IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,628,798
Granted Patent B2
US 11,628,798 · App. 16/648,140 · Granted Apr 18, 2023

Passenger receptacle for an amusement ride, method for operating such a passenger receptacle, and amusement ride having such a passenger receptacle

Inventors: Frank Sornik (Waldkirch, DE); Markus Becherer (Elzach, DE); Stephan Schrade (Teningen, DE)
Assignee: MACK RIDES GMBH & CO. KG
B60R22/04A63G7/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,628,798
App. No.
16/648,140
Granted
Apr 18, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a passenger receptacle for an amusement ride ( 50 ), comprising a receiving portion ( 12 ) for receiving a passenger, a retaining device ( 20 ), which is adjustable between an open position, in which the access to the receiving portion ( 12 ) is possible for the passenger, and a closed position, in which the received passenger is held in the receiving portion ( 12 ), and a securing device ( 26 ), which interacts with the retaining device ( 20 ) in such a way that whenever the retaining device moves away, or wants to move away, from the closed position by a selectable degree, a further movement of the retaining device away from the closed position is blocked. The invention further relates to a method for operating such a passenger receptacle ( 10 ) and to an amusement ride ( 50 ) having such a passenger receptacle ( 10 ).

Claims (39)

1. A passenger receptacle for an amusement ride ( 50 ), comprising:

a receiving portion ( 12 ) for receiving a passenger;

a retaining device ( 20 ), which is adjustable between an open position, in which access to the receiving portion ( 12 ) is possible for the passenger, and a closed position, in which the received passenger is held in the receiving portion ( 12 ), wherein the open position comprises a raised position of the retaining device ( 20 ) relative to the receiving portion ( 12 ), and the closed position comprises a lowered position of the retaining device ( 20 ) relative to the receiving portion ( 12 ); and

a securing device ( 26 ), which interacts with the retaining device ( 20 ) in such a way that whenever the retaining device ( 20 ) moves away or wants to move away from the closed position by a selectable degree, a further movement of the retaining device ( 20 ) away from the closed position is blocked,

wherein the securing device ( 26 ) comprises at least one tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) having opposed first and second ends, the first end of the at least one tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) being attached to the retaining device ( 20 ), the at least one tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) applying a downward tensile force to the retaining device ( 20 ) to resist upward movement thereof from the closed position to the open position,

wherein the at least one tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) can be wound onto and unwound from a lockable winding unit ( 30 ),

wherein the securing device ( 26 ) comprises an actuatable drive device ( 44 ), wherein actuation of the actuatable drive device ( 44 ) drives the securing device ( 26 ) to adjust the retaining device ( 20 ) from the open position into the closed position, and

wherein the actuatable drive device ( 44 ) comprises an electric motor ( 46 ), the electric motor ( 46 ) being configured to determine the position of the retaining device ( 20 ) between the open position and the closed position, such that adjusting the retaining device ( 20 ) from the open position into the closed position is further performed using the lockable winding unit ( 30 ) by a torque which is changed by the electric motor ( 46 ) according to the position of the retaining device ( 20 ), the lockable winding unit ( 30 ) being driven by the electric motor ( 46 ).

2. The passenger receptacle according to claim 1 ,

wherein the amusement ride has a number of vehicles ( 52 ), and

wherein the second end of the at least one tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) is attached to the passenger receptacle ( 10 ) or to a corresponding one of the vehicles ( 52 ).

3. The passenger receptacle according to claim 1 , characterized in that the tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) has a length-compensation means ( 31 ) in order to follow the movement of the retaining device ( 20 ) between the open position and the closed position.

4. The passenger receptacle according to claim 3 , characterized in that the length-compensation means ( 31 ) comprises the lockable winding unit ( 30 ).

5. The passenger receptacle according to claim 1 , characterized in that the tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) is attached at the first end to the retaining device ( 20 ) by a connection means ( 32 ).

6. The passenger receptacle according to claim 5 , characterized in that the tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) is attached to the retaining device ( 20 ) by means of a clamping means ( 34 ).

7. The passenger receptacle according to claim 4 , characterized in that the tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) and/or the winding unit ( 30 ) is detachably attached to the passenger receptacle ( 10 ) or to the securing device ( 26 ).

8. The passenger receptacle according to claim 1 , characterized in that the securing device ( 26 ) is arranged outside of receiving portion ( 12 ) at least in the open position of the retaining device ( 20 ).

9. The passenger receptacle according to claim 8 , characterized in that the receiving portion ( 12 ) has at least one side rest ( 18 ) and the securing device ( 26 ) is arranged outside of the receiving portion ( 12 ) limited by the side rest ( 18 ).

