AU2008233565A1

AU2008233565A1 - Conveying device

Info

Publication number: AU2008233565A1
Application number: AU2008233565A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Shozo Ninomiya
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Machinery Systems Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-03-30
Filing date: 2008-03-28
Publication date: 2008-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 2028-03-28
Also published as: WO2008120738A1; CN101616721A; AU2008233565B2; JP2008246160A; CN101616721B

Description

PMRA-09002-PCT DESCRIPTION CONVEYING DEVICE 5 TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device in which a moving target such as a person or an item is loaded and moves the moving target, and, more particularly to a conveying device capable of maintaining a 10 floor on which a conveying target is loaded and a horizontal surface in parallel with a simple configuration. BACKGROUND ART [0002] An observation wheel set up in an amusement park have a plurality of cabins being attached to an outer 15 peripheral portion of a wheel, and the wheel is rotated. In the meantime, recently, observation wheels configured such that cabins move along the circumference of an annular structure have been constructed, and they are put in practical uses. Patent Document 1 discloses an observation 20 wheel configured such that a plurality of cabins move along an outer peripheral portion of an annular structure, in which the annular structure is inclined relative to a vertical surface. [0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application 25 Laid-open No. 2002-355446 DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION [0004] In the observation wheel disclosed in Patent Document 1, the structure that supports the cabins is 30 inclined to the vertical surface, and accordingly, it is necessary to enable the cabins to pivot about two axes. Therefore, this complicates the structure of a portion in which the cabins and the structure are attached, and also PMHA-09002-PCT 2 the cost increases. Therefore, the present invention has been achieved in view of the problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a conveying device capable of maintaining a floor on which a conveying target is loaded 5 and a horizontal surface in parallel with a simple configuration. MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEM [0005] According to an aspect of the present invention, a conveying device includes: a moving body that moves a 10 conveying target loaded in the moving body; and a moving body support structure that supports and moves the moving body, and defines a virtual structure having a circular cross section. The virtual structure defines a trajectory obtained by connecting contact points between an outer 15 periphery of the cross section and a straight line orthogonal to a perpendicular direction as a route of the moving body. [0006] In the conveying device, in a virtual structure circular in cross section, a trajectory obtained by linking 20 contact points between an outer periphery of the cross section and a straight line orthogonal to a perpendicular direction is a route of the moving body. Therefore, it suffices that the floor on which a conveying target is loaded is configured to be maintained parallel to a 25 horizontal surface relative only to about a single axis. Thus, even with a simple configuration, irrespective of the position of the moving body, it is possible to maintain the floor on which the conveying target is loaded provided in the moving body and the horizontal surface in parallel. 30 [0007] According to another aspect of the present invention, a conveying device includes: a moving body that moves a conveying target loaded in the moving body; and a moving-body support structure that supports and moves the PMHA-09002-PCT 3 moving body, and in which a plurality of circles are placed in a space and in which a trajectory obtained by connecting the circles contact points between outer peripheries of the circles and a straight line orthogonal to a perpendicular 5 direction is a route of the moving body. [0008] In the conveying device, a plurality of circles are placed in a space and a trajectory obtained by linking among the circles contact points between outer peripheries of the circles and a straight line orthogonal to a 10 perpendicular direction is a route of the moving body. Therefore, it suffices that the floor on which a conveying target is loaded is configured to be maintained parallel to a horizontal surface relative only to about a single axis. Thus, even with a simple configuration, irrespective of the 15 position of the moving body, it is possible to maintain the floor on which the conveying target is loaded provided in the moving body and the horizontal surface in parallel. [0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, a conveying device includes: a moving body that 20 moves a conveying target loaded in the moving body; and a moving-body support structure that supports and moves the moving body, and in which in a virtual structure circular in cross section, a portion corresponding to a ridge line of the virtual structure or a portion corresponding to a 25 trough bottom is a route of the moving body. [0010] In the conveying device, in a virtual structure circular in cross section, a portion corresponding to a ridge line of the virtual structure or a portion corresponding to a trough bottom is a route of the moving 30 body. Therefore, it suffices that the floor on which a conveying target is loaded is configured to be maintained parallel to a horizontal surface relative only to about a single axis. Thus, even with a simple configuration, PMHA-09002-PCT 4 irrespective of the position of the moving body, it is possible to maintain the floor on which the conveying target is loaded provided in the moving body and the horizontal surface in parallel. 