Simulated wave water sculpture
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A water sculpture comprising:
- a flow surface adjacent a platform or walkway with at least a portion thereof having a generally inclined slope;
at least one source of water for providing a sheet flow of water onto said flow surface such that said sheet flow of water flows upwardly onto said inclined slope and substantially conforms to said flow surface, said sheet flow of water having a depth of at least about 1 cm; and
said flow surface having a shape adapted to simulate a desired wave form wherein at least a portion of said flow of water assumes an airborne trajectory over said walkway to form a tunnel-like passageway.
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Abstract
A water sculpture is provided having a an upwardly inclined flow surface. A flowing body of water is caused to flow upon the flow surface simulating various desired wave shapes. A variety of aesthetic wave shapes can be created, such as an unbroken wave face, a white water bore, a spilling breaking wave, or a tunnel wave. In one embodiment a walk-through water sculpture is provided such as for an entranceway of a building or the like.
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Citations
84 Claims
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1. A water sculpture comprising:
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a flow surface adjacent a platform or walkway with at least a portion thereof having a generally inclined slope;
at least one source of water for providing a sheet flow of water onto said flow surface such that said sheet flow of water flows upwardly onto said inclined slope and substantially conforms to said flow surface, said sheet flow of water having a depth of at least about 1 cm; and
said flow surface having a shape adapted to simulate a desired wave form wherein at least a portion of said flow of water assumes an airborne trajectory over said walkway to form a tunnel-like passageway. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for forming a water sculpture, comprising:
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a flow surface with at least a portion thereof having a generally inclined slope;
a platform or walkway adjacent said flow surface;
at least one flow source for providing a sheet flow of water onto said flow surface such that said sheet flow of water flows upwardly onto said inclined slope and substantially conforms to the contours thereof and said flow of water on said flow surface has a relationship, characterized in terms of the Froude number, in a range of about 4 to 25; and
said flow surface further comprising an upwardly rising section sized and configured so as to induce separation of said sheet flow, whereby at least a portion of said sheet flow of water assumes an airborne trajectory over said platform or walkway producing visual, aural and/or aesthetic appeal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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- 27. A water awning comprising a tunnel wave water sculpture forming a sheet flow of water having an airborne trajectory over an adjacent walkway or entranceway to form a tunnel-like passageway.
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30. A walk-through water sculpture comprising:
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a platform or walkway for allowing pedestrians or vehicles to traverse a predetermined distance;
a flow surface disposed adjacent said platform or walkway and having at least a portion thereof comprising a generally inclined slope;
at least one flow source for providing a flow of water onto said flow surface such that said flow of water flows upwardly onto said inclined slope substantially conforming to the contours thereof; and
said flow surface farther comprising an upwardly rising section sized and configured so as to induce separation of said flow of water on said upwardly rising section and thereby causing at least a portion of said flow of water to assume an airborne trajectory over said walkway. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A water sculpture, comprising:
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an inclined flow surface adjacent a platform or walkway;
one or more flow sources for providing a flow of water onto said flow surface, said flow conforming substantially to said flow surface; and
said flow surface further comprising a upwardly rising section sized and configured so as to induce separation of said flow of water on said upwardly rising section, whereby at least a portion of said flow of water assumes a trajectory that simulates a naturally occurring wave form projecting over said adjacent platform or walkway to form a tunnel-like passageway. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A water sculpture comprising:
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a flow surface with at least a portion thereof having a generally inclined slope;
at least one source of water for providing a sheet flow of water onto said flow surface such that said sheet flow of water flows upwardly onto said inclined slope and substantially conforms to said flow surface;
said flow surface having a shape adapted to simulate a tunnel wave; and
a platform or walkway extending through said tunnel wave wherein said tunnel wave forms an awning over said platform or walkway.
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41. A water awning comprising a tunnel wave water sculpture having a substantially cylindrical flow surface for forming a sheet flow of water over a walkway or entranceway.
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42. A walk-through water sculpture comprising:
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a reservoir of water;
a flow surface with at least a portion thereof having a generally upwardly inclined slope;
a platform or walkway adjacent said flow surface;
at least one water injector for providing a flow of water from said reservoir onto said flow surface along a flow path such that said flow of water flows upwardly onto said inclined slope and substantially conforms to said flow surface;
said flow surface having a shape adapted so that said flow of water curls over said platform or walkway and then flows off of said flow surface and splashes into said reservoir after a single pass over said flow surface, simulating a desired wave form. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A water sculpture, comprising:
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a reservoir for retaining water;
a flow surface with at least a portion thereof having a generally inclined slope;
a platform or walkway adjacent said flow surface; and
at least one pump for providing a flow of water from said reservoir onto said flow surface;
said pump and flow surface adapted so that said flow of water flows upwardly onto said inclined slope substantially conforming to said flow surface and flowing over said platform or walkway and then back into the reservoir;
said flow surface and said reservoir being configured so that substantially all of said flow of water is directed from said flow surface to said reservoir after a single pass over the flow surface. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A method for creating a walk-through water sculpture, comprising the steps of:
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providing a flow surface having a substantially concave inclined portion;
providing a walkway or platform adjacent the flow surface;
providing a reservoir of water generally below the walkway or platform; and
directing a flow of water from the reservoir onto the flow surface so that substantially the entire flow of water substantially conforms to the flow surface and curls over the walkway or platform and into the reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A tunnel wave water sculpture comprising:
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a reservoir for retaining water;
a platform or walkway disposed above the reservoir;
a flow surface having a generally cylindrical portion extending generally around the platform or walkway, the flow surface not forming a complete cylinder; and
at least one water injector for directing a flow of water onto the flow surface at a location generally adjacent a first side of the walkway in a manner so that the water flows along the flow surface over the walkway and flows into the reservoir at a location generally adjacent a second side of the walkway. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70)
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71. A tunnel wave water sculpture comprising:
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a substantially arcuate flow surface having an entry portion and an exit portion;
a platform disposed beneath at least a portion of the arcuate flow surface so that the flow surface entry portion is disposed generally adjacent a first side of the platform and the flow surface exit portion is disposed generally adjacent a second side of the platform;
a water receiving basin generally below the platform;
at least one water injector for directing a flow of water onto the entry portion in a manner so that water flows along the flow surface over the platform to the exit portion, from which substantially the entire flow of water exits the flow surface and flows into the water receiving basin. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73)
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74. An apparatus for forming a tunnel wave through which people can pass, said apparatus comprising a flow surface, a platform or walkway and at least one nozzle for directing water onto the flow surface,
the flow surface having a concave curvature curling past the vertical back onto itself to form a partial cylinder having a longitudinal axis, the platform or walkway extending through the partial cylinder and generally parallel to said axis.
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78. A method of forming a water tunnel over a platform or walkway extending through the tunnel, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a concave flow surface over said platform or walkway which extends partially around a longitudinal axis of said platform or walkway;
directing water onto the flow surface with sufficient velocity to cause the water to conform to said flow surface and form a water tunnel about said platform or walkway by traveling less than 360 degrees about said axis, before leaving the flow surface by means of an outlet therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80)
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81. A tunnel wave water sculpture comprising:
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a reservoir for retaining water;
a platform or walkway disposed above the reservoir;
a flow surface having a generally cylindrical portion extending generally around the platform or walkway, the flow surface not forming a complete cylinder; and
at least one water injector for directing a flow of water onto the flow surface at a location generally adjacent a first side of the walkway in a manner so that the water flows along the flow surface over the walkway and flows into the reservoir at a location generally adjacent a second side of the walkway;
wherein water from the water injector flows once across the flow surface before splashing into the reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84)
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Specification