Amusement water rides involving exercise circuits

• US 20070087849A1
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Ride Concepts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Water Ride Concepts Incorporated
• Inventors: Schooley, John, Henry, Jeffery
• Granted Patent: US 8,210,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 472/117
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/18 Water-chutes
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 3/00 Water roundabouts, e.g. freely floating

Abstract

An exercise facility may be part of a water ride. The exercise facility may be coupled to a water amusement system. An exercise facility may include a body of water that assists or resists movement of a participant between stations or apparatus in the facility. Exercise stations may be at least partially submerged in the body of water. Exercise apparatus may float on or be coupled to structures in the body of water. A participant may move from station to station, or apparatus to apparatus, by swimming, floating, traveling underwater, walking or jogging in the body of water, or using a conveyor. A system for providing exercise may include a processing unit that processes information relating to exercise by a participant and a display for displaying information to the participant while the participant is at the exercise stations.

Claims

1. A water amusement park system, comprising:

a body of water;

two or more exercise stations located in the body of water, wherein the exercise stations are at least partially submerged underwater in the body of water; and

wherein the body of water comprises a current configured to assist a participant to move between exercise stations.

2. The water amusement park system of claim 1, wherein the participant swims between exercise stations.

3. The water amusement park system of claim 1, wherein the participant is supported by a flotation device when moving between exercise stations.

4. The water amusement park system of claim 3, wherein the flotation device is operable by a participant to propel the flotation device between exercise stations.

5. The water amusement park system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the exercise stations comprises an exercise device for exercising the upper body of the participant, wherein the operation of the flotation device exercises the lower body of the participant.

6. The water amusement park system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the exercise stations comprises an exercise device for exercising the upper body of the participant, wherein the operation of the flotation device exercises the upper body of the participant.

9. The water amusement park system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a conveyor to assist in movement of the participant between exercise stations.

10. The water amusement park system of claim 1, wherein the body of water is coupled to one or more additional water amusement systems.

11. The water amusement park system of claim 1, wherein the body of water comprises a channel of water which runs in a continuous loop.

13. The water amusement park system of claim 1, wherein the current is generated by the body of water flowing downhill.

14. The water amusement park system of claim 1, wherein the current is generated by a flow generating system coupled to the body of water.

23. The water amusement park system of claim 1, wherein at least one exercise station comprises paddling against the current.

26. The water amusement park system of claim 1, further comprising a monitoring system for assessing the participant'"'"'s exercise status.

27. The water amusement park system of claim 26, wherein the monitoring system is configured to indicate to the participant when the participant is to proceed to the next exercise station.

28. The water amusement park system of claim 26, wherein the monitoring system is configured to assess one or more biological functions of the participant.

29. The water amusement park system of claim 1, further comprising a participant identifier configured to be coupled to the participant, wherein the participant identifier is configured for assessing a status of the participant in the system.

30. The water amusement park system of claim 1, further comprising a first elevation increasing system configured to convey a participant from an exit point of a first water amusement ride, or a point subsequent to such exit point, to an entry point of a second water amusement ride, or a point preceding such entry point, wherein the exit point of the first ride and the entry point of the second ride are at different elevation levels, and wherein the first water amusement ride and/or the second water amusement ride are coupled to the body of water.

31. The water amusement park system of claim 30, further comprising a second elevation increasing system configured to convey a participant from an exit point of the second water amusement ride, or a point subsequent to such exit point, to another area of a water park.

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

15-22. -22. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. A water amusement park system, comprising:

a body of water;

two or more exercise stations located in the body of water, wherein the exercise stations are at least partially submerged underwater in the body of water; and

wherein the body of water comprises a current configured to provide resistance against movement by a participant between exercise stations.

34-61. -61. (canceled)

62. A system for providing exercise, comprising:

a body of water;

a processing unit configured to process information relating to exercise by a participant;

at least two exercise stations at least partially in the body of water; and

a display configured to receive information from the processing unit and display the information to the participant while the participant is at one or more of the exercise stations.

63-77. -77. (canceled)