Patent Application
20200368085
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of amusement parks. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for transferring passengers into and out of ride vehicles of amusement park ride systems.
Since the early twentieth century, amusement parks (e.g., theme parks) have substantially grown in popularity. Generally, amusement parks include a wide variety of attraction types useful in providing enjoyment to guests (e.g., families and/or people of all ages) of the amusement park. Indeed, the attractions may include a wide variety of ride vehicles configured to provide varying ride experiences. In some instances, wheelchair-using passengers may require extra assistance, time, and effort to board the ride vehicles (e.g., from a mobile chair or other wheelchair), if they are able to board the ride vehicles at all. For some amusement parks, a select few attractions may include ride vehicles specifically designed to accommodate wheelchair-using passengers. For example, the ride vehicles of such attractions may include a ride seat or section configured to secure a wheelchair of a wheelchair-using passenger to the ride vehicle. Accordingly, the ride vehicle may transport the wheelchair-using passenger and their wheelchair along a path (e.g., a track) of the amusement park attraction. Various constraints, such as dynamics of the attraction, may differ widely between attractions, and therefore necessitate a unique design for each attraction in aiding the boarding of wheelchair-using passengers. As such, the design and implementation of such ride vehicles may be costly, which may limit the number of such attractions included in an amusement park.
Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the present disclosure are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, but rather these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief summary of certain disclosed embodiments. Indeed, the present disclosure may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.
In an embodiment, a transfer device configured to support a passenger for transfer from a mobile chair to a ride seat of a ride vehicle includes a frame coupled to a seating portion, where the seating portion is configured to support the passenger. The transfer device includes at least one wheel coupled to the frame. The transfer device also includes a mounting bracket coupled to the frame and configured to reversibly engage with the ride vehicle. In an engaged configuration, the transfer device is coupled to the ride vehicle such that a seating pan of the seating portion is aligned with the ride seat of the ride vehicle. The transfer device, when engaged, is configured to travel with the ride vehicle while the ride vehicle travels along a track.
In an embodiment, a passenger transfer system includes a ride vehicle configured to move along a track of an amusement park attraction and a ride vehicle seating pan configured to support a passenger. The passenger transfer system includes a loading belt positioned adjacent to the track and having a loading surface configured to translate along the track with the ride vehicle. The passenger transfer system also includes a transfer device configured to removably couple to the ride vehicle, where the transfer device is configured to support the passenger as the passenger transfers from a mobile chair positioned on the loading belt to the ride vehicle seating pan of the ride vehicle.
In an embodiment, a transfer device configured to support a passenger as the passenger transfers from a mobile chair to a ride vehicle seating pan of a ride vehicle includes a frame having a lower chassis, where the lower chassis includes a foot and at least one wheel rotatably coupled to the lower chassis. The frame also includes a seating portion coupled to the lower chassis and configured to support the passenger. The transfer device includes a mounting bracket coupled to the frame and configured to engage with the ride vehicle in an engaged configuration and to be removed from the ride vehicle in a disengaged configuration. In the engaged configuration, the transfer device is coupled to the ride vehicle and configured to travel with the ride vehicle. At least a portion of the ride vehicle seating pan is aligned with a seating pan on the transfer device in the engaged configuration.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. These described embodiments are only examples of the presently disclosed techniques. Additionally, in an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.
When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, it should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features.
Provided herein is a transfer device (e.g., a passenger transfer device) configured to aid in the transfer of a wheelchair-using passenger from a wheelchair into a ride vehicle. Accordingly, the wheelchair-using passenger may board a conventional ride seat of the ride vehicle while a wheelchair or other mobile chair of the wheelchair-using passenger is not loaded into the ride vehicle. Particularly, as discussed below, the transfer device may be configured to bridge a gap between the wheelchair of the wheelchair-using passenger and the ride vehicle to which the wheelchair-using passenger is attempting to transfer. The transfer device may be configured to engage with the ride vehicle such that the transfer device is at least partially supported by the ride vehicle. The transfer device may be configured to provide support to the wheelchair-using passenger as the wheelchair-using passenger moves across the transfer device from the wheelchair and into the ride vehicle. To this end, the transfer device may facilitate transfer of the wheelchair-using passenger to and from a ride seat of the ride vehicle. Additionally, the transfer device may enable various amusement park attractions to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Turning now to the drawings,
Accordingly, to board one of the ride vehicles 12, a passenger enters the unloading/loading surface 20 from the stationary platform 22 such that the belt 18 may move the passenger along the exchange area 16 and with the ride vehicle 12. Accordingly, the belt 18 may ensure that a relative speed (e.g., a speed differential) between the passenger positioned on the belt 18 and a particular ride vehicle 12, referred to hereinafter as a ride vehicle 30, traveling along the track 14 in the exchange area 16 is relatively negligible, thereby facilitating boarding of the passenger into the ride vehicle 30. Indeed, the passenger may step into or otherwise enter a cabin of the ride vehicle 30 without manually traveling (e.g., walking) alongside the ride vehicle 30 at the loading speed of the ride vehicle 30. The ride vehicle 30 may subsequently exit the exchange area 16 and travel along the track 14 upon completion of the boarding operation. When returning to the exchange area 16, the passenger may dismount from the ride vehicle 30 in the reverse order discussed above. Specifically, the passenger may dismount from the ride vehicle 30 onto the belt 18 before stepping off of the belt 18 and onto the stationary platform 22.
