Method and apparatus for improving sheet flow water rides
DCFirst Claim
1. A water ride facility for amusement parks, water parks and the like, wherein a user rides on a sheet flow of water flowing in a predetermined direction onto said water ride facility, comprising:
- a substantially stationary riding surface having a substantially horizontal portion, followed in the direction of said flow of water by a concave upwardly inclined portion, and a substantially upwardly convex ridge portion; and
said sheet flow of water on said riding surface having a predetermined velocity and volume sufficient to cause said flow to substantially conform to the contours of said riding surface, said flow flowing onto said horizontal portion, and onto said inclined portion, and then onto said convex ridge portion, wherein a user can ride over said portions on said flow of water.
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Abstract
An amusement apparatus for water sports activities wherein a flowing body of water is provided. The water moves across an inclined, declined or horizontal riding surface upon which the velocity, volume and gravitational dynamics of the flowing body of water is such that a rider may perform water skimming/simulated surfing maneuvers thereon. Composite structures with horizontal and inclined surfaces and varying flow velocity over time across specifically shaped structures permit water skimming/simulated surfing maneuvers on unbroken, spilling or tunnel type wave forms. Asymmetry in the downstream ridge line of an inclined surface allows spilling type wave formations as well as facilitating the removal of a transient surge. A novel fluid "half-pipe" waveform is also introduced.
92 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A water ride facility for amusement parks, water parks and the like, wherein a user rides on a sheet flow of water flowing in a predetermined direction onto said water ride facility, comprising:
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a substantially stationary riding surface having a substantially horizontal portion, followed in the direction of said flow of water by a concave upwardly inclined portion, and a substantially upwardly convex ridge portion; and said sheet flow of water on said riding surface having a predetermined velocity and volume sufficient to cause said flow to substantially conform to the contours of said riding surface, said flow flowing onto said horizontal portion, and onto said inclined portion, and then onto said convex ridge portion, wherein a user can ride over said portions on said flow of water. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A water ride facility for amusement parks, water parks, and the like, wherein a user rides on a flowing body of water, said flowing body of water flowing in a predetermined direction, said facility comprising:
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a substantially stationary riding surface having a generally inclined portion extending in the direction of said flow, wherein said flowing body of water travels onto said riding surface and substantially conforms to the contours of said inclined portion of said riding surface; and a wave-forming structure extending upward from and across said generally inclined portion and having a curved, elevated, and inclined surface thereon, said wave-forming structure having a degree of inclination sufficient to cause said flowing body of water to flow upward and across said wave-forming structure, and due to gravity to reach a subcritical flow such that said body of water forms a spilling wave thereon. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A water ride facility for amusement parks, water parks and the like, wherein a user rides on a flowing body of water, said facility comprising:
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a substantially stationary riding surface comprising an inclined portion having an upper generally smooth, convexly shaped ridge, said ridge being generally higher in elevation on one side of said riding surface and generally lower on another side of said riding surface; and said flow of water substantially conforming to the contours of said riding surface, said flow of water flowing up said inclined portion such that non-equilibrium water-skimming maneuvers may be performed by said user on said riding surface. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A water ride facility wherein a user rides on a flowing body of water, said facility comprising:
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a substantially stationary riding surface having a first section extending generally along one side of said riding surface, said first section extending upward and having an inclined surface which forms an upper convex ridge portion, said riding surface having a second section extending generally laterally along another side of said riding surface, said second section extending upward to form an elevated wave-forming structure thereon; and a first portion of said flowing body of water onto said first section of said riding surface and flowing onto said inclined surface such that said body of water flows over said ridge portion, and a second portion of said flowing body of water flowing onto said second section of said riding surface and onto said wave-forming structure such that said body of water reaches a subcritical velocity due to gravity acting on said body of water and forms a spilling wave along said wave-forming structure. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A water ride facility for amusement parks, water parks and the like, wherein a user rides on a flowing body of water, said body of water flowing in predetermined direction, said facility comprising:
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a riding surface having a substantially semi-cylindrical shape and being positioned such that an axis of said semi-cylindrical shape of said riding surface is oriented in a substantially transverse direction with respect to the direction of said flowing body of water, said riding surface being positioned such that said flow flows downward along a first upper edge portion of said riding surface and then along a lower portion and then upward along a second upper edge portion of said riding surface and over said upper edge portion; and said flow of water on said riding surface being injected at a velocity sufficient to cause said flow to substantially conform to said semi-cylindrical shape of said riding surface. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A method for operating a water ride facility, comprising the steps of:
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providing a riding surface having a high elevation side and a low elevation side; flowing a shallow flow of water upon said riding surface with sufficient velocity such that said flow substantially conforms to said low elevation side of said riding surface but does not flow over said high elevation side of said riding surface;
comprising the additional step of providing a wave-forming structure on said high elevation side of said riding surface and flowing said shallow flow of water upward onto said wave-forming structure at a velocity insufficient to allow said flow of water to rise above said wave-forming structure due to gravity whereby a spilling wave is formed; andself-clearing the flow of water from said high elevation side to said low elevation side. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A water ride facility for amusement parks, water parks, and the like, wherein a user rides on a flowing body of water, said facility comprising:
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a riding surface having a generally half-pipe configuration; and said flowing body of water flowing on said riding surface having a velocity sufficient to cause said flow to flow over a leading edge of said half-pipe configuration so as to form a stable shape substantially confirming to the surface of said half-pipe configuration, wherein said flow flows up and over a trailing edge of said half-pipe so that said user can perform water skimming maneuvers thereon. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification