Oscillating amusement ride

Abstract

An amusement ride comprises a pair of swinging arms, each supporting a support element that includes a plurality of seats to accommodate riders. The arms may share a rotation axis and are rotatable with respect to one another. The arms may each be coupled to a rotatable vertical tower. The support elements at the ends of the respective arms each oscillate by swinging about a pivot axis, due to the swinging motion of the arms. A control system controls the swinging of the arms such that the supporting elements oscillate at a resonance frequency.

1 . An amusement ride ( 1 ) comprising:
 a central column ( 2 ) having a longitudinal axis (A 1 ) and comprising a base structure ( 2   a );   at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ), rotatably coupled to said central column ( 2 ) at respective arm rotation axes (A 2 ′, A 2 ″) that each intersect said longitudinal axis (A 1 );   a first actuation element ( 70 ) for swinging each said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) through at least a portion of a circular arc (P 1 );   at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) adapted to support at least one seat(S) for at least one rider, each said supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) being rotatably coupled to a respective arm of said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) at a rotation axis (A 3 ′, A 3 ″) spaced from and parallel to the at least one arm rotation axis (A 2 ′, A 2 ″); and   a logic control unit ( 100 ) configured to control said first actuation element ( 70 ) for swinging said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ),   wherein said logic control unit ( 100 ) is configured to control each said first actuation element ( 70 ) for swinging said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) with a predetermined frequency value (ω F ) so that said swinging of said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) generates an oscillatory movement of said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) through at least a portion of a circular arc (P 2 ) whereby said oscillatory movement of said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) occurs in resonance condition.   
     
     
         2 . The amusement ride ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said resonance condition occurs when said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) swings with a frequency value (ω F ) which is substantially equal to the natural frequency (ω N ) of said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) oscillating through said at least a portion of a circular arc (P 2 ). 
     
     
         3 . The amusement ride ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein each said first actuation element ( 70 ) comprises two hydraulic cylinders ( 71 ,  72 ). 
     
     
         4 . The amusement ride ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , further comprising second actuation elements ( 73 ) configured to cause each said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) to swing about its respective rotation axis (A 3 ′, A 3 ″) and travel along said at least a portion of a circular arc (P 2 ). 
     
     
         5 . The amusement ride ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one second actuation element ( 73 ) configured for moving an associated supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) along at least a portion of said circular arc (P 2 ), each said second actuation element ( 73 ) disposed on an end ( 31 ,  32 ) of a respective arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) and including a motor. 
     
     
         6 . The amusement ride ( 1 ) according to  claim 5 , wherein said control unit ( 100 ) is configured to control said at least one second actuation element ( 73 ) for moving said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) along said at least a portion of said circular arc (P 2 ). 
     
     
         7 . The amusement ride ( 1 ) according to  claim 5 , wherein said central column ( 2 ) comprises a rotatable portion ( 2   b ) that is rotatable with respect to said base structure ( 2   a ) and wherein said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) is coupled to said rotatable portion ( 2   b ). 
     
     
         8 . The amusement ride ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein each said arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) is provided with one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) arranged at an end ( 31 ,  32 ) of said arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ). 
     
     
         9 . The amusement ride ( 1 ) according to  claim 8 , wherein each said supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) includes a counter-weight ( 61 ). 
     
     
         10 . The amusement ride ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said central column ( 2 ) comprises a gear system ( 7 ) for rotating said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) about a respective arm rotation axis (A 2 ′, A 2 ″). 
     
     
         11 . The amusement ride ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said central column ( 2 ) comprises one or more movable portions ( 2   b ), that are longitudinally movable with respect to said base structure ( 2   a ). 
     
     
         12 . The amusement ride ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said central column ( 2 ) comprises a rotatable portion ( 2   b ) that is rotatable with respect to said base structure ( 2   a ). 
     
     
         13 . The amusement ride ( 1 ) according to  claim 12 , wherein said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) is coupled to said rotatable portion ( 2   b ). 
     
     
         14 . A method of operation of the amusement ride ( 1 ) of  claim 1 , said method comprising:
 maintaining said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) in a loading/unloading position to enable loading of at least one rider on the at least one seat(S),   operating said first actuation element ( 70 ) to swing said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) through at least a portion of said circular arc (P 1 ), with a predetermined frequency value (ω F ) so that said swinging of said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) generates an oscillatory movement of said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) through at least a portion of said circular arc (P 2 ) to produce an oscillatory movement of said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) in resonance condition; and   operating said first actuation element ( 70 ) to swing said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) back to said loading/unloading position for unloading the at least one rider.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising, after said maintaining said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) in a loading/unloading position, operating each said first actuation element ( 70 ) to rotate said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) from said loading/unloading position to a security position, wherein said at least one seat(S) is disposed above the ground. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein said amusement ride ( 1 ) further comprises second actuation elements ( 73 ) moving said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) along at least a portion of said circular arc (P 2 ) by rotating said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) about a respective a rotation axis (A 3 ′, A 3 ″). 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said second actuation elements ( 73 ) moving said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) along at least a portion of said circular arc (P 2 ), takes place before said operating said first actuation element ( 70 ) to swing said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ), and further comprising
 determining a natural frequency value (ω N ) of said associated supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) by turning off said at least one second actuation element ( 73 ) and allowing said associated supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) to swing freely, and wherein said predetermined frequency value (ω F ) is based on said determined natural frequency value (ω N ).   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) swings through an angle (α) in the range of 10° to 180° along the at least a portion of circular arc (P 1 ), and said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) oscillates back and forth along at least a portion of said circular arc (P 2 ), through an angle (β) between 20° and 300.° 
     
     
         19 . A method of operation of an amusement ride ( 1 ), said method comprising:
 providing an amusement ride with at least one swingable arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) having an associated supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) disposed on an end thereof, each said supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) having at least one seat(S) for accommodating a rider; and   operating a first actuation element ( 70 ) to swing said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) through at least a portion of a circular arc (P 1 ), with a predetermined frequency value (ω F ) so that said swinging of said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ) generates an oscillatory movement of said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) through at least a portion of a circular arc (P 2 ) to produce an oscillatory movement of said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) in resonance condition.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising second actuation elements ( 73 ) moving said at least one supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) along at least a portion of a circular arc (P 2 ) by rotating about a corresponding rotation axis (A 3 ′, A 3 ″) before said operating said first actuation element ( 70 ) to swing said at least one arm ( 3   a ,  3   b ), and
 determining a natural frequency value (ω N ) of said associated supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) by turning off said at least one second actuation element ( 73 ) and allowing said associated supporting element ( 6   a ,  6   b ) to swing freely, and wherein said predetermined frequency value (ω F ) is based on said determined natural frequency value (ω N ).