- Number
- 10213701
- Published
- 2019-02-26
- Filed
- 2014-10-22
- Assignee
- DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
- Inventors
- Howard; Derek
- CPC
- A63G7/00; A63G31/00
- Verdict
- High Hardware
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Passenger restraint upright straddle-type seating amusement ride vehicle.
Abstract
A ride vehicle with upright, straddle-type passenger seating that includes a passenger restraint system. This restraint system includes a lap bar assembly and a lap bar pivotal mount element pivotally supporting the lap bar assembly within the vehicle body to pivot about a rotation axis passing through the vehicle body between the seat pan and the front end of the vehicle body. The lap bar assembly may include a lap bar along with side and front leg shields that contain a passenger's legs within the vehicle. The lap bar assembly is rotatable as a unit about the rotation axis, in a forward portion of the vehicle body, from a disengaged position to an engaged position. In the disengaged position, the leg shields are moved forward away from an access to the seat pan, and, in the engaged position, the passenger's legs are blocked from lateral and forward movement.
Background
BACKGROUND(1) 1. Field of the Description(2) The present invention relates, in general, to amusement park rides and passenger restraints in such rides and other implementations, and, more particularly, to a passenger restraint system for an amusement park ride in which the passengers are provided with upright and straddle-type seating (e.g., as if riding a motorcycle or similar vehicle). The restraint system includes a lap bar assembly configured to provide both front (or longitudinal) constraint and side constraint of a ride passenger's legs when the lap bar assembly is placed in (or operated to be in) the down or engaged position.(3) 2. Relevant Background(4) Passenger restraints such as lap bars are used throughout the amusement park industry to safely and securely restrain passengers within a seat of a vehicle. For example, many amusement park rides provide themed rides in which vehicles ride along on one or more tracks, and the passengers are restrained from standing up or leaving the vehicle by a lap bar that is positioned across their laps or provided over their shoulders as an overhead or similar restraint.(5) During loading in some rides, the lap bar is positioned against the passenger by a ride operator that is pressing a foot lever to allow adjustment of the position of the lap bar relative to the passengers. Once in position, the operator releases the foot lever or pedal to lock the lap bar in this ride or down position. When the ride is over, the vehicle may pass
Claims
1. A vehicle for use in an amusement park ride with upright, straddle-type passenger seating, comprising: a vehicle body with a base and a center pedestal portion extending upward from an upper surface of the base; a seat assembly including a seat pan mounted on the center pedestal portion between a front end and a rear end of the vehicle body, wherein a passenger seated on the seat pan straddles the center pedestal portion with a left leg on a left side of the center pedestal portion and a right leg on a right side of the center pedestal portion; and a passenger restraint system comprising a lap bar assembly and a lap bar pivotal mount element pivotally supporting the lap bar assembly within the vehicle body to pivot about a rotation axis passing through the vehicle body between the seat pan and the front end of the vehicle body, wherein the lap bar assembly comprises a lap bar, a left side leg shield coupled to the lap bar pivotal mount element at a first end and to the lap bar at a second end, and a right side leg shield coupled to the lap bar pivotal mount element at a first end and to the lap bar at a second end, and wherein the lap bar, the left side leg shield, and the right side leg shield rotate about the rotation axis as a unitary member.
11. A vehicle for use in an amusement park ride with upright, straddle-type passenger seating, comprising: a vehicle body; a seat assembly including a seat pan mounted on the vehicle body between a front end and a rear end of the vehicle body; and a passenger restraint system comprising a lap bar assembly and a lap bar pivotal mount element pivotally supporting the lap bar assembly within the vehicle body to pivot about a rotation axis passing through the vehicle body, wherein the lap bar assembly comprises: a lap bar, a left side leg shield attached to the lap bar pivotal mount element at a first end and to the lap bar at a second end, a right side leg shield rigidly attached to the lap bar pivotal mount element at a first end and to the lap bar at a second end, a left front leg shield extending outward from the first end of the left side leg shield toward the center pedestal portion, and a right front leg shield extending outward from the first end of the right side leg shield toward the center pedestal portion, wherein the lap bar assembly is pivotable as a unit about the rotation axis from a disengaged position to an engaged position.
17. A vehicle with upright, straddle-type passenger seating, comprising: a vehicle body with a center pedestal; a seat assembly including a seat pan mounted on the center pedestal between a front end and a rear end of the vehicle body; and a passenger restraint system comprising a lap bar assembly and a lap bar pivotal mount element pivotally supporting the lap bar assembly within the vehicle body to pivot about a rotation axis passing through the vehicle body between the seat pan and the front end of the vehicle body, wherein the lap bar pivotal mount element comprises an axle pivotally supported by the center pedestal, wherein the lap bar assembly comprises a lap bar, a left side leg shield coupled to the lap bar pivotal mount element at a first end and to the lap bar at a second end, and a right side leg shield coupled to the lap bar pivotal mount element at a first end and to the lap bar at a second end, wherein the lap bar assembly further comprises a left front leg shield extending outward from the first end of the left side leg shield toward the center pedestal, and wherein the lap bar assembly further comprises a right front leg shield extending outward from the first end of the right side leg shield toward the center pedestal.