Dynamically adjustable compliant lap restraint device
AssigneeUniversal City Studios LLC
InventorsKeith Michael McVeen, Gregory Paul Habiak, David Gerard Majdali
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A restraint system is used to provide a dynamically adjustable compliance for an occupant in a ride system. The restraint system includes a strap with adjustable extension length to wrap around the occupant. A tension on the strap is measured and used to adjust the length of the strap to provide different restraint levels. The restraint level is associated with the condition of the occupant (e.g., height, weight, age, shape, size), a property of the ride system (e.g., configuration of the ride vehicle), an operating parameter of the ride vehicle (e.g., velocity, acceleration, moving direction), a feature of the environment that the ride vehicle rides in, or any combination thereof.
Claims27
A restraint system for a ride vehicle, the restraint system comprising:
- seating of the ride vehicle comprising one or more seats;
- and
- a lap bar, wherein the lap bar is configured to transition between an open configuration and an engaged configuration, wherein the lap bar comprises:
- one or more prongs configured to be disposed about one or more occupants of the seating of the ride vehicle when the lap bar is in the engaged configuration, wherein the one or more prongs comprise a first prong, a second prong, and a third prong, wherein at least one prong of the one or more prongs comprises a first tensioner, and wherein, in the engaged configuration, the first prong of the one or more prongs and the second prong of the one or more prongs are configured to be disposed at least partially about a first occupant of the one or more occupants of the seating, and the first prong of the one or more prongs and the third prong of the one or more prongs are configured to be disposed about a second occupant of the one or more occupants of the seating;
- and
- a restraint comprising one or more straps, wherein the one or more straps conform about at least a portion of each of the one or more occupants with the lap bar in the engaged configuration.
A ride system, comprising:
- a ride vehicle comprising seating configured to support a plurality of riders;
- and
- a lap bar assembly comprising a neck and a pronged lap bar structure, wherein the neck is coupled to the ride vehicle at a first end of the neck and coupled to the pronged lap bar structure at a second end of the neck such that the lap bar assembly is configured to actuate between an open configuration and an engaged configuration,
- wherein the pronged lap bar structure comprises:
- a plurality of prongs configured to be disposed about the plurality of riders when the lap bar assembly is in the engaged configuration, wherein the plurality of prongs comprise a first prong, a second prong, and a third prong, wherein at least one prong of the plurality of prongs comprises a tensioner, and wherein, in the engaged configuration, the first prong and the second prong are configured to be disposed at least partially about a first rider of the plurality of riders, and the first prong and the third prong are configured to be disposed about a second rider of the plurality of riders;
- and
- a restraint comprising one or more straps configured to conform about at least a portion of each rider of the plurality of riders with the lap bar assembly in the engaged configuration.
A method of operating a restraint system in a ride environment, the method comprising:
- conforming a strap at least partially about one or more occupants positioned in seating of a ride vehicle, wherein:
- the strap extends from a tensioner and extends between a first prong and a second prong of a lap bar structure;
- or
- the strap extends from the tensioner and extends between a first prong and the seating of the ride vehicle;
- detecting, with one or more sensors, a force level on the strap;
- receiving, at one or more processors, data indicative of the force level from at least one sensor of the one or more sensors;
- determining, via at least one processor of the one or more processors, a predefined range for the force level based on a condition of at least one occupant of the one or more occupants, an operating parameter of the ride vehicle, a feature of the ride environment, or any combination thereof;
- adjusting, in response to determining the force level is not within the predefined range, an extended length of the strap from the tensioner to adjust the force level to be within the predefined range;
- and
- transmitting a notification indicating the force level is within the predefined range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.