Dark Ride Tower Systems with Adaptable Rooms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional amusement park ride systems face limitations in simulating complex viewing experiences within compact spaces, as they often require extensive horizontal movement and infrastructure for track-based systems, which restricts the creativity and variety of show scenes and guest experiences.
Innovation Solution
A dark ride tower system featuring a lift system that moves ride vehicles vertically between a stationary room with projection-mapped walls to simulate movement and an adaptable room with rearrangable walls for diverse show scenes, utilizing projection mapping and adaptable room configurations to create immersive experiences without the need for horizontal tracks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional track-based ride systems are used to simulate complex viewing experiences, then the variety of show scenes can be enhanced, but the space requirements and infrastructure complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal track-based movement to vertical tower-based movement. The ride vehicle moves vertically along a tower structure, eliminating the need for extensive horizontal track infrastructure while maintaining the ability to present diverse show scenes through vertical positioning and room transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamically reconfigurable rooms where walls, floors, and ceilings can move and rearrange during the ride experience. This dynamic reconfiguration allows multiple show scenes to be presented within compact stationary rooms, replacing the need for large horizontal spaces with versatile vertical and spatial transformations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If horizontal track movement is used to create varied guest experiences, then different show scenes can be presented, but the infrastructure complexity and footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex horizontal track infrastructure with a simpler vertical tower structure. The ride vehicle ascends and descends the tower, passing through multiple levels and rooms, thereby simplifying the overall infrastructure while maintaining experience variety through vertical progression and room transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The stationary rooms in the tower are designed to serve multiple functions through dynamic reconfiguration. The same physical room can present different show scenes by rearranging its walls, floors, and ceilings, eliminating the need for multiple dedicated horizontal spaces and reducing infrastructure complexity.
3Area of stationary object
If stationary rooms with projection mapping are used to simulate movement, then the system footprint is reduced, but the realism of movement simulation may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines projection mapping technology with physically dynamic room elements. While the room structure remains stationary, the projection systems create visual illusions of movement that are enhanced by the actual physical movement of walls, floors, and ceilings, thereby maintaining movement simulation realism within a compact footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The projection systems act as intermediaries between the stationary room structure and the guest's perception of movement. The projections create visual contexts that complement the physical reconfiguration of room elements, together producing a convincing movement simulation without requiring the entire system to be large or mobile.
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
This system enables the creation of near limitless combinations of show scenes and simulated movements, providing enhanced guest experiences with multiple degrees of freedom and varied path possibilities, all within a compact footprint, allowing for longer and more complex show scenes than traditional systems.
Implementation Method 1
a first projection system configured to generate projection mapping on the stationary walls to simulate movement of the ride vehicle relative to the stationary room
Implementation Method 2
a second projection system configured to generate projection mapping on the adaptable walls to present a show scene
Data Source
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AI summary
A dark ride tower system (10) includes a tower having first and second levels (18, 26). The first level (18) includes a stationary room (20) having stationary walls (22) and the second level (26) includes an adaptable room (28) having adaptable walls (30) configured to be rearranged into a plurality of physical configurations. The dark ride tower system (10) also includes a lift system (36) configured to alternatingly move a ride vehicle (16) between the first and second levels (18, 26). In addition, the dark ride tower system (10) includes a first projection system (24) configured to generate projection mapping on the stationary walls (22) to simulate movement of the ride vehicle (16) relative to the stationary room (20) while the ride vehicle (16) is disposed within the stationary room (20). The dark ride tower system (10) also includes a second projection system (32) configured to generate projection mapping on the adaptable walls (30) to present a show scene while the ride vehicle (16) is disposed within the adaptable room (28).