JP2025518775A - Lightweight and durable cable - Google Patents

Abstract

The cable includes a plurality of inner cables configured to transmit electrical signals, an outer jacket containing the inner cables, and circular portions formed adjacent end regions of the cable, the inner cables being arranged circumferentially surrounding a central axis in the circular portions, and the cable includes flat portions disposed between the circular portions of the cable, the inner cables being arranged in a row across the flat portions.
[Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/347,411, filed May 31, 2022, and entitled "A LIGHTWEIGHT AND DURABLE CABLE," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of the art that may be related to various aspects of the present technology described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. As such, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

Amusement parks include a variety of attractions that provide unique experiences for guests. These attractions may include rides, immersive experiences, or guest facing areas (e.g., kiosks). Some attractions allow guests to utilize accessories (e.g., headsets, handheld devices, or wearable devices) that are coupled to components of the attraction via cables. The cables may become damaged over time and quickly malfunction and/or wear out due to repeated use in a high-motion environment. Damage to the cables may prevent the accessories from functioning properly, thus interfering with the guest experience at the attraction. Avoiding damage to the cables requires frequent cable replacement, resulting in increased costs and/or maintenance time. Accordingly, it is now recognized that it is desirable to provide a lightweight and durable cable that can withstand the rigors of use in the high-motion environments of attractions in an amusement park.

The following summarizes certain embodiments common in scope to the subject matter of the original claims. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, but rather to provide merely a brief summary of some disclosed embodiments. Indeed, the disclosure may include a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

In one embodiment, the cable includes a plurality of inner cables configured to transmit electrical signals, an outer jacket housing the inner cables, and circular sections formed proximate end regions of the cable, the inner cables being arranged to circumferentially surround a central axis of the circular sections. The cable also includes flat sections disposed between the circular sections of the cable, the inner cables being arranged in a row across the flat sections.

In one embodiment, a system for an entertainment attraction includes an accessory worn or held by a guest and a cable connecting the accessory to a component. The cable includes a plurality of inner cables surrounded by an outer jacket, circular portions formed adjacent end regions of the cable, and flat portions disposed between the circular portions of the cable.

In one embodiment, a cable includes an outer jacket comprising a heat shrink fabric and one or more inner cables. The inner cable includes one or more conductors, padding surrounding the one or more conductors to form one or more padded conductors, a shield surrounding the one or more padded conductors, a filler material wrapped around the one or more padded conductors, and an inner jacket surrounding the one or more padded conductors, the shield, and the filler material. The inner jacket includes plastic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), another insulating material, or any combination thereof.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will be better understood by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

1 is a schematic diagram of an entertainment attraction including accessories coupled via cables to components of the entertainment attraction according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an entertainment attraction having cables connecting accessories and components of the entertainment attraction according to an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a cable according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section of a circular portion of a cable according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 2 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section of a flat portion of a cable according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a cross section of a flat portion of a cable having an internal partition according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 is a side view of a headset with a cable pivotally coupled at a cable interface according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

One or more specific embodiments are described below. In order to describe these embodiments concisely, not all of the features of the implementations are described herein. It should be understood that the development of any such implementation, as in any engineering or design project, requires numerous implementation-specific decisions to be made to achieve the developer's particular objectives, such as adhering to system-related and business-related constraints that may vary from implementation to implementation. Moreover, it should be understood that such development efforts may be complex and time-consuming, but are routine undertakings of design, fabrication and manufacture for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles "a," "an," and "the" are intended to mean that there are one, two, or more of the elements. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. It should also be understood that references to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also include the described features. Numerical terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used to distinguish components to facilitate description, and these numerical terms may be used in different ways or assigned to different elements in the claims. Furthermore, specific numbers (e.g., 90 degrees, 180 degrees) and/or dimensions (e.g., parallel, perpendicular) are used for ease of description and are intended to include variations (e.g., to account for tolerances such as manufacturing tolerances).

