Snow-making device

Abstract

To provide a snow making apparatus capable of efficiently making large, fluffy snowflakes.SOLUTION: A snow making apparatus includes: a snow making container having an inner space for snow making; a supply unit configured to supply fine snow or fine water droplets to the inner space; a catching unit configured to catch the fine snow or the fine snow formed from the water droplets; and a drive unit configured to move the catching unit toward a place where the fine snow is flying in the inner space. Shaking of the catching unit causes the fine snow caught thereon to fall off.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a snow-making device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as described in Patent Document 1, a snow-making device for making artificial snow indoors is known.

[0003] Patent Document 1 includes a snow catcher made of a breathable film, a fog generator for generating fog indoors, a cooler and a blower for sending low-temperature air indoors, and a striking body for striking the snow catcher from the back side opposite to the snow-attaching surface. According to this snow-making device, the fog (atomized water droplets) generated from the fog generator freezes in the low-temperature air and adheres to the attaching surface of the snow catcher. Then, by striking the snow catcher from the back side with the striking body, the snow is knocked off from the snow catcher into the room.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the snow-making device of Patent Document 1, the water jet outlet in the fog generator faces downward, and the attaching surface of the snow catcher is in a state along the vertical direction. For this reason, it is difficult to efficiently attach the frozen bodies to the attaching surface of the snow catcher, and it is difficult to efficiently grow soft snow (large-grained snow formed by the adhesion of minute snowflakes to each other) on the attaching surface.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a snow-making device capable of efficiently making soft snow.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A snow-making device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a snow-making container having an internal space for snow-making, a supply unit that supplies fine snow or atomized water droplets to the internal space, a collection unit that collects the fine snow generated from the fine snow or the water droplets, and a drive unit that moves the collection unit toward where the fine snow is swirling in the internal space. The snow collected by the collection unit falls off from the collection unit due to the shaking of the collection unit.

[0008] According to the above snow-making device, by moving the collection unit toward where the fine snow is swirling in the internal space of the snow-making container, the fine snow can be efficiently attached to the collection unit. As a result, the fine snow is likely to accumulate in the collection unit, and it becomes possible to efficiently produce fluffy snow as compared with conventional snow-making devices.

[0009] Note that the "fine snow" collected by the collection unit includes not only the fine snow itself supplied from the supply unit or the fine snow itself generated from the water droplets supplied from the supply unit, but also those formed by the fine snow particles bonding to each other and growing in the internal space of the snow-making container.

[0010] In the above snow-making device, the fine snow may fall off from the collection unit due to the collection unit shaking by the wind pressure from the supply unit.

[0011] According to this configuration, since the supply unit has a function for shaking the collection unit, there is no need to provide a configuration for shaking the collection unit other than the supply unit, and the device configuration can be simplified.

[0012] A snow-making device according to another aspect of the present invention includes a snow-making container having an internal space for snow-making, a supply unit that supplies fine snow or atomized water droplets to the internal space, a collection unit that collects the fine snow generated from the fine snow or the water droplets, a drive unit that moves the collection unit toward where the fine snow is swirling in the internal space, and a dropping unit that drops the snow collected by the collection unit from the collection unit.

[0013] According to this configuration, since the fine snow dancing in the internal space of the snow-making container can be efficiently attached to the collection part, powdery snow can be efficiently produced.

[0014] In the above snow-making device, the drive part may rotate a rotating shaft that supports the collection part.

[0015] According to this configuration, the fine snow dancing in the internal space of the snow-making container can be efficiently collected with a simple device configuration.

[0016] In the above snow-making device, the supply part may supply the fine snow or the water droplets toward a passing area of the rotating collection part in the internal space.

[0017] According to this configuration, the fine snow supplied from the supply part or the fine snow generated from the water droplets supplied from the supply part is likely to be directly collected by the collection part. Therefore, powdery snow can be efficiently produced in the collection part.

