Six-Leg Motion Platform Assembly Replacing Curved Ride Tracks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional amusement ride systems are costly and limited in creating desired passenger sensations due to their reliance on curved tracks, which increase footprint and restrict motion possibilities.
Innovation Solution
The use of an inverted Stewart platform with six legs extending between two platforms, actuated to move relative to each other, and an extension mechanism to enhance motion without requiring curved tracks, allowing for a reduced footprint and increased motion range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If traditional curved track systems are used for ride vehicle actuation, then the ride can provide motion through track geometry, but the footprint area and construction cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical track system with a Stewart platform mechanism. Instead of using curved tracks to guide and actuate the ride vehicle, the invention uses six independently actuated legs with hydraulic or electric actuators to directly control the vehicle's position and orientation in three-dimensional space. This substitution eliminates the need for extensive track infrastructure while providing enhanced motion versatility including pitch, roll, and yaw movements that are difficult to achieve with traditional track systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional ride vehicle actuation methods are used, then the system structure is simpler, but the range of motion and passenger sensation are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the actuation system into six independent legs, each capable of individual control. This segmentation allows each leg to be actuated independently to achieve specific motion patterns, providing precise control over the ride vehicle's six degrees of freedom (three translational and three rotational). The segmentation enables complex motion trajectories and sensations that would be impossible with a single unified actuation mechanism, while each individual leg remains relatively simple in design.
Solution Approach 2:
The Stewart platform employs dynamic actuation where the length and angle of each leg can be continuously adjusted in real-time. This dynamic capability allows the system to transition between different motion modes and configurations, providing a wide range of motion including vertical movement, tilting, and rotational movements. The dynamic nature of the actuation system enables it to adapt to different ride scenarios and passenger requirements, vastly expanding the range of achievable motions compared to static or limited-motion traditional systems.
3Manufacturing precision
If six independently actuated legs are used in the platform assembly, then the motion control precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal control system that manages all six legs through a coordinated control algorithm. This universal approach allows the same actuator design and control mechanism to be replicated across all six legs, simplifying manufacturing and maintenance. The control system uses feedback from sensors on each leg to maintain precise positioning, and the redundancy of having six legs provides fault tolerance - if one leg fails, the system can often continue operating with reduced capability. This universal design approach balances the complexity of six independent actuators with standardized components and integrated control.
Data Source
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AI summary
A ride system includes a base, a ride vehicle, a platform assembly positioned between the base and the ride vehicle, and an extension mechanism coupled to the platform assembly and positioned between the base and the ride vehicle. The platform assembly includes a first platform, a second platform, and six legs extending between the first platform and the second platform, and the platform assembly is configured to actuate each of the six legs so as to move the first platform relative to the second platform in different configurations based on which of the six legs is actuated. The extension mechanism is configured to extend and contract so as to move the ride vehicle away from and toward, respectively, the base of the ride system.