(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,776,722 B2 De-Gol (45) Date of Patent: Aug
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USOO6776722B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,776,722 B2 De-Gol (45) Date of Patent: Aug. 17, 2004 (54) RIDE APPARATUS 4.584,896 A * 4/1986 Letovsky ................... 74/490.1 4908,558 A 3/1990 Lordo et al. (75) Inventor: Gino Daniel De-Gol, Perton (GB) 5,453,011 A 9/1995 Feuer et al. 5,489,212 A 2/1996 Yoshimoto et al. (73) Assignees: Robocoaster Limited, South 5,499.920 A 3/1996 Trumbull 5,527,184 A 6/1996 Trumbull Staffordhire (GB); Kuka Roboter 5,558,581 A * 9/1996 Knipstra ..................... 472/31 GmbH, Augsburg (GE) 5,685,718 A 11/1997 McClintic 5,711,670 A 1/1998 Barr (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 5,768,122 A 6/1998 Motoc patent is extended or adjusted under 35 5,791,903 A 8/1998 Feuer et al. U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. 5,860,808 A 1/1999 Yoshimoto et al. 5,865,624 A * 2/1999 Hayashigawa ............... 434/66 (21) Appl. No.: 10/070,394 6,079,982 A 6/2000 Meader ....................... 434/29 (22) PCT Filed: Jun. 12, 2001 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS (86) PCT No.: PCT/GB01/02537 DE 296 17332 5/1997 DE 199 OO 442 7/2000 S371 (c)(1), DE 199 OO 528 9/2000 (2), (4) Date: Jul. 2, 2002 EP O 997 175 5/2000 EP O 997 176 5/2000 (87) PCT Pub. No.: WO01/95989 GB 2 295 098 5/1996 PCT Pub. Date: Dec. 20, 2001 JP OS 158399 6/1993 WO WO 94/19783 9/1994 (65) Prior Publication Data WO WO 94/29828 12/1994 WO WO 97/15363 5/1997 US 2002/0183123 A1 Dec. 5, 2002 WO WO OO/28505 5/2000 (30) Foreign Application Priority Data * cited by examiner Jun. 16, 2000 (GB) ............................................. OO1500S Oct. 20, 2000 (GB) ... ... OO25761 Primary Examiner Kien Nguyen (51) Int. Cl." ................................................ A63G 31/16 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm McGlew and Tuttle, P.C. (52) U.S. Cl. ........................... 472/59; 472/60; 472/130; (57) ABSTRACT 434/55 (58) Field of Search .............................. 472/47, 29, 59, An amusement ride includes an output member having an 472/60, 61, 130; 434/29, 55 anthropomorphic robot arm adapted for six degrees of movement. The ride further includes a passenger Station in (56) References Cited moveable engagement with Said output member, a platform, and optionally a ticket reader. U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 870,378 A * 11/1907 Maynes ....................... 472/47 56 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets 100 U.S. Patent Aug. 17, 2004 Sheet 1 of 12 US 6,776,722 B2 U.S. Patent Aug. 17, 2004 Sheet 2 of 12 US 6,776,722 B2 U.S. Patent Aug. 17, 2004 Sheet 3 of 12 US 6,776,722 B2 U.S. Patent Aug. 17, 2004 Sheet 4 of 12 US 6,776,722 B2 U.S. Patent Aug. 17, 2004 Sheet 5 of 12 US 6,776,722 B2 U.S. Patent Aug. 17, 2004 Sheet 6 of 12 US 6,776,722 B2 U.S. Patent Aug. 17, 2004 Sheet 7 of 12 US 6,776,722 B2 U.S. Patent Aug. 17, 2004 Sheet 8 of 12 US 6,776,722 B2 XXXXX x U.S. Patent Aug. 17, 2004 Sheet 9 of 12 US 6,776,722 B2 U.S. Patent Aug. 17, 2004 Sheet 10 of 12 US 6,776,722 B2 s U.S. Patent Aug. 17, 2004 Sheet 11 of 12 US 6,776,722 B2 8's Sg8 8's Se 8s 88s 8s 888 Fig. ILA 8s 8s 8's & 8 else Fig. IIB1 8s, 8 ". \ . 8s 8's Fig. I ID 8s 8s. 8 5. 8 || 8 U.S. Patent Aug. 17, 2004 Sheet 12 of 12 US 6,776,722 B2 US 6,776,722 B2 1 2 RIDE APPARATUS of balance loads Alternatively, the weight Sensor provides a means to counter a maximum weight overload The amusement ride may further comprise a controller FIELD OF THE INVENTION The controller is preferably located in the passenger Station. This invention relates to ride apparatus and particularly Alternatively, the controller is located at a passenger (but not exclusively) to ride apparatus used in amusement entrance to the ride. parks and the like. The controller may be used to Select a pre-programmed ride. Alternatively, the controller may be used to control the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION amusement ride independently of the pre-programmed ride A variety of amusement rides is known for use in amuse The controller is preferably a joystick Alternatively, the ment parkS. Such rides typically comprise dodgem, log controller may be a steering wheel or a joypad. flume, roller coaster and Vertical drop rides. However, these The controller may further comprise one or more foot rides are commonplace and there is an increasing demand pedals for new, novel rides to maintain interest in Said parkS. 