Patent · US Expired

Amusement ride

US5853331A · kind A · utility

19Cited by
13References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 6, 1998
Grant dateDec 29, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 6, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA63G21/20
  • WIPO fieldFurniture, games
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

An amusement ride comprises a wheeled, multiple-seat cart or vehicle that is adapted to descend an inclined track having an upwardly curved launching portion, in a manner to launch the vehicle temporarily airborne in a trajectory similar to that of a ski jumper. The descent angle and upwardly curved launching portion of the track are very similar to a ski jump track. The vehicle is rollingly tethered to a pair of guy wires positioned on either side of the track and at a level relative to the track launch area to permit the vehicle to be launched temporarily airborne and fall freely without interference or restriction by the tethers. As gravity causes the vehicle to free fall, the tethers become taut with the guy wires, catch the vehicle in free-fall, and glide the vehicle along a pre-determined descent down the guy wires toward twin laterally spaced poles or towers at the end of the ride, each pole or tower connected to a respective guy wire. The bottom towers are laterally spaced upon either side of the line of descent and trajectory of the wheeled vehicle a distance that is considerably greater than the width of the launching tower. As the rolling tethers approach the laterally s…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.