5 [0011] Advantageously, in the conveying device, the moving body moves along at least one of two routes formed in the moving-body support structure. [0012] Advantageously, in the conveying device, the moving body moves on two rails placed on both sides of the 10 routes and attached to the moving-body support structure, and a height of the rail outside of a whirling direction of the moving body differs from a height of the rail inside of the whirling direction of the moving body. [0013] Advantageously, in the conveying device, the 15 moving body is a cabin of an observation wheel, and the cabin is supported by the moving-body support structure and moves along the route. [0014] Advantageously, in the conveying device, the moving-body support structure is inclined. 20 EFFECT OF THE INVENTION [0015] The conveying device according to the present invention is capable of maintaining a floor on which a conveying target is loaded and a horizontal surface in parallel with a simple configuration. 25 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0016] [Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is an overall view of an observation wheel as one example of a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a front view of a cabin provided on the 30 observation wheel according to the embodiment. [Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a side view of the cabin provided on the observation wheel according to the embodiment. [Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a PMHA-09002-PCT 5 technique by which a floor of a cabin and a horizontal surface are maintained in parallel. [Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the technique by which a floor of a cabin and a horizontal 5 surface are maintained in parallel. [Fig. 6A] Fig. 6A is a conceptual diagram for explaining the technique by which a floor of a cabin and a horizontal surface are maintained in parallel. [Fig. 6B] Fig. 6B is a conceptual diagram for explaining 10 the technique by which a floor of a cabin and a horizontal surface are maintained in parallel. [Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram of one example of a technique of correcting an inclination of a cabin. [Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram of one example 15 of the technique of correcting an inclination of a cabin. [Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram of one example of the technique of correcting an inclination of a cabin. [Fig. 10] Fig. 10 is a front view of a modified example of the conveying device according to the embodiment. 20 [Fig. 11] Fig. 11 is a side view of the modified example the conveying device according to the embodiment. EXPLANATIONS OF LETTERS OR NUMERALS (0017] 1, la frame lo outer periphery 25 1V virtual structure 1VCR circle 2 support column 3 rail 3i inside rail 30 3o outside rail 4 cabin 4F floor 5a, 5b cabin support frame PMRA-09002-PCT 6 90 driving chain 10 electric motor 12 bearing 100, 100a observation wheel 5 BEST MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION [0018] The present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to exemplary embodiments of the present invention described below. In addition, 10 constituent elements in the embodiments include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art or that are substantially equivalent, that is, those within an equivalent scope of the invention. The present invention can be generally applied to conveying devices that convey 15 an item or a person, and is in particular suitable to rides such as an observation wheel. However, applications of the present invention are not limited to rides. [0019] An embodiment of the present invention provides a conveying device including a moving body that moves a 20 conveying target loading it therein and a moving-body support structure that supports and moves the moving body, and in a virtual structure circular in cross section, a portion corresponding to a ridge line of the virtual structure or a portion corresponding to the trough bottom 25 is provided as a route of the moving body in the moving body support structure. In the explanations below, "low" means a side of a direction in which the gravity acts, that is, a perpendicular-direction side, and "up" means a side opposite to a direction in which the gravity acts, that is, 30 a perpendicular-direction opposite side. [0020] Fig. 1 is an overall view of an observation wheel as one example of the conveying device according to the present embodiment. The right side of Fig. 1 is a front PMHA-09002-PCT -71 view of an observation wheel 100, and the left side of Fig. 1 is a side view of the observation wheel 100. In the observation wheel 100, a frame 1 that is a moving-body support structure is supported on a ground GL by a 5 plurality of support columns 2. As shown in Fig. 1, the frame 1 is an annular structure and is inclined to a straight line (a perpendicular line) LV showing a perpendicular direction. [0021] The frame 1 is attached with a rail 3 on which a 10 cabin 4, being a moving body, is moved in a supported manner. There are arranged two rails 3 along a circumferential direction of the annular frame 1. The rail placed on the outside of the circumferential direction of the annular frame 1, that is, on the outside of a whirling 15 direction of the cabin 4, is called an outside rail 3o. The rail placed on the inside of the circumferential direction, that is, on the inside of the whirling direction of the cabin 4, is called an inside rail 3i. The outside rail 3o and the inside rail 3i are both annular rails, and 20 circle along the circumferential direction of the annular frame 1. A route LM of the cabin 4 is formed between the outside rail 3o and the inside rail 3i. [0022] The frame 1 movably supports a plurality of cabins 4 via the rails 3. The cabins 4 move in an arrow R 25 direction in Fig. 1. The cabins 4 move on the rail 3 with a predetermined interval. While the cabins 4 of the observation wheel 100 move on the rails 3 to circle along the frame 1 in the circumferential direction, a floor 4F of the cabin 4 is retained all the time substantially parallel 30 to a horizontal surface, that is, a plane orthogonal to a perpendicular direction. A structure for retaining the floor 4F substantially parallel to the horizontal surface is described next.

