AMUSEMENT SYSTEM FOR SHOWING AN EVENT IN A SCENE ROOM

Abstract

An amusement system for entertaining a group of passengers by showing at least one event in at least one delimited space includes at least one pair of a neighbouring first and second structures. Each structure has a centre of rotation defining a vertical axis A-A, and at least one carriage for carrying at least one passenger. Each structure includes at least three wall portions which are laterally extending, wherein a segment TS is defined in between each neighbouring wall portion. The first and second structures are arranged as a cooperating pair of structures in that in operation the first and second structures are driven in rotation by a control unit in opposite directions with respect to each other.

Claims

1. An amusement system for entertaining a group of passengers by showing at least one event in at least one delimited space, comprising: at least one pair of a neighbouring first and second structures, wherein each structure has a centre of rotation defining a vertical axis A-A, wherein at least a portion of the structure is rotatable about the vertical axis A-A to rotate to an angular position in alignment with the delimited space; and at least one carriage for carrying at least one passenger, wherein each structure comprises at least three wall portions which are laterally extending from the vertical axis A-A, wherein a segment is defined in between each neighbouring wall portion; and wherein the first and second structures are arranged as a cooperating pair of structures in that in operation the first and second structures are driven in rotation by a control unit in opposite directions with respect to each other, such that passengers of the first structure can meet passengers of the neighbouring second structure in a common delimited space.

2. The amusement system according to claim 1, wherein the amusement system is an observation system for providing a passenger view in a predetermined direction, the passenger view being delimited by neighbouring wall portions aside the carriage.

3. The amusement system according to claim 1, wherein each structure comprises a vertical column defining the vertical axis A-A.

4. The amusement system according to claim 3, wherein the vertical column has at least one rotatable column portion.

5. The amusement system according to claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the structure is rotatable in a stepwise manner.

6. The amusement system according to claim 1, further comprising a vertical motion system for entertaining a group of passengers by providing a vertical ride and by showing an event in the delimited space, wherein the at least one pair of a neighbouring first and second structures is a pair of a first and second ride structures, in which each ride structure is provided with at least one tower track and at least one ride vehicle which includes the carriage, and wherein the ride vehicle is connected to the tower track to provide a vertical ride to the group of passengers.

7. The amusement system according to claim 1, further comprising a scene room building including at least one scene room for showing an event to the passengers.

8. The amusement system according to claim 7, wherein the scene room building comprises a stack of scene rooms.

9. The amusement system according to claim 7, wherein the scene room building is formed by a shopping mall.

10. The amusement system according to claim 7, wherein the amusement system comprises only a single pair of the first and second structures, the single pair of the first and second structures being positioned at an inner region of the scene room building.

11. The amusement system according to claim 7, wherein the scene room building comprises a scene room wall, the scene room wall at least partly enclosing, in the angular position of the pair of the first and second structures, together with wall portions, at least one segment of the pair of the first and second structures to delimit a scene room.

12. The amusement system according to claim 11, wherein the scene room wall at least partially surrounds both of the neighbouring first and second structures, wherein the scene room wall encloses both a segment of the first structure and a segment of the second structure to form a common scene room.

13. The amusement system according to claim 7, wherein the scene room building has a large scene room positioned opposite an entry station for accessing and/or leaving a carriage, the entry station being positioned in between the centres of rotation of a pair of neighbouring structures.

14. The amusement system according to claim 7, wherein the scene room building comprises at a mid-region two large scene rooms opposite each other and two entry stations at a position aside the centres of rotation.

15. The amusement system according to claim 1, wherein the amusement system comprises multiple pairs of the neighboring first and second structures, wherein said multiple pairs are positioned in a circular arrangement, in which each multiple pair forms a common scene room by a combination of a segment of the first structure and a segment of the second structure.

16. The amusement system according to claim 15, wherein the amusement system comprises only three pairs of the neighbouring first and second structures in the circular arrangement.

17. The amusement system according to claim 15, wherein the amusement system includes multiple entry stations at an outer circumference.

