Amusement ride vehicle with sensory stimulation effects

Abstract

A ride vehicle includes a tactile or physical contact system. The ride vehicle moves along a path or track. The path or track can be outdoors or partially or entirely indoors, i.e., in a dark ride. The system provides a touch effect by causing a physical or solid touch element to make physical contact with a part of a rider's body. Alternatively, the system can operate by projecting or spraying a gas, such as air, a vapor, such as water vapor or steam, or even a liquid, such as water, toward or onto part of a rider's body or the rider's clothing. The system is advantageously substantially self-contained aboard the vehicle, but may receive power or working fluid from off-board sources, either at discrete locations, or continuously along the ride path.

1 . An amusement ride comprising: 
 a vehicle path;    at least one vehicle movable along the vehicle path;    at least one rider position on or in the vehicle; and    a rider sensory stimulation system on the vehicle, including means for delivering a sensory stimulation effect to a rider at the rider position.    
   
   
       2 . The amusement ride of  claim 1 , wherein the means for delivering comprises a rider contacting system on the vehicle having a contacting element movable to contact a rider at the rider position.  
   
   
       3 . The amusement ride of  claim 1  further comprising a power source on the vehicle for actuating the means for delivering.  
   
   
       4 . The amusement ride of  claim 1  wherein the vehicle comprises a chassis, a movement base on the chassis, and a cabin on the movement base, with the rider position in the cabin.  
   
   
       5 . The amusement ride of  claim 1  further comprising a control system linked to the rider sensory stimulation system, for actuating the means for delivery in a timed sequence coordinated with the location of the vehicle along the path, or with a pre-determined time during the ride.  
   
   
       6 . The amusement ride of  claim 1 , wherein the means for delivering is connectable to a source media for the sensory stimulation effect, the source media being located off-board of the vehicle along the vehicle path.  
   
   
       7 . The amusement ride of  claim 1  wherein the rider sensory stimulation system comprises a source of compressed air connectable to a contacting element movable to contact a rider at the rider position.  
   
   
       8 . The amusement ride of  claim 7  wherein the contacting element comprises one or more flexible members positioned on the vehicle to contact a rider's legs.  
   
   
       9 . The amusement ride of  claim 1  wherein the sensory stimulation system includes at least one effect device; and 
 an on-board power source for powering the effect device.    
   
   
       10 . The amusement ride of  claim 9  wherein the effect device comprises one of a smoke or fog device, a fluid stream or spray device, a scent stream or spray device, and an aural effect device.  
   
   
       11 . A sensory stimulation system for an amusement ride vehicle comprising a vehicle body having at least one rider position, the sensory stimulation system comprising: 
 means on the ride vehicle for delivering a sensory stimulation effect to a rider at the rider position.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the means comprises a rider contacting system including a contacting element movable to physically contact a rider at the rider position.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising a power source for moving the contacting element.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a source of compressed air connectable to a contacting element movable to contact a rider at the rider position.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a control system linked to and controlling operation of the rider contacting system.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the means further comprises at least one effect device for delivering one of a visual, aural or olfactory effect to the rider.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the means comprises one of a smoke or fog device, a fluid stream or spray device, a scent stream or spray device, and an aural effect device.  
   
   
       18 . A amusement ride method, comprising: 
 moving a vehicle along a path;    momentarily providing a sensory stimulation to a rider in the vehicle from a sensory stimulation device located on the vehicle at a predetermined time or a predetermined position along the path.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein momentarily providing a sensory stimulation comprises contacting a rider in the vehicle with a contacting element located on the vehicle.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of extending the contacting element from a substantially concealed position on the vehicle, to contact a body part of a rider.