Loading turntable systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11524710-B2
Application number	US-202016739895-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2020
Priority date	Mar 29, 2019
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

An attraction loading system is provided that includes a loading platform. The loading platform includes a rotational portion configured to rotate about a central vertical axis of the loading platform and a stationary portion extending between a first edge and a second edge of the loading platform. The first edge and the second edge of the stationary portion include respective interfaces of the stationary portion with the rotational portion. The rotational portion rotates from the first edge to the second edge. The attraction loading system further includes a loading path disposed about a circumference of the loading platform.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An attraction loading system, comprising:
a loading platform comprising:
a rotational portion configured to rotate about a central vertical axis of the loading platform; and
a stationary portion extending between a first edge and a second edge, wherein the first edge and the second edge of the stationary portion comprise respective interfaces of the stationary portion with the rotational portion and wherein the rotational portion rotates from the first edge to the second edge;

a loading path disposed about a circumference of the loading platform, wherein a ride vehicle is configured to travel along the loading path; and
a track switch configured to move the ride vehicle onto an attraction path from a main portion of the loading path in a first configuration and onto a secondary portion of the loading path to re-loop the ride vehicle in a second configuration.

2. The attraction loading system of claim 1 , wherein respective top surfaces of the rotational portion and the stationary portion are disposed substantially within a common plane disposed orthogonally relative to the central vertical axis.

3. The attraction loading system of claim 1 , wherein a rotational speed of the rotational portion is configured to substantially match a travel speed of the ride vehicle along the loading path such that a particular point on a top surface of the rotational portion maintains a fixed distance from the ride vehicle while the ride vehicle travels along the loading path.

4. The attraction loading system of claim 3 , wherein the stationary portion is configured to be stationary relative to the ride vehicle while the ride vehicle travels along the loading path such that a distance between the ride vehicle and another particular point on the stationary portion changes during the traveling.

5. The attraction loading system of claim 1 , further comprising a central portion positioned coaxially within the loading platform, wherein the central portion does not rotate with the rotational portion.

6. The attraction loading system of claim 5 , comprising a passenger entrance path that connects to the central portion.

7. The attraction loading system of claim 1 , wherein the rotational portion comprises a plurality of wedges coupled to one another via respective interlocking grooves.

8. The attraction loading system of claim 7 , wherein an individual wedge of the plurality of wedges positioned adjacent to the second edge is configured to move out of a plane of the loading platform during rotation of the rotation portion to bring another wedge of the plurality of wedges into position adjacent to the second edge.

9. The attraction loading system of claim 7 , wherein an individual wedge of the plurality of wedges adjacent to the first edge is configured to rotate away from the first edge while another wedge moves into a plane of the loading platform and into position adjacent to the first edge.

10. The attraction loading system of claim 7 , wherein each individual wedge of the plurality of wedges is configured to move vertically relative to adjacent wedges of the plurality of wedges via movement along the respective interlocking grooves.

11. The attraction loading system of claim 1 , comprising a second track switch configured to move the ride vehicle onto a main portion of the loading path from the attraction path in a first configuration or from the secondary portion of the loading path onto the main portion of the loading path in a second configuration.

12. The attraction loading system of claim 11 , wherein the secondary portion of the loading path is at least in part adjacent to the stationary portion of the loading platform.

13. The attraction loading system of claim 1 , wherein the rotational portion rotates under the stationary portion.

14. The attraction loading system of claim 1 , wherein a rotational range of a rotational portion top surface substantially in a common plane with a stationary portion top surface is between the first edge and the second edge.

15. A method to load passengers into ride vehicles, the method comprising:
receiving a sensor signal indicative of an occupancy status of a ride vehicle that is traveling along a first portion of a loading path;
controlling a track switch to switch from a first configuration to a second configuration, wherein the first configuration couples the first portion of the loading path to an attraction path and wherein the second configuration couples the first portion of the loading path to a second portion of the loading path based on the sensor signal being indicative of a not fully loaded occupancy status of the ride vehicle;
directing the ride vehicle to stop along the second portion of the loading path;
receiving an occupancy confirmation signal of the ride vehicle while stopped along the second portion of the loading path; and
controlling the track switch to cause the ride vehicle to re-loop along the first portion of the loading path based on the occupancy confirmation signal.

16. The method of claim 15 , comprising directing the ride vehicle from the first portion of the loading path to the attraction path after the ride vehicle travels along the first portion of the loading path.

17. The method of claim 15 , comprising directing the ride vehicle from the attraction path to return to the first portion of the loading path after completing the attraction path.

18. The method of claim 15 , comprising controlling rotation of a rotational portion of a loading platform to match a speed of the ride vehicle along the first portion of the loading path.

19. An attraction loading platform system, comprising:
a loading platform, comprising a stationary portion and a rotational portion, wherein the rotational portion rotates about a central vertical axis of the loading platform and from a first edge of the stationary portion to a second edge of the stationary portion;
a motor configured to rotate the rotational portion;
a controller configured to control a speed of the rotation; and
a track switch configured to switch between a first configuration and a second configuration such that a ride vehicle moves onto a main portion of a loading path from an attraction path in the first configuration or from a secondary portion of the loading path onto the main portion of the loading path in the second configuration, wherein the loading path is disposed about the loading platform.

20. The attraction loading platform system of claim 19 , wherein the rotational portion is further configured to rotate from the second edge to the first edge by passing under the stationary portion.

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc

Inventors

• Towns Jr Robbie Lewis

Classifications

• A63G7/00 Primary

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

• A63G31/10

  with escalators or similar moving substructures · CPC title

• A63G1/00 Primary

  Roundabouts · CPC title

• A63G31/00

  Amusement arrangements · CPC title

• B66B21/12

  of variable speed type · CPC title