Devices, vehicles, and amusement rides that supply electrical energy to recreational vehicles, especially roller coaster vehicles.

Abstract

A device (10) for supplying electrical energy to an amusement ride, particularly a roller coaster vehicle (11), comprising a generator (12), a mechanical transmission unit (14) arranged on the generator, a wheel connectable to the mechanical transmission unit (14), and at least one capacitor rechargeable by the generator (12), a vehicle (11) having the device, and an amusement ride having the vehicle (11).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for supplying electric energy to a vehicle of an amusement ride, particularly a roller coaster, a vehicle of an amusement ride having the device, and an amusement ride having the vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Amusement rides are known in various configurations from the prior art and are provided as fixed or semi-fixed facilities or attractions, particularly in amusement parks, for the leisure entertainment of passengers. Common amusement rides can be, for example, a water ride, a roller coaster, a dark ride, a carousel, a rotating amusement ride, etc., having at least one passenger accommodation facility in which at least one passenger can move along a route. The at least one passenger accommodation facility can be arranged, for example, on a vehicle or a movable frame.

[0003] It has been shown that supplying electric energy to a vehicle can be complicated. On the one hand, a power storage device such as a rechargeable battery needs to be installed, which, on the one hand, significantly increases the weight of the vehicle. On the other hand, the power storage device needs to be charged regularly, and for this purpose, the vehicle needs to be transported, for example, to a maintenance area. This affects particularly passive-driven vehicles, i.e., vehicles without their own active drive unit. This applies, for example, to vehicles of roller coasters accelerated by gravity (so-called lift hill coasters) or vehicles of roller coasters accelerated by a catapult start (so-called launch coasters).

[0004] Therefore, the present invention is based on the problem of providing a device for supplying electrical energy to amusement rides, particularly roller coaster vehicles, that is easy to manufacture and solves the problems known from the prior art in a practical manner. Furthermore, the proposed device should be able to ensure a self-sufficient energy supply, especially for amusement ride vehicles. The present invention is also based on the problem of providing corresponding vehicles and corresponding amusement rides. [Overview of the project]

[0005] According to the present invention, the problem is solved by an apparatus having the features of claim 1, a vehicle having the features of claim 10, and an amusement vehicle having the features of claim 13.

[0006] Advantageous configurations and further developments of the present invention are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0007] An apparatus according to the present invention for supplying electrical energy to amusement rides, particularly roller coaster vehicles, comprises a generator, a mechanical transmission unit positioned on the generator, a wheel connectable to the mechanical transmission unit, and at least one capacitor rechargeable by the generator. Using such an arrangement, the generator can be mechanically driven by the movement of the vehicle via the mechanical transmission unit, thereby enabling the capacitor to be charged by the movement of the vehicle. Preferably, for this purpose, the rotation of the wheel can be coupled to the movement of the vehicle. This preferably allows the vehicle to receive energy during use as an amusement ride without requiring a power connection or the installation of a large and heavy rechargeable battery. Downtime for battery charging can also be eliminated. Furthermore, the apparatus according to the present invention can be manufactured and installed at low cost. In particular, retrofitting to older vehicles is possible with relatively little effort.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the generator is located within the wheel hub. This arrangement can be achieved in space-saving requirements. Such an arrangement is particularly suitable for vehicles that are designed from the outset to accommodate the corresponding equipment.

[0009] The mechanical transmission unit is particularly preferably comprised of a wheel hub. Such an arrangement is known, for example, from the hub dynamo of a bicycle. Thus, the device can be integrated into the vehicle with particularly little technical effort.

[0010] To connect to a wheel, the mechanical transmission may include a receiving wheel and / or a coupling that can be mounted on the wheel. Such a device may be suitable as an aftermarket addition to an existing vehicle, particularly due to the relatively limited installation effort involved. The receiving wheel may be mounted on the wheel body, especially on the running surface of the wheel body or on the wheel axis of the wheel. The coupling may preferably be mounted on the wheel axis. The operable connection between one wheel and the other receiving wheel and / or coupling may be designed to be a shape fit and / or friction fit. To provide a shape fit connection, the receiving wheel may be designed, for example, as a gear wheel and have a meshing structure corresponding to the wheel body and / or wheel axis. To provide a friction fit connection, the receiving wheel may be designed, for example, as a friction wheel and / or the coupling may be designed as a friction coupling.

