Water amusement park conveyor roller belts

• US 8,162,769 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2005
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Water Ride Concepts Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Water Ride Concepts Incorporated
• Inventors: Henry, Jeffery Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): DENNIS, MICHAEL DAVID
• Application Number:
  US11/244,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20060135274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,392 Days
• Field of Search: 472/117, 472/128
• US Class Current: 472/128
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/18 Water-chutes
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 29/00 Rolling drums turning somersaults with or without rolling seats hoop exercising apparatus driven by the user A63B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 3/02 with floating seats

Abstract

An amusement ride system and method are described. In some embodiments, an amusement ride system may be generally related to water amusement attractions and rides. Further, the disclosure generally relates to water-powered rides and to a system and method in which participants may be more involved in a water attraction. An amusement ride system may include system for conveying a participant from a first source of water to a second source of water. The system may include one or more fluid jets. The fluid jets may function to produce a fluid stream having a predetermined velocity which is selectively greater, less than, or the same as a velocity of a participant at each of the fluid jet locations and are oriented tangentially with respect to the surface of the source of water so as to contact a participant and/or participant vehicle. An amusement ride system may include a system for controlling a participant flow rate through a multi path water amusement ride system. The system may include at least one gate mechanism which functions, upon activation, to inhibit a participant from entering one or more path choices. An amusement ride system may include a system for facilitating entry of a participant on a floatation device. The system may include one or more portions of water including a depth of water which allows a participant to more easily enter a floatation device.

Claims

1. A system for conveying a water amusement system participant from a first source of water to a second source of water comprising:

a belt, wherein the belt is coupled to the first source of water and to the second source of water;

a belt movement system, wherein the belt movement system moves, during use, the belt in a loop; and

one or more systems of rollers, wherein at least one of the system of rollers facilitates transfer of water amusement system participants between the belt and the first source of water and/or the second source of water, wherein one of the system of rollers comprises a preassembled section positioned in an opening of a bottom surface of the first source of water and/or the second source of water, wherein the system of rollers are preassembled in an open container, and wherein the open container couples to the bottom surface of the first source of water and/or the second source of water.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the system of rollers couples the belt to the first source of water.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the system of rollers comprises a plurality of rollers coupled together such that the rollers freely rotate.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the system of rollers couples the belt to the first source of water, and wherein participants are transferred from the first source of water to one or more of the system of rollers and then to the belt.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the system of rollers couples the belt to the second source of water.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the system of rollers couples the belt to the second source of water, and wherein participants are transferred from the belt to one or more of the system of rollers and then to the second source of water.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a water flow sensor coupled to the first source of water, wherein the water flow sensor is configured to monitor the water flow rate of the first source of water proximate the belt.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first source of water is at a lower elevation than the second source of water.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first source of water is a body of water.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first source of water is a channel.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the second source of water is a slide.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein a protective device is positioned to cover the outer edges of the belt, wherein the participants are inhibited from accessing the belt movement system by the protective device.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a detection device positioned above the belt, wherein the detection device is configured to produce a detection signal when a participant is in a position above a predetermined height above the belt, and wherein the detection device is electronically coupled to the belt movement system such that the belt movement system is deactivated in response to a received detection signal.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a deflector plate positioned below the surface of the first source of water wherein the deflector plate is positioned to inhibit a participant from moving to a position below the belt.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a deflector plate positioned below the first source of water wherein the deflector plate is positioned to inhibit a participant from moving to a position below the belt, and wherein the deflector plate is substantially angled to guide participants onto the belt.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one floating queue line positioned within the first source of water upstream from the belt, wherein the floating queue line is configured to position a participant in a predetermined configuration prior to moving onto the belt.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a barrier positioned on one or more sides of the belt, wherein the barrier is configured to inhibit participants from leaving the belt as the participants are conveyed along the belt.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein a participant is riding on a floatation device.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the belt movement system comprises:

at least two rollers, wherein the belt is coupled to the rollers such that rotation of the rollers causes the belt to move around the rollers during use; and

a power supply coupled to at least one of the rollers, wherein the power supply is configured to supply a rotational force to at least one of the rollers during use.