18. An amusement park comprising the amusement system according to claim 1.

19. A method for entertaining a group of passengers by showing an event in a delimited space comprising the steps of: providing the amusement system according to claim 1 comprising the at least a pair of a first and second structures positioned side by side to obtain the delimited space at a predetermined angular position of the first and second structures; rotating each of the first and second structures to the angular position, wherein the first structure rotates in an opposite direction with respect to the second structure; aligning in the angular position a wall portion of the first structure with a wall portion of the second structure to form a common delimited space; and showing the event in the delimited space.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising at least one of the steps of: providing a delimited passenger view to an open space; providing a delimited passenger view to a closed space; entertaining a passenger by imaging an event; providing a vertical ride by moving a ride vehicle in a vertical direction of the structure; allowing a passenger to play a game by using a game controller; and/or allowing a member of the public to visit a scene room of a scene room building, to take part in a game of the amusement system.

Description

[0064] The aspects of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the appended drawings. The drawings show a practical embodiment according to the invention, which may not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Specific features may also be considered apart from the shown embodiment and may be taken into account in a broader context as a delimiting feature, not only for the shown embodiment but as a common feature for all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims, in which:

[0065] FIG. 1 shows a three-fold tower ride structure including a rotatable vertical column with three laterally extending wall portions forming three tower ride segment and each including a tower track with a ride vehicle;

[0066] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional top view of the tower ride structure of FIG. 1;

[0067] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a tower ride system comprising a scene room building including a pair of tower ride structures as shown in FIG. 1;

[0068] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional top view of the scene room building of FIG. 3;

[0069] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a tower ride system comprising a scene room building including a circular array of pairs of tower ride structures;

[0070] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of the tower ride system of FIG. 5;

[0071] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a tower ride system including a single tower ride structure rotatable positioned inside a stationary scene room building; and

[0072] FIG. 8-11 show an embodiment of the amusement system including a circular arrangement of rotating pairs of structures and carriages passing these structures.

[0073] Identical reference signs are used in the drawings to indicate identical or functionally similar components. To facilitate comprehension of the description and of the claims the words vertical, horizontal, longitudinal, cross-sectional with reference to the gravity are used in a non-limiting way.

[0074] The invention relates to an amusement system, here a tower ride system 1, for entertaining a group of passengers. The tower ride system 1 is designed to deal with a high volume of passengers. To obtain a high passenger capacity, the tower ride system 1 provides multiple tower rides at the same time.

[0075] FIG. 1 shows a tower ride structure 20 of a tower ride system 1. In the tower ride system 1, passengers are carried by a ride vehicle 29 and entertained by a tower ride within a special scenery. During the tower ride, the passengers move in a vertical direction along a tower track 28. As in a classic tower ride, the passengers can be elevated to a top region, whereafter they experience a free-fall when the passengers fall down along the tower track. In another embodiment of a tower ride, the passengers may e.g. play a game at different high-levels.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 1, the tower ride structure 20 has a vertical column 26. The vertical column 26 defines an axial axis A-A which is a vertical axis. Along its length, the vertical column 26 is provided with a plurality of tower tracks 28 for moving a ride vehicle up and down. The ride vehicle 29 is movable up and down along the tower track 28. The tower tracks 28 are equally spaced around the vertical axis A-A. Here, the tower tracks 28 are directly mounted to the vertical column 26. A ride vehicle 29 is connected to each tower track 28 to provide a tower ride to a group of passengers. Each ride vehicle 29 has a carriage 290 for carrying passengers. Here, the carriage 290 is provided with four seats 291.

[0077] The vertical column 26 of the tower ride structure 20 is provided with a plurality of wall portions 27. Each wall portion 27 extends from the vertical column 26 in a lateral direction. Here, each wall portion 27 is radially extending from the vertical axis. Neighbouring wall portions 271, 272 define a tower ride segment TS in between them. Here, the tower ride structure 20 has three wall portions 271, 272, 273 defining three tower ride segments TS1,TS2,TS3.

