Space ride simulator

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an amusement ride that simulates the various aspects of extraterrestrial travel including space travel, weightlessness, and the effects of reduced gravitational influence experienced while walking on an extraterrestrial body that is smaller than the earth and thus has less gravitational effect on the user relative to the gravitational effect of the earth.

2. Background of the Prior Art

It has been famously stated that space is the final frontier for humans. Since the beginning of recorded history, man has had a love affair with space. Man has written about space, man has studied space, and man has had a desire to travel into space in order to touch the stars. Relatively recently in man's history, we have had the ability to travel into space and return. We have landed people on the moon and we have sent a vehicle into space, had the vehicle return, and reused the vehicle for travel back into space over and over again. We have begun construction on a space station that will allow people from all over the earth to live and study in space. And very recently, we have had a man-made object launched from the earth, launched a long time back, leave the solar system.

However, with all of the mind-boggling developments that have taken place regarding space in less than half a century, actual space travel remains beyond the grasp of all but the very select few. Although more people than ever are traveling into space, the total numbers are still very tiny and leave millions wanting to travel.

Recently space tourists have been allowed to travel into on board Russian space vehicles, however, the multi-million dollar ticket paid by such tourists, reflecting the cost of space travel, is beyond the means of the vast majority of space enthusiasts yearning for the feeling of weightlessness. Additionally, such space tourists have had to undergo prolonged and demanding training prior to space launch.

In order to allow humans to experience the weightlessness experienced by space travelers without actually leaving the earth's atmosphere, a DC-10 is taken high up in the atmosphere and travels in a parabolic curve at a high rate of speed giving the passengers the feeling of zero gravity. The maneuver, performed on what is affectionately called the “Vomit Comet,” is used by would-be astronauts during training for upcoming space travel, and has also been used by actors preparing for a space travel-based film. While a ride on the Vomit Comet will give a person a true feel of weightlessness, very few people have the financial ability to commandeer a DC-10 or similar jet to perform high speed high altitude maneuvers.

Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a device that allows a person of ordinary means to experience the thrills and excitement of space travel without the necessity of actually traveling through space, which is an extremely high cost undertaking. Such a device should allow a person to experience the sights and sounds of space travel, the weightlessness of space travel, and the effects of reduced gravitational pull experienced when walking on a celestial body that is smaller than the earth. Such a device must be extremely cost effective so that is can be enjoyed by the masses and must be very safe, reliable, and must not require extended training by the participants for proper use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The space ride simulator of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs. Specifically, the space ride simulator allows the average person to experience the thrills and excitement of space travel without the prohibitively high cost of actually traveling through space. The space ride simulator allows the user to experience the sights and sounds and movements of space travel, the weightlessness of space travel, and the effects of reduced gravitational pull experienced when walking on a celestial body that is smaller than the earth, such as the moon. The space ride simulator is extremely cost effective, when compared to actual space flight or even a ride on the Vomit Comet, so that is can be enjoyed by the masses and the simulator is very safe, very reliable, and does not require extended training by the participants for proper enjoyment.

The space ride simulator of the present invention is comprised of a virtual three dimensional simulator wherein a user on board the simulator experiences various extraterrestrial travel sights and sounds and movements. A weightlessness room is connected to the simulator wherein a first magnet of a given polarity is embedded within a first floor of the weightlessness room and a user of the weightlessness room dons a vest having a second magnet attached there, the second magnet being of the same polarity as the polarity of the first magnet such that the strength of the first magnet is sufficient to repel the user donning the vest from coming in contact with the first floor due to the magnetic repulsion of the first magnet and the second magnet. The simulator may be roller coaster based or may be a fixed 3-D simulator of appropriate design. The weightlessness room has various extraterrestrial sights and sounds contained therein and may have a maze, either horizontal in orientation, vertical in orientation, or some combination thereof. The weightlessness room may be padded or the user may be tethered to a ceiling of the weightlessness room while within the weightlessness room, or both. A weight reduced room is entered wherein a third magnet is embedded within a second floor of the weight reduced room, the third magnet being of the same polarity as the polarity of the first magnet and the second magnet, such that the strength of the third magnet is sufficient to reduce the gravitation interaction of the user donning the vest with respect to the second floor (the third magnet repels the user donning the second magnet-laden vest to a sufficient degree so that user contacts the floor of the weight reduced room with less frequency than can be experienced by a user subject to the standard gravitational pull of the earth). The weightlessness room, the weight reduced room, and the simulator are all interconnected such that a bridge connects the weight reduced room with the simulator. The weight reduced room has various extraterrestrial body sights and sounds contained therein. The weight reduced room may also be padded or the user may be tethered to a ceiling of the weight reduced room while within the weight reduced room or both.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is an environmental view of the space ride simulator of the present invention.

FIG. 2

is a perspective view, partially sectioned along line

2

—

2

in

FIG. 1

, detailing the weightlessness module of the space ride simulator of the present invention.

FIG. 3

is a perspective view, partially sectioned along line

3

—

3

in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, detailing the reduced gravitational effect module of the space ride simulator of the present invention.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, it is seen that the space ride simulator of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral

10

, is comprised of three distinct modules, the virtual three dimensional simulator

12

, wherein a user experiences the various sights and sounds and movements of general space travel, the weightlessness room

14

, wherein the user experiences the weightlessness of space travel, and the weight reduced room

16

wherein the user experiences the reduced gravitational pull experienced by a user on a celestial body that is smaller than the earth, such as the moon.