[0018] In the above snow-making device, a plurality of the collection parts may be arranged around the rotating shaft.

[0019] According to this configuration, by providing a plurality of collection parts, the fine snow dancing in the internal space of the snow-making container can be efficiently collected.

[0020] The above snow-making device may further include a support member that supports the collection part. The collection part may be attached to the support member in a slack state.

[0021] According to this configuration, it is possible to easily swing the collection part, and powdery snow can be easily dropped from the collection part.

[0022] In the above snow-making device, the supply part may include a snow-making nozzle that ejects the water droplets, and a snow-making duct that guides the fine snow generated from the water droplets ejected from the snow-making nozzle to the internal space.

[0023] According to this configuration, compared with the case where the snow-making nozzle is installed in the snow-making container, the distance between the snow-making nozzle and the collection unit can be ensured to be longer. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the collection of granular ice-like snow by the collection unit.

[0024] The snow-making device may further include a snow adhesion prevention unit that prevents the fine snow from adhering to the inner surface of the snow-making duct.

[0025] According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress the clogging of snow in the snow-making duct.

[0026] In the above snow-making device, the snow-making duct may be formed with an outlet for discharging the fine snow, and the outlet may open toward the passage area of the collection unit.

[0027] According to this configuration, since the fine snow can be directly blown from the snow-making duct toward the collection unit, snow is more likely to accumulate in the collection unit.

Advantages of the Invention

[0028] As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a snow-making device capable of efficiently producing fluffy snow.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0030] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0031] (Embodiment 1) First, the configuration of the snow-making device 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The snow-making device 1 is a device mounted on the ceiling of a snowfall test device and makes artificial snow S to be dropped into the test chamber 100. The artificial snow S is powdery snow formed by the adhesion of minute snow particles to each other and has a size of, for example, about 5 to 10 mm. As shown in FIG. 1, the snow-making device 1 includes a supply unit 10, a drum 20 (snow-making container), a blower 30, an air conditioner 40, and a circulation circuit 50 in which these are arranged in order and circulate low-temperature air. The circulation circuit 50 includes a feed path 51 for sending low-temperature air from the air conditioner 40 to the supply unit 10 and the drum 20, and a return path 52 for returning air from the drum 20 to the air conditioner 40. The circulation circuit 50 may be heat-insulated in order to thermally isolate it from the test chamber 100.

[0032] The supply unit 10 supplies minute snow into the internal space of the drum 20. The supply unit 10 in the present embodiment includes a snow-making nozzle 11 that ejects atomized water droplets and a snow-making duct 12 that guides the minute snow generated from the water droplets ejected from the snow-making nozzle 11 into the internal space of the drum 20.

[0033] The snow-making nozzle 11 is disposed outside the snow-making duct 12 and ejects atomized water droplets from the inlet of the snow-making duct 12 into the snow-making duct 12. As the snow-making nozzle 11, a single-fluid nozzle or a two-fluid nozzle may be used.

[0034] The snow-making duct 12 is arranged on the downstream side of the snow-making nozzle 11 in the circulation direction of the low-temperature air, and the low-temperature air temperature-controlled below the freezing point by the air conditioner 40 is introduced therein. Therefore, the water droplets ejected from the snow-making nozzle 11 become fine snow in the snow-making duct 12 and are guided into the drum 20. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, there is an open space between the outlet of the feed path 51 and the inlet of the snow-making duct 12, and the snow-making nozzle 11 is arranged in the open space.

[0035] The snow-making device 1 further includes a snow adhesion prevention part for preventing fine snow from adhering to the inner surface of the snow-making duct 12. This snow adhesion prevention part prevents snow from adhering to the inner surface of the duct by sending air into the snow-making duct 12. Note that the snow adhesion prevention part is not an essential configuration in the snow-making device of the present invention and may be omitted.

