Movable barrier for walkway

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11453987-B2
Application number	US-201916428636-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2019
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an attraction system that includes a walkway, a carrier disposed at a first side of the walkway, and a barrier disposed at a second side of the walkway opposite the first side. The carrier is configured to translate relative to the walkway, and the barrier is removably coupled to the carrier. Translation of the carrier relative to the walkway transitions the barrier between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An attraction system, comprising:
a walkway;
a carrier disposed at a first side of the walkway, wherein the carrier is configured to translate relative to the walkway; and
a barrier disposed at a second side of the walkway opposite the first side, wherein the barrier is removably coupled to the carrier, and translation of the carrier relative to the walkway transitions the barrier between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration.

2. The attraction system of claim 1 , comprising a rail positioned at the second side of the walkway, wherein the carrier is slidably coupled to the rail such that the carrier is able to translate along the rail to transition the barrier between the stowed configuration and the deployed configuration.

3. The attraction system of claim 1 , comprising an additional barrier fixed to a first edge of the walkway, wherein the carrier is configured to move the barrier toward the additional barrier to the stowed configuration, and the carrier is configured to move the barrier away from the additional barrier to the deployed configuration.

4. The attraction system of claim 1 , wherein the barrier comprises a rod extending along a length of the barrier, and the rod is movable relative to the barrier and to the walkway to transition into and out of an aperture formed in the walkway.

5. The attraction system of claim 4 , wherein the walkway comprises a plurality of apertures including the aperture to allow the carrier to be translated along the walkway to align the rod with a selected aperture of the plurality of apertures, and the rod is insertable into the selected aperture of the plurality of apertures to secure a position of the barrier relative to the walkway.

6. The attraction system of claim 1 , comprising a ride vehicle, wherein the barrier is configured to transition to the stowed configuration when the ride vehicle is positioned proximate to the walkway to form a clear path between the ride vehicle and the walkway.

7. A barrier for a walkway, the barrier comprising:
an extension having an opening;
a rod disposed within the extension and coupled to a housing; and
a latch coupled to the housing and configured to extend through the opening, wherein the rod is configured to move relative to the extension to move the latch relative to the opening.

8. The barrier of claim 7 , wherein the latch is rotatably coupled to the housing, the rod is configured to move in a first direction relative to the extension to rotate the latch in a first rotational direction toward the housing, and the rod is configured to move in a second direction opposite the first direction relative to the extension to rotate the latch in a second rotational direction away from the housing and toward the opening.

9. The barrier of claim 7 , comprising a knob coupled to the rod, wherein the rod extends out of the extension and is adjustable relative to the extension to move the rod relative to the extension.

10. The barrier of claim 7 , comprising a holder fixed to the extension, wherein the housing comprises a projection extending through the holder.

11. The barrier of claim 10 , wherein the projection comprises a retainer in abutment with a first side of the holder, the projection comprises a biasing member in abutment with a second side of the holder opposite the first side, and the retainer and the biasing member are configured to maintain a position of the housing relative to the extension.

12. An attraction system, comprising:
a walkway;
a carrier configured to translate relative to the walkway, wherein the carrier comprises a receptacle; and
a barrier comprising an extension configured to insert into the receptacle to removably couple the barrier to the carrier, wherein the barrier comprises a latch configured to extend through an opening of the extension, and the carrier is configured to translate relative to the walkway to transition the barrier between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration.

13. The attraction system of claim 12 , wherein the carrier is configured to translate toward an edge of the walkway to the deployed configuration, and the carrier is configured to translate away from the edge of the walkway to the stowed configuration.

14. The attraction system of claim 12 , comprising an attachment fixed to the walkway, wherein the attachment has a slot, the carrier comprises a flange having a hole and configured to insert into the slot, and the attraction system comprises an insert configured to extend into the hole when the flange is inserted into the slot to maintain a position of the flange in the slot and thereby couple the carrier to the attachment.

15. The attraction system of claim 12 , wherein the barrier comprises a rod configured to move relative to the barrier and to the walkway, and the walkway has an aperture adjacent to the edge and configured to receive the rod to block at least some movement of the barrier relative to the walkway.

16. The attraction system of claim 12 , wherein the latch is configured to extend through the opening of the extension and a notch of the receptacle to block movement of the extension relative to the receptacle and to couple the barrier and the carrier to one another.

17. The attraction system of claim 16 , wherein the barrier comprises a housing disposed within the extension, the latch is rotatably coupled to the housing, the housing is configured to move in a first direction relative to the extension to rotate the latch in a first rotational direction away from the housing and through the opening and the notch, and the housing is configured to move in a second direction relative to the extension opposite the first direction to rotate the latch in a second rotational direction toward the housing and out of the notch to enable the extension to move relative to the receptacle to decouple the barrier and the carrier from one another.

18. The attraction system of claim 17 , wherein the barrier comprises a rod disposed within the extension and coupled to the housing, the barrier comprises a knob coupled to the rod and extending out of the extension, and the knob is configured to move relative to the extension to move the rod and the housing in the first direction or the second direction relative to the extension.

19. The attraction system of claim 12 , wherein the walkway comprises an additional receptacle, and the extension of the barrier is configured to be inserted into the additional receptacle to removably couple the barrier to the additional receptacle.

20. The attraction system of claim 12 , wherein the walkway is an elevated walkway, the attraction system comprises a lower walkway and a rail disposed between the elevated walkway and the lower walkway, and the carrier is configured to be coupled to the rail between the elevated walkway and the lower walkway.

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc

Inventors

• Philpott Aaron Christopher
• Lovelace Reginald Benjamin
• Olson Scott Linley
• Pfeiffer Zachary Paul

Classifications

• E01F13/022

  Pedestrian barriers; Barriers for channelling or controlling crowds (E01F13/024, E01F13/028 take precedence; corrals E04H17/18) · CPC title

• E01F13/048 Primary

  with obstructing members moving in a translatory motion, e.g. vertical lift barriers, sliding gates (E01F13/046, E01F13/105 take precedence) · CPC title

• E01C15/00

  Pavings specially adapted for footpaths, sidewalks or cycle tracks · CPC title

• B61B1/02

  General arrangement of stations and platforms including protection devices for the passengers {(B61B1/005 takes precedence)} · CPC title