15 The controller may comprise a combination of the afore mentioned joystick and/or Steering wheel and/or joypad SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION and/or foot pedals Accordingly, the present invention provides an amuse The ticket reader can read a ticket, Said ticket preferably ment ride comprising an output member having an anthro being compatible with Said ride The ticket may be a card pomorphic robot arm adapted for Six degrees of movement, made of a plastics material. The ticket preferably has a code Said ride further comprising a passenger Station in moveable defining a pre-programmed ride The code is preferably a bar engagement with Said output member, a platform, and code. Alternatively, the code may be contained in a micro optionally a ticket reader. chip incorporated in the ticket The amusement ride is preferably Supported on the The platform preferably comprises one or more Steps, ground. Alternatively, the amusement ride may be Supported 25 with a raised platform in operative engagement with Said from a wall or from a ceiling. Steps. The platform, in use, may Suitably be adapted for More preferably, the ride may be mounted on a carousel. pivotal movement about a Substantially horizontal axis Alternatively, the ride may be mounted on a column The The platform is preferably raised and lowered about its column may be provided with means to cause vertical axis by means of an actuator. The actuator may be hydrau movement of the ride along a path parallel to the axis of the lically or pneumatically operated. The platform may be column Alternatively, the ride may be mounted on a column raised or lowered about its axis by a combination of hydrau which is in turn mounted on a carousel. lic or pneumatic actuators The passenger Station preferably comprises one or more Alternatively, the platform may be fixed and the amuse Seats. 35 ment ride may be adapted to be lowered to a position which The passenger Station preferably has means for audio allows the ingreSS and egreSS of passengers respectively on Visual interaction. The audio-visual interaction may be to or off from the amusement ride respectively provided by Speakers and a display means. In a further alternative the platform may be retracted into The Visual and audio interaction may, Separately or a Stowage compartment and, in use, Said platform is together, be Synchronized with movements of the ride. 40 extended from the Stowage compartment to engage with the The audio and Visual interaction data is Stored on a data ride in a lowered position carrier. The data carrier may be a Mini Disc (MD), a The platform may be retracted and extended by means of CD-ROM, a magneto-optical device, a Video tape, a hard one or more actuators. The actuators may be hydraulically or drive, a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) or other equivalent pneumatically operated, or a combination of hydraulic and data carrier. The audio and Visual interaction data may be 45 pneumatic operation Stored on a combination of any two or more of the afore The platform preferably further comprises a safety barrier. mentioned data carriers The Safety barrier, in use, may Suitably be adapted for Lighting effects may be used throughout the audio-visual pivotal movement about a Substantially vertical axis interaction. The lighting effects may be Synchronized with Alternatively, the platform and Safety barrier may each be the ride. The lighting effects may comprise, for example, 50 adapted for pivotal movement about a substantially 45 axis Strobe, laser or disco light shows or any combination (relative to the ground). thereof. The safety barrier is preferably operated about its axis by The display means may be a plasma Screen, a liquid means of an actuator. The actuator may be hydraulically or crystal display, an active matrix Organic Light Emitting pneumatically operated. Diode (OLED) display, or a Light Emitting Polymer (LEP) 55 The amusement ride preferably further comprises Safety display means. Preferably the safety means is controlled by a The visual interaction may alternatively be provided by a computer projector and Screen The Seats preferably comprise retaining Preferably the safety means comprises actuators The means to retain a passenger when the ride is operable. actuators may be electro-mechanically, hydraulically or The retaining means may comprise a belt, for example, a 60 pneumatically operated, or a combination of Safety belt or a pull down rigid harneSS or Similar harneSS electromechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic operation. Alternatively, the retaining means may comprise a cage. The Safety means preferably limits a G-force generated by The retaining means is preferably in operative engage the amusement ride ment with a linear actuator.