PMHA-09002-PCT 8 [0023] Fig. 2 is a front view of the cabin provided on the observation wheel. Fig. 3 is a side view of the cabin provided on the observation wheel. The cabin 4 includes a cylindrical cabin 4 and cabin support frames 5a and 5b that 5 support the cabin 4. The cabin support frames Sa and 5b are an annular structure, and the cylindrical cabin 4 is placed on an inner periphery of the cabin support frames 5a and 5b. [0024] Bearings 12 are arranged between the cabin 10 support frames 5a and 5b and the cabin 4. The cabin support frames 5a and 5b support the cabin 4 via each bearing 12. Thereby, the cabin 4 is supported in directions of arrows r1 and r2 in Fig. 3 so that it can pivot about a cabin axis (that is, the axis of the 15 cylinder) Z, as the central axis. In this case, the cabin support frame 5a is placed on the outside in the circumferential direction of the frame 1 shown in Fig. 1, and the cabin support frame 5b is placed on the inside in the circumferential direction of the frame 1 shown in Fig. 20 1. [0025] The cabin support frames 5a and 5b are attached with brackets 6o and 6i, respectively. The brackets 6o and 6i attach two wheels 7a and 7b that sandwich the rail 3 to the cabin support frames 5a and 5b. The respective cabin 25 support frames 5a and 5b are thereby attached to the outside rail 3o and the inside rail 3i by the two wheels 7a and 7b that sandwich the rail 3 and the brackets 6o and 6i. The cabin 4 moves along the rail 3, that is, along the outside rail 3o and the inside rail 3i. 30 [0026] The bracket 6o is placed on the outside in the circumferential direction of the frame 1 shown in Fig. 1, while the bracket 6i is placed on the inside in the circumferential direction of the frame 1 shown in Fig. 1.

