Floating omnimover ride
First Claim
1. A boat ride with high capacity and enhanced spacing control of floating passenger boats, comprising:
- a structure with spaced apart sidewalls defining an elongated guide channel;
a volume of liquid contained in the guide channel, wherein the guide channel defines a loop-shaped ride path; and
a chain of passenger boats floating in the liquid of the guide channel, wherein each of the boats is linked with a connecting link at a first side to a leading one of the boats and with a connecting link at an opposite second side to a trailing one of the boats such that the chain of boats is continuous, and further wherein the chain of boats has a length that is approximately equal to a length of the loop-shaped ride path and all of the boats in the chain move along the loop-shaped ride path at a predefined rate,wherein the sidewalls of the structure further define a free-floating portion in which the sidewalls are spaced apart a distance selected such that the vehicles travel through the free-floating portion free of abutting contact with the sidewalls andwherein the liquid in the free-floating portion moves at a rate less than a rate at which the liquid moves in the guide channel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A floating omnimover ride with high capacity throughput and enhanced control over speeds of passenger boats. The ride includes a water containment structure with spaced apart sidewalls defining an elongated guide channel that defines a loop-shaped ride path or circuit. The ride includes a volume of liquid contained in the guide channel to a desired depth. The ride also includes a chain of passenger boats floating in the liquid contained in the guide channel. Each of the boats is linked to the two adjacent boats with a connecting link such that the chain of boats is a continuous loop. The chain of boats has a length that is approximately equal to a length of the ride path, and during operation of the ride, the boats in the chain are moved along the loop-shaped ride path at a predefined rate by a pump station moving the liquid in the guide channel.
45 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A boat ride with high capacity and enhanced spacing control of floating passenger boats, comprising:
-
a structure with spaced apart sidewalls defining an elongated guide channel; a volume of liquid contained in the guide channel, wherein the guide channel defines a loop-shaped ride path; and a chain of passenger boats floating in the liquid of the guide channel, wherein each of the boats is linked with a connecting link at a first side to a leading one of the boats and with a connecting link at an opposite second side to a trailing one of the boats such that the chain of boats is continuous, and further wherein the chain of boats has a length that is approximately equal to a length of the loop-shaped ride path and all of the boats in the chain move along the loop-shaped ride path at a predefined rate, wherein the sidewalls of the structure further define a free-floating portion in which the sidewalls are spaced apart a distance selected such that the vehicles travel through the free-floating portion free of abutting contact with the sidewalls and wherein the liquid in the free-floating portion moves at a rate less than a rate at which the liquid moves in the guide channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A boat ride with high capacity and enhanced spacing control of floating passenger boats, comprising:
-
a structure with spaced apart sidewalls defining an elongated guide channel; a volume of liquid contained in the guide channel, wherein the guide channel defines a loop-shaped ride path; and a chain of passenger boats floating in the liquid of the guide channel, wherein each of the boats is linked with a connecting link at a first side to a leading one of the boats and with a connecting link at an opposite second side to a trailing one of the boats such that the chain of boats is continuous, and further wherein the chain of boats has a length that is approximately equal to a length of the loop-shaped ride path and all of the boats in the chain move along the loop-shaped ride path at a predefined rate; a propulsion system connected to the guide channel, wherein the propulsion system operates to move at least a portion of the liquid in the guide channel at one or more flow rates, whereby the chain of boats moves along the loop-shaped ride path at the predefined rate that is selected from a range of 1 to 4 feet per second; and a wave generator along a section of the guide channel, the wave generator operating to form waves on a surface of the liquid in the guide channel section. - View Dependent Claims (8)
-
-
9. A floating omnimover ride system, comprising:
-
a channel defining a ride path and containing a volume of water; a plurality of passenger vehicles adapted for floating positioned in the water of the channel, each of the vehicles linked to an adjacent pair of the vehicles via connecting links such that the vehicles are linked together in a continuous chain; a pumping system moving the water in the channel, wherein the chain of the vehicles is moved at a substantially constant speed along the length of the ride path, wherein the pumping system operates to move at least a portion of the water in the channel at one or more flow rates, whereby the continuous chain of boats moves along the ride path at the substantially constant speed within a range of 1 to 4 feet per second, and wherein the ride system further includes a wave generator along a section of the channel, the wave generator operating to form waves on a surface of the water in the channel. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An amusement park ride, comprising:
-
a plurality of boats for carrying passengers, wherein the boats are interconnected with boat-to-boat connecting links in a continuous manner to form a loop; a channel for receiving water and the boats, the boats floating on a surface of the received water; and a propulsion assembly for propelling all of the boats at a velocity in the range of 1 to 4 feet per second by causing the received water to flow within a guide section in which the boats are guided to travel along the channel via abutting contact, wherein the channel includes a free-floating portion with an inlet and an outlet connected with the guide section, the boats being moved from the inlet to the outlet by forces applied along the loop by the boats in the guide section and wherein the received water in the free-floating portion moves at a rate less than a rate at which the received water moves in the guide section. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
-
18. An amusement park ride, comprising:
-
a plurality of boats for carrying passengers, wherein the boats are interconnected with boat-to-boat connecting links in a continuous manner to faun a loop; a channel for receiving water and the boats, the boats floating on a surface of the received water; and a propulsion assembly for propelling all of the boats at a velocity in the range of 1 to 4 feet per second by causing the received water to flow within a guide section in which the boats are guided to travel along the channel via abutting contact, wherein the channel includes a free-floating portion with an inlet and an outlet connected with the guide section, the boats being moved from the inlet to the outlet by forces applied along the loop by the boats in the guide section and wherein the channel has two or more elevations connected by inclined and declined ramps and further including a wave generator along a wave section of the channel to create waves on the surface of the received water in the wave section to induce motion in the vehicles passing through the wave section.
-
Specification