Amusement ride system and method

• US 8,512,158 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2013
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• 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:
  US13/749,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20130143679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 208 Days
• Field of Search: 472/13, 472/43, 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 that automatically feeds the projectile to the shooting device without assistance from the user;

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.

2. The ride system of claim 1, wherein the user faces in a forward direction, and the aiming facility is fixed to the vehicle in a location in front of the user, thereby allowing the user to aim and fire the shooting device in the forward direction.

3. The ride system of claim 1, wherein the projectile is a dry media made of generally soft, impact-safe material.

4. The ride system of claim 1, further comprising:

a bin, having a floor and walls, to store a plurality of projectiles.

5. The ride system of claim 1, wherein the feeder mechanism transports projectiles from a projectile repository on or within the vehicle to the shooting device utilizing gravity.

6. The ride system of claim 1, further comprising:

a collection mechanism to collect the projectile after the device shoots the projectile and deliver the projectile to the vehicle.

7. The ride system of claim 6, wherein the projectile is a dry media made of generally soft, impact-safe material, and the collection mechanism delivers the dry projectile to the vehicle to be shot again.

8. The ride system of claim 6, wherein the projectiles are collected and then loaded onto the vehicle as part of a show.

9. 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;

a bin to store a plurality of projectiles; 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 faces in a forward direction, and the aiming facility and triggering devices are fixed to the vehicle in a location in front of the user, thereby allowing the user to aim and fire the shooting device in the forward direction;

the projectile is a dry media made of generally soft, impact-safe material;

the collection mechanism delivers the dry projectile to the ride system to be shot again; and

the feeder mechanism transports projectiles from the bin to the shooting device utilizing gravity.

10. The ride system of claim 9, wherein the projectiles are collected and then loaded onto the vehicle as part of a show.