Resistance control system and method for an amusement attraction

Abstract

A resistance control system (12) for an amusement park ride includes a support assembly (60) having a base (40), a pivot joint (46), and a support beam (42) extending between the base (40) and the pivot joint (46). The resistance control system (12) includes a spring plate (32) coupled to the pivot joint (46) of the support assembly (60) and includes at least one spring (34) engaging with the spring plate (32). Furthermore, the resistance control system (12) includes an actuator plate (70) positioned between the spring plate (32) and the base (40) of the support assembly (60), and at least one actuator (74) coupled between the actuator plate (70) and the base (40). The at least one actuator (74) is configured to move and fix the actuator plate (70) relative to the pivot joint (46) to adjust the resistance to movement about the pivot joint (46).

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62 / 889,943, filed August 21, 2019, entitled “Drag Control System and Method for Amusement Attractions,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Background Technology

[0003] This section aims to introduce the reader to various aspects of the technology that may be related to the aspects of the present technology described and / or claimed below. This discussion is intended to help provide the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that these statements should be read in this light rather than as an admission of prior art.

[0004] Various amusement rides have been created to provide riders with unique motion and visual experiences. In some cases, an amusement ride may include a ride vehicle and a ride track (or other path) along which the vehicle moves. In an increased number of amusement rides, the ride vehicle may not traverse the path. For example, the vehicle may be configured to roll, pitch, and / or yaw while remaining stationary in a position. Such a vehicle may be referred to as a stationary vehicle. For both stationary and path-traversing vehicles, virtual reality (VR) devices are used to provide additional stimulation. It is now recognized that it is desirable to provide riders with the ability to control certain aspects of these rides and / or associated VR experiences to increase the stimulation and immersion in the ride experience. For example, it is now recognized that it is desirable to provide users with the ability to manipulate the ride vehicle, or at least to give them the feeling that they are manipulating the ride vehicle via VR devices. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Certain embodiments commensurate with the scope of the original claimed subject matter are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure, but rather to provide only a brief overview of some of the disclosed embodiments. In fact, this disclosure may cover a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

[0006] This embodiment relates to a resistance control system for an amusement park attraction, including a support assembly having a base, a pivot joint, and a support beam extending between the base and the pivot joint. The resistance control system includes a spring plate coupled to the pivot joint of the support assembly and includes at least one spring engaging with the spring plate. Furthermore, the resistance control system includes an actuator plate positioned between the spring plate and the base of the support assembly, and at least one actuator coupled between the actuator plate and the base. The at least one actuator is configured to move and fix the actuator plate relative to the pivot joint to adjust the resistance to movement about the pivot joint.

[0007] This embodiment relates to a method for controlling a ride vehicle at an amusement park attraction, including receiving input indicating the weight of a passenger on the ride vehicle via a ride vehicle controller. The ride vehicle includes a base, a support beam coupled to the base, and a spring plate that supports the passenger and is pivotally coupled to the support beam when the passenger is on the ride vehicle. The ride vehicle also includes an actuator plate and at least one spring engaged with the spring plate, the actuator plate being selectively positioned between the spring plate and the base via at least one actuator. The at least one spring is configured to selectively compress against the actuator plate based on the passenger's movement. The method includes querying a resistance setting database via the ride vehicle controller to retrieve a target actuator length for the at least one actuator corresponding to the passenger's weight. The method further includes controlling the at least one actuator via the ride vehicle controller to adjust at least a portion of a ride cycle at the amusement park attraction based on the target actuator length. Furthermore, the method includes controlling the at least one actuator via the ride vehicle controller to adjust based on a default actuator length in response to determining that a ride cycle is complete.

[0008] This embodiment relates to a resistance control system for an amusement park ride, comprising a spring plate including a seat configured to receive a rider and a plurality of spring posts engaged with the spring plate. Each of the plurality of spring posts is passively height-adjustable based on the rider's weight. The resistance control system also includes a plurality of locking devices configured to selectively secure the plurality of spring posts at the adjusted height during a ride cycle of the amusement park ride. Attached Figure Description

[0009] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of this disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same characters denote the same parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of an amusement park with a drag control system and a stationary ride vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure for enhancing the experience of riders equipped with virtual reality (VR) devices;

[0011] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, through which the resistance control system can adjust... Figure 1 The weight drag of a stationary vehicle;

[0012] Figure 3 According to embodiments of this disclosure Figure 1 A cross-sectional front view of an embodiment of a stationary passenger vehicle;

[0013] Figure 4 In the tilted orientation according to embodiments of the present disclosure Figure 3 Side perspective view of an embodiment of a stationary passenger vehicle;

[0014] Figure 5 This is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of a stationary riding vehicle with a composite spring according to embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0015] Figure 6 According to embodiments of this disclosure Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an embodiment of a composite spring column for a stationary riding vehicle. Detailed Implementation

[0016] One or more specific embodiments of this disclosure will now be described. To provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of the actual implementation may be described in this specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, many implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from implementation to implementation. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that such development efforts may be complex and time-consuming, but will remain routine tasks of design, fabrication, and manufacturing for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure.

[0017] When describing elements of various embodiments of this disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean the presence of one or more elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that additional elements may be present in addition to those listed. Furthermore, it should be understood that references to “an embodiment” or “an embodiment” in this disclosure are not intended to be construed as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that are also incorporated into the described features.

[0018] This embodiment pertains to a drag control system for amusement rides, such as those where riders are equipped with virtual reality (VR) devices. Typically, riders provide input to the VR system at a stationary attraction by tilting or shifting their weight relative to a ride vehicle positioned below them. The ride vehicle includes supports that are tensioned or engaged to appropriately resist movement to simulate virtual experiences such as horseback riding or paragliding transmitted through the VR device. As discussed herein, the drag control system selectively adjusts the drag of the ride vehicle against movement, thereby providing a similar experience for people of different weights and enabling a wide range of rider weights to be accommodated at a stationary attraction.

[0019] Ride carriers with resistance control systems typically include a occupant housing, such as a chair or seat, coupled to a spring plate. In some embodiments, the spring plate is supported by a structural joint (e.g., a universal joint) that allows the occupant to use their weight to pitch and roll the spring plate. Notably, a spring engages or couples to the surface of the spring plate to selectively contact an actuator plate disposed beneath the spring plate. The actuator plate is vertically positioned relative to the spring plate via an actuator, thereby enabling the spring of the spring plate to compress and provide stability during the pitch and roll movements of the spring plate. The actuator can move the actuator plate up or down to correspondingly increase or decrease the resistance to the occupant's movement by the resistance control system. Thus, during a normal riding cycle, the resistance control system can measure the occupant's weight and instruct the actuator to change the spring tension to a predetermined setting or effective spring constant corresponding to the weight. In other embodiments, a compound spring or conical spring coupled to the spring plate can be passively compressed by the occupant to a target height and secured with a ratchet device, thereby providing targeted resistance to the occupant's movement. In any case, as a semi-passive system, the drag control system provides an improved experience for guests of all weights compared to a fully passive system, and furthermore, it may be less expensive and less technically complex than a fully active system.

