Linear motor driven waterslide ride and method

• US 7,918,741 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HM Attractions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: HM Attractions, Inc.
• Inventors: Hunter, Richard D., Tanzer, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kien T
• Application Number:
  US11/681,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20070207869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 472/13, 472/117, 472/128, 472/129, 104/23.1, 104/23.2, 104/53, 104/59, 104 70- 73, 104/281, 104/282, 104/290, 104/292
• US Class Current: 472/117
• 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 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.

Claims

1. A waterslide amusement ride feature comprising:

a waterslide sliding surface;

a vehicle adapted to slide on said sliding surface and to convey at least one rider thereon; and

a linear induction motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface for affecting sliding motion of the vehicle on the sliding surface, said linear induction motor comprising;

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 bottom surface of the vehicle which slides on the sliding surface; and

linear induction motor units located beneath the sliding surface.

2. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 further comprising sensors for detecting a vehicle parameter of the vehicle, said vehicle parameter comprising at least one of a linear speed, a rotational speed, a direction of movement, a weight and a position of the vehicle, and a controller for operating the linear motor as a function of the detected vehicle parameter of the vehicle.

3. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 wherein the linear motor is adapted to maintain a speed of the vehicle on the sliding surface.

4. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 wherein the linear motor is adapted to accelerate the vehicle on the sliding surface.

5. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 wherein the linear motor is adapted to decelerate the vehicle on the sliding surface.

6. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 wherein the linear motor is adapted to control a rotational speed of the vehicle on the sliding surface.

7. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 wherein the linear motor is adapted to change a direction of movement of the vehicle on the sliding surface.

8. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 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.

9. A method of controlling the sliding motion of a vehicle sliding on a sliding surface in a waterslide amusement ride, comprising:

providing the waterslide sliding surface;

placing the vehicle on the sliding surface;

providing a linear induction motor comprising 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 bottom surface of the vehicle which slides on the sliding surface, and linear induction motor units located beneath the sliding surface; and

operating the linear induction motor to affect sliding motion of the vehicle on the sliding surface.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

providing sensors for detecting a vehicle parameter of the vehicle, said vehicle parameter comprising at least one of a linear speed, a rotational speed, a direction of movement, a weight and a position of the vehicle;

providing a controller for operating the linear motor; and

operating the controller to operate the linear motor as a function of the detected vehicle parameter of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the linear motor is operated to maintain a speed of the vehicle on the sliding surface.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the linear motor is operated to accelerate the vehicle on the sliding surface.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the linear motor is operated to decelerate the vehicle on the sliding surface.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the linear motor is operated to control a rotational speed of the vehicle on the sliding surface.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the linear motor is operated to change a direction of movement of the vehicle on the sliding surface.