[0036] The drum 20 has an internal space for making snow and is arranged on the downstream side of the supply part 10 (snow-making duct 12) in the circulation direction of the low-temperature air. In the drum 20, fluffy snow is made from the fine snow supplied from the snow-making duct 12. The detailed configuration inside the drum 20 will be described later.

[0037] The blower 30 is for circulating the low-temperature air between the air conditioner 40, the snow-making duct 12, and the drum 20, and is arranged on the return path 52. The air conditioner 40 cools the air returned from the drum 20 via the return path 52 and blows out the cooled low-temperature air into the feed path 51. This low-temperature air is sent into the snow-making duct 12 and the drum 20 via the feed path 51.

[0038] Next, the configuration inside the drum 20 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows the state in which the drum 20 is disassembled.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 2, the drum 20 includes a hollow cylindrical body 22 with open ends, a disc-shaped top plate 21 that closes the upper opening of the body 22, and a disc-shaped bottom plate 23 that closes the lower opening of the body 22. The bottom plate 23 is formed with a snow avalanche outlet 23A for dropping the snow avalanche formed inside the drum 20 toward the laboratory 100 (Fig. 1). The top plate 21 and the bottom plate 23 are respectively attached to both ends of the body 22 by fixtures such as screws.

[0040] The snow-making duct 12 is formed with an outlet 12A for discharging the fine snow formed inside the snow-making duct 12 on the side opposite to the inlet side where the snow-making nozzle 11 is disposed. As shown in Fig. 2, the snow-making duct 12 is inserted into the internal space of the drum 20 through the top plate 21 from the outlet 12A side. For this reason, fine snow and low-temperature air are supplied into the drum 20 from the top plate 21 side. Note that the present invention is not limited to the case where the snow-making duct 12 penetrates the top plate 21, and the end face on the outlet 12A side of the snow-making duct 12 may be joined onto the top plate 21.

[0041] The top plate 21 is also provided with an air outlet 21A. The air inside the drum 20 flows out of the drum 20 from the outlet 21A and then returns to the air conditioner 40 via the return path 52 (Fig. 1). Note that the outlet 21A may be omitted, and the low-temperature air may not circulate between the air conditioner 40 and the drum 20.

[0042] The snow-making device 1 further includes a collection unit 60 for collecting the fine snow supplied from the snow-making duct 12 into the internal space of the drum 20, and a drive unit 70 for moving the collection unit 60 toward the place where the fine snow is swirling in the internal space.

[0043] The collection unit 60 in the present embodiment is a square-shaped Teflon (registered trademark) sheet, and a plurality of sheets (four sheets in Fig. 2) are provided. The drive unit 70 includes a motor 71 attached to the top plate 21 and a rotating shaft 72 connected to the output shaft of the motor 71. When the motor 71 is driven, the rotating shaft 72 rotates around the axis at a constant speed. Note that the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 72 may be variable.

[0044] The rotating shaft 72 is disposed at the radial center within the drum 20 and supports the collection unit 60. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of collection units 60 are arranged at equal intervals around the rotating shaft 72. The collection unit 60 is attached to the outer peripheral portion of the rotating shaft 72 and extends radially outward from the rotating shaft 72. In other words, the collection unit 60 is attached to the outer peripheral portion of the rotating shaft 72 like a propeller blade that spreads radially outward with the rotating shaft 72 as the center. The collection unit 60 rotates around the rotating shaft 72 by driving the motor 71.

[0045] The snow-making duct 12 supplies fine snow toward the passing area of the rotating collection unit 60 within the internal space of the drum 20, that is, the area around the rotating shaft 72. That is, the outlet 12A of the snow-making duct 12 opens toward the passing area of the collection unit 60 within the internal space of the drum 20. For this reason, in the present embodiment, fine snow is directly blown from the snow-making duct 12 toward the sheet surface of the collection unit 60.