[0020] like Figure 1 As illustrated, the amusement park attraction 10 includes a resistance control system 12 having a vehicle controller 14 (e.g., a controller) and a ride vehicle 16 (e.g., a motion simulator). This embodiment of the amusement park attraction 10 illustrates a ride vehicle 16 with a seat 20 from which a rider 22 can operate the ride vehicle 16 and receive a virtual experience supported by a VR device 24 (e.g., a VR headset, wearable visualization device) with a VR controller 26. In other embodiments, the VR device 24 is not included, and additional stimulation is added by the resistance control system 12 without a VR effect. It should be understood that the ride vehicle 16 can take any suitable form, such as including sleds, motorcycles, animals, surfboards, skateboards, etc. Although the resistance control system 12 is discussed herein with reference to a single rider 22, it should be understood that similar techniques can be applied to adapt the resistance control system 12 to multi-passenger ride vehicles.

[0021] In this embodiment, seat 20 is coupled to the top surface 30 of spring plate 32 of riding vehicle 16, and spring 34 engages with or is coupled to the bottom surface 36 of spring plate 32. It should be noted that in other embodiments, spring plate 32 may be a frame or frame structure and is not a solid plate. In this embodiment, riding vehicle 16 includes a base 40 coupled to support beam 42 via struts 44. Support beam 42 is also coupled to the bottom surface 36 of spring plate 32 via pivot joint 46. The pivot joint 46 in this embodiment allows spring plate 32 to rotate relative to base 40 via roll 50 and pitch 52. In the illustrated embodiment, base 40 is generally stationary relative to ground 54. However, in other embodiments, base 40 may be part of a larger vehicle traversing a path (e.g., a track). In some embodiments, the pivot joint 46 may be a ball bearing joint or a universal joint, which also allows for rotational movement 56 (e.g., yaw movement) of the spring plate 32 about an axis parallel to the vertical axis 72. In other embodiments, the pivot joint 46 may allow for movement along a single axis (e.g., corresponding to a single degree of freedom), which may be suitable for simplified amusement attractions 10. For example, to provide rotation about a single axis, the pivot joint 46 may be a gimbal or a hinged gimbal expansion joint. In any case, the base 40, the support beam 42, and the pivot joint 46 typically form a support assembly 60 that supports the spring plate 32 while allowing pivotal movement of the spring plate 32 in any suitable degree of freedom.

[0022] VR technology is implemented by VR device 24 worn by rider 22 to present an interactive virtual experience within rider 22's field of vision. For example, VR controller 26 may instruct the display of VR device 24 via processor 62 and memory 64 to generate a target set of virtual images corresponding to the interactive virtual experience. In some embodiments, VR technology also includes augmented reality technology. As illustrated, VR controller 26 of VR device 24 is communicatively coupled to vehicle controller 14 via wireless communication component 66. In other embodiments, VR controller 26 may be communicatively coupled to vehicle controller 14 via any suitable component forming a communication connection (such as a wired connection, Bluetooth® connection, Wi-Fi connection, etc.). It should be understood that in some embodiments, the virtual experience provided by VR device 24 may be selected to correspond to the physical appearance of ride vehicle 16 and / or the theme of attraction 10. For example, in an embodiment where attraction 10 is jungle-themed, the seats 20 of ride vehicle 16 may be designed as animals, and the virtual experience may be shown to rider 22 as a race through the jungle. This combined design of the components of the amusement attraction 10 can provide riders 22 with a consistent and immersive experience. In other embodiments, the VR device 24 can be replaced with an augmented reality device. Furthermore, it should be understood that the resistance control system 12 can be implemented in any suitable environment in which a semi-passive resistance control framework structure enhances the user experience (e.g., an interactive cinema or a motion-based ride).

[0023] Paying more detailed attention to the drag adjustment characteristics of the drag control system 12, the ride vehicle 16 includes an actuator plate 70 positioned relative to the vertical axis 72 between the spring plate 32 and the base 40. Like the spring plate 32, the actuator plate 70 can be a frame structure and does not necessarily include a solid plate. In this embodiment, an actuator 74 is coupled between the actuator plate 70 and the base 40 to adjust the position of the actuator plate 70 based on instructions from the vehicle controller 14. In other words, the actuator 74 is directed to retract or extend to any suitable actuator length between a fully retracted length and a fully extended length to position the actuator plate 70 at a specific separation distance 76 from the spring plate 32. The actuator 74 can be any suitable component that facilitates movement of the actuator plate 70, including electric actuators, hydraulic actuators, pneumatic actuators, magnetic actuators, mechanical actuators, and / or servo motors, etc. It should be understood that in this embodiment, the actuator plate 70 is not directly coupled to the spring plate 32.

[0024] As mentioned, spring 34 is coupled to the bottom surface 36 of spring plate 32, and further, in response to movement of rider 22, spring 34 can selectively compress against contact actuator plate 70. For example, when rider 22 tilts to transfer his or her weight relative to support beam 42, pivot joint 46 tilts spring plate 32 accordingly, thereby setting a corresponding portion of spring 34 into contact (e.g., engagement) with the top surface 80 of actuator plate 70. In response to continued weight transfer or engagement, the portion of spring 34 in contact with top surface 80 compresses and provides resistance to slow and eventually stop movement of spring plate 32. As appreciated herein, by adjusting the separation distance 76 between spring plate 32 and actuator plate 70, drag control system 12 can effectively adjust ride vehicle 16 to provide rider 22 with a neutral suspension sensation suitable for any of the multiple VR experiences delivered by VR device 24.

[0025] Furthermore, although two springs 34 and two actuators 74 are illustrated for simplicity, it should be understood that these represent any number of such features. According to this embodiment, any suitable number of springs 34 and actuators 74 may be included in the ride vehicle 16, comprising one spring 34 and / or one actuator 74. For example, according to the present technology, in an embodiment with a single actuator 74, the single actuator may include any suitable four-bar linkage, scissor linkage, guide rail combined with wheels, or any other suitable linkage mechanism that enables the single actuator 74 to adjust the position of the actuator plate 70 in one or more dimensions. Furthermore, in an embodiment with a single spring 34, the single spring 34 may be positioned at the center corresponding to the intended center of mass of the passenger 22. It should also be understood that the spring 34, illustrated as a mechanical, helical, or coiled spring in this embodiment, may include or represent any suitable resistance device in some embodiments, such as a gas spring, air spring, elastomer, leaf spring, rigid air bladder, conical spring pad (e.g., a Bayeux pad), gas strut, or magnetic repulsion assembly, or any combination thereof. That is, any suitable device that applies a variable force as a function of the size of a suitable device is currently contemplated as a suitable component of the resistance control system 12.

[0026] Furthermore, although the illustration shows a spring 34 on a spring plate 32 separated from the actuator plate 70, in other embodiments, the spring 34 may be coupled between the spring plate 32 and the base 40 to provide a normalizing bias to the spring plate 32. Additionally, although this discussion refers to the spring 34 coupled to the spring plate 32, it should be understood that the spring 34 may be coupled via cantilever action or any other suitable force distribution component at any suitable location in the ride vehicle 16 that enables selective engagement of the spring 34, including locations where the spring 34 engages with any suitable surface of the actuator plate 70. That is, a suitable location may be any suitable location where the spring 34 engages in response to the tilt of the spring plate 32 exceeding a threshold angle. In some of these embodiments, one or both ends of the spring 34 may be coupled to the support beam 42 and selectively compressed between the spring plate 32 and the actuator plate 70. In other embodiments, the spring 34 may alternatively be coupled to the top surface 80 of the actuator plate 70.