In some instances, a wheelchair-using passenger may attempt to board into or dismount from one of the moving ride vehicles 12, such as the ride vehicle 30. The wheelchair-using passenger may utilize a transfer device 32 to increase an ease and an efficiency of boarding into or dismounting from the ride vehicles 12. For example, as discussed in detail below, the transfer device 32 is configured to removably couple to any of the ride vehicles 12, such as the ride vehicle 30, thereby enabling an operator (e.g., an employee operating the ride system 10) to engage (e.g., toollessly and/or removably/reversibly couple) the transfer device 32 with the ride vehicle 30 as the ride vehicle 30 enters the exchange area 16 from a remaining portion of the track 14. As such, the ride vehicle 30 may move the transfer device 32 along the exchange area 16 at the loading speed.
To board a wheelchair-using passenger into the ride vehicle 30, the wheelchair-using passenger may be wheeled from the stationary platform 22 onto the loading/unloading surface 20 of the belt 18 (e.g., via a wheelchair 34 or other mobile chair) and positioned adjacent to the transfer device 32 such that the transfer device 32 is positioned between the wheelchair 34 and the ride vehicle 12. The transfer device 32 enables the wheelchair-using passenger to dismount from the wheelchair 34 and to temporarily support themselves on the transfer device 32. Accordingly, the wheelchair-using passenger may subsequently board the ride vehicle 30 from the transfer device 32. Upon completion of the boarding procedure, the transfer device 32 may be decoupled from the ride vehicle 30 (e.g., via assistance from the operator) and the wheelchair 34 of wheelchair-using passenger may be removed from the belt 18, thereby enabling the wheelchair-using passenger to enjoy the ride provided by the ride system 10. The wheelchair-using passenger may utilize the transfer device 32 to dismount from the ride vehicle 30 upon completion of the ride by executing the aforementioned steps in reverse order.
When in the engaged configuration 40, the seating structure 44 is aligned at least in part with a ride vehicle seating pan 51 of the ride vehicle 30. That is, the transfer of the passenger from the seating pan 45 of the transfer device 32 to the ride vehicle seating pan 51 may occur by sliding the passenger across the seating pan 45 and across or down into the ride vehicle seating pan 51. Accordingly, when the transfer device 32 is engaged with the ride vehicle 30, the ride vehicle seating pan 51 may be generally planar with the seating pan 45 of the transfer device 32. In an embodiment, the ride vehicle seating pan 51 may be contoured or nonplanar. However, when the transfer device 32 is engaged with the ride vehicle 30, height differences between the ride vehicle seating pan 51 and the seating pan 45 of the transfer device 32 may be within a predetermined tolerance (e.g., 10 cm or less) in either an up or down (toward the loading surface 22) direction.
The transfer device 32 may include a foot 52 (e.g., a protrusion extending from the lower chassis 42) and one or more wheels 54 that are configured to support a weight of the transfer device 32 and a weight of a wheelchair-using passenger that may be seated on the transfer device 32. For example, in the engaged configuration 40 of the transfer device 32, the foot 52 may be configured to engage with (e.g., rest on) a portion of the ride vehicle 30 chassis 48, such as a barge board 56, while the wheels 54 engage with (e.g., rest on) the loading/unloading surface 20 of the belt 18. Accordingly, the foot 52 and the wheels 54 may cooperate to distribute a weight of the transfer device 32 and/or a weight of the wheelchair-using passenger supported by the transfer device 32 between the chassis 48 of the ride vehicle 30 and the belt 18. The wheels 54 permit minor movement of the transfer device 32 such that any potential speed differential between the loading speed of the ride vehicle 30 (e.g., relative to the stationary platform 22 of the exchange area 16) and the traveling speed of the loading/unloading surface 20 (e.g., relative to the stationary platform 22 of the exchange area 16) does not result in interference between the ride vehicle 30 and the belt 18.
To better illustrate the features of the transfer device 32 disclosed herein,
Although the illustrated embodiment of the transfer device 32 includes the first rail 62 and the second rail 64, it should be understood that, in other embodiments, the first rail 62 or the second rail 64 may be omitted from the roller assembly 60. Indeed, in such embodiments, the axle assemblies 68 may be configured to support the wheels 54 by means of engagement with the first rail 62 or the second rail 64. Moreover, it should be appreciated that the roller assembly 60 may include any suitable quantity of wheels 54 that are configured to support the transfer device 32. For example, the roller assembly 60 may include 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more than five wheels 54.
