LINEAR MOTOR DRIVEN SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20150190721A1
• Filed: 08/18/2014
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: HM Attractions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: HM Attractions, Inc.
• Inventors: Hunter, Richard D, Tanzer, Andreas
• Application Number:
  US14/461,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20150190721A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/00 Chutes; Helter-skelters
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/02 without rails
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/08 with additional rotation of cars
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/14 with driven slideways
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/16 with forced removal of the passenger from the seat
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/18 Water-chutes
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 3/02 with floating seats
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 7/00 Up-and-down hill tracks; Switchbacks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 13/03 Electric propulsion by linear motors
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 13/08 Sliding or levitation systems vehicles with air cushions between rails and vehicles B60V3/04
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/025 Asynchronous motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/14 Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06

Abstract

A vehicle motion control system comprising: a sliding surface; a vehicle adapted to slide on said sliding surface; and a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the eliding surface for affecting sliding motion of the vehicle on the sliding surface.

Claims

1. A vehicle motion control system comprising:

a sliding surface;

a vehicle adapted to slide on said sliding surface; and

a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface for affecting sliding motion of the vehicle on the sliding surface.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the linear motor comprises a linear induction motor.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the linear motor comprises a linear synchronous motor.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a lubricant between the vehicle and the sliding surface.

5. The system of claim 2 further comprising a lubricant between the vehicle and the sliding surface.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the lubricant is water.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a sensor for detecting at least one of linear speed, angular speed, direction of movement and position of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a controller or operating the linear motor as a function of input from the sensor.

9. The system of claim 2 further comprising a sensor for detecting at least one of linear speed, angular speed, direction of movement and position of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising a controller for operating the linear motor as a function of input from the sensor.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a user input means.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising a controller for operating the linear motor as a function of user input.

17. The method of claim 4 wherein the sliding surface is a sliding surface of an amusement ride.

13. A method of controlling motion of a vehicle sliding on a sliding surface comprising operating a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the linear motor comprises a linear induction motor.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the linear motor comprises a linear synchronous motor.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the sliding surface is a sliding surface of an amusement ride.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising sensing at least one of linear speed, angular speed, direction of movement and position of the vehicle and altering the operation of the linear motor in response.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising sensing at least one of linear speed, angular speed, direction of movement and position of the vehicle and altering the operation of the linear induction motor in response.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising altering the operation of the linear motor in response to input from a vehicle rider.

21-61. -61. (canceled)