[0046] The snow-making apparatus 1 further includes a frame 61 (supporting member) that supports the collection unit 60 and a spatula-shaped snow scraping portion attached to the frame 61. The frame 61 is a U-shaped frame member that opens toward the rotating shaft 72 side and surrounds the outer periphery of the collection unit 60. In the present embodiment, the collection unit 60 is attached to the frame 61 at two points, upper and lower, but is not limited thereto. Note that the frame 61 and the snow scraping portion are attached not only to one collection unit 60 but also to other collection units 60 in the same manner.

[0047] The above-described snow scraping portion is a portion for scraping off the snow adhering to the inner surface of the drum 20 and includes an upper snow scraping portion 62, a lower snow scraping portion 63, and an outer snow scraping portion 64. The upper snow scraping portion 62, the lower snow scraping portion 63, and the outer snow scraping portion 64 rotate around the rotating shaft 72 while contacting the inner surface of the drum 20 by driving the motor 71. These snow scraping portions may be, for example, sheets made of Teflon (registered trademark), or broom-shaped metal bodies or resin bodies.

[0048] The upper snow scraping part 62 is a part for scraping off the snow adhering to the inner surface of the top plate 21, and is attached to the upper piece of the frame 61 so as to extend in the radial direction of the drum 20. The lower snow scraping part 63 is a part for scraping off the snow adhering to the inner surface of the bottom plate 23, and is attached to the lower piece of the frame 61 so as to extend in the radial direction of the drum 20. Further, the lower snow scraping part 63 conveys the snow that has fallen onto the bottom plate 23 to the slush outlet 23A. The outer snow scraping part 64 is a part for scraping off the snow adhering to the inner peripheral surface of the body part 22, and is attached to the side piece of the frame 61 so as to extend in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 72.

[0049] In the present embodiment, the collection part 60 is attached to the frame 61 in a slack state. FIG. 3 schematically shows the attachment state of the collection part 60. The collection part 60 has a larger size in the vertical direction than the frame 61, and the upper end part and the lower end part of the collection part 60 are attached to the upper piece and the lower piece of the frame 61, respectively. For this reason, the collection part 60 is in a state of bulging in an arc shape from the upper end part and the lower end part toward the central part in the vertical direction, and the collection part 60 sways, for example, by blowing compressed air.

[0050] Note that the collection part 60 may have the same size as the frame 61. Even in this case, for example, by attaching only the part on the rotating shaft 72 side at the upper end part of the collection part 60 to the frame 61 and attaching only the part on the side opposite to the rotating shaft 72 at the lower end part of the collection part 60 to the frame 61, the collection part 60 can be loosened.

[0051] In the snow-making device 1 according to the present embodiment, the snow collected by the collection part 60 falls off from the collection part 60 due to the swaying of the collection part 60. Specifically, the snow-making device 1 further includes a compressed air supply part 80 provided on the top plate 21, and compressed air is blown from the compressed air supply part 80 toward the collection part 60. Thereby, the collection part 60 sways, and the snow falls off from the sheet surface of the collection part 60. The air outlet of the compressed air supply part 80 is located above the slush outlet 23A.

[0052] Next, the operation of the snow-making device 1 will be described.

[0053] First, the internal spaces of the snow-making duct 12 and the drum 20 are temperature-controlled below freezing by the air conditioner 40. That is, low-temperature air temperature-controlled below freezing by the air conditioner 40 is supplied to the internal spaces of the snow-making duct 12 and the drum 20 through the supply passage 51 (FIG. 1). Then, the air flowing out from the outlet 21A (FIG. 2) of the drum 20 returns to the air conditioner 40 through the return passage 52 (FIG. 1).

[0054] On the other hand, when water droplets atomized into the snow-making duct 12 are ejected from the snow-making nozzle 11, the water droplets turn into fine snow in the low-temperature air. Then, this fine snow is introduced into the internal space of the drum 20 through the snow-making duct 12.

