Scene compartment ride system and method

Abstract

An amusement park system (10) according to the present embodiment includes: a tower (14) having a central passage (20) disposed therethrough; a ride vehicle (24) disposed within the central passage (20); and a drive system (22) coupled to the ride vehicle (24). The drive system (22) is configured to vertically displace the ride vehicle (24) within the central passage (20) of the tower (14), and the tower (14) is configured to rotate around the drive system (22).

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62 / 805,191, filed on February 13, 2019, entitled “SCENIC COMPARTMENT RIDE SYSTEMS AND METHODS,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Background Art

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of amusement parks. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for use in conjunction with amusement park rides.

[0004] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of the art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure described below. It is believed that this discussion helps to provide background information to the reader to facilitate a better understanding of various aspects of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that these statements are to be read from this perspective and not as an admission of the prior art.

[0005] Amusement parks (or theme parks) have grown significantly in popularity since the early twentieth century. Certain amusement park rides may include a vertical ride system in which a user is lifted up to get an overview of the amusement park, and then lowered. However, the single degree of freedom and limited field of view of such amusement park rides may limit the user's experience. Therefore, it is now recognized that it may be desirable to have an improved ride with vertical lift motion with multiple degrees of freedom and a variety of viewing experiences to enhance the guest experience. Summary of the invention

[0006] Some embodiments commensurate in scope with the original claimed subject matter are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, but rather these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief overview of certain disclosed embodiments. In fact, the present disclosure may encompass various forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

[0007] In an embodiment, an amusement park system includes a tower having a central passage disposed therethrough, a ride vehicle disposed within the central passage, and a drive system coupled to the ride vehicle. The drive system is configured to vertically displace the ride vehicle within the central passage of the tower, and the tower is configured to rotate around the drive system.

[0008] In an embodiment, a method includes rotating a tower about a central axis and vertically displacing a ride vehicle within a central passage of the tower via a drive system. The method also includes radially displacing the ride vehicle within the central passage of the tower relative to the central axis via a bogie system.

[0009] In an embodiment, an amusement park system includes: a tower configured to rotate around a central axis; a drive mechanism configured to drive the rotation of the tower around the central axis; and a ride vehicle disposed in a central passage of the tower. The amusement park system also includes a drive system configured to drive movement of the ride vehicle in the central passage of the tower. The amusement park system also includes a controller having a memory device and a processor configured to execute instructions stored on the memory device. The instructions are configured to cause the processor to transmit a signal to the drive mechanism to cause the drive mechanism to drive the rotation of the tower, and to transmit a signal to the drive system to cause the drive system to vertically displace the ride vehicle along the central axis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

[0011] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a tower of a ride system according to aspects of the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 2 According to aspects of the present disclosure Figure 1 A cross-sectional side elevation view of a ride system;

[0013] Figure 3 According to aspects of the present disclosure Figure 1 A cross-sectional top view of a ride system;

[0014] Figure 4 According to aspects of the present disclosure Figure 1 A top view of the ride system;

[0015] Figure 5 According to aspects of the present disclosure Figure 1 A top view of the ride system;

[0016] Figure 6 According to aspects of the present disclosure Figure 1 a cross-sectional schematic side view of a ride system of; and

[0017] Figure 7 According to aspects of the present disclosure Figure 1 Schematic side view of a cross-section of a ride system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The present disclosure provides embodiments and other things of a ride system, wherein the ride system has a tower capable of rotating and one or more ride vehicles, which are configured to move in a central passage or a central area of ​​a tower with multiple degrees of freedom. When the ride vehicle moves vertically and when the tower rotates around the ride vehicle, the ride system exposes the passengers (e.g., users) of the ride vehicle to a series of scenes. Typically, an amusement park may include a ride landscape, which is configured to lift passengers via a ride seat coupled to the outer surface of a central structure. In this case, passengers can temporarily view the surrounding environment before they are lowered to the ground and the ride ends. This type of landscape with a single degree of freedom and a limited field of view generally limits the experience of passengers. Therefore, a ride system is provided herein, which provides a multi-sensory story experience to passengers by being exposed to various scenes when moving passengers in a central passage or a central area of ​​a rotating tower via a ride vehicle with multiple degrees of freedom. The movement of the variation of the ride vehicle and the exposure to various scenes of the story are used to enhance the stimulus factor for the passenger.

[0019] In particular, embodiments of the present disclosure include a ride vehicle that is configured to move vertically and in other directions within a rotating tower. The tower includes multiple levels, and at least one level has multiple compartments with openings that expose the compartments from a viewpoint within a central passage or central area (e.g., open toward the ride vehicle). Each compartment is configured to communicate a fragment of a story to a passenger in the ride vehicle via a scene element (e.g., special effects, media displays, animatronics, actors / actresses, sound system) disposed within the compartment. In particular, the compartments are arranged so that the rotation of the tower causes the various compartments to move through the field of view of the passenger in the ride vehicle, thereby communicating the fragment of the story to the passenger. At the same time, the ride vehicle can be vertically hoisted within the passage to place the ride vehicle in a specific position relative to the compartments of the various levels of the tower (e.g., adjacent to the compartments of the various levels of the tower). For example, as a compartment is to rotate past the ride vehicle, the ride vehicle may be shifted vertically within the tower to place the ride vehicle adjacent to an adjacent compartment at another level or height within the tower. In this way, as the ride vehicle moves vertically within the tower, and as the tower rotates, passengers within the ride vehicle may be exposed to a series of compartments, each of which communicates a segment of the story.

