Ride system: motion base on a turntable/segmented turntable

Number: 10427059
Published: 2019-10-01
Filed: 2018-09-28
Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Inventors: Goddard; Steven L., Larena; John
CPC: A63G31/02; A47C1/12; A63G1/10; A63G31/16; A63G1/30
Verdict: High Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Ride system motion base turntable/segmented turntable.

Abstract

Embodiment of turntables, which can include rotating indexed turntables are described herein. The rotating indexed turntable can include: a looped track having an inner rail and an outer rail; a plurality of adjacent turntable wagons linked together in a closed chain and movingly coupled to the looped track, wherein each of the turntable wagons are independently propelled along the looped track, each of the plurality of turntable wagons including: an inner portion having a first length; an outer portion having a second length, which second length is greater than the first length; a plurality of outer motion features movingly coupled to the outer rail of the looped track; and at least one inner motion feature movingly coupled to the inner rail of the looped track.

Background

BACKGROUND(1) The present disclosure relates generally to creation of a simulated experience. A simulation is the imitation of a real-world process or event over time, or the imitation of an imaginary process or event over time. Simulations can include, for example, a simulation of operation of a vehicle such as a car, an airplane, a boat, or a spaceship.(2) While the simulation theaters can provide a high quality user experience, simulation theaters present problems. Specifically, simulation theaters are not easily adapted to passenger throughput and specifically to high passenger throughput. These problems are becoming more common as simulation theaters are increasingly used in different environments. Accordingly, systems and devices for creating a simulation experience are desired.BRIEF SUMMARY(3) Embodiments disclosed herein can provide systems and/or devices including simulation theaters. These systems and/or devices can include a plurality of wagons linked in a closed change that can transit around a closed track. Each of the wagons can include a plurality of wheels, at least two of which can be driven. In some embodiments, each wagons can have three wheels and/or at least three wheels to create a statically determinate wagon. In such embodiments, and because the wagon is statically determinate, the load on each of the at least three wheels can be determined and the design of the wagon can be optimized to allow handling of these determined loadings.(4) The systems and/o

Claims

1. An rotating indexed turntable comprising: a looped track comprising an inner rail and an outer rail; a plurality of adjacent turntable wagons linked together in a closed chain and movingly coupled to the looped track, wherein each of the turntable wagons are independently propelled along the looped track, each of the plurality of turntable wagons comprising: an inner portion having a first length; an outer portion having a second length, wherein the second length is greater than the first length; a plurality of outer motion features movingly coupled to the outer rail of the looped track; and at least one inner motion feature movingly coupled to the inner rail of the looped track. 2. The rotating indexed turntable of claim 1, wherein the looped track comprises a circular track. 3. The rotating indexed turntable of claim 2, wherein the plurality of outer motion features comprise a plurality of outer wheels. 4. The rotating indexed turntable of claim 2, wherein the plurality of outer motion features comprises a pair of outer wheels, and wherein the inner motion feature comprises a single wheel. 5. The rotating indexed turntable of claim 3, the plurality of turntable wagons further comprising a plurality of motors connected to the plurality of outer wheels. 6. The rotating indexed turntable of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of outer wheels is independently driven. 7. The rotating indexed turntable of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of turntable wagons is connected to each of two other turntable wagons via a towbar. 8. The rotating indexed turntable of claim 7, wherein the towbar has a constant length. 9. The rotating indexed turntable of claim 1, further comprising: at least one simulation theater; a screen; and a projector, wherein each of the simulation theater, the screen, and the projector are coupled to at least one of the plurality of turntable wagons. 10. The rotating indexed turntable of claim 9, wherein the at least one simulation theater is coupled to the at least one of the plurality of turntable wagons via a motion base. 11. The rotating indexed turntable of claim 10, wherein the motion base comprises a Stewart platform having eight actuators.