Amusement parks feature a variety of entertainment attractions (e.g., entertainment activities), such as amusement rides, performance shows, and immersive experiences. At some entertainment attractions, guests or park staff may hold or wear an accessory (e.g., a headset, a wearable device, or a handheld device) that is connected (e.g., electrically coupled, communicatively coupled) via a cable to a component of the entertainment attraction. For example, a guest may wear an augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and/or mixed reality (AR and VR) headset during an amusement ride that is connected to the ride vehicle via a cable.

It can be appreciated that in entertainment attractions, accessories and their respective cables are often placed in high-motion environments, such as roller coaster rides. Repeated use in high-motion environments exposes the cables to rapid motion and high forces that can quickly damage and/or cause malfunction. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to lightweight and durable cables designed to withstand repeated use in high-motion environments. In particular, the cables can enable transmission of electrical signals (e.g., data, control signals, power) between accessories, such as headsets (e.g., AR/VR headsets, which can include AR, VR, and/or mixed reality headsets) or interaction devices (e.g., blasters, batons, crossbows), and components of the entertainment attraction.

The lightweight and durable cables of the present disclosure can withstand more than about 150,000 test cycles (e.g., bending and twisting the cable by a test device), which is significantly more than the number of test cycles endured by existing cables (e.g., cables used with accessories or similar settings in amusement parks, cables not specifically designed for durability in amusement parks). For example, existing cables previously used in amusement park entertainment attractions can withstand about 80 to 800 test cycles. Thus, the cables of the present disclosure include a unique and specific combination of features arranged in a unique and specific manner to provide significantly improved properties compared to existing cables.

With this in mind, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an entertainment attraction 10 (e.g., an entertainment ride) that includes an accessory 12 coupled via a cable 14 to a component 16 of the entertainment attraction 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the accessory 12 is an AR/VR headset worn by a guest 18 (e.g., a passenger of the entertainment attraction 10), and the component 16 is a ride vehicle that carries the guest 18 (e.g., along a path) through the entertainment attraction 10. The AR/VR headset allows the guest 18 to view virtual features 20 and/or physical features 22 of the entertainment attraction 10. For example, the AR/VR headset can provide an AR experience by displaying virtual features 20 on a display (e.g., a transparent display, lenses) of the AR/VR headset such that the virtual features 20 appear to be superimposed on the physical features 22 viewed through the display (e.g., from the perspective of the guest 18 wearing the AR/VR headset).

In the entertainment attraction 10, the cable 14 may bend, stretch, and/or twist due to the motion of the ride vehicle and the motion of the guest 18. The cable 14 may also bend, stretch, and twist when the guest 18 puts on and takes off the AR/VR headset. The cable 14 is advantageously designed to withstand bending, stretching, and/or twisting such that the cable 14 continues to function properly and provide electronic signals under such conditions. Moreover, this design allows the AR/VR headset to continue to function properly and provide high quality visual effects under such conditions. It should be understood that the ride vehicle may include multiple cables and multiple AR/VR headsets, such as one cable and connected AR/VR headset for each seat (e.g., two, three, four, five or more seats) in the ride vehicle.

2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an entertainment attraction 10 including a cable 14 connected to an accessory 12 and a component 16 of the entertainment attraction 10. The component 16 of the entertainment attraction 10 may operate at least in part through instructions from a controller 30, which may include a memory 32 storing instructions executable by a processor 34. For example, if the component 16 is a ride vehicle, the controller 30 may control a motor of the ride vehicle to accelerate and/or decelerate the ride vehicle. Similarly, the accessory 12 may operate at least in part through instructions from an accessory controller 40, which may include a memory 42 storing instructions executable by a processor 44. For example, if the accessory 12 is an AR/VR headset, the accessory controller 40 may provide instructions that cause a display 46 to display certain virtual features 20 and/or physical features 22 of the entertainment attraction 10.

