Elevated railway-like transport system, method for distance control, computer program product, and control device

A method for controlling a distance between two successive carriages at an elevated railway-like transport system which includes:

• a carrier system with rail-like or cable-like carrier elements that are fastened in an area of support elements, and the carrier system including self-propelled carriages, each of the carriages including a drive unit that cooperates with the carrier elements, and a gondola that is connected to the drive unit via a carrier device, and that is used for passenger transport or cargo transport, the carriages being movable independently of one another along the carrier elements, and a distance being formed between two successive carriages on the same carrier element, and wherein the carrier system further includes a weight detection device configured to indirectly detect a weight of the self-propelled carriages,
• wherein a minimum distance between two successive carriages is controllable as a function of the weights of the carriages that are detected by the weight detection device, using a control device, wherein a distance sensor is used to ascertain the distance between successive carriages, wherein the distance between the two successive carriages is increased when a load on the carrier system is decreased,
• wherein the method comprises the following steps:
• detecting weights of at least the two successive carriages along the carrier elements;
• determining a minimum distance between the two successive carriages based on predefined maximum loads on the carrier system;
• and
• indirectly ensuring the minimum distance by outputting information to an operator of at least one carriage or by direct activation of drives of at least one carriage by the control device.

A non-transitory data medium on which is stored a computer program for controlling a distance between two successive carriages at an elevated railway-like transport system including:

• a carrier system with rail-like or cable-like carrier elements that are fastened in an area of support elements, and the carrier system including self-propelled carriages, each of the carriages including a drive unit that cooperates with the carrier elements, and a gondola that is connected to the drive unit via a carrier device, and that is used for passenger transport or cargo transport, the carriages being movable independently of one another along the carrier elements, and a distance being formed between two successive carriages on the same carrier element, and wherein the carrier system further includes a weight detection device configured to indirectly detect a weight of the self-propelled carriages,
• wherein a minimum distance between two successive carriages is controllable as a function of the weights of the carriages that are detected by the weight detection device, using a control device, wherein a distance sensor is used to ascertain the distance between successive carriages, wherein the distance between the two successive carriages is increased when a load on the carrier system is decreased;
• wherein the computer program, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the following steps:
• detecting weights of at least two successive carriages along the carrier elements;
• determining a minimum distance between the two successive carriages based on predefined maximum loads on the carrier system;
• and
• indirectly ensuring the minimum distance by outputting information to an operator of at least one carriage or and/or by direct activation of drives of at least one carriage by the control device.

A control device configured to receive at least data from a weight detection device and to output information to an operator of at least one carriage, or to activate drives of at least one carriage in order to indirectly ensure a minimum distance between two successive carriages,

• wherein the carriages are part of an elevated railway-like transport system including:
• a carrier system with rail-like or cable-like carrier elements that are fastened in an area of support elements, and the carrier system including self-propelled carriages, each of the carriages including a drive unit that cooperates with the carrier elements, and a gondola that is connected to the drive unit via a carrier device, and that is used for passenger transport or cargo transport, the carriages being movable independently of one another along the carrier elements, and a distance being formed between two successive carriages on the same carrier element, and wherein the carrier system further includes the weight detection device configured to indirectly detect a weight of the self-propelled carriages,
• wherein the control device is configured to control a minimum distance between the two successive carriages as a function of the weights of the carriages that are detected by the weight detection device, wherein a distance sensor is used to ascertain the distance between the successive carriages, wherein the distance between the two successive carriages is increased when a load on the carrier system is decreased.