10. The passenger receptacle according to claim 9 , characterized in that, in the open position of the retaining device ( 20 ), the side rest ( 18 ) is aligned with the tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) transverse to the direction of entry (P) or protrudes beyond the tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) counter to the direction of entry (P).

11. The passenger receptacle according to claim 1 , characterized in that the tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) comprises two tensile force transfer portions ( 29 1 , 29 2 ), each of which is attached at the first end thereof to the retaining device ( 20 ) by a connection means ( 32 ) and which can be wound onto and unwound from the lockable winding unit ( 30 ).

12. The passenger receptacle according to claim 11 , characterized in that a particularly one-piece restraining belt ( 40 ) extends between the two tensile force transfer portions ( 29 1 , 29 2 ).

13. The passenger receptacle according to claim 12 , characterized in that the restraining belt ( 40 ) is attached to the two connection means ( 32 ).

14. The passenger receptacle according claim 2 , characterized in that the securing device ( 26 ) is attached to the passenger receptacle ( 10 ) or to the retaining device ( 20 ) by means of a relief element ( 35 ).

15. A passenger receptacle for an amusement ride ( 50 ), comprising:

a receiving portion ( 12 ) for receiving a passenger;

a retaining device ( 20 ), which is adjustable between an open position, in which access to the receiving portion ( 12 ) is possible for the passenger, and a closed position, in which the received passenger is held in the receiving portion ( 12 ), wherein the open position comprises a raised position of the retaining device ( 20 ) relative to the receiving portion ( 12 ), and the closed position comprises a lowered position of the retaining device ( 20 ) relative to the receiving portion ( 12 ); and

a securing device ( 26 ), which comprises an actuatable drive device ( 44 ), by means of which the securing device ( 26 ) can be driven, and which interacts with the retaining device ( 20 ) in such a way that the retaining device ( 20 ) can be moved at least from the open position into the closed position, adjustment of the retaining device ( 20 ) from the open position into the closed position being performed by means of the securing device ( 26 ) by actuating the actuatable drive device ( 44 ), and whenever the retaining device ( 20 ) moves away or wants to move away from the closed position by a selectable degree, a further movement of the retaining device ( 20 ) away from the closed position is blocked,

wherein the securing device ( 26 ) further comprises at least one tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) having opposed first and second ends, the first end of the at least one tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) being attached to the retaining device ( 20 ), the at least one tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) applying a downward tensile force to the retaining device ( 20 ) to resist upward movement thereof from the closed position to the open position,

wherein the at least one tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) can be wound onto and unwound from a lockable winding unit ( 30 ), and

wherein the actuatable drive device ( 44 ) comprises an electric motor ( 46 ), the electric motor ( 46 ) being configured to determine the position of the retaining device ( 20 ) between the open position and the closed position, such that adjusting the retaining device ( 20 ) from the open position into the closed position is further performed using the lockable winding unit ( 30 ) by a torque which is changed by the electric motor ( 46 ) according to the position of the retaining device ( 20 ), the lockable winding unit ( 30 ) being driven by the electric motor ( 46 ).

16. A method for operating a passenger receptacle ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , comprising the following steps:

moving the retaining device ( 20 ) into the closed position;

in the event that the retaining device ( 20 ) moves or wants to move away from the closed position by a selectable degree, blocking a further movement of the retaining device ( 20 ) away from the closed position by means of the securing device ( 26 );

adjusting the retaining device ( 20 ) from the open position into the closed position by means of the securing device ( 26 ) by actuating the drive device ( 44 ); and

adjusting the retaining device ( 20 ) from the open position into the closed position by means of the winding unit ( 30 ) by the torque which is changed by the electric motor ( 46 ) according to the position of the retaining device ( 20 ).

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) is operated at reduced load as long as a further movement of the retaining device ( 20 ) away from the closed position by means of the tensile force transfer means ( 28 ) is not blocked.

18. An amusement ride ( 50 ) comprising a passenger receptacle ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , which can be operated with a method characterized by the following steps:

moving the retaining device ( 20 ) into the closed position; and

in the event that the retaining device ( 20 ) moves or wants to move away from the closed position by a selectable degree, blocking a further movement of the retaining device ( 20 ) away from the closed position by means of the securing device ( 26 ).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2020
From: SORNIK, FRANK; BECHERER, MARKUS; SCHRADE, STEPHAN
To: MACK RIDES GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 052149/0537 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 102017121730.4 · Sep 19, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200216013A1 · Jul 9, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,365,307