Processors 34 and 44 may include one or more processing devices, and memories 32 and 42 may include one or more tangible, non-transitory machine-readable media. By way of example, such machine-readable media may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to hold or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by processors 33 and 34, or a dedicated or programmed computer or other machine that includes the processor.

Component 16 may include communication circuitry 38, such as a receiver and transmitter, for communicating with any other components of entertainment attraction 10 via wired and/or wireless communication paths. I/O port 36 is an interface that may be coupled via cable 14 to other elements of entertainment attraction 10, such as accessories 12 (e.g., AR/VR headsets, handheld devices, wearable devices, input devices such as joysticks or touch screens, sensors). I/O port 36 may include Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) ports, and the like. Component 16 may include additional components, such as a power source 48 (e.g., battery, solar panel, generator) and/or motor that enable operation and/or motion of component 16.

The accessory 12 may include a display 46 (e.g., a transparent display) for displaying the virtual features 20 of the entertainment attraction 10. In some embodiments, the accessory 12 may include a speaker 52 capable of emitting sounds corresponding to the virtual features 20 and/or the physical features 22 of the entertainment attraction 10. The accessory 12 may also include an I/O (input/output) port 36 that may be coupled to the component 16 of the entertainment attraction 10 via the cable 14. In particular, the cable 14 and the I/O port 36 may enable the transmission of computer-implemented instructions, data, and/or power between the controller 30 of the component 16 and the accessory controller 40 of the accessory 12. For example, the cable 14 may enable the controller 30 to pass instructions that cause the accessory 12 to display a particular sequence of images that may depend on the direction and/or speed of movement of the component 16 (e.g., the ride vehicle). In another example, information from a sensor 50 may be conveyed to the component 16 via the cable 14. The sensors 50 on the attachments 12 can be cameras or light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensors that track the direction of the guest's gaze (e.g., to accurately map the virtual features 20 onto the physical features 22 of the entertainment attraction 10).

3 is a schematic diagram of a cable 14 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For ease of explanation, the cable 14 may be described with reference to an axial axis 54, a radial or transverse axis 56, and/or a circumferential axis 58. For example, the cable 14 extends generally along an axial axis 54 when held/extended in a straight configuration as shown, and has certain features arranged in a particular manner relative to the radial or transverse axis 56 and/or the circumferential axis 58. In some embodiments, the cable 14 may include multiple inner cables 60 surrounded (e.g., wrapped, circumferentially surrounded) by an outer jacket. For example, the cable 14 may include three different inner cables 60. However, the cable 14 may include fewer or more (e.g., one, two, four, five, six, or more than six) inner cables 60. In some embodiments, the internal cables 60 may include a USB cable, an HDMI cable, and/or a sensor cable (e.g., for a sensor to detect a condition and generate an electrical signal indicative of the condition).

The outer jacket of the cable 14 may include a heat shrink fabric, which is a material that shrinks upon exposure to heat. The purpose of the outer jacket is to protect the inner cable 60 from excessive twisting, bending, stretching, and/or other types of forces. For example, the outer jacket may protect the inner cable 60 (and the conductors within the inner cable 60) from physical damage that may result from, for example, the cable 14 grazing a sharp corner or being stepped on.

In one embodiment, the cable 14 includes a flat portion 62 in the middle region of the cable 14 and a circular portion 64 near the end region of the cable 14. The flat portion 62 can have an elliptical or elongated (e.g., elongated compared to the circular portion 64) cross-sectional shape, and the circular portion 64 can have a circular cross-sectional shape. The flat portion 62 of the cable 14 can have the inner cables 60 arranged side-by-side in a row (e.g., along the lateral axis 56, see FIG. 5). As a result of this arrangement of the inner cables 60, the flat portion 62 can only bend in one direction (e.g., vertically). This minimizes twisting movement of the flat portion 62 and distributes stress throughout the inner cables 60 such that each inner cable 60 experiences a substantially equal or similar amount of stress during twisting movement. Thus, each inner cable 60 experiences a substantially equal or similar amount of wear over time. This arrangement may provide advantages over circular cables in which any internal cables or wires are arranged in a circular fashion such that each internal cable or wire occupies a generally pie-shaped section of the cable cross-section (e.g., the internal cables or wires extend along the axial axis 54 of the cable and are distributed circumferentially around the axis 54 or central axis of the cable, see FIG. 4 ) (e.g., the intermediate region is circular). A circular cable can bend in two directions (e.g., vertically and horizontally), and as the circular cable bends, stress is distributed unevenly among the internal cables (e.g., one of the internal cables experiences a higher stress than the other internal cables). This causes some internal cables to wear out faster than the other internal cables. Thus, the flat portion 62 of the cable 14 provides durability and a longer life to the cable 14 (e.g., compared to a circular cable).

