Back to results
US 11,439,921 B2Granted
Multi-dimensional bogie and track system
AssigneeUniversal City Studios LLC
InventorsKeith Michael McVeen, Eric Rae Parr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system includes a plurality of rotatable track members that guide travel of a vehicle. Each rotatable track member of the plurality of rotatable track members is configured to individually rotate between a first orientation along a first direction of vehicle travel and a second orientation along a second direction of vehicle travel.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a plurality of rotatable track members configured to guide travel of a vehicle, wherein each rotatable track member of the plurality of rotatable track members is configured to individually rotate between a first orientation along a first direction of vehicle travel and a second orientation along a second direction of vehicle travel, wherein the first direction of vehicle travel extends along a first plane, and the second direction of vehicle travel extends along a second plane different from the first plane.
A ride system, comprising:
- a plurality of rotatable track members defining a first portion of a first ride path when oriented in a first orientation along a first direction and defining a second portion of a second ride path when oriented in a second orientation along a second direction, wherein a first rotatable track member of the plurality of rotatable track members is configured to rotate from the first orientation to the second orientation in a first rotational direction, and a second rotatable track member of the plurality of rotatable track members is configured to rotate from the first orientation to the second orientation in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction;
- a ride vehicle comprising one or more roller assemblies configured to facilitate ride vehicle motion along the first ride path and the second ride path;
- and
- a controller communicatively coupled to the ride vehicle and the plurality of rotatable track members, wherein the controller is configured to control the ride vehicle motion and rotation of the plurality of rotatable track members, wherein the controller comprises a processor and a memory device having stored instructions thereon, wherein the stored instructions are configured to be executed by the processor, and wherein the stored instructions are configured to cause the processor to:
- send a first signal to a braking system to cause the braking system to decelerate the ride vehicle traveling along the first ride path in the first direction to a stopped position on the plurality of rotatable track members, such that each roller assembly of the one or more roller assemblies is configured to share a respective axis of rotation with a corresponding rotatable track member of the plurality of rotatable track members;
- and
- send a second signal to a drive system to cause the drive system to selectively rotate the plurality of rotatable track members from the first orientation along the first direction to the second orientation along the second direction, wherein selectively rotating the plurality of rotatable track members causes rotation of each roller assembly of the one or more roller assemblies about the respective axis of rotation.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.