Linear motor driven amusement ride and method
AssigneeHm Attractions, Inc.
InventorsRichard D. Hunter, Andreas Tanzer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A waterslide amusement ride having in a portion thereof, a linear induction motor to efficiently and effectively affect the motion of a vehicle sliding on the ride. The linear induction motor comprises linear induction motor units embedded below a sliding surface, and a reaction plate mounted to the bottom of the vehicle. Depending on the configuration of the linear induction motor units and the reaction plate, the linear induction motor drive can be used to accelerate the vehicle, decelerate the vehicle, maintain the speed of the vehicle up an uphill section, or rotate the vehicle.
Claims52
An amusement ride feature comprising:
- a sliding surface;
- a vehicle adapted to slide on said sliding surface and to convey at least one rider thereon;
- and
- a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface for affecting sliding motion of the vehicle on the sliding surface;
- wherein the linear motor is a linear induction motor;
- and
- wherein the linear motor comprises a plurality of linear induction motor units located beneath the sliding surface, and at least one reaction plate mounted near a bottom of said vehicle and substantially parallel thereto, said at least one reaction plate covered by a vehicle bottom surface which slides on the sliding surface.
An amusement ride feature comprising:
- a sliding surface;
- a vehicle adapted to slide on said sliding surface and to convey at least one rider thereon;
- and
- a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface for affecting sliding motion of the vehicle on the sliding surface;
- wherein the linear motor is a linear induction motor;
- wherein the sliding surface is a waterslide sliding surface;
- and
- wherein said linear motor comprises at least one reaction plate mounted to said vehicle.
An amusement ride feature comprising:
- a sliding surface;
- a vehicle adapted to slide on said sliding surface and to convey at least one rider thereon;
- and
- a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface for affecting sliding motion of the vehicle on the sliding surface;
- wherein the linear motor is a linear induction motor;
- wherein the ride feature is flume-style, the sliding surface is a bottom surface of a water flume, and said vehicle is adapted to convey said at least one rider along said water flume;
- and
- wherein the linear motor comprises a plurality of linear induction motor units located beneath the sliding surface along the flume, and at least one reaction plate mounted near a bottom of said vehicle and substantially parallel thereto, said at least one reaction plate covered by a vehicle bottom surface which slides on the sliding surface.
An amusement ride feature comprising:
- a sliding surface;
- a vehicle adapted to slide on said sliding surface and to convey at least one rider thereon;
- and
- a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface for affecting sliding motion of the vehicle on the sliding surface;
- wherein the linear motor is a linear induction motor;
- wherein the ride feature is flume-style, the sliding surface is a bottom surface of a water flume, and said vehicle is adapted to convey said at least one rider along said water flume;
- and
- wherein said linear motor comprises at least one reaction plate mounted to said vehicle.
An amusement ride which includes a feature comprising:
- a sliding surface;
- a vehicle adapted to slide on said sliding surface and to convey at least one rider thereon;
- and
- a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface for affecting sliding motion of the vehicle on the sliding surface;
- wherein the linear motor is a linear induction motor;
- and
- wherein the linear motor comprises a plurality of linear induction motor units located beneath the sliding surface, and at least one reaction plate mounted near a bottom of said vehicle and substantially parallel thereto, said at least one reaction plate covered by a vehicle bottom surface which slides on the sliding surface.
A method of controlling the sliding motion of a vehicle sliding on a sliding surface in an amusement ride, comprising operating a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface wherein the linear motor comprises a plurality of linear induction motor units located beneath the sliding surface, and at least one reaction plate mounted near a bottom of said vehicle and substantially parallel thereto, said at least one reaction plate covered by a vehicle bottom surface which slides on the sliding surface, and said operating of said linear motor comprises energizing the linear induction motor units to create a magnetic field which imparts a lateral force on the reaction plate.
A method of controlling the sliding motion of a vehicle sliding on a sliding surface in an amusement ride, comprising:
- providing the sliding surface;
- placing the vehicle on the sliding surface;
- and
- operating a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface;
- wherein the linear motor is a linear induction motor;
- wherein the sliding surface is a waterslide sliding surface;
- and
- wherein said linear motor comprises at least one reaction plate mounted to said vehicle.
An amusement ride feature comprising:
- a sliding surface;
- a vehicle adapted to slide on said sliding surface and to convey at least one rider thereon;
- and
- a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface for affecting sliding motion of the vehicle on the sliding surface;
- wherein the linear motor is a linear induction motor;
- and
- wherein the linear motor comprises a plurality of linear induction motor units located beneath the sliding surface, and at least one electromagnet mounted near a bottom of said vehicle.
An amusement ride feature comprising:
- a sliding surface;
- a vehicle adapted to slide on said sliding surface and to convey at least one rider thereon;
- and
- a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface for affecting sliding motion of the vehicle on the sliding surface;
- wherein the linear motor is a linear induction motor;
- and
- wherein the linear motor comprises a plurality of linear induction motor units located beneath the sliding surface, and at least one permanent magnet mounted near a bottom of said vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.