Transport facility

Abstract

The invention relates to a transport facility ( 100 ), having a first traction cable ( 11 ) that describes a first closed loop ( 10 ) and is configured to be driven by at least a first drive means ( 12 ) at a nominal linear velocity, and a vehicle ( 30 ) having a coupling device ( 31 ) for coupling the vehicle to the first traction cable, the transport facility comprising at least a first traffic lane ( 101 ) having at least a first segment ( 110 ) comprising at least one track ( 111 ) along the first traction cable, the first traffic lane comprising at least a second segment ( 120 ), the transport facility being configured so that the vehicle is coupled to the first traction cable and pulled by same at the nominal velocity so as to pass through the first segment and the second segment, the first traction cable fully supporting the vehicle and driving it at the nominal speed along the second segment.

1 . Transport facility ( 100 ), having at least a first traction cable ( 11 ) which describes a first closed loop ( 10 ) and is configured to be driven by at least one first drive means ( 12 ) at a nominal linear speed, and having at least one vehicle ( 30 ) having a coupling device ( 31 ) which is configured to couple the vehicle ( 30 ) to the first traction cable ( 11 ), the transport facility ( 100 ) comprising at least a first circulation path ( 101 ) having at least a first segment ( 110 ) comprising at least one travel path ( 111 ) extending along the first traction cable ( 11 ), the travel path ( 111 ) having at least one curvature, the vehicle ( 30 ) having a set of carrying and guiding wheels ( 32 ) which are configured to travel on the travel path ( 111 ) at the nominal linear speed, the first circulation path ( 101 ) comprising at least a second segment ( 120 ), the transport facility ( 100 ) being configured such that the vehicle ( 30 ) is coupled to the first traction cable ( 11 ) and pulled by the first traction cable ( 11 ) at the nominal linear speed in order to travel over the first segment ( 110 ) and the second segment ( 120 ), the transport facility ( 100 ) being characterized in that it is configured so that the first traction cable ( 11 ) fully carries the vehicle ( 30 ) and drives it at the nominal linear speed along the second segment ( 120 ). 
     
     
         2 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises at least a second traction cable ( 21 ) which describes a second closed loop ( 20 ) and is configured to be driven by at least one second drive means ( 22 ) at the nominal linear speed, the transport facility ( 100 ) comprising at least a second circulation path ( 102 ) and being configured so that the vehicles ( 30 ) pass from one to the other of the first and second circulation paths ( 101 ,  102 ) at least one transition region ( 103 ), and is configured such that the vehicle ( 30 ) is coupled to the second traction cable ( 21 ) and pulled by the second traction cable ( 21 ) at the nominal linear speed in order to travel over at least part of the second circulation path ( 102 ). 
     
     
         3 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to  the preceding claim , characterized in that the second traffic path ( 102 ) has at least a first segment ( 210 ) comprising at least one travel path ( 211 ) extending along the second traction cable ( 21 ), the travel path ( 211 ) of the first segment ( 210 ) having at least one curvature, the carrying and guiding wheels ( 32 ) of the vehicle ( 30 ) being configured to travel on the travel path ( 211 ) at the nominal linear speed. 
     
     
         4 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to  claims 2 and 3 , characterized in that the transition region ( 103 ) comprises a continuous portion of a preferably rectilinear transition travel path ( 311 ) extending from a travel path portion ( 111 ) of the first segment ( 110 ) of the first traffic path ( 101 ) to a travel path portion ( 211 ) of the first segment ( 210 ) of the second traffic path ( 102 ). 
     
     
         5 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to any of  claims 2 to 4 , characterized in that the coupling device ( 31 ) of the vehicle ( 30 ) comprises disengaging means ( 33 ) so as to release the vehicle ( 30 ) from the traction cable ( 11 ,  21 ) to which it is coupled from among the first and second traction cables ( 11 ,  21 ) and then to couple the vehicle ( 30 ) to the other of the traction cables from among the first and second traction cables ( 21 ,  11 ). 
     
     
         6 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to  the preceding claim , characterized in that it comprises at least one embarking and/or disembarking station ( 150 ), the disengaging means ( 33 ) being in the disengaged position when the vehicle ( 30 ) is in an embarking and/or disembarking position in the embarking and/or disembarking station ( 150 ). 
     
     
         7 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to  any of the preceding claims  dependent at least on  claim 2 , characterized in that the second circulation path ( 102 ) comprises at least a second segment, the transport facility ( 100 ) being configured such that the vehicle ( 30 ) is coupled to the second traction cable ( 21 ) and pulled by the second traction cable ( 21 ) at the nominal linear speed in order to travel over the first segment ( 210 ) and the second segment, the transport facility ( 100 ) being configured such that the second traction cable ( 21 ) fully carries the vehicle ( 30 ) and drives it at the nominal linear speed along the second segment. 
     
     
         8 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to  any of the preceding claims , characterized in that the first traction cable ( 11 ) is rectilinear along the second segment ( 120 ) of the first circulation path ( 101 ). 
     
     
         9 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the second traction cable ( 21 ) is rectilinear along the second segment of the second circulation path ( 102 ). 
     
     
         10 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to  any of the preceding claims , characterized in that it comprises guiding means ( 140 ) which are configured to guide the first traction cable ( 11 ) along the travel path ( 111 ) of the first segment ( 110 ) of the first circulation path ( 101 ). 
     
     
         11 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to  the preceding claim , characterized in that the guiding means ( 140 ) comprise vertical guiding means ( 141 ) and horizontal guiding means ( 142 ). 
     
     
         12 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to  any of the preceding claims , characterized in that the travel path comprises two rails spaced apart in a regular manner. 
     
     
         13 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to  any of the preceding claims , characterized in that the first traction cable ( 11 ) constitutes the single driving cable of the vehicle ( 30 ) along the first circulation path ( 101 ). 
     
     
         14 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to  any of the preceding claims  dependent at least on  claim 2 , in that the second traction cable ( 21 ) constitutes the single driving cable of the vehicle ( 30 ) along the second circulation path ( 102 ). 
     
     
         15 . Transport facility ( 100 ) according to  any of the preceding claims , characterized in that the first segment(s) ( 110 ) and the second segment(s) ( 120 ) of the first traffic path ( 101 ) are placed in series. 
     
     
         16 . Method for using a transport facility ( 100 ) according to  any of the preceding claims , characterized in that it comprises at least:
 a first step of circulating the vehicle ( 30 ) along the first segment ( 110 ) during which the set of carrying wheels ( 32 ) for guiding the vehicle ( 30 ) travels on the travel path ( 111 ), the vehicle ( 30 ) being driven by the traction cable ( 11 ) at the nominal linear speed; and   a second step of circulating the vehicle ( 30 ) along the second segment ( 210 ) during which the first traction cable ( 11 ) fully carries the vehicle ( 30 ) and drives it at the nominal linear speed along the second segment ( 120 ).