[0055] In the drum 20, the fine snow is in a state of swirling throughout the internal space. In this state, by driving the motor 71 to rotate the rotating shaft 72 around its axis, the collecting part 60 rotates around the rotating shaft 72 (the collecting part 60 moves toward the place where the fine snow is swirling). As a result, the fine snow swirling in the internal space of the drum 20 can be efficiently collected by the collecting part 60 and attached to the sheet surface of the collecting part 60. Also, a part of the fine snow supplied from the snow-making duct 12 is directly collected by the collecting part 60.

[0056] Then, by laminating the fine snow on the sheet surface of the collecting part 60, large-grained powdery snow is formed. By blowing compressed air from the compressed air supply part 80 to the collecting part 60 to cause the powdery snow to fall off from the collecting part 60 and dropping it from the powdery snow outlet 23A, it is possible to reproduce the snowfall environment of powdery snow in the test chamber 100 (FIG. 1).

[0057] (Embodiment 2) Next, a snow-making device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described. Embodiment 2 is basically the same as Embodiment 1 described above, but the configuration for shaking the collecting part 60 is different. Hereinafter, only the differences from Embodiment 1 described above will be described.

[0058] The snow-making device according to Embodiment 2 includes a striking body that strikes and shakes the collection unit 60 instead of the compressed air supply unit 80 (Fig. 2). The snow-making device further includes a moving mechanism that moves the striking body between a striking position for striking the collection unit 60 and a retracted position.

[0059] When a certain amount of snow is stacked on the collection unit 60 to form flocculent snow, the striking body moves from the retracted position to the striking position and strikes the collection unit 60. As a result, the collection unit 60 shakes, and the flocculent snow can be dropped from the collection unit 60.

[0060] Note that a vibrating body that vibrates the collection unit 60 may be used instead of the striking body. Further, these may be used together with the compressed air supply unit 80.

[0061] (Embodiment 3) Next, the snow-making device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described. Embodiment 3 is basically the same as Embodiments 1 and 2 described above, but the way of shaking the collection unit 60 is different. Hereinafter, only the differences from Embodiments 1 and 2 described above will be described.

[0062] In Embodiment 3, the collection unit 60 shakes due to the wind pressure from the snow-making duct 12, and the flocculent snow drops from the collection unit 60. Specifically, the air supplied from the snow-making duct 12 flows while changing its circumferential direction in the drum 20, causing the collection unit 60 to shake, and the flocculent snow drops from the collection unit 60.

[0063] Thereby, similar to Embodiments 1 and 2 described above, the flocculent snow can be dropped from the collection unit 60 to reproduce the snowfall environment. In Embodiment 3, since the collection unit 60 is shaken by utilizing the flow of the circulating air, it is not necessary to provide the compressed air supply unit 80 (Fig. 2) or the striking body, and the device configuration can be further simplified.

[0064] (Embodiment 4) Next, a snow-making device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention will be described. Embodiment 4 is basically the same as Embodiment 1 described above, but is different in that snow is dropped from the collection unit 60 without shaking the collection unit 60. Hereinafter, only the differences from Embodiment 1 will be described.

[0065] The collection unit 60 in Embodiment 4 is made of, for example, a wire mesh or the like that does not shake by the blowing of compressed air. The compressed air supply unit 80 is a unit (a dropping unit) that drops the snow collected by the collection unit 60 from the collection unit 60. Specifically, the collection unit 60 itself does not shake by the compressed air blown from the compressed air supply unit 80, but the snow stacked on the collection unit 60 drops under the force of the compressed air.

[0066] According to Embodiment 4, it is not necessary to attach the collection unit 60 to the frame 61 so as to be easily shaken, and it is not limited to the case where an easily shaken member such as a sheet is used as the collection unit 60. Therefore, the degree of freedom in the configuration of the collection unit 60 is increased.

[0067] (Embodiment 5) Next, a snow-making device according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention will be described. Embodiment 5 is basically the same as Embodiment 1 described above, but is different in that the snow-making nozzle 11 is arranged inside the drum 20. Hereinafter, only the differences from Embodiment 1 will be described.

