1. A cableway system having devices for conveying persons along a conveying cable between cableway stations, comprising:
a safety device mounted to the devices for conveying persons and movable between a closed position and an open position;
a control device in the form of rails respectively disposed at an entry and an exit of a station of the cableway system;
an actuating device disposed to interact with said control device, said safety device being mechanically connected to said actuating device; and
a sensor for detecting a position of said actuating device disposed in a region of an end of said control device in a conveying direction of the conveying cable.
2. The cableway system according to claim 1, wherein said devices for conveying persons are configured to be detached from the conveying cable during a transport thereof through the cableway stations.
3. The cableway system according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is disposed at a distance from said control device in the conveying direction.
4. The cableway system according to claim 1, wherein said rails are displaceable by said actuating device counter to a restoring force.
5. The cableway system according to claim 4, which comprises a device for generating the restoring force selected from the group consisting of a spring and a pressure medium cylinder.
6. The cableway system according to claim 4, which comprises a weight for generating the restoring force.
7. The cableway system according to claim 1, wherein said rails are pivotally mounted.
8. The cableway system according to claim 1, wherein said rails are formed with a run-in ramp section inclined in the conveying direction, and a run-out ramp section inclined in a direction opposite the conveying direction.
9. The cableway system according to claim 1, wherein said displacing member is mounted resiliently on said actuating device.
10. The cableway system according to claim 1, wherein said displacing member is connected resiliently to said safety device.
11. A cableway system having devices for conveying persons along a conveying cable between cableway stations, comprising:
a safety device mounted to the devices for conveying persons and movable between a closed position and an open position;
a control device disposed at an entry and an exit of a station of the cableway system;
an actuating device disposed to interact with said control device, said safety device being mechanically connected to said actuating device; and
a sensor for detecting a position of said actuating device disposed in a region of an end of said control device in a conveying direction of the conveying cable;
said actuating device including a lever pivotally mounted about a center of rotation and having a first lever arm with a free end carrying a roller disposed to roll on said control devices, and a second lever arm connected to said safety device.
12. The cableway system according to claim 11, wherein said second lever arm is connected to said safety device by way of a connecting rod or a Bowden cable.
13. The cableway system according to claim 11, wherein said first lever arm is pivotable about a center of rotation thereof through a dead point.
14. The cableway system according to claim 11, wherein the device for conveying persons is a lift chair and said safety device is a closing bar or a weatherproof cover hood pivotally mounted to the lift chair.
15. The cableway system according to claim 11, wherein the device for conveying persons is a gondola and the safety device is a gondola cabin door.
16. The cableway system according to claim 11, wherein said sensor is an optical sensor.
17. The cableway system according to claim 11, wherein said sensor is an electromagnetic sensor.
18. The cableway system according to claim 11, wherein said sensor is a mechanical sensor.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A support apparatus configured for providing internal support to a mold, tooling, or SMP apparatus for forming composite parts, the support apparatus comprising:
a rigid structural member that remains rigid when heated to a temperature sufficient for curing a composite part, wherein the rigid structural member has a plurality of openings formed therethrough;
a plurality of inflatable SMP cells made of shape memory polymer (SMP) configured to be actuated to transition between a rigid state and a malleable state, wherein the SMP cells are aligned with the openings of the rigid structural member and are each inflatable through or in fluid communication with the openings formed through the rigid structural member; and
a pressurization system configured to inflate the SMP cells to extend from the rigid structural member when in the malleable state.
2. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the SMP cells are configured to be in the rigid state at a temperature below Tg and to become malleable at a temperature above Tg.
3. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigid structural member comprises a flat, contoured, or hollow rigid sheet of material with the openings formed therethrough.
4. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the SMP cells are shaped like hollow blocks, cylinders, or domes, each having an opening aligned with one of the openings formed through the rigid structural member.
5. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the SMP cells are shaped like hollow blocks or cylinders, each having an open end aligned with one of the openings formed through the rigid structural member and a dome-shaped end opposite of the open end.
6. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressurization system is configured to circulate liquid or pressurized gas through the plurality of openings formed through the rigid structural member into the SMP cells.
