Aerial Cableway Station Movable Guide for Seat Swivel Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aerial cable transport systems face issues with seat swiveling due to uneven weight distribution, leading to difficulty in seating and egress, and maintenance vehicles require time-consuming equipment installation and removal during operations.

Innovation Solution

An aerial cableway station with a movable guide that pivots between operating and maintenance positions, allowing for quick coupling and decoupling of maintenance vehicles, and sensors to control cable movement based on vehicle presence and guide position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a fixed guide is installed to prevent seat swiveling, then safety and seating ease are improved, but maintenance vehicle operation becomes incompatible and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidmaintenance vehicle compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The guide is made movable between a first position (blocking seat swivel) and a second position (allowing maintenance vehicle passage). This dynamic reconfiguration allows the same guide structure to serve both safety functions for transport vehicles and operational functions for maintenance vehicles, resolving the contradiction between fixed safety requirements and flexible maintenance needs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If maintenance vehicle equipment is installed and removed each time, then proper maintenance operations are enabled, but operational time is significantly increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance operation capabilityVSAvoidequipment installation time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The maintenance vehicle is pre-equipped with all necessary maintenance equipment before being coupled to the cable. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming equipment installation and removal during each maintenance operation, as the vehicle arrives ready-to-work with all tools and equipment already in place

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the guide remains in the operating position during maintenance vehicle passage, then seat swivel control is maintained, but maintenance vehicle movement is blocked

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseat position controlVSAvoidmaintenance vehicle passage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guide's position is dynamically adjusted based on the type of vehicle present. When a maintenance vehicle is detected, the guide moves to the second position to allow passage. When transport vehicles are present, the guide returns to the first position to control seat swivel. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by making the guide's function adaptive to operational context

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4635821A1Aerial cable transport station, aerial cable transport installation comprising such a station and method for operating such an installation
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 POMAGALSKI
  • EP4635821A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4635821A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4635821A1 patent drawing

AI summary

An overhead cableway station (4) comprises a cable (2) running along the station (4) to define a circulation path. A transport vehicle (3a) and a maintenance vehicle (3b) remain fixedly attached to the cable (2) during movement in the station (4). The maintenance vehicle (3b) is mounted so as to be removable from the cable (2) and has a different size from the transport vehicle (3a). A guide (11) prevents the transport vehicle (3a) from pivoting about a longitudinal axis of the cable (2) beyond a threshold position. The guide (11) is movable between operating and maintenance positions. In the operating position, the guide (11) forms an obstacle to the movement of the maintenance vehicle (3b) during movement in the station (4). In the maintenance position, the guide (11) is arranged outside the volume occupied by the maintenance vehicle (3b) during movement in the station (4).