Swivelable Passenger Accommodation Pendulum Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing roller-coaster designs are limited in creating diverse ride experiences due to fixed track designs and vehicle motions, which restrict the range of sensations that can be offered to passengers.
Innovation Solution
A rail-guided vehicle with a passenger accommodation that can be swivelled and rotated about an axis oriented perpendicular to the direction of travel, utilizing a connecting element to create a pendulum effect, allowing for enhanced motion kinematics and ride experiences through centrifugal and gravitational forces, with optional dampening and locking systems for control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the track design is fixed to guide the vehicle, then the vehicle follows a predetermined path, but the variety of ride experiences and sensations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The passenger accommodation is made dynamically movable relative to the vehicle chassis through a pendulum mechanism with rotational freedom. The seat carrier can swing and rotate independently of the vehicle's motion, allowing the same track to produce varied ride sensations by changing the relative orientation and motion of the passenger accommodation during the ride.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional motions are added to the passenger accommodation, then the ride experience is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle is segmented into functionally independent components: the vehicle chassis for transportation and the passenger accommodation for rider experience. The seat carrier is further segmented as an intermediate element that can move independently, allowing complex ride sensations to be generated through simple relative motions without complicating the overall vehicle structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection between the vehicle chassis and passenger accommodation incorporates dynamic freedom through a pendulum mechanism with rotational joints. This allows the passenger accommodation to perform additional motions (swinging, rotating) relative to the vehicle's path, creating enhanced ride experiences without requiring complex active control systems.
3Ease of operation
If the passenger accommodation is rigidly connected to the chassis, then the structure is simple, but the passenger experiences only track-dictated motions
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between chassis and passenger accommodation transitions from rigid to dynamically flexible through the pendulum mechanism. The seat carrier can swing and rotate relative to the chassis, providing motion freedom to the passenger while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical connection based on gravitational pendulum motion and rotational joints.
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 solution enables the creation of unique ride effects, such as increased pendulum motion and varied centrifugal forces, enhancing passenger experience by generating additional sensations beyond traditional track motions, while maintaining a simple and versatile motion design.
Implementation Method 1
The passenger accommodation is arranged such that it can be swivelled and/or rotated about an axis that essentially is oriented in the viewing direction. The axis is arranged above the passengers to generate a pendulum effect.
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a connecting element to create a pendulum effect, allowing for enhanced motion kinematics and ride experiences through centrifugal and gravitational forces
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a vehicle for an amusement facility has a chassis, a passenger accommodation and a connecting element in the form a pendulum bar. The lower end of the pendulum bar is rigidly connected to the passenger accommodation; the upper end is connected to the chassis via a joint such that it can be rotated and/or swivelled. The pendulum is connected to the chassis via a joint.