CN-122028964-A - System and method for resetting a show effects system

Abstract

A show effect system (58) may include one or more cables (90), a front panel (84) coupled to one or more coupling joints (86), the one or more coupling joints (86) configured to receive the one or more cables (90) and provide a signal indicative of a connection between a first cable (90A) of the one or more cables (90) and a first coupling joint (86A) of the one or more coupling joints (86), and a slidable plate (186) coupled to the one or more pins (192) and an actuator (194), wherein the actuator (194) is configured to drive the slidable plate (186) to bring a first pin (192A) of the one or more pins (192) into contact with the first cable (90A) to disconnect the first cable (90A) from the first coupling joint (86A).

Inventors

• M. A. Wankeshav
• B. M. Gasman
• D.G. Majidali

Assignees

• 环球城市电影有限责任公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20241003

Priority Date

20240628

Claims (20)

1. 1. A show effects system, comprising: One or more cables; A front panel coupled to a plurality of coupling joints configured to receive the one or more cables and provide a signal indicative of a connection between a first cable of the one or more cables and a first coupling joint of the plurality of coupling joints, and A slidable plate coupled to a plurality of pins and an actuator, wherein the actuator is configured to drive the slidable plate to bring a first pin of the plurality of pins into contact with the first cable to disconnect the first cable from the first coupling joint.
2. 2. The show effect system of claim 1, comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of coupling joints and the actuator, wherein the controller is configured to: Receiving said signal indicative of said connection between said first cable and said first coupling joint, and The actuator is instructed to drive the slidable plate to bring the first pin into contact with the first cable to disconnect the first cable from the first coupling joint in response to determining that the connection does not match the connection pattern.
3. 3. The show effect system of claim 1, comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the plurality of coupling joints and the actuator, wherein the controller is configured to: Receiving said signal indicative of said connection between said first cable and said first coupling joint, and The output device is instructed to generate a show effect in response to determining that the connection matches the connection pattern.
4. 4. The show effect system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to: receiving a further signal indicative of a further connection between a second cable of the one or more cables and a second coupling joint of the plurality of coupling joints, and Instructing the output device to generate the show effect in response to determining that the connection and the further connection match the connection pattern.
5. 5. The show effects system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to instruct the output device to generate a visual cue or an audio cue based on the connection mode.
6. 6. The show effect system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to: the method further includes instructing the output device to generate the show effect in response to determining that the connection matches the connection pattern and that a number of the one or more cables coupled to the plurality of coupling joints matches a total number of the one or more cables.
7. 7. The show effect system of claim 1, wherein the slidable plate comprises a first slidable plate coupled to a plurality of support structures configured to circumferentially support the plurality of pins, a second slidable plate coupled to the plurality of pins and the actuator, and a biasing member between the first slidable plate and the second slidable plate, wherein the actuator is configured to drive the second slidable plate to bring the first pin into contact with the first cable.
8. 8. The show effect system of claim 1, comprising a support structure coupled to the front panel and positioned proximate to the first coupling joint, wherein the support structure is configured to circumferentially surround the first pin when the first pin is in contact with the first cable.
9. 9. The show effects system of claim 1, comprising: A guest tracking system configured to provide sensor data indicative of guest locations of one or more guests, and A controller configured to: Determining the guest location of the one or more guests based on the sensor data, and The actuator is instructed to drive the slidable plate to bring the first pin into contact with the first cable to disconnect the first cable from the first coupling joint based on the guest position of the one or more guests.
10. 10. The show effect system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to instruct the actuator to drive the slidable plate to bring the first pin into contact with the first cable to disconnect the first cable from the first coupling joint in response to determining that the guest location indicates that none of the one or more guests is in the vicinity of the one or more cables and the front panel coupled to the plurality of coupling joints.
11. 11. A connector assembly, comprising: A slidable plate coupled to the plurality of pins; a mounting plate configured to be coupled to a front panel of the show effect system, wherein the front panel includes a plurality of coupling joints configured to receive a plurality of cables, and An actuator configured to drive the slidable plate from a first position to a second position relative to the mounting plate to cause the plurality of pins to contact and disengage the plurality of cables received by the plurality of coupling joints.
12. 12. The connector assembly of claim 11, comprising one or more support structures coupled to and extending from the mounting plate and configured to support the plurality of pins.
13. 13. The connector assembly of claim 11, comprising side rails positioned on opposite lateral sides of the mounting plate and configured to slidingly support the slidable plate.
14. 14. The connector assembly of claim 11, wherein the actuator comprises a linear actuator.
15. 15. The connector assembly of claim 11, wherein the plurality of pins are spaced apart from one another along a lateral axis of the connector assembly.
16. 16. A show effects system, comprising: a guest tracking system configured to generate data indicative of a guest location; One or more cables; one or more coupling joints, wherein each of the one or more coupling joints is configured to receive a respective cable of the one or more cables and provide a respective signal indicative of a respective connection to the respective cable of the one or more cables; One or more pins configured to contact the one or more cables to disconnect the one or more cables from the one or more coupling joints; An actuator configured to adjust the one or more pins from a first position to a second position to cause the one or more pins to contact the one or more cables to disconnect the one or more cables from the one or more coupling joints, and A controller communicatively coupled to the guest tracking system, the one or more coupling joints, and the actuator, wherein the controller is configured to: Receiving said data indicative of said guest location, and The actuator is instructed to adjust the one or more pins from the first position to the second position based on the guest position.
17. 17. The show effect system of claim 16, comprising a slidable plate coupled to the one or more pins and the actuator, wherein the actuator is configured to drive the slidable plate to adjust a position of the one or more pins.
18. 18. The show effects system of claim 16, comprising an output device configured to generate an audio effect, a visual effect, or both, wherein the controller is configured to: the output device is instructed to generate the audio effect, the visual effect, or both based on a connection mode for the one or more cables and the one or more coupling joints.
19. 19. The show effects system of claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to: receiving one or more signals indicative of one or more connections between the one or more coupling joints and the one or more cables, and The output device is instructed to generate the audio effect, the visual effect, or both in response to determining that the one or more connections match the connection pattern.
20. 20. The show effects system of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to: The actuator is instructed to adjust the one or more pins from the first position to the second position in response to determining that the one or more connections do not match the connection pattern.

