Turntable Dark Ride Layout Without Tracks or Trenching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dark ride systems require significant space, tracks, track switches, sensors, and 'super-flat' flooring, increasing costs and complexity, which existing technologies have not effectively addressed.
Innovation Solution
A three-dimensional ride system that eliminates the need for tracks, track switches, sensors, and 'super-flat' flooring by using a turntable and motion-based vehicles that can move within a 40'×40' area, allowing for immersive experiences without trenching, with a single central footing and conventional installation, and featuring motion platforms that simulate movements in multiple degrees of freedom.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional dark ride systems use tracks, track switches, and sensors, then the ride can guide vehicles along predetermined paths, but the spatial requirements and installation complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the track system entirely from the dark ride configuration. Instead of using tracks, track switches, and associated sensors to guide vehicles, the system extracts these guiding elements and replaces them with a central turntable mechanism that rotates vehicles to predetermined positions, eliminating the need for complex track infrastructure while maintaining ride guidance capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical track-based guidance system with a rotational positioning system. The turntable mechanism substitutes for the entire track network, using rotational motion to position vehicles at correct angles and locations without requiring physical tracks, switches, or track-mounted sensors
2Stability of the object's composition
If dark ride systems require 'super-flat' flooring and trenching, then the ride can provide stable vehicle movement, but the installation cost and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the requirement for special flooring preparations by moving all stable rotational movement to the turntable mechanism. The floor no longer needs to be trenched or made super-flat, as the turntable provides all necessary stable rotation and positioning functions, allowing installation on conventional flooring surfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The turntable acts as an intermediary between the floor and the vehicles. Instead of requiring the floor itself to provide stable movement surfaces through trenching or special preparations, the turntable mediates this function, providing stable rotational movement while allowing vehicles to operate on conventional flooring
3Adaptability or versatility
If dark ride systems use extensive track systems, then the ride can guide vehicles through multiple scenes, but the spatial footprint and construction costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional track-based layout to a three-dimensional rotational system. The turntable rotates vehicles through different angular positions (adding rotational dimension) to access multiple scenes, allowing complex multi-scene configurations within a compact circular footprint rather than requiring extensive linear track space
Solution Approach 2:
The turntable serves multiple functions: it positions vehicles for loading/unloading, orients vehicles for different scenes, and provides stable positioning throughout the ride experience. This multi-functional mechanism replaces what would otherwise require separate track sections, switches, and positioning systems for each function, reducing overall spatial requirements while maintaining scene configuration versatility
Data Source
AI summary
An amusement ride experience may be provided using a ride system comprising a three-dimensional ride space; a predetermined set of motion-based vehicles; a turntable rotationally disposed at least partially within the three-dimensional ride space and operatively connected to the predetermined set of motion-based vehicles and configured to move each motion-base vehicle within two or more dimensions of the three-dimensional ride space without the use of track or vehicle-based propulsion; and a ride controller. The turntable and associated motion-based vehicles are installed in the three-dimensional ride space without using a track, track switches, track-related sensors, or trenching; a first motion-based vehicle positioned at a passenger loading position in the three-dimensional ride space; one or more passengers allowed to board the motion-based vehicle; the turntable used to rotate the motion-based vehicle to a predetermined set of locations within the three-dimensional ride space corresponding to a predetermined set of ride scenes, ending up with rotating the motion-based vehicle to passenger disembarkation position where the passenger exits the motion-based vehicle.