Variable vehicle ride switch
AssigneeUniversal City Studios LLC
InventorsEric A. Vance, Michael Habersetzer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable vehicle ride switch in accordance with present embodiments includes a base configured to rotate with respect to a ride surface. The variable vehicle ride switch also includes a conveyor positioned on the base that can actuate relative to the base to move a ride vehicle towards or away from an outer edge of the base and to change an angle or orientation of the at least one conveyor within the base, e.g., to rotate within the base. The variable vehicle ride switch also includes a controller configured to receive an activation signal to cause the base to rotate and to actuate the conveyor.
Claims33
A vehicle ride, comprising:
- a variable vehicle ride switch comprising:
- a base configured to rotate with respect to a ride surface;
- a base controller configured to receive an activation signal to cause the base to rotate;
- and
- at least one conveyor positioned on the base and configured to rotate together with the base and configured to actuate relative to the base to move a ride vehicle onto or off of the base;
- a plurality of vehicle pathways, wherein the variable vehicle ride switch is positioned at a junction of the plurality of vehicle pathways;
- and
- a ride controller programmed with instructions to provide the activation signal to the base controller to cause the base to rotate to at least partially align the at least one conveyor with a vehicle pathway of the plurality of vehicle pathways, wherein the activation signal causes the base to rotate to at least partially align the at least one conveyor with a first vehicle pathway of the plurality of vehicle pathways when a first ride vehicle is on the at least one conveyor and to cause the base to rotate to at least partially align the at least one conveyor with a second vehicle pathway of the plurality of vehicle pathways when a second ride vehicle is on the at least one conveyor subsequent to the first ride vehicle, and wherein the first vehicle pathway is different from the second vehicle pathway.
(canceled)
A method, comprising:
- receiving a first ride vehicle on a variable vehicle ride switch;
- receiving a second ride vehicle on the variable vehicle ride switch;
- rotating a base of the variable vehicle ride switch to a first exit position while the first ride vehicle is on the variable vehicle ride switch;
- conveying the first ride vehicle off of the variable vehicle ride switch at the first exit position of the base;
- rotating the base of the variable vehicle ride switch to a second exit position of the base while the second ride vehicle is on the variable vehicle ride switch;
- and
- conveying the second ride vehicle off of the variable vehicle ride switch at the second exit position, wherein the second exit position is different from the first exit position.
A variable vehicle ride switch comprising:
- a base configured to rotate with respect to a ride surface;
- at least one conveyor positioned on the base and configured to actuate relative to the base to move a ride vehicle towards or away from an outer edge of the base and to change an angle or orientation of the at least one conveyor within the base;
- and
- a controller configured to receive an activation signal to cause the base to rotate and to cause the at least one conveyor to actuate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.