[0020] In addition, in some embodiments, the ride vehicle can be configured to move with multiple degrees of freedom in the tower. For example, the drive system can be coupled to the ride vehicle in a manner that allows the drive system to move the ride vehicle in multiple directions. By way of non-limiting example, the drive system may include a winch system having at least one winch, and each of the at least one winch has a cable coupled thereto and coupled to the ride vehicle. The winch system can be configured to selectively shorten or lengthen the amount of the cable extending from each winch to cause the ride vehicle to pitch, roll, and vertically shift in the tower. The drive system may also include a bogie system. The bogie system may be coupled to the winch system and may be configured to move along a track extending radially, for example, relative to the central axis of the tower. However, the track may extend in another manner, for example as a secant relative to a ring that defines an internal passage or zone of the tower. In this way, the bogie system may also radially shift the ride vehicle in the tower.

[0021] Considering the foregoing, Figure 1 A perspective view of a ride system 10 (e.g., an amusement park attraction) of an amusement park 12 is illustrated. The ride system 10 includes a tower 14 that is configured to rotate about a (e.g., longitudinal) central axis 16 of the tower 14 to provide a story or other experience driven by a spectacle to users 18. For illustration, the tower 14 is configured to rotate about a central passage 20 that is defined by a substantially open area (e.g., a ring) in a central region of the tower 14 (disposed about the central axis 16). A drive system 22 positioned within or near the central passage 20 is configured to drive one or more ride vehicles 24 in a direction substantially parallel to the central axis 16 within the central passage 20. For example, as shown, the ride vehicles 24 can move within a vertical path 25 along the central axis 16. In addition, the ride vehicles 24 can be configured to hold any suitable number of users 18 (e.g., passengers), such as one to ten users 18.

[0022] The ride vehicle 24 is oriented to face the inner perimeter 26 (e.g., the inside) of the tower 14 to allow users 18 within the ride vehicle 24 to view different areas of the tower 14, such as different scenes within the tower 14. The tower 14 also includes a compartment 28 having various scenes oriented and exposed, for example, from the inner perimeter 26 of the tower 14 toward the central axis 16. The scene can be defined as a representation of a segment of the story of the ride system 10. The scene can communicate the segment of the story in any number of ways (such as by using actors / actresses, special effects, moving pictures, audio, animated images, etc.). In this way, when the tower 14 rotates and the ride vehicle 24 is driven vertically within the central channel 20, the user 18 within the ride vehicle 24 can experience the story by being exposed to a sequence of various scenes displayed via the compartment 28, as discussed herein. To this end, the tower 14 includes a plurality of levels 30 (e.g., a floor), each of which can be divided into compartments 28. Each compartment 28 may be defined by a recessed portion of the tower 14 (e.g., recessed relative to the inner perimeter 26). As an example, some of the compartments 28 may be defined by two side walls 29, a floor 31, a ceiling 33, and a rear wall 34. The rear wall 34 may be the same as or separate from the outer surface 36 of the tower 14. In practice, each compartment 28 may be exposed or have an opening facing toward the central axis 16. Although the present illustration has been simplified to show only one compartment 28 per level 30 in order to emphasize certain aspects of the present disclosure, it is to be understood that each level 30 may be divided into any suitable number of compartments 28 distributed in the circumferential space of each respective level 30. For example, in some embodiments, each level 30 may include four or five compartments 28.

[0023] The tower 14 may rotate in any manner suitable for the intended experience for the users 18, such as at a varying speed, at a constant speed, or in a manner in which the tower 14 periodically stops and starts rotating. In addition, the rotation of the tower 14 may be controlled using suitable equipment (such as using one or more drives (e.g., motors), tracks, etc.) and under the guidance of one or more drive controls. As a specific example, the rotation of the tower 14 may be controlled by a ride control system (RCS) that coordinates the rotation of the tower 14 with various show effects presented within the tower 14. Figure 2 Such features are described in more detail.

[0024] In certain embodiments, the tower 14 may rotate continuously at a constant speed as the ride vehicle 24 is pulled vertically (e.g., upward and / or downward) within the central passage 20. The rotation of the tower 14 and the vertical movement of the ride vehicle 24 are coordinated to adjust the scene to which the user 18 is exposed. For example, the drive system 22 may position the ride vehicle 24 at a height substantially equal to the height of a certain level 30. In doing so, the ride vehicle 24 may be positioned in front of a scene associated with a particular one of the compartments 28 of a certain level 30. In fact, when the ride vehicle 24 is positioned in front of the scene, the scene may move relative to the ride vehicle 24 due to the rotation of the tower 14. The drive system 22 may maintain the ride vehicle 24 at the height associated with the certain level 30 for a period of time (e.g., a predetermined period of time). In particular, the drive system 22 may maintain the ride vehicle 24 at a height associated with a certain level 30 until the rotation of the tower 14 has caused a certain compartment 28 to rotate past the ride vehicle 14, or until a user 18 of the ride vehicle 14 is obstructed from viewing the compartment 28 (e.g., due to the compartment 28 moving past the ride vehicle 24). In some embodiments, the drive system 22 may maintain the ride vehicle 24 at a height associated with a certain level 30 until just before the rotation of the tower 14 has caused the compartment to rotate past the ride vehicle 24. At the end of a time period (which may be associated with the end of a segment of a story), the drive system 22 may hoist the ride vehicle 24 to a new level 30 to continue the story by being exposed to a new view.

