Visual confirmation device for locking status of Ferris wheel gondola doors

Abstract

To provide a visual confirmation device for the locking status of Ferris wheel gondola doors, which can improve safety through human confirmation and reduce human error by introducing visual confirmation work by workers. [Solution] The system is equipped with a locking device 120 that is positioned above the door 210 and locks the door when the first locking member on the gondola 200 side and the second locking member on the door side are grounded, a handle that is positioned on the outside of the door and has a grip lever that moves the second locking member, allowing the door to be opened and closed, and a visual confirmation unit that is positioned between the locking device and the handle and allows workers to visually check the locking status of the door from outside the Ferris wheel gondola, making it easy to distinguish between locked, semi-locked and unlocked states, which has the effect of significantly reducing the risk of accidents due to sensor malfunctions or human error.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of safety management technology, and relates to a locking state confirmation device for Ferris wheel gondola doors. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional Ferris wheel gondola doors have mainly used latches or, in recent years, sensors to determine the locking status, but there have been multiple instances of sensors malfunctioning, simple human error, or wear on the latch and hook causing the door to be left half-locked, posing a risk of serious falls.

[0003] Conventional technology was unable to reliably detect partial locking or incomplete locking due to component deterioration, and safety was insufficient, so there was a need to introduce a system that would allow workers to manually visually check the locking status. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2025-69639 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-196027 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Conventionally, Ferris wheel gondola doors have faced technical challenges, such as the risk of misjudging the locking status of the latches or human error, even when workers visually inspect the closed state of the gondola doors or palpate the door by placing their hands on them, resulting in a high risk of serious accidents due to overlooking a partially locked state.Furthermore, the state of the latches cannot be seen from the worker's position.

[0006] It is necessary to introduce a system that assists manual confirmation and allows workers to reliably and intuitively distinguish whether the door is locked, half-locked, or unlocked, and to make manual confirmation a mandatory requirement in order to improve safety and reduce human error. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This device provides a visual inspection area between the door locking device and the handle, allowing workers to determine whether the door is locked, semi-locked, or unlocked based on how the marking area is visible through the slit. By introducing visual inspection by workers, this device improves safety through human confirmation and reduces human error.

[0008] This visual confirmation unit clearly changes the visible range of the marking area depending on the locking status of the door, preventing incorrect judgments and missed checks that can be made with conventional latches and sensors. When combined with safety confirmation procedures such as pointing and calling by workers, this helps prevent serious accidents. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this invention, the visual confirmation section makes it easy to distinguish between locked, semi-locked, and unlocked states, which has the effect of significantly reducing the risk of accidents due to sensor malfunction or human error.

[0010] In addition, safety checks can be performed regardless of the worker's experience or the height of their viewpoint, which also has economic benefits such as improving maintainability and operational efficiency and preventing serious accidents. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a Ferris wheel gondola. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing details of the main components of the locking device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the details of the visual confirmation section (pipe covering section, slit section, marking section) of the locking state confirmation device. [Figure 4]10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing examples of the locked state, the semi-locked state, and the unlocked state, and how the marking portion is visible through the slit in each state. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an operation in which a worker safely checks the locked state by pointing and calling out. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The locking status confirmation device 100 of the present invention is a safety confirmation mechanism that is installed on the door 210 of a Ferris wheel gondola 200 and enables an operator 260 to reliably determine the locking status 220. As shown in Fig. 1, the locking status confirmation device 100 is composed of a locking device 120, a handle 130, a visual confirmation unit 140, a gondola latch 150, etc., and these components work together to control the locking and opening / closing of the door 210 and enable a human to visually confirm the locking status.

[0013] 2, locking device 120 is disposed above door 210 of Ferris wheel gondola 200, and is composed of first locking member 170 and second locking member 160. Second locking member 170 is movable in the vertical direction, so that the change in position during locking and unlocking operations is clearly visible.

[0014] The second locking member 170 is attached to the top of the door 210. This mobility allows the door to transition from a semi-locked state 230 to an unlocked state 240 when an external force is applied, and also serves to visualize the change in the locking state.

[0015] Elastic body 180 is provided below second locking member 160 and is made of a suitable elastic material such as rubber or a spring. Elastic body 180 absorbs impacts and external forces during the locking operation, prevents second locking member 160 from unintentionally moving up and down when an external force acts on door 210, and transitions from half-locked state 230 to unlocked state 240. Half-open state 290 can occur during this process.

