Amusement ride vehicle and vehicle control system

• US 10,384,138 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2013
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proslide Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Proslide Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Hunter, Richard D., Smegal, Raymond T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kien T
• Application Number:
  US14/436,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20160136527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,129 Days
• Field of Search: 472116-117, 472128-129, 114288, 114343-344, 114355
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/18 Water-chutes
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 3/02 with floating seats
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 7/00 Up-and-down hill tracks; Switchbacks

Abstract

An amusement ride vehicle has a body and at least one of recesses and protrusions on a perimeter surface of body. The at least one of recesses and protrusions defining fluid impact surfaces. The fluid impact surfaces being at an angle to an intended direction of motion of the vehicle. The fluid impact surfaces are adapted to affect motion of the vehicle when the fluid impact surfaces are impacted by a fluid.

Claims

1. A water slide comprising:

an upwardly angled channel comprising a sliding surface;

a plurality of water spray sources positioned to spray water over the sliding surface;

wherein the plurality of water spray sources are positioned to provide a flow of water to impact a vehicle, the vehicle having a bottom surface sliding on the sliding surface and water impact surfaces spaced along opposite sides of the vehicle body;

wherein the vehicle comprises an inflatable tube defining the opposite sides;

wherein the channel comprises walls and the plurality of water spray sources comprise a plurality of water spray sources positioned along each of the walls;

wherein the plurality of water spray sources are adapted to affect motion of the vehicle; and

wherein each water impact surface includes a protrusion positioned along the opposite sides adjacent the inflatable tube at an angle to an intended direction of motion of the vehicle to affect motion of the vehicle when the water impact surface is impacted by water from at least one of the plurality of water spray sources.

2. The waterslide of claim 1 wherein the plurality of water spray sources are positioned to provide momentum to the vehicle sliding on the sliding surface to push the vehicle upward.

3. The waterslide of claim 1 wherein the walls define openings for receiving the plurality of water spray sources.

4. The waterslide of claim 3 wherein the plurality of water spray sources are angled to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

5. The waterslide of claim 4 wherein the plurality of water spray sources are positioned to spray water at an angle of between 10°

and 15°

to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

6. The waterslide of claim 1 wherein the plurality of water spray sources comprise laterally aligned pairs of water spray sources.

7. The waterside of claim 1 wherein the plurality of water spray sources each provide a focused jet of water.

8. The waterslide of claim 1 wherein the plurality of water spray sources each provide an expansive jet of water.

9. The waterslide of claim 1 wherein the plurality of water spray sources comprise either solid stream nozzles or spray nozzles.

10. The waterslide of claim 9 wherein the nozzles have a diameter in the range of 1 inch to 2 inches.

11. A waterslide vehicle motion control system comprising:

an upwardly angled channel comprising a sliding surface;

a plurality of water spray sources positioned to spray water over the sliding surface;

an amusement ride vehicle comprising;

a body comprising water impact surfaces spaced along opposite sides of the vehicle body, the water impact surfaces being adapted to affect upward motion of the vehicle when the water impact surfaces are impacted by a flow of water from the plurality of water spray sources;

wherein the vehicle body comprises an inflatable tube defining the opposite sides;

wherein the channel comprises walls and the plurality of water spray sources comprise a plurality of water spray sources positioned along each of the walls; and

wherein each water impact surface includes a protrusion positioned along the opposite sides adjacent the inflatable tube at an angle to an intended direction of motion of the vehicle to affect upward motion of the vehicle when the water impact surface is impacted by a flow of water from at least one of the plurality of water spray sources.

12. The waterslide vehicle motion control system of claim 11 wherein the walls define openings for receiving the plurality of water spray sources.

13. The waterslide vehicle motion control system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of water spray sources are angled to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

14. The waterslide vehicle motion control system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of water spray sources are positioned to spray water at an angle of between 10°

and 15°

to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

15. The waterside vehicle motion control system of claim 11 wherein the plurality of water spray sources comprise laterally aligned pairs of water spray sources.

16. A method of pushing a vehicle upward on a sliding surface of a channel of a waterslide comprising impacting water impact surfaces spaced along opposite sides of the vehicle body with a plurality of water jets wherein the vehicle comprises an inflatable tube defining the opposite sides and the channel comprises walls and impacting the vehicle with the plurality of water jets comprises spraying water from a plurality of water spray sources positioned along each of the walls;

wherein each water impact surface includes a protrusion positioned along the opposite sides adjacent the inflatable tube at an angle to an intended direction of motion of the vehicle to affect motion of the vehicle when the water impact surface is impacted by water sprayed from at least one of the plurality of water spray sources.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the walls define openings and the water jets are sprayed through the openings.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the water jets are sprayed at an angle to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the water jets are directed to impact the vehicle at an angle between 10°

and 15°

to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the water jets are sprayed in laterally aligned pairs of water jets.