In certain embodiments, the wheels 54 may be implemented as casters that are configured to pivot (e.g., swivel) relative to the roller assembly 60 to enable the transfer device 32 to translate along various directions. For example, the casters may be configured to pivot about an axis that extends generally orthogonal to a plane formed by respective upper surfaces 70 of the first and second rails 62, 64. In this manner, the casters may enable the transfer device 32 to travel along a contoured path and/or rotate about a stationary point relative to the ground. In further embodiments, the wheels 54 may include tracks or any other suitable rollers or wheels 54 that are configured to facilitate movement of the transfer device 32 across a surface, such as the loading/unloading surface 20.
The transfer device 32 may include one or more support braces 74 that are configured to couple the seating structure 44 to the lower chassis 42. In an embodiment, the support braces 74 and/or the seating structure 44 may be formed from tubing (e.g., round tubing or oval tubing) that may enable a wheelchair-using passenger interacting with the transfer device 32 to comfortably hold the transfer device 32 for support. In other words, the tubing used to construct the support braces 74 and the seating structure 44 may serve as hand rails that enable the wheelchair-using passenger to more easily mount or dismount from the transfer device 32. The lower chassis 42 may be formed from tubing having a quadrilateral cross-section (e.g., square tubing, rectangular tubing) or may be formed from the round or oval tubing used to construct the support rails and/or the seating structure 44. In any case, the tubing used to construct the transfer device 32 may be formed from aluminum, stainless steel, polymers (e.g., plastics), or any other suitable material or combination of materials. The various tubes used to construct the transfer device 32 may be coupled to one another via suitable fasteners, adhesives (e.g., bonding glue), or a metallurgical process (e.g., welding or brazing).
As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the seating structure 44 may include the seating pan 45 that is coupled to the tubing of the seating structure 44 (e.g., via one or more clamps). In an embodiment, the seating pan 45 may include a solid or perforated sheet of material, such as a sheet of aluminum. In certain embodiments, the seating pan 45 may be covered with a cushioning material, such as foam or vinyl, which may enhance a comfort provided by the seating pan 45 when a wheelchair-using passenger is seated on the seating pan 45.
To better illustrate the engagement between the mounting bracket 100 and the receiving bracket 102,
In an embodiment, an axial gap 120 may remain between the mounting bracket 100 and the receiving bracket 102 when the foot 52 is placed atop the barge board 56 in the engaged configuration 40 of the transfer device 32. In this manner, the mounting bracket 100 may not be exposed to a force associated with a weight of the transfer device 32 and/or a weight of a wheelchair-using passenger seated on the transfer device 32. Indeed, the axial gap 120 may ensure that the mounting bracket 100 and/or the receiving bracket 102 is not bent or otherwise deformed due to excessive loading placed on either of these brackets 100, 102. Indeed, the foot 52 and the wheels 54 of the transfer device 32 may cooperate to support substantially all of the weight of the transfer device 32 and/or the weight of the wheelchair-using passenger positioned on the transfer device 32. As such, the mounting bracket 100 and the receiving bracket 102 may be sufficiently sized, in particular, to block translational movement (e.g., along a plane defined by the belt 18) of the transfer device 32 relative the ride vehicle 30, instead of to support a weight of the transfer device 32 and/or a weight of the wheelchair-using passenger supported by the transfer device 32. It should be appreciated that, in an embodiment, the apertures 114 of the receiving bracket 102 may be formed (e.g., drilled) within a portion of the chassis 48 of the ride vehicle 30, instead of the receiving bracket 102, such that the receiving bracket 102 may be omitted from the ride vehicle 30. Moreover, in other embodiments, the mounting bracket 100 may be configured to rest on the receiving bracket 102, such that substantially no axial gap extends between the mounting bracket 100 and the receiving bracket 102.
In an embodiment, the first and second pins 110, 112 may include generally cylindrical pegs that each have a diameter that is less than a diameter of the corresponding apertures 114 formed within the receiving bracket 102. Accordingly, an operator of the ride system 10 may more easily align the first and second pins 110, 112 with the apertures 114 when engaging the transfer device 32 with the ride vehicle 30. In other embodiments, the first and second pins 110, 112 may include a generally conical shape that facilitates alignment of the first and second pins 110, 112 with their respective apertures 114 in the receiving bracket 102. In certain embodiments, the first pin 110 and the aperture 114 (e.g., in the receiving bracket 102) associated with the first pin 110 may include a cross-sectional shape that is different from a cross-sectional shape of the second pin 112 and the aperture 114 (e.g., in the receiving bracket 102) associated with the second pin 112. Accordingly, the first pin 110 may be unable to extend into the second aperture 114 of the receiving bracket 102 and the second pin 112 may be unable to extend into the first aperture 114 of the receiving bracket 102. In this manner, the first and second pins 110, 112 may block the mounting bracket 100 from engaging with the receiving bracket 102 in a misaligned manner.