[0016] The first locking member 170 is provided near the top of the door 210 on the gondola side and has a base rod-shaped portion extending vertically and a hook portion extending downward from the tip of the base rod-shaped portion. The base rod-shaped portion is disposed perpendicular to the door 210, and the hook portion protrudes downward in a direction parallel to the door 210.

[0017] The hook portion of this second locking member 170 achieves a locked state 220 by hooking onto the base end of the first locking member 160. When the tip of the hook portion hooks deeply around the base end of the first locking member 160, the contact area is maximized, resulting in a fully locked state 220. Conversely, when the tip of the hook portion hooks shallowly between the middle of the base end and the tip, a semi-locked state 230 is achieved, and when it is not hooked at all, an unlocked state 240 is achieved.

[0018] The handle 130 is disposed on the outside of the door 210 and is a portion that allows the worker 260 to open or close the door 210. The handle 130 is equipped with a grip lever, and the second locking member 170 is movable by operating this grip lever.

[0019] In this embodiment, a handle 131 is employed, which has an easy-to-grip shape and an appropriate lever ratio, allowing the worker 260 to perform locking and unlocking operations with a stable force. This structure ensures that the door 210 can be closed and opened reliably.

[0020] A visual confirmation section 140 is provided between the locking device 120 and the handle section 130. The visual confirmation section 140 is composed of a pipe section 190, a pipe covering section 195, a slit section 141, and a marking section 142, and is designed so that an operator 260 can directly see the locked state 220, the semi-locked state 230, and the unlocked state 240 from the outside.

[0021] Pipe portion 190 is a hollow tubular member that mechanically connects second locking member 170 and handle portion 130, and serves to transmit force and position information when opening and closing door 210. Pipe portion 190 itself is provided with marking portion 142, and position changes according to the locking state can be visually confirmed through slit portion 141.

[0022] Pipe covering part 195 has a cover shape that covers a predetermined position of pipe part 190 from the outside. Pipe covering part 195 is provided with slit part 141, which functions as a window through which part of pipe part 190 can be directly seen from the outside.

[0023] The slit 141 is a rectangular or elliptical opening formed in the pipe covering part 195, and makes it clear to what extent the marking part 142 on the pipe part 190 is visible in each locking state. The slit 141 is designed with an optimal angle and dimensions from the outside of the door 210 to maximize visibility.

[0024] The marking section 142 is a band-shaped area that is provided on the pipe section 190 and is entirely colored. The range of the marking section 142 that is visible through the slit section 141 changes depending on the locking state, so the worker 260 can determine the locking state at a glance. The coloring is done using reflective paint or fluorescent paint to increase visibility.

[0025] In the locked state 220, the entire marking portion 142 can be seen through the slit portion 141. This indicates that the door 210 is completely locked, and serves as a criterion for safety confirmation.

[0026] In the semi-locked state 230, the marking portion 142 is only partially visible through the slit portion 141. When the latch hook is not deeply engaged or the lock is incomplete due to wear or the like, the semi-locked state can be determined by the fact that only a portion of the marking portion 142 is visible.

[0027] In the unlocked state 240, the marking portion 142 cannot be seen at all from the slit portion 141. Because the latch is not hooked on the hook portion, the marking portion 142 is hidden deep inside the slit portion 141, and the worker 260 can immediately recognize that the lock is not properly secured.

[0028] The gondola latch 150 is a mechanical latch mechanism provided on the Ferris wheel gondola 200. In the locked state 220, the gondola latch 150 is properly engaged and the door 210 is fully closed. In the partially locked state 230 or the unlocked state 240, the door 210 is in the half-open state 290 even when the latch 150 is closed.

[0029] In locking operation flow 250, first, door 210 of Ferris wheel gondola 200 is closed, and worker 260 operates handle 130 to activate locking device 120. Second locking member 160 moves up and down and hooks onto the hook portion of first locking member 170, thereby establishing locked state 220.

[0030] The operating principle of the locking device 120 is that the second locking member 160 is movable up and down due to the action of the elastic body 180, and the contact area changes depending on the hook depth. When the contact area is wide, it is in a fully locked state 220, when it is narrow it is in a half-locked state 230, and when there is no contact at all it is in an unlocked state 240.

