Segmented Ferris Wheel Shafts for Crane-Free Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile Ferris wheels require a crane for setup and teardown, which is time-consuming, costly, and poses safety risks due to the need to lift a heavy main shaft, and often involve custom production and space constraints.
Innovation Solution
The Ferris wheel design eliminates the main shaft by using two aligned, separate shafts, each mounted on a pair of masts, allowing for independent movement between folded and stretched positions, and employs double spokes and spoke rings for increased stiffness and quicker assembly/disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a main shaft is used in the traditional Ferris wheel design, then the structural stability is improved, but the setup and teardown process becomes time-consuming and requires a crane
Solution Approach 1:
The single main shaft is segmented into two separate shafts (first shaft and second shaft), each independently mounted on a pair of masts. This segmentation allows each shaft to be independently positioned and secured, eliminating the need for crane operations during assembly and disassembly, thus reducing setup and teardown time while maintaining structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the main shaft functionality from a single centralized component and distributes it across two separate shafts. By taking out the main shaft as a unified element and replacing it with two independent shafts mounted on movable masts, the design enables quicker assembly without requiring heavy lifting equipment.
2Strength
If a heavy main shaft is used, then the structural integrity is improved, but safety risks increase due to the need to lift heavy components
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy main shaft is divided into two separate, lighter shafts. Each shaft is mounted on its own pair of masts and can be independently positioned. This segmentation reduces the weight of individual components that need to be handled, thereby improving safety during assembly and disassembly operations while maintaining the overall structural integrity through the distributed shaft configuration.
3Strength
If a main shaft is custom made, then the structural requirements are met, but production costs and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The custom-made main shaft is segmented into two separate shafts that can be independently manufactured. This allows for simpler, more standardized production processes for each shaft, reducing manufacturing complexity, cost, and time. The segmented approach enables the use of off-the-shelf components or simpler fabrication methods compared to producing a single large custom main shaft, while still meeting the required structural standards.
4Manufacturing precision
If a crane is used for setup, then the main shaft can be positioned accurately, but space requirements and equipment availability become constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning task is segmented between two separate shafts mounted on independently movable masts. Each shaft can be positioned and secured without requiring crane operations. The masts themselves are designed to be movable between folded and stretched positions, enabling accurate shaft positioning through controlled mast movement rather than crane placement, thus eliminating space constraints associated with crane operations.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a Ferris wheel, comprising two pairs of masts (11, 12, 21, 22), wherein the masts in each pair are hingedly connected to each other and wherein each pair of masts is moveable between a folded position and a stretched position. The Ferris wheel is provided with multiple spokes (10), two spoke rings for mounting the spokes and multiple ring segments for interconnection of the spokes. The Ferris wheel comprises a first shaft (13), which is mounted fixedly on the top of the first pair of masts (11, 12), wherein a first of the two spoke rings is arranged rotatably around the first shaft. The Ferris wheel further comprises a second shaft (23), which is mounted fixedly on the top of the second pair of masts (21, 22), wherein the second spoke ring is arranged rotatably around the second shaft. In use of the Ferris wheel, the second shaft is substantially in line with the first shaft at a distance from the first shaft. The invention also relates to a method for building the Ferris wheel according to the invention.