Animated Figure Surface-Crawling Fixation for Ride Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing amusement park attractions lack innovative and engaging ways to provide unique experiences for guests, as they often fail to incorporate dynamic and interactive animated figures that can move along ride vehicles or show action equipment surfaces.
Innovation Solution
An animated figure system that utilizes at least three points of contact with a surface, including a fixation system controlled by a controller to alternately engage and disengage from the surface, using switchable electromagnets or permanent magnets, or vacuum suction, to enable crawling motion along a planned path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an animated figure moves along the surface of a ride vehicle, then unique visual effects and guest engagement are improved, but the complexity of the fixation system and control mechanisms increases
Solution Approach 1:
The animated figure's contact system is divided into multiple discrete points of contact (at least three points) that can independently engage and disengage from the surface. This segmentation allows the figure to move smoothly while maintaining stable attachment, resolving the contradiction between movement capability and fixation reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixation system uses dynamically controllable attachment mechanisms (such as magnets or suction cups) that can switch between engaged and disengaged states. This dynamic capability enables the animated figure to move along the ride vehicle surface while maintaining reliable attachment at each moment, balancing complexity with functionality.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the animated figure uses at least three points of contact to maintain stable movement, then movement stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact system is segmented into at least three distinct points of contact distributed across the animated figure. This segmentation provides geometric stability for movement while keeping each individual contact point simple in design, thus improving stability without proportionally increasing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Complex mechanical attachment mechanisms are replaced with simpler physical principles such as magnetic attraction or vacuum suction at each contact point. This substitution reduces the mechanical complexity of each individual contact while maintaining stable attachment, allowing the system to achieve movement stability with lower device complexity.
3Ease of operation
If the fixation system alternately engages and disengages contact points, then movement along the planned path is enabled, but the control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fixation system operates through periodic engagement and disengagement cycles of contact points in a predetermined sequence. This periodic action enables smooth movement along the planned path while the repetitive nature of the control pattern simplifies the overall control system compared to continuous adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed to activate contact points in advance according to a predetermined sequence, ensuring that at least three points are engaged before movement begins. This preliminary action simplifies control by using pre-programmed sequences rather than real-time complex decision-making, enabling ease of operation with reduced control system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the creation of unique visual effects by allowing animated figures to move into and out of rider view, enhancing guest experience through dynamic interactions.
Implementation Method 1
using switchable electromagnets or permanent magnets
Implementation Method 2
using switchable electromagnets or permanent magnets, or vacuum suction
Data Source
AI summary
An amusement attraction includes a ride vehicle or show action equipment and an animated figure configured to move along a surface of the ride vehicle or the show action equipment. The animated figure includes at least three points of contact configured to engage with the surface, wherein the at least three points of contact include a first point of contact and a second point of contact configured to be alternately engaged with and disengaged from the surface, and a third point of contact configured to maintain contact with the surface. The amusement attraction includes a fixation system configured to keep the animated figure coupled via the at least three points of contact as the animated figure moves along the surface. The amusement attraction includes a controller configured to provide control signals to the fixation system to facilitate control of engagement of the animated figure along the surface.