[0031] By operating the grip lever of the handle 130, the second locking member 170 moves in a direction parallel to the door 210, thereby positioning it. By shaking the handle 130, the worker 260 can check the stability of the locking state and whether there is any wear.

[0032] Since the visual confirmation section 140 is provided between the locking device 120 and the handle section 130, the position of the marking section 142 on the pipe section 190 changes with each locking operation, and this state can be clearly seen from the outside through the slit section 141. This allows the worker 260 to instantly distinguish between the locked state 220, the semi-locked state 230, and the unlocked state 240.

[0033] The coloring of the marking portion 142 is important for improving the accuracy of determining the locking state. Because a highly reflective and fluorescent pigment is used, high visibility is ensured even in dark places or backlit conditions, and determination is possible even if the height of the worker's 260 viewpoint changes.

[0034] The addition of elastic body 180 improves the vertical mobility of second locking member 160, and when an external force is applied, second locking member 160 transitions from semi-locked state 230 to unlocked state 240. This enables early detection of locking failures due to wear or component deterioration, thereby improving the safety of Ferris wheel gondola 200.

[0035] Gondola latch 150 serves to mechanically confirm that door 210 of Ferris wheel gondola 200 is closed. In locked state 220, latch 150 is properly engaged, but in semi-locked state 230 or unlocked state 240, door 210 is in half-open state 290 even when latch 150 is closed, so the latch alone is insufficient to confirm safety.

[0036] In the overall design of the locking status confirmation device 100, each component works together to realize a series of safety confirmation processes according to the locking operation flow 250. The movable member of the locking device 120, the operability of the handle unit 130, the visibility of the visual confirmation unit 140, the mechanical closure determination of the gondola latch 150, and the safety improvement function of the elastic body 180 are integrated.

[0037] In the prior art 300, mechanical safety measures such as sensors 320 and latches 330 were the norm, but in the present invention 310, human confirmation 340 is also incorporated, making it possible to intuitively determine the locking state through the visual confirmation unit 140.

[0038] After the passengers board, the worker 260 closes the door 210, engages the latch 150, and swings the handle 130. Next, the worker 260 checks the visibility of the marking section 142 through the slit 141 of the visual confirmation section 140, and performs a pointing and calling procedure 270 (such as "mark OK") to perform a highly accurate safety check while preventing human error.

[0039] In designing the locking status confirmation device 100, the dimensions and material of the pipe section 190, the strength and durability of the pipe covering section 195, the shape and arrangement of the slit section 141, the color and reflectivity of the marking section 142, etc. directly affect the accuracy and reliability of locking status determination, so the selection of the specifications for each component is extremely important.

[0040] Pipe portion 190 is usually made of high-strength stainless steel, aluminum alloy, or the like, and is designed to withstand repeated opening and closing of door 210 and external forces. Marking portion 142 is provided to prevent a decrease in visibility due to wear and deterioration.

[0041] The pipe covering portion 195 is formed from an impact-resistant resin or metal cover, and is designed to protect the pipe portion 190 from external physical damage and environmental factors (rain, dust, etc.) while not interfering with visibility through the slit portion 141.

[0042] The dimensions and shape of the slit portion 141 are optimized to accommodate the various viewpoints (differences in height and working posture) of the worker 260, making it possible to determine the locking state without obstructing the view.

[0043] Marking section 142 is either integrally molded or affixed to a predetermined position on pipe section 190, and is colored using a special weather-resistant and abrasion-resistant paint or resin insert. This prevents discoloration and peeling even during long-term operation, maintaining the reliability of lock status determination.

[0044] In each step of the locking operation flow 250, the door 210 is first closed, and then the second locking member 170 is moved by operating the grip lever of the handle 130 and engages with the first locking member 160. The latch is stably fixed by the action of the elastic body 180, and the door enters the locked state 220.

[0045] Next, after the locked state 220 is established, the worker 260 checks the visibility of the marking portion 142 through the slit portion 141 of the visual confirmation portion 140. If the entire marking portion 142 is visible, it can be determined that the state is locked 220; if it is only partially visible, it can be determined that the state is semi-locked 230; and if it is completely invisible, it can be determined that the state is unlocked 240.

