Theme park ride with ride-through screen system

• US 7,905,790 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Schnuckle, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kien T
• Application Number:
  US12/204,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20100062866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 472/43, 472 57- 61, 472 75- 83, 472/130, 434/29, 434/55, 434/62, 434/63, 434/67
• US Class Current: 472/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/16 creating illusions of travel
• CPC Class Codes: A63J 1/02 Scenery; Curtains; Other decorations; Means for moving same fireproof curtains A62C2/10

Abstract

A vehicle and screen assembly is provided for theme park rides to create a ride-through screen experience. The assembly includes a vehicle for carrying passengers that includes a top or roof assembly with first and second sets of magnetic elements on an exterior surface of the top assembly, with each of the sets having a like pole oriented outward from the exterior surface. A screen assembly is included with first and second planar screen segments that are pivotably mounted adjacent to each other so as to hang or be positioned in a plane that is transverse to a track traveled by the vehicle. The screen segments include magnetic elements with exposed poles that match the outward facing pole of the corresponding sets of magnetic elements on the vehicle. The screen segments magnetically levitate away from the top assembly when the vehicle passes through the screen assembly without touching the vehicle.

Claims

1. An assembly for use with a vehicle track of a ride system in a theme or amusement park to provide a ride-through screen experience, comprising:

a vehicle for carrying at least one passenger with a base adapted for riding upon the vehicle track and with a top assembly provided on the base, wherein the top assembly comprises a first and a second set of magnetic elements proximate an exterior surface of the top assembly with the magnetic elements in each of the sets having a same pole oriented outward from the exterior surface; and

a screen assembly comprising a first and a second screen segment pivotably mounted adjacent to each other and transverse to the vehicle track in a closed position, wherein the first and second screen segments each comprises a magnetic element with an exposed pole matching the same pole of the corresponding one of the first and second sets of the magnetic elements of the vehicle, whereby the first and second screen segments are magnetically levitated to an open position and away from the top assembly when the vehicle passes through the screen assembly without contacting the vehicle.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the magnetic elements are permanent magnets and wherein the first and second series comprise a plurality of the permanent magnets arranged along a length of a levitation rail provided in the top assembly.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the first and second screen segments comprise a planar body with a triangular shape and the magnetic elements of the screen segments are provided in a tip distal to a base side of the body and wherein the levitation rail has a curved geometry selected based on a swing path followed by a corresponding one of the screen segment magnetic elements as the screen segment is rotated about the base side of the body.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the body comprises a projection surface for displaying a video image projected from a projector.

5. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the screen assembly further comprises third and fourth planar screen segments mounted adjacent to one of the first and second screen segments and each comprising a triangular body with a magnet element provided in a tip and wherein the top assembly further comprises third and fourth sets of magnetic elements in additional ones of the levitation rails, each of the levitation rails being arranged on the top assembly to be aligned with the magnetic element in one of the screen segments.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein at least one of the screen segments is pivotably mounted with a return mechanism configured to apply a force to the body of the at least one of the screen segments to return to an original position within the plane transverse to the vehicle track.

7. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the triangular shape is an isosceles triangle.

8. The assembly of claim 3, wherein the top assembly further comprises a flexible cover extending between the levitation rails that is at least partially transmissive of light and wherein at least one of the levitation rails is mounted for positioning in a closed position and an open position in which the at least one passenger may enter the vehicle.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each set of magnetic elements comprises a plurality of permanent magnets linearly arranged and spaced apart less than about 0.125 inches from neighboring ones of the permanent magnets.

10. A ride assembly for use in providing amusement park guests a ride-through screen show experience, comprising:

a track defining a travel path for vehicles in a ride;

a screen assembly positioned transverse to the track separating the ride into first and second show portions, the screen assembly comprising two or more segments independently mounted for rotating each about a base edge; and

a vehicle riding on the track for carrying one or more of the guests, wherein the vehicle is adapted to actuate the screen assembly to cause the screen segments to rotate about the base edges to allow the vehicle to pass through the screen assembly.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the screen segments are each triangular in shape and include a roller in a tip section for contacting and rolling upon a roof of the vehicle.

12. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the screen segments each has a triangular body and include a permanent magnet in a tip section distal to the base edge and wherein the vehicle includes a number of series of permanent magnets positioned, proximate to an exterior surface to extend along the exterior surface such that each of the series of permanent magnets is aligned with one of the permanent magnets in the tip sections, with poles of the permanent magnets being oriented to provide magnetic levitation of the screen segments relative to the exterior surface of the vehicle.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the triangular bodies are matching isosceles triangle with the tip sections being positioned proximate to each other in a closed position of the screen assembly and wherein the screen assembly includes at least four of the screen segments positioned side by side.

14. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising a projector projecting an image and wherein the screen segments comprise a projection surface for displaying the projected image.

15. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the vehicle comprises a body with an exterior surface with a plurality of levitation rails having a curved profile extending over a length of the vehicle body, wherein a plurality of magnets are positioned in the rails oriented with like poles facing outward, and wherein the screen segments each includes one or more magnets positioned to remain proximal to the magnets in a corresponding one of the levitation rails as the vehicle passes into and through the screen assembly, whereby mutually repelling magnetic forces cause the screen segments to float a distance over the vehicle body.

16. A vehicle and screen assembly for use in park rides, comprising:

a vehicle adapted for riding on a ride track with a body for seating one or more passengers, the vehicle further comprising a plurality of elongate and curved levitation rails on the body that each include a plurality of magnets with a same pole facing outward from the body; and

a scenic element positioned across the ride track, wherein each of the scenic elements includes a magnet oriented with a pole matching the outward facing poles of the magnets in the levitation rails, whereby the magnets of the scenic elements and the magnets of a corresponding one of the levitation rails are positioned to be aligned to be proximal as the vehicle passes through the screen causing the scenic elements to be magnetically repelled a distance from the vehicle top assembly.

17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the scenic element includes a plurality of screen segments with a projection surface for displaying projected images and wherein the screen segments are mounted for pivoting about a base and the magnets are positioned in an edge section distal to the base.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the screen segments further comprise an additional projection surface opposite the projection surface and an additional magnet positioned behind the screen segment magnet with a like pole facing an opposite direction, whereby the vehicle may travel through and actuate the screen by traveling in both directions along the ride track.

19. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the magnets of the scenic elements and in the levitation rails are permanent magnets.

20. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the scenic elements are mounted for pivotal rotation and to be substantially in a common plane that is orthogonal to the ride track when in a path blocking position and wherein the scenic elements are further mounted to return to the common plane after the vehicle passes through the screen without further actuation.