[0027] As illustrated, the drag control system 12 also includes sensors 90 to collect appropriate information relating to the ride vehicle 16 and / or the occupant 22 on it. For example, sensor 90 currently includes a swashplate 92 coupled to the spring plate 32 to sense the position or angle and direction of tilt of the spring plate 32. In some embodiments, the swashplate 92 senses the tilt of the spring plate 32 to a fraction of a degree. In other embodiments, accelerometers, position sensors, etc., may be additionally or alternatively coupled to the ride vehicle 16. Furthermore, the sensors 90 of the drag control system 12 include a weight sensor 94 that senses data indicating the weight of the occupant 22 and transmits that data to the ride vehicle controller 14. In this embodiment, the weight sensor 94 is illustrated as being directly coupled to the support beam 42, thus enabling the weight sensor 94 to sense the total weight or force from the occupant 22 guided through the support beam 42. In other embodiments, the weight sensor 94 may be located anywhere between the occupant 22 and the base 40 of the ride vehicle 16, such as between the seat 20 and the spring plate 32. In other embodiments, the weight sensor 94 may be omitted, and the ride vehicle 16 may include a user input device that enables the rider 22 to provide input indicating weight, user profile, and / or desired resistance settings.

[0028] Continuing with the discussion of the ride controller 14, the ride controller 14 is generally responsible for controlling the ride vehicle 16 to provide a target distance between the spring plate 32 and the actuator plate 70, and for aligning the rider experience (e.g., the physical movement of the ride vehicle 16) with the VR experience delivered via the VR device 24. It should be noted that the VR device 24 may represent different and / or additional effects (e.g., a flat-screen display and an audio system). The ride controller 14 may communicate with other components of the ride attraction 10 and / or the resistance control system 12 via any suitable, appropriate (e.g., forming a wired or wireless network) communication circuitry. In this embodiment, the ride controller 14 is communicatively coupled to the VR controller 26, actuator 74, inclinometer 92, and weight sensor 94 of the VR device 24. In some embodiments, the ride controller 14 may be included within the housing or chassis of the ride vehicle 16. In other embodiments, the ride controller 14 may be located remotely from the ride vehicle 16 and coordinate the operation of multiple ride vehicles 16.

[0029] The illustrated embodiment's vehicle controller 14 includes a processor 100 that provides instructions to the passenger vehicle 16 via corresponding communication circuitry 66, a memory 102 (e.g., one or more memories) storing instructions for the processor 100, and a drag setting database 104. However, it should be understood that any component can be appropriately stored in any suitable location (such as within a cloud database) and updated from any suitable location. The processor 100 is any suitable processor capable of executing instructions for performing the techniques currently disclosed, such as a general-purpose processor, a system-on-a-chip (SoC) device, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or some other similar processor configuration. In some embodiments, these instructions are encoded in a program or code stored in a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium, such as memory 102 and / or other storage circuitry or devices.

[0030] As will be understood, the resistance setting database 104 is a storage of data with resistance settings that correspond the sensed weight of the rider 22 to a target actuator length (e.g., a target length, a length within a threshold range) for the actuator 74. Therefore, the resistance setting database 104 enables the vehicle controller 14 to appropriately move the actuator plate 70 to tension the spring 34 of the ride vehicle 16 for riders of a wide weight range. Typically, the resistance control system 12 instructs the actuator 74 to provide less resistance for lighter riders 22 and more resistance for heavier riders 22. In some embodiments, the resistance setting database 104 corresponds the target actuator length to a signal indicating the weight of the rider 22 (such as the raw output of the weight sensor 94 in volts). Such a correspondence can improve the privacy and / or reduce computational latency for the resistance control system 12 compared to embodiments that convert the raw output to a value in weighted units. For example, the resistance setting database 104 may include target actuator lengths for any suitable range of weights and / or raw outputs above customizable lower weight limits (such as per 1 pound, 5 pounds, 10 pounds, and 50 pounds).

[0031] In some embodiments, the resistance setting database 104 includes personalized target actuator lengths corresponding to a given virtual experience, a given rider's age, a given rider profile, etc. For example, in embodiments where the virtual experience provided by the VR device 24 is detail-oriented or challenging, the resistance control system 12 may implement a relatively high resistance setting (e.g., increasing tension by 10%) to provide more motion sensitivity to the ride vehicle 16. Furthermore, in embodiments where the resistance control system 12 determines that the rider 22's rider profile indicates a preference for relaxing experiences (e.g., relaxing VR games), the resistance control system 12 may implement a relatively low resistance setting and instruct the VR device 24 to provide a simplified virtual experience suitable for the relatively low resistance setting. In some embodiments, the resistance control system 12 may also adjust the resistance of the ride vehicle 16 during the duration of a ride cycle at the attraction 10, such as by increasing resistance in response to determining that the ride cycle is nearing completion, that the rider 22 is entering a specific area of ​​the simulated environment supported by the VR device 24, that the rider 22 has performed a task within the simulated environment, that the rider 22 has provided user input indicating requested resistance adjustment, etc.

[0032] In view of the aforementioned characteristics of the drag control system 12, further discussion is provided herein regarding the operation of the drag control system 12 to adjust the weight drag of the vehicle 16 and improve passenger satisfaction with the vehicle 16. For example, Figure 2This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of process 120, which enables the drag control system 12 to control the ride cycle of the ride vehicle 16 throughout the amusement park 10. The steps illustrated in process 120 are intended to facilitate discussion and not to limit the scope of this disclosure, as additional steps may be performed, certain steps may be omitted, and the illustrated steps may be performed in an alternative order or in parallel where appropriate. Process 120 may represent startup code or instructions stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium (e.g., memory 102) and executed, for example, by a processor 100 of the ride controller 14 of the drag control system 12. The processor 100 may be communicatively coupled via a network, such as a wireless network, to receive and transmit the instructions and signals described below.

[0033] In the embodiment currently illustrated, the vehicle controller 14 executing process 120 initiates (box 122) the ride cycle by receiving (box 124) an input indicating the weight of passenger 22. For example, the vehicle controller 14 may receive a signal from weight sensor 94 after passenger 22 has boarded the ride vehicle 16. In some embodiments, weight sensor 94 may continuously transmit signals such that the vehicle controller 14 identifies one of the signals as indicating the weight of passenger 22 in response to the signal being constant over a threshold time period (e.g., within 1%, within 5%). Such embodiments can facilitate safety within the amusement park 10 by providing the vehicle controller 14 with a baseline weight value for passenger 22. Thus, the vehicle controller 14 may present an alarm to the operator of the amusement park 10 and / or shut down the ride vehicle 16 in response to a detected weight value being outside a predetermined threshold from the baseline weight value (e.g., indicating a dropped item, premature departure). In other embodiments, the vehicle controller 14 may receive user input from the user interface in response to the passenger 22 inputting his or her weight or a requested drag setting into the user interface, and then store the user input as an input indicating the weight of the passenger 22. In some embodiments, the vehicle controller 14 converts the input indicating the passenger's weight into a weight value. Therefore, although discussed herein as passenger weight for simplicity, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the vehicle controller 14 may alternatively perform the steps of process 120 with respect to other information including the raw output in volts from the weight sensor 94.

[0034] Continuing in process 120, the vehicle controller 14 queries (box 126) the drag setting database 104 to retrieve a target actuator length corresponding to the passenger weight. As mentioned, the drag setting database 104 includes records that associate the corresponding length of the actuator 74 with various passenger weights. Therefore, the vehicle controller 14 uses the passenger weight to identify a suitable actuator length for the actuator 74 that provides appropriate resistance to movement for a passenger 22 with that particular passenger weight. Typically, the target actuator length is extended more for a heavier passenger weight (e.g., corresponding to a smaller separation distance 76) to increase the drag on the passenger vehicle 16 for a heavier passenger weight compared to a lighter passenger weight, thus increasing the resistance to movement. If a suitable target actuator length is identified, the vehicle controller 14 controls, operates, or instructs (box 130) the actuator 74 to extend or retract to reach the target actuator length, thereby positioning the actuator plate 70 at a specified separation distance 76 from the spring plate 32. In other embodiments, the drag setting database 104 may include records that associate the corresponding positions of the actuator plates 70 with various rider weights, and the drag control system 12 may control the weight drag of the ride vehicle 16 by moving the actuator plates 70 to a target actuator plate position corresponding to a target separation distance 76 from the spring plate 32.

[0035] With the tension of the ride vehicle 16 calibrated to the rider's weight, the ride vehicle controller 14 provides the rider 22 (box 132) with a riding experience corresponding to the virtual experience provided by the VR device 24 via the ride vehicle 16. For example, the VR controller 26 of the VR device 24 may instruct the processor 62 to generate specific virtual images to be displayed to the rider 22. The rider 22 typically moves his or her weight relative to the ride vehicle 16 to provide user input to the ride vehicle controller 14 (e.g., via the inclinometer 92), which communicates the user input to the VR controller 26. The VR controller 26 then adjusts the virtual images displayed to the rider 22 to display a target set of virtual images corresponding to the received user input. For example, in response to the rider 22 tilting to the left, the spring plate 32 may move a specific amount (e.g., several inches) in pitch 52 based on the resistance of the ride vehicle 16. The inclinometer 92 senses the movement of the spring plate 32 and transmits a signal indicating that movement to the ride vehicle controller 14. Therefore, the vehicle controller 14 can instruct the VR controller 26 to adjust the virtual image provided by the VR device 24 to display corresponding virtual movement on the pitch 52. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the VR controller 26 is embedded in or stored within the vehicle controller 14. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the amusement park attraction 10 may include features other than or attached to the VR device 24, such as a projection screen that receives user input as feedback to enhance the rider's experience. In other embodiments, such as those in which riders of the vehicle 16 move along a track, the VR device 24 and VR controller 26 are omitted.

[0036] In addition to commanding VR device 24 to respond to movement of ride vehicle 16, resistance control system 12 also enables ride vehicle 16 to respond to instructions from VR controller 26. For example, ride vehicle controller 14, executing process 120, determines (box 134) whether a haptic feedback request has been received from VR controller 26. Continuing the example above, in response to rider 22 manipulating ride vehicle 16 such that a virtual representation of ride vehicle 16 comes into contact with a boundary (e.g., a fence, cloud, obstacle), VR controller 26 may request ride vehicle controller 14 to vibrate or otherwise manipulate ride vehicle 16 to indicate that contact. It should be understood that ride vehicle controller 14 may receive any single or multiple haptic feedback requests from VR controller 26, including consecutive requests and / or pre-programmed requests.

[0037] In response to receiving a haptic feedback request, the vehicle controller 14 instructs (box 136) the actuator 74 to manipulate the actuator plate 70 to correspond to the VR experience of the VR device 24. In some embodiments, the actuator 74 may extend to position the actuator plate 70 in contact with and / or move the spring plate 32, thereby providing haptic feedback to the rider 22. The vehicle controller 14 may instruct the actuator 74 to adjust its length individually or synchronously with each other. For example, the actuator 74 may be instructed to further tension an area of ​​the riding vehicle 16 (e.g., a quadrant, a side) to prevent the rider 22 from manipulating the riding vehicle 16 in a direction corresponding to that area. In other embodiments, the actuator 74 may be instructed to move the actuator plate 70 sequentially up and down or in a random manner to provide a floating experience to the rider 22. After satisfying the haptic feedback request, the vehicle controller 14 may return to instruct (box 130) the actuator 74 to move to a target actuator length.

[0038] Alternatively, in response to determining that a haptic feedback request is not unmet or incomplete, the vehicle controller 14 may determine (box 140) whether the current ride cycle of attraction 10 is complete. The vehicle controller 14 may refer to a clock, VR controller 26, or any other suitable component to perform the determination of box 140. In response to determining that a ride cycle is incomplete, the vehicle controller 14 of the illustrated embodiment of process 120 returns to box 134 to continue determining whether a haptic feedback request has been received. Alternatively, in response to determining that a ride cycle is complete, the vehicle controller 14 instructs (box 142) the actuator 74 to return to a default length, thereby ending (box 144) process 120. The default length may correspond to the relaxed state of the actuator 74, the most common length suitable for most riders 22, a length that facilitates removal from the ride vehicle (e.g., tilting the spring plate 32 toward the exit of attraction 10), and so on. Therefore, the drag control system 12 with the vehicle controller 14 effectively improves the rider experience within the amusement park 10 by semi-passively adjusting the weight drag of the vehicle 16 to the weight of each specific rider. Furthermore, the drag control system 12 disclosed herein provides the rider 22 with dynamic haptic feedback corresponding to the virtual image provided via the VR device 24, further generating a dynamic and enjoyable rider experience.

[0039] In light of the above understanding of the operation of the drag control system 12, further discussion is provided herein regarding exemplary embodiments of a ride vehicle 16 controlled by the drag control system 12. For example, Figure 3This is a cross-sectional front view of an embodiment of a ride vehicle 16 having a spring plate 32 aligned horizontally (e.g., with horizontal axis 160). As discussed above, the ride vehicle 16 includes an actuator plate 70, a spring plate 32, and a support assembly 60 having a base plate, a support beam 42, and a pivot joint 46. Because the ride vehicle 16 is stationary, the base 40 is positioned in contact with the ground 54. In other embodiments, a drag control system 12 may be used for a movable motion base, and the ground 54 may represent a larger vehicle to which the ride vehicle 16 is coupled.

