US 11,779,851 B2
Water amusement ride motion governor
Eric Vance, Ocoee, FL (US); Christine Sorrentino, Orlando, FL (US); and Ryan Dale Walton, Orlando, FL (US)
Assigned to Universal City Studios LLC, Universal City, CA (US)
Filed by Universal City Studios LLC, Universal City, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/464,372.
Application 17/464,372 is a division of application No. 16/688,779, filed on Nov. 19, 2019, granted, now 11,130,068.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/769,996, filed on Nov. 20, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0394075 A1, Dec. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. A63G 21/18 (2006.01); A63G 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC A63G 21/18 (2013.01) [A63G 31/007 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A ride system, comprising:
a flume providing a flow path of a water ride and configured to accommodate a buoyant ride vehicle;
at least one support element extending into the flow path and at least partially submerged within the flow path;
a driving mechanism configured to actuate the at least one support element such that the at least one support element moves relative to the flow path in response to a control signal, wherein the at least one support element is configured to contact the buoyant ride vehicle to control movement of the buoyant ride vehicle along the flow path while the at least one support element is being actuated; and
a controller configured to generate the control signal based at least in part on a location of the buoyant ride vehicle in the flow path and a timer controlling activation of a show element, wherein the show element is located along the flow path.