Powered Bogie Pendulum Arm Roll Driver
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Solution Overview
Problem
Amusement park swing rides have become stale and predictable, leading to decreased enthusiasm among visitors due to lack of innovation in design over decades, resulting in fewer repeat rides.
Innovation Solution
A track-based swing ride system featuring a powered bogie traveling along a horizontal track with a long pendulum arm supporting a passenger vehicle, where the pendulum arm is rotated about its pivot axis to create a side-to-side swinging motion synchronized with the bogie's velocity, mimicking natural swinging sensations like those experienced by characters in stories or movies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional swing ride designs are used, then the ride structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the ride experience becomes stale and predictable leading to decreased visitor enthusiasm
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the pendulum arm actively rotatable about its pivot axis through a roll driver mechanism. This allows the passenger vehicle to swing side-to-side in addition to the traditional forward swinging motion, creating a dynamic and novel ride experience while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that is easy to manufacture.
2Length of moving object
If the pendulum arm is made long to provide swinging sensation, then the ride experience becomes more thrilling, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the swinging motion into two independent components: the traditional forward swinging motion along the ride path, and the new side-to-side rolling motion about the pivot axis. This segmentation allows the long pendulum arm to provide thrilling swinging sensation while the modular addition of the roll driver keeps the overall system complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The pendulum arm serves multiple functions: it provides the long lever arm for thrilling swinging sensation, supports the passenger vehicle, and acts as the rotating element for the new side-to-side motion. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional complex components despite the increased arm length.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the roll driver is operated to rotate the pendulum arm through large roll angles, then the swinging sensation is enhanced, but the synchronization with bogie velocity becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by synchronizing the roll driver operation with the bogie velocity. The system monitors the bogie's position and speed along the track and adjusts the pendulum arm's roll angle accordingly, ensuring that the swinging motion remains coordinated even when large roll angles are achieved. This feedback mechanism manages the complexity of synchronization automatically.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a unique and thrilling swinging experience that feels natural and exciting, encouraging repeat rides by combining translational motion with side-to-side swinging, enhancing the overall ride experience through coordinated motion control.
Implementation Method 1
a long pendulum arm is used to support a passenger vehicle at one end while the other end is pivotally supported proximate to a bogie
Implementation Method 2
The passenger vehicle is then 'dropped' from a desired height, and the vehicle swings back and forth on the end of the arm about the rotation axis
Implementation Method 3
a powered bogie traveling along a horizontal track
Data Source
AI summary
A track-based swing ride system providing passengers a unique swinging ride experience. The ride system includes a ride track that supports a moving bogie coupled to the ride track that includes a drive assembly driving the bogie along a ride path defined by the ride track. The ride apparatus includes a pendulum arm pivotally coupled at a first end to the bogie, whereby the pendulum arm is suspended below the ride track and moves along the ride path with the bogie. The ride apparatus includes a passenger vehicle coupled to a second end of the pendulum arm opposite the first end of the pendulum arm. To provide the swinging sensation, the ride apparatus includes a roll driver rotating, concurrently with the drive assembly of the bogie, the pendulum arm about a roll axis extending through the first end of the pendulum arm.