Trackless dark ride vehicle, system, and method

Abstract

A motion assembly that produces pitch and roll motions includes lower and upper plates. A pivotable coupling having upper and lower shafts extending from its center is coupled between the upper and lower plates. At least two linear actuators are coupled between the plates. Extension and retraction of the actuators pivots the upper plate about the pivotable coupling relative to the lower plate. A vehicle includes two steerable propulsion wheels coupled to a chassis. A lower plate of a pitch and roll assembly, similar to that just described, couples to the chassis via a slew bearing. Seating is coupled to the upper plate. The seating rotates with respect to the chassis via controlled rotation of the slew bearing with reference to the chassis. The seating can be rotated to point in any direction with respect to the chassis regardless of the direction the steerable propulsion wheels move the chassis.

Description

[0001]This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 484,942, filed on May 11, 2011, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully presented herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention is directed to multi-passenger vehicles used in amusement park rides. More specifically, the vehicle is battery operated and includes features permitting passengers to experience motion with three degrees of freedom (yaw, pitch, and roll) while simultaneously being propelled along a preprogrammed route, which is autonomously traveled by the vehicle without use of a mechanical track or wire stretched along the route.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Vehicles for amusement park rides have existed for a long time. Earliest vehicles rode on tracks. These vehicles were loud, due to the metal-on-metal sound of wheels on tracks. Rides making use of these vehicles were not amenable to changes, because of the difficulty of removing,...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]The present invention obviates the aforementioned inconveniencies and deficiencies of conventional systems and schemes associated with vehicles for rides in amusement parks. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a motion assembly configured to produce pitch and roll motions may include a lower reaction plate oriented in a horizontal plane, an upper reaction plate spaced apart from the lower reaction plate, a pivotable coupling having an upper shaft and a lower shaft extending away from a center of the pivotable coupling and terminating at respective upper and lower shaft ends, the upper shaft end cou

Problems solved by technology

These vehicles were loud, due to the metal-on-metal sound of wheels on tracks.

Rides making use of these vehicles were not amenable to changes, because of the difficulty of removing, reconfiguring, and reinstalling the tracks.

Additionally, these vehicles were not self-powered.

The movement of the rope, chain, or cable also caused undesirable noise.

Moreover, the mere existence of the rope, chain, or cable posed a physical threat (due to tripping or entanglement) to any person departing the safety of the ride vehicle and to the amusement ride operators themselves.

Electrical vehicles of this type presented the serious danger of electrocution of a patron if the patron left the ride vehicle and stumbled on an electrified third-rail.

Additionally, electrical vehicles of this type were still bound to a track and all of the problems related thereto.

Electrical vehicles of this type also present the serious danger of electrocution of a patron if the patron made contact with an improperly insulated pole (supporting the contact scraping the electrified grid above the ride) and ground at the same time.

These vehicles moreover typically presented the problem of a lack of safety features that could disable one or all of the vehicles in the ride if a patron was to leave a vehicle during the ride.

Similar lack of safety features were present in electrified vehicles running on tracks.

This type of ride presents two problems in the field of ride vehicles.

First, the locomotion of large battery-operated vehicles consumes a great deal of energy.

Storage of a large amount of energy requires many rechargeable-type batteries.

Second, vehicles that use guide-wires embedded in a floor, similar to vehicles that ride on tracks, are not amenable to changes in the configuration of the vehicle's path of travel, becau

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