Cableway Clamp Pivoting for Smooth Station Entry and Exit

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing circulating cableways experience discomfort for passengers due to the abrupt lateral shift required to uncouple and recouple cable cars from the haul rope, which can damage the rope and cause unpleasant movements.

Innovation Solution

The cable car vehicle is pivoted to position the rope clamp sufficiently far from the haul rope during entry and exit of the station, using actuating guide rails to control the pivoting of the rope clamp, ensuring contactless uncoupling and coupling, and allowing movement within the station in any direction relative to the haul rope's path.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the cable car is laterally translated to avoid contact between the rope clamp and conveyor rope, then the rope clamp can be lifted off without contact, but the movement becomes jerky and uncomfortable for passengers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact-free operation of rope clampVSAvoidpassenger comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces a rotational degree of freedom by pivoting the cable car about a first axis of rotation, transforming the previously purely translational movement into a combined rotation and translation. This allows the rope clamp to clear the conveyor rope through rotational movement while the cable car body follows a smooth guided path, eliminating jerky lateral translations and improving passenger comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The cable car is designed with dynamic movement capabilities, pivoting about a first axis of rotation during station entry/exiting operations. This dynamic pivoting action allows the rope clamp to be lifted off the conveyor rope without requiring rough lateral translations, enabling smooth and contact-free operation while maintaining passenger comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the cable car is laterally translated to prevent contact, then damage to the rope clamp and conveyor system is avoided, but the movement is jerky and reduces comfort

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of damage to rope clamp and conveyor systemVSAvoidpassenger comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention adds a rotational dimension to the movement by pivoting the cable car about a first axis of rotation. This rotational movement allows the rope clamp to clear the conveyor rope through a controlled pivoting action rather than rough lateral translation, preventing damage while maintaining smooth movement and passenger comfort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The cable car performs preliminary pivoting movement about the first axis of rotation before the rope clamp contacts the conveyor rope. This preliminary action positions the rope clamp to clear the conveyor rope during the subsequent lifting-off phase, preventing contact and damage while avoiding jerky lateral movements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the rope clamp is opened to allow movement within the station, then the cable car can be uncoupled from the haul rope, but the clamping jaws may contact and damage the haul rope

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to move within stationVSAvoiddamage risk to haul rope
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention utilizes the rotational degree of freedom by pivoting the cable car about the first axis of rotation to position the rope clamp away from the haul rope's path. This allows the rope clamp to be opened and the cable car to move freely within the station without the clamping jaws contacting or damaging the haul rope.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The first axis of rotation acts as an intermediary mechanism that enables the rope clamp to be opened and the cable car to move within the station while preventing direct contact between the clamping jaws and the haul rope. The rotational pivoting creates sufficient clearance to avoid damage during the uncoupling and internal movement phases.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4397562B1Cableway
Publication Date: 2026.05.13 INNOVA PATENT GMBH
  • EP4397562B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4397562B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP4397562B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

To provide a circulating cableway (1) that offers greater passenger comfort when entering and/or exiting a cableway station (2A, 2B), a guide arm (11) is arranged on the cableway vehicle (3), and a guide arm guidance device (12) is provided in at least one cableway station (2A). The guide arm guidance device (12) is designed to interact with the guide arm (11) during the movement of the cableway vehicle (3) to generate a deflection force (F), which allows the at least one rope clamp (10) of the cableway vehicle (3) to pivot transversely to the direction of movement (B) of the cableway vehicle (3) at a defined deflection angle (α) about a first axis of rotation (DA1). The guide arm guidance device (12) is arranged relative to an actuating device of the cableway station (2A, 2B) for actuating the rope clamp (10) in such a way thatthat the generation of the deflection force (F) occurs in a defined temporal relationship to the actuation of at least one rope clamp (10).