At the flat portions 62 of the cable 14, the heat shrink fabric/outer jacket forms a flattened envelope. In some embodiments, no heat is applied to the heat shrink fabric at the flat portions 62 of the cable 14. At the round portions 64 of the cable 14, heat is used to shrink the outer jacket to fit snugly around the inner cable 60. In some embodiments, heat is applied to a limited or relatively small portion of the cable 14 (e.g., about 6-7 centimeters long at each of the round portions 64, which is a shorter length along the axial axis 54 than the flat portions 62 of the cable) because the round portions 64 of the cable 14 are less susceptible to damage from twisting (e.g., compared to the flat portions 62 of the cable 14). However, the round portions 64 near the end regions of the cable 14 are beneficial for several reasons, such as the ease or possibility of attaching strain relief pieces 66.

In some embodiments, the outer jacket of the cable 14 can include one or more color segments along a portion of the length of the cable 14. Each color segment can use a color (e.g., red, blue) or combination of colors to represent a characteristic of the cable 14 at the location of the color segment. For example, the one or more color segments can provide installation guidance, with the color of each color segment indicating whether and/or how the cable 14 should be attached to the frame of the entertainment attraction 10. As an example, a first color segment (e.g., a red segment) at a first location or along a first length of the cable 14 can indicate that the cable 14 should be attached to the frame at the first location using a first type of fastener (e.g., zip tie fastener(s). Additionally, a second color segment (e.g., a blue segment) at a second location or along a second length of the cable 14 may indicate that a second type of fastener (e.g., hook-and-loop fastener(s)) should be used to fasten the cable 14 to the frame at the second location. In some embodiments, the color segments may indicate the direction in which the cable 14 is configured to bend at a particular location (e.g., a first color segment indicates a first direction and a second color segment indicates a second direction) and/or indicate the flexibility of the cable 14 at a particular location (e.g., a first color segment indicates a relatively flexible portion and a second color segment indicates a relatively rigid portion). The color segments may be incorporated into the cable 14 by sewing colored thread into the outer jacket. Additionally or alternatively, the outer jacket may be painted, dyed, or colored by any suitable coloring technique. In some embodiments, characteristics of a portion of the cable 14 may be indicated by another visual indicator (e.g., text, pattern, shape) printed and/or incorporated into the outer jacket of the cable 14.

In some embodiments, the cable 14 may include strain relief elements 66 each disposed near a respective end region of the cable 14. The purpose of the strain relief elements 66 is to relieve stress and tension that may break the conductors in the inner cable 60 or sever the connection between the connector 68 and the inner cable 60. The strain relief elements 66 may have any suitable form, such as a right-angled strain relief element 66. A portion of the inner cable 60 may be exposed (e.g., the outer jacket may be removed) at the outer edge of the cable 14 (e.g., between the strain relief element 66 and the connector 68). In some embodiments, a mold may be used to form (e.g., overmold) the strain relief element 66 on the cable 14 from a rigid, yet flexible resin. The strain relief element 66 may have a groove for conveniently attaching the accessory 12 to one side of the cable 14 (e.g., the first set of connectors 68) and a groove for conveniently attaching the component 16 to another side of the cable 14 (e.g., the second set of connectors 68). In one embodiment, when the accessory 12 and the component 16 are attached to the cable 14, a portion of the internal cable 60 can be housed within the accessory 12 on one side and the component 16 on the other side, such that only the strain relief element 66 and a central portion of the cable 14 between the strain relief element 66 are exposed (e.g., accessible to and/or visible to the guest 18 in FIG. 1 ).

