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US 12,702,934 B2Granted
Ride system with vehicle support for suspension and floating operation
AssigneeUniversal City Studios LLC
InventorsSarka Harrington, Eric Alan Vance
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ride system includes a ride vehicle made of a buoyant material configured to float in a liquid. A bogie of the ride system includes a vehicle support positioned under the ride vehicle, and the bogie is configured to travel along a track. An extender is coupled to the vehicle support and coupled to the ride vehicle. The extender is configured to transition between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration to allow the ride vehicle to float in the liquid within a range of motion relative to the vehicle support.
Claims20
A ride system, comprising:
- a ride vehicle comprising a buoyant material configured to float in a liquid;
- a bogie configured to travel along a track;
- a vehicle support coupled to the bogie, wherein the ride vehicle is disposed between the vehicle support and the track;
- and
- a plurality of extenders coupled to the vehicle support and coupled to the ride vehicle, wherein the plurality of extenders is configured to transition between a retracted configuration that retains the vehicle proximate to the vehicle support and an extended configuration that allows the ride vehicle to float in the liquid within a range of motion relative to the vehicle support, wherein a first amount of the plurality of extenders are on a first side of the ride vehicle, wherein a second amount of the plurality of extenders are on a second side of the ride vehicle, and wherein the first amount is different than the second amount.
2 more elements
A ride system, comprising:
- a ride path including a suspended portion and an aquatic portion;
- a track extending along the ride path;
- a bogie configured to engage with and travel along the track;
- a ride vehicle positioned under the track and configured to transport riders;
- a vehicle support of the bogie positioned under the ride vehicle and configured to support the ride vehicle through the suspended portion of the ride path;
- and
- a plurality of extenders coupling the ride vehicle to the vehicle support, wherein the plurality of extenders is configured to retract and secure the ride vehicle to the vehicle support through the suspended portion of the ride path, and wherein the plurality of extenders is configured to extend and retract in response to buoyancy of the ride vehicle positioned within a liquid through the aquatic portion of the ride path, wherein a first amount of the plurality of extenders are on a first side of the ride vehicle, wherein a second amount of the plurality of extenders are on a second side of the ride vehicle, and wherein the first amount is different than the second amount.
4 more elements
A method of ride system operation, the method comprising:
- positioning a ride vehicle into a body of a liquid using a bogie, wherein the bogie is coupled to a track via a wheel assembly and configured to travel along the track, and the bogie is coupled to the ride vehicle via a ride vehicle support, which is coupled to the ride vehicle via a plurality of extenders, wherein a first amount of the plurality of extenders are on a first side of the ride vehicle, wherein a second amount of the plurality of extenders are on a second side of the ride vehicle, and wherein the first amount is different than the second amount;
- transitioning at least one extender of the plurality of extenders from a retracted configuration to an extended configuration as the ride vehicle becomes buoyant in the liquid;
- and
- allowing the ride vehicle to move within a motion envelope defined by the retracted configuration and the extended configuration as the ride vehicle experiences buoyant forces in the liquid, wherein the extended configuration positions the ride vehicle closer to the track and the wheel assembly as compared to the retracted configuration.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.