[0078] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the tower ride structure 20 as shown in FIG. 1 in a cross-section. The tower ride structure 20 has a rotational symmetry. Here, the tower ride structure is a three-fold tower ride structure 20 having three equally spaced wall portions 27 about the vertical axis A-A. Each tower ride segment TS is provided with at least one a tower track 28 and at least one ride vehicle 29.

[0079] Here, each tower ride segment TS is provided with a single tower track 28 and a single ride vehicle 29. Each tower track 28 is mounted to the vertical column 26. In another embodiment multiple tower tracks 28 and ride vehicles 29 may be arranged side-by-side in a tower ride segment TS. A tower track 28 may be mounted to a wall portion 27 instead of a direct mount to the vertical column 26. Herewith, passengers in side-by-side arranged ride vehicles 29 in the same tower ride segment TS can enjoy the same event presented in a scene room SR at the same time.

[0080] At least a portion of the tower ride structure 20 according to the invention is rotatable about the vertical axis A-A. At least a portion of the vertical column 26 is rotatable about the vertical axis A-A. Preferably, a lower portion of the vertical column 26 is rotatable. The rotatable portion of the vertical column 26 is rotatable in between tower ride segments TS.

[0081] The vertical column 26 may have a stationary column portion with stationary wall portions and a rotational column portion in which laterally extending wall portions are rotational together with this rotational column portion. Only the rotational column portion of the vertical column 26 including a tower track portion may be rotatable, while a remaining portion of the vertical column 26 with a remaining tower track portion may be arranged stationary. During a rotation, the rotatable tower track portion switches between tower ride segments TS and connects to a fixed arranged tower track portion in a respective tower ride segment TS.

[0082] Here in FIGS. 1 and 2, a simple embodiment is shown, in which the whole vertical column 26 is rotatable, such that in operation a whole length of a tower track 28 rotates about the vertical axis A-A.

[0083] The experience of the tower ride is enriched by a scenery. In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the amusement system may be an observation system providing an open view to an environment to a passenger in which a passenger outlook is only limited by wall portions 27 of the structure to have a directed sight over a predetermined space, e.g. to watch a historic city centre or a sectional area of an amusement park.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 3, the scenery around the tower ride is provided in a scene room SR of a scene room building 50. The scene room SR is delimited by a scene room wall 51. An event is presented in the scene room SR which event is visual from the ride vehicle 29. The event may for example be provided by a puppet play or a movie on a screen. In the tower ride system 1, passengers access the scene room building 50 at an entry station ES and are subsequently distributed over two or more tower ride structures 20.

[0085] A said above, in the tower ride system 1 according to the invention, passengers experience a tower ride in combination with an event which event may be presented to them in a scene room SR. FIG. 3 shows a scene room building 50 including several scene rooms SR. FIG. 4 shows a top view of the scene room building of FIG. 3 in cross-section.

[0086] A first and second tower ride structure 21, 22 are arranged inside the scene room building 50. The tower ride structures 21, 22 are positioned at a centre region of the scene room building 50. The scene room building has an outer wall 51. The outer wall at least partially surrounds the first and second tower ride structures 21, 22. At one side of the scene room building 50, the outer wall 51 has a wall opening which allows passengers to enter and exit the scene room building 50. At the entry station ES, passengers are getting on board a ride vehicle. A rotation of the tower ride structures 21, 22 subsequently transfers the passengers to a scene room SR of the scene room building 50.

[0087] The outer wall 51 delimits at least one scene room SR. Here, the outer wall delimits three scene rooms SR1, SR2, SR3. The scene room building 50 contains a large scene room SR2 which is positioned opposite the entry station ES for loading and unloading passengers. Further, the scene room building 50 contains two smaller scene rooms SR1, SR3 which are respectively positioned at a left and right side of the entry station ES. The two small scene rooms SR1, SR3 are positioned opposite each other.

