# US 2019/0314731 A1 · Drift racer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0314731 A1 - Document ID: US20190314731A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/453,671 - Filed: 2019-06-26 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-12 - Assignees: Universal City Studios LLC - Applicants: Universal City Studios LLC - Inventors: Keith Michael McVeen; Eric A. Vance - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190314731A1 ## CPC - A63G 33/00: Devices allowing competitions between several persons, not otherwise provided for - A63G 25/00: Autocar-like self-drivers; Runways therefor - B61B 13/00: Other railway systems - B61C 3/00: Electric locomotives or railcars (characterised by power transmission B61C9/00; electrical features B60L; H02) - A63G: MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT - B61B: RAILWAY SYSTEMS; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (lifts or hoists, elevators, escalators, moving walkways B66B) - B61C: LOCOMOTIVES; MOTOR RAILCARS (vehicles in general B60; frames or bogies B61F; special railroad equipment for locomotives B61J, B61K) ## Abstract A ride assembly includes a passenger vehicle having front wheels, rear wheels, a motor, and a steering wheel, where the front and rear wheels are disposed on a surface, the motor is configured to provide power to the front wheels to propel the passenger vehicle, and the steering wheel is configured to adjust a position of the rear wheels and enable the passenger vehicle to drift, a track forming a trough in the surface, and a bogie hingedly coupled to the passenger vehicle, where the bogie is disposed in the trough, and where the bogie is configured to direct movement of the passenger vehicle along the track. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A ride assembly, comprising: a passenger vehicle comprising a front portion with front wheels, a rear portion with rear wheels, and a steering system, wherein the front wheels and rear wheels are configured to travel over a surface, wherein the steering system is configured to swing the rear portion along the surface outwardly, such that the front portion and the rear portion are unaligned with respect to a direction of travel of the passenger vehicle; a track comprising a junction splitting the track into a first ride path of the track and a second ride path of the track; and a guide extending from the passenger vehicle and configured to selectively engage the first ride path or the second ride path to direct the passenger vehicle along the track. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ride assembly of claim 1, wherein the track forms a trough within the surface, and wherein the junction comprises a first trough portion associated with the first ride path and a second trough portion associated with the second ride path. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The ride assembly of claim 2, wherein the guide comprises a bogie hingedly coupled to the passenger vehicle, wherein the bogie is disposed in the trough, and wherein the bogie is configured to direct movement of the passenger vehicle along the track. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The ride assembly of claim 3, wherein the bogie comprises a probe configured to move between a first position in which the probe is positioned to engage the first ride path and a second position in which the probe is positioned to engage the second ride path. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The ride assembly of claim 4, wherein the steering system is configured to adjust the probe between the first position and the second position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ride assembly of claim 5, wherein the steering system is configured to adjust the probe between the first position and the second position based on a speed of the passenger vehicle, a distance between the passenger vehicle and the junction, or both. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The ride assembly of claim 5, wherein the passenger vehicle comprises a steering wheel communicatively coupled to the steering system, and wherein movement of the steering wheel is configured to adjust the probe between the first position and the second position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The ride assembly of claim 7, wherein movement of the steering wheel is configured to adjust the rear portion of the passenger vehicle to enable the passenger vehicle to drift on the surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The ride assembly of claim 1, wherein the steering system comprises one or more control systems configured to control positioning of the guide and positioning of the rear portion of the passenger vehicle. ### Claim 10 A ride assembly, comprising: a passenger vehicle comprising front wheels, rear wheels, and a control system, wherein the front wheels and rear wheels are configured to travel over a surface, and wherein the control system is configured to adjust the rear wheels to enable the passenger vehicle to drift on the surface; a track comprising a junction configured to enable the passenger vehicle to selectively move along a plurality of ride paths of the track; and a bogie coupled to the passenger vehicle, wherein the bogie is configured to direct movement of the passenger vehicle along the track, and wherein the bogie comprises a probe configured to enable the passenger vehicle to selectively move along a ride path of the plurality of ride paths. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The ride assembly of claim 10, wherein the probe of the bogie is communicatively coupled to the control system of the passenger vehicle, and wherein the control system is configured to send a signal to the probe to adjust a position of the probe between positions of alignment with the plurality of ride paths. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The ride assembly of claim 10, wherein the control system comprises a steering system configured to adjust the rear wheels to enable the passenger vehicle to drift on the surface. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The ride assembly of claim 12, wherein the steering system comprises a gear and a threaded rod coupled to the passenger vehicle, wherein the gear is configured to rotate such that the threaded rod adjusts the position of the passenger vehicle with respect to the track. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The ride assembly of claim 10, wherein the passenger vehicle comprises a receiver, the surface comprises one or more emitters, the receiver is configured to detect an emitter of the one or more emitters when the passenger vehicle is positioned above the emitter, and the control system is configured to actuate a passenger control feature in response to the receiver detecting an emitter of the one or more emitters. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The ride assembly of claim 10, wherein the track comprises a trough, and wherein the bogie is configured to be disposed within the trough to direct movement of the passenger vehicle along the track. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The ride assembly of claim 15, wherein the bogie comprises one or more up-stop wheels disposed within the trough and configured to contact the surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The ride assembly of claim 15, comprising one or more slot fillers coupled to the bogie and configured to be positioned substantially flush with the surface to enable the rear wheels to move across the trough. ### Claim 18 A ride assembly, comprising: a passenger vehicle configured to travel along a track, the track comprising a junction configured to enable the passenger vehicle to selectively move along a plurality of ride paths of the track; and a bogie coupled to the passenger vehicle, wherein the bogie is configured to direct movement of the passenger vehicle along the track, and wherein the bogie comprises a probe configured to enable the passenger vehicle to move along a selected ride path of the plurality of ride paths by aligning with and engaging the selected ride path. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The ride assembly of claim 18, comprising a control system communicatively coupled to an actuated wheel of the probe, wherein the control system is configured to send a signal to the actuated wheel to adjust a position of the probe between a plurality of positions, wherein each position of the plurality of positions corresponds to a respective ride path of the plurality of ride paths. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The ride assembly of claim 19, comprising a steering system, wherein the passenger vehicle comprises a front portion hingedly coupled to a rear portion, and wherein the steering system is configured to swing the rear portion outwardly, such that the front portion and the rear portion are unaligned with respect to a direction of travel of the passenger vehicle.