Hybrid ride vehicle systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11241633-B2
Application number	US-201916282140-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2019
Priority date	Oct 5, 2018
Publication date	Feb 8, 2022
Grant date	Feb 8, 2022

Abstract

An amusement park system in accordance with present embodiments includes a ride vehicle configured to move along a path, an aquatic portion of the path defined by a water flow path, and an aerial portion of the path defined by a track configured to support a bogie. The ride vehicle is configured to freely float and move along the water flow path in response to currents of the water flow path. The ride vehicle is configured to be carried along the track by the bogie.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An amusement park system, comprising:
a ride vehicle configured to move along a path;
an aquatic portion of the path defined by a water flow path, wherein the aquatic portion of the path comprises a positioning system disposed at a terminus of the aquatic portion, and wherein the positioning system comprises a conveyer configured to support the ride vehicle and position the ride vehicle on an incline of the terminus of the aquatic portion; and
an aerial portion of the path defined by a track configured to support a bogie,
wherein the ride vehicle is configured to freely float and move along the water flow path in response to currents of the water flow path, and
wherein the bogie is configured to couple with the ride vehicle positioned on the incline of the terminus of the aquatic portion and carry the ride vehicle beyond the aquatic portion along the track.

2. The amusement park system of claim 1 , wherein the positioning system comprises a trough configured to contact the ride vehicle to guide the ride vehicle to the terminus.

3. The amusement park system of claim 1 , wherein the aquatic portion of the path comprises a waterfall disposed adjacent to the terminus of the aquatic portion.

4. The amusement park system of claim 1 , wherein the conveyer comprises an angled surface configured to support the ride vehicle at an angle relative to a horizontal plane at the terminus to drain liquid from the ride vehicle.

5. The amusement park system of claim 1 , wherein the aquatic portion comprises a rotation system configured to rotate the ride vehicle relative to the water flow path such that a front of the ride vehicle faces upstream relative to the water flow path.

6. The amusement park system of claim 1 , comprising the bogie, wherein the bogie comprises a wheel assembly configured to couple to the track, and wherein the bogie comprises a prong configured to couple to the ride vehicle.

7. The amusement park system of claim 6 , wherein the bogie comprises a rotational mechanism configured to rotate the prong relative to the wheel assembly.

8. A ride vehicle system, comprising:
a ride vehicle comprising a slot disposed internal to a hull of the ride vehicle and configured to freely float on a liquid along a flow path; and
a bogie configured to move along a track, wherein the bogie comprises a prong configured to extend into the slot and engage with the slot to couple the bogie to the ride vehicle, and wherein the prong is configured to engage with an inner wall of the slot via an attachment mechanism upon insertion of the prong into the slot.

9. The ride vehicle system of claim 8 , wherein the attachment mechanism of the prong comprises a pawl, and wherein the pawl is configured to engage with a recess upon insertion of the prong into the slot to couple the bogie to the ride vehicle.

10. The ride vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein the prong comprises an actuator coupled to the pawl, and wherein the actuator is configured to retract the pawl to thereby withdraw the pawl from the recess to disengage the prong from the slot.

11. The ride vehicle system of claim 8 , wherein the bogie comprises a tilt mechanism configured to pitch the ride vehicle while the ride vehicle is coupled to the bogie.

12. The ride vehicle system of claim 8 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect a level of engagement of the bogie with the ride vehicle.

13. The ride vehicle system of claim 8 , further comprising the track, wherein the track or the bogie comprises a drive system configured to drive the bogie along the track.

14. The ride vehicle system of claim 8 , wherein the flow path comprises a rotation system configured to rotate the ride vehicle relative to the flow path such that a front of the ride vehicle faces upstream relative to the flow path.

15. The ride vehicle system of claim 8 , wherein the flow path comprises a waterfall disposed adjacent to a terminus of the flow path.

16. An amusement park system, comprising:
a ride vehicle configured to travel along a geographic path, wherein the ride vehicle comprises slots integrated with a roof of the ride vehicle; and
a bogie, wherein the bogie comprises engagement wheels configured to couple to the slots of the ride vehicle, and wherein the bogie is configured to travel along a track, engage with the ride vehicle, carry the ride vehicle along the track, and disengage from the ride vehicle.

17. The amusement park system of claim 16 , wherein the geographic path comprises a liquid flow path defined by a flume, and wherein the ride vehicle is configured to float along the liquid flow path.

18. The amusement park system of claim 17 , wherein the liquid flow path comprises a waterfall disposed adjacent to a terminus of the liquid flow path.

19. The amusement park system of claim 16 , wherein the geographic path comprises a terrestrial path, and wherein the ride vehicle is configured to drive along the terrestrial path.

20. The amusement park system of claim 16 , wherein the slots comprise locking pins coupled to inner walls of the slots, wherein the locking pins are configured to extend from the inner walls of the slots to lock the engagement wheels to the slots, and wherein the locking pins are configured to retract into the inner walls to unlock the engagement wheels from the slots.

21. The amusement park system of claim 16 , wherein the geographic path comprises a terrestrial path and a liquid flow path, wherein the ride vehicle comprises drive wheels configured to drive the ride vehicle along the terrestrial path, wherein the ride vehicle comprises a flotation system configured to provide a buoyant force for the ride vehicle to freely float along liquid of the liquid flow path, and wherein the ride vehicle is configured to transition between the terrestrial path and the liquid flow path.

22. The amusement park system of claim 16 , comprising an aquatic portion of the geographical path defined by a water flow path, wherein the aquatic portion of the geographical path comprises a positioning system disposed at a terminus of the aquatic portion, and wherein the positioning system comprises a conveyer configured to support the ride vehicle and position the ride vehicle at an inclined portion of the water flow path comprising the terminus of the aquatic portion.

23. The amusement park system of claim 16 , wherein the bogie comprises a tilt mechanism configured to pitch the ride vehicle while the ride vehicle is coupled to the bogie.

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc

Inventors

• Bloomfield Andrew Evan
• Primm Kevin Blaine
• Brister Michael Keith
• Vance Eric
• Walton Ryan Dale

Classifications

• A63G21/20 Primary

  Slideways with movably suspended cars, or with cars moving on ropes, or the like · CPC title

• A63G3/02

  with floating seats · CPC title

• A63G1/24

  with seats performing movements in a horizontal plane, other than circular movements · CPC title

• A63G7/00

  Up-and-down hill tracks; Switchbacks · CPC title

• A63G21/18

  Water-chutes · CPC title