Method and apparatus for adjusting rider movement on a waterslide amusement device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A waterslide amusement device comprising:
- (a) a slide surface for supporting a rider traveling along a slide path;
(b) a water jet assembly positioned to direct water along a portion of said slide surface and apply a force to said rider;
(c) a sensor capable of sensing a parameter indicative of the inertia of said rider; and
(d) a control system in communication with said sensor and said water jet assembly, said control system configured to adjust said force applied to said rider by operation of said water jet assembly based upon input received from said sensor representative of said sensed parameter.
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Abstract
In waterslide amusement devices one or more water jets can be directed along the waterslide surface and used to apply a force to riders using the amusement device. In the present approach the operation of such water jet assemblies is adjusted based on the weight of each rider, so that riders of different weights can negotiate the waterslide amusement device safely and with an appropriate degree of excitement. The rider weight is conveniently measured on the waterslide amusement device, for example, using a load cell assembly, and a signal is sent to a controller to adjust the output of one or more downstream water jet assemblies based on the measured rider weight.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A waterslide amusement device comprising:
- (a) a slide surface for supporting a rider traveling along a slide path;
(b) a water jet assembly positioned to direct water along a portion of said slide surface and apply a force to said rider;
(c) a sensor capable of sensing a parameter indicative of the inertia of said rider; and
(d) a control system in communication with said sensor and said water jet assembly, said control system configured to adjust said force applied to said rider by operation of said water jet assembly based upon input received from said sensor representative of said sensed parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- (a) a slide surface for supporting a rider traveling along a slide path;
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17. A waterslide amusement device comprising:
- (a) an undulating slide surface including a hill for supporting and directing a rider along a slide path;
(b) a water jet assembly positioned to direct water along a portion of said slide surface and apply a force to said rider to move said rider up the hill in the undulating slide surface;
(c) a load cell assembly configured to sense the weight of said rider at a location on said slide path upstream of said water jet assembly; and
(d) a control system in communication with said load cell assembly and said water jet assembly, said control system configured to adjust said force applied to said rider by operation of said water jet assembly based upon input received from said load cell assembly representative of said rider weight.
- (a) an undulating slide surface including a hill for supporting and directing a rider along a slide path;
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18. A system for affecting movement of a rider traveling along a waterslide surface, wherein said system comprises:
- (a) a water jet assembly configured to direct water along a portion of said waterslide surface and apply a force to said rider, wherein said water jet assembly comprises at least one nozzle and at least one pump in communication with said at least one nozzle for pumping water through said at least one nozzle;
(b) a sensor capable of sensing a parameter indicative of the inertia of said rider; and
(c) a controller in communication with said sensor and said water jet assembly, said controller configured to adjust operation of said water jet assembly based upon input received from said sensor representative of said sensed parameter. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
- (a) a water jet assembly configured to direct water along a portion of said waterslide surface and apply a force to said rider, wherein said water jet assembly comprises at least one nozzle and at least one pump in communication with said at least one nozzle for pumping water through said at least one nozzle;
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26. A method for affecting movement of a rider on a waterslide surface that supports a rider traveling along a slide path, said method comprising:
- (a) directing a pressurized jet of water along at least a portion of said waterslide surface so that said pressurized jet of water provides a force to said rider;
(b) sensing a parameter indicative of the inertia of said rider; and
(c) adjusting said force applied to said rider by said pressurized jet of water based upon said sensed parameter. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
- (a) directing a pressurized jet of water along at least a portion of said waterslide surface so that said pressurized jet of water provides a force to said rider;
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38. A method for affecting movement of a rider traveling along an undulating waterslide surface that supports and directs a rider along a slide path, said method comprising:
- (a) directing a pressurized jet of water along at least a portion of said slide surface so that said pressurized jet of water provides a force to said rider;
(b) sensing the weight of said rider on said slide path at a location upstream of said pressurized jet of water using a load cell assembly; and
(c) adjusting said force applied to said rider by said pressurized jet of water based upon said sensed weight.
- (a) directing a pressurized jet of water along at least a portion of said slide surface so that said pressurized jet of water provides a force to said rider;
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39. A method for operating a waterslide comprising a slide surface for supporting and directing a rider along a slide path, said method comprising:
- (a) directing a pressurized jet of water along at least a portion of said slide surface so that said pressurized jet of water provides a force to riders on said waterslide;
(b) sensing a parameter indicative of the inertia of each rider; and
(c) adjusting said force applied to each rider by said pressurized jet of water based upon said sensed parameter.
- (a) directing a pressurized jet of water along at least a portion of said slide surface so that said pressurized jet of water provides a force to riders on said waterslide;
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40. A waterslide amusement device comprising:
- (a) a slide surface for supporting a rider traveling along a slide path;
(b) a water jet assembly positioned to direct water along a portion of said slide surface and apply a force to said rider; and
(c) a control system configured to adjust said force applied to said rider by operation of said water jet assembly based upon an input parameter indicative of the inertia of said rider. - View Dependent Claims (41)
- (a) a slide surface for supporting a rider traveling along a slide path;
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42. A system for affecting movement of a rider traveling along a waterslide surface wherein said system comprises:
- (a) a water jet assembly positioned to direct water along a portion of said waterslide surface and apply a force to said rider; and
(b) a controller that is configured to adjust operation of said water jet assembly based upon an input parameter indicative of the inertia of said rider. - View Dependent Claims (43)
- (a) a water jet assembly positioned to direct water along a portion of said waterslide surface and apply a force to said rider; and
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44. A method for affecting movement of a rider on a waterslide surface that supports a rider traveling along a slide path, said method comprising:
- (a) directing a pressurized jet of water along at least a portion of said slide surface so that said pressurized jet of water provides a force to said rider; and
(b) adjusting said force applied to said rider by said pressurized jet of water based on a parameter indicative of the inertia of said rider. - View Dependent Claims (45)
- (a) directing a pressurized jet of water along at least a portion of said slide surface so that said pressurized jet of water provides a force to said rider; and
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46. A weight-measuring device for measuring rider weight on a waterslide amusement device comprising a slide surface for supporting a rider traveling along a slide path, said device comprising:
- (a) a weight-bearing platform that forms a portion of said slide path, wherein said weight-bearing platform is a pivoting roller tray;
(b) a cross-bracket extending between a pair of load cells, said cross-bracket and said load cells located underneath said weight-bearing platform, whereby when a rider is positioned on said platform, a force is applied to said load cells via said cross-bracket, and said load cells transmit a signal indicative of the weight of said rider.
- (a) a weight-bearing platform that forms a portion of said slide path, wherein said weight-bearing platform is a pivoting roller tray;
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47. A method for measuring rider weight on a waterslide amusement device comprising a slide surface for supporting a rider traveling along a slide path, said method comprising positioning a rider on a weight-bearing platform that forms part of said slide path so that a force is applied to a pair of load cells, wherein said weight-bearing platform comprises a pivoting roller tray, and transmitting a signal from said load cells indicative of the weight of said rider.
Specification