# US 2010/0167828 A1 · Seat for amusement apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0167828 A1 - Document ID: US20100167828A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/606,703 - Filed: 2009-10-27 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2003-06-10 - Inventors: Giambattista ZAMBELLI; Alberto ZAMPERLA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100167828A1 ## CPC - A47C 15/004: {Seating furniture for specified purposes not covered by main groups A47C1/00 or A47C9/00} - A47C 7/54: Supports for the arms - A47C 9/002: {with exercising means or having special therapeutic or ergonomic effects} - A47C: CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS ## Abstract A seat for amusement apparatus, unusually suitable for allowing the user to adopt a new position on the apparatus, comprising a support and means for immobilising the user on the support. The immobilising means comprise at least one support in front of the user and opposing means suitable for acting on the user's back. The opposing means comprises an arm which can move between a lowered position in which the user can sit down on the support and a raised position in which one end of the arm abuts against the user's back. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A method of operating a seat for an amusement apparatus, comprising: receiving a rider on a rider support, the rider support including a seat portion and a front portion configured to receive at least one of the rider's abdominal and thoracic regions; moving a restraint between a first position not contacting the rider and a second position wherein at least a portion of the restraint contacts at least a back portion of the rider and secures the rider to the seat. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the moving includes rotating an arm with respect to the rider support, the arm being connected at a first end to the restraint and at a second end to a splined shaft. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the splined shaft at the second end of the arm is operatively associated with a gear connected to a rotating actuator to cause the rotating of the arm. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the rotating actuator is one of pneumatic, hydraulic, and electrical. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the moving includes rotating an arm with respect to the rider support, the arm being connected to the restraint and having a substantially circular shape with a toothed side. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the toothed side of the arm is operatively associated with a toothed wheel connected to a rotating actuator to cause the rotating of the arm. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: adjusting the front portion of the rider support according to the rider's dimensions. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27, wherein the adjusting includes one of continuous adjustment and stepwise adjustment. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: determining whether the restraint has passed beyond a predetermined position to ensure that the rider is secured to the seat. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein the determining includes checking a position of an arm with respect to the rider support, the arm being connected at a first end to the restraint and at a second end to a cam. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the cam is operatively associated with a microswitch to determine whether the restraint has passed beyond the predetermined position. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein the cam includes a first profile over a majority of its surface and a second profile over a minority of its surface, and the microswitch includes a runner arm movably connected at one end to the microswitch and at an other end to a runner wheel. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, wherein when the runner wheel moves over the cam from the first profile to the second profile, the microswitch senses that the restraint has passed beyond the predetermined position. ### Claim 34 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: immobilizing the restraint in the second position. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein the immobilizing includes locking a position of an arm with respect to the rider support, the arm being connected at a first end to the restraint and at a second end to a toothed wheel. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein the toothed wheel is operatively associated with a movable rack to immobilize the restraint in the second position. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein the rack is moved into engagement with the toothed wheel by a piston. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein the piston is a single-action pneumatic piston. ### Claim 39 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, wherein the rack is moved into engagement with the toothed wheel by a resilient member. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39, wherein the resilient member is a spring. ### Claim 41 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: releasing the restraint from the second position. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The method of claim 41, wherein the releasing includes unlocking a position of an arm with respect to the rider support, the arm being connected at a first end to the restraint and at a second end to a toothed wheel. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein the toothed wheel is operatively associated with a movable rack to release the restraint from the second position. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The method of claim 43, wherein the rack is moved into nonengagement with the toothed wheel by a piston. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The method of claim 44, wherein the piston is a single-action pneumatic piston. ### Claim 46 (depends on 43) The method of claim 43, wherein the rack is moved into nonengagement with the toothed wheel by a piston disabling a resilient member. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) The method of claim 46, wherein the piston is a single-action pneumatic piston and the resilient member is a spring. ### Claim 48 (depends on 21) A method of operating an amusement apparatus, comprising operating a seat of the amusement apparatus according to claim 21; and moving the seat of the amusement apparatus with respect to a track on which the seat is guided. ### Claim 49 (depends on 48) The method of claim 48, wherein the moving includes at least one of rotary motion and oscillatory motion. ### Claim 50 (depends on 48) The method of claim 48, wherein the seat is mounted on a platform, the platform being guided on the track. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The method of claim 50, wherein the moving includes moving the seat with respect to the platform. ### Claim 52 A method of operating a seat for an amusement apparatus, comprising: receiving a rider on a rider support, the rider support including a seat portion and a rear portion configured to receive at least a back portion of the rider; moving a front portion between a first position not contacting the rider and a second position wherein at least a portion of the front portion contacts at least one of the rider's abdominal and thoracic regions and secures the rider to the seat. ### Claim 53 (depends on 52) A method of operating an amusement apparatus, comprising operating a seat of the amusement apparatus according to claim 52; and moving the seat of the amusement apparatus with respect to a track on which the seat is guided.