[0025] For illustration, the tower 14 may be rotated in a counterclockwise direction 27 about the central axis 16, and the ride vehicle 24 may initially be held at a first height associated with a first level 30a of the tower 14. The ride vehicle 24 may be held at the first height, with the first compartment 28a adjacent to the ride vehicle 24. It should be noted that, as used herein, a compartment 28 adjacent to the ride vehicle 24, or vice versa, may be defined as a substantially unobstructed view of the interior of the compartment 28 by a user 18 within the ride vehicle 24. A compartment 28 adjacent to the ride vehicle 24, or vice versa, may additionally or alternatively be defined as an arcuate sector associated with the compartment 28, or defined by a portion of an inner perimeter 26 associated with the compartment 28 relative to the central axis 16 that overlaps with the ride vehicle 24 in a radial direction of the tower 14. When held adjacent to the first compartment 28a, the user 18 may experience a view associated with the first compartment 28a. When the first compartment 28a moves past the ride vehicle 24 or is about to rotate past the ride vehicle 24, the drive system 22 can pull the ride vehicle 14 to the second level 30b so that the ride vehicle 24 is kept adjacent to the second compartment 28b. In particular, in some embodiments, when the arc-shaped sector (e.g., relative to the central axis 16) of the overlap 32 between the first compartment 28a and the second compartment 28b coincides with the ride vehicle 24, the drive system 22 can pull the vehicle 24 to the second level 30b. In fact, as currently illustrated, the ride vehicle 24 is kept adjacent to the second compartment 28b. As described above, when the second compartment 28b rotates past the ride vehicle 24 or is about to rotate past the ride vehicle 24, the drive system 22 can pull the ride vehicle 24 to the third level 30c. As an example, when the overlapping portion 32 between the second level 30b and the third level 30c also overlaps the ride vehicle 24, the ride vehicle 24 may be pulled.

[0026] The process described above can continue in a similar manner until the ride vehicle 24 has reached the top level 38 of the tower 14. However, the movement of the ride vehicle 24 is not limited in this manner, and the ride vehicle 24 can move in a vertical path in any suitable manner. For example, the ride vehicle 24 can be moved multiple times between different levels 30 by the drive system 22. With respect to the example in which the ride vehicle 24 moves upward, once the drive system 22 has positioned the ride vehicle 24 adjacent to the compartment 28 at the top level 38 of the tower 14, and the compartment 28 at the top level 38 has rotated past or is about to rotate past the ride vehicle 24, the drive system 22 can lower the ride vehicle 24 to a lower level 30 and adjacent to the compartment 28 of the lower level 30. The process can continue in this manner until the drive system 22 places the ride vehicle 24 at a floor level 30 (e.g., level 30a), at which time users 18 can exit the ride vehicle 24 and new users 18 can board the ride vehicle 24, as described in more detail below.

[0027] In fact, each compartment 28 placed adjacent to the ride vehicle 24 can provide a view that conveys a segment of the story to the user 18 of the ride vehicle 24. Thus, the entire story can be provided to the user 18 as the ride vehicle 24 is hoisted to various levels 30 and as the compartments 28 provide various views to the user 18. In some embodiments, the user 18 can experience the first half or first portion of the story when traveling upward within the tower 14, and can experience the second half or second portion of the story when traveling downward within the tower 14. Furthermore, as explained above, in some embodiments, transitioning the ride vehicle 24 from being adjacent to a first compartment 28 to being adjacent to a second compartment 28 can include: passing through one or more levels 30 disposed between the first and second compartments 28. In other words, a continuous segment of the story can be conveyed by the views of the compartments 28 (having the one or more levels 30 disposed therebetween). In this way, the drive system 22 can hoist the vehicle 24 for a longer period of time and / or at a faster speed before reaching the next compartment 28 of the story. Additionally, in some embodiments, the drive system 22 may take an indirect route to successive bays 28 of the story. For example, the drive system 22 may haul the ride vehicle 24 up and / or down within the central aisle 20 multiple times before placing the ride vehicle 24 adjacent to successive bays 28 in the story. In this manner, the increased variation in vertical motion or increase in speed of the ride vehicle 24 may enhance the experience of the user 18. In some embodiments, the ride system 10 may utilize approximately five to ten bays 28, or any suitable number of bays 28, to convey the story to the user 18.

[0028] In addition, in some embodiments, the transition between compartments 28 (e.g., due to the rotation of the tower 14 and the vertical movement of the ride vehicle 24) can be consistent with the transition effects provided by the compartments 28. Specifically, the transition effects can be used to enhance the experience for the user 18 during the transition between the scenes of the compartments 28. For example, the transition effect can be a smoke effect, a flash effect, a water effect, or other sensory stimulation. In some embodiments, the transition effect can be associated with a story. That is, the user 18 can believe that it is the characters or other elements of the scene that cause the transition effect.

[0029] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of an embodiment of the ride system 10. As shown, the tower 14 of the ride system 10 may include an outer shell 40 (e.g., a stationary shell) and an inner shell 42 (e.g., a dynamic or rotating shell). The outer shell 40 remains stationary and is configured to support the inner shell 42 when the inner shell 42 rotates, as described above in Figure 1 14. In particular, in some embodiments, the outer shell 40 can enclose the inner shell 42 and provide a protrusion 44 on which the inner shell 42 is supported in a vertical direction. The outer shell 40 can be formed of any suitable material to provide sufficient support to the tower 14. In some embodiments, the outer shell 40 can include a lattice or a generally open structure so that the movement of the inner shell 42 can be observed from a location outside the tower 14, and / or allow the user 18 to view the environment outside the ride system 10 through the inner shell 40 and the outer shell 42.

