Amusement park attraction
First Claim
1. An amusement park attraction, comprising:
- a path adapted to be followed throughout the attraction;
scenery positioned along said path at selected locations; and
a ride vehicle adapted to follow said path, said ride vehicle includinga passenger supporting structure,a motion base supporting said passenger supporting structure that articulates said passenger supporting structure in a plurality of degrees of freedom relative to and independent of motion of said ride vehicle along the path, anda control system that controls said motion base to articulate said passenger supporting structure.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An amusement park attraction having a dynamic ride vehicle for executing a sequence of distinct motion patterns and for providing unique ride experiences in the amusement park attraction or other environment. The ride vehicle includes a movable chassis and a body having a passenger seating area. A motion apparatus, including Ycomputer controlled actuators, imparts motion to the body along a plurality of axes independent of any motion of the chassis as it moves along a path in the amusement park attraction. As the vehicle travels along the path, articulation of the body and appropriate steering of the vehicle enables the vehicle to execute, in cooperation with the motion apparatus, a sequence of distinct motion patterns. Execution of the motion patterns enhances the passengers'"'"' sensation of vehicle movement that is actually taking place, as well as the sensation of a realistic moving ride vehicle experience that is actually not happening.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. An amusement park attraction, comprising:
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a path adapted to be followed throughout the attraction; scenery positioned along said path at selected locations; and a ride vehicle adapted to follow said path, said ride vehicle including a passenger supporting structure, a motion base supporting said passenger supporting structure that articulates said passenger supporting structure in a plurality of degrees of freedom relative to and independent of motion of said ride vehicle along the path, and a control system that controls said motion base to articulate said passenger supporting structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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- 16. An amusement park attraction, comprising a path and a plurality of ride vehicles that each follow said path, each of said ride vehicles having a motion base that articulates a passenger supporting structure in a plurality of degrees of freedom relative to and independent of motion of the vehicle along said path, said path including a passenger loading point and a passenger unloading point, wherein said plurality of ride vehicles are adapted to be operated concurrently at different locations along said path between said passenger loading point and said passenger unloading point, such that a departure of vehicles from said passenger loading point can be staggered in time.
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26. A method of providing a ride experience to an occupant in an amusement park attraction having a ride vehicle of the type having a chassis that follows a path, a passenger supporting structure, and a motion base that moves the passenger supporting structure in multiple degrees of freedom independent of motion of the chassis, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) moving the vehicle along the path in the amusement park attraction; (b) providing scenery positioned along the path at selected locations; (c) articulating the passenger supporting structure with respect to the chassis to thereby enhancing or diminishing the effect of vehicle motion through the attraction at selected locations along the path; and (d) providing special effects for enhancing the sensations experienced by the occupant as the vehicle interacts with the path and scenery. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 53, 54)
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47. An amusement park attraction, comprising:
at least one ride vehicle that follows a path within said amusement park attraction, said ride vehicle having a passenger supporting structure that moves along said path with said ride vehicle, a motion base supporting said passenger supporting structure that articulates said passenger supporting structuring in at least one degree of freedom relative to and independent of motion of said ride vehicle along the path, and a variable motive element on said ride vehicle that imparts programmably-defined motion in the form of at least one of variable steering of said ride vehicle, variable velocity of said ride vehicle, and articulation of said passenger supporting structure by the motion base relative to said ride vehicle; and a computer system in communication with said variable motive element and controlling the same in accordance with sequenced program instructions of a ride program stored by said computer system, said sequenced program instructions defining a repeatable pattern of programmably-defined motion. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
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51. An amusement park attraction, comprising:
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at least one ride vehicle that follows a path within said amusement park attraction, said ride vehicle having a passenger supporting structure that moves along said path with said ride vehicle and a motion base supporting said passenger supporting structure that articulates said passenger supporting structure in at least one degree of freedom relative to and independent of motion of said ride vehicle along the path; at least one show set positioned along said path to present a three dimensional visual image to passengers in said ride vehicle, said at least one show set being movable in at least one programmably-defined pattern in accordance with sequenced program instructions of a show set actuation program; and a show set computer system in communication with said at least one show set and controlling the same in a repeatable motion pattern in accordance with said programmably-defined pattern. - View Dependent Claims (52)
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55. An amusement park attraction, comprising
a plurality of ride vehicles; - and
a central controller; wherein each of said plurality of ride vehicles has a passenger holding structure, a motion base supporting said passenger supporting structure that articulates said passenger supporting structure in at least one degree of freedom relative to and independent of motion of said ride vehicle along the path, and an on-board vehicle computer system that controls actions of the particular vehicle in the form of one of steering, velocity and articulation of said motion base according to a programmably-defined motion pattern defined by sequenced program instructions of a ride program, each said vehicle computer system storing at least one said ride program, each vehicle computer system in communication with said central controller. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification