Patents by Inventor Tom Masterson

Tom Masterson 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).

  • Passenger restraint for an amusement ride
    Patent number: 10463982
    Abstract: A ride assembly includes a ride vehicle configured to carry one or more passengers and to move in a direction along a ride path, a first passenger seat of the ride vehicle having a seatback, where the first passenger seat is configured to seat a first passenger of the one or more passengers, and where the seatback is configured to rotate with respect to the ride vehicle from a loading position to an active position, a second passenger seat of the ride vehicle positioned behind the first passenger seat with respect to the direction, where the second passenger seat is configured to seat a second passenger of the one or more passengers, and a passenger restraint coupled to the seatback of the first passenger seat, where the passenger restraint is configured to secure the second passenger in the second passenger seat when the seatback is in the active position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Tom Masterson, Steven C. Blum, Christopher Oliver, Eric A. Vance, Daniel Freedman, Ted W. Van Winkle
  • PASSENGER RESTRAINT FOR AN AMUSEMENT RIDE
    Publication number: 20180326311
    Abstract: A ride assembly includes a ride vehicle configured to carry one or more passengers and to move in a direction along a ride path, a first passenger seat of the ride vehicle having a seatback, where the first passenger seat is configured to seat a first passenger of the one or more passengers, and where the seatback is configured to rotate with respect to the ride vehicle from a loading position to an active position, a second passenger seat of the ride vehicle positioned behind the first passenger seat with respect to the direction, where the second passenger seat is configured to seat a second passenger of the one or more passengers, and a passenger restraint coupled to the seatback of the first passenger seat, where the passenger restraint is configured to secure the second passenger in the second passenger seat when the seatback is in the active position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Tom Masterson, Steven C. Blum, Christopher Oliver, Eric A. Vance, Daniel Freedman, Ted W. Van Winkle
  • Passenger restraint for an amusement ride
    Patent number: 9937426
    Abstract: A ride assembly includes a ride vehicle configured to carry one or more passengers and to move in a direction along a ride path, a first passenger seat of the ride vehicle having a seatback, where the first passenger seat is configured to seat a first passenger of the one or more passengers, and where the seatback is configured to rotate with respect to the ride vehicle from a loading position to an active position, a second passenger seat of the ride vehicle positioned behind the first passenger seat with respect to the direction, where the second passenger seat is configured to seat a second passenger of the one or more passengers, and a passenger restraint coupled to the seatback of the first passenger seat, where the passenger restraint is configured to secure the second passenger in the second passenger seat when the seatback is in the active position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Universal City Studios LLC
    Inventors: Tom Masterson, Steven C. Blum, Christopher Oliver, Eric A. Vance, Daniel Freedman, Ted W. Van Winkle