PMHA-09002-PCT 9 The bracket 6o and the bracket 6i are coupled by a beam 5B. Further, the brackets 6o and 6i are attached with driving chain attaching members 8o and 8i, respectively. The driving-chain attaching members 8o and 8i connect driving 5 chains 9o and 9i to the cabin 4. [0027] As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the observation wheel 100 includes the plurality of cabins 4. The driving chains 9o and 9i shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 couple the cabins 4 and are engaged with a power transmission sprocket 10 11s. The power transmission sprocket 11s is driven by the power transmitted via a power transmission chain 13 from a sprocket 10s attached to an output axis of an electric motor 10 that is a cabin driving unit. Accordingly, the power generated by the electric motor 10 is transmitted to 15 the driving chains 9o and 9i. According to such a configuration, all the cabins 4 provided on the observation wheel 100 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 move along the rail 3 toward the circumferential direction of the frame 1. [0028] As described above, each of the cabins 4 is 20 supported by the cabin support frames 5a and 5b so that it can pivot about the cabin axis Z as the central axis. In the cabin 4 of the cabin 4, the floor 4F is larger in mass. Thereby, when the cabin 4 moves along the rail 3, even if the cabin 4 is inclined to a traveling direction (an arrow 25 R direction of Fig. 3) of the cabin 4, the cabin 4 pivots (in directions of arrows R1 and R2, in Fig. 3) in the interior of the cabin support frames 5a and 5b about the cabin axis Z as the central axis. According to such a structure, even when there occurs an inclination to the 30 traveling direction R of the cabin 4, the floor 4F faces the perpendicular direction, and thus the floor 4F of the cabin 4 is maintained to be parallel to the horizontal surface.