[0030] The protrusion 44 (on which the inner shell 42 is at least partially supported) can provide a loading access 45 or loading area. In particular, users 18 can enter the tower 14 through the loading access 45 to board the ride vehicle 24. As shown, the loading access 45 can be directly below the first level 30 of the tower 14. In other words, the loading access 45 can be on the ground level 47 of the tower 14. In fact, the compartment 28 can be located above the loading access 45 on the opposite side of the protrusion 44. Moreover, in some embodiments, the loading access 45 can extend circumferentially around the central passage 40 of the tower 14. In other embodiments, the loading access 45 can include multiple separate passages, as described below with reference to FIG. Figure 5 In such an embodiment, the loading channel 45 may include at least as many passages as the number of ride vehicles 24 in the ride system 10.

[0031] The ride system 10 may also include one or more rotation (e.g., drive) mechanisms 46 configured to drive rotation of the inner shell 42 relative to the outer shell 40. The drive mechanism 46 may include a motor (e.g., an electric motor) and / or an engine configured to drive rotation of one or more drivers 48 or include wheels to drive rotation of the inner shell 42. In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 46 and the driver 48 may be coupled to the protrusion 44 of the outer shell 40. In this way, the driver 48 may transfer rotational power to the base 50 of the inner shell 42, thereby causing the inner shell 42 to rotate. Additionally or alternatively, the drive mechanism 46 and the driver 48 may be coupled to the base 50 of the inner shell 42. In this way, the driver 48 may transfer rotational power to the protrusion 44 of the outer shell 40, thereby causing the inner shell 42 to rotate. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the drive mechanism 46 may utilize any suitable driver 48 disposed in any suitable location to drive rotation of the inner shell 42 relative to the outer shell 40. For example, in some embodiments, the drive mechanism 46 may include a track system and a bogie coupling the inner shell 42 and the outer shell 40 to drive the rotation. In addition, in some embodiments, the drive mechanism 46 may include a driver 48 disposed along the inner wall 52 of the outer shell 40 and / or along the outer wall 54 of the inner shell 42 to drive the rotation of the inner shell 42.

[0032] The functions of the drive mechanism 46, the drive system 22, and other components / systems discussed herein may be controlled in response to signals transmitted from one or more controllers 60 (e.g., a programmable logic controller of a ride control system or a show control system). The controller(s) 60 may employ a processor 62, which may represent one or more processors, such as a special purpose processor. The controller 60 may also include a memory device 64 storing instructions executable by the processor 62 to perform the methods and controls for the ride system 10 described herein. The processor 62 may include one or more processing devices, and the memory 64 may include one or more tangible, non-transitory machine-readable media. By way of example, such machine-readable media may include RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage devices, magnetic disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by the processor 62 or by any general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine having a processor.

[0033] The controller 62 may utilize a communication link 66 to communicate with the drive mechanism 46, the drive system 22, and other components / systems discussed. In some embodiments, the communication link 66 may communicate via a wireless network such as a wireless local area network [WLAN], a wireless wide area network [WWAN], near field communication [NFC], Wi-Fi, and / or Bluetooth. In some embodiments, the communication link 66 may communicate via a wired network such as a local area network [LAN] or a wide area network [WAN].

[0034] As a non-limiting example, the controller 60 may synchronize or provide timing control between the rotation of the drive system 22 and the inner shell 42. In this way, the ride vehicle 24 may be accurately positioned adjacent to a predetermined compartment 28 at a corresponding predetermined time in the ride cycle to smoothly communicate the story of the ride system 10 to the user 18. Similarly, as mentioned above, each compartment 28 may include a scenic element 70, which may include special effects, animated characters, media display systems, audio systems, etc., which in some cases may be accompanied by an actor / actress. The controller 60 may synchronize or provide timing control to the scenic element 70 of the compartment 28 to provide a segment of the story to the user 18 within the ride vehicle 24 when the ride vehicle 24 is positioned adjacent to the compartment 28. Similarly, at the end of the segment of the story, or when the compartment 28 is about to rotate past the ride vehicle 24, the controller 60 may cause one or more special effects of the scenic element 70 to actuate. In some embodiments, special effects of scene elements 70 may be used to distract user 18 so that user 18's attention is diverted from viewing side walls 29 (eg, walls 29 of compartment 28) as compartment 28 rotates past ride vehicle 24. Figure 1 ) is attracted away. In fact, in some cases, viewing the sidewalls 29 can be used to pull the user 18 out of the sensory experience provided by the scene elements 70 of the compartment 28. In other words, viewing the sidewalls 29 can cause the user 18 to be aware of the adjacent or adjacent compartments 28, which can detract from the ride experience of the user 18. In some embodiments, the special effects of the scene elements 70 can include projectile effects such as water, smoke, steam, wind, etc. projected toward the ride vehicle 24. Therefore, in some embodiments, the ride vehicle 24 may include a window 71, which is configured to fully or partially protect the user 18 from the projected special effects. Additionally or alternatively, the ride vehicle 24 may not include the window 71, so that the user 18 can be immersed in the projected special effects, or have a more direct experience with the special effects. In fact, in some embodiments, the window 71 can be retractable. In this way, the user 18 can be immersed in some of the projected special effects and can be protected from some of the projected special effects.

