposure, the solar cells can be designed such that their orientation can be controlled according to the direction of the solar radiation. According to one example, the roof 15 is only partially covered with solar cells. According to another example, the roof 15 is completely covered with solar cells. It is also conceivable that other parts of the nacelle 1 are covered with solar cells, such as the door 16 of the nacelle, the windows of the nacelle 16 and / or other lateral sides 17 of the nacelle. According to another example, the entire nacelle 1, including the windows, is covered with solar panels. This is possible in particular through the use of transparent solar panels. This allows energy generation from the nacelle to be maximized. However, instead of or in addition to this, other energy generation devices can also be attached to the nacelle, such as wind turbines that generate electrical energy directly from wind energy.This allows areas that would normally remain unused to be used to generate energy. The energy generated can, as explained later, be used to operate the cable car system or for other external consumers, such as restaurants or electric cars. This allows the system to be operated in a particularly efficient and environmentally friendly manner.

[0020] In addition, the cable car cabin 1 comprises an energy storage device 12, which is designed to store the energy from the energy generation device(s) 11. For example, the energy storage device 12 can be designed be that it can store the electrical energy generated from the solar cells 11 during a gondola journey between two stations. According to another example, the energy storage device 12 can store the energy from the energy harvesting device 11 for an even longer period of time. According to one example, solar energy is collected in the energy storage device 12 in the early morning hours, particularly in summer, before the gondola begins its journey (i.e., while the gondola is hanging motionless outside). Thus, more energy can be collected than during a normal gondola journey. This energy can be used, at least initially, for the operation of the railway system.

[0021] The energy storage device 12 can be designed as a plurality of accumulators. In the example shown, the energy storage device 12 is designed as a plurality of supercapacitors, also called supercapacitors or ultracapacitors. Supercapacitors are electrochemical capacitors that do not have a dielectric as such, but rather an electrolyte that connects the electrodes to one another. Supercapacitors have a very high power density and can therefore be charged and discharged much faster than conventional accumulators. The supercapacitors 12 are connected to the solar cells 11. In the example shown, the plurality of supercapacitors is arranged on the roof 15 of the nacelle, next to the plurality of solar cells 11. Other arrangements of the energy storage device 12 on the nacelle 1 are also conceivable.

[0022] The cable car cabin 1 also comprises at least one energy transmission device designed to release the energy stored in the energy storage device 12. The energy transmission device is connected to the energy storage device 12. According to one example, the energy transmission device forms a sliding or sliding contact with a corresponding receiving device, via which the energy can be transferred. In the example shown, the energy transmission device has a first line 13, which is hook-shaped and arranged on the hanger 18, and a second line 14, which is arranged on a lower side of the cable car cabin 1. In another example, the second line 14 is arranged next to the first line 13. The first line 13 can be covered for safety reasons.According to another example, the energy transfer occurs inductively via a corresponding coil device. Inductive energy transfer has the advantage that no friction occurs during the transfer.

[0023] The release of the energy stored in the energy storage device 12 is explained with reference to Figure 3, which shows a schematic view of the gondola 1 upon arrival at the valley station 2. At least one collection device is arranged in the valley station 2, which is designed to collect the energy stored in the energy storage device. In the example shown, the valley station 2 comprises a current collector 21, which interacts with the first line 13 of the gondola 1, and a conductor rail 22 arranged below, which interacts with the second line 14 of the gondola 1. In a further example, if the second line 14 is arranged next to the first line 13, the conductor rail 22 interacting with the second line 14 is arranged next to the current collector 21 interacting with the first line 13.When the gondola 1 arrives at the valley station 2, the energy stored in the energy storage device 12 is transferred to the valley station 2 via the sliding contact between the current collector 21 and the first line 13, as well as between the conductor rail 22 and the second line 14. It is clear that this process can also take place in a similar manner at the mountain station 3 in Figure 1. It is particularly advantageous if supercapacitors are used to store the recovered energy, as the supercapacitors discharge quickly. This ensures that all of the stored energy is discharged while the moving cabin 1 is in the station. After discharging, the cabin 1 travels to the next station and recovers energy as it continues its journey.