[0040] The ride-on vehicle 16 also includes six springs 34, illustrated in this embodiment as conical mechanical springs. Conical mechanical springs typically have a variable or non-linear spring constant, such that the initial compression of the spring against the actuator plate 70 is achieved with less force than further compression of the spring 34. In this embodiment, the springs 34 are evenly spaced from each other in a hexagonal or circular shape, centered above the pivot joint 46. However, it should be understood that any other suitable type, form, and number of springs 34 may be employed within the ride-on vehicle 16 to selectively abut and / or contact the actuator plate 70 under compression. For example, in some embodiments, the conical springs may be replaced by cylindrical helical springs having progressive spring constants (e.g., compound springs) coupled in series with each other. Alternatively, the ride-on vehicle 16 may include a single spring 34 suitably positioned within the ride-on vehicle 16 to allow the features of this disclosure to dynamically adjust the weight drag of the ride-on vehicle 16.

[0041] The drag control system 12 also includes adaptive features to further improve the occupant experience on the ride vehicle 16. For example, the ride vehicle 16 in this embodiment includes a speed limiter 170 (e.g., a gas spring) that controls the movement of the spring plate 32. Each speed limiter 170 is coupled between the spring plate 32 and a peripheral support beam 172 located below the outer edge 174 of the spring plate 32. In the illustrated embodiment, the speed limiter 170 includes a ball bearing 176 that provides three rotational degrees of freedom; however, any other suitable connecting component with the same or more restricted rotational movement may be used. The speed limiter 170 includes a piston 180 and a rod 182 that moves relative to the piston 180 to provide damping to the movement of the ride vehicle 16. It should be noted that in some embodiments, this damping movement corresponds to movement of a portion of the ride vehicle or within the seat, the ride vehicle (effectively a seat), or both the ride vehicle and the seat.

[0042] Figure 4This is a side perspective side view of an embodiment of a stationary ride vehicle 16 having a spring plate 32 in an inclined orientation. As illustrated, the spring plate 32 is positioned at an inclination angle 200 relative to the actuator plate 70 due to weight transfer of the passenger 22 who can climb onto the spring plate 32. The ride vehicle 16 also includes a buffer 202 (e.g., a rubber buffer, a stop) positioned on a peripheral support beam 172 disposed below the spring plate 32. The buffer 202 typically allows the spring plate to rotate freely up to a threshold inclination angle at which the bottom surface 36 of the spring plate 32 contacts the buffer 202. The buffer 202 may include a contact sensor that provides a signal to the ride vehicle controller 14 to indicate whether the spring plate 32 is in contact with the corresponding buffer 202. In some embodiments, six buffers 202 and six peripheral support beams 172 may be included in the ride vehicle 16. In such a case, each additional peripheral support beam 172 may also be indirectly coupled to the spring plate 32 via one of the speed limiters 170 discussed above.

[0043] The actuator 74 illustrated in this embodiment is coupled between the actuator plate 70 and the base 40. Therefore, the actuator 74 can move the actuator plate along the vertical axis 72 to adjust the effective spring constant of the spring 34, such as by increasing or decreasing the separation distance 76 between the actuator plate 70 and the spring plate 32 (e.g., in a horizontal position corresponding to the pivot point 46 or the fulcrum of the spring plate 32). The ride-on vehicle 16 may include three actuators 74 spaced equidistantly from each other in a triangular configuration; however, it should be understood that additional actuators 74 may be included and uniformly spaced from each other in any suitable polygonal shape. Furthermore, the speed limiter 170 discussed above may be positioned in a triangular configuration, which is a mirror image of the triangular configuration of the actuators 74, thereby uniformly distributing the forces of the speed limiter 170 and the actuators 74 around the outer periphery of the ride-on vehicle 16. In other embodiments, such as those in which the passenger vehicle 16 is movable, the forces of the speed limiter 170 and the actuator 74 can be evenly distributed around the seat of the passenger vehicle 16.

[0044] Figure 5 This is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of a drag control system 12 for controlling a ride vehicle 16 within an amusement park attraction 10. The ride vehicle 16 includes a spring plate 32 and a seat 20 or other occupant accommodation coupled to a top surface 30 of the spring plate 32. From the seat 20, an occupant 22 can manipulate the ride vehicle 16 using his or her weight. Notably, the ride vehicle 16 includes spring pillars 250 coupled to a bottom surface 36 of the spring plate 32 to selectively adjust the drag of the ride vehicle 16 based on the weight of the occupant 22. Each spring pillar 250 includes a height-adjustable spring assembly 252 that is passively (e.g., naturally) compressed to a target height 260 by the weight of the occupant 22.

[0045] In this embodiment, each height-adjustable spring assembly 252 includes three spring regions 262: a high-compression region 264, a medium-compression region 266, and a low-compression region 268. As used herein, each spring region 262 is defined as any suitable component providing a corresponding spring constant. Therefore, the low-compression region 268 has a larger spring constant than the medium-compression region 266 or the high-compression region 264, indicating that more force is used to compress the low-compression region 268 (e.g., as approximated by Hooke's Law). In this embodiment, the compressibility of each spring region 262 is provided by selecting a target wire thickness for the spring region 262; however, any other suitable properties of the spring region 262 (e.g., material, coating, treatment, size) can be modified.

[0046] For example, the high-compression region 264 may be designed to be active for occupants with a first weight range (e.g., 0 to 50 pounds), beyond which the high-compression region 264 is fully compressed and substantially rigid. Other spring regions 266, 268 may be negligibly compressed and act substantially rigidly for occupants with weights within the first weight range. The medium-compression region 266 may be designed to be active for a second weight range above the first weight range (e.g., 51 to 150 pounds). Thus, the medium-compression region 266 is actively compressible for occupants with weights within the second weight range, while the high-compression region 264 is fully compressed and the low-compression region 268 is substantially rigid. Similarly, the low-compression region 268 may be designed to be active when supporting occupants with weights in a third weight range (e.g., 151 to 300 pounds), such that the other spring regions 264, 266 are fully compressed. Therefore, after the passenger 22 boards the ride vehicle 16, the height-adjustable spring assembly 252 of the ride vehicle 16 is passively compressed to adjust the weight resistance of the ride vehicle 16 to the weight of the passenger 22.

[0047] Spring region 262 currently comprises a cylindrical helical coiled spring coupled in series with each other between spring plate 32 and the corresponding base plate 272. In other embodiments, each spring post 250 may comprise a single conical spring providing a continuously variable spring region along the height of spring post 250, or other suitable drag-variable components discussed above (e.g., gas springs, magnetic repulsion assemblies). Although four spring posts 250 are illustrated, each having three spring regions 262, it should be understood that any suitable number of spring posts 250 having any suitable number of spring regions 262 may be implemented within the ride vehicle 16, including a single spring post 250 positioned below the center point 274 of spring plate 32. According to this disclosure, references to spring elements may include any feature capable of providing drag spring force, such as metal springs, plastic springs, leaf springs, conical or cylindrical coils, gas springs, magnetic repulsion assemblies, etc.

[0048] In the illustrated embodiment, each spring column 250 includes a linkage mechanism 280 (e.g., cable, rope, chain) coupled between the respective base plate 272 and spring plate 32 to limit lateral movement of the spring column 250. The linkage mechanism 280 is illustrated as being disposed within the height-adjustable spring assembly 252; however, it should be understood that the linkage mechanism may be located elsewhere within the spring column 250. In some embodiments, the linkage mechanism 280 facilitates fixing the spring column 250 to a target height 260, as discussed in more detail below. In other embodiments, the ride vehicle 16 can operate without fixing the spring columns 250, thereby simplifying the construction and operation of the amusement attraction 10.