PMHA-09002-PCT 10 [0029] The cabin 4 provided on the observation wheel 100 utilizes gravity g to maintain the horizontal surface and the floor 4F parallel to each other. A cabin driving unit that pivots the cabin 4 about the cabin axis Z can be 5 arranged and the cabin driving unit is controlled such that the inclination of the floor 4F to the horizontal surface is constant. In this case, the cabin 4 can be surely pivoted about the cabin axis Z, and thus it is possible to surely maintain the floor 4F and the horizontal surface in 10 parallel. [0030] According to the above configuration, even when there occurs an inclination to the traveling direction R of the cabin 4, the floor 4F of the cabin 4 and the horizontal surface are maintained in parallel. However, when the 15 cabin axis Z shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 is inclined to the horizontal surface, also the floor 4F of the cabin 4 is inclined to the horizontal surface. To solve this, in the observation wheel 100 according to the present embodiment, a technique described below is used to maintain the floor 20 4F of the cabin 4 and the horizontal surface in parallel, -when the cabin axis Z is inclined to the horizontal surface. [0031] Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6A, and Fig. 6B are conceptual diagrams for explaining a technique by which the floor of the cabin and the horizontal surface are 25 maintained in parallel. In the present embodiment, a virtual structure 1V as shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 is assumed. The virtual structure 1V is an annular virtual structure configured by stacking circles 1VCR and is configured by imitating the frame 1 of the observation 30 wheel 100 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Accordingly, the virtual structure 1V is a circular shape in cross section orthogonal to a direction in which the circles 1VCR are stacked. That is, the circle 1VCR is the cross-section of PMHA-09002-PCT 11 the virtual structure 1V. [0032] At this time, a straight line orthogonal to a perpendicular direction (a direction of an arrow g in Fig. 4 and Fig. 6A) is assumed. This straight line is LCl or 5 LC2 shown in Fig. 4. The straight lines LCl and LC2, which are orthogonal to the perpendicular direction, are parallel to a plane orthogonal to the perpendicular direction, that is, a horizontal surface (corresponds to a ground GL in the present embodiment). 10 [0033] A contact point contacted by the cross section of the virtual structure 1V, that is, an upper side of an outer periphery of the circle 1VCR, and the straight line LC1 orthogonal to the perpendicular direction is P1, and a contact point contacted by a lower side of the outer 15 periphery of the circle 1VCR and the straight line LC2 orthogonal to the perpendicular direction is P2. At the contact point P1 or P2 contacted by an outer periphery of the cross section of the virtual structure 1V, that is, the outer periphery of the circle lVCR, and the straight lines 20 LCl or LC2 orthogonal to the perpendicular direction, the cabin axis Z provided in the cabin 4 shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 is parallel to the straight line LCl or LC2 orthogonal to the perpendicular direction. Accordingly, at the contact point P1 or P2 on the outer periphery of the 25 circle 1VCR, the cabin axis Z and the horizontal surface become parallel, and thus the floor 4F of the cabin 4 and the horizontal surface become parallel, allowing the floor 4F of the cabin 4 and the horizontal surface to become parallel. That is, when the floor 4F of the cabin 4 is 30 pivoted about the cabin axis Z, the floor 4F can be made parallel to the horizontal surface. [0034] The virtual structure 1V is circular in cross section, and thus the contact points P1 and P2 connecting PMHA-09002-PCT 12 the straight line orthogonal to the perpendicular direction are present in all the cross sections. Accordingly, when a line linking the contact points P1 with each other or contact points P2 with each other in all the cross sections 5 of the virtual structure 1V (that is, all circles 1VCR configuring the virtual structure lV) is used as the route LM or a route LM a around which the cabin 4 moves, the cabin axis Z and the horizontal surface are maintained in parallel during the movement of the cabin 4. Thereby, 10 during the movement of the cabin 4, the floor 4F is pivoted about the cabin axis Z, maintaining the floor 4F of the cabin 4 and the horizontal surface in parallel. [0035] To maintain the floor 4F of the cabin 4 parallel to the horizontal surface by such a configuration, the 15 cabin 4 can be pivoted about a single axis. That is, it suffices that the cabin 4 is pivoted about the cabin axis Z, and thus it is not necessary to pivot about two axes as in the conventional technology to maintain the floor 4F of the cabin 4 parallel to the horizontal surface. As a result, 20 it is possible to maintain the floor 4F of the cabin 4 parallel to the horizontal surface during the movement of the cabin 4 with a simple configuration. [0036] The observation wheel 100 according to the present embodiment switches the position of an end in a 25 cabin-axis Z direction of the cabin 4 at a 6-o'clock position and a 12-o'clock position, as shown in Fig. 1. This provides unexpected views from the cabin 4. [0037] In this case, the route LM shown in Fig. 5 is obtained by connecting the contact points P1 with each 30 other, and the route LM a is obtained by connecting the contact points P2 with each other. The contact point P1 is present above the contact point P2, and thus the route LM is present above the route LM a. It suffices that the PMHA-09002-PCT 13 frame 1 provided on the observation wheel 100 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 includes at least one of the route LM and the route LM a. For example, when the frame 1 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is arranged with both the route LM and the route 5 LM a, it becomes possible to increase the number of the cabins 4 loaded on the observation wheel 100. Thus, the maximum number of passengers of the observation wheel 100 can be increased. [0038] The route LM is obtained by connecting the 10 highest portions in the cross section of the virtual structure 1V, that is, in the circle 1VCR configuring the virtual structure lV. On the other hand, the route LM a is obtained by connecting lowest portions in the cross section of the virtual structure 1V, that is, in the circle 1VCR 15 configuring the virtual structure lV. Thus, the route LM is a ridge line of the virtual structure 1V, and the route LM a is a trough bottom of the virtual structure lV. [0039] In the above explanations, the virtual structure 1V is used to set the route about which the cabin 4 moves, 20 the circle 1VCR present in the space can be used to set the route about which the cabin 4 moves. As shown in Fig. 6B, contact points contacted by upper sides of outer peripheries of a plurality of circles 1VCR placed in the space and straight lines LCl orthogonal to the 25 perpendicular direction are P1, and contact points contacted by lower sides of the outer peripheries of the circles 1VCR and straight lines LC2 orthogonal to the perpendicular direction are P2. At the contact point P1 or P2 contacted by the outer peripheries of the circles 1VCR 30 and the straight lines orthogonal to the perpendicular direction, the cabin axis Z provided in the cabin 4 shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 is parallel to the straight line LCl or LC2 orthogonal to the perpendicular direction.

