Water amusement device

• US 9,604,151 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2015
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles E. Decaro, Richard D. Hughes
• Original Assignee: Charles E. Decaro, Richard D. Hughes
• Inventors: DeCaro, Charles E., Hughes, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kien
• Application Number:
  US14/928,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20160121227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 472116-117, 472/128, 104 69- 70
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/007 involving water

Abstract

A water amusement device includes a base pad that extends in a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction. A plurality of longitudinally-extending troughs is located on the base pad. Each longitudinally-extending trough has a respective channel opening that is connected to a laterally extending drain channel. A pad surface is located on the longitudinally-extending troughs and a water-distribution feature located on the pad surface.

Claims

1. A water amusement device comprising:

a base pad that extends in a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction;

a plurality of longitudinally-extending troughs located on the base pad;

each longitudinally-extending trough having a respective channel opening that is connected to a laterally extending drain channel;

a pad surface located on the longitudinally-extending troughs; and

a water-distribution feature located on the pad surface.

2. The water amusement device of claim 1, further comprising:

a return channel that connects the drain channel to a reservoir, the return channel adapted so that water will flow from the drain channel to the reservoir;

a pump inlet located in the reservoir;

a pump outlet adapted to supply water to the water-distribution feature; and

a pump connected to the pump inlet and the pump outlet.

3. The water amusement device of claim 2, wherein the reservoir is located in a vault and the pump is located in a mechanical space that is in the vault.

4. The water amusement device of claim 2, wherein the water-distribution feature is a first water-distribution feature and further comprising a second water-distribution feature;

and

a water distribution manifold, that includes a first manifold outlet connected to the first water-distribution feature and a second manifold outlet connected to the second water-distribution feature, wherein the pump outlet is connected to the water distribution manifold.

5. The water amusement device of claim 4, wherein the water distribution manifold is located within the laterally extending drain channel.

6. The water amusement device of claim 5, wherein the laterally extending drain channel is a laterally-extending trough and the pad surface extends over the laterally-extending trough.

7. The water amusement device of claim 1, wherein the longitudinally-extending troughs include respective upper lips that support the pad surface.

8. The water amusement device of claim 1, wherein the longitudinally-extending troughs include respective upper edges, and further comprising an edge trim that engages the upper edges of adjacent longitudinally-extending troughs.

9. The water amusement device of claim 1, wherein the base pad has a slope in the longitudinal direction and the laterally extending drain channel is located nearer a lower end of the base pad.

10. The water amusement device of claim 1, wherein the longitudinally-extending troughs slope in the longitudinal direction and the laterally extending drain channel is located adjacent a lower end of the longitudinally-extending troughs.

11. The water amusement device of claim 1, wherein the pad surface is divided into a plurality of longitudinally extending pad segments, and each longitudinally extending pad segment is supported on a different one of the longitudinally-extending troughs.

12. The water amusement device of claim 1, wherein the respective channel openings comprise a pipe segment that extends into the respective longitudinally-extending trough and the laterally extending drain channel, a first fitting attached to the pipe segment and located in the respective longitudinally-extending trough, and a second fitting attached to the pipe segment and located in the laterally extending drain channel.

13. The water amusement device of claim 1, wherein the water-distribution feature is mounted to a feature base and the feature base is supported on one longitudinally-extending trough.

14. A water amusement device comprising:

a plurality of longitudinally-extending troughs;

a pad surface located on the longitudinally-extending troughs;

a first water-distribution feature located on the pad surface and a second water-distribution feature located on the pad surface;

each longitudinally-extending trough having a respective channel opening that is connected to a laterally extending drain channel;

a return channel that connects the drain channel to a reservoir;

a pump inlet located in the reservoir;

a pump outlet adapted to supply water to a water distribution manifold that includes a first manifold outlet connected to the first water-distribution feature and a second manifold outlet connected to the second water-distribution feature; and

a pump connected to the pump inlet and the pump outlet.

15. The water amusement device of claim 14, wherein the return channel is adapted so that water will flow from the drain channel to the reservoir.

16. The water amusement device of claim 14, wherein the laterally extending drain channel is a laterally-extending trough and the pad surface extends over the laterally-extending trough and the water distribution manifold is located within the laterally extending drain channel.

17. The water amusement device of claim 14, wherein the longitudinally-extending troughs include respective upper lips that support the pad surface.

18. The water amusement device of claim 14, wherein the longitudinally-extending troughs include respective upper edges, and further comprising an edge trim that engages the upper edges of adjacent longitudinally-extending troughs.

19. The water amusement device of claim 14, wherein the respective channel openings comprise a pipe segment that extends into the respective longitudinally-extending trough and the laterally extending drain channel, a first fitting attached to the pipe segment and located in the respective longitudinally-extending trough, and a second fitting attached to the pipe segment and located in the laterally extending drain channel.

20. The water amusement device of claim 14, wherein the water-distribution feature is mounted to a feature base and the feature base is supported on one longitudinally-extending trough.