[0011] The wheels of the device preferably consist of the running wheels of a vehicle. Thus, existing components and / or assemblies of the vehicle can be used for the implementation of the device. Hereafter and thereafter, the running wheels are understood preferably as the wheels of a vehicle that establish contact between the vehicle and the environment, i.e., in particular the remaining portion of an amusement ride to which the vehicle can move relative to. The running wheels substantially act to transmit the forces of the vehicle, in particular braking forces, acceleration forces and / or lateral forces, to the environment, in particular the track. The running wheels of a roller coaster vehicle, for example, preferably establish contact between the roller coaster vehicle and the roller coaster track, which is often designed as a track system, thereby transmitting the braking forces, acceleration forces and / or lateral forces acting on the roller coaster vehicle.

[0012] The mechanical transmission may have a switchable coupling, thereby allowing the power supplied by the generator to be mechanically actuated or deacted. In particular, the switchable coupling may consist of a shaft coupling. Alternatively, the switchable coupling may be configured such that the receiving wheel is designed to be removable from the wheel body or, alternatively, from the wheel shaft.

[0013] Furthermore, the mechanical transmission may include a gear unit for converting torque and rotational speed. This allows the rotational speed and torque provided by the wheel to be matched to the rotational speed or, alternatively, the torque range of the generator.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus comprises a control unit designed to control the charging and / or discharging processes of at least one capacitor. Thus, a continuous and / or constant power supply can be provided on demand and as needed. The apparatus may comprise a first control unit for controlling the charging process of the capacitor and / or a second control unit for controlling the discharging process of the capacitor. The first control unit is preferably located on the circuit between the generator and the capacitor. The second control unit is preferably located on the circuit between the capacitor and the consuming device.

[0015] In a further development of the present invention, at least one capacitor is designed as a supercapacitor. This allows the advantages of the device, such as its small mass and minimal installation space requirements, to be enhanced simultaneously with high performance. Preferably, since such a capacitor can be charged and / or discharged within seconds, the device designed in this way can provide powerful dynamics, particularly in terms of time.

[0016] At least one supercapacitor is sometimes abbreviated as "supercap," or in German as "Superkondensator," or sometimes as an ultracapacitor. Supercapacitors are preferred for use because they have a very high power density compared to other types of energy storage devices such as rechargeable batteries, and they can be charged and discharged rapidly. In particular, capacitors in general, and especially supercapacitors, have been shown to have a significantly longer lifespan than the aforementioned rechargeable batteries, and therefore can withstand a significantly larger number of charge cycles without loss of performance.

[0017] A vehicle according to the present invention for recreational rides, particularly roller coasters, is equipped with the above-described apparatus.

[0018] The vehicle may be equipped with a generator and at least one power-consuming device electrically operably connected to it. Thus, at least one power-consuming device is capable of receiving electrical energy. At least one capacitor preferably acts to compensate for the difference between the electrical energy provided by the generator and the energy required by the at least one power-consuming device. In this regard, at least one capacitor may act as a buffer energy storage device. At least one power-consuming device may, among other things, be equipped with the vehicle's lighting system and / or communication means such as a wireless unit. At least one power-consuming device may be equipped with a communication device that provides virtual reality to the user of the amusement vehicle while riding, in particular if the amusement vehicle is designed as a so-called virtual reality amusement vehicle. Such a virtual reality amusement vehicle is typically equipped with a virtual reality module, for example, virtual reality glasses. The virtual reality provided to the user of the amusement vehicle by the communication means is made adaptable to the temporal and spatial constraints of the amusement vehicle.

[0019] Preferably, the vehicle is a passively driven vehicle. Hereafter, and thereafter, it is preferable to understand a passively driven vehicle as a vehicle that does not have its own drive system. Such a passively driven vehicle can be driven by gravity, for example, as a so-called lift-hill coaster, or by a catapult start, as a so-called launch coaster. In a passively driven vehicle, the provision of the above-described device eliminates the need for an external power source for the vehicle.