PMHA-09002-PCT 14 Accordingly, at the contact points P1 or P2 on the outer peripheries of the circles 1VCR, the cabin axis Z and the horizontal surface become parallel, and thus the floor 4F of the cabin 4 and the horizontal surface become parallel. 5 [0040] Fig. 7 to Fig. 9 are explanatory diagrams of one example of a technique of correcting the inclination of the cabin. In the present embodiment, as shown in Fig. 7, the route LM of the cabin 4 is not orthogonal to the cross section of the virtual structure 1V, that is, the circle 10 1VCR configuring the virtual structure 1V. This means that the route LM of the cabin 4 is not orthogonal to the straight line LCl orthogonal to the perpendicular direction, that is, the straight line LC1 contacting the outer periphery of the cross section of the virtual structure 1V, 15 that is, the outer periphery of the circle 1VCR. As a result, the outside rail 3o and the inside rail 3i supporting the cabin 4 arranged on the both sides of the route LM are also not orthogonal to the cross section of the virtual structure 1V, that is, the circle 1VCR 20 configuring the virtual structure 1V. [0041] Fig. 8 depicts a state that the cabin 4 is at a 9-o'clock position in the observation wheel shown in Fig. 1. -When the cabin 4 is at a 9-o'clock or 3-o'clock position in the observation wheel shown in Fig. 1, an inclination angle 25 (a cabin-axis inclination angle) formed between the cabin axis Z and the horizontal surface C becomes (90-a'), where a denotes an angle formed between the route LM of the cabin 4 and the straight line LCl that is contacted to the outer periphery of the cross section of the virtual 30 structure 1V and that is orthogonal to the perpendicular direction. a and a' are expressed in degree, and a relation of a#a' is established because the virtual PMHA-09002-PCT 15 structure 1V inclines in a 3-dimensional space. In 2 dimensions, the cabin-axis inclination angle becomes (90 cX). [0042] As described above, unless the route LM of the 5 cabin 4 is orthogonal to the cross section of the virtual structure 1V, the cabin axis Z sometimes inclines to the horizontal surface C as does the orientation of the cabin 4 indicated by a solid line D in Fig. 8. Accordingly, it is preferable that the cabin-axis inclination angle 90-i' is 10 set to be 0 as much as possible, and in the observation wheel 100 shown in Fig. 1, the orientation of the cabin 4 is kept as indicated by a dotted line E in Fig. 8 irrespective of the position of the cabin 4. [0043] In the observation wheel 100 shown in Fig. 1, in 15 order that the cabin-axis inclination angle 90-W' becomes 0 irrespective of the position of the cabin 4, in the present embodiment, a height of the outside rail 3o and that of the inside rail 3i supporting the cabin 4 are adjusted. This technique is described with reference to 20 Fig. 9. Fig. 9 depicts the cross section orthogonal to the route LM of the cabin 4 on the observation wheel shown in Fig. 1, and depicts a state that the cabin 4 is at a 9 o'clock position. The outside rail 3o and the inside rail 3i are attached to an outer periphery lo of the frame 1. 25 The outside rail 3o and the inside rail 3i are placed on both sides of the route LM. That is, between the outside rail 3o and the inside rail 3i, the route LM of the cabin 4 is placed. In this case, Do denotes a horizontal distance between the outside rail 3o and the route LM, and Di 30 denotes a horizontal distance between the inside rail 3i and the route LM. [0044] As shown in Fig. 7, there is an inclination by an PMHA-09002-PCT 16 angle ac' formed between the route LM of the cabin 4 and the straight line LCl orthogonal to the perpendicular direction, and as shown in Fig. 8, in a case of the cabin axis inclination angle 90-a', the cabin-axis inclination 5 angle 90-a' is adjusted to 0. As shown in Fig. 8, at a 9 o'clock position of the observation wheel 100, an outside OUT of the cabin 4 is lowered more than an inside IN. Accordingly, the height of the outside rail 3o is increased more than the height of the inside rail 3i so that the 10 cabin-axis inclination angle 90-c' reaches 0. At this time, Ahl is a vertical distance between the outside rail 3o and the route LM of the cabin 4, and Ah2 is a vertical distance between the inside rail 3i and the route LM of the cabin 4. Further, a route height hO is the height of the 15 route LM of the cabin 4. When higher than the route height hO, + is used, and when it is lower than the route height hO, - is used. [0045] For example, as shown in Fig. 9, when the cabin axis inclination angle 90-a' is adjusted to 0, the 20 vertical distance Ahl between the outside rail 3o and the route LM of the cabin 4 is set to Doxsin (90-a'), and the vertical distance Ah2 between the inside rail 3i and the route LM of the cabin 4 is set to Dixsin (90-a'). As viewed from the center, being the route height hO, the 25 height of the outside rail 3o is expressed by hO+Ahl and that of the inside rail 3i is expressed by hO-Ah2. In this case, a difference between the height of the outside rail 3o and that of the inside rail 3i is expressed by Ahl-( Ah2)=Ahl+Ah2. As a result, the height of the outside rail 30 3o and that of the inside rail 3i differ between the outside of the whirling direction and on the inside of the PMHA-09002-PCT 17 whirling direction of the cabin 4. More specifically, the height of the outside rail 3o is higher than that of the inside rail 3i. Thus, when the height of the outside rail 3o and that of the inside rail 3i are adjusted, the cabin 5 axis inclination angle 90-a' can be set to 0. [0046] The technique described above is only an example, and the technique of adjusting the cabin-axis inclination angle 90-a' to 0 irrespective of the position of the cabin 4 on the observation wheel 100 shown in Fig. 1 is not 10 limited to the above technique. For example, when the cabin 4 is supported by one rail, the rail can be rotated about the center, being the route LM of the cabin 4, thereby adjusting the cabin-axis inclination angle 90-c' to 0. The route LM itself of the set cabin 4 can be 15 amended to adjust the cabin-axis inclination angle 90-c' to 0. Further, the technique in which the height of the rail is adjusted can be combined with the technique in which the route LM itself of the set cabin 4 is amended, thereby adjusting the cabin-axis inclination angle 90-c' 20 to 0. [0047] Fig. 10 is a front view of a modified example of the conveying device according to the present embodiment. Fig. 11 is a side view of the modified example the conveying device according to the present embodiment. In 25 Fig. 10 and Fig. 11, only some cabins 4 are shown. The conveying device according to the modified example is an observation wheel, and differs from the observation wheel 100 in shape of the frame. In an observation wheel 100a shown in Fig. 10 and Fig. 11, the shape of a frame la 30 viewed from the front is in a shape that is substantially a figure of 8. That is, it is so shaped that alphabet 0 is connected. The frame la is supported on the ground GL by PMHA-09002-PCT 18 the support columns 2. [0048] The route LM of the cabin 4 is set by the above technique. For example, a virtual structure configured by stacking the circles 1VCR in the shape of the frame la is 5 assumed, and the ridge line or the trough bottom of this virtual structure is the route LM of the cabin 4. Moreover, a trajectory obtained by linking the contact points between the outer periphery of the circle 1VCR and the straight line orthogonal to the perpendicular direction between a 10 plurality of circles 1VCR placed in the shape of the frame la can be also the route LM of the cabin 4. When the cabin 4 is moved in a direction of an arrow R in Fig. 10 on the route LM of the cabin 4, which is set in this manner and arranged on the frame la, the cabin axis Z and the 15 horizontal surface are maintained in parallel during the movement of the cabin 4. As a result, the floor 4F of the cabin 4 and the horizontal surface are maintained in parallel. [0049] Further, as shown in Fig. 1, the observation 20 wheel 100a according to the present embodiment switches the positions of the end in the cabin-axis Z direction of the cabin 4 at a cabin-F position, a cabin-G position, and a cabin-H position. This provides unexpected views from the cabin 4. In the observation wheel 100a, the frame la 25 viewed from the front is in a shape that is substantially a figure of 8. Because of the unexpected appearance, its presence becomes remarkable. [0050] When an observation wheel is configured such that the cabin 4 moves on the route LM of the cabin 4 set 30 according to the technique, the cabin axis Z and the horizontal surface are maintained in parallel during the movement of the cabin 4. Thus, the shape of the frame of the observation wheel is not limited to that of the PMHA-09002-PCT 19 inclined annular frame 1 shown in Fig. 1 or that of the frame la in a shape that is substantially a figure of 8 shown in Fig. 10. Further, while an observation wheel has been described as an example of the conveying device 5 according to the present embodiment and the modified example, the conveying device is not limited to observation wheels. [0051] In the present embodiment, in the virtual structure circular in cross section, the trajectory 10 obtained by linking the contact portion between the outer periphery of the cross section and the straight line orthogonal to the perpendicular direction is a route for a moving body that conveys a person or an item. Alternatively, a plurality of circles are placed in the 15 space, and also a trajectory obtained by linking among the circles the contact points between the outer periphery of the circles and the straight line orthogonal to the perpendicular direction is a trajectory of the moving body. Further, in the virtual structure circular in cross section, 20 a portion corresponding to the ridge line of the virtual structure or a portion corresponding to the trough bottom is a route of the moving body. Accordingly, the floor of the moving body and the horizontal surface can be maintained in parallel irrespective of the position of the 25 moving body with a simple configuration. [0052] There has been a type of observation wheel in practice that passengers are boarded in a standing manner on a floor of a cabin. In such a cabin, it is important that the floor and the horizontal surface are in parallel. 30 In the conveying device according to the present embodiment, the floor of the moving body and the horizontal surface can be maintained in parallel irrespective of the position of the moving body with a simple configuration. Thus, the PMRA-09002-PCT 20 present invention is effective for observation wheels, rides, and other conveying devices in which passengers are boarded in the cabin in a standing manner. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 5 [0053] As described above, the conveying device according to the present invention is useful for a device that moves a conveying target such as a person and an item loaded therein, and is particularly suitable to maintain a floor on which the conveying target is loaded and a 10 horizontal surface in parallel.