[0049] Figure 6This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a drag control system 12, which includes the vehicle controller 14 and VR controller 26 discussed above. This discussion focuses on the operation of a single spring column 250 of the riding vehicle 16; however, it should be understood that each spring column 250 can operate similarly. The illustrated embodiment of the spring column 250 includes a locking device 300 that selectively secures the spring column 250 at a target height 260 based on the weight of the rider 22. For example, the locking device 300 may be a ratchet device that receives a rib-like extension 302 coupled to the distal end 304 of the body 306 of the linkage mechanism 280. In such an embodiment, the base plate 272 may include an opening that allows the body 306 of the linkage mechanism 280 to be coupled to and positioned on the side of the base plate 272 opposite to the rib-like extension 302. In such an embodiment, the weight of the passenger 22 can passively compress the height-adjustable spring assembly 252 to a target height 260, move the spring plate 32 closer to the base plate 272, and press the ribbed extension 302 down to a target position relative to the locking device 300. It should be understood that any other suitable locking device can be implemented within the passenger carrier 16, such as reels and spools of the fixed linkage mechanism 280, caliper brakes, locking gas springs, magnetic retention systems, locking racks and / or pinions, etc.

[0050] In embodiments with locking device 300, vehicle controller 14 is communicatively coupled to locking device 300 to control its operation. For example, a ratchet embodiment of locking device 300 may passively hold spring column 250 at a target height 260 in response to a force applied by the weight of a rider. In other embodiments with active locking device, vehicle controller 14 may instruct locking device 300 to secure spring column 250 in response to determining that a ride cycle of attraction 10 has been initiated. In either case, vehicle controller 14 may instruct locking device 300 to release rib extension 302 or other suitable component of spring column 250 to allow spring column 250 to return to a default height (e.g., uncompressed height) in response to determining that a ride cycle has been completed.

[0051] The illustrated embodiment of the resistance control system 12 also includes a tilter 92 coupled to a spring plate to provide feedback to the VR controller 26, thereby enabling the VR controller 26 to align the virtual experience of the VR device 24 with the current position of the ride vehicle 16. As discussed above, any other suitable sensors 90 may additionally or alternatively be coupled to the ride vehicle 16 to facilitate the operation of the attraction 10. It is worth noting that... Figure 5 and Figure 6The drag control system 12 does not include the weight sensor 94, providing a less complex embodiment of the ride vehicle 16, while enabling semi-passive control of the weight drag of the ride vehicle 16 for an improved rider experience.

[0052] Therefore, the technical effect of the disclosed resistance control system includes the selective adjustment of tension or weight resistance of the ride vehicle. Thus, the ride vehicle accommodates riders of a wide weight range to experience static attractions via VR devices. Typically, the rider provides input to the VR system of the static attraction by tilting or shifting his or her weight relative to the ride vehicle. The ride vehicle is tensioned to appropriately resist movement to simulate the virtual experience transmitted through the VR device. In some embodiments, the spring plate of the ride vehicle is supported by a pivot joint that allows the rider to manipulate the spring plate with his or her weight. The ride vehicle includes at least one spring coupled to the surface of the spring plate to selectively compress against an actuator plate disposed below the spring plate. The actuator plate is vertically positioned relative to the spring plate via at least one actuator that can move the actuator plate up or down to increase or decrease the resistance of the resistance control system to the rider's movement, respectively. Thus, during a normal ride cycle, the resistance control system can measure the rider's weight and instruct the actuator to tension the spring to a predetermined setting corresponding to the weight. In other embodiments, a composite or conical spring positioned in the column and coupled to a spring plate can be passively compressed by the occupant to a target height, thereby providing targeted resistance to the occupant's movement. In some embodiments, the spring can be secured at the target height via any suitable locking device. In any case, as a semi-passive system, the resistance control system provides an improved experience for guests of a wider range of weights compared to a fully passive system, while offering reduced complexity compared to a fully active system.

[0053] While only certain features of this disclosure have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and alterations will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and variations that fall within the true spirit of this disclosure. It should be appreciated that any features illustrated or described with respect to the figures discussed above may be combined in any suitable manner.

[0054] The techniques set forth and claimed herein are referenced and applied to objects and specific examples of practical nature that significantly improve the art, and are therefore not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. Furthermore, if any claim appended to this specification contains one or more elements designated as “means for [performing]...[function]” or “steps for [performing]...[function]”, such elements are intended to be interpreted in accordance with 35 USC 112(f). However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, such elements are intended not to be interpreted in accordance with 35 USC 112(f).

Claims

1. A resistance control system for an amusement park, the resistance control system comprising: A support assembly comprising a base, a pivot joint, and a support beam extending between the base and the pivot joint; A spring plate coupled to the pivot joint of the support assembly; At least one spring that engages with the spring plate; An actuator plate is positioned between the spring plate and the base of the support assembly; as well as At least one actuator coupled between the actuator plate and the substrate, wherein the at least one actuator is configured to move and fix the actuator plate relative to the pivot joint to adjust the resistance to movement about the pivot joint.

2. The drag control system of claim 1, comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one actuator and configured to cause the at least one actuator to extend or retract to a target length based on the weight of the rider.

3. The resistance control system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to reset the at least one actuator from the target length to a default length in response to determining that a ride cycle of the attraction has been completed.

4. The resistance control system of claim 2, comprising a weight sensor coupled to the support assembly, wherein the weight sensor is configured to transmit a signal to the controller indicating the weight of the occupant.

5. The resistance control system of claim 4, wherein the controller includes a memory storing a resistance setting database, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the at least one actuator to move the actuator plate based on the weight of the occupant, by: Query the resistance setting database to determine the target length of the at least one actuator; and Operate the at least one actuator to extend or contract to achieve the target length.

6. The resistance control system of claim 1, comprising a virtual reality (VR) device, wherein the virtual reality (VR) device includes a virtual reality (VR) controller communicatively coupled to the at least one actuator, and wherein the virtual reality (VR) controller is configured to cause the at least one actuator to move the actuator plate in response to a virtual environment presented to the rider by the virtual reality (VR) device.

7. The drag control system of claim 1, comprising a virtual reality (VR) device, a virtual reality (VR) controller configured to operate the virtual reality (VR) device, and a vehicle controller communicatively coupled to both the at least one actuator and the virtual reality (VR) controller, wherein the vehicle controller is configured to control the at least one actuator based on communication between the vehicle controller and the virtual reality (VR) controller to correspond to a simulated environment presented to a rider by the virtual reality (VR) device.

8. The drag control system of claim 7, comprising a position sensor coupled to the spring plate and communicatively coupled to the vehicle controller or the virtual reality (VR) controller, wherein the position sensor is configured to transmit a signal indicating the position of the spring plate to the vehicle controller or the virtual reality (VR) controller to facilitate the generation of a target set of virtual images via the virtual reality (VR) device.

