Apparatus and method for locking and unlocking a pointing device mounted on a car of an amusement park ride

Abstract

A pointer for mounting on an amusement park ride, the pointer having a grip adapted to be held by at least one hand of a user, a grip detection device integrated into the grip for detecting when the grip is held by the user, and a pivot unit pivotably coupling the grip to the amusement park ride, the pivot unit operable between an uninhibited state, in which the pivot unit permits the grip to freely pivot in at least a first direction and a second direction, and an inhibited state, in which the pivot unit inhibits the grip from pivoting in at least the second direction, wherein the pivot unit may transition to the uninhibited state when the grip detection device detects the grip is held by the user and the pivot unit may return to the inhibited state when the grip detection device detects the grip is released.

1 . A pointer for mounting on an amusement park ride, the pointer comprising:
 a grip adapted to be held by at least one hand of a user;   a grip detection device integrated into the grip, the grip detection device for detecting when the grip is held by the user; and   a pivot unit pivotably coupling the grip to at least one portion of the amusement park ride, the pivot unit operable between an uninhibited state, in which the pivot unit permits the grip to freely pivot in at least a first direction and a second direction, and an inhibited state, in which the pivot unit inhibits the grip from pivoting in at least the second direction;   wherein the pivot unit transitions to the uninhibited state when the grip detection device detects the grip is held by the user; and   wherein the pivot unit returns to the inhibited state when the grip detection device detects the grip is released.   
     
     
         2 . The pointer of  claim 1 , wherein the first direction is away from the user and the second direction is toward the user. 
     
     
         3 . The pointer of  claim 1 , wherein the grip comprises at least one first engagement member coupled to the grip proximate the pivot unit, and the pivot unit comprises at least one second engagement member movably coupled to the pivot unit, the at least one second engagement member for engaging the at least one first engagement member;
 wherein when the at least one second engagement member is engaged with the at least one first engagement member, the pivot unit is in the inhibited state; and   wherein when the at least one second engagement member is disengaged from the at least one first engagement member, the pivot unit is in the uninhibited state.   
     
     
         4 . The pointer of  claim 3 , wherein the grip further comprises an arm extending from a first end to a second end, the first end extending from the grip, the second end being pivotably coupled to the at least one portion of the amusement park ride via the pivot unit;
 wherein the second end of the arm comprises the at least one first engagement member.   
     
     
         5 . The pointer of  claim 3 , wherein the pivot unit further comprises at least one biasing means coupled to the at least one second engagement member, the biasing means biasing the at least one second engagement member toward the at least one first engagement member. 
     
     
         6 . The pointer of  claim 5 , wherein the pivot unit further comprises at least one linear drive device coupled to the at least one second engagement member, the at least one linear drive device being operable to move the at least one second engagement member to disengage from the at least one first engagement member. 
     
     
         7 . The pointer of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one first engagement member comprises at least two first engagement members, and the at least one second engagement member comprises at least two second engagement members. 
     
     
         8 . The pointer of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one biasing means comprises at least two biasing means, and the at least one linear drive device comprises at least two linear drive devices. 
     
     
         9 . The pointer of  claim 3 , wherein each first engagement member comprises a ratchet and each second engagement member comprises a pawl. 
     
     
         10 . The pointer of  claim 5 , wherein each biasing means comprises a spring. 
     
     
         11 . The pointer of  claim 6 , wherein each linear drive device comprises a solenoid. 
     
     
         12 . The pointer of  claim 6 , further comprising a processor in communication with the grip detection device and the pivot unit configured to:
 operate the pivot unit to transition to the uninhibited state when the grip detection device detects the grip is held by the user; and   operate the pivot unit to return to the inhibited state when the grip detection device detects the grip is released.   
     
     
         13 . The pointer of  claim 12 , wherein operating the pivot unit to transition to the uninhibited state comprises activating the at least one linear drive device to move the at least one second engagement member to disengage from the at least one first engagement member; and
 wherein operating the pivot unit to return to the inhibited state comprises deactivating the at least one linear drive device such that the at least one biasing means returns the at least one second engagement member into engagement with the at least one first engagement member.   
     
     
         14 . The pointer of  claim 1 , wherein the grip detection device comprises a depressible member, and the grip detection device detects the grip is held by the user when the depressible member is depressed by the hand of the user. 
     