Claims

1. A conveying device comprising: a moving body that moves a conveying target loaded in the moving body; and 5 a moving-body support structure that supports and moves the moving body, and defines a virtual structure having a circular cross section, wherein the virtual structure defines a trajectory obtained by connecting contact points between an outer periphery of the 10 cross section and a straight line orthogonal to a perpendicular direction as a route of the moving body.

2. A conveying device comprising: a moving body that moves a conveying target loaded in 15 the moving body; and a moving-body support structure that supports and moves the moving body, and in which a plurality of circles are placed in a space and in which a trajectory obtained by connecting the circles contact points between outer 20 peripheries of the circles and a straight line orthogonal to a perpendicular direction is a route of the moving body.

3. A conveying device comprising: a moving body that moves a conveying target loaded in 25 the moving body; and a moving-body support structure that supports and moves the moving body, and in which in a virtual structure circular in cross section, a portion corresponding to a ridge line of the virtual structure or a portion 30 corresponding to a trough bottom is a route of the moving body.

4. The conveying device according to any one of claims 1 PMHA-09002-PCT 22 to 3, wherein the moving body moves along at least one of two routes formed in the moving-body support structure.

5. The conveying device according to claim 4, wherein the 5 moving body moves on two rails placed on both sides of the routes and attached to the moving-body support structure, and a height of the rail outside of a whirling direction of the moving body differs from a height of the rail inside of the whirling direction of the moving body. 10

6. The conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the moving body is a cabin of an observation wheel, and the cabin is supported by the moving-body support structure and moves along the route. 15

7. The conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the moving-body support structure is inclined.

8. The conveying device according to claim 6, wherein the 20 moving-body support structure is inclined.

9. The conveying device according to claim 5, wherein the moving body is a cabin of an observation wheel, and the cabin is supported by the moving-body support structure and 25 moves along the route.

10. The conveying device according to claim 5, wherein the moving-body support structure is inclined.