Omnimover ride system with crossing paths

• US 8,371,227 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2011
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Nemeth, Edward A., Crawford, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHARLESTON, JEAN W
• Application Number:
  US13/182,648
• Publication Number:
  US 20130014669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 104/53, 104/63, 104/89, 104/118, 104/124, 104/172.1, 104/172.2, 104/172.3, 104/172.4, 104/172.5, 104/139, 104/140, 104/141, 104/146, 472/36, 472/37, 472/43, 472/59, 472/60, 105/141, 105/148, 105/149.1, 105/149.2, 105/176, 105/177
• US Class Current: 104/53
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/00 Amusement arrangements hoop exercising apparatus driven by the user A63B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/16 creating illusions of travel

Abstract

A ride system with crossing ride paths. A first omnimover assembly is provided that includes a continuous vehicle chain movable along a first ride path and includes vehicles vertically supported above the track at a first height. A second omnimover assembly is provided with a continuous vehicle chain movable along a second ride path that differs from the first ride path and crosses over the first ride path when viewed in plan view. The second omnimover assembly includes vehicles vertically supported below the upper vehicle track at a second height, which may be the same as the first height such that passengers perceive a risk of a collision at the path intersections. The upper track is at a higher elevation than the lower track such that cross overs occur without interference. A synchronization mechanism is provided that synchronizes the movement of the upper and lower vehicle chains.

Claims

1. A ride system providing crossing vehicle paths, comprising:

a first omnimover assembly including a first track and a first continuous vehicle chain defining a first loop movable along a first ride path defined by the first track, the first vehicle chain including a plurality of vehicles linked together and vertically supported above the first track of the first omnimover assembly at a first height along all of the first ride path;

a second omnimover assembly including a second track and a second continuous vehicle chain defining a second loop movable along a second ride path defined by the second track, the second vehicle chain including a plurality of vehicles linked together and vertically supported below the second track of the second omnimover assembly at a second height along all of the second ride path, wherein the second track is spaced apart from and at a higher elevation than the first track; and

a synchronization mechanism operating to synchronize movements of the first and second vehicle chains, wherein a rate of movement of the first vehicle chain is equal to a rate of movement of the second vehicle chain,

wherein the first ride path crosses the second ride path at a cross over point when the ride system is viewed in plan view, and

wherein the vehicles of the first and second vehicle chains are supported within first and second ranges of elevations at the cross over point, the first and second elevation ranges at least partially overlapping.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first path differs from the second path.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein adjacent ones of the vehicles in the first omnimover assembly and in the second omnimover assembly are spaced apart at least a length of a body of one of the vehicles and wherein the vehicles are positioned on the first and second ride paths such that the vehicles from each of the first and second omnimover assemblies alternately pass through the cross over point without contacting other ones of the vehicles.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second ride paths coincide, when the ride system is viewed in plan view, for a length greater than about two of the vehicles.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the vehicles are positioned relative to each other in the first and second omnimover assemblies such that in the coinciding length of the first and second ride paths the vehicles from the first and second omnimover assemblies are alternated.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the synchronization mechanism comprises first and second electric drives operated by a control system to drive the first and second vehicle chains, respectively, and to provide ongoing synchronization of the rates of movement of the first and second vehicle chains.

7. A ride system providing crossing vehicle paths, comprising:

a first omnimover assembly including a first track and a first continuous vehicle chain movable along a first ride path defined by the first track, the first vehicle chain including a plurality of vehicles linked together and vertically supported above the first track of the first omnimover assembly at a first height;

a second omnimover assembly including a second track and a second continuous vehicle chain movable along a second ride path defined by the second track, the second vehicle chain including a plurality of vehicles linked together and vertically supported below the second track of the second omnimover assembly at a second height, wherein the second track is spaced apart from and at a higher elevation than the first track; and

a synchronization mechanism operating to synchronize movements of the first and second vehicle chains,

