# US 2009/0260949 A1 · Ski lift having an auxiliary conveyor floor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260949 A1 - Document ID: US20090260949A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/380,256 - Filed: 2009-02-25 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-02-26 - Inventors: Manfred Huber - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260949A1 ## CPC - B61B 12/022: {Vehicle receiving and dispatching devices (acceleration or deceleration devices B61B12/105; cable grippers B61B12/12)} - B65G 17/086: {specially adapted to follow a curved path (for individual load carriers B65G17/22)} - B66B 21/10: Moving walkways - B66B 23/10: Carrying belts - B61B: RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (lifts or hoists, elevators, escalators, moving walkways B66B) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B66B: ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS ({apparatus for raising or lowering persons on theatrical stages or the like A63J5/12} ; funicular railbound systems with rigid ground-supported tracks and cable traction, e.g. cliff railways, B61B9/00; arrangements of ammunition handlers in vessels B63G3/00; hoists, lifts, or conveyors for loading or unloading in general B65G; braking or detent devices controlling normal movements of winding drums or barrels B66D; ship-lifting devices E02C; garages for many vehicles with mechanical means for lifting vehicles E04H6/12; hoists for feeding ammunition or projectiles to launching apparatus or to loading mechanisms F41A9/00) ## Abstract The present invention relates to a passenger transportation system, in particular a ski lift system in the form of a chair lift system or a circulating gondola lift system, having a main conveyor, in particular a chair lift or a circulating gondola lift, having a boarding/disembarking platform to board and/or alight from the main conveyor moving past the boarding/disembarking platform as well as having an auxiliary conveyor in the form of a conveyor floor for the conveying of persons to and/or from the boarding/disembarking platform. It is proposed in accordance with the invention that the conveyor floor describes a curved conveyor path which includes a first conveyor path section which feeds to the boarding platform or feeds away from the disembarking platform at an acute angle inclined to the conveying direction of the main conveyor and a second conveyor path section which extends substantially parallel to the conveying direction of the main conveyor at the boarding platform. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A passenger transportation system, in particular a ski lift system in the form of a chair lift system or of a circulating gondola lift system, having a main conveyor (1), in particular a chair lift (2) or a circulating gondola lift (3), having a boarding/disembarking platform (4) for the entering and/or exiting of the main conveyor (1) moving past the boarding/disembarking platform (4), as well as having an auxiliary conveyor (5) in the form of a conveyor floor (6) for the conveying of passengers to or from the boarding/disembarking platform (4), wherein the conveyor floor (6) has a curved conveyor path (7) which includes a first conveyor path section (8) which runs slantingly to the direction of conveying of the main conveyor (1) toward the boarding/disembarking platform (4) or leads away from the boarding/disembarking platform (4), as well as having a second conveyor path section (9) which extends substantially parallel to the direction of conveying of the main conveyor (1) at the boarding/disembarking platform (4). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first conveyor path section (8) runs toward the main conveyor (1) or leads away from it slantingly at an angle of 20° to 60°, preferably approximately 30°, to the conveyor axis of the main conveyor (1). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the conveyor floor (6) is spaced apart from a reversal device (11), in particular a reversal carousel (12) of the main conveyor (1) in the direction of conveying of the main conveyor (1), is in particular arranged outside the operational area of the reversal carousel (12) of the main conveyor (1). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the conveyor floor (6) is arranged in the reversing region of the main conveyor (1) and follows the arcuate reversing path of the main conveyor (1). ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 4, wherein the conveyor path (7) of the conveyor floor (6) is matched to the arcuate reversing path of the main conveyor (1) and extends in parallel at least section-wise to the named arcuate reversing path of the main conveyor (1). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a boarding zone (13) of the conveyor floor (6) is spaced apart laterally from the conveyor path of the main conveyor (1) arranged outside the travel track of the passenger carrier means of the main conveyor (1), in particular its chairs (15) or circulating gondolas (16), and/or extends inclined to the conveyor path of the main conveyor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first and second conveyor path sections (8, 9) of the conveyor floor (6) each have a straight extent and are connected to one another by a third, curved conveyor path section (10). ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 7, wherein the first and second conveyor path sections (8, 9) are each at least twice as long as the named third, curved conveyor path section (10). ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the named second conveyor path section (9) of the conveyor floor (6) extends beneath the conveyor path of the chair lift (2) on the formation of the main conveyor (1) as a chair lift (2). ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 9, wherein a conveyor speed difference is provided between the conveyor floor (6) and the chair lift (2), with the conveyor speed of the conveyor floor (6) in the embarking zone in particular being 25% to 65%, preferably approximately 30% to 40%, of the conveyor speed of the chair lift and the conveyor speed of the conveyor floor (6) in the disembarking zone being 125% to 165%, preferably approximately 130% to 140%, of the conveying speed of the chair lift. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the aforesaid second conveyor path section (9) of the conveyor floor (6) extends laterally next to the conveyor path of the circulating gondola lift on formation of the main conveyor (1) as a circulating gondola lift. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the conveyor speed of the conveyor floor (6) substantially corresponds to the conveyor speed of the circulating gondola lift. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the conveyor floor (6) includes mutually overlapping tread plates (17) which are rotatably journaled around upright axes of rotation (18) by rotatably journaled coupling pieces. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the mutually overlapping tread plates (17) form a link band and/or are part of a link band. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the tread plates (17) are formed by crescent-shaped plate segments. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tread plates are displaceably guided in a guide (19) defining the conveyor path (7) of the conveyor floor (6). ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein an angle control device (20) is associated with the tread plates (17) by means of which the angular position of the tread plates (17) along the conveyor path 87) of the conveyor floor (6) is controlled substantially parallel to the conveyor path longitudinal axis or to a tangent adjacent to the conveyor path. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the conveyor floor (6) has a conveyor floor drive (21) which includes drive wheels arranged at the lower side of the tread plates (17). ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the drive wheels of the conveyor floor drive are made in the form of gears which mesh with a rack-like engagement section of the tread plates and/or form a lateral guide for the tread plates. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the conveyor floor (6) has endlessly circulating, pliable drive means, preferably in the form of a round link chain. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the conveyor floor (6) has endlessly circulating, pliable drive means, preferably in the form of a round link chain and the pliable drive means are connected to the tread plates (17) at the lower side thereof. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) A passenger transportation system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the conveyor floor (6) has a curved link belt (24) whose links (26) are pivotally connected to one another around transverse axes and are coupled to one another in the manner of a chain in manner transmitting tensile force, with the links (26) having play with respect to the transverse axes in the longitudinal direction of the belt by means of which the links (26) are rotatable with respect to one another around an axis perpendicular to the conveyor floor plane and the link belt (24) is curved.