Patent Application
20110313607
This application provides a speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism for controlling the speed of any free-rolling equipment or mechanisms including, but not limited to, things such as zip-lines, roller coasters and sleds and a safety system to cushion the momentum when decelerating and coming to a stop.
Freely spinning tires, rollers and pulleys present a very definite problem in that there is no limit to the speed of rotation that they can achieve. In many cases the devices that incorporate these systems are required to travel down inclines where the uncontrolled acceleration is a desired effect as in roller coasters, zip-lines and sleds but without control of the maximum speed attained they may become very dangerous. In most cases, braking friction has been used as a means of speed control, but it imposes difficulties with heat and wears on the individual parts that require frequent inspection and replacement. Replacing worn cables on these activities can be very expensive. In the case of zip-lines, and other activities using a cable or rope, an additional cushioning is required to attain a completely safe and controlled stop. Freely rolling tires, rollers or pulleys incorporating speed control wheels and or spring compression systems can add a great deal of safety in many cases, even on devices that should not attain any appreciable speed but may break loose and get out of control.
Within the past decade, zip lines have become part of the “extreme sports” scene. One particular zip-line installed on a hill in the Costa Rican jungle has been given rave reviews. The Costa Rican system is really quite primitive, having a trolley with a single deep-groove nylon pulley riding on the suspended cable. In order to slow his descent, a rider must twist the trolley, thereby causing the flanges of the pulley to rub against the cable and generate friction. Kinetic energy is thus dissipated as heat. Riders who are particularly heavy may generate so much friction and related heat that the trolley pulley may fail prematurely. Such a system is potentially dangerous, as the riders themselves, must take responsibility for maintaining their descent speeds within a safe range, in order to avoid uncontrolled crashing into the lower cable support tower.
Numerous innovations for the speed control wheel and spring compression systems have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present design as hereinafter contrasted. The following is a summary of those prior art patents most relevant to this application at hand; as well as a description outlining the difference between the features of the speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system prior art.
US Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0162477 A1 of Emiliano Palumbo describes a high-speed dual cable zip line ride whereby the participant(s) ascends by a mechanical motor drive system and descend using a combination of mechanical and gravitational forces. The participant(s) will be secured in either a harnessed or a seated tram configuration. The control of the deceleration and stopping of the ride will be performed by one of four mechanical configurations depending on the dimension of the ride (i.e. Length and height of the ride). These configurations will be an air shock system, a nitrogen shock system, a hydraulic disc braking system, or a magnetic disc braking system. In all embodiments of the ride, appropriate platforms and procedures for safely embarking and disembarking will be utilized.
This patent describes a high-speed dual cable zip line ride that uses an air shock system, a nitrogen shock system, a hydraulic disc braking system, or a magnetic disc braking system to stop, but does not control the speed of the vehicle as does the speed control wheel until the actual braking process is required. It does not employ the unique cushioned mechanism of the spring compression system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,773 of Michael Troy Richardson tells of a zip-line thrill ride system that includes a cable suspended between an upper cable support tower and platform which, together, function as the harnessing, loading, and take-off point for the ride, and a lower cable support tower and platform which together, function as the landing, unloading and unharnessing point of the ride. Multiple, substantially identical trolleys are designed to quickly engage and disengage the cable. The trolley includes a frame of generally I-beam cross section, a generally tubular brake retainer, having a longitudinal slit therein, is welded to an upper rear portion of the frame. A grooved, generally cylindrical brake fabricated from a durable polymeric material is rotatably affixed within the tubular brake retainer. When the trolley is affixed to the suspended cable by sliding the cable into the slit and rotating the brake, the grooved insert rides against the suspended cable and generates friction.
This patent tells of a zip-line thrill ride system that includes a cable suspended between an upper cable support tower and platform. It does not employ a means for controlling the overall speed of the ride. It does not describe the unique attributes of the speed control wheel mechanism that can be used on a variety of other different applications.
