Standard Safety Products
KumbaK is developing a range of standard safety products for the amusement and leisure industries. Currently we offer a range of locks and seatbelt equipment.
Locking Units
KumbaK has developed two types of locking unit; the Single Latch Monitored Lock (SLML), having only one latch, and the Double Latch Monitored Lock (DLML), having two latches. When the tongues are inserted in the locking unit, it is locked with one or both latches. Each latch is forced into its locking position with a spring. Once the tongue is inserted and locked, the seatbelt can only be removed by powering the solenoid to retract the latch from its locking position, allowing the tongue to be taken out of the locking unit by the guest. In the case of a (power) failure, a manual release option is available.
Single Latch Monitored Lock (SLML)
The SLML is primarily used as a back-up of an existing restraint system. The design has been optimized to be as light and small as possible – with only one latch and one solenoid – minimizing the impact on the existing ride system. The SLML has one sensor to detect that the latch is in its locking position and one sensor to detect that the tongue is actually in the locking unit. In the case that both sensors provide a positive signal, the seatbelt is properly locked. This information can be used in the ride control system to allow or prevent a ride dispatch.
Double Latch Monitored Lock (DLML)
The DLML was designed to provide redundancy in its locking function and can therefore be used as a primary restraint system meeting the Class-4 requirements. The DLML has two separate latches, each with their own spring and solenoid and each monitored separately with their own sensor. Consequently, the DLML has three sensors (the third sensor is to detect that the tongue is in the locking unit) that need to provide a positive signal to allow the dispatch of the ride. It is important to note that the DLML is meeting the PLe requirements, as specified in ISO 13849-1, and confirmed by TÜV Nederland.
These products have been incorporated into existing rides, and also into brand new attractions
Retractor system
In the case of a back-up system, the seatbelt can be adjusted manually, or provided with a fixed length. However, in many other applications, having an automatically retracting seatbelt is preferred, for which we have developed our own retractor system. In the automotive industry, two types of retractor systems are being used: the Automatic Locking Reel (ALR) and the Emergency Locking Reel (ELR). The ELR is the system used in modern-day cars. Only in the case of a sharp pull, the retractor will lock. In the case of gently pulling the webbing, it can be extracted, providing freedom to the wearer.
Obviously, for applications in the amusement industry, the freedom provided by the ELR is not helpful. The ALR will allow extraction of webbing until the pulling motion is stopped. At that moment the retractor will be locked, preventing further extraction, but still allowing retraction of webbing. As guests are not familiar with this system and may stop pulling the webbing out of the retractor too early, this system is causing quite some challenges during the loading of the guests, with a negative impact on the ride capacity. As both existing systems have serious drawbacks for application in the amusement industry, KumbaK developed a retractor system with controlled locking: the Controlled Locking Reel (CLR).
Controlled Locking Retractor (CLR)
In the CLR, the reel is locked against further extraction of webbing by two spring-forced locking pins. To allow extraction of the webbing, these pins have to be forced into their not-locking position, which is done using a solenoid. As long as the solenoid is powered, the webbing can be extracted. The moment that the power is cut, the locking pins are forced by the spring to return to their locking position and the webbing can no longer be extracted. It is important to note that the retracting motion of the reel is never blocked, hence it is always possible to pull the seatbelt webbing tightly around the guest. For those cases where the monitoring of the locking function of the retractor is required, it is possible to provide a CLR with two solenoids, each controlling one locking pin, which is monitored with a proximity switch.
