Amusement ride and method for operating an amusement ride

Abstract

The present invention relates to an amusement ride (1) comprising at least one vehicle (2) which can move along a specified track (10), wherein the at least one vehicle (2) comprises at least one sensor (30), wherein the at least one sensor (30) is electrically independent of the vehicle (2), wherein the at least one sensor (30) comprises an RFID transponder (35), and wherein at least one RFID receiver (20) is arranged along the specified track (10), which is set up to communicate with the RFID transponder (35) and to read out the at least one measured value from the at least one sensor (30).

Claims

1. An amusement ride (1), comprising: at least one vehicle (2) which can move along a specified track (10), wherein the at least one vehicle (2) comprises at least one sensor (30), wherein the at least one sensor (30) is electrically independent of the vehicle (2), wherein the at least one sensor (30) comprises an RFID transponder (35), wherein at least one RFID receiver (20) is arranged along the specified track (10), which is set up to communicate with the RFID transponder (35) and to read out the at least one measured value from the at least one sensor (30).

2. The amusement ride (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor (30) is a digital sensor or an analog sensor.

3. The amusement ride (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor (30) monitors a mechanical secondary system.

4. The amusement ride (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor (30) comprises passenger identification.

5. The amusement ride (1) according claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor (30) records a passenger weight of a passenger in a space (5) in the at least one vehicle (2).

6. The amusement ride (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor (30) detects wheel wear of at least one wheel (4) of the at least one vehicle (2).

7. The amusement ride (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor (30) detects a bearing temperature of at least one bearing of the at least one vehicle (2).

8. The amusement ride (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor (30) is a tracking sensor and that the at least one RFID receiver (20) locates or tracks at least one component of the at least one vehicle (2).

9. The amusement ride (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the RFID transponder (30) is a passive, semi-passive or semi-active RFID transponder (30).

10. The amusement ride (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor (30) and/or the RFID transponder (35) has a data memory (32).

11. The amusement ride (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one sensor (30) has a current storage device (34).

12. The amusement ride (1) according claim 1, characterized in that the amusement ride (1) is a circular ride with a track (10) closed in a circle, or that the amusement ride (1) is a shuttle ride, wherein the at least one vehicle travels alternately back and forth on the track (10).

13. A use of the sensor (30) in the amusement ride (1) according to claim 1.

14. A method for operating the amusement ride (1) according to claim 1, comprising the following method steps: sending at least one query signal by means of the at least one RFID receiver (20) when the at least one vehicle (2) travels past the at least one RFID receiver (20), recording at least one measured value by means of the at least one sensor (30), transmitting at least one measured value to the RFID receiver (20) by means of the RFID transponder (35), and determining at least one status of the least one vehicle (2) on the basis of the at least one measured value.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that a current storage device (34) of the at least one sensor (30) is charged when traveling past the at least one RFID receiver (20).

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that the current storage device (34) of the at least one sensor (30) energizes the at least one sensor (30) between two journeys past the at least one RFID receiver (20).

17. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the at least one sensor (30) writes at least one measured value to a data memory (32) between the two journeys past.

Description

[0029] An exemplary embodiment according to the invention is explained in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a greatly simplified vehicle 2 of an amusement ride 1, which is set up to travel on a specified track 10 of the amusement ride 1. The amusement ride 1 can be, for example, a roller coaster or a water ride, for example a so-called “PowerSplash”, wherein the track 10 can be formed from one or more guide rails, through which the vehicle 2 is guided along the specified track 10 by means of a plurality of wheels 4. Furthermore, the vehicle 2 comprises a plurality of seats 5, on which passengers (not shown) are intended to take a seat for a journey with the amusement ride 1.

[0031] At least one RFID receiver 20 is arranged along the specified track 10, wherein a plurality of RFID receivers 20 can also be arranged along the track 10. Each RFID receiver 20 is arranged adjacent to the track 10, so that the vehicle 2 traveling past on the track 10 is located within the radio range of the RFID receiver 20.

[0032] The RFID receivers 20 can be arranged, for example, in such a way that the travel time of the vehicle 2 between two adjacent RFID receivers 20 is approximately the same length. Alternatively, the RFID receivers 20 can be arranged on sections or ride elements of the track 10 in which there are increased loads on the vehicle 2 due to accelerations.

[0033] The vehicle 2 comprises a plurality of sensors 30, each of which can comprise at least one RFID transponder 35 and at least one sensor system 31. Each sensor 30 is electrically independent of the vehicle 2, i.e., completely electrically decoupled from the vehicle. In FIG. 1, the sensors 30 are indicated by way of example by squares, wherein not every sensor 30 is marked with a reference number for reasons of clarity.

[0034] The sensor system 31 is set up to measure at least one physical quantity. Furthermore, each sensor 30 can comprise a data memory 32 and a current storage device 34 (not shown), which comprises, for example, at least one capacitor circuit. The RFID transponder 35 is set up to communicate with the RFID receiver 20 within a radio range, which is typically in the range of a few meters to a few centimeters.

[0035] When the vehicle 2 travels past the at least one RFID receiver 20, the vehicle 2 moves into the radio range of the RFID receiver 20 and the RFID receiver 20 sends one or more query signals and induces a voltage in the RFID transponder 35 of each sensor 30. The voltage can, for example, charge the capacitor circuit and be used for carrying out a measurement with the sensor 30 or its sensor system 31. The RFID transponder 35 can then send a response of the query signal to the RFID receiver 20.

[0036] Each sensor 30 can be a digital or analog sensor and the sensor system 31 can comprise a plurality of different measurement techniques, which are designed to describe a physical status of the at least one vehicle 2. For example, the sensor system 31 can comprise a thermocouple, a resistance thermometer, a strain gauge (as shown schematically), a measurement contact etc.

[0037] The sensor 30 can be suitable, for example, by its sensor system 31, to determine or detect wear of one of the wheels 4 of the vehicle 2, to detect a passenger on the seat 5 or to monitor secondary systems. The sensor 30 can also be used for component tracking.

[0038] In addition, a sensor 30 may be suitable for detecting the passenger weight on a seat 5 on the vehicle 2. For this purpose, one or more resistance sensors can be arranged on the seat 5, by means of which the weight of the passenger can be determined. A plurality of sensors 30 can also be arranged on the vehicle 2, which detect, for example, the screw torque of screws, which ensures that safety-relevant screw connections are always properly tightened.

[0039] Furthermore, sensors 30 can be arranged on the axles of the wheels 4 or on the bearings of the axles of the wheels 4, by means of which the bearing temperature can be detected. When using the sensors 30, it is particularly advantageous that no cabling has to be carried out in the vehicle 2, and thus complicated transmission paths, for example by means of slip rings or the like, are superfluous.

[0040] Each sensor 30 can comprise a memory 32. One or more measured values can be stored or temporarily stored in the memory 32, which are transmitted by the RFID transponder 35 to the RFID receiver 20 in response to a query signal.

[0041] The current storage device 34 can be charged in response to a query signal from the RFID receiver 20 and can energize the sensor 30 outside the radio range of the RFID receiver 20, as a result of which measured values which can be temporarily stored in the memory 32 can also be recorded outside the radio range.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0042] 1 Amusement ride [0043] 2 Vehicle [0044] 4 Wheels [0045] 5 Seat [0046] 10 Track [0047] 20 Receiver [0048] 30 Sensor [0049] 32 Memory [0050] 35 Transponder