The simulator

12

can be one of two standard configurations, including the illustrated roller coaster based configuration wherein the simulator is a roller coaster ride and the user on board the simulator is subject to various space travel sights and sounds, such as passing meteors and planets, increased speed through worm holes, etc. Advantageously, such a configuration is undertaken in relative darkness for added effect and realism. Alternately, the simulator can be a 3-D simulator of standard design wherein a user boards the simulator

12

and the user is presented with a visual display and hydraulic controls move the simulator in lockstep with the display in order to give the user a sensation of space travel. In either configuration, the specific sights and sounds presented to the user are design specific and are left to the creativity and imagination of the ride's designers.

The weightlessness room

14

, which has a variety of space related sights and sounds, and which may have a maze that is horizontally disposed, vertically disposed, or some combination thereof, has a first magnet

18

of a given polarity embedded within its floor

20

. A user U of the weightlessness room

14

dons a vest

22

having a second magnet

24

attached thereto such that the second magnet

24

is of the same polarity as the polarity of the first magnet

18

. The strength of the first magnet

18

is sufficient to repel the user U donning the vest

22

(having a second magnet of the same polarity as the first magnet

18

) from coming in contact with the floor

20

of the weightlessness room

14

. Advantageously, the first magnet

18

is an electromagnet while the second magnet

24

, located on the vest worn by the user U, can be a permanent magnet, including a rare earth permanent magnet or may also be an electromagnet.

In either configuration, the magnetic force of the second magnet

24

is sized so as to allow a user of a given weight to be able to don the vest

22

and enter the weightlessness room

14

such that the magnetic force of the first magnet

18

is sufficient to repel the user U wearing the vest

22

. If the second magnet is a permanent magnet, the vest

22

is chosen based on the weight of the user U so as to have a second magnet

24

of sufficient strength in order to accomplish the desired goal. If the second magnet

24

is an electromagnet, a control switch (not illustrated) on the vest

22

can be provided to select the desired strength of the second magnet

24

based on the user's weight in order to achieve the desired goal.

For protection of the user, the weightlessness room

14

and the various fixtures located therein may be padded or the user U may be tethered to the ceiling

26

such that if a power failure occurs in the first magnet

18

or if the second magnet

24

is an electromagnet and it fails, the potential for injury to the user U as the user falls to the floor

20

is minimized.

In similar fashion, the weight reduced room

16

has a third magnet

28

of the same polarity as the polarity of the first magnet

18

and the second magnet

24

that is embedded within its floor

30

, the magnetic strength of the third magnet

28

being less than the magnetic strength of the first magnet

18

. The user U of the weight reduced room

16

maintains the donned vest

22

while entering the weight reduced room

16

and as the strength of the third magnet

28

is sufficient to partially repel the user U donning the vest

22

from coming in contact with the floor

30

of the weight reduced room

16

, the user U experiences the effects of walking on a celestial body that is smaller than the earth. Advantageously, the third magnet

28

is an electromagnet. The weight reduced room

16

has a variety of celestial body related sights and sounds therein for enhanced effect upon the user U experiencing the room

16

.

Also for protection of the user, the weight reduced room

16

and the various fixtures located therein, may be padded or the user U may be tethered to the ceiling

32

such that if a power failure occurs in the third magnet

28

, or if the second magnet

24

is an electromagnet and it fails, the potential for injury to the user U is minimized.

The space ride simulator

10

may be configured in any desired fashion, such as illustrated wherein the simulator

12

exits at the entrance of the weightlessness room

14

and the weightlessness room

14

exits at the entrance of the weight reduced room

16

so that a user U rides the simulator

12

, exits the simulator

12

, enters the weightlessness room

14

and rides within the weightlessness room

14

, and thereafter exits the weightlessness room

14

and enters the weight reduced room

16

, rides the weight reduced room

16

, and thereafter exits the weight reduced room

16

, either exiting the ride

10

altogether, or taking a bridge

34

back to the simulator

12

for additional riding on the simulator, if a roller coaster based simulator is used, for the “flight” back home. Any combination and configuration of the three modules

12

,

14

, and

16

, is possible, the above being provided as a mere example of a typical space flight wherein a user U travels through space (simulator

12

), experiences weightlessness (weightlessness room

14

) and walks on a celestial body (weight reduced room

16

) wherein the gravitational effects of the celestial body are less than the gravitational effects experienced on the earth.

In order to use the space ride simulator

10

of the present invention, the user rides the simulator

12

and thereafter exist the simulator

12

and is given a vest

22

of the appropriate size relative to the user's weight. The user U dons the vest

22

(the user U may be given the vest

22

and may also don the vest

22

prior to entering the simulator

12

portion of the ride) and enters either the weightlessness room

14

or the weight reduced room

16

, depending on the particular configuration of the ride and the user U continues through the ride

10

in appropriate fashion entering other modules as appropriate. In any configuration, each module will have an appropriate exit in order to allow a rider U to exit the ride

10

if desired.

The exterior facade of the space rider simulator

10

may also have a space travel appropriate configuration.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.