wherein a rate of movement of the first vehicle chain is equal to a rate of movement of the second vehicle chain and wherein the synchronization mechanism includes coupling assembly mechanically coupling the first vehicle chain to the second vehicle chain.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the synchronization mechanism comprises a drive mechanism driving a first one of the first and second vehicle chains to move along the first or second ride path, whereby the second one of the first and second vehicle chains is driven to move along the other of the first and second ride paths via the coupling assembly.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the first path differs from the second path and wherein the first ride path crosses the second ride path at a cross over point when the ride system is viewed in plan view.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein adjacent ones of the vehicles in the first omnimover assembly and in the second omnimover assembly are spaced apart at least a length of a body of one of the vehicles and wherein the vehicles are positioned on the first and second ride paths such that the vehicles from each of the first and second omnimover assemblies alternately pass through the cross over point without contacting other ones of the vehicles.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second ride paths coincide, when the ride system is viewed in plan view, for a length greater than about two of the vehicles.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the vehicles are positioned relative to each other in the first and second omnimover assemblies such that in the coinciding length of the first and second ride paths the vehicles from the first and second omnimover assemblies are alternated.

13. An omnimover ride, comprising:

a lower vehicle track at a first elevation;

a lower chain of vehicles connected to and vertically supported by the lower vehicle track to position the lower chain of vehicles above the lower vehicle track;

an upper vehicle track at a second elevation greater than the first elevation;

an upper chain of vehicles connected to and vertically supported by the upper vehicle track to position the upper chain of vehicles below the upper vehicle track; and

a drive and synchronization assembly driving the upper and lower chains of the vehicles to move the upper and lower chains of the vehicles along an upper vehicle path and a lower vehicle path at substantially equal rates,

wherein the lower vehicle path differs from the upper vehicle path and intersects the upper vehicle path at a cross over point when the omnimover ride is viewed in plan view,

wherein the lower vehicle track is positioned beneath a floor and vehicles in the lower chain of the vehicles are supported on vertical supports extending up from the lower vehicle track through a slot in the floor,

wherein the upper vehicle track is positioned above a ceiling and vehicles in the upper chain of the vehicles are supported on vertical supports extending down from the upper vehicle track through a slot in the ceiling, and

wherein the vehicles in the lower chain of the vehicles are supported at a first height above the floor and the vehicles in the upper chain of the vehicles are supported at a second height above the floor that is substantially equal to the first height.

14. An omnimover ride, comprising:

a lower vehicle track at a first elevation;

a lower chain of vehicles connected to and vertically supported by the lower vehicle track to position the lower chain of vehicles above the lower vehicle track;

an upper vehicle track at a second elevation greater than the first elevation;

an upper chain of vehicles connected to and vertically supported by the upper vehicle track to position the upper chain of vehicles below the upper vehicle track; and

a drive and synchronization assembly driving the upper and lower chains of the vehicles to move the upper and lower chains of the vehicles along an upper vehicle path and a lower vehicle path at substantially equal rates,

wherein the lower vehicle path differs from the upper vehicle path and intersects the upper vehicle path at a cross over point when the omnimover ride is viewed in plan view and

wherein the drive and synchronization assembly includes at coupling mechanism mechanically coupling the lower chain of the vehicles to the upper chain of the vehicles, whereby the chains are forced to move at a single speed.

15. A ride apparatus, comprising:

a lower omnimover with a plurality of vehicles supported by a lower track and connected into a lower chain that is configured to travel along a lower ride path defined by the lower track so as, wherein the vehicles of the lower omnimover are positioned above the lower track at a first elevation;

an upper omnimover with a plurality of vehicles supported by an upper track and connected into an upper chain that is configured to travel along an upper ride path defined by the upper track, wherein the vehicles of the upper omnimover are positioned below the upper track at a second elevation that is substantially equal to the first elevation, wherein the lower track and the upper track appear to intersect at a plurality of cross over points when the tracks are viewed in plan view; and

a synchronization mechanism synchronizing movements of the lower chain to movements of the upper chain, wherein the synchronization mechanism mechanically couples the lower chain to the upper chain such that the upper and lower chains move at substantially one speed along the upper and lower ride paths.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the vehicles are arranged on the upper and lower tracks such that the vehicles of the upper omnimover are spaced apart from proximate ones of the vehicles of the lower omnimover as the chains move through the cross over points of the upper and lower tracks.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the upper and lower tracks appear to overlap in a segment having a length greater than at least two times a length of a body of one of the vehicles and wherein the vehicles of the upper and lower omnimovers are positioned adjacent to each other in the segment.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the upper and lower tracks are each configured as a continuous loop and the upper and lower chains are driven at a single constant speed during operation of the apparatus by at least one drive engaging one of the upper and lower chains.