In some embodiments, each of the internal cables 60 can have a respective connector 68 on each end. In some embodiments, one or more of the connectors 68 of the internal cables 60 can include a repeater to amplify the signal from the internal cables 60. In some embodiments, the internal cables 60 can have a male connector 68, a female connector 68, or both types of connectors on either end of the cable 14. One or more of the connectors 68 on either side of the cable 14 can be Japan Solderless Terminal (JST) connectors. Also, one or more of the connectors 68 on either side can be different versions of the same type of connector 68. For example, one side of the internal cables 60 can have an HDMI connector and the other side of the internal cables 60 can be a micro-HDMI connector.

4 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section of a circular portion 64 of cable 14, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, circular portion 64 of cable 14 includes internal cables 60 arranged in a circular manner such that each internal cable 60 occupies a generally pie-shaped section of the cable cross-section (e.g., internal cables 60 extend along axial axis 54 of cable 14 and are distributed circumferentially around axial axis 54 or the central axis of cable 14). In one embodiment, cable 14 includes three internal cables 60, with a first internal cable 60, 82 being an HDMI cable, a second internal cable 60, 84 being a USB cable, and a third internal cable 60, 86 being an Ethernet cable. However, internal cables 60 can be any suitable type of cable used in any suitable combination.

As described, the cable 14 includes an outer jacket 70 that can be made of a heat shrink fabric. At least one of the inner cables 60 can include an inner jacket 72 that can be made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), plastic, and/or a similar insulating material. At least one of the inner cables 60 can include a shield 74 that can be made of a metal (e.g., aluminum), such as braided metal or metal foil, or other conductive material. At least one of the inner cables 60 can include a conductor 76 (e.g., a bundle of metal wires) surrounded by a padding 78 that can be made of PVC, plastic, or other insulating material. The conductor 76 surrounded by the padding 78 can be referred to herein as a "padded conductor 76." In some embodiments, each conductor 76 can include a bundle of wires (e.g., fine gauge wires) made of copper or other conductive material. At least one of the inner cables 60 can have multiple conductors 76 that are padded to transmit various electrical signals.

At least one of the inner cables 60 can include a filler material 80 disposed between the padded conductors 76. In one embodiment, the filler material 80 can include nylon strands that minimize friction between the padded conductors 76 as the inner cable 60 bends, thereby allowing the padded conductors 76 to slide past each other. It will be understood that the inner cables 60 can include additional components and/or alternative materials other than those described above.

As shown, the first internal cable 60, 82 can be a USB cable or other type of cable having multiple padded conductors 76 (e.g., four padded conductors 76). In some embodiments, one of the internal cables 60 is an HDMI cable or other type of cable having multiple padded conductors 76 (e.g., six padded conductors 76), at least some of the multiple padded conductors 76 having an additional layer of shielding 74. It can be appreciated that filler material 80 formed of nylon strands can be disposed between and/or wrapped around all of the padded and/or shielded conductors 76 to allow the padded and/or shielded conductors 76 to twist and slide past each other to distribute forces that might otherwise break the wire. For example, the filler material 80 can circumferentially surround at least some or all of the padded and/or shielded conductors 76 and/or be disposed in a central region between the padded and/or shielded conductors 76.

