Multi-stage water effect system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024094748-A1
Application number	US-202318519682-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 27, 2023
Priority date	Apr 29, 2020
Publication date	Mar 21, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A multi-stage water effect system includes a plurality of water ride vehicles. A water ride vehicle of the plurality of water ride vehicles has one or more water effect devices. The multi-stage water effect system also includes a control system communicatively coupled to the one or more water effect devices of the plurality of water ride vehicles. The control system activates the one or more water effect devices of the water ride vehicle to provide a first fluid flow at a first time. The control system also activates the one or more water effect devices of the water ride vehicle to provide a second fluid flow at a second time.

First claim

1 . A multi-stage water effect system, comprising:
a plurality of water ride vehicles, wherein a water ride vehicle of the plurality of water ride vehicles comprises one or more water effect devices; a control system communicatively coupled to the one or more water effect devices of the water ride vehicle of the plurality of water ride vehicles, wherein the control system is configured to:
activate the one or more water effect devices of the water ride vehicle to provide a first fluid flow at a first time; and
activate the one or more water effect devices of the water ride vehicle to provide a second fluid flow at a second time.

2 . The multi-stage water effect system of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid flow comprises a first flow rate and the second fluid flow comprises a second flow rate different than the first flow rate.

3 . The multi-stage water effect system of claim 2 , wherein activating the one or more water effect devices of the water ride vehicle to provide the first fluid flow at a first time and activating the one or more water effect devices of the water ride vehicle to provide the second fluid flow at the second time comprises:
adjusting a flow rate of the one or more water effect devices from the first flow rate to the second flow rate.

4 . The multi-stage water effect system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more water effect devices comprises a plurality of water effect devices, and wherein the control system is configured to:
activate a first subset of the plurality of water effect devices of the water ride vehicle to provide the first fluid flow at the first time; and activate a second subset of the plurality of water effect devices of the water ride vehicle to provide the second fluid flow at the second time.

5 . The multi-stage water effect system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to:
receive feedback indicative of the water ride vehicle interacting with one or more features of a water ride; select a stage of operation of a plurality of stages of operation based on the feedback; and activate the one or more water effect devices of the water ride vehicle to provide the first fluid flow or the second fluid flow based on the selected stage of operation.

6 . The multi-stage water effect system of claim 5 , comprising one or more sensors disposed on the water ride vehicle and wherein the one or more sensors are configured to measure the feedback indicative of the water ride vehicle interacting with one or more features of the water ride.

7 . The multi-stage water effect system of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to activate one or more special effect devices in addition to activating the one or more water effect devices of the water ride vehicle to provide the first fluid flow or the second fluid flow.

8 . The multi-stage water effect system of claim 1 , wherein each water ride vehicle of the plurality of water ride vehicles comprises a respective control system.

9 . A water ride vehicle of a water ride of an amusement park, the water ride vehicle comprising:
a plurality of sensors configured to obtain feedback associated with an interaction between the water ride vehicle and the water ride; a plurality of water effect devices, each configured to provide a fluid flow; and a control system communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors and the plurality of water effect devices, wherein the control system is configured to:
receive the feedback associated with the interaction between the water ride vehicle and the water ride from at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors;
select a stage of operation from a plurality of stages of operation based on the feedback, wherein the plurality of stages of operation comprises a first stage of operation associated with a first flow rate of fluid from a first subset of the plurality of water effect devices and a second stage of operation associated with a second flow rate of the fluid from a second subset of the plurality of water effect devices;
activate the first subset of the plurality of water effect devices to provide the fluid at the first flow rate in response to selection of the first stage of operation; and
activate the second subset of the plurality of water effect devices to provide the fluid at the second flow rate in response to selection of the second stage of operation.

10 . The water ride vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a contact sensor, an imaging device, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device, or any combination thereof.

11 . The water ride vehicle of claim 9 , wherein selecting the stage of operation from the plurality of stages of operation based on the feedback comprises:
selecting the first stage of operation when the feedback is indicative of an initial interaction associated with the water ride vehicle; and selecting the second stage of operation when the feedback is indicative of subsequent interaction associated with the water ride vehicle, wherein the subsequent interaction occurs after the initial interaction.

12 . The water ride vehicle of claim 9 , wherein selecting the stage of operation from the plurality of stages of operation comprises:
selecting the first stage of operation when the feedback is below a threshold indicative of a magnitude of the interaction associated with the water ride vehicle; and selecting the second stage of operation when the feedback is above the threshold indicative of the magnitude of the interaction associated with the water ride vehicle.

13 . The water ride vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the first subset of the plurality of water effect devices do not overlap with the second subset of the plurality of water effect devices.

14 . The water ride vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the control system is configured to:
activate the second subset of the plurality of water effect devices to provide the fluid at the second flow rate after the first subset of the plurality of water effect devices have been activated for a predetermined time duration.

15 . The water ride vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the stage of operation is selected based on a relative location of the at least one sensor.

16 . The water ride vehicle of claim 9 , comprising a fluid supply configured to supply the fluid for the plurality of water effect devices.

17 . A multi-stage water effect system, comprising:
a first water ride vehicle comprising a first plurality of water effect devices; a second water ride vehicle comprising a second plurality of water effect devices; and a control system communicatively coupled to the first plurality of water effect devices and the second plurality of water effect devices, wherein the control system is configured to:
receive a signal associated with changing a first stage of operation of the first water ride vehicle, a second stage of operation of the second water ride vehicle, or both;
activate the first plurality of water effect devices to selectively provide a first fluid at a first flow rate or a second flow rate when the signal is associated with changing the first stage of operation of the first water ride vehicle; and
activate the second plurality of water effect devices to selectively provide a second fluid at the first flow rate or the second flow rate when the signal is associated with changing the second stage of operation of the second water ride vehicle.

18 . The multi-stage water effect system of claim 17 , wherein the signal is received based on a time duration corresponding to the first stage of ope

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc

Inventors

• Lowry Sean Michael
• Hall Gregory Shellman

Classifications

• G05D7/0682 Primary

  using a plurality of flow sources · CPC title

• A63G3/02

  with floating seats · CPC title

• A63G31/007 Primary

  involving water · CPC title

• A63G3/00 Primary

  Water roundabouts, e.g. freely floating · CPC title