Wave energy and rip current control system for surf pools

• US 10,449,433 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walter Judson Bennett
• Original Assignee: Walter Judson Bennett
• Inventors: Bennett, Walter Judson
• Primary Examiner(s): Oquendo, Carib A
• Application Number:
  US15/965,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20190329115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 541 Days
• Field of Search: 405 79, 4491
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0093 for surfing, i.e. without a sail; for skate or snow boarding
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/125 Devices for generating a current of water in swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/0006 Devices for producing waves in swimming pools generating current of water in swimming pools A63B69/125

Abstract

The invention relates to a Surf Pool wherein a portion of the beach is provided with a wave catch basin. With the wave catch basin extending along the length of the beach, the wave catch basin will allow water to go over an infinity edge and settle in the wave catch basin, wherein wave energy backflows are eliminated and rip currents are avoided. With the wave catch basin extending along the beach side of the surf pool, the water that is collected in the wave catch basin and by pumping water out of pipe fittings or creating positive suction into pipe fittings, alters the flow of the rip current, thereby altering the wave formation characteristics. As the rip currents enter the rip current flow channels on both sides of the surfing reef, water can be suctioned down through return pipes or pumped in any direction along the surf pool bottom to stop the rip currents in the rip current flow channels, which helps the breaking waves from becoming distorted as they break.

Claims

1. A surf pool comprising of a wave dampening rip current mitigation system including of at least one rip current flow channel down a middle of an artificial surfing reef and,

wherein a rip flow channel located on a sides of the artificial surfing reef minimizes rip current at wave breaking zones and,

wherein the rip current flow channels has different contoured slopes, widths and depths to decrease or increase rip current speeds and,

wherein the at least one rip flow channel in the middle of the artificial surfing reef ranges from 5 meters to 15 meters in width and,

wherein the rip current flow channel along the sides of the artificial surfing reef is 1 to 5 meters wide and 1 meter deep and,

wherein the at least one rip flow channel in the middle of the artificial surfing reef has an internal slope of 1/1 to 1/3 and,

wherein the artificial surfing reef has different internal reef angles from 25 degrees to 70 degrees to decrease the rip current energy in a wave breaking zones,

wherein the rip current flow channels divert a rip currents outside of a wave breaking zones.

2. A surf pool as recited in claim 1, further comprising a wave catch basin and,

wherein a return flow channel is connected to each side of the wave catch basin and,

wherein the water collected in the wave catch basin is returned to the rear of the surf pool to maintain equilibrium in the surf pool.