Buoyant Boat Motion Simulator Using Tethered Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional water rides fail to provide passengers with realistic and controlled boat motions, such as roll, pitch, surge, heave, sway, yaw, and shuttering, which limits the immersive experience for visitors.
Innovation Solution
A boat motion simulator system that uses a pool of water and a motion assembly with tethers and drivers to create buoyant forces, allowing the boat to float naturally while imparting simulated boat motions by adjusting the length of the tethers, providing a realistic and immersive experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional water rides use wide-bodied rafts designed for smooth rides, then passenger comfort is improved, but the boat's natural motion (pitch and yaw) is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary motion simulation system consisting of actuators and linkages that mediate between the stable raft platform and the desired boat-like motions. These actuators actively generate pitch, roll, and yaw movements, allowing the raft to maintain structural stability while simultaneously providing authentic boat motion characteristics to passengers
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the static, stable raft design into a dynamic platform capable of controlled motion. By incorporating active motion control systems with multiple degrees of freedom, the raft can dynamically adjust its orientation and movement to simulate various boat conditions including wave motion, wind effects, and maneuvering, thereby maintaining both comfort and motion realism
2Adaptability or versatility
If water rides want to simulate realistic boat motions (pitch, roll, yaw), then immersion is improved, but control and repeatability become difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control systems that continuously monitor the actual motion of the boat platform and compare it with the desired motion profile. Sensors detect deviations in pitch, roll, and yaw angles, and the control system automatically adjusts actuator commands to correct these deviations, ensuring that the simulated boat motions are both realistic and precisely repeatable across multiple ride cycles
Solution Approach 2:
The motion simulation system is segmented into independent control channels for pitch, roll, and yaw movements. Each degree of freedom is controlled by dedicated actuators and sensors, allowing for precise individual control of each motion parameter. This modular segmentation enables complex boat-like motions to be achieved through coordinated operation of multiple independent subsystems, ensuring both versatility and reliability
3Reliability
If water rides use fixed ride paths with guided boats, then ride consistency is improved, but the natural floating experience is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the fixed, constrained ride path into a dynamic, adaptive system. The boat platform is equipped with motion control actuators that actively adjust its position and orientation in response to simulated environmental conditions such as waves, wind, and current. This allows the boat to naturally float and maneuver along the ride path while maintaining consistent ride quality through active control, thereby achieving both natural boat behavior and ride consistency
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
The system effectively simulates a range of boat motions, enhancing the passenger experience by providing a more engaging and realistic simulation of boat movements in open water, surpassing the limitations of traditional water rides.
Implementation Method 1
the passenger boat floats naturally on the surface of the volume of water in response to buoyancy forces acting on the underside of the passenger boat
Data Source
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AI summary
A boat motion simulator or system configured specially to impart boat-type motions (e.g., roll, sway, heave, pitch, surge, and yaw) to a passenger boat. The simulator or system is also configured to use buoyancy or buoyant forces to vertically support the boat such that the system's components imparting the boat motions do not provide vertical support of the boat, which, instead, floats naturally in a volume of water provided within the simulator or system while or concurrently with motions being imparted upon the boat by a drive or motion assembly. The simulator or system may also include a display and sound system operable with this drive or motion assembly to display imagery and a soundtrack that are synchronized with the motions imparted upon the boat by the drive or motion assembly to provide a unique and realistic boat simulator or boat ride experience for passengers in the boat.