[0024] It is generally known to charge a cable car cabin battery from the outside, for example from the valley or mountain station, in order to operate cabin devices such as heated seats or radio systems during the gondola ride. However, the reverse implementation, namely the transfer of energy from the gondola to the outside, for example to the valley or mountain station, cannot be carried out easily. Each gondola stores a certain amount of energy in the storage device 12 during the ride. However, due to normal fluctuations in solar radiation or wind power, the stored energy is not the same for all gondolas. This can lead to problems during energy transmission. To solve this problem, in the example shown, the transmission device of gondola 1 comprises a voltage converter 19, which converts the voltage when the supercaps are discharged to a defined voltage level.According to one example, the voltage converter 19 is designed as a step-down converter ("buck-boost converter"). In the example shown, the voltage converter 19 is arranged on the roof or in the cabin 1, directly next to the energy storage device 12. By adapting the The voltage transmitted to the station by the voltage converter 19 allows several gondolas to be connected in parallel in the valley station 2 and to transmit energy at the same time, which makes the energy consumption by the station particularly easy.

[0025] The delivered energy can then be passed on. According to one example, the energy is made available directly to consumers via an inverter or fed into the local grid. The energy can be used to operate the motor of the cable car system 100 or to operate additional lifts. Alternatively or additionally, the energy can be delivered via another voltage converter and / or a battery management system (BMS) to a battery or accumulator for storage. In the example shown, some of the energy is delivered to a plurality of supercapacitors 23 arranged at the valley station 2. According to another example, the delivered energy is passed on to batteries of electric vehicles in a fleet, which serve as buffer storage. The stored energy can later be made available to other consumers.

[0026] Although only a gondola system was described as an example, the principle described can also be applied to other types of cable car systems, such as chairlifts or ski lifts. The energy generation system, namely photovoltaic systems or wind turbines, can be installed on open areas of the vehicle. Additional areas for energy generation can also be created, for example, by installing solar panels on the suspension system between the vehicle and the haulage cable.

[0027] The examples so far have been limited to cable car systems. However, the principle described above can be applied to other vehicles and areas. For example, energy can be generated and stored in a similar way in the trains or cars of an amusement ride, such as a roller coaster. According to one example, the trains or cars of the ride are partially covered with solar cells. Alternatively or additionally, the braking energy can be stored. The energy stored in accumulators or supercapacitors is then transferred to a base station of the ride, for example, via a sliding contact or an inductive contact. The energy storage device can be arranged on the train or car of the ride. After the energy has been transferred, it can be passed on to another device. In one example, the energy is transferred to the motor of the roller coaster. In another For example, the energy is passed on to an energy storage system of a vehicle fleet and later made available to other consumers.

[0028] Figure 4 shows a flowchart of a method 200 according to an exemplary embodiment. In a first step 201, energy is generated by an energy generation device arranged on a means of transport (vehicle). The means of transport or vehicle can be a gondola of a cable car system or a car of a roller coaster system. The energy generation device can be a photovoltaic system, a wind turbine, or a system for generating braking energy. In one example, the energy generation device generates energy while the means of transport is traveling. In a further step 202, the generated energy is stored by an energy storage device arranged on the means of transport. The energy storage device can be a plurality of accumulators or supercapacitors connected to the energy generation device.In a further step 203, at least a portion of the energy stored in the energy storage device is delivered to another device. In one example, the energy lost when the energy storage device is discharged is converted to a certain voltage before being delivered. In another example, the energy is delivered to a stationary station via a sliding contact or by induction. The delivered energy can then be made available to various consumers or stored in a stationary battery. In one example, the energy is delivered to a motor of the cable car system. Thus, the energy required by the cable car system can be partially or completely covered with the energy obtained. In another example, the energy is delivered to a motor of the roller coaster system.This allows the roller coaster to be partially or entirely powered by the generated energy. In another example, the energy is transferred to a fleet's energy storage unit, typically located near the ride. This energy is temporarily stored there and can later be used to operate other rides. Thus, the ride can be connected to a variety of external devices and become part of a larger system.