[0020] The amusement ride according to the present invention, in particular a roller coaster, comprises the vehicle described above. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0021] [Figure 1] A schematic cross-sectional view of an amusement ride, particularly a roller coaster vehicle, is shown along with an example of a device according to the present invention for supplying electrical energy to the vehicle, similarly schematicly represented. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0022] Figure 1 below shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a vehicle 11 of an amusement ride, particularly a roller coaster vehicle, along with an example of a similarly schematic representation of a device 10 according to the present invention for supplying electrical energy to the vehicle 11. The device 10 comprises a generator 12, a mechanical transmission unit 14 located on the generator 12, and running wheels 16 of the vehicle 11 that can be connected to the mechanical transmission unit 14. Furthermore, the device 10 comprises a plurality of supercapacitors 18 that can be charged by the generator 12, which are schematically represented in Figure 1 by the capacitor symbol. The supercapacitors 18 have high performance and powerful dynamics. Therefore, the vehicle 11 can receive energy supply, preferably during use as an amusement ride, without requiring a power connection or the installation of a large, heavy rechargeable battery.

[0023] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the mechanical transmission unit 14 comprises a receiving wheel 20 which can be arranged on the driving wheel 16. Thus, the exemplary embodiment of the illustrated device 10 is particularly suitable as a retrofit means for existing vehicles. The receiving wheel 20 can preferably be arranged on the wheel body 22, particularly on the running surface 23 of the wheel body 22 or on the wheel axle 24 of the driving wheel 16. The operable connection between one driving wheel 16 and the other receiving wheel 20 can be designed to be a form fit and / or a friction fit. To provide a form fit connection, the receiving wheel 20 can be designed, for example, as a gear wheel, and the wheel body 22 and / or the wheel axle 24 can have corresponding meshing structures. To provide a friction fit connection, the receiving wheel 20 can be designed, for example, as a friction wheel.

[0024] The mechanical transmission unit 14 may have a switchable coupling, for example, designed to be able to remove the receiving wheel 20 from the wheel body 22 or the wheel axle 24. Thereby, the power supply provided by the generator 12 can be mechanically actuated or deactivated.

[0025] The exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is also characterized by a control unit 26 designed to control the charging process of the supercapacitor 18. The control unit 26 is located on the electrical circuit between the generator 12 and the supercapacitor 18.

[0026] The schematic diagram of the vehicle 11 shown in FIG. 1 also shows at least one power-consuming device 28 shown schematically, which comprises an electrically operable connection to the generator 12 and the supercapacitor 18. Thus, electrical energy can be supplied to at least one power-consuming device 28. Thereby, the supercapacitor 18 acts particularly to compensate for the difference between the electrical energy supplied by the generator 12 and the energy required by at least one consuming device 28, whereby the supercapacitor 18 acts particularly as a buffer energy storage device. The at least one consuming device 28 may comprise, for example, a lighting device and / or communication means of the vehicle 11.

[0027] The vehicle 11 schematically shown in FIG. 1 is preferably a passive drive vehicle. Therefore, the driving wheels 16 preferably do not have their own drive system.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0028] 10 Device 11 Vehicle 12 Generator 14 Mechanical transmission unit 16 Driving wheel 18 Supercapacitor 20 Receiving wheel 22 Wheel body 23 Running surface 24 Wheel axle 26 Control unit 28 Power consumption device

Claims

1. A device (10) that supplies electrical energy to amusement rides, particularly roller coaster vehicles (11), Generator (12) and A mechanical transmission unit (14) is arranged in the generator, A wheel connectable to the mechanical transmission unit (14), At least one capacitor that can be charged by the generator (12), A device equipped with the following features.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generator (12) is located within the hub of the wheel.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the mechanical transmission unit (14) is formed by the hub of the wheel.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, for coupling with the wheel, the mechanical transmission unit (14) comprises a receiving wheel (20) and / or a shaft coupling that can be positioned on the wheel.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the wheel is composed of the vehicle's running wheel (16).

6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the mechanical transmission unit (14) is equipped with a switchable joint.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the mechanical transmission unit (14) comprises a gear unit for converting torque and rotational speed.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the apparatus (10) comprises a control unit (26) designed to control the charging and / or discharging process of the at least one capacitor.

9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the at least one capacitor is designed as a supercapacitor (18).

10. A vehicle (11) for an amusement ride, particularly for a roller coaster, having the device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle (11) comprises at least one power-consuming device (28) electrically operably connected to the generator (12) and / or the at least one capacitor.

12. The vehicle according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the vehicle (11) is a passively driven vehicle.

13. An amusement ride having a vehicle (11) according to any one of claims 10 to 12, particularly a roller coaster.

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