Patents by Inventor Dwain South

Dwain South has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220339548
    Abstract: A ride system for an amusement park includes a plurality of rooms stacked atop one another and a ride vehicle. A method to transport the ride vehicle from a first room to a second room includes withdrawing the ride vehicle from the first room, changing the vertical height of the ride vehicle, rotating the ride vehicle, and inserting the ride vehicle into the second room.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Gregory S. Hall, Dwain South, David Goodwin, Carlos Weiser
  • Patent number: 11395976
    Abstract: A ride system for an amusement park includes a plurality of rooms stacked atop one another and a ride vehicle. A method to transport the ride vehicle from a first room to a second room includes withdrawing the ride vehicle from the first room, changing the vertical height of the ride vehicle, rotating the ride vehicle, and inserting the ride vehicle into the second room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Gregory S Hall, Dwain South, David Goodwin, Carlos Weiser
  • Publication number: 20220184512
    Abstract: A surface-mounted vehicle includes a body and a mounting system configured to couple the surface-mounted vehicle to a surface. The surface-mounted vehicle also includes a propulsion system configured to move the surface-mounted vehicle along the surface. In addition, the surface-mounted vehicle includes a rail coupling system having at least one rail coupled to the body. The at least one rail is configured to couple a component to the surface-mounted vehicle. The rail coupling system also includes multiple electrical connectors disposed along the at least one rail. The electrical connectors are configured to provide electrical power to the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel Freedman, Dustin W. Fike, Felix M. Chao Rodriguez, William Miller, Dwain South
  • Publication number: 20210008460
    Abstract: A ride system for an amusement park includes a plurality of rooms stacked atop one another and a ride vehicle. A method to transport the ride vehicle from a first room to a second room includes withdrawing the ride vehicle from the first room, changing the vertical height of the ride vehicle, rotating the ride vehicle, and inserting the ride vehicle into the second room.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Gregory S. Hall, Dwain South, David Goodwin, Carlos Weiser
  • Patent number: 10821368
    Abstract: A method of transporting a ride vehicle in an amusement park ride includes moving the ride vehicle vertically along a frame to a height using a motion base lift assembly, rotating, using a base, the ride vehicle around an attraction tower, in which the attraction tower comprising a plurality of rooms and the base is configured to rotate about the attraction tower and is attached to the frame. The method also includes extending the ride vehicle into a room of the plurality of rooms via the motion base lift assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Universal City Studio LLC
    Inventors: Gregory S. Hall, Dwain South, David Goodwin, Carlos Weiser
  • Publication number: 20200215443
    Abstract: An entertainment figure system includes an entertainment figure having an attachment point, a bogie coupled to a track and to the attachment point of the entertainment figure via a cable and a winch coupled to the cable. The bogie is configured to translate along the track and the winch is configured to adjust a length of the cable extending from the winch and thereby modify a distance between the attachment point and the bogie.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Michael Keith Brister, Dwain South, Robert Charles Aradio, Gerard Howland, Darrin Hughes
  • Patent number: 10688401
    Abstract: An entertainment figure system includes an entertainment figure having an attachment point, a bogie coupled to a track and to the attachment point of the entertainment figure via a cable and a winch coupled to the cable. The bogie is configured to translate along the track and the winch is configured to adjust a length of the cable extending from the winch and thereby modify a distance between the attachment point and the bogie.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Michael Keith Brister, Dwain South, Robert Charles Aradio, Gerard Howland, Darrin Hughes
  • Publication number: 20190344186
    Abstract: A method of transporting a ride vehicle in an amusement park ride includes moving the ride vehicle vertically along a frame to a height using a motion base lift assembly, rotating, using a base, the ride vehicle around an attraction tower, in which the attraction tower comprising a plurality of rooms and the base is configured to rotate about the attraction tower and is attached to the frame. The method also includes extending the ride vehicle into a room of the plurality of rooms via the motion base lift assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Gregory S. Hall, Dwain South, David Goodwin, Carlos Weiser
  • Patent number: 10398989
    Abstract: A ride system for an amusement park includes a plurality of rooms stacked atop one another and a ride vehicle. A method to transport the ride vehicle from a first room to a second room includes withdrawing the ride vehicle from the first room, changing the vertical height of the ride vehicle, rotating the ride vehicle, and inserting the ride vehicle into the second room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Gregory S. Hall, Dwain South, David Goodwin, Carlos Weiser
  • Publication number: 20190232177
    Abstract: A ride system for an amusement park includes a plurality of rooms stacked atop one another and a ride vehicle. A method to transport the ride vehicle from a first room to a second room includes withdrawing the ride vehicle from the first room, changing the vertical height of the ride vehicle, rotating the ride vehicle, and inserting the ride vehicle into the second room.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Gregory S. Hall, Dwain South, David Goodwin, Carlos Weiser
  • Patent number: 10357722
    Abstract: A motion simulator ride assembly including a motion base and a rider support assembly positioned beneath and coupled to the motion base. The rider support assembly includes a plurality of rider support units each including a saddle having a leading end, a tail end, and a superior surface that may support a rider in a facedown position and a restraint system that may secure the rider onto the rider support. The restraint system includes a rotating restraint having an attachment point on the saddle, and the rotating restraint may move relative to the superior surface to move the rotating restraint from an unrestrained configuration to a restrained configuration, and the rotating restraint may abut against a posterior surface of a torso of the rider when the rotating restraint is in the restrained configuration. The motion simulator ride assembly also includes a display screen that may project a simulated environment. The display screen is positioned below the motion base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Nathanael G. White, Ted W. Van Winkle, Daniel Freedman, Justin Michael Schwartz, Dwain South, Michael Tresaugue, Gregory Hall
  • Publication number: 20180304160
    Abstract: A motion simulator ride assembly including a motion base and a rider support assembly positioned beneath and coupled to the motion base. The rider support assembly includes a plurality of rider support units each including a saddle having a leading end, a tail end, and a superior surface that may support a rider in a facedown position and a restraint system that may secure the rider onto the rider support. The restraint system includes a rotating restraint having an attachment point on the saddle, and the rotating restraint may move relative to the superior surface to move the rotating restraint from an unrestrained configuration to a restrained configuration, and the rotating restraint may abut against a posterior surface of a torso of the rider when the rotating restraint is in the restrained configuration. The motion simulator ride assembly also includes a display screen that may project a simulated environment. The display screen is positioned below the motion base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Nathanael G. White, Ted W. Van Winkle, Daniel Freedman, Justin Michael Schwartz, Dwain South, Michael Tresaugue, Gregory Hall