[0068] The supply unit 10 in the present embodiment includes a snow-making nozzle 11 that supplies atomized water droplets to the internal space of the drum 20, and does not include the snow-making duct 12 (FIG. 1). The snow-making nozzle 11 is arranged downward in the vicinity of the top plate 21 in the internal space of the drum 20. More specifically, the snow-making nozzle 11 supplies atomized water droplets toward the passing area of the rotating collection unit 60 in the internal space of the drum 20, that is, the area around the rotation axis 72. Only one snow-making nozzle 11 may be arranged in the drum 20, or a plurality of snow-making nozzles 11 may be arranged.

[0069] In this embodiment, compared with the above-described Embodiment 1, the height dimension of the drum 20 is increased. Therefore, even when the snow-making nozzle 11 is disposed within the drum 20, a distance of a certain length or more can be ensured between the snow-making nozzle 11 and the collection unit 60.

[0070] The internal space of the drum 20 is temperature-controlled below the freezing point by an air conditioner 40 (FIG. 1). Therefore, in the internal space of the drum 20, small snow is generated from water droplets ejected from the snow-making nozzle 11, and the small snow is collected by the collection unit 60 that rotates around the rotation axis 72. Then, as in Embodiment 1, powdery snow is formed on the sheet surface of the collection unit 60, and the snow falls off from the collection unit 60 by shaking the collection unit 60. According to this embodiment, since the snow-making duct 12 can be omitted, the apparatus configuration can be further simplified.

[0071] (Other Embodiments) Here, other embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0072] As shown in the snow-making apparatus 1A of FIG. 4, the downstream end of the feed path 51 may be connected to a portion other than the inlet in the snow-making duct 12 (for example, the peripheral portion of the duct side). In this case, the snow-making nozzle 11 may be located outside the inlet of the snow-making duct 12, or may be located inside the inlet. Further, the downstream end of the feed path 51 may be connected to the snow-making duct 12, and the snow-making nozzle 11 may be located within the feed path 51.

[0073] The collection unit 60 is not limited to being attached to the frame 61 at two locations vertically, and may be attached at two locations horizontally (see FIG. 5).

[0074] A snow quality adjustment nozzle (not shown) may be disposed below the powdery snow outlet 23A to let the more wet artificial snow S fall into the test chamber 100.

[0075] In Embodiment 1, the case where the collection unit 60 is shaken by blowing compressed air has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the collection unit 60 may be shaken by a blower to drop the snow. As another means, the snow may be dropped by suddenly stopping the rotating collection unit 60 and shaking the collection unit 60.

[0076] In Embodiment 1, the Teflon (registered trademark) sheet has been described as an example of the collection unit, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a high-density polyethylene sheet, a Teflon (registered trademark) mesh, a metal plate, a cloth, or the like may be used as the collection unit. Further, the collection unit is not limited to the case where a plurality of collection units are provided, and only one sheet may be provided.

[0077] The means for moving the collection unit 60 toward the place where the fine snow is swirling in the internal space of the drum 20 is not limited to the rotation around the rotation shaft 72. For example, the collection unit 60 may not be rotated 360° around the rotation shaft 72, and for example, the circumferential movement direction may be changed every time it moves 180°.

[0078] Further, the rotation shaft 72 may be omitted, and the collection unit 60 may be translated. In this case, the drum 20 is preferably a polygonal (quadrilateral) cylinder.

[0079] The outlet 12A of the snow-making duct 12 may open toward a region other than the passage region of the collection unit 60 in the internal space of the drum 20.

[0080] The collection unit 60 is not limited to the case where it is supported by the frame 61 in a slack state, and may be supported by the frame 61 in a state where a sheet is stretched.

