Patent ID: 7685944

Claim:
A whip ride system for use in amusement parks and other settings, comprising: a ride platform with a guide slot extending from an upper surface to a space beneath the ride platform; a drive assembly comprising: a drive member traveling along a first path, wherein the drive member is flexible; a track arranged in a second path offset horizontally from the first path by an offset distance; a bogie mounted for movement along the track and pivotably linked to the drive member to be driven on the track by the drive member; and an elongate connector attached to the bogie at a first end and extending through the guide slot, whereby a second end of the elongate connector is accessible from the upper surface; and a vehicle for receiving at least one passenger that is pivotably attached to the second end of the elongate connector, wherein the drive assembly comprises a plurality of pulleys contacting and supporting the flexible drive member and rotating at a rate to move the flexible drive member at an input velocity and wherein at least some of pulleys rotate in a plane that is substantially parallel to the upper surface, the track being positioned between the plane and the upper surface, and wherein the first and second paths each comprise inside and outside curves and wherein the bogie travels at a velocity greater than the input velocity in at least portions of the curves, whereby the attached vehicle experiences a whip effect.