초록 ▼

A ride surface for water ride attractions and the like is provided. The ride surface is fabricated from a reinforced membrane material tensioned over a supporting framework. The tensioned membrane ride surface serves the dual role of providing structural support for water flow and riders thereon whi

A ride surface for water ride attractions and the like is provided. The ride surface is fabricated from a reinforced membrane material tensioned over a supporting framework. The tensioned membrane ride surface serves the dual role of providing structural support for water flow and riders thereon while at the same time providing an impact safe surface that is non-injurious to riders who may fall thereon. The tensioned membrane can be adjusted actively and/or passively in order to accommodate different and varied ride experiences. Optionally, the shape of the membrane ride surface can be changed either dynamically or passively by special tensioning techniques and/or by using auxiliary support structures such as air bladders, pressure/suction, foam supports or/or the like.

대표청구항 ▼

A ride surface for water ride attractions and the like is provided. The ride surface is fabricated from a reinforced membrane material tensioned over a supporting framework. The tensioned membrane ride surface serves the dual role of providing structural support for water flow and riders thereon whi

A ride surface for water ride attractions and the like is provided. The ride surface is fabricated from a reinforced membrane material tensioned over a supporting framework. The tensioned membrane ride surface serves the dual role of providing structural support for water flow and riders thereon while at the same time providing an impact safe surface that is non-injurious to riders who may fall thereon. The tensioned membrane can be adjusted actively and/or passively in order to accommodate different and varied ride experiences. Optionally, the shape of the membrane ride surface can be changed either dynamically or passively by special tensioning techniques and/or by using auxiliary support structures such as air bladders, pressure/suction, foam supports or/or the like. n substantially perpendicular to said top portion, said cross-piece support being arranged to fit in said leg portion, said cross-piece being arranged to fir in said top portion. 10. The ramp system of claim 1, wherein said cross-piece supports are elongate and include a pair of indentations on a common edge each adjacent an end of said cross-piece support, said indentations defining an indented part of said cross-piece supports, said indented parts of said cross-pieces supports being arranged in said notches. 11. The ramp system of claim 1, wherein said cross-pieces are elongate and include a pair of indentations adjacent each end of said cross-piece, said indentations defining an indented part of said cross-pieces, said pair of indentations being situated on opposite edges of said cross-piece, said indented part of said cross-piece supports being inserted into said notches in said side panels. 12. The ramp system of claim 1, wherein said side panels are rectangular. 13. The ramp system of claim 1, wherein said notches in said board supporting edge and said cross-pieces are arranged such that said cross-pieces snap in to said notches. 14. The ramp system of claim 1, wherein said frame further comprises connection means for connecting said cross-pieces to said side panels. 15. The ramp system of claim 1, wherein said side panels and said cross-pieces include apertures, said notches in said board supporting edges of said side panels and said apertures in said side panels being positioned such that said apertures in said cross-pieces are alignable with said apertures in said side panels to thereby enable said side panels to be connected to cross-pieces of another ramp component. 16. The ramp system of claim 1, wherein said side panels include apertures positioned such that said apertures in one of said side panels are alignable with apertures in a side panel of another ramp component to thereby enable side panel of different ramp components to be connected to one another. 17. The ramp system of claim 16, further comprising spacers attachable to each of said side panels around a respective one of said apertures in said side panels and including an aperture in alignment with said respective aperture. 18. The ramp system of claim 1, wherein said cross-pieces include apertures, said notches in said board supporting edges of said side panels being positioned such that said apertures in said cross-pieces are alignable with apertures in cross-pieces of another ramp component to thereby enable cross-pieces of different ramp components to be connected to one another. 19. The ramp system of claim 1, further comprising: a box component comprising a frame comprising a pair of substantially identical side panels, each of said side panels having connection edges including notches, and a cross-piece extending between and arranged in aligned pairs of said notches, said cross-pieces of said at least one ramp component and said cross-pieces of said box component being identical and including apertures; and connection members for connecting said at least one ramp component and said box component together, said connection members being arranged in said apertures in said cross-pieces of said at least one ramp component and aligning one of said apertures in said cross-pieces in said box component. 20. The ramp system of claim 1, wherein said side panels of said at last one ramp component include apertures, the ramp system further comprising: a box component comprising a frame comprising a pair of substantially identical side panels, each of said side panels having apertures and connection edges including notches, and a cross-piece extending between and arranged in aligned pairs of said notches; and connection members for connecting said at least one ramp component and said box component together, said connection members being arranged in said apertures in one of said side panels of said at least one ramp component and aligning one of said a pertures in one of said side panels of said box component alongside said one of said side panels of said at least one ramp component. 21. The ramp system of claim 1, wherein said at least one ramp component comprises two ramp components and said cross-pieces of said two ramp components include apertures, further comprising connection members for connecting said two ramp components together, said connection members being arranged in aligning pairs of said apertures in adjacent ones of said cross-pieces of said two ramp components. 