Amusement ride system and method

• US 8,376,869 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2011
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blammo, LLC
• Original Assignee: Blammo, LLC
• Inventors: Bloom, Philip Stephen, Yeh, Bing
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIEN T
• Application Number:
  US13/211,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20110300958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 472/43, 472/13, 472/117, 472/128, 463/2, 463/5, 463/7, 273/317, 273/459, 124/1, 124/41.1, 124/79
• US Class Current: 472/43
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/02 Shooting or hurling games throwing-implements for sports or recreational use A63B65/00; throwing or projecting toys per se A63H33/18; gun simulators F41A33/00, e.g. light- or radiation-emitting guns F41A33/02; practice apparatus for gun-aiming F41G3/26, e.g. using a light-emitting device F41G3/2616; targets, target ranges, bullet catchers F41J, photo-electric hit-detector systems F41J5/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 33/00 Devices allowing competitions between several persons, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 5/00 Games on roundabouts
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 11/00 Target ranges timetables, lists or forms for shooter enlistment B42D15/0066

Abstract

An amusement ride system includes: a shooting device adapted to shoot a projectile; an aiming facility operable by a user to aim the shooting device; and a triggering device operable by the user to fire the shooting device. The user rides the vehicle, aims the shooting device, and fires the device to shoot the projectile. A method for a ride includes: providing a shooting device; providing a plurality of projectiles; and aiming and shooting the projectiles utilizing the shooting device.

Claims

1. A ride system utilizing a vehicle, a user riding the vehicle, and a projectile, the ride system comprising:

a shooting device adapted to shoot the projectile;

a feeder mechanism to feed the projectile to the shooting device;

an aiming facility operable by the user to aim the shooting device;

a triggering device operable by the user to fire the shooting device; and

a repository, outside of the vehicle, to store a plurality of projectiles, wherein the feeder mechanism feeds each of said projectiles from the repository to the shooting device, the user rides the vehicle, aims the shooting device, and fires the device to shoot the projectile.

2. A ride system utilizing a vehicle, a user riding the vehicle, and a projectile, the ride system comprising:

a projectile repository located above the vehicle;

a shooting device adapted to shoot the projectile;

a feeder mechanism to feed the projectile to the shooting device;

an aiming facility operable by the user to aim the shooting device; and

a triggering device operable by the user to fire the shooting device;

wherein the user rides the vehicle, aims the shooting device, and fires the device to shoot the projectile.

3. A ride system utilizing a vehicle, a user riding the vehicle, and a projectile, the ride system comprising:

a shooting device adapted to shoot the projectile;

a tube from a projectile repository to the shooting device to feed the projectile to the shooting device;

an aiming facility operable by the user to aim the shooting device; and

a triggering device operable by the user to fire the shooting device;

wherein the user rides the vehicle, aims the shooting device, and fires the device to shoot the projectile.

4. A ride system utilizing a vehicle, a user riding the vehicle, and a projectile, the ride system comprising:

a shooting device adapted to shoot the projectile;

a feeder mechanism to feed the projectile to the shooting device;

an aiming facility operable by the user to aim the shooting device;

a triggering device operable by the user to fire the shooting device; and

a collection mechanism to collect the projectile after the device shoots the projectile and deliver the projectile to the ride system;

wherein the user rides the vehicle, aims the shooting device, fires the device to shoot the projectile, and the collection mechanism utilizes gravity to retrieve the projectiles.

5. A ride system utilizing a vehicle, a user riding the vehicle, and a projectile, the ride system comprising:

a shooting device adapted to shoot the projectile;

a feeder mechanism to feed the projectile to the shooting device;

an aiming facility operable by the user to aim the shooting device;

a triggering device operable by the user to fire the shooting device; and

a collection mechanism to collect the projectile after the device shoots the projectile and deliver the projectile to the ride system;

wherein the user rides the vehicle, aims the shooting device, fires the device to shoot the projectile, and the projectiles are collected utilizing a sloped surface.

6. A ride system utilizing a vehicle, a user riding the vehicle, and a projectile, the ride system comprising:

a shooting device adapted to shoot the projectile;

a feeder mechanism to feed the projectile to the shooting device;

an aiming facility operable by the user to aim the shooting device;

a triggering device operable by the user to fire the shooting device; and

a collection mechanism to collect the projectile after the device shoots the projectile and deliver the projectile to the ride system;

wherein the user rides the vehicle, aims the shooting device, fires the device to shoot the projectile, and the projectiles are collected, re-circulated, and transported to the shooting device utilizing conveyors.

7. A ride system utilizing a vehicle, a user riding the vehicle, and a projectile, the ride system comprising:

a shooting device adapted to shoot the projectile;

a feeder mechanism to feed the projectile to the shooting device;

an aiming facility operable by the user to aim the shooting device;

a triggering device operable by the user to fire the shooting device; and

a collection mechanism to collect the projectile after the device shoots the projectile and deliver the projectile to the ride system;

wherein the user rides the vehicle, aims the shooting device, fires the device to shoot the projectile, and the projectiles are collected, re-circulated, and transported to the shooting device utilizing a vacuum.