Rollercoaster Footrest Segmentation for Safety and View
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rail-guided roller coasters fail to balance the illusion of free flight with safety, particularly for anxious passengers, as the lack of footrests can lead to insecurity and the risk of lost footwear, endangering both riders and spectators.
Innovation Solution
A roller coaster design featuring passenger seats with either a flat, non-transparent footrest for enhanced security or a rod-shaped footrest that allows unobstructed views, providing support for passengers' feet and preventing footwear loss, while allowing the option to use or remove the footrest for varying riding experiences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If no footrest is provided in outer passenger compartments to create free-flight illusion, then the illusion of free flight is enhanced, but passenger safety deteriorates due to risk of lost footwear and insecurity
Solution Approach 1:
The footrest system is segmented into different types for different passenger compartments: inner compartments have flat footrests for safety, outer compartments have rod-shaped footrests for free-flight illusion. This segmentation allows each compartment to have optimized characteristics for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
Different quality footrests are applied locally to different passenger compartments based on their specific requirements. Inner compartments receive flat footrests with high support quality, while outer compartments receive rod-shaped footrests with minimal visual obstruction, creating local optimization for both safety and illusion.
2Reliability
If flat footrest is used to provide security and prevent footwear loss, then passenger safety is improved, but the illusion of free flight deteriorates due to obstructed view
Solution Approach 1:
The footrest system is segmented into different types for different passenger compartments: inner compartments have flat footrests for safety, outer compartments have rod-shaped footrests for free-flight illusion. This segmentation allows each compartment to have optimized characteristics for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
Different quality footrests are applied locally to different passenger compartments based on their specific requirements. Inner compartments receive flat footrests with high support quality, while outer compartments receive rod-shaped footrests with minimal visual obstruction, creating local optimization for both safety and illusion.
3Adaptability or versatility
If rod-shaped footrest is used to maintain free-flight illusion, then the illusion of free flight is improved, but passenger security deteriorates compared to flat footrest
Solution Approach 1:
The footrest system is segmented into different types for different passenger compartments: inner compartments have flat footrests for safety, outer compartments have rod-shaped footrests for free-flight illusion. This segmentation allows each compartment to have optimized characteristics for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
Different quality footrests are applied locally to different passenger compartments based on their specific requirements. Inner compartments receive flat footrests with high support quality, while outer compartments receive rod-shaped footrests with minimal visual obstruction, creating local optimization for both safety and illusion.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Roller coaster with at least one vehicle (10) which has at least two passenger compartments (20, 40), at least one of which is designed with a flat footrest (22) for a passenger in the first passenger compartment, and with a track along which the vehicle (10) can be moved, wherein the at least one second passenger compartment (40) has a rod-shaped footrest (42) for the passenger in the second passenger compartment (40).