[0088] The first and second tower ride structures 21, 22 of the tower ride system are both a three-fold tower ride structure 20 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Each tower ride structure 21, 22 has three tower ride segments. Each tower ride structure 21, 22 is arranged to rotate between three angular positions. In a first angular position, a first tower ride segment TS1 is positioned at the entry station ES in which a ride vehicle 29 can be loaded with passengers. Here, the entry station ES also serves as an exit station. In a second angular position, the first tower ride segment TS1 is rotated to a scene room SR1, wherein passengers can enjoy a tower ride in a particular scenery. In the third angular position, the first tower ride segment TS1 is rotated to a next scene room SR3, wherein passengers can be entertained by another tower ride in another scenery.

[0089] The first and second tower ride structure 21, 22 are operated as pair of cooperating tower ride structures. The first and second tower ride structures 21, 22 are operated by a control unit 25, such that in operation the first and second tower ride structure 21, 22 are driven in rotation in opposite directions with respect to each other. As indicated by arrows in FIG. 3, when the first tower ride structure 21 rotates in a clockwise direction, the neighbouring tower ride structure 22 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction. Hence, in operation the first and second tower ride structure 21, 22 cooperate with each other in a way that passengers who have at the same time entered at the entry station in different ride vehicles of neighbouring tower ride structures, will arrive at the same time at the large scene room SR3. The third angular position may for example correspond with a rotation of the first tower ride segment TS1 to the large scene room SR2. The passengers who entered together at the entry station ES at neighbouring tower ride structures will first rotate to a small scene room SR1/SR3, whereafter the passengers meet again in the large scene room SR2. A storyline can be started in the small scene room and ended at the large scene room. After the experience in the large scene room SR2, the passengers rotate back to the entry station ES, where they can leave the ride vehicles, and a next group of passengers can enter the ride vehicle 29.

[0090] FIGS. 5 and 6 show a further elaborated embodiment of a tower ride system 10. FIG. 6 shows the tower ride system 10 of FIG. 5 in a perspective view. The tower ride system 10 contains three pairs of neighbouring tower ride structures 21, 22; 21, 22; 21, 22. Each tower ride structure of a pair is controlled to rotate in a counter direction. Herewith, a first tower ride segment TS1 of one of the tower ride structures 21 is in operation related to a first tower ride segment of the neighbouring tower ride structure 22 in that these tower ride segments meet each other twice in a full rotation of 360?. A first time at the entry station ES, and a second time at the large scene room TS2.

[0091] Here, in FIG. 5, in the scene room building 50, the pairs of neighbouring tower ride structures 21, 22; 21, 22; 21, 22 are positioned in a circular array. At a centre region CR of the scene room building 50, the large scene rooms SR2 indicated by a dashed line (corresponding with FIG. 3) are combined to a central large room in which all the passengers who entered at the same time in different tower ride structures come together to enjoy a particular event. As an outer circumference, the scene room building has several entry stations ES for loading/unloading passengers. Here, scene room building 50 has three entry stations ES. A scene room SR1, SR3 is positioned aside each entry station ES. This scene room is visited by the passengers of neighbouring tower ride structures when the pair of tower ride structures 21, 22 rotate counter directional.

[0092] FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of a tower ride system 100 for entertaining the group of passengers by providing a tower ride and by showing an event in a scene room. The tower ride system 100 has a tower ride structure 20 which is centrally positioned in a scene room building 50. The tower ride structure 20 is configured as shown in FIG. 1. The tower ride structure 20 has an n-fold rotational symmetry. Here, a three-fold rotational symmetry. Radially extending wall portions 27 define a tower ride segment ST in which each tower ride segment TS comprises at least one tower track 28 to provide a tower ride to some passengers.

[0093] The scene room building 50 surrounds the tower ride structure 20. The scene room building 50 contains a plurality of scene rooms SR. In a rotational direction, the scene room building has an (n?1)-fold amount of scene rooms for showing an event to the passenger. Here, in the rotational direction, the scene room building 50 has two such scene rooms SR and one entry station ES. In a vertical direction, the scene room building 50 comprises a stack of scene rooms SR. By moving a ride vehicle 29 in the vertical direction, the passengers are transferred to an upper scene room SR.

