Amusement park ride tunnel
AssigneeUniversal City Studios LLC
InventorPatrick Devin Boyle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ride system includes a tunnel, a vehicle ride path, a ride vehicle, and a projection system. The tunnel includes a first end and a second end and is curved between the first and second ends. The vehicle ride path extends within the tunnel from an entrance at the first end of the tunnel to an intermediate position within the tunnel. The second end of the tunnel is not visible from the intermediate position. The ride vehicle travels along the vehicle ride path and decelerates as the ride vehicle approaches the intermediate position. The projection system projects images onto one or more walls of the tunnel, such that the images are synchronized with the deceleration of the ride vehicle and a perceived speed of the ride vehicle, as perceived by a guest in the ride vehicle, exceeds an actual speed of the ride vehicle.
Claims20
An amusement ride system, comprising:
- a ride vehicle path, wherein a portion of the ride vehicle path includes a curve;
- a carousel mechanism configured to rotate about a vertical axis, wherein the carousel mechanism comprises a plurality of objects fixed to the carousel mechanism, wherein the curve extends about at least a portion of a perimeter of the carousel mechanism;
- and
- a controller configured to control a first actuator of the carousel mechanism and a second actuator of a ride vehicle on the path to coordinate a rotation speed of the carousel mechanism and a speed of the ride vehicle along the curve to provide a perception of travel speed to a rider of the vehicle that differs from the speed of the ride vehicle.
An amusement ride system, comprising:
- a ride vehicle configured to travel along a vehicle ride path;
- a treadmill system comprising a plurality of set pieces, wherein the treadmill system is configured to transition the plurality of set pieces along a treadmill path, wherein a portion of the treadmill path is aligned with and offset by a vertical distance from a portion of the vehicle ride path;
- and
- a tunnel comprising a first end configured to receive the ride vehicle via the vehicle ride path and a second end defining an exit out of the tunnel via the vehicle ride path, wherein the tunnel is disposed about the portion of the vehicle ride path and the portion of the treadmill path.
A method for coordinating motion of amusement park components, the method comprising:
- controlling, via control circuitry, motion of a ride vehicle along a vehicle ride path, wherein a portion of the vehicle ride path is enclosed by a tunnel having a length between a first end and a second end of the tunnel;
- decelerating, via the control circuitry, the ride vehicle as the ride vehicle enters the tunnel via the first end of the tunnel as the ride vehicle is traveling along the vehicle ride path in a first direction;
- and
- rotating, via the control circuitry, a treadmill of a treadmill system along a treadmill path as the ride vehicle enters the first end of the tunnel, wherein the treadmill supports a plurality of set pieces, and wherein the treadmill system is configured to rotate the plurality of set pieces along the treadmill path in a second direction opposite the first direction between the first end and the second end.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.