Interactive water play apparatus and methods
First Claim
1. An apparatus for providing water play entertainment to one or more play participants, the apparatus comprising:
- an elongated substantially vertical structure having a top portion and a bottom portion and a substantially vertical, hollow guide extending therebetween wherein the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure is unenclosed, and the vertical hollow guide is not water-filled;
a water play effect located proximate to the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure;
a cannonball comprising a substantially spherical object with a diameter of between approximately three feet and approximately six feet, the cannonball being further configured to enter the elongated substantially vertical structure at the top portion and descend through the substantially vertical guide to the bottom portion, the cannonball being further configured to activate the water play effect when near the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure; and
a return conduit configured to automatically transport the cannonball against a gravitational force from the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure to the top portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure following the descent of the cannonball.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An interactive play structure is provided for facilitating team-oriented and/or group play to achieve a desired effect. The play structure includes play elements disposed at various locations and elevations throughout the play structure. Each play element can be activated or operated by one or more play participants to complete steps in a chain of triggering events. The overall completion of the chain of events results in a desired result or effect, such as a domino-like cascade of various mechanisms, balls, water the like. In one example, the effect includes the release of a cannonball from the top of a vertical structure. As the cannonball reaches the end of its descent, it causes water to be radially dispersed from a pool, such as onto nearby play participants. The cannonball is then advantageously returned to the top of the vertical structure through the use of one or more return conduits.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for providing water play entertainment to one or more play participants, the apparatus comprising:
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an elongated substantially vertical structure having a top portion and a bottom portion and a substantially vertical, hollow guide extending therebetween wherein the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure is unenclosed, and the vertical hollow guide is not water-filled; a water play effect located proximate to the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure; a cannonball comprising a substantially spherical object with a diameter of between approximately three feet and approximately six feet, the cannonball being further configured to enter the elongated substantially vertical structure at the top portion and descend through the substantially vertical guide to the bottom portion, the cannonball being further configured to activate the water play effect when near the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure; and a return conduit configured to automatically transport the cannonball against a gravitational force from the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure to the top portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure following the descent of the cannonball. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of providing an interactive water play apparatus, the method comprising:
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providing a plurality of play media; providing one or more guide elements configured to guide each of the plurality of play media along a travel path; providing a water effect having a cannonball object; and providing at least one user-interactive control module communicatively coupled to the one or more guide elements to, based at least upon one or more actions of a user, alter the travel path of at least one of the plurality of play media to release the cannonball to activate the water effect, wherein the at least one control module provides one or more physical challenges to be completed by one or more play participants, and wherein the one or more guide elements comprise a default path and a secondary path, and wherein the at least one control module is configured to selectively alter the travel path of the at least one of the plurality of play media from the default path to the secondary path. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A water play apparatus comprising:
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means for containing water; means for displacing the water from said containing means; means for defining a substantially vertical guide substantially above said containing means, wherein said displacing means is configured to descend from a first portion of said defining means and through said defining means to the containing means; means for triggering the descent of said displacing means; and means for returning said displacing means to the first portion of said defining means after a descent of said displacing means. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. An apparatus for providing water play entertainment to one or more play participants, the apparatus comprising:
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an elongated substantially vertical structure having a top portion and a bottom portion and a substantially vertical guide extending therebetween; a water play effect located proximate to the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure; a cannonball configured to enter the elongated substantially vertical structure at the top portion and descend through the substantially vertical guide to the bottom portion, the cannonball being further configured to activate the water play effect when near the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure; and a return conduit comprising a tubular structure and an auger within the tubular structure configured to transport the cannonball from the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure to the top portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure following the descent of the cannonball.
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19. An apparatus for providing water play entertainment to one or more play participants, the apparatus comprising:
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an elongated substantially vertical structure having a top portion and a bottom portion and a substantially vertical guide extending therebetween; a water play effect located proximate to the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure, wherein the water play effect comprises a computer-generated effect; a cannonball configured to enter the elongated substantially vertical structure at the top portion and descend through the substantially vertical guide to the bottom portion, the cannonball being further configured to activate the water play effect when near the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure; and a return conduit configured to transport the cannonball from the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure to the top portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure following the descent of the cannonball.
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20. An apparatus for providing water play entertainment to one or more play participants, the apparatus comprising:
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an elongated substantially vertical structure having a top portion and a bottom portion and a substantially vertical guide extending therebetween; a water play effect located proximate to the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure, wherein the water play effect comprises a plurality of nozzles configured to project water from the apparatus when the water play effect is activated; a cannonball configured to enter the elongated substantially vertical structure at the top portion and descend through the substantially vertical guide to the bottom portion, the cannonball being further configured to activate the water play effect when near the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure; and a return conduit configured to transport the cannonball from the bottom portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure to the top portion of the elongated substantially vertical structure following the descent of the cannonball.
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Specification