WO1999022831A1

WO1999022831A1 - An amusement device

Info

Publication number: WO1999022831A1
Application number: PCT/NL1998/000618
Authority: WO
Inventors: Petrus Joseph Hubertus Clerx; Christiaan Wilhelmus Peeters
Original assignee: Vekoma Technology B.V.
Priority date: 1997-10-31
Filing date: 1998-10-26
Publication date: 1999-05-14
Also published as: NL1007412C2; AU1056699A

Abstract

An amusement device comprising a guide construction forming a track, along which a vehicle is movable in a direction of transport. A person present in the vehicle extends substantially parallel to the track in use. The vehicle supports at least said person's back and head in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction. In use, acceleration forces directed transversely to the direction of transported are exerted on said vehicle. The amusement device comprises means for positioning the persons extending parallel to the track in the amusement device in such a manner that at least acceleration forces transversely to the direction of transport which are in excess of predetermined allowable acceleration forces are exerted in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction.

Description

An amusement device.

The invention relates to an amusement device comprising a guide construction forming a track, along which a vehicle is movable in a direction of transport, wherein a person present in the vehicle extends substantially parallel to the track in use, whilst said vehicle supports at least said person's back and head in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction, and acceleration forces directed transversely to the direction of transported are exerted on said vehicle in use. With a similar amusement device, which is known from

International patent application WO 97/02878 of the applicant, a person is transported along the track in a hanging position under the track. The person experiences a sensation of flying thereby. This presents a more sensational attraction than is the case with conventional amusement devices, wherein a person is moved in seated or in upright position in a vehicle over or under a track. When a person is seated in said vehicle, said person's back and head are supported by the vehicle. When the vehicle is being moved over or under said track, various acceleration forces are exerted on said person. The acceleration forces in a direction opposed to the direction of transport press said person's back and head against the vehicle. Centrifugal forces, which occur for example in a looping, press the person down in the vehicle in cranio-caudal direction, that is, the direction from the head to the feet.

Accelerations in the direction of transport which are dorsoventral in sense, that is, from a person's back to his stomach, hardly occur thereby.

Such dorsoventral acceleration forces are undesirable, because the head makes relatively unexpected forward movements with respect to the torso, which may cause whiplash, as occurs inter alia with car collisions. This is quite unacceptable in the case of amusement devices, of course.

With the amusement device according to WO 97/02878, wherein the person extends parallel to the track, the acceleration forces in a direction opposed to the direction of transport are cranio-caudal in sense. Said forces press the head down onto the torso, as it were, and they are not found to be unpleasant as such. If a looping were made from a position in which the person hangs under the track, said person would experience relatively large, centrifugal forces which are dorsoventral in sense. In order to prevent the above-described negative effects of such forces, the head may for example be clamped down or be supported, as is described in WO 97/02878.

The drawback of this is the fact that the head protection lessens the free-flying sensation. In addition to that, the head support must be suitable for heads of varying dimensions, which makes the head support relatively complicated.

The object of the invention is to provide an amusement device, wherein the occurrence of dorsoventral acceleration forces in excess of predetermined allowable accelerations is prevented in the case of a person extending parallel to the track. This objective is accomplished with the amusement device according to the invention in that said amusement device comprises means for positioning the persons extending parallel to the track in the amusement device in such a manner that at least acceleration forces transversely to the direction of transport which are in excess of predetermined allowable acceleration forces are exerted in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction.

Rotation of the person about an axis of rotation parallel to the longitudinal axis of the person and to the direction of transport, for example, makes it possible to ensure that the acceleration forces exerted on the person in a direction transversely to the direction of transport will at no time be dorsoventral in sense. In practice, the occurrence of dorsoventral acceleratio forces which are in excess of predetermined allowable acceleration forces, for example two or three times the force of gravity, can be prevented in this manner, whilst all known manoeuvres still be carried out with such amusement devices.

This implies that the person is moved from a hanging position under the track to a position above the track, for example before a looping, wherein said person will lie with his back on the track. Then said person is moved along the inner side of the looping by means of the vehicle, whereby the centrifugal forces are exerted in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction. Once the looping has been completed, the person can be returned from the lying position on the track to a hanging position under the track, so that an unobstructed downward view is obtained again.

The invention will be explained in more detail hereafter with reference to the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 schematically shows an amusement device which is known per se and the acceleration forces which are exerted on a person thereby;

Figure 2 shows an amusement device with a person extending parallel to the track and the acceleration forces that occur thereby;

Figures 3 - 6 show various alternative embodiments of amusement devices according to the invention;

Figures 7A and 7B are a side view and a perspective view respectively of a conventional amusement device;

Figures 8A and 8B are a side view and a perspective view respectively of another amusement device which is known per se;

Figures 9A and 9B are a side view and a perspective view respectively of an amusement device according to the invention; Figure 10 shows part of the track of the amusement device which is shown in Figures 9A and 9B;

Figures 11A and 1 IB show a boarding station and an unboarding station of the amusement device which is shown in Figures 9A and 9B. Corresponding parts are indicated by the same numerals in the figures.