US Patent Application Publication No. US 2006/0288901 A1 of Eric Scott Cylvic relates to a recreational ride that employs a suspended tensioned static cable that allows the user to gravitationally ride, harnessed to a rolling trolley attached to the cable, from an upper platform to a lower platform. The trolley includes a brake assembly that is attached to a brake arm through a bolted connection, which greatly reduces the cost and complexity of the brake assembly and reduces the chances of operator error when mounting the trolley on the cable. The brake assembly includes two adjacent, separate, aligned brake pads fabricated of different materials, a forward pad being a non-metallic material and a rearward pad being a metallic material. A wheel assembly portion of the trolley includes a sheave plate, bolted to a brake arm that is permitted to pivot about its point of attachment to the brake arm to thereby eliminate fatigue forces on the wheel assembly.
This patent relates to a recreational ride that employs a suspended tensioned static cable that allows the user to gravitationally ride, harnessed to a rolling trolley attached to the cable that uses a braking system but does not control the overall speed of the ride.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,381,137 of Robert L. Steele et al. describes a braking and motion-arrest apparatus for braking the arrival of a zip line cable rider at a landing platform and arresting the rider's motion to retain the rider at the platform. A frame is mounted on the cable to allow longitudinal rolling movement of the frame along the cable. A self-closing one-way latch is provided at the forward end of the frame. The latch includes a pair of capture plates which are normally inwardly biased toward one another, on opposite sides of the cable. The rider is tethered to a pulley block which rolls along the cable and collides with the latch. The collision force drives the plates laterally away from the cable, allowing the pulley block to roll through the latch. After the pulley block rolls past the latch, the plates' normal biasing closes the latch, preventing the pulley block from rolling back through the latch.
This patent describes a braking and motion-arrest apparatus for braking the arrival of a zip line cable rider at a landing platform and arresting the rider's motion to retain the rider at the platform but also does not control the overall speed of the ride.
None of these previous efforts, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system and could not be adapted to working on freely rolling tires, rollers or pulleys. The present design achieves its intended purposes, objects and advantages over the prior art devices through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing readily available materials.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system in detail it is to be understood that the design is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement, of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system are all capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present design. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present application.
The principal advantage of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system is to control the speed and bring to a controlled stop any vehicle or device using an otherwise uncontrolled freely rolling system.
Another advantage of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system is the unique method of using magnetism as a means of maintaining a given maximum speed, eliminating the heat and friction caused by conventional braking processes.
Another advantage of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system is the elimination of the wear and damage caused by conventional braking systems where with the magnetic braking system there is no contact between any of the wheel components.
Another advantage of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system is the increasing speed of the wheel causes centrifugal force to stretch the springs holding the braking fins so that they will slowly extend into the magnetic calipers causing and maintaining a desired reduction of the speed.
Another advantage of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system is by using a plurality of braking fins around the speed control wheel an even speed control pressure is maintained.
Another advantage of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system is that the maximum speed can be set by the means of using different tension springs on the braking fins.
Another advantage of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system is that it can be incorporated as an integral part of a variety of devices such as wheels, rollers or pulleys.
Another advantage of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system is that one or more magnetic calipers can be used around the wheel, thus increasing or decreasing the braking force.
Another advantage of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system is that a device or vehicle on a Zip-Line can be brought to a controlled and cushioned stop.
An advantage of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system and more particularly with the spring compression system, is by using multiple springs of different compressive resistance a progressive cushioning effect can be achieved over any given distance depending upon the speed and weight of the vehicle or device.
Yet another advantage of using the combination of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system is the number of mechanisms used on Zip-Lines, Roller Coasters and Sleds along with many other mechanical devices can be greatly reduced.
