Universal City Studios, Inc.

Universal Studios LLC

Eric Alan Vance

Keith Michael McVeen

Ryan Dale Walton

Steven C Blum

Thierry Coup

Patrick Devin Boyle

Christine Sorrentino

Mark Bruce Maycock

Lara Larberg MacLean

Keith Michael Mcveen

Justin Michael Schwartz

David Gerard Majdali

Daniel Matthew Freedman

Christopher Oliver

William D Mason

Ted W Van Winkle

David J Halliday

Dale Mason

Byron Thomas Osborn

Pedro Lopez

Waldemar L Brzezik

Michael Davies Habersetzer

Tom Masterson

Ross Alan Osterman

Clarisse Marie Vamos

Michael Keith Brister

Michael Roy Kiddoo

Kevin Blaine Primm

Eric Parr

Marcel Santos

Andrew Evan Bloomfield

Eric Lynn Hunt

Powers Alexander Yamich

Eric Shawn Thomas

Scott David Sabens

Mark Maycock

Keith Mcveen

Eric L Hunt

Michael Habersetzer

William Dale Mason

Lara Larberg Maclean

Daniel Freedman

Christine Marie Sorrentino

Sarka Harrington

An apparatus for an amusement park includes a bogie system positioned on a track. The bogie system directs motion along the track. The apparatus also includes an arm extending radially outward from the bogie system. The arm is rotatably coupled to a body of the bogie system. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a vehicle positioned on the arm.

System and method for positioning vehicles of an amusement park attraction

A drag-inducing mat includes a main body configured to accommodate a rider. The main body includes a rider surface configured to face the rider and an opposing surface configured to face a slide surface. The drag-inducing mat also includes a sipe array defined within the opposing surface. The sipe array includes a plurality of sipes that extends from a first lateral edge of the main body to a second lateral edge of the main body to selectively induce friction between the main body and the slide surface based on force applied to the sipe array by the rider.

Drag-inducing mat for amusement park rides

A ride vehicle includes a riding assembly configured to carry a rider, a base configured to couple to the riding assembly, and a control system configured to control the coordination of movements of the ride vehicle with movements of separate ride vehicles. The base includes a surface movement system configured to move the ride vehicle along a surface, a vertical movement system configured to move the riding assembly vertically relative to the base, and a roll system configured to move the riding assembly angularly relative to the base.

Choreographed ride systems and methods

A ride system includes a flume providing a flow path of a water ride and configured to accommodate a buoyant ride vehicle. The ride system also includes a support element extending into the flow path and at least partially submerged within the flow path. Moreover, the ride system includes a driving mechanism configured to actuate the support element such that the support element moves relative to the flow path in response to a control signal. The support element is configured to contact the buoyant ride vehicle to control movement of the buoyant ride vehicle along the flow path while the support element is being actuated. Further, the ride system includes a controller configured to generate the control signal based at least in part on a location of the buoyant ride vehicle in the flow path and a timer controlling activation of a show element.

Water amusement ride motion governor

A ride vehicle system includes a ride track and a ride vehicle. The ride track includes a vehicle rail and an accessory rail. The ride vehicle includes a ride vehicle base, a show element coupled to the ride vehicle base, and a mechanical linkage. The ride vehicle base is configured to interface with the vehicle rail of the ride track and to move along the vehicle rail of the ride track. The show element coupled to the ride vehicle base is configured to actuate with respect to the ride vehicle base. The mechanical linkage includes a first end coupled to the show element and a second end coupled to the accessory rail of the ride track. The mechanical linkage is configured to move along the accessory rail and to actuate the show element based at least in part on a position of the accessory rail with respect to the vehicle rail.

Systems and methods for actuating a show element on a ride vehicle

Provided herein are systems that include bogie systems configured to travel along track members that define a ride path, to detach certain track members from adjacent track members, and to re-attach the detached track members to other track members that may not be orthogonal or coplanar. By employing the embodiments described herein, the system may be able to seamlessly change the direction of travel of a ride vehicle from a lateral direction to a longitudinal direction, from a lateral direction to a vertical direction, or from a vertical direction to the longitudinal direction, to name but a few.

Track rail acquisition, carrying, and transfer systems and methods

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.

Hybrid ride vehicle systems and methods

A ride assembly includes a passenger vehicle having front wheels, rear wheels, a motor, and a steering wheel, where the front and rear wheels are disposed on a surface, the motor is configured to provide power to the front wheels to propel the passenger vehicle, and the steering wheel is configured to adjust a position of the rear wheels and enable the passenger vehicle to drift, a track forming a trough in the surface, and a bogie hingedly coupled to the passenger vehicle, where the bogie is disposed in the trough, and where the bogie is configured to direct movement of the passenger vehicle along the track.

Drift racer

A ride vehicle for an amusement park includes a restraint system. The restraint system includes a first conformable component configured to be disposed over a first lower portion of a guest's body. The restraint system further includes a behind-the-knee component configured to be disposed behind a leg of the guest. The restraint system additionally includes a linkage mechanism configured to move the first conformable component, the behind-the-knee component, or a combination thereof, to secure the restraint system to the guest.

Ride restraint system and method

A robotic system includes a robotic arm and a movable hardstop disposed proximate to the robotic arm. The movable hardstop is separated from the robotic arm by at least one clearance in a first operating condition. The movable hardstop physically contacts the robotic arm in a second operating condition. The robotic system also includes one or more controllers configured to control movement of the robotic arm and movement of the movable hardstop such that the first operating condition is maintained or such that, if the second operating condition occurs, the hardtop blocks movement of the robotic arm.

Movable hardstop for a robotic component

A ride system includes a first ride vehicle and a second ride vehicle positioned within a course and configured to travel within the course. The ride system also includes a control system having at least one controller and at least one position tracking system, where the at least one controller is configured to control movement of the first and second ride vehicles, and where the at least one position tracking system is configured to facilitate identification of a first location and a second location of the first and second ride vehicles, respectively, within the course. The ride system also includes a wireless network configured to enable communication between components of the ride system. The at least one controller is configured to receive data indicative of the first and second locations of the first and second ride vehicles, respectively, where the at least one controller determines a control loop for the first and second ride vehicles based on the data indicative of the first and second locations, and where the at least one controller is configured to process the data indicative of the first and second locations to synchronize one or more show elements with the first and second locations.

Virtual attraction controller

Growing community of inventors

Orlando, FL, United States of America

Eric Alan Vance