Figure 1 shows an amusement device 1 which is known per se, which comprises an elongated track 1 and a vehicle suspended therefrom, which comprises a seat. Vehicle 2 is movable in a direction of transport indicated by arrow PI. A person 3 can be accommodated in a seated position in vehicle 2. When vehicle 2 is moved in the direction of transport indicated by arrow PI, an acceleration force +GX will be exerted on person 3, in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction indicated by arrow P2. If track 1 comprises a looping (see Figures 8A and 8B) , wherein vehicle 2 is transported along the outer side of the looping, the person will experience a centrifugal force +GZ in the cranio-caudal direction indicated by arrow P3. Acceleration forces -GZ and -GX hardly occur with such an amusement device. In particular acceleration forces -GX which are dorsoventral in sense are avoided in amusement devices.

Figure 2 shows an amusement device corresponding with Figure 1, wherein person 3 occupies a lying position rather than a seated position with respect to track 1. The acceleration forces in a direction opposed to the direction of transport PI are cranio-caudal in sense thereby, whilst the centrifugal forces are dorsoventral in sense in a looping wherein the person is present on the outer side of the looping, as in the amusement device of Figure 1. Such dorsoventral acceleration forces in excess of two or three times the force of gravity are undesirable or even unacceptable, which is indicated by a cross through acceleration forces -GX.

In order to make it possible yet to make loopings and the like, wherein acceleration forces of five to six times the force of gravity may occur, in an amusement device wherein a person occupies a hanging position under the track, person 3 must be rotated about an axis of rotation extending parallel to his longitudinal axis before undergoing such a looping, so that the acceleration forces will be exerted in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction. The rotation of a person about an axis of rotation parallel to the longitudinal axis of said person can take place in various manners, four embodiments of which are shown in Figures 3 - 6.

Figure 3 shows a track 1, in the left-hand part of which a person 3 hangs in a vehicle under track 1, whereby said person looks down. The amusement device comprises means for rotating vehicle 4 about the longitudinal axis 5 of said person, in a direction indicated by arrow P4, in such a manner that the vehicle and the person present therein can take up the position as shown in the right-hand part of Figure 3. When a looping is made from this position, with vehicle 4 being present on the outer side of track 1, the centrifugal forces will be exerted on said person in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction.

With the embodiment of the amusement device according to the invention as shown in Figure 4, track 1 comprises a helical portion between left-hand and right-hand track portions 6, 7, so that a vehicle 8 suspended from track portion 6 will undergo a rotation in the direction indicated by arrow P5 when moving through said helical portion, as a result of which vehicle 8 will be positioned above track portion 7. A looping can be made from the position of vehicle 8 as shown in Figure 4, whereby vehicle 8 must be present on the inner side of the looping. The axis of rotation about which vehicle 8 undergoes the rotation indicated by arrow P5 lies in the plane of track portions 6, 7. Figure 5 shows a third embodiment of an amusement device according to the invention, wherein track 1 comprises a corkscrew-like portion 9 and track portions 10, 11 present on either side thereof. Track portions 10, 11 lie in different planes. A vehicle 12 suspended from track portion 10 is moved through said corkscrew-like portion 9 to a position wherein vehicle 12 is positioned above track portion 11. Preferably, said corkscrew-like portion is configured such that person 3 is rotated about an axis of rotation 13 coinciding with his longitudinal axis, as it were.

Figure 6 shows a fourth embodiment of the amusement device according to the invention, wherein track 1 comprises two track portions 14, 15 disposed one above the other, which are connected by means of a curved portion 16. When vehicle 17 is moved over track 1, the presence of curved portion 16 causes the person to move from a hanging position under the track in track portion 14 to a lying position on the track in track portion 15. From said lying position on the track, a looping can be made, wherein vehicle 17 must be present on the inner side of the looping.

Figures 7A and 7B are a side view and a perspective view respectively of a conventional amusement device 20, which comprises a track 1 and a vehicle 21 which can move over the upper side of track 1. The persons assume a seated position in vehicle 21. Amusement device 20 comprises a looping 22, wherein vehicle 21 is guided along the inner side 23 of the looping 22 upon being moved in the direction indicated by arrow PI, and subsequently it will be positioned on the upper side of the track 1 again on the right-hand side of the looping. Figures 8A and 8B are a side view and a perspective view respectively of another conventional amusement device 25, wherein vehicles 26 suspended from track 1 can be moved in a direction indicated by arrow PI. Persons take up a seated position in vehicles 2, as is shown in Figure 1. Amusement device 25 comprises a looping 27, wherein vehicle 2 is guided along the outer side 28 of the looping 27 upon being moved in the direction indicated by arrow PI, and subsequently it will be positioned under the track 1 again on the right-hand side of the looping. Both in the amusement device of Figures 7A and 7B and in the amusement device of Figures 8A and 8B, the centrifugal forces that occur in looping 22, 27 are cranio-caudal in sense.

