WATER RIDE

• US 20170106295A1
• Filed: 03/03/2015
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proslide Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Proslide Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: HUNTER, Richard D
• Granted Patent: US 10,500,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/10 with spiral tracks
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/14 with driven slideways
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/18 Water-chutes
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 31/007 involving water

Abstract

A slide feature for an amusement ride adapted to carry a rider or ride vehicle sliding thereon, and a water slide comprising said slide feature are provided. The slide feature has an inrun permitting ingress of the rider or ride vehicle, an outrun permitting egress, and a sliding surface in communication with the inrun and the outrun. The sliding surface may comprise a surface substantially in the shape of a sector of a closed curve and/or may be substantially planar. The slide feature may also include an outer lip and provide that the rider or ride vehicle, at least partially urged by gravity, slides along the sliding surface from the inrun to the out run in an arcuate path at least partially bounded by the outer lip. The sliding surface may be oriented so an elevation of the rider or ride vehicle increases then decreases along the arcuate path.

Claims

1. A slide feature for an amusement ride adapted to carry a rider or ride vehicle sliding thereon, the slide feature comprising:

an inrun permitting ingress of the rider or ride vehicle,

an outrun permitting egress of the rider or ride vehicle,

a sliding surface in communication with the inrun and the outrun, wherein the sliding surface comprises a surface substantially in the shape of a sector of a closed curve; and

an outer lip extending from the inrun to the outrun,

wherein the slide feature provides that the rider or ride vehicle, at least partially urged by gravity, slides along the sliding surface from the inrun to the outrun in an arcuate path at least partially bounded by the outer lip.

2. The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the sliding surface is substantially planar.

3. The slide feature of claim 1, wherein:

the sliding surface is oriented at a pitch angle around a pitch axis, the pitch angle being measured relative to a horizontal plane;

the sliding surface is oriented at a roll angle around a roll axis, the roll angle being measured relative to the horizontal plane,

the pitch axis and the roll axis are mutually perpendicular, and

at least one of the pitch angle and the roll angle is nonzero.

4. The slide feature of claim 3, wherein the pitch angle and the roll angle are selected so that an elevation of the rider or ride vehicle increases along a first portion of the arcuate path and decreases along a second portion of the arcuate path.

5. The slide feature of claim 4, wherein each of the pitch angle and the roll angle is less than 45°

.

6. The slide feature of claim 4, wherein at least one of the pitch angle and the roll angle is 11.25°

.

7. The slide feature of claim 4, wherein each of the pitch angle and the roll angle are between 15°

and 18°

.

8. The slide feature of claim 4, wherein the roll angle is 11.25°

and the pitch angle is 22.5°

.

9. The slide feature of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the slide feature is between 15 feet to 25 feet.

10. The slide feature of claim 1, wherein a radius of the sliding surface is continuously reduced from the inrun to the outrun.

11. The slide feature of claim 10, wherein the radius of the sliding surface at the outrun is 75% of the radius of the sliding surface at the inrun.

12. The slide feature of claim 1, wherein a radius of the sliding surface is constant from the inrun to the outrun.

13. The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the sliding surface is uncovered.

14. The slide feature of claim 1, further comprising a cover over the sliding surface.

15. The slide feature of claim 14, wherein the cover has at least one of a hemispherical or domed shape.

16. The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the slide feature is adapted to carry a ride vehicle and the ride vehicle comprises a raft for seating one human or a raft for seating two humans in an inline configuration.

17. The slide feature of claim 1, wherein a shape of the inrun and a shape of the outrun each are adapted to interface with water slide chutes having a circular or semi-circular cross-section.

18. The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the sliding surface comprises a groove for guiding the path of the rider.

19. The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the sliding surface comprises a flexible material with a textured surface.

20. The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the outer lip has a substantially flat cross-section perpendicular to the sliding surface.

21. The slide feature of claim 1, wherein the outer lip has a curved cross-section.

22. The slide feature of claim 21, wherein an edge of the sliding surface is curved to provide a smooth transition to the outer lip.

23. The slide feature of claim 1, wherein an edge of the sliding surface is angled to meet the outer lip.

24. The slide feature of claim 23, wherein the edge of the sliding surface is angled at an angle between 10°

and 45°

relative to a central part of the sliding surface.

25. A water slide comprising a slide feature according to claim 1.

26. The water slide of claim 25, further comprising:

a support structure supporting the slide feature,

wherein the support structure is configured to dynamically impart movement to the slide feature.

27. A slide feature for an amusement ride adapted to carry a rider or ride vehicle sliding thereon, the slide feature comprising:

an inrun permitting ingress of the rider or ride vehicle,

an outrun permitting egress of the rider or ride vehicle,

a sliding surface in communication with the inrun and the outrun, wherein the sliding surface is substantially planar; and

an outer lip extending from the inrun to the outrun,

wherein the slide feature provides that the rider or ride vehicle, at least partially urged by gravity, slides along the sliding surface from the inrun to the outrun in an arcuate path at least partially bounded by the outer lip, and

wherein the sliding surface is oriented so that an elevation of the rider or ride vehicle increases along a first portion of the arcuate path and decreases along a second portion of the arcuate path.

28. The slide feature of claim 27, wherein:

the sliding surface is oriented at a pitch angle around a pitch axis, the pitch angle being measured relative to a horizontal plane;

the sliding surface is oriented at a roll angle around a roll axis, the roll angle being measured relative to the horizontal plane,

the pitch axis and the roll axis are mutually perpendicular, and

both the pitch angle and the roll angle are nonzero.

29. A water slide comprising a slide feature according to claim 27.

30. A slide feature for an amusement ride adapted to carry a rider or ride vehicle sliding thereon, the slide feature comprising:

an inrun permitting ingress of the rider or ride vehicle,

an outrun permitting egress of the rider or ride vehicle,

a sliding surface in communication with the inrun and the outrun, wherein the sliding surface comprises a substantially circular or substantially elliptical surface; and

an outer lip extending from the inrun to the outrun,

wherein the slide feature provides that the rider or ride vehicle, at least partially urged by gravity, slides along the sliding surface from the inrun to the outrun in an arcuate path at least partially bounded by the outer lip.

31. Each inventive apparatus disclosed in the attached patent application.