[0029] With the above-described means of transport (vehicles) and processes, energy can be generated and stored in areas of the vehicle that are usually unused. By using solar energy, wind energy or braking energy, the Energy generation is particularly sustainable. The energy generated can be stored in supercapacitors, which can be quickly charged and discharged. The stored energy is released via a voltage converter upon arrival at a station. The vehicle thus acts as a transport medium for the stored energy. The energy losses associated with energy transport can thus be kept as low as possible. The released energy can then be made available to other systems and, in particular, used directly to operate the vehicle. Alternatively, the energy can be temporarily stored in the energy storage units of electric vehicles located in a fleet next to the receiving station. This allows the vehicle to be operated in a particularly efficient and environmentally friendly manner.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1 . A cable car cabin (1) of a cable car system (100), which moves between a mountain station and a valley station (2, 3) of the cable car system (100) and has the following: an energy generation device (11) which is designed to generate energy, an energy storage device (12) which is connected to the energy generation device (11) and is designed to store energy generated by the energy generation device (11), and an energy transmission device which is designed to transmit at least part of the energy stored in the energy storage device (12) to the mountain and / or valley station (2, 3).

2. The cable car cabin according to claim 1, wherein the energy generation device comprises a plurality of photovoltaic cells (11).

3. The cable car cabin according to claim 2, wherein the photovoltaic cells (11) are arranged on a roof (15) of the cable car cabin (1), 4. The cable car cabin according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the energy storage device comprises a plurality of supercapacitors (12).

5. The cable car cabin according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the energy transmission device comprises a voltage converter (19) which is designed to convert the energy stored in the energy storage device (12) into a defined voltage.

6. The cable car cabin according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the energy transmission device forms a sliding or sliding contact with a removal device (21, 22) of the mountain and / or valley station (2, 3).

7. A cable car system (100) comprising: a cable car cabin (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, a mountain station (3) and a valley station (2) between which the cable car cabin (1) moves, wherein the mountain and / or valley station has a removal device (21, 22) which is designed to cooperate with the energy transmission device and to remove the part of the energy stored in the energy storage device (12).

8. The cable car system according to claim 7, wherein the pickup device is designed as a current collector (21) or a conductor rail (22).

9. The cable car system according to claim 7 or 8, which further comprises a motor (23) which is designed to drive the cable car system (100), wherein the motor (23) is at least partially supplied with the stored energy.

10. The cable car system according to one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the mountain and / or valley station (2, 3) has a plurality of supercapacitors (24) which are designed to store the energy taken from the take-off device (21).

11. Procedure with the steps: Obtaining energy by an energy recovery device (11) which is arranged on a cable car cabin (1) of a cable car system (100) which moves between a mountain station and a valley station (2, 3) of the cable car system (100), Storing the energy obtained by an energy storage device (12) arranged on the cable car cabin (1), and Transferring at least part of the stored energy to the mountain and / or valley station (2, 3).

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the release of at least part of the stored energy to the mountain and / or valley station (2, 3) occurs when the cable car cabin (1) travels into the mountain and / or valley station (2, 3).

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the delivery of at least a portion of the stored energy to the mountain and / or valley station (2, 3) comprises converting the energy stored by the energy storage device (12) into a voltage with a defined voltage level.

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising: Driving a motor (23) of the cable car system (100) by the energy delivered to the mountain and / or valley station.

15. Method according to one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the energy delivered to the mountain and / or valley station is used to operate another cable car system.

16. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 15, further comprising: Storing the energy delivered to the mountain and / or valley station in supercapacitors (24). 17, Method according to one of claims 11 to 16, which further comprises: Heating the cable car cabin (1) with part of the energy obtained by the energy generation device (11).

18. Ride equipment of a ride, which includes the following: means of generating energy, Means for storing the energy generated, and Means for delivering the stored energy to an external device.

19. System comprising: the means of transport according to Anspaich 18, and the external device.

20. System according to claim 19, wherein the external device is a drive motor of a cable car system.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the external device is a drive motor of a roller coaster.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the external device is a fleet energy storage device.

23. Method (200) comprising the steps: Obtaining (201) energy by means of a vehicle connected to a Energy generation device arranged on the ride; Storing (202) the energy obtained by an energy storage device arranged on the vehicle; and Delivering (203) at least a portion of the stored energy to another device.

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