As shown, the third inner cable 60, 86 includes padded conductors 76 twisted in pairs to form unshielded twisted pairs 88 (e.g., four unshielded twisted pairs 88). The unshielded twisted pairs 88 can reduce the effect of noise currents induced on the third inner cable 60, 86 by electric or magnetic fields. For example, an interference source (e.g., an electromagnetic field) can affect the currents in the two padded conductors 76 of the unshielded twisted pair 88. Because the two padded conductors 76 are twisted together, the interference source affects the two padded conductors 76 equally, generating noise as a common-mode signal that can be rejected by the receiver. The third inner cable 86 further includes a filler material 80 that reduces friction between the unshielded twisted pairs.

It should be understood that the cable 14 can include any variation and combination of the internal cables 60. For example, another internal cable 60 can include more conductors 76 (e.g., 5, 10, 20) with or without padding 78, as well as a filler material 80 filled throughout the cross section of the internal cable 60. Other embodiments of the cable 14 can include any number of internal cables 60 (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or more).

5 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section of a flat portion 62 of cable 14 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In flat portion 62 of cable 14, inner cables 60 are arranged side-by-side in a row as shown.

As described, the cable 14 includes an outer jacket 70 that may be formed of a heat shrink fabric. At least one of the inner cables 60 may include an inner jacket 72 that may be formed of PVC, plastic, and/or other insulating material. At least one of the inner cables 60 may include a shield 74 that may be formed of a metal (e.g., aluminum), such as braided metal or metal foil, or other conductive material. At least one of the inner cables 60 may include conductors 76 surrounded by padding 78 that may be formed of PVC, plastic, or other insulating material. In some embodiments, each conductor 76 may include a bundle of wires (e.g., fine gauge wires) that are formed of copper or other conductive material. At least one of the inner cables 60 may have multiple conductors 76 that are padded to transmit various electrical signals. At least one of the inner cables 60 may include a filler material 80 disposed between the padded conductors 76. In some embodiments, the filler material 80 may include nylon strands that minimize friction between the padded conductors 76 when the inner cable 60 bends, thereby allowing the padded conductors 76 to slide past each other. It will be appreciated that the internal cable 60 may include additional components and/or alternative materials other than those described above.

6 is a schematic diagram of a flat portion 62 of cable 14 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Cable 14 can include dividers 90 that separate the inner cables 60 along at least a portion of the length of cable 14. For example, the dividers 90 can improve cable management by inhibiting or preventing the inner cables 60 from tangling or twisting around each other. In one embodiment, the dividers 90 can be formed of thread sewn through the outer jacket 70 and between the inner cables 60. Alternatively, the dividers 90 can be fixed pieces or structures inserted between the inner cables 60 of cable 14.

In some embodiments, the dividers 90 can be present in select sections of the cable 14, such as those expected to experience high levels of distortion or twisting. That is, a cross section taken at a particular location along the length of the cable 14 may look like FIG. 5, while a cross section taken at another location along the length of the cable 14 may look like FIG. 6. The dividers 90 can also be made of materials with different stiffnesses, thus increasing or decreasing the stiffness of the cable 14 at certain locations. For example, the dividers 90 can strengthen the cable 90 where the cable is configured to be attached to the frame of the entertainment attraction 10. In some embodiments, the material, placement and/or configuration of the dividers 90 can be varied to control the flexure of the cable 14. Additionally, the yarns used to form the dividers 90 can be colored and externally visible along the outer jacket 70 to provide color segments where the yarns indicate properties of the cable 14 (e.g., flexure properties) as described above with reference to FIG. 3.

7 is a side view of a headset 100 (i.e., accessory 12) coupled to a cable 14, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The headset 100 can be an AR/VR headset worn by a guest 18 that allows the guest 18 to view virtual features 20 and/or physical features 22 of an entertainment attraction 10. The headset 100 can include a display 102 that can display the virtual features 20. The headset 100 can also include a housing 104 that forms the external structure of the headset 100 and contains the internal components of the headset 100. An end (e.g., a terminal portion) of the cable 14 can be coupled to the headset 100 via a cable interface 106 of the headset 100. The cable interface 106 can receive an end of the cable 14, securely attach to the end of the cable 14, and feed the internal cable 60 through the housing 104 to a receiver (e.g., a mating component) housed within the headset 100.