These together with other advantages of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the design, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the design in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system consists in part of a speed control wheel mechanism having two side plates separated by the means of a central spacer on an arbor having a shoulder at one end and a tubular section that extends through the orifices in the two side plates. A securing means such as a locking collar or a threaded nut will hold the side plates evenly spaced apart. The two side plates and central spacer are keyed to the arbor by the means of a conventional keyway to prevent the separate rotation of the side plates. A plurality of braking fins are evenly spaced between the two side plates with a liner guiding means such as two bearings or bushings on both sides that travel within a guide slots in the two side plates to guide the braking fins emanating out from the center of the wheel. The guide slots are evenly spaced around the wheel. Each of the braking fins is restrained by the means of two or more springs attached in orifices on braking fins and to pins in the central area between the side plates that hold the braking fins into the center of the speed control wheel. One or more magnetic braking calipers are held in a close proximity to the braking fins around the wheel by a supporting structure. As the speed of the speed control wheel increases centrifugal force exerts pressure on the springs to extend the braking fins into the cavity of the magnetic braking calipers. Springs with different tension can be used to achieve a desired maximum speed to be maintained. An increased degree of drag is put on the braking fins as they enter further into the braking calipers. The braking fins must be made of a non-ferrous alloy.
The speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system will have the added benefit of a spring compression system where a controlled stopping mechanism is desired. The spring compression system will consist of one or more polymer spring guides over a wire rope with one or more springs of different compressive spring rates. The polymer spring guides will consist of a central section with sections at either end of a reduced diameter. An orifice running through the center of the polymer spring guide will be large enough for the wire rope to pass freely. The outer diameter of the end sections of the polymer spring guides will easily fit within the inner diameter of the springs. The polymer spring guides will guide the springs along the wire rope and prevent the springs from bucking or coming into contact with the wire rope. As the springs compress, the separate spring guides come together, the end sections of the guides come into contact preventing the springs from over compression. By using springs of increasing compressive rates an even cushioning is achieved. An example of this would be spring compressive rates of 300 lbs, 360 lbs, 450 lbs, 650 lbs, 800 lbs, and 1500 lbs. This application includes any combination of springs combined to achieve an optimum g-force of approximately 1.0 to 2.5. In addition, it includes the unique side-by-side vehicle that allows riders to decelerate from a variety of speeds into the spring compression system without swinging up into the wire rope.
Additionally, the spring compression system may employ optional compression stops between the spring guides which limit the amount of compression of the springs. These guides are cylindrical in shape and are of varying length depending upon the diameter and size of the spring. These compression stops slide easily over the cable and are smaller in outside diameter than the inside diameter of the spring.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of this application, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art. All equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification intend to be encompassed by the present disclosure. Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the design to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of this application.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate various embodiments of the speed control system and speed control wheel mechanism and spring compression system and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the Speed Control Wheel and Spring Compression System, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the design and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar parts of the Speed Control Wheel 10A and 10B are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in
One or more magnetic braking calipers 30 are held in a close proximity to the braking fins 26 around the wheel by a supporting structure. The braking fins 26 are shown in the extended position with the springs 32 stretched out illustrating the wheel exceeding the desired speed. This view shows the braking fins 26 in the extreme position within magnetic braking calipers 30 where the greatest braking effect will be attained. The desired effect of the braking process is that it will start as the braking fins 26 approach the magnetic braking calipers 30 and a gentle reduction of speed is attained. This system has not been designed for a sudden stop but just for maintaining a given maximum speed.
Finally, it should be understood that the entire speed control system can be run from top to bottom, or alternatively, from bottom to top. Loading of passengers can be done either at the apex of the zip-line, to transport them down to the bottom, or it can be used to pick up passengers at the bottom and transport them to the top of the zip-line. Thus, loading of passengers can be accomplished either at the top or bottom of the zip-line. Moreover, electronic sensors tell the computer control CPU the location and speed of the cart at all times and these electronic sensors are also employed to send signals to securely latch the cart, keeping it from moving down the zip-line, or open the latch freeing it for movement up or down the zip-line.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61357364 | Jun 2010 | US |