[0081] A part of the upper snow scraping portion 62, the lower snow scraping portion 63, and the outer snow scraping portion 64 may be omitted, or all of them may be omitted. When all of these are omitted, a striking body for hitting the top plate 21 and the body portion 22 of the drum 20 may be provided, a vibrating body for vibrating the top plate 21 and the body portion 22 may be provided, or compressed air may be blown onto the inner surfaces of the top plate 21 and the body portion 22 to drop the snow.

[0082] The collecting part 60 is not limited to being attached in an arc shape as shown in FIG. 3, and may be attached, for example, in a wavy shape.

[0083] The bottom plate 23 may be omitted, and the lower side of the drum 20 may be entirely open. In this case, the lower snow scraping part 63 is also omitted.

[0084] The snow-making nozzle 11 may be disposed in the snow-making duct 12.

[0085] The size of the snow may be adjusted by adjusting the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 72 and the spraying amount from the snow-making nozzle 11.

[0086] The shape of the collecting part 60 is not limited to a rectangle, and other shapes may be adopted. For example, a trapezoidal shape or the like, in which the outer side in the radial direction of the drum 20 is longer than the inner side in the radial direction, may be used as the collecting part 60. In this case, since the outer portion in the radial direction of the collecting part 60 is attached to the frame 61 in a slack state, it sways by the blowing of compressed air or the like. On the other hand, since the inner portion in the radial direction of the collecting part 60 is attached to the frame 61 in a stretched state, it is less likely to sway. Thereby, interference between adjacent collecting parts 60 can be suppressed around the rotating shaft 72. Note that the shape of the collecting part 60 is not limited to a trapezoid and may include a curved portion.

[0087] When the entrance of the snow-making duct 12 is open, the open space may be cooled or may be at room temperature.

[0088] The embodiments disclosed this time should be construed as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown by the scope of claims rather than the above description, and it is intended that all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims are included.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0089] 1, 1A Snow-making device 10 Supply part 11 Snow-making nozzle 12 Snow-making duct 12A Outlet 20 Drum (snow-making container) 60 Collection part 61 Frame (support member) 70 Driving part 72 Rotation shaft 80 Compressed air supply part (detachable part)

Claims

1. A snow-making container having an internal space for making snow; A supply unit that supplies fine snow or fine water droplets to the internal space; A collection unit for collecting the fine snowflakes or the fine snowflakes generated from the water droplets; a drive unit that includes a rotation shaft supporting the collection unit and rotates the rotation shaft so as to move the collection unit toward the location in the internal space where the fine snowflakes are falling; a snow removal unit configured to blow compressed air onto the collection unit that is moved around the rotation axis by the drive unit, and to cause the snow collected in the collection unit to fall off from the collection unit, The collection portion is disposed in a position extending radially outward from the rotation shaft, The supply unit of the snow-making device includes a snow-making duct that guides the fine snowflakes supplied by the supply unit or the fine snowflakes generated from the water droplets from outside the snow-making container to a passage area of ​​the collection unit around the rotation axis in the internal space.

2. A snow-making container having an internal space for making snow; A supply unit that supplies atomized water droplets to the internal space; A collection unit for collecting fine snowflakes generated from the water droplets; a drive unit that includes a rotation shaft supporting the collection unit and rotates the rotation shaft so as to move the collection unit toward the location in the internal space where the fine snowflakes are falling; and an air conditioning device that adjusts the temperature of the internal space of the snow-making container to below freezing point; The collection portion is disposed in a position extending radially outward from the rotation shaft, the supply unit includes a snow-making nozzle disposed in the snow-making container and configured to eject the water droplets toward a passage area of ​​the collection unit that moves around the rotation axis; A snow making device, wherein the snow on the collecting section falls off from the collecting section due to shaking of the collecting section or due to wind pressure caused by a falling section.

3. The snow making device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of said collecting units are arranged around said rotation shaft.

4. A support member for supporting the collection unit is further provided, The snow making device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the collection portion is attached to the support member in a loose state.

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