Linear motor driven amusement ride and method
A waterslide amusement ride having in a portion thereof, a linear induction motor to efficiently and effectively affect the motion of a vehicle sliding on the ride. The linear induction motor comprises linear induction motor units embedded below a sliding surface, and a reaction plate mounted to the bottom of the vehicle. Depending on the configuration of the linear induction motor units and the reaction plate, the linear induction motor drive can be used to accelerate the vehicle, decelerate the vehicle, maintain the speed of the vehicle up an uphill section, or rotate the vehicle.
1. An amusement ride feature comprising:
a waterslide sliding surface;
a vehicle configured to slide on the waterslide sliding surface and to convey at least one rider thereon; and
a linear motor associated with the vehicle and configured to propel the vehicle as the vehicle slides on the waterslide sliding surface;
wherein the linear motor comprises at least one reaction plate mounted to the vehicle.
2. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 wherein the linear motor is a linear induction motor.
3. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 wherein the linear motor is a linear synchronous motor.
4. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 wherein the ride feature is flume-style, the waterslide sliding surface is a bottom surface of a water flume, and said vehicle is adapted to convey said at least one rider along said water flume.
5. The amusement ride feature of claim 4 wherein the linear motor is a linear induction motor.
6. The amusement ride feature of claim 4 wherein the linear motor is a linear synchronous motor.
7. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is configured to convey two riders.
8. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is configured to convey four riders.
9. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is configured to convey six riders.
10. The amusement ride feature of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is configured to convey eight riders.
11. An amusement ride which includes a feature comprising:
a waterslide sliding surface:
a vehicle configured to slide on the waterslide sliding surface and to convey at least one rider thereon; and
a linear motor associated with the vehicle and configured to propel the vehicle as the vehicle slides on the waterslide sliding surface;
wherein the linear motor comprises at least one reaction plate mounted to the vehicle.
12. The amusement ride feature of claim 11 wherein the linear motor is a linear induction motor.
13. The amusement ride of claim 12 wherein the feature is flume-style, the waterslide sliding surface is a bottom surface of a water flume, and said vehicle is adapted to convey said at least one rider along said water flume.
14. The amusement ride feature of claim 11 wherein the linear motor is a linear synchronous motor.
15. A method of controlling the sliding motion of a vehicle sliding on a waterslide sliding surface in an amusement ride, comprising operating a linear motor associated with the vehicle to propel the vehicle as the vehicle slides on the waterslide sliding surface;
wherein the linear motor comprises at least one reaction plate mounted to the vehicle.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the linear motor is a linear induction motor.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the linear motor is a linear synchronous motor.
18. A method of controlling the sliding motion of a vehicle sliding on a waterslide sliding surface in an amusement ride, comprising:
providing the waterslide sliding surface;
placing the vehicle on the waterslide sliding surface; and
operating a linear motor associated with the vehicle and the waterslide sliding surface to propel the vehicle as the vehicle slides on the waterslide sliding surface;
wherein the linear motor comprises at least one reaction plate mounted to the vehicle.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the linear motor is a linear induction motor.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the linear motor comprises a plurality of linear induction motor units located beneath the waterslide sliding surface, and the at least one reaction plate is mounted near a bottom of said vehicle and substantially parallel thereto, said at least one reaction plate covered by a vehicle bottom surface which slides on the waterslide sliding surface, and said operating of said linear motor comprises energizing the linear induction motor units to create a magnetic field which imparts a lateral force on the reaction plate.
21. The method of claim 18 wherein the linear motor is a linear synchronous motor.
22. An amusement ride waterslide sliding surface for bearing a vehicle in sliding relationship thereto, said vehicle conveying at least one rider and having affixed thereto at least one reaction component, said waterslide sliding surface having located therebeneath, a plurality of linear induction motor units for interacting with the at least one reaction component affixed to the vehicle to propel the vehicle as the vehicle slides on the waterslide sliding surface.
23. The amusement ride sliding surface of claim 22 wherein the waterslide sliding surface is a bottom surface of a waterslide flume.
24. An amusement ride vehicle configured to slide on an amusement ride waterslide sliding surface and to convey at least one rider thereon, said vehicle having affixed thereto at least one reaction plate for interacting with linear induction motor units associated with the waterslide sliding surface to propel the vehicle as the vehicle slides on the waterslide sliding surface.
25. The amusement ride vehicle of claim 24 wherein said at least one reaction plate is mounted near a bottom of said vehicle and substantially parallel thereto.
26. The amusement ride vehicle of claim 25 wherein said at least one reaction plate is covered by a vehicle bottom surface which slides on the waterslide sliding surface.
27. The amusement ride vehicle of claim 26 wherein the ride vehicle is a waterslide vehicle, and the waterslide sliding surface is a bottom surface of a flume.