[0035] As mentioned above, the drive system 22 is configured to vertically heave the ride vehicle 24 within the central aisle 20 of the tower 14 for excitement purposes and / or to place the ride vehicle 24 adjacent to the compartment 28 to continue the story of the ride system 10. Additionally, the drive system 22 may be configured to pitch, roll, and yaw the ride vehicle 24 in accordance with the story or theme of the ride system 10. To this end, in certain embodiments, the drive system 22 may include a cable 72 coupled to a top 74 of the ride vehicle 24. The drive system 22 may also include a winch system 76 configured to retract and extend the cable 72 to cause the ride vehicle 24 to heave (e.g., vertical movement), pitch, and roll. In certain embodiments, the drive system 22 may also include Figure 3 14, and the like. The bogie system 79 (e.g., tracks and bogies) shown in the figure is configured to drive the ride vehicle 24 laterally or in a radial direction relative to the central axis 16 of the tower 14. In this way, as discussed in more detail below, the user 18 can be placed closer to the scene elements 70 to enhance the experience of the user 18. The bogie system 79 can also be configured to cause the ride vehicle 14 to yaw or rotate in the horizontal plane. In this way, as discussed in more detail below, when the ride vehicle 24 is placed adjacent to the compartment 28, the ride vehicle 24 can be oriented to face the center of the compartment 28, thereby orienting and focusing the user 18's field of view toward the center of the compartment 28 adjacent to the ride vehicle 14.

[0036] As illustrated, in some embodiments, the drive system 22 may be disposed within the tower 14 at a height approximately equal to the height of the top level 38 of the tower 14. In other embodiments, the drive system 22 may be disposed vertically above the top level 38 of the tower 14. Generally, as shown, the inner shell 42 may be annular in shape or have a substantially open area to define the central passage 20. In particular, the drive system 22 may be coupled to an interior top surface 77 of the outer shell 40. In this manner, the drive system 22 may be held stationary relative to the outer shell 40 while the inner shell 42 rotates around the drive system 22. Additionally, in some embodiments, the drive system 22 may be configured to rotate relative to the outer shell 40. For example, in some embodiments, the drive system 22 may be coupled to the interior top surface 77 of the outer shell 40 via a rotation system 78 that is configured to drive rotation of the drive system 22 relative to the outer shell 40.

[0037] With this in mind, Figure 31 is a top view of the tower 14. As discussed above, the drive system 22 is configured to drive the movement of the ride vehicles 24 within the central passage 20 of the tower 14. The drive system 22 includes a bogie system 79, which also includes a track 80 and a bogie 82 coupled to each ride vehicle 24. The bogie 82 is configured to move along the track 80 to radially displace the ride vehicle 24 relative to the central axis 16. The drive system 22 also includes a winch system 74, which may include three or more winch drives 84, each of which is configured to move the cable 72 ( Figure 2 ) to contract and extend. The winch drive 84 can be mounted to the bogie 82 via a frame 85 (e.g., a v-shaped frame). In fact, as shown, the winch drive 84 can be arranged circumferentially around the bogie 82 while being supported by the frame 85. In other words, the frame 85 can couple the winch drive 84 to the bogie 82.

[0038] The winch drives 84 are configured to raise, lower, pitch, and roll the ride vehicle 24. In particular, in response to signals transmitted from the controller 60, each of the winch drives 84 is configured to selectively extend / lengthen and retract / shorten the cable 72 to raise, lower, pitch, and roll the ride vehicle 24. In fact, in some embodiments, each winch drive 84 may include a reel configured to hold the cable 72 and a motor configured to rotate the reel. The motor may rotate the reel to extend the cable 72 from the reel or retract the cable 72 onto the reel, depending on the direction of rotation of the reel.

[0039] For example, in order to pitch the ride vehicle 24 forward, one or more winch drives 84 disposed before the ride vehicle 24 can extend the corresponding cables 72, and one or more winch drives 84 disposed after the ride vehicle 24 can retract the corresponding cables 72, thereby pitching the ride vehicle 24 forward. The winch drives 84 can act in a relative manner to pitch the ride vehicle 24 backward. As another example, in order to roll the ride vehicle 24 to the right, one or more winch drives 84 disposed on the right side of the ride vehicle 24 can release the corresponding cables 72, and one or more winch drives 84 disposed on the left side of the ride vehicle 24 can retract the corresponding cables 72, thereby rolling the ride vehicle 24 to the right. The winch drives 84 can act in a relative manner to roll the ride vehicle 24 to the left. In addition, in order to increase the height of the ride vehicle 24 in the tower 14, all winch drives 84 can retract the corresponding cables 72. Similarly, to reduce the height of the ride vehicle 24 within the tower 14, all of the winch drives 84 may extend the corresponding cables 72. In the presently illustrated embodiment, the winch system 74 includes three winch drives 84 per ride vehicle 24. However, it is to be understood that the winch system 74 may include any suitable number of winch drives 84 per ride vehicle 24, such as four or six winch drives 84 per ride vehicle 24.

[0040] In addition, as mentioned above, the bogie 82 is configured to move along the track 80 to radially displace the ride vehicle 24 relative to the central axis 16 of the tower 14 in response to signals transmitted from the controller 60. Specifically, radial movement of the ride vehicle 24 along the track 80 can move the ride vehicle 24 toward the compartment 28. In this way, the user 18 can be placed directly adjacent to the compartment 28 while experiencing a story segment of the compartment 28. In effect, the proximity of the user 18 relative to the scenic elements 70 of the compartment 28 is used to enhance the experience of the user 18. At the end of the story segment of the compartment 28, or when the compartment 28 is about to rotate past the ride vehicle 24, the bogie system 79 can retract the ride vehicle 24 along the track 80 away from the compartment 28 before the drive system 22 places the ride vehicle 24 adjacent to another level 30 to continue the story.