7. The support apparatus of claim 2, wherein the pressurization system comprises a pressure source and a heat source, wherein the heat source comprises at least one of an oven, an autoclave, and a heat exchanger configured to circulate heated or cooled liquid or gas through the SMP cells to actuate the SMP cells from the rigid state to the malleable state or from the malleable state to the rigid state.
8. The support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressurization system comprises a pressure source, one or more tubes through which pressurized gas from the pressure source flows to the SMP cells, and a plurality of valves configured to independently control pressurization of one or more of the SMP cells.
9. A method of forming a composite part on an SMP apparatus composed of shape memory polymer (SMP), the method comprising:
placing a support apparatus proximate to at least one surface of the SMP apparatus, wherein the support apparatus comprises:
a rigid structural member that remains rigid when heated to a temperature sufficient for curing a composite part, wherein the rigid structural member has a plurality of openings formed therethrough,
a plurality of inflatable SMP cells made of shape memory polymer (SMP) configured to be actuated to transition between a rigid state and a malleable state, wherein the SMP cells are aligned with the openings of the rigid structural member, each extending over or through one of the openings formed through the rigid structural member; and
a pressurization system configured to inflate the SMP cells to extend from the rigid structural member when the SMP cells are in the malleable state;
actuating the SMP cells to the malleable state;
inflating the SMP cells with the pressurization system such that the SMP cells press against the at least one surface of the SMP apparatus while in the malleable state;
actuating the SMP cells to the rigid state while the SMP cells are pressed against the at least one surface of the SMP apparatus, thus providing a rigid load path between the SMP apparatus and the rigid structural member; and
applying uncured composite material to a surface of the SMP apparatus opposite of the at least one surface of the SMP apparatus in contact with the SMP cells.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the rigid structural member may be at least one of flat, contoured, and hollow.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the SMP cells are in the rigid state at temperatures below Tg and are actuated into the malleable state when heated above Tg.
12. The method of claim 9, further comprising placing the SMP apparatus against at least one mold surface before the step of inflating the SMP cells, such that inflating the SMP cells sandwiches the SMP apparatus between the SMP cells and the at least one mold surface.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
curing the composite material to form the composite part;
actuating the SMP cells to the malleable state then deflating the SMP cells; and
removing the support apparatus and SMP apparatus from the composite part.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the pressurization system applies vacuum to the SMP cells to deflate the SMP cells.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein the SMP cells are shaped like hollow blocks, cylinders, or domes, each having an opening aligned with one of the openings formed through the rigid structural member.
16. The method of claim 9, wherein the SMP cells are shaped like hollow blocks or cylinders, each having an open end aligned with one of the openings formed through the rigid structural member and a dome-shaped end opposite of the open end.
17. The method of claim 9, wherein the pressurization system is configured to circulate liquid or pressurized gas through the plurality of openings formed through the rigid structural member into the SMP cells.
18. An apparatus for forming composite parts, wherein the apparatus comprises:
an SMP apparatus formed of shape memory polymer (SMP), having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface of the SMP apparatus is shaped and configured to form an inner surface of the composite part; and
a support apparatus in contact with the inner surface of the SMP apparatus, the support apparatus comprising:
a rigid structural member that remains rigid when heated to a temperature suitable for curing a composite part, wherein the rigid structural member is a monolithic part having a plurality of openings formed therethrough;
a plurality of hollow inflatable SMP cells made of shape memory polymer (SMP) and configured to be rigid at temperatures below Tg and to become malleable at temperatures above Tg, wherein the SMP cells contact the inner surface of the SMP apparatus when inflated, wherein the SMP cells are aligned with the openings of the rigid structural member, each extending over or through one of the openings formed through the rigid structural member; and
a pressurization system configured to pressurize the SMP cells, thereby actuating the SMP cells away from the rigid structural member and against the SMP apparatus when the SMP cells are heated to a temperature above Tg,
wherein the SMP cells provide a rigid load path between the SMP apparatus and the rigid structural member when cooled below Tg while pressed against the inner surface of the SMP apparatus.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a height of any of the SMP cells relative to the rigid structural member is proportional to a distance between the SMP apparatus and the rigid structural member at an attachment location of the corresponding SMP cell.
20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the SMP cells each comprise an attachment portion at which the SMP cell is attached to the rigid structural member, wherein the attachment portion is configured to remain rigid when heated to a temperature above Tg.