9. The drag control system according to claim 8, wherein the position sensor is a tiltmeter or an accelerometer.

10. The resistance control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one spring comprises at least six conical springs spaced in a circular manner along the surface of the spring plate, wherein the at least one actuator comprises at least three actuators spaced in a circular manner between the base and the actuator plate, wherein the pivot joint is configured to enable pivoting movement about at least one axis, and wherein the spring plate comprises a frame having an opening therethrough.

11. A method for controlling a ride-on vehicle at an amusement park, the method comprising: The vehicle controller receives an input indicating the weight of a passenger in the vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a base, a support beam coupled to the base, a spring plate that supports the passenger and is pivotally coupled to the support beam when the passenger is on the vehicle, an actuator plate selectively positioned between the spring plate and the base via at least one actuator, and at least one spring engaged with the spring plate, wherein the at least one spring is configured to selectively compress against the actuator plate based on the movement of the passenger; The vehicle controller queries the drag setting database to retrieve the target actuator length for the at least one actuator corresponding to the weight of the passenger. The at least one actuator is controlled via the vehicle controller to adjust at least a portion of the ride cycle for the amusement attraction based on the length of the target actuator. as well as The at least one actuator is controlled via the vehicle controller to adjust the actuator length based on a default value in response to determining that the ride cycle is complete.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling the at least one actuator to adjust the resistance to the movement of the spring plate about the support beam based on the target actuator length includes adjusting the movement of the spring plate about the support beam.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the input indicating the weight of the passenger is received from a weight sensor disposed between the passenger and the base of the passenger vehicle.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the ride vehicle includes a tilter coupled to the spring plate and configured to transmit a position signal of the spring plate to the vehicle controller, and wherein the method includes coordinating a virtual reality (VR) environment presented to the rider via a virtual reality (VR) device via the vehicle controller based on the position signal from the tilter.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising: The vehicle controller receives haptic feedback requests from the virtual reality (VR) controller of the virtual reality (VR) device. as well as The actuator plate is manipulated to control at least one actuator to extend, retract, or both sequentially to satisfy the tactile feedback request.

16. A resistance control system for an amusement park, the resistance control system comprising: A leaf spring, which includes a seat configured to receive an occupant; A plurality of spring posts engaged with the spring plate, wherein each of the plurality of spring posts is capable of passively adjusting its height based on the weight of the occupant; as well as Multiple locking devices are configured to selectively secure the multiple spring columns at an adjusted height during a ride cycle at the amusement park.

17. The drag control system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of spring posts comprises a composite mechanical spring comprising at least two spring regions coupled in series, wherein each of the at least two spring regions comprises a corresponding spring constant that compresses the corresponding spring region in response to the weight of the occupant being within a corresponding target weight range.

18. The resistance control system of claim 16, further comprising a carrier controller configured to direct the plurality of locking devices to release the plurality of spring pins, wherein the plurality of locking devices are ratchet devices.

19. The resistance control system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of locking devices are ratchet devices, each ratchet device being configured to secure a corresponding rib-shaped end of a rigid or flexible elongated shaft of each of the plurality of spring posts.

20. The resistance control system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of spring posts comprises a helical spring and a cable extending within the helical spring, and wherein a respective locking device of the plurality of locking devices is configured to capture the cable to hold the helical spring at the adjusted height.

21. A resistance control system for an amusement park, the resistance control system comprising: A support assembly comprising a base, a pivot joint, and a support beam extending between the base and the pivot joint; A spring plate, coupled to the pivot joint of the support assembly, and configured to support the passenger; At least one spring that engages with the spring plate; An actuator plate is positioned between the spring plate and the base of the support assembly; as well as At least one actuator coupled between the actuator plate and the substrate, wherein the at least one actuator is configured to move and fix the actuator plate relative to the pivot joint to adjust the resistance to movement about the pivot joint.

22. The drag control system of claim 21, comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one actuator and configured to cause the at least one actuator to extend or retract to a target length based on the weight of the rider.

23. The resistance control system of claim 22, wherein the controller is configured to reset the at least one actuator from the target length to a default length in response to determining that a ride cycle of the attraction has been completed.

24. The resistance control system of claim 22, comprising a weight sensor coupled to the support assembly, wherein the weight sensor is configured to transmit a signal to the controller indicating the weight of the occupant.

25. The drag control system of claim 24, wherein the controller includes a memory storing a drag setting database, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the at least one actuator to move the actuator plate based on the weight of the occupant, by: Query the resistance setting database to determine the target length of the at least one actuator; and Operate the at least one actuator to extend or contract to achieve the target length.

26. The resistance control system of claim 21, comprising a virtual reality (VR) device, wherein the virtual reality (VR) device includes a virtual reality (VR) controller communicatively coupled to the at least one actuator, and wherein the virtual reality (VR) controller is configured to cause the at least one actuator to move the actuator plate in response to a virtual environment presented to the rider by the virtual reality (VR) device.

27. The drag control system of claim 21, comprising a virtual reality (VR) device, a virtual reality (VR) controller configured to operate the virtual reality (VR) device, and a vehicle controller communicatively coupled to both the at least one actuator and the virtual reality (VR) controller, wherein the vehicle controller is configured to control the at least one actuator based on communication between the vehicle controller and the virtual reality (VR) controller to correspond to a simulated environment presented to a rider by the virtual reality (VR) device.

28. The drag control system of claim 27, comprising a position sensor coupled to the spring plate and communicatively coupled to the vehicle controller or the virtual reality (VR) controller, wherein the position sensor is configured to transmit a signal indicating the position of the spring plate to the vehicle controller or the virtual reality (VR) controller to facilitate the generation of a target set of virtual images via the virtual reality (VR) device.

29. The drag control system of claim 28, wherein the position sensor is a tiltmeter or an accelerometer.

30. The resistance control system of claim 21, wherein the at least one spring comprises at least six conical springs spaced in a circular manner along the surface of the spring plate, wherein the at least one actuator comprises at least three actuators spaced in a circular manner between the base and the actuator plate, wherein the pivot joint is configured to enable pivoting movement about at least one axis, and wherein the spring plate comprises a frame having an opening therethrough.

31. A method for controlling a ride-on vehicle at an amusement park, the method comprising: The vehicle controller of the vehicle receives an input indicating the weight of the passenger in the vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a base, a support beam coupled to the base, a spring plate that supports the passenger when the passenger is on the vehicle and is pivotally coupled to the support beam, an actuator plate selectively positioned between the spring plate and the base via at least one actuator, and at least one spring engaged with the spring plate, wherein the at least one spring is configured to selectively compress against the actuator plate based on the movement of the passenger, and the actuator plate is configured as a frame; The vehicle controller queries the drag setting database to retrieve the target actuator length for the at least one actuator corresponding to the weight of the passenger. The at least one actuator is controlled via the vehicle controller to adjust at least a portion of the ride cycle for the amusement attraction based on the length of the target actuator. as well as The at least one actuator is controlled via the vehicle controller to adjust the actuator length based on a default value in response to determining that the ride cycle is complete.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein controlling the at least one actuator to adjust the resistance to movement of the spring plate about the support beam based on the target actuator length includes adjusting the movement of the spring plate about the support beam.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the input indicating the weight of the passenger is received from a weight sensor disposed between the passenger and the base of the passenger vehicle.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the ride vehicle includes a tilter coupled to the spring plate and configured to transmit a position signal of the spring plate to the vehicle controller, and wherein the method includes coordinating a virtual reality (VR) environment presented to the rider via a virtual reality (VR) device via the vehicle controller based on the position signal from the tilter.