[0046] The partially locked state 230 occurs when the latch hook is not fully engaged, or when the latch is in an incompletely locked state due to wear, etc. Since only a portion of the marking portion 142 is visible, the worker 260 can immediately recognize the abnormality and take measures such as relocking the latch.

[0047] In the unlocked state 240, the claw of the locking device 120 is not caught on the hook portion at all, so the marking portion 142 is hidden from the slit portion 141, and the worker 260 can immediately determine that the lock is not properly locked.

[0048] The function of the elastic body 180 is that when an external force (such as a passenger's weight shift or an impact) is applied to the door 210, the first locking member 160 moves up and down, facilitating a transition from the semi-locked state 230 to the unlocked state 240. This allows the worker 260 to detect danger early, even in the unlikely event of wear or imperfect locking.

[0049] The structure of the gondola latch 150 is designed to lock correctly only when the door 210 is completely closed, and in the half-locked state 230 or the unlocked state 240, the door 210 is in the half-open state 290 even when the latch 150 is closed, so the latch alone is insufficient to determine safety.

[0050] In the operation procedure of the lock status confirmation device 100, by using the pointing and calling procedure 270 in addition to the visual confirmation by the worker 260, the accuracy and reliability of the human confirmation 340 are dramatically improved. This is also reflected in the safety regulations and operation manual.

[0051] The movable parts of the locking device 120 have dimensional tolerances and materials selected so that even when worn or deteriorated, it is possible to clearly distinguish between locked state 220, semi-locked state 230, and unlocked state 240. Even as wear progresses, the appearance of the marking portion 142 changes gradually, allowing for early detection of danger signs.

[0052] Unlike the sensor 320 and latch 330 of the prior art 300, the visual confirmation unit 140 of the present invention 310 allows real-time judgment by visual confirmation by the worker 260, thereby significantly reducing the risk of electrical malfunctions and human error.

[0053] At the operation site of the Ferris wheel gondola 200, the installation of the locking status confirmation device 100 allows the worker 260 to reliably confirm the locked state 220, semi-locked state 230, and unlocked state 240 by the pointing and calling procedure 270, thereby realizing an operation that prevents serious incidents such as falls from occurring.

[0054] The locking status confirmation device 100 realizes a double safety confirmation process for the doors 210 of the Ferris wheel gondola 200 by interlocking the gondola latch 150, the locking device 120, the visual confirmation unit 140, and the handle unit 130. In addition, these are often equipped with sensors that detect the locking status, which further ensures safety.

[0055] The locking state 220 can be determined only when the entire marking portion 142 is visible from the slit portion 141, so the worker 260 can make a consistent determination regardless of the height or angle of his or her viewpoint. This is due to the specially designed slit portion 141 with excellent visibility and color marking technology.

[0056] The semi-locked state 230 is determined when the marking portion 142 is only partially visible. This is physically limited by the latch hook depth of the locking device 120 and the shape of the hook portion, making it easy to detect abnormalities such as wear or incorrect operation.

[0057] The unlocked state 240 is determined when the marking portion 142 is completely invisible through the slit portion 141. This is physically ensured by the complete separation of the movable members of the locking device 120, and is designed to enable the worker 260 to quickly recognize the dangerous state.

[0058] At each step in the locking operation flow 250, the operator operates the handle 130, moves the locking device 120, visually checks the visual confirmation unit 140, and confirms that the gondola latch 150 is closed. Finally, the operator 260 completes the safety confirmation with a pointing and calling procedure 270. This means that the present invention ensures safety by requiring human intervention to confirm safety, rather than relying solely on mechanical devices such as detection sensors. Furthermore, the configuration of the slits 141 and markings 142 in the visual confirmation unit 140 ensures that the confirmation result of the locking status remains consistent even if the operator's viewing angle of the visual confirmation unit 140 changes due to factors such as the operator's height.

[0059] The slit portion 141 of the visual inspection portion 140 is located in a position that can only be seen from the outside of the door 210, which is a design concept that prevents misunderstandings and incorrect operation by passengers and allows the worker 260 to thoroughly check safety using a dedicated inspection procedure.

[0060] The first locking member 160 and second locking member 170 of the locking device 120 are highly precisely machined and designed to be wear-resistant, so that the reliability of lock status determination is not compromised even with long-term use. The sliding surfaces of the moving parts are treated with lubricants and anti-rust treatments.

