Drive for polygonal Ferris wheel

Abstract

An amusement ride comprising a wheel frame having one or more straight sections in a circumferential direction, one or more rotary drive units configured to rotate the wheel frame around a rotational axis, wherein, during rotation of the wheel frame, the one or more rotary drive units are maintaining a contact engagement with the one or more straight sections of the wheel frame.

Claims

1. An amusement ride comprising a wheel frame having one or more straight sections in a circumferential direction, one or more rotary drive units configured to rotate the wheel frame around a rotational axis, wherein, during rotation of the wheel frame, the one or more rotary drive units are maintaining a contact engagement with the one or more straight sections of the wheel frame.

2. The amusement ride according to claim 1, further comprising an actuator configured to actuate the one or more rotary drive units in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis.

3. The amusement ride according to claim 2, wherein the actuator comprises hinged supports and/or hydraulic actuators, in particular a hydraulic cylinder.

4. The amusement ride according to claim 1, wherein the one or more rotary drive units comprise a drive wheels, in particular a set of drive tyres.

5. The amusement ride according to claim 4, wherein the drive wheels are attached to each other over a pivot connection (P1) and configured to tilt around a pivot axis thereof for maintaining a contact engagement with the one or more straight sections of the wheel frame.

6. The amusement ride according to claim 1, wherein one or more rotary drive units are maintaining a contact engagement with the one or more straight sections at an outer circumferential ring of the wheel frame.

7. The amusement ride according to claim 6, wherein the contact engagement is with a bottom peripheral surface of the outer circumferential ring.

8. The amusement ride according to claim 6, where the one or more rotary drive units are arranged on opposite sides of the outer circumferential ring, wherein the opposite sides are spaced apart from each other along the rotational axis.

9. The amusement ride according to claim 1, wherein the one or more rotary drive units are arranged on a base frame.

10. The amusement ride according to claim 1, wherein the one or more rotary drive units comprise a first rotary drive unit and second rotary drive unit arranged on opposite sides of the base platform.

11. The amusement ride according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit connected to the one or more rotary drive units, wherein the control unit is arranged to control the rotation of the wheel frame by controlling one or more operational parameters associated with the one or more rotary drive units.

12. The amusement ride according to claim 11, wherein the one or more operational parameters comprises an actuation of the one or more rotary drive units in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis.

13. The amusement ride according to claim 11, wherein the one or more operational parameters comprise a speed and/or direction control parameters.

14. The amusement ride according to claim 13, wherein the speed and/or direction control parameters comprise a pre-determined profile associated with the speed and/or direction along one or more straights sections of the wheel frame.

15. The amusement ride according to claim 14, wherein the pre-determined profile is repeated at consecutive ones of the one or more straight sections during rotation of the wheel frame.

16. The amusement ride according to claim 1, wherein the one or more straight sections comprise linear modular beams.

17. The amusement ride according to claim 1, wherein a width d of the wheel frame is at least 20 m.

18. The amusement ride according to claim 1, wherein the amusement ride is a transportable Ferris wheel.

19. A method for operating an amusement ride, comprising rotating, by one or more rotary drive units, a wheel frame having one or more straight sections in a circumferential direction around a rotational axis; and maintaining, by the one or more rotary drive units, a contact engagement with the one or more straight sections of the wheel frame during the rotation of the wheel frame.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising controlling, by a control unit connected to the one or more rotary drive units, the rotation of the wheel frame by controlling one or more operational parameters associated with the one or more rotary drive units, wherein the one or more operational parameters comprise a speed and/or direction control parameters comprising a pre-determined profile associated with the speed and/or direction along one or more straights sections of the wheel frame.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising calculating, by the control unit, the pre-determined profile based on an input parameter associated with a width w of the wheel frame and/or a number and length of one or more straight sections of the wheel frame.

22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising controlling, by the control unit, the rotation of the wheel frame by repeating the pre-determined profile at consecutive ones of the one or more straight sections of the wheel frame during rotation of the wheel frame.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0041] The present invention will be discussed in more detail below, with reference to the attached drawings, in which

[0042] FIG. 1 is the amusement ride according to the invention in front view;

[0043] FIG. 2 is a part of the amusement ride according to the invention in perspective view, and

[0044] FIG. 3 is a control arrangement for the amusement ride.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a front view of the amusement ride.

[0046] The amusement ride comprises a base frame 2, and a wheel support structure 3 for supporting a wheel frame 4 having one or more straight sections 41 in e.g. a substantially upright position. That is, the base frame 2 supports and bears the weight of the wheel frame 4. The base frame 2 is arranged on a ground level L, wherein the wheel frame 4 may be supported above the ground level. The wheel support structure 3 is connected to a part of the wheel frame 4 and to the base frame 2 for supporting the wheel frame 4 in e.g. the substantially vertical position. The wheel support structure 3 may comprise any support structure known to the skilled person, for example, a single or twin-sided support. In FIG. 1, the wheel support structure 3 has two supporting columns both having one end connected to a central part of the wheel frame 4, and another end connected to e.g. side parts of the base frame 2. It is noted that the two support columns represent an exemplary implantation of the wheel support structure 3, and other implementations may be envisaged, e.g. a single mast column to form a cantilevered-type support.

[0047] The amusement ride may further comprise a plurality of passenger capsules 10 articulately connected (e.g. pivotally connected) to parts of the wheel frame 4. The plurality of passenger capsules 10 may comprise any capsule known to the skilled person, e.g. capsules orientated upright by gravity or by electric motors.