22. The ramp system of claim 1, wherein said at least one ramp component comprises first and second ramp components, further comprising connection means for connecting one of said side panels of said first ramp component to one of said side panels of said second ramp component alongside said one of said side panels of said first ramp component. 23. The ramp system of claim 22, wherein said connection means comprises apertures arranged in said side panels of said first and second ramp components at a standard height and spacing and connection members arranged in aligning pairs of said apertures. 24. An amusement ramp system, comprising: at least one ramp component each comprising: a board defining an active ramp surface; and a frame comprising a pair of substantially identical side panels; a support structure extending between and connected to said side panels, said support structure being connected to said board and supporting said board on said side panels; and connection means for enabling said frame to be connected to another ramp component, wherein said side panels include at least one connection edge, each of said at least one connection edge including notches, said connection means comprising a cross-piece extending between and arranged in aligned pairs of said notches in said at least one connection edge of said side panels. 25. The ramp system of claim 24, wherein each of said side panels has a board supporting edge including notches, said support structure comprising a cross-piece support extending between and arranged in aligned pairs of said notches in said board supporting edges of said side panels and a cross-piece extending between and arranged in the aligned pairs of said notches in said board supporting edges of said side panels over a respective one of said cross-piece supports such that said cross-piece supports support said cross-pieces. 26. The ramp system of claim 25, wherein each of said side panels includes apertures adapted to align with apertures in cross-pieces of the another ramp component to thereby enable said side panels to be connected to the cross-pieces of the another ramp component by placement of connection members in the aligning apertures. 27. The ramp system of claim 25, wherein each of said side panels includes apertures adapted to align with apertures in side panels of the another ramp component to thereby enable said side panels cc be connected to the side panels of the another ramp component by placement of connection members in the aligning apertures. 28. The ramp system of claim 25, wherein each of said cross-pieces includes apertures adapted to align with apertures of cross-pieces of the another ramp component to thereby enable said cross-pieces of said at least one ramp component to be connected to the cross-pieces of the another ramp component by placement of connection members in the aligning apertures. 29. The ramp system of claim 24, wherein said connection means comprises a cross piece having apertures adapted to align with apertures in the another ramp component to connection members in the aligning apertures. 30. The ramp system of claim 24, further comprising: a box component comprising a board defining an active ramp surface and a frame comprising a pair of substantially identical side panels, a support structure extending between and connected to said side panels, said support structure being connected to said board and s upporting said board on said side panels, and connection means for enabling said frame to be connected to said at least one ramp component. 31. The ramp system of claim 30, wherein said connection means of said at least one ramp component comprise cross-pieces extending between and connected to said side panels of said at least one ramp component and said connection means of said box component comprise cross-pieces extending between and connected to said side panels of said box component, said cross-pieces of said at least one ramp component and said cross-pieces of said box component including apertures, further comprising connection members arranged in said apertures in said cross-pieces of said at least one ramp component and aligning one of said apertures in said cross-pieces in said box component. 32. The ramp system of claim 24, wherein said at least one ramp component comprises two ramp components, said connection means of said two ramp components comprising cross-pieces extending between and connected to said side panels, said cross-pieces of said two ramp components including apertures, further comprising connection members arranged in aligning pairs of said apertures in said cross-pieces of said two ramp components. 33. The ramp system of claim 24, wherein said connection means comprise apertures in said side panels adapted to align with apertures of said frame of the another ramp component to thereby enable said side panels to be connected to said frame of the another ramp component by placement of connection members in said apertures of said side panels and aligning ones of said apertures in said frame of the another ramp component. of the base substrate and in communication with a radiation source; and a bonding agent deposited on the respective thermal pads, wherein each of the optical fibers aligned to a corresponding optical devices is surrounded by the bonding agent on corresponding one of the thermal pads; wherein the radiation source in communication with the thermal pads melt the bonding agent thereon when the radiation source is activated to generate heat on the thermal pads. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of the thermal pads is connected to a current source through a switching device for controlling supply of current to a corresponding thermal pad. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, further including: a common contact pad for providing a first electrical connection between a current source and the thermal pads which are commonly connected to the common contact pad; and a separate contact pad for providing a second electrical connection between the current source and each of the thermal pads, the second electrical connection is controlled by a switching device connected between the separate contact pad and the current source. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the switching devices are controlled to selectively connect or disconnect the second electrical connections based on alignment status between each optical fiber and a corresponding optical device. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein each of the switching devices is turned on when a corresponding optical fiber is adjusted to be aligned to a corresponding optical device, and turned off when the corresponding optical fiber is aligned to the corresponding optical device. 21. The apparatus of claim 20,