In some embodiments, the cable interface 106 may allow the end of the cable 14 to pivot (e.g., rotate) relative to the headset 100. This may reduce stress on the cable 14 as the headset 100 dynamically changes orientation relative to the component 16 of the entertainment attraction 10. For example, as the guest 18 turns his head to view the physical feature 22, the end of the cable 14 may pivot at the cable interface 106 to reduce bending of the cable 14. As shown, the cable interface 106 may include a keyhole opening 108 in the housing 104 through which the end of the cable 14 may be inserted, clipped, or otherwise engaged with the headset 100. The keyhole opening 108 may include a circular portion 110 that defines a passageway for the end of the cable 14 into the headset 100. The internal cable 60 is connected to a receiver in the headset 100 through a passageway in the circular portion 110. The keyhole-shaped opening 108 may also include a cable exit portion 112 extending from the circular portion 110. The cable exit portion 112 defines a space in which the cable 14 exits the cable interface 106 transverse (e.g., perpendicular) to the insertion of the end of the cable 14 into the circular portion 110. In other words, the end of the cable 14 may be inserted into the headset 100 through the circular portion 110 in a first direction (e.g., along the lateral axis 56), and the cable 14 may exit the headset 100 through the cable exit portion 112 in a second direction transverse to the first direction (e.g., along the axial axis 54). Also, the cable exit portion 112 may include tapered walls extending from the circular portion 110 to provide various ranges of angular clearance for the cable 14 (e.g., approximately 15 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 90 degrees, or 120 degrees, between 15 degrees and 120 degrees, between 30 degrees and 90 degrees, or between 15 degrees and 45 degrees, with a limited range of motion of less than 360 degrees, less than 180 degrees, less than 90 degrees, or less than 45 degrees). That is, the cable 14 may be plugged into the cable interface 106 and extend therefrom within various ranges of angular clearance. In the illustrated embodiment, the cable exit section 112 includes tapered walls that slope outwardly and downwardly from the circular section 110 to form an angular sector corresponding to the movement of the cable 14 and provide a limited range of motion by preventing or limiting the movement of the cable 14 outside of the cable exit section 112 (e.g., reducing bending of the cable 14 by allowing movement of the cable 14 within the cable exit section 112, while also reducing kinking or wear at the cable interface 106 by limiting the movement of the cable 14 within the cable exit section 112). In this manner, the cable 14 can pivot within the cable exit section 112 as shown by arrow 114 while the end of the cable 14 is inserted into the circular section 110 of the cable interface 106. In some embodiments, other elements of the cable interface 106 in addition to the end of the cable 14 can also rotate. For example, a receiver within the headset can rotate with the end of the cable 14 to further allow limited pivoting of the cable 14.

The cable interface 106 may also be replicated (e.g., mirrored) on the opposite side of the headset 100 (i.e., the right side relative to the user). That is, the headset 100 may include two cable interfaces 106, either of which may receive the cable 14. In this manner, the cable 14 may be attached to either side of the headset 100, thereby reducing the interference caused by the cable 14 extending laterally across the body of the guest 18 to attach to the headset 100. For example, in a ride vehicle, a guest 18 riding on the left side of the ride vehicle may connect their respective cable 14 to the left side of their respective headset 100, while another guest riding on the right side of the ride vehicle may connect their respective cable 14 to the right side of their respective headset 100. In this manner, the cable 14 may be located close to the outer edge of the ride vehicle, away from adjacent guests, while allowing access for maintenance and inspection by the ride operator. As another example, in a ride vehicle, a guest 18 riding on the left side of the ride vehicle may connect their respective cables 14 to the right side of their respective headsets 100, while another guest riding on the right side of the ride vehicle may connect their respective cables 14 to the left side of their respective headsets 100. In this manner, by positioning the cables 14 closer to the interior of the ride vehicle and away from the outer edge of the ride vehicle, the cables 14 may be protected from contact with objects outside the ride vehicle. In some embodiments, the guests 18 may choose whether to connect the cables 14 to the left or right side of their respective headsets 100 based on preference (e.g., a right-handed guest may choose to connect to the right side).

