Ride system with dynamic ride vehicle configurations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11768505-B2
Application number	US-201916269946-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2019
Priority date	Feb 7, 2019
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A ride system includes a first ride vehicle having a first magnet exposed along a first exterior side of the first ride vehicle and a first additional magnet exposed along a first additional exterior side of the first ride vehicle. The ride system includes a second ride vehicle having a second magnet exposed along a second exterior side of the second ride vehicle and a second additional magnet exposed along a second additional exterior side of the second ride vehicle. The ride system includes a control system configured to control maneuvering of one or both of the first and second ride vehicles to: establish a coupling between the first magnet and the second magnet in a first configuration, establish a coupling between the first magnet and the second additional magnet in a second configuration, establish a coupling between the first additional magnet and the second magnet in a third configuration, establish a coupling between the first additional magnet and the second additional magnet in a fourth configuration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ride system, comprising:
a first ride vehicle having a first magnet extending along a first exterior side of the first ride vehicle and a first additional magnet extending along a first additional exterior side of the first ride vehicle, wherein the first additional exterior side extends transverse to the first exterior side;
a second ride vehicle having a second magnet extending along a second exterior side of the second ride vehicle and a second additional magnet extending along a second additional exterior side of the second ride vehicle, wherein the second additional exterior side extends transverse to the second exterior side; and
a control system configured to control maneuvering of one or both of the first and second ride vehicles to:
establish a first coupling between the first magnet and the second magnet in a first configuration;
establish a second coupling between the first magnet and the second additional magnet in a second configuration;
establish a third coupling between the first additional magnet and the second magnet in a third configuration; and
establish a fourth coupling between the first additional magnet and the second additional magnet in a fourth configuration.

2. The ride system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to control maneuvering of one or both of the first and second ride vehicles into a decoupled configuration in which there is a total decoupling of the first ride vehicle and the second ride vehicle.

3. The ride system of claim 1 , wherein the first ride vehicle comprises a first passenger cabin disposed at least partially between the first exterior side and the first additional exterior side, and the second ride vehicle comprises a second passenger cabin disposed at least partially between the second exterior side and the second additional exterior side.

4. A ride system, comprising:
a first ride vehicle having a first plurality of magnets extending from first exterior sides of the first ride vehicle;
a second ride vehicle having a second plurality of magnets extending from second exterior sides of the second ride vehicle; and
a control system configured to maneuver the first ride vehicle, the second ride vehicle, or both to enable dynamic coupling and decoupling of certain first magnets of the first plurality of magnets with certain second magnets of the second plurality of magnets along a ride path of the ride system such that a ride vehicle configuration changes during the course of the ride path, wherein the ride vehicle configuration includes at least one of a vehicle order of travel relative to an end of the ride path, a vehicle direction of travel, or a vehicle orientation relative to the vehicle direction of travel.

5. The ride system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to control the maneuvering of one or both of the first and second ride vehicles to:
establish the first coupling between the first magnet and the second magnet in the first configuration such that the second ride vehicle faces in a first direction; and
establish the second coupling between the first magnet and the second additional magnet in the second configuration such that the second ride vehicle faces in a second direction different than the first direction.

6. The ride system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first ride vehicle comprises a first exterior front side extending transverse to the first exterior side and parallel to the first additional exterior side, and a first front side magnet extending along the first exterior front side;
the second ride vehicle comprises a second exterior front side extending transverse to the second exterior side and parallel to the second additional exterior side, and a second front side magnet extending along the second exterior front side; and
the control system is configured to control maneuvering of one or both of the first and second ride vehicles to:
establish a fifth coupling between the first front side magnet and the second front side magnet in a fifth configuration;
establish a sixth coupling between the first front side magnet and the second magnet in a sixth configuration;
establish a seventh coupling between the first front side magnet and the second additional magnet in a seventh configuration;
establish an eighth coupling between the second front side magnet and the first magnet in an eighth configuration; and
establish a ninth coupling between the second front side magnet and the first additional magnet in a ninth configuration.

7. The ride system of claim 1 , wherein the first exterior side extends substantially perpendicular to the first additional exterior side, and the second exterior side extends substantially perpendicular to the second additional exterior side.

8. The ride system of claim 1 , comprising a third ride vehicle having a third magnet extending along a third exterior side of the third ride vehicle and a third additional magnet extending along a third additional exterior side of the third ride vehicle, wherein the third additional exterior side extends transverse to the third exterior side, and wherein the control system is configured to maneuver the first, second, and/or third ride vehicles to:
establish a fifth coupling between the first magnet and the third magnet in a fifth configuration;
establish a sixth coupling between the first magnet and the third additional magnet in a sixth configuration;
establish a seventh coupling between the first additional magnet and the third magnet in a seventh configuration;
establish an eighth coupling between the first additional magnet and the third additional magnet in an eighth configuration;
establish a ninth coupling between the second magnet and the third magnet in a ninth configuration;
establish a tenth coupling between the second magnet and the third additional magnet in a tenth configuration;
establish an eleventh coupling between the second additional magnet and the third magnet in an eleventh configuration;
establish a twelfth coupling between the second additional magnet and the third additional magnet in a twelfth configuration; and
totally decouple the first ride vehicle, the second ride vehicle, and the third ride vehicle in a decoupled configuration.

9. The ride system of claim 8 , wherein the control system is configured to establish a magnetic coupling of the second ride vehicle to both the first ride vehicle and the third ride vehicle such that the first ride vehicle, the second ride vehicle, and the third ride vehicle form a three-vehicle cluster.

10. The ride system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first ride vehicle comprises a first proximity sensor and the second ride vehicle comprises a second proximity sensor;
the control system is configured to receive sensor feedback from the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor; and
the control system is configured to determine and cause, based at least in part on the sensor feedback, an appropriate coupling between the first magnet and the second magnet or the first magnet and the second additional magnet.

11. The ride system of claim 1 , comprising an interactive show element, wherein the control system enables an additional coupling of the interactive show element with the first magnet, the first additional magnet, the second magnet, the second additional magnet, or any combination thereof.

12. The ride system of claim 1 , wherein the first ride vehicle comprises a first automated guide vehicle (AGV) and the second ride vehicle comprises a second AGV.

13. The ride system of claim 12 , comprising a substantially smooth ride path surface, wherein the first AGV comp

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc

Inventors

• White Nathanael G
• Primm Kevin B
• Freedman Daniel

Classifications

• G05D2107/87

  Recreational areas, e.g. amusement parks · CPC title

• G05D1/69

  Coordinated control of the position or course of two or more vehicles · CPC title

• G05D1/646

  Following a predefined trajectory, e.g. a line marked on the floor or a flight path · CPC title

• G05D1/0287 Primary

  involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling (traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00, particularly anticollision systems G08G1/16) · CPC title

• A63G31/00

  Amusement arrangements · CPC title