[0061] The color range and arrangement of the marking portion 142 of the visual confirmation portion 140 correspond to the movable range of the locking device 120, so that the appearance changes clearly depending on whether the position is locked, semi-locked, or unlocked, allowing the worker 260 to intuitively distinguish between them.

[0062] The closure detection mechanism of the gondola latch 150 is designed so that the latch member is securely engaged only when the door 210 is completely closed, thereby achieving double safety confirmation in cooperation with the locking device 120. Furthermore, although not shown, a sensor is also provided to detect abnormalities in the locking state.

[0063] The locking status confirmation device 100 is not only applied to the door 210 of the Ferris wheel gondola 200, but can also be deployed to vehicles and safety doors of similar structure, and is being introduced into various facilities as a highly versatile safety mechanism that assists in human confirmation 340.

[0064] Finally, the overall structure of locking status confirmation device 100 is such that each component, such as locking device 120, handle 130, visual confirmation unit 140, gondola latch 150, elastic body 180, pipe unit 190, and pipe covering unit 195, constitutes a consistent safety confirmation process according to locking operation flow 250. This realizes advanced locking status determination and human confirmation 340 of doors 210 of Ferris wheel gondola 200.

[0065] The above has specifically described each component of the locking state confirmation device 100 of the present invention in detail and the overall operation process based on the locking operation flow 250, with reference to the drawings as needed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 100 Lock status confirmation device 120 Locking device 130 Handle 140 Visual Inspection Section 150 Gondola Latch 160 First locking member 170 Second locking member 190 Pipe section 195 Pipe covering 200 Ferris Wheel Gondola 210 Door 220 Locked 230 semi-locked 240 Unlocked 250 Locking operation flow 260 workers 270 Pointing and calling procedure 290 Half-open 330 Latch 340 Human confirmation

Claims

1. A locking state confirmation device for a locking device installed on a door of a Ferris wheel, a locking device disposed above the door, the locking device locking the door by grounding a first locking member on the gondola side and a second locking member on the door side; a handle portion disposed on the outside of the door, having a grip lever for moving the second locking member, and for opening and closing the door; a visual confirmation unit provided between the locking device and the handle unit, which allows an operator to visually check the locking state of the door from outside the gondola of the Ferris wheel; A locking status confirmation device comprising:

2. The visual confirmation unit is a pipe covering portion that covers the pipe portion connecting the second locking member and the handle portion from the outside at a predetermined position; a slit portion provided in the pipe covering portion through which a part of the pipe portion can be seen; a marking portion provided on the pipe portion and disposed near the slit portion; Equipped with When the door is locked, the worker can see all visible parts of the marking portion through the slit, When the door is in a semi-locked state, the worker can see only a part of the marking portion through the slit, When the door is unlocked, the worker cannot see the marking portion through the slit. The locking state confirmation device according to claim 1.

3. The locking device is The second locking member is provided on the upper part of the door side and can be moved up and down parallel to the door when the grip lever is gripped; The first application member is provided near the upper part of the door on the gondola side, and has a base end rod-shaped portion extending perpendicular to the door and a hook portion extending downward from the tip of the base end rod-shaped portion in a direction parallel to the door; Equipped with When the tip of the hook portion of the first locking member is positioned around the base end of the second locking member, the contact surface between the hook portion and the second locking member becomes large, and the locking state is established; When the tip of the hook portion of the first locking member is positioned anywhere between the middle of the base end portion and the tip of the second locking member, the contact surface between the hook portion and the second locking member becomes small, and the locking member is in a semi-locked state, When the tip of the hook of the first locking member does not contact the base end of the second locking member, the door is in an unlocked state. The locking state confirmation device according to claim 1.

4. The second locking member has an elastic body provided below it, and is movable up and down regardless of whether the grip lever is gripped or not. When a force is applied to the door, the door changes from the semi-locked state to the unlocked state. The locking state confirmation device according to claim 3.

5. The marking portion is entirely colored, The worker can distinguish between the locked state, the semi-locked state, and the unlocked state based on how the marking portion is seen through the slit portion, The above determination is possible even if the height of the worker's viewpoint changes. The locking state confirmation device according to claim 4.

Images