     
         15 . The pointer of  claim 14 , wherein the depressible member is a button. 
     
     
         16 . The pointer of  claim 14 , wherein the depressible member is a switch. 
     
     
         17 . The pointer of  claim 1 , wherein the grip detection device comprises a touch sensor, and the grip detection device detects the grip is held by the user when the hand of the user contacts the touch sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The pointer of  claim 2 , wherein the grip is pivotable between a lower position in the first direction and an upper position in the second direction. 
     
     
         19 . The pointer of  claim 18 , wherein when the at least one second engagement member is engaged with the at least one first engagement member and the grip is in the lower position, the pointer is inhibited from moving. 
     
     
         20 . The pointer of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one portion of the amusement park ride comprises a safety bar, and the grip is pivotably coupled to the safety bar via the pivot restriction unit such that the grip is positioned in front of the user when seated on the amusement park ride. 
     
     
         21 . The pointer of  claim 18 , wherein the upper position is 30 degrees rotationally in the second direction from a longitudinal axis of the pivot unit. 
     
     
         22 . The pointer of  claim 21 , wherein the lower position is 30 degrees rotationally in the first direction from the longitudinal axis of the pivot unit. 
     
     
         23 . The pointer of  claim 18 , wherein the grip further comprises a ball joint pivotably coupling the grip to the pivot unit, the ball joint permitting the grip to pivot in at least a third direction and a fourth direction, the ball joint further permitting the grip to rotate about the ball joint in a clockwise direction and a counter-clockwise direction. 
     
     
         24 . The pointer of  claim 23 , wherein the pivot unit further comprises a lateral stop coupled to the pivot unit proximate the ball joint, the lateral stop having a recessed portion shaped to receive the grip when the grip is in the lower position;
 wherein when the grip is received in the recessed portion, the grip is inhibited from pivoting in the third direction and the fourth direction.   
     
     
         25 . The pointer of  claim 24 , wherein the recessed portion of the lateral stop is further shaped to guide the grip to be centered in front of the user when moving to the lower position. 
     
     
         26 . The pointer of  claim 23 , wherein the grip further comprises a rotational stop coupled to the grip proximate the ball joint and the pivot unit further comprises a stop member proximate the ball joint, the rotational stop being shaped to engage the stop member when the grip is in the lower position;
 wherein when the rotational stop is engaged with the stop member, the grip is inhibited from rotating about the ball joint in the clockwise direction and the counter-clockwise direction.   
     
     
         27 . The pointer of  claim 23 , further comprising a jaw coupled to the at least one first engagement member, the jaw surrounding the ball joint such that the jaw moves with the grip when pivoting in the first direction and the second direction. 
     
     
         28 . The pointer of  claim 27 , wherein the jaw further comprises a lateral slot and the grip extends through the lateral slot, the lateral slot defining a boundary within which the grip is pivotable in the third direction and the fourth direction. 
     
     
         29 . The pointer of  claim 28 , wherein the boundary of the lateral slot permits the grip to pivot up to 30 degrees in the third direction and up to 30 degrees in the fourth direction, the third direction being leftward from the longitudinal axis of the pivot unit, the fourth direction being rightward from the longitudinal axis of the pivot unit. 
     
     
         30 . The pointer of  claim 27 , wherein the lateral slot defines a rotational boundary within which the grip is rotatable about the ball joint. 
     
     
         31 . The pointer of  claim 30 , wherein the rotational boundary permits the grip to rotate up to 12 degrees in a clockwise direction and up to 12 degrees in a counter-clockwise direction about the ball joint. 
     
     
         32 . The pointer of  claim 18 , wherein the grip is balanced such that the grip falls in the first direction to the lower position when released by the user. 
     
     
         33 . A pointer for mounting on an amusement park ride, the pointer comprising:
 a grip adapted to be held by at least one hand of a user, the grip being adapted to be coupled to at least a portion of the amusement park ride;   a grip detection device integrated into the grip, the grip detection device for detecting when the grip is held by the user; and   a pivot unit located between the grip and the at least one portion of the amusement park ride, the pivot unit permitting the user to freely pivot the grip about at least one axis when the grip detection device detects the grip is held by the user;   wherein the pivot unit is further adapted to bias the grip away from the user and to prevent pivoting of the grip when the grip detection device is released.