Linear motor driven system and method

• US 8,826,824 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• 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): Smith, Jason C
• Application Number:
  US13/370,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20120173065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 104/53, 104/56, 104/59, 104/63, 104/64, 104/69, 104/70, 104/72, 104/73, 104/290, 104/292
• US Class Current: 104/70
• 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 vehicle motion control system comprising: a sliding surface; a vehicle adapted to slide on said sliding surface; and a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface for affecting sliding motion of the vehicle on the sliding surface.

Claims

1. A vehicle motion control system comprising:

a waterslide sliding surface with at least one uphill section and one downhill section;

a vehicle adapted to slide on said sliding surface; and

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

wherein the linear motor comprises at least one linear motor unit mounted to one of the sliding surface and the vehicle and at least one reaction component mounted to the other of the sliding surface and the vehicle;

wherein motion of the vehicle in the uphill section is controlled at least in part by the linear motor; and

wherein movement of the vehicle in the downhill section is controlled predominantly by contours of the waterslide sliding surface in combination with gravity.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the linear motor comprises a linear induction motor.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a sensor for detecting at least one of linear speed, angular speed, direction of movement and position of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising a controller for operating the linear motor as a function of input from the sensor.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the linear motor comprises a linear synchronous motor.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a sensor for detecting at least one of linear speed, angular speed, direction of movement and position of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising a controller for operating the linear motor as a function of input from the sensor.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a user input means.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a controller for operating the linear motor as a function of user input.

10. A method of controlling motion of a vehicle sliding on a waterslide sliding surface of an amusement ride, comprising operating a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the sliding surface;

wherein the linear motor comprises at least one linear motor unit mounted to one of the sliding surface and the vehicle and at least one reaction component mounted to the other of the sliding surface and the vehicle;

wherein the waterslide sliding surface includes at least one uphill section and one downhill section;

wherein motion of the vehicle in the uphill section is controlled at least in part by the linear motor; and

wherein movement of the vehicle in the downhill section is controlled predominantly by contours of the waterslide sliding surface in combination with gravity.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the linear motor comprises a linear induction motor.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein controlling motion comprises at least one of accelerating the vehicle, decelerating the vehicle, rotating the vehicle, changing direction of movement of the vehicle, maintaining a speed of the vehicle, and reversing the direction of movement of the vehicle.

13. A method for preventing movement of the vehicle outside the designated area comprising the method of claim 11.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising sensing at least one of linear speed, angular speed, direction of movement and position of the vehicle and altering the operation of the linear induction motor in response.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising altering the operation of the linear motor in response to input from a vehicle rider.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising receiving the input from the vehicle rider through rider operated controls.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising receiving the input from the vehicle rider through force applied by the rider to a vehicle body.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the vehicle body incorporates the at least one reaction component and the force applied by the rider alters the shape of the at least one reaction component.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the vehicle body incorporates the at least one reaction component and the input from the rider alters electrical characteristics of the at least one reaction component.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the reaction component comprises conductive coils.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising selecting one of at least two vehicle paths based on the input from the vehicle rider.

22. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one linear motor unit comprises a plurality of induction units and the method further comprises energizing the induction units to define a path of the vehicle.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the amusement ride comprises a bowl shaped sliding surface and wherein the induction units are positioned at the sliding surface, the method further comprising energizing the induction units to at least one of decelerate a rate of decent of the vehicle, increase an angular speed of the vehicle and reverse the angular direction of the vehicle.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the induction units are positioned at an exit from the bowl shaped sliding surface, the method further comprising energizing the induction units to decelerate the vehicle.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the amusement ride comprises a funnel shaped sliding surface and wherein the induction units are positioned at the sliding surface, the method further comprising energizing the induction units to at least one of decelerate a rate of decent of the vehicle, increase an angular speed of the vehicle and reverse the angular direction of the vehicle.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the induction units are positioned at an exit from the funnel shaped sliding surface, the method further comprising energizing the induction units to decelerate the vehicle.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein the amusement ride comprises a planar sliding surface and wherein the induction units are positioned at the sliding surface, the method further comprises energizing the induction units to define a path of the vehicle over the planar sliding surface.

28. The method of claim 10 wherein the linear motor comprises a linear synchronous motor.

29. The method of claim 10 further comprising sensing at least one of linear speed, angular speed, direction of movement and position of the vehicle and altering the operation of the linear motor in response.

30. The method of claim 10 further comprising altering the operation of the linear motor in response to input from a vehicle rider.

31. The method of claim 10 wherein controlling motion comprises at least one of accelerating the vehicle, decelerating the vehicle, rotating the vehicle, changing direction of movement of the vehicle, maintaining a speed of the vehicle, and reversing the direction of movement of the vehicle.

32. The method of claim 10 to prevent movement of the vehicle outside a designated area.

33. The method of claim 10 to launch the vehicle up an uphill section.

34. A method for returning the vehicle to a ride starting location comprising the method of claim 10.

35. The method of claim 10 further comprising thrusting with water sprayers.

36. A waterslide ride feature, including:

a waterslide flume including a waterslide sliding surface having at least one uphill section and one downhill section;

a vehicle configured to slide on the sliding surface;

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

wherein motion of the vehicle in the uphill section of the waterslide flume is controlled at least in part by the linear motor; and

wherein movement of the vehicle in the downhill section of the waterslide flume is controlled predominantly by contours of the waterslide flume in combination with gravity.