[0041] In some embodiments, the displacement distance of the ride vehicle 24 along the radial movement of the track 80 can be limited. For example, the ride vehicle 24 can be associated with a length 86 that is generally oriented radially about the axis 16. Therefore, the bogie system 79 can radially displace the ride vehicle 24 a maximum distance equal to approximately two to four lengths of the ride vehicle 24. The limited radial displacement distance of the bogie 82 along the track 80 can minimize the amount of sway or swing experienced by the ride vehicle 24 as a result of the radial movement. Additionally, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 As can be observed in FIG. 2 , the bottom plate 31 and / or the top plate 33 of the compartment 28 can be used to limit the radial displacement distance. In particular, the limited radial displacement distance of the bogie 82 along the track 80 can be limited to prevent the cable 72 from contacting the bottom plate 31 and / or the top plate 33 of the compartment 28.

[0042] In some embodiments, the winch system 74 supporting the ride vehicle 24 via the cable 72 can rotate relative to the bogie 82 to rotate or yaw the ride vehicle 24. For example, in some embodiments, the drive system 74 may include a rotation actuator 88 configured to cause the frame 85 to rotate relative to the bogie 82 in response to a signal from the controller 60. In particular, the ride vehicle 24 can rotate to generally face the compartment 28 adjacent to the ride vehicle 24. In some embodiments, the rotation of the ride vehicle 24 can be synchronized or matched with the rotation of the tower 14. In this way, the user 18 in the ride vehicle 24 may not be able to perceive the rotation of the tower 14 relative to the ride vehicle 24. In fact, this may appear to the user 18 as if the ride vehicle 24 and the tower 14 are kept stationary, because the relative movement of the tower 14 and the ride vehicle 24 may be difficult to observe from within the ride vehicle 24.

[0043] To further illustrate, Figure 4 30 is a schematic top view of a level 30 of a tower. As shown, a ride vehicle 24 can be placed adjacent to one of the compartments 28 of the level 30. In some embodiments, the ride vehicle 24 can be associated with a field of view 90. The field of view 90 is associated with an area to which a user 18 disposed within the ride vehicle 24 is visually confined. For example, a side 92 of the ride vehicle 24 can be used to block a user 18 from viewing features of the ride system 10 outside of the field of view 90. As mentioned above, in some cases, the ride vehicle 14 can be rotated in a manner to substantially match the rotation of the tower 14. In this way, it may be difficult for the user 18 to perceive the relative motion between the tower 14 and the ride vehicle 24. In particular, as shown, in some embodiments, the ride vehicle 24 can be rotated so that the center 93 of the field of view 90 of the ride vehicle 24 remains substantially collinear with the midpoint 94 of the compartment 28. However, it should be understood that ride vehicle 24 can be rotated so that center 93 continuously faces any suitable point within compartment 28, such as a focal point associated with scenic element 70 of compartment 28. In fact, the focal point of scenic element 70 can be eccentric from midpoint 94 of compartment 28.

[0044] Additionally, in some embodiments, the ride vehicle 24 may be rotated so that the field of view 90 of the ride vehicle 24 does not overlap with the side walls 29 of the compartment 28. To this end, in some embodiments, the ride vehicle 24 may be rotated only as needed to prevent the field of view 90 from overlapping with the side walls 29. Indeed, as previously mentioned, the user 18 viewing the side walls 29 may be used to detract from the user's 18 experience.

[0045] As previously discussed, the winch system 74 can raise and lower the ride vehicle 24 vertically within the tower 14. Specifically, the winch system 74 can lower the ride vehicle 24 to the ground level 47 so that users 18 can board and exit the ride vehicle 24, although boarding and exiting can occur at a level other than the ground level 47 and not necessarily at the same level. With this in mind, Figure 5 9 is a partial top view of the ground level 47. As shown, the ground level 47 includes a loading channel 45. Users 18 can enter the tower 14 and board the ride vehicle 24 through the loading channel 45, as illustrated by arrows 98. In practice, the loading channel 45 can connect the surrounding area 100 of the tower 14 to the central channel 20, and the ride vehicle 24 is disposed in the central channel 20. In the presently illustrated embodiment, the tower 14 includes four separate loading channels 45. However, it is to be understood that the tower 14 may include any suitable number of loading channels 45. In some embodiments, the loading channels 45 may form a continuous ring around the central channel 20 of the tower 14, so that the loading channels 45 do not include a plurality of separate loading channels 45.

[0046] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a ride system 10 having a drive column 99 (e.g., a central column) configured to vertically drive a ride vehicle 24 within a central passage 20, as described herein. For example, the drive column 99 may extend from the ground level 47 to the top level 38 along the central axis 16 of the tower 14. It should be noted that Figure 6 The illustration of FIG has been intentionally simplified to focus on the aspect of the drive column 99. In fact, in addition to the movement of the ride vehicle 14 being responsive to input from the drive column 99 (and the drive system 22 ( Figure 1-5 ) is caused by Figure 6 The embodiment of the ride system 10 can be described as above with reference to Figure 1-5102. The present invention relates to a driving column 99 that is provided with a plurality of support beams 102 and a plurality of support beams 102. In some embodiments, the support beams 102 may be telescopic, such that the support beams 102 are configured to be actuated to extend or retract. In practice, the retraction and / or extension of the support beams 102 may be used to cause the ride vehicle 24 to pitch, roll, and yaw relative to the drive column 99. In addition, the drive column 99 may include a track 104 on which the ride vehicle 24 is configured to move. For example, the support beams 102 may be coupled to a bogie 106 (e.g., bogie 82) configured to move along the track 104, thereby imparting vertical motion to the ride vehicle 24, as described herein. In some embodiments, the drive column 99 may be configured to rotate about the central axis 16, thereby imparting rotation to the ride vehicle 24 about the central axis 16. Specifically, in some embodiments, the drive column 99 may be additionally or alternatively rotated to the drive mechanism 46 of the rotating tower 14.