In certain embodiments, the first and second pins 110, 112 and the receiving bracket 102 may be formed from the same material type. Suitable bushings (e.g., replaceable bushing) may be placed within the apertures 114 and configured to receive the first and second pins 110, 112. Accordingly, such bushings may reduce or substantially eliminate wear (e.g., abrasion) that may occur between the first and second pins 110, 112 and the apertures 114 after multitudinous use cycles of the transfer device 32. In further embodiments, the first and second pins 110, 112 may be formed form a material that is softer (e.g., more malleable) than a material from which the receiving bracket 102 is formed. Accordingly, the first and second pins 110, 112 may incur wear over time instead of the corresponding apertures 114 formed in the receiving bracket 102, and may be replaced upon incurring such wear. That is, the first and second pins 110, 112 may be removable coupled to the mounting bracket 100 to enable removable and replacement of the first and second pins 110, 112.
In an embodiment, a spacer 122 may be coupled to a lower surface of the foot 52 and configured to contact the barge board 56 when the transfer device 32 is in the engaged configuration 40 with the ride vehicle 30. The spacer 122 may be formed from, for example, rubber, cork, polymeric materials, or other suitable materials that may be configured to mitigate or substantially reduce wear (e.g., scratching) of the barge board 56 due to repeated engagement with the foot 52. A thickness of the spacer 122 may be selected to ensure that the axial gap 120 between the mounting bracket 100 and the receiving bracket 102 has a desired width. Indeed, in the illustrated configuration of the transfer device 32, increasing a thickness of the spacer 122 may increase a width of the axial gap 120, while decreasing a thickness of the spacer 122 may decrease a width of the axial gap 120. However, in other embodiments, a width of the axial gap 120 may be adjusted by adjusting a position of the mounting bracket 100 along the support braces 74 of the frame 46.
In certain embodiments, the thickness of the spacer 122 may be adjusted to orient the transfer device 32 at a particular angle relative to, for example, the barge board 56 of the ride vehicle 30. For example, an elongated gap 126, as shown in
In certain embodiments, a position of the foot 52 itself may be adjustable relative to the lower chassis 42. For example, the foot 52 may be coupled to the first and second chassis rails 80, 82 via adjustable couplers (e.g. threaded shafts), which may be used to adjust the position of the foot 52 relative to the lower chassis 42 (e.g., to move a position of the foot 52 closer to or further away from the lower chassis 42).
It should be appreciated that, in an embodiment, the foot 52 and/or the mounting bracket 100 may be exchangeable with various feet and/or mounting brackets that are configured (e.g., designed, shaped) to effectively interface with a variety of unique ride vehicles 12. Accordingly, by reconfiguring the transfer device 32 based on the ride vehicle 12 with which the transfer device 32 is to be employed, an individual transfer device 32 may be utilized to facilitate loading and unloading of wheelchair-using passengers from a variety of different ride vehicles 12.
As set forth above, embodiments of the present disclosure may provide one or more technical effects useful for transferring wheelchair-using passengers to and from a ride seat of a ride vehicle from a respective wheelchair or other mobile chair of the wheelchair-using passengers. In particular, the transfer device disclosed herein may facilitate transferring of wheelchair-using passengers to and from non-stationary ride vehicles traveling along a loading/unloading area of an amusement park ride. The transfer device of the disclosed embodiments may be used in conjunction with ride vehicles with conventional seats, thereby permitting wheelchair-using passengers to enjoy rides with their companions and without requiring specially-adapted ride seats. The transfer device as disclosed may be used in conjunction with a variety of ride vehicle types. The technical effects and technical problems in the specification are examples and are not limiting. It should be noted that the embodiments described in the specification may have other technical effects and can solve other technical problems.
While only certain features and embodiments have been illustrated and described, many modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in the art (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters (e.g., temperatures, pressures, etc.), mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the disclosed subject matter. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention. Furthermore, in an effort to provide a concise description of the exemplary embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not have been described. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation specific decisions may be made. Such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure, without undue experimentation.
The techniques presented and claimed herein are referenced and applied to material objects and concrete examples of a practical nature that demonstrably improve the present technical field and, as such, are not abstract, intangible or purely theoretical. Further, if any claims appended to the end of this specification contain one or more elements designated as “means for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ” or “step for [perform]ing [a function] . . . ”, it is intended that such elements are to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claims containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements are not to be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/852,022, entitled “RIDE VEHICLE PASSENGER TRANSFER SYSTEMS AND METHODS,” filed May 23, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62852022 | May 2019 | US |