Figures 9A and 9B are a side view and a perspective view respectively of an amusement device 30 according to the invention, wherein vehicle 31 is suspended from track 1 and the persons present therein extend with their backs parallel to track 1. If such a vehicle

31 would be suspended from the amusement device 25 as shown in Figure 8A, excessive dorsoventral forces would be exerted on said persons, in particular on their heads, upon passing through looping 27. According to the invention, amusement device 30 therefore comprises a track portion

32 in which the vehicle is moved from a suspended position under the track to a position 31' on the track, after which it passes looping 34 along the inner side 33 thereof. After looping 34, amusement device 30 comprises a track portion 35 corresponding with track portion 32, in which the vehicle is moved from a position 31' on the track to a suspended position 31 under the track. Since the vehicle 31 is guided along the inner side

33 of looping 34, the centrifugal forces are exerted in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction. The acceleration forces which occur in a looping, which may be in excess of five to six times the force of gravity, are exerted in the correct direction in this manner.

Figure 10 shows a track portion 36 which comprises two parallel tubes 37, 38, which are interconnected by means of a supporting structure 39. Wheel sets (not shown) of vehicle 31 can move over said tubes. Track portion 36 comprises a corkscrew-like portion 40, wherein said tubes 37, 38 and supporting structure 39 are twisted in the direction indicated by arrow P6, as it were, in such a manner that tubes 37, 38 are positioned above support 39 on the right-hand side of the track portion 36 as shown in Figure 10. Seen in the direction of transport PI, track portion 36 twists in clockwise direction, as it were. With the amusement device 30 which is shown in Figures 9A and 9B, track portion twists in anti-clockwise direction as indicated by arrow PI, as it were, whilst track portion 35 twists in clockwise direction, as it were.

Figures 11A and 1 IB show a boarding method and an unboarding method respectively for a vehicle 31 of an amusement device 30 according to the invention. Vehicle 31 is provided with a number of seats 41, in which a person 42 can be seated (position A). The person is then secured in seat 41 by means of a shoulder and hip securing part 43 and a leg securing part 44, by pivoting securing parts 43, 44 in the directions indicated by arrows P7 and P8 respectively (position B) . Following that, seat 41 is pivoted about pivot pin 46, in a direction indicated by arrow P9, by means of linear drive 45, whereby person 42 occupies a lying position on track 1 (position C) . When vehicle 31 is subsequently moved in the direction indicated by arrow PI, said vehicle 31 moves through a track portion 36 (see Figure 10), as a result of which vehicle 31 will take up a suspended position under the track (position D) . The person is positioned under the track thereby, with has back extending parallel to said track. Vehicle 31 is subsequently moved along the track, whereby the vehicle can follow various curves in the track. It is ensured thereby that acceleration forces transversely to the track which are in excess of predetermined allowable acceleration forces will at all times be exerted in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction.

As soon as the vehicle 31 has moved through track 1, it will arrive at an unboarding station, where vehicle 31 is moved from a suspended position under the track (position D) , via a corkscrew-like track portion 36, to a position on top of the track (position E), after which seat 41 is pivoted about pivot pin 46 in the direction indicated by arrow P10, so that the person will take up a seated position on the track (position F). Then, securing parts 43, 44 are pivoted in the directions indicated by arrows Pll, P12 respectively, after which person 42 can leave the amusement device.

Claims

1. An amusement device comprising a guide construction forming a track, along which a vehicle is movable in a direction of transport, wherein a person present in the vehicle extends substantially parallel to the track in use, whilst said vehicle supports at least said person's back and head in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction, and acceleration forces directed transversely to the direction of transported are exerted on said vehicle in use, characterized in that said amusement device comprises means for positioning the persons extending parallel to the track in the amusement device in such a manner that at least acceleration forces transversely to the direction of transport which are in excess of predetermined allowable acceleration forces are exerted in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction.

2. An amusement device according to claim 1, characterized in that said amusement device comprises means for rotating said person about an axis of rotation extending parallel to the direction of transport, in such a manner that at least acceleration forces directed transversely to the direction of transport which are in excess of predetermined allowable acceleration forces are exerted in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction.

3. An amusement device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said vehicle comprises a holder, which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said person, which longitudinal axis substantially coincides with said axis of rotation.

4. An amusement device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said track comprises a helical portion extending about said axis of rotation, wherein track portions present on either side of said helical portion lie in substantially the same plane, whilst the holder is positioned on one side of said plane in one track portion and on another side of said plane in the other track portion.

5. An amusement device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said track comprises a corkscrew- like portion extending about said axis of rotation, wherein the track portions present on either side of the corkscrew-like portion lie in different planes, whilst the longitudinal axis of a person present in said holder in one track portion substantially corresponds with the longitudinal axis of said person in the other track portion.

6. An amusement device according to claim 1, characterized in that said track comprises two track portions disposed one above the other, which are connected by means of a bend, wherein said holder can be moved along the underside of the upper track portion and along the upper side of the lower track portion.

7. An amusement device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that acceleration forces transversely to the direction of transport which are in excess of three times the force of gravity are exerted in a direction opposed to the dorsoventral direction.