Universal Studios LLC

Universal City Studios, Inc.

Gary Goddard

Adam Bezark

William D Mason

Philip D Hettema

Benjamin L Sheldon

Gene Leasure

Jane Jackson

Jay Stein

An amusement ride vehicle includes a vehicle chassis that rolls on caster wheels. Pinch drive wheels, driven by on-board electric motors, engage a guide rail and propel the vehicle along a rack. A motion base is positioned on top of the vehicle chassis. A yaw ring is rotatably supported on the motion base. A passenger cabin is mounted on to the yaw ring. A slip ring assembly extends from the vehicle chassis to the passenger cabin, to provide electrical power and audio signals to the passenger cabin. A yaw drive motor turns the yaw ring, allowing the passenger cabin to spin on the motion base, and to provide continuous yaw movement. The motion base provides pitch and roll movements, as well as heave, slip and surge movements.

Amusement ride vehicle

A theater includes an audience seating area, a stage and at least three projection screens. Multiple film projectors simultaneously project a three dimensional film onto the three projection screens. Three dimensional film elements appear to move seamlessly from one projection screen to the next. In a live action show, actors, stage sets and show action equipment appear to interact with the three dimensional film. The filmed set blends with the stage sets to give dimension and a feeling of depth to the viewing audience. The audience cannot easily distinguish between the real elements and filmed elements thereby intensifying the theater experience.

Theater with multiple screen three dimensional film projection system

A ride attraction has vehicles on a vehicle path. An animated figure over or on one side of the vehicle path is concealed from the path, and passengers in the vehicles on the path, by a waterfall. As the vehicles approach the waterfall, a diverter closes off the waterfall or diverts the waterfall into sidewalls creating an opening and exposing the animated figure. Simultaneously, the animated figure moves forward through the waterfall, or the plane of the waterfall, and approaches the oncoming vehicle. The sudden emergence and movement of the animated figure from a concealed position behind the waterfall adds to the excitement of the ride attraction.

Ride attraction having animated figures

Growing community of inventors

North Hollywood, CA, United States of America

Gary Goddard