[0047] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a ride system 10 having a plurality of drive mechanisms 46 configured to selectively rotate levels 30 of a tower 14. Figure 6 similar, Figure 7 The illustration has been intentionally simplified to focus on aspects of the multi-drive mechanism 46. In practice, Figure 7 The embodiment of the ride system 10 can be compared with the above reference Figure 1-5 The described embodiments function similarly. However, the ride system 10 can include multiple drive mechanisms 46 and associated drives 48 that are configured to rotate each level 30 independently of one another. In particular, the ride system 10 can include at least one drive mechanism 46 and at least one associated drive 48 disposed between each level 30 of the tower. In this manner, the controller 60 can selectively actuate the drive mechanisms 46 to drive rotation of the levels 30 of the inner shell 42 at corresponding speeds.

[0048] It should be understood that the features of any embodiment discussed herein may be combined with any other embodiment or feature discussed herein. By way of non-limiting example, the various drive mechanisms and drive systems described herein may be used individually or in combination and may be controlled in a coordinated manner. By way of further non-limiting example, any one or combination of the features set forth herein with respect to achieving motion of a ride vehicle may be used to control and move a ride vehicle in any suitable manner as described herein.

[0049] Although only certain embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.

[0050] The technology presented and claimed herein is cited and applied to physical and specific examples of a practical nature that significantly improve the art, and is therefore not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. In addition, if any claim appended to the end of this specification contains one or more elements designated as "means for [performing] ... [function]" or "steps for [performing] ... [function]", it is intended that such elements be interpreted in accordance with 35 USC 112 (f). However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements not be interpreted in accordance with 35 USC 112 (f).

Claims

1. An amusement park system, comprising: a tower having a central passage passing through the tower and disposed about a vertical central axis of the tower; a ride vehicle disposed within the central passage; as well as A drive system is coupled to the ride vehicle and is configured to vertically displace the ride vehicle within the central passage of the tower, wherein the tower is configured to rotate about the drive system.

2. The amusement park system of claim 1, wherein the tower comprises a plurality of levels, wherein a level of the plurality of levels comprises a plurality of compartments disposed circumferentially around the central passage.

3. The amusement park system of claim 2, wherein a compartment of the plurality of compartments includes scenic elements configured to communicate a story to a user within the ride vehicle.

4. The amusement park system of claim 3, wherein the scene elements include animated characters, special effects, sound systems, media displays, or combinations thereof.

5. The amusement park system of claim 1 , wherein the drive system includes a bogie system having a track radially disposed relative to a central axis of the tower, wherein the bogie system includes a bogie coupled to the track and the ride vehicle, and wherein the bogie is configured to move along the track to radially displace the ride vehicle within the central channel relative to the central axis of the tower.

6. The amusement park system of claim 1, wherein the drive system includes a winch system configured to vertically displace the ride vehicle within the central passage of the tower.

7. The amusement park system of claim 6, wherein the winch system comprises a plurality of winches and a plurality of cables, wherein each cable of the plurality of cables is coupled to a corresponding winch of the plurality of winches and the ride vehicle.

8. The amusement park system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of cables are coupled to a top surface of the ride vehicle.

9. The amusement park system of claim 1, wherein the tower comprises a stationary shell and a rotating shell disposed within the stationary shell, wherein the rotating shell is configured to rotate within the stationary shell and around the drive system. 10 . The amusement park system of claim 9 , comprising a drive mechanism configured to drive rotation of the rotating shell relative to the stationary shell.

11. The amusement park system of claim 9, wherein the stationary shell encloses the rotating shell, and wherein the stationary shell extends over the central passage disposed through the rotating shell. 12 . The amusement park system according to claim 9 , wherein the stationary shell includes a protrusion, and wherein the rotating shell is supported in a vertical direction by the protrusion of the stationary shell.

13. The amusement park system of claim 12, wherein the tower includes a loading channel disposed vertically below the projection of the stationary shell, and wherein the loading channel is configured to facilitate access of a user into the tower.

14. The amusement park system of claim 1, wherein the drive system includes a drive column disposed within the central passage of the tower, and wherein the ride vehicle is coupled to the drive column and is configured to be vertically displaced along the drive column.

15. A method comprising: rotating the tower about its vertical central axis; vertically displacing a ride vehicle within a central aisle of the tower via a drive system; as well as The ride vehicle is radially displaced within the central passage of the tower relative to the central axis via a bogie system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein rotating the tower about the central axis comprises continuously rotating the tower at a substantially constant rotational speed.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising projecting special effects from a compartment within the tower toward the ride vehicle.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising pitching and / or rolling the ride vehicle via a cable winch system coupled to the bogie system and the ride vehicle.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising rotating the ride vehicle about a vertical axis of the ride vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein rotating the ride vehicle comprises matching the rotation of the ride vehicle with a rotation of the tower.

