Rotating Passenger Compartment with Passive Spring Restoration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing amusement devices face safety hazards due to suspension arms getting stuck in tilted positions under high centrifugal force and obstructed passenger views from elevated tracks, while also being piloted and lacking an open, free experience for passengers.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle with a passenger compartment that rotates in a plane parallel to the track, connected by a shaft and restored to its initial position using a passive restoring element, such as a spring, which exerts a restoring force for part or all of the rotation interval, allowing for an open and free experience without active control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If active control systems (robot, computer, antenna) are used to control passenger carrier movements, then the experience for passengers becomes more controlled and predictable, but the device complexity increases significantly and the experience becomes more 'piloted' rather than free
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex active control system (robot, computer, antenna) from the platform, extracting only the essential passive mechanical elements needed for safe operation. This eliminates the piloting effect while maintaining safety through simple passive restoration mechanisms that return the passenger carrier to its initial position without requiring active control.
Solution Approach 2:
The passenger carrier system is designed to be self-regulating through passive mechanical restoration. When centrifugal force tilts the suspension arm, the system automatically restores itself to its initial position without external control input, providing a free experience while eliminating the need for complex control systems.
2Ease of operation
If suspension arms are used to allow passenger compartment rotation, then the experience becomes more open and free, but safety hazards arise when centrifugal force causes the arm to remain blocked in a tilted position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by pre-positioning restoring means (springs, gravity, or magnetic elements) that automatically counteract centrifugal force effects. When the suspension arm tilts under centrifugal force, the restoring means immediately begin to return the arm to its initial position, preventing the arm from remaining blocked in a tilted position and ensuring safety while maintaining freedom of movement.
3Ease of operation
If the track is positioned above the vehicles to allow suspension, then the structural configuration is achieved, but the passenger view is obstructed by the rail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial dimension of the rotation plane from vertical (perpendicular to rails) to horizontal (parallel to rails). This allows the passenger compartment to rotate in a plane that extends outward from the track rather than hanging vertically, eliminating rail obstruction of the passenger view while maintaining the suspended configuration.
4Device complexity
If passive restoring means are used to return the compartment to initial position, then the system becomes simpler and safer, but the restoring force must be sufficient to counteract high centrifugal force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs counterbalancing restoring means (springs, gravity mechanisms, or magnetic elements) that generate restoring force to counteract centrifugal force. These passive restoring means are designed to automatically return the suspension arm and passenger compartment to their initial positions without requiring active control, simplifying the system while ensuring safety through adequate restoring force.
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
Enhances passenger experience by providing a safe, open, and unobstructed view while maintaining safety through effective passive restoration of the compartment to its initial position, simplifying manufacturing and maintenance by eliminating the need for active control systems.
Implementation Method 1
the restoring element is configured to exert a restoring force for at least part of the rotation angular interval between the second position and the first position
Implementation Method 2
The compartment is configured to rotate in a plane that is substantially parallel to the plane of the track under a centrifugal force during the ride of the vehicle along said track
Data Source
AI summary
It is disclosed an amusement device (1) comprising a vehicle (2) riding on a track (3), said vehicle comprising a support frame (4) and a compartment (5) having one or more seats (52) for housing one or more passengers, the compartment being moveably connected to said support frame by a shaft (7), to rotate about an axis (Y) with respect to said support frame, from a first position (P1) to at least one second position (P2) in a rotation angular interval, at least when a centrifugal force acts on the passenger compartment (5). The vehicle comprises at least one restoring element (6) configured to rotate back said compartment (5) towards said first position (P1) for at least part of the angular interval between said at least one second position (P2) and said at least one first position (P1). The restoring element (6) is directly or indirectly constrained to said shaft (7).