[0048] Furthermore, the amusement ride further comprises one or more rotary drive wheels 5a, 5b, configured to rotate the wheel frame 4 around a rotational axis 46, wherein the rotational axis 46 is at the centre of the wheel frame 4, i.e. the wheel frame 4 rotates at its central axis. The one or more rotary drive units 5a, 5b are in direct, contact engagement with the one or more straight sections 41 of the wheel frame 4, wherein, during rotation of the wheel frame, 4, the one or more rotary drive units 5a, 5b are maintaining a contact engagement with the one or more straight sections 41 of the wheel frame 4.

[0049] As mentioned herein, the one or more straight sections 41 are arranged to form an outer circumferential ring 42 of the wheel frame 4 and outline the perimeter of the wheel frame 4. It is therefore noted that the wheel frame 4 is not a typical circular wheel frame 4. In FIG. 1 the one or more straight sections 41 are arranged to form a substantially-circular wheel frame 4 as viewed from far away, but other type of wheel frames 4 may be envisaged for the present invention, e.g. a pentagon-or hexagonal-like wheel frame 4. In this manner, the one or more rotary drive units 5a, 5b are in and maintain a contact engagement with the one or more straight sections 41 of the outer circumferential ring 42 during rotation of the wheel frame 4.

[0050] The one or more rotary drive units 5a, 5b comprise drive wheels 51. The drive wheels 51 comprises a set of drive tyres, but, as mentioned herein, other types of rotary drive units 5a, 5b will suffice as assuming rotation of the wheel frame 4. The one or more rotary drive units 5a, 5b comprise a first rotary drive unit 5a and a second rotary drive unit 5b attached to parts of the base frame 2 on opposite sides.

[0051] The outer circumferential frame 42 is provided with a plurality of spokes 44 fixedly attached thereto and connecting to an inner circumferential frame 43 of the wheel frame 4. The inner circumferential frame 43 may also comprise straight sections in a circumferential direction thereof, or may comprise a circular frame comprise curved sections.

[0052] The wheel frame 4 has a width d, wherein the width d is the distance between two opposite points on the perimeter of the wheel frame 4. The width d of the shown wheel is about 70 meters.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a part of the amusement ride.

[0054] The amusement ride further comprises an actuator 52 to actuate the one or more rotary drive units 5a, 5b in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis 46, as shown by the double-ended arrow in FIG. 2, illustrating the possible movement of one rotary drive unit 5a of the one or more rotary drive units 5a, 5b during rotation of the wheel frame 4. That is, the position of the rotary drive unit 5a is adjusted by the actuator 52 to compensate for the varying radius of the wheel frame 4, as already mentioned herein.

[0055] In this case, the actuator 52 comprises hinged supports 52a (two in FIG. 2) and/or hydraulic actuators 52b (two in FIG. 2), wherein the hinged supports 52a and/or hydraulic actuators 52b work in parallel to actuate the rotary drive unit 5a. Here, the hydraulic actuators 52b comprise hydraulic cylinders, but the skilled person will appreciate other hydraulic actuators 52b may be possible.

[0056] Also, the outer circumferential ring 42 has opposite sides (or flanges) 42a, 42b (can be thought as a first drive ring and second drive ring), the opposite sides being spaced apart along the rotational axis 46 from each other, wherein the rotary drive unit 5a is in contact engagement with both opposite sides 42a, 42b. The plurality of passenger capsules 10 are arranged between the two opposite sides 42a, 42b.

[0057] As shown clearly in FIG. 2, the rotary drive unit 5a, comprising drive wheels 51 in this exemplary case, is in contact engagement with the bottom, peripheral surface of the one or more straight sections 41. Note here, the drive tyres are only contacting the outer, bottom surface of the one or more straight sections 41 and not pinching any one of the one or more straight sections 41 i.e. contacting both top and bottom peripheral surfaces thereof. Here, the one or more straight sections 41 comprise linear, modular beams.

[0058] The drive wheels 51 (a set of drive tyres in this case) are connected over a pivotal connection P1, and pivots over the pivot axis thereof accordingly to the rotation of the wheel frame 4 to maintain contact engagement with the one or more straight sections 41. The drive wheels 51 are connected to one another via a drive wheel connecting segment 54. The set of drive tyres comprise a pair of two drive tyres here. In this exemplary case, the pair of two drive tyres are suitably spaced apart for contact engagement with the opposite sides 42a, 42b of the outer circumferential ring 42, i.e. the first pair of two drive tyres for one side 42a and the second pair of two drive tyres for the other side 42b. In each pair, the two drive tyres are arranged side-by-side in a direction perpendicular to the pivot axis of the pivot connection P1, wherein both drive tyres are in contact engagement with the one or more straight sections 41. Further, in this exemplary case, there is one hinged support 52a and one hydraulic actuator 52b for each pair of drive tyres.

[0059] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a control arrangement for the amusement ride. The control arrangement comprises a control unit 8 arranged to control the rotation of the wheel frame 4. The control unit 8 is connected to each one of the one or more rotary drive units 5a, 5b, and controls one or more operational parameters associated with the one or more rotary drive units 5a, 5b to control rotation of the wheel frame 4. The control unit 8 may control the drive wheels 51 and/or hydraulic actuators 52 of the one or more rotary drive units 5a, 5b for actuation thereof. The various types and means to control, by the control unit 8, the rotation of the wheel frame 4 are already described above.

[0060] The present invention has been described above with reference to a number of exemplary embodiments as shown in the drawings. Modifications and alternative implementations of some parts or elements are possible, and are included in the scope of protection as defined in the appended claims.