21. An amusement park system, comprising: a tower configured to rotate about a vertical central axis of said tower; a drive mechanism configured to drive rotation of the tower about the central axis; a ride vehicle disposed within a central passage of the tower; a drive system configured to drive movement of the ride vehicle within the central passage of the tower; as well as A controller comprising a memory device and a processor, the processor being configured to execute instructions stored on the memory device, wherein based on the instructions, the processor is configured to: transmitting a first signal to the drive mechanism to cause the drive mechanism to drive rotation of the tower; and A second signal is transmitted to the drive system to cause the drive system to vertically displace the ride vehicle along the central axis.

22. The amusement park system of claim 21 , wherein the tower comprises a plurality of levels, wherein the plurality of levels comprises a plurality of compartments, and wherein based on the instructions, the processor is configured to: transmitting a third signal to the drive system to cause the drive system to maintain the ride vehicle adjacent to a first compartment of the plurality of compartments of a first level of the plurality of levels for a predetermined period of time; and A fourth signal is transmitted to the drive system to cause the drive system to position the ride vehicle adjacent to a second compartment of the plurality of compartments of a second level of the plurality of levels after the predetermined time period.

23. The amusement park system of claim 22, comprising a bogie system configured to radially displace the ride vehicle within the central channel relative to the central axis, and wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to: transmitting a fifth signal to the truck system to cause the truck system to radially displace the ride vehicle toward the first compartment at the beginning of the predetermined time period; and A sixth signal is transmitted to the truck system to cause the truck system to radially displace a ride vehicle away from the first compartment after the predetermined time period.

24. An amusement park system, comprising: a tower having a central axis extending vertically through the amusement park system; a drive column including a track extending vertically through a plurality of levels along the central axis; a ride vehicle configured to be vertically displaced along the track relative to the central axis to the plurality of levels along the central axis; as well as one or more scenic elements configured to communicate a story to a user within the ride vehicle, wherein the one or more scenic elements are disposed at least partially circumferentially around the ride vehicle at a level in the plurality of levels; Wherein the drive column is configured to vertically displace the ride vehicle along the track relative to the central axis.

25. The amusement park system of claim 24, wherein the one or more scenic elements include animated characters, special effects, sound systems, media displays, or combinations thereof.

26. The amusement park system of claim 24, wherein the one or more scenic elements are configured to move in conjunction with the ride vehicle to provide an overall story to the user.

27. The amusement park system of claim 24, wherein the drive column is configured to displace the ride vehicle relative to the central axis in multiple degrees of freedom.

28. The amusement park system of claim 24, comprising support beams coupled to the track and the ride vehicle, wherein the support beams are configured to cause the ride vehicle to pitch, roll, and yaw relative to the central axis.

29. The amusement park system of claim 24, comprising a bogie system having a bogie coupled to the track and the ride vehicle, wherein the bogie is configured to move along the track to radially displace the ride vehicle relative to the central axis.

30. The amusement park system of claim 24, wherein the drive column is configured to rotate relative to the central axis.

31. An amusement park system, comprising: a tower having a central axis extending vertically through the amusement park system; a drive column including a track extending vertically through a plurality of levels along the central axis; a ride vehicle configured to be vertically displaced along the track relative to the central axis to the plurality of levels along the central axis; as well as one or more scenic elements configured to communicate a story to a user within the ride vehicle, wherein the one or more scenic elements are disposed at least partially circumferentially around the ride vehicle at a level in the plurality of levels; Wherein the drive column is configured to displace the ride vehicle relative to the central axis with multiple degrees of freedom.

32. The amusement park system of claim 31, wherein the one or more scenic elements include animated characters, special effects, sound systems, media displays, or combinations thereof.

33. The amusement park system of claim 31 , wherein the one or more scenic elements are configured to move in conjunction with the ride vehicle to provide an overall story to the user.

34. The amusement park system of claim 31 , wherein the drive column is configured to vertically displace the ride vehicle along the track relative to the central axis.

35. The amusement park system of claim 31, comprising support beams coupled to the track and the ride vehicle, wherein the support beams are configured to cause the ride vehicle to pitch, roll, and yaw relative to the central axis.

36. The amusement park system of claim 31 , comprising a bogie system having a bogie coupled to the track and the ride vehicle, wherein the bogie is configured to move along the track to radially displace the ride vehicle relative to the central axis.

37. The amusement park system of claim 31 , wherein the drive column is configured to rotate relative to the central axis.

38. An amusement park system, comprising: a tower having a central axis extending vertically through the amusement park system; a drive column including a track extending vertically through a plurality of levels along the central axis; a ride vehicle configured to be displaced vertically along the track relative to the central axis to the plurality of levels along the central axis and to move with a plurality of degrees of freedom relative to the central axis; as well as A media display is configured to communicate a story to a user within the ride vehicle, wherein the media display is disposed at least partially circumferentially around the ride vehicle at a level in the plurality of levels.

39. The amusement park system of claim 38, wherein the story is configured to move in conjunction with the ride vehicle to provide the entire story to the user.

40. The amusement park system of claim 38, wherein the drive column is configured to vertically displace the ride vehicle along the track relative to the central axis.

41. The amusement park system of claim 38, wherein the drive column is configured to displace the ride vehicle relative to the central axis in multiple degrees of freedom.

42. The amusement park system of claim 38, comprising support beams coupled to the track and the ride vehicle, wherein the support beams are configured to cause the ride vehicle to pitch, roll, and yaw relative to the central axis.

43. The amusement park system of claim 38, comprising a bogie system having a bogie coupled to the track and the ride vehicle, wherein the bogie is configured to move along the track to radially displace the ride vehicle relative to the central axis.

44. The amusement park system of claim 38, wherein the drive column is configured to rotate relative to the central axis.

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