[0094] FIGS. 8-11 show another embodiment of the amusement system 10 according to the invention. As in the embodiment of FIG. 6, three pairs of structures 21,22; 21,22; 21,22 are positioned in a circular arrangement. The three pairs of structures include each a first and second structure 21, 22 which are controlled to rotate in opposite directions with respect to each other. At a central position, a stationary auxiliary structure is provided which is part of a scene room building. The stationary structure is similar in shape to the rotatable surrounding pairs of first and second structures in that the stationary structure also has three sidewalls 511, 512, 513.

[0095] FIG. 8 shows a starting angular position of the rotatable structures 21, 22. In the starting position, a carriage 290 is positioned at an outer circumference of the amusement system and can be loaded with passengers. From the starting position, the carriage 290 will travel along a travel path through the amusement system 10 formed by the circular arrangement of the pair of structures. The travel path is meandering through the amusement system. The travel is preferably a stepwise motion which motion is meandering through the scene rooms SR1, SR2, SR3 formed by the arrangement of rotatable structures. The carriage 290 may be mounted to a rail forming the travel path for guiding the carriage through the scene rooms.

[0096] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the carriage 290 travels simultaneously with a rotation of the first structure 21 into a direction of the second structure 22. Here, the carriage 290 arrives at a large scene room SR1 formed by a segment of the first structure 21 in combination with a segment of the second structure 22. The carriage 290 is preferably rotatable about a vertical axis to direct a passenger view across the whole scene room SR1.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 11, a travel of the carriage 290 continues. The carriage 290 will travel to a next scene room SR2. In entering the next scene room SR2, the visited scene room SR1 appears to open due to wall portions of the first and second structure 21, 22 moving away from each other to allow the carriage 290 to pass. When the first and second structure 21, 22 have rotated sufficient far, the carriage 290 can pass through the opening to the next scene room SR2 which configuration is depicted in FIG. 8. From this point, the carriage may travel together with the movement of the second structure 22 and enjoy an event presented in the delimited space formed by the first and second structure. Subsequently the carriage travels to a scene room formed by the sidewall 512 of the stationary structure. Thereafter, the carriage travels further to a scene room formed by the first structure 21 of the next pair of structures and the second structure 22.

[0098] Similar to the shown embodiment in FIGS. 5 and 6, the stationary structure 50 as shown in the central region of FIG. 9 may be omitted. Without this stationary structure 50, the carriage 290 will be received in an extra-large common scene room which is formed by segments of all pairs of structures. Passengers situated in the extra-large common scene room may for example play a game or watch an event in the inner area of the scene room building. A carriage 290 can travel along all the pairs of neighbouring structures. Passengers can travel all around or be loaded and unloaded at several positions at the outer circumference as similarly shown by the entry stations depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0099] Numerous variants are possible in addition to the embodiment shown in the figures. In a variant of the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1 in which the vertical column rotates as a whole, only a column portion may rotate with respect to a remaining stationary column portion to transfer passengers to a next angular position. In a variant of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, an entry station may be provided at headings of the scene room building. In a variant of the embodiment of FIG. 8 at least one of the neighbouring pairs may include a tower ride system as shown in FIG. 1.

[0100] Although the present invention has been described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. It is intended that all such changes and modifications be encompassed within the scope of the present disclosure and claims.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0101]

TABLE-US-00001 1, 10 amusement system; tower ride system 20 structure; tower ride structure 28 tower track 21 first structure; tower ride structure 29 ride vehicle 22 second structure; tower ride structure 290 carriage 26 column 291 seat A-A axial axis; vertical axis 25 control unit 27 wall portion 50 scene room building 271 first wall portion 51 outer wall 272 second wall portion 511, 512, 513 scene room wall 273 third wall portion SR scene room TS tower ride segment SR1, SR3 small scene room TS1first tower ride segment SR2 large scene room TS2 second tower ride segment ES entry/exit station TS3 third tower ride segment CR centre region