While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention. Moreover, although the cables have been disclosed as being used in the context of amusement parks and/or attractions, it is to be understood that the cables may also be used to communicatively couple components together in any of a variety of other contexts.

The technology presented and claimed herein refers to and applies to tangible objects and specific examples of a practical nature that positively improve the art and are therefore not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. Moreover, if any claim appended at the end of this specification contains one or more elements designated as "means for [performing] . . . [function]" or "step for [performing] . . . [function]," such elements are to be construed pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 112(f); whereas, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, such elements are not to be construed pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

10 entertainment attraction 12 accessories 14 cables 16 components 18 guests 20 virtual features 22 physical features

Claims (20)

A cable,
a plurality of internal cables configured to transmit electrical signals;
an outer jacket configured to house the plurality of inner cables;
a circular section formed adjacent both end regions of the cable, the plurality of inner cables being disposed circumferentially around a central axis of the circular section;
a flat section disposed between the circular sections of the cable, the plurality of inner cables being disposed in a row across the flat section;
A cable comprising: a strain relief element disposed over the circular portion of the cable.
2. The cable of claim 1. the plurality of internal cables include Universal Serial Bus (USB) cables, sensor cables, High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cables, and Ethernet cables, or any combination thereof;
2. The cable of claim 1. the plurality of internal cables include male connectors, female connectors, or any combination thereof;
2. The cable of claim 1. the plurality of internal cables includes one or more connectors including a repeater;
2. The cable of claim 1. The outer jacket comprises a heat shrink fabric.
2. The cable of claim 1. the circular portion of the cable includes a heat shrink fabric that is in a shrink configuration via application of heat to fit snugly around the plurality of inner cables.
2. The cable of claim 1. the flat portion of the cable has an elongated cross-sectional shape;
2. The cable of claim 1. one or more dividers sewn into the outer jacket and configured to divide the inner cable;
2. The cable of claim 1. 1. A system for an entertainment attraction, comprising:
an accessory configured to be worn or held by a guest; and
a cable configured to connect the accessory to a component;
the cable includes a plurality of inner cables surrounded by an outer jacket, the cable including circular portions formed adjacent end regions of the cable and flat portions disposed between the circular portions of the cable.
A system characterized by: the accessory is an augmented reality/virtual reality headset and the component is a ride vehicle configured to transport the guest through the entertainment attraction.
The system of claim 10. a memory for storing instructions and a processor configured to execute the instructions, the cable being configured to transmit the instructions from the component to the accessory;
The system of claim 10. the instructions are configured to cause a display of the accessory to display a virtual feature for visualization by the guest.
The system of claim 12. A cable,
an outer jacket including a heat shrink fabric;
one or more internal cables;
the one or more internal cables comprising:
one or more conductors;
padding surrounding the one or more conductors to form one or more padded conductors;
a shield surrounding the one or more padded conductors;
a filler material wrapped around the one or more padded conductors;
an inner jacket surrounding the one or more padded conductors, the shield, and the filler;
the inner jacket comprises plastic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), another insulating material, or any combination thereof;
A cable characterized by: the one or more internal cables include a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable, a sensor cable, a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cable, or any combination thereof;
15. The cable of claim 14. The cable includes a round portion and a flat portion.
15. The cable of claim 14. the cable includes a further circular portion, the flat portion being disposed between the circular portion and the further circular portion;
17. The cable of claim 16. The padding comprises plastic, PVC, another insulating material, or any combination thereof.
15. The cable of claim 14. the shield comprises a metal foil, a braided metal, another conductive material, or any combination thereof;
15. The cable of claim 14. The filler material includes nylon strands.
15. The cable of claim 14.

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