35. The method of claim 34, comprising: The vehicle controller receives haptic feedback requests from the virtual reality (VR) controller of the virtual reality (VR) device. as well as The actuator plate is manipulated to control at least one actuator to extend, retract, or both sequentially to satisfy the tactile feedback request.

36. A resistance control system for an amusement park, the resistance control system comprising: Actuator board; A leaf spring, configured to support the occupant; A support assembly includes a pivot joint, wherein the pivot joint pivotally couples the actuator plate and the spring plate relative to each other; A spring engaging with the spring plate, wherein the spring is configured to compress against the actuator plate based on movement of the spring plate about the pivot joint; An actuator coupled to the actuator plate, wherein the actuator is configured to move the actuator plate relative to the pivot joint; and A controller communicatively coupled to the actuator, wherein the controller is configured to: Receive input indicating the weight of the occupant supported by the spring plate; as well as The actuator is controlled based on the input to move the actuator plate relative to the pivot joint and to adjust the resistance to the movement of the spring plate about the pivot joint caused by the spring.

37. The resistance control system of claim 36, wherein the controller is configured to: Based on the weight of the passenger, a database is queried to retrieve the target actuator extension length for the actuator; and The actuator is controlled to be adjusted based on the target actuator extension length retrieved from the database.

38. The drag control system of claim 37, comprising a database, wherein the database stores data that correlates the heavier weight of the occupant with an increased target actuator extension length to increase the drag on the movement of the spring plate about the pivot joint.

39. The resistance control system of claim 36, comprising a virtual reality (VR) device configured to present a virtual environment, wherein the controller is configured to control the actuator to move the actuator plate based on the virtual environment presented by the virtual reality (VR) device.

40. The resistance control system of claim 36, comprising a user interface, wherein the input includes user input accessed via the user interface.

41. A resistance control system for an amusement park, the resistance control system comprising: A spring plate, wherein the spring plate includes a seat configured to receive an occupant; A plurality of spring posts engaged with the spring plate, wherein each of the plurality of spring posts is capable of passively adjusting its height based on the weight of the occupant; Multiple locking devices, wherein each of the multiple locking devices is configured to selectively secure a corresponding spring column among the multiple spring columns at a corresponding adjusted height during a ride cycle of the amusement attraction; as well as A controller configured to direct the plurality of locking devices to secure and / or release the plurality of spring posts.

42. The resistance control system of claim 41, wherein each of the plurality of spring posts comprises a composite mechanical spring comprising at least two spring regions coupled in series, wherein each of the at least two spring regions comprises a corresponding spring constant that compresses the corresponding spring region in response to the weight of the occupant being within a corresponding target weight range.

43. The resistance control system of claim 41, wherein the controller is configured to secure the plurality of locking devices to the plurality of spring posts in response to determining the initiation of the ride cycle of the attraction.

44. The resistance control system of claim 41, wherein the controller is configured to direct the plurality of locking devices to release the plurality of spring columns in response to determining the completion of the ride cycle of the attraction.

45. The resistance control system of claim 41, wherein the plurality of locking devices are ratchet devices, each ratchet device being configured to secure a corresponding rib-shaped end of a rigid or flexible elongated shaft of each of the plurality of spring posts.

46. ​​The resistance control system of claim 41, wherein each of the plurality of spring posts comprises a helical spring and a cable extending within the helical spring, and wherein a respective locking device of the plurality of locking devices is configured to capture the cable to hold the helical spring at the adjusted height.

47. The resistance control system according to claim 41, comprising: A position sensor coupled to the spring plate; Virtual reality (VR) devices; as well as A virtual reality (VR) controller communicatively coupled to the position sensor and configured to operate the virtual reality (VR) device, wherein the position sensor is configured to transmit information indicating the position of the spring plate to the virtual reality (VR) controller, and the virtual reality (VR) controller is configured to operate the virtual reality (VR) device based on the information.

48. The resistance control system of claim 47, wherein the virtual reality (VR) controller is configured to generate a set of virtual images to be generated by the virtual reality (VR) device based on the information.

49. The resistance control system of claim 41, wherein the plurality of spring posts comprises a cylindrical coil, a conical coil, a gas spring, a magnetic repulsion assembly, or any combination thereof.

50. A riding system, comprising: A passenger vehicle includes a spring plate and a plurality of spring columns engaged with the spring plate, wherein the spring plate includes a seat configured to receive a passenger, and each of the plurality of spring columns is passively height-adjustable based on the weight of the passenger. Virtual reality (VR) devices; as well as A controller communicatively coupled to the virtual reality (VR) device, wherein the controller is configured to operate the virtual reality (VR) device based on the movement of the spring plate and the plurality of spring columns.

51. The riding system of claim 50, comprising a plurality of locking devices, wherein each of the plurality of locking devices is configured to selectively fix a corresponding spring post of the plurality of spring posts at an adjusted height.

52. The riding system of claim 51, wherein the controller is configured to guide the plurality of locking devices to lock and / or release the plurality of spring posts based on the riding cycle of the riding system.

53. The riding system of claim 50, wherein the spring column of the plurality of spring columns comprises a composite mechanical spring column, the composite mechanical spring comprising a plurality of spring regions coupled in series, and each of the plurality of spring regions comprising a corresponding spring constant.

54. The riding system of claim 53, wherein the composite mechanical spring column includes a first spring region coupled to the spring plate and a second spring region extending from the first spring region, the first spring region including a first spring constant and the second spring region including a second spring constant.

55. The riding system according to claim 54, wherein the second spring constant is greater than the first spring constant.

56. The riding system of claim 54, wherein the second spring region is coupled to a base plate, the base plate including an opening, the riding system including a link extending from the spring plate within the spring post, the link including a ribbed end extending through the opening in the base plate, and the riding system including a ratchet device configured to receive the ribbed end of the link.

57. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by at least one processor in a computing device, said instructions being configured to cause said at least one processor to perform operations including: The location of a spring plate in an amusement park attraction is determined, wherein the spring plate includes a seat configured to receive a passenger, the spring plate engages with a plurality of spring columns, each of the plurality of spring columns being passively height-adjustable based on the weight of the passenger, and the spring plate being movable within the amusement park attraction via the plurality of spring columns; The virtual reality (VR) device of the amusement park is operated based on the position of the spring plate.

58. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to operate the virtual reality (VR) device to generate a set of virtual images based on the position of the spring plate.

59. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the at least one processor to perform operations including: In response to the initiation of determining the start of the ride cycle for the amusement attraction, multiple locking devices are instructed to secure the multiple spring pillars at the adjusted height; and In response to determining the completion of the ride cycle at the amusement park, the plurality of locking devices are instructed to release the plurality of spring columns from the adjusted height.

Images