Description

System and method for resetting a show effects system Cross reference to related applications The present application claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 63/590,978 entitled, "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RESETTING A slow EFFECT SYSTEM (systems and METHODS FOR resetting SHOW effects systems)" filed on month 17 of 2023, which provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety FOR all purposes. Background This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present technology, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art. Special effects may be used throughout amusement parks and other casinos to help immerse guests in the experience of scenic spots (e.g., rides, shows). The show components may include three-dimensional (3D) props and scenery, mechanical elements, electrical elements, and/or display surfaces that present virtual interactive elements. In some cases, guests may interact with the show components to provide or generate special effects. It is now recognized that it may be desirable for a casino to provide an inventive method of entertaining guests, such as an inventive method of presenting show components. Disclosure of Invention The following outlines certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimed subject matter. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter, but rather these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief overview of possible forms of the subject matter. Indeed, the present subject matter may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below. In an embodiment, a show effect system may include one or more cables, a front panel coupled to one or more coupling joints configured to receive the one or more cables and provide a signal indicative of a connection between a first cable of the one or more cables and a first coupling joint of the one or more coupling joints, and a slidable plate coupled to the one or more pins and an actuator, wherein the actuator is configured to drive the slidable plate to bring a first pin of the one or more pins into contact with the first cable to disconnect the first cable from the first coupling joint. In an embodiment, a connector assembly may include a slidable plate coupled to one or more pins, a mounting plate configured to be coupled to a front panel of a show effect system, wherein the front panel includes one or more coupling tabs configured to receive one or more cables, and an actuator configured to drive the slidable plate relative to the mounting plate from a first position to a second position to cause the one or more pins to contact and disengage the one or more cables received by the one or more coupling tabs. In an embodiment, a show effect system may include a guest tracking system configured to generate data indicative of guest location and one or more coupling joints, wherein each coupling joint of the one or more coupling joints is configured to receive a respective cable of the one or more cables and provide a respective signal indicative of a respective connection to a respective cable of the one or more cables. The show effect system may further include one or more pins configured to contact the one or more cables to disconnect the one or more cables from the one or more coupling joints, and an actuator configured to adjust the one or more pins from the first position to the second position to cause the one or more pins to contact the one or more cables to disconnect the one or more cables from the one or more coupling joints. The show effect system may also include a controller communicatively coupled to the guest tracking system, the one or more coupling joints, and the actuator, wherein the controller is configured to receive data indicative of a guest position and to instruct the actuator to adjust the one or more pins from the first position to the second position based on the guest position. Drawings These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a attraction system that may be used in an amusement park or casino in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a show effects system that may be used in the attraction system of FIG. 1, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosur