Amusement Ride Carrier Synchronization via Segmented Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing amusement ride systems struggle to transfer a passenger receiver between different carriers during ride operation, especially in the event of faults such as emergency stops or power failures, where ensuring uniform movement of carriers is challenging due to different mass inertias and braking properties.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a detachable connecting device that synchronizes the movement of two carriers, ensuring they move uniformly even in the event of faults, by creating a fixed connection between them in at least one spatial direction, thereby preventing relative movement and ensuring safe transfer of the passenger receiver.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the two carriers are coupled via coupling devices during transfer, then the passenger receiver can be transferred between carriers, but in the event of a fault (emergency stop, power failure, component failure), the different mass inertias and braking properties of the carriers can cause them to no longer move uniformly, leading to excessive forces on the passenger receiver
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is segmented into two independent parts: coupling devices for transferring the passenger receiver between carriers, and a connecting device for directly coupling the carriers themselves. This segmentation allows the coupling devices to enable transfer functionality while the separate connecting device ensures reliable uniform movement of carriers during fault conditions, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting device acts as an intermediary element that directly couples the two carriers together, independent of the passenger receiver coupling devices. This intermediary connection ensures that the carriers move uniformly relative to each other even during fault conditions, preventing excessive forces while still allowing the coupling devices to perform their transfer function.
2Ease of operation
If the coupling devices are used to connect both carriers during transfer, then the passenger receiver can be transferred, but the system becomes complex and difficult to control during faults due to different mass inertias and braking properties
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is divided into two independent functional segments: coupling devices for simple transfer operations and a connecting device for ensuring uniform carrier movement. This segmentation simplifies the control logic by separating the transfer function from the synchronization function, making the overall system easier to operate and control during both normal and fault conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting device is activated before or during the transfer process to pre-establish the uniform movement relationship between carriers. This preliminary action ensures that when faults occur, the carriers are already coupled in a way that guarantees uniform movement, reducing the complexity of fault management while maintaining ease of operation for the transfer itself.
Data Source
AI summary
An amusement ride includes a passenger receiver, a first carrier, a first movement device, a second carrier, a second movement device, a first releasable coupling device for releasably coupling the first carrier to the passenger receiver and a second releasable coupling device for releasably coupling the second carrier to the passenger receiver. A releasable connecting device is formed to connect the first carrier and the second carrier at least in a movement direction of one of the carriers independently of a coupling existing via the coupling devices or comprises a compensating device, which enables a relative movement of the carriers in relation to each other in the coupled state of the first coupling device and the coupled state of the second coupling device at least in the movement direction of one of the carriers. Furthermore, a method for operating an amusement ride is specified.