Cableway Barrier Device for Gap Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In conventional circulating cable cars, passengers often attempt to board between cable car vehicles instead of through the doors, leading to falls into the gap between vehicles and potential injuries, especially in cable car stations with straight platforms.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of at least one barrier device on each cable car vehicle, positioned to face adjacent vehicles, which partially bridges the gap between cabins to form a barrier against passengers entering the gap, with two barrier devices per vehicle arranged at the front and rear and positioned differently in the transverse direction to prevent collision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the vehicle spacing is reduced to increase transport capacity, then productivity increases, but the gap between vehicles becomes smaller increasing the risk of passengers falling into the gap
Solution Approach 1:
A barrier device is introduced as an intermediary element between the cabins of adjacent cable car vehicles. This barrier device extends into the gap between vehicles and provides a physical barrier that prevents passengers from falling through, while allowing the vehicles to maintain reduced spacing for optimal transport capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety function is segmented from the main vehicle structure by introducing a separate barrier device. This allows the barrier to be independently positioned and adjusted without affecting the overall vehicle design or spacing, enabling the gap to remain small for productivity while still providing safety.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the vehicle spacing is increased to prevent passengers from falling into the gap, then safety improves, but transport capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier device serves as a mediator that allows the system to maintain small vehicle spacing while still providing safety. Without this intermediary, the only way to prevent falls would be to increase spacing, which would reduce transport capacity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If barrier devices are added to prevent passengers from falling into the gap, then safety improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier device utilizes a flexible, elongate structure that can be made from relatively simple materials such as ropes, nets, or flexible panels. This flexible approach provides effective barrier functionality without requiring complex mechanical structures, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If barrier devices are made extensive in length to cover the gap, then safety improves, but the barrier devices may collide with adjacent vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible nature of the barrier device allows it to bend and deform if contacted by adjacent vehicles, preventing damage while maintaining the safety barrier function. The flexibility absorbs impact forces that would otherwise cause collision damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier device is designed with dynamic characteristics, being able to move and adapt its position rather than being rigidly fixed. This dynamic behavior allows the barrier to adjust to varying vehicle positions and potential collisions without compromising safety or suffering damage.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
In order to increase the safety of passengers boarding the cabins (5) of a circulating cableway without having to reduce the transport capacity, according to the invention at least one barrier device (14) is provided on the cableway vehicle (3), which is arranged such that when the cableway vehicle (3) moves along a platform (2) of a cableway station (1) it faces an adjacent cableway vehicle (3) and which is designed to at least partially bridge a gap (Z) between the cabin (5) of the cableway vehicle (3) and a cabin (5) of the adjacent cableway vehicle (3) in order to form a barrier for persons against entering the gap (Z).