IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0062443
(2008-04-03)
|
등록번호 |
US-7478441
(2009-01-20)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
2 인용 특허 :
4 |
초록
▼
A water ride for swimmers is provided, the ride having a pool with a body of water, an elongated tubular chamber, a compressed air system, and a water make up system. The chamber is substantially closed at one end, which is positioned generally underneath the bottom of the pool. The chamber is subs
A water ride for swimmers is provided, the ride having a pool with a body of water, an elongated tubular chamber, a compressed air system, and a water make up system. The chamber is substantially closed at one end, which is positioned generally underneath the bottom of the pool. The chamber is substantially open at the other end, which extends to provide a substantially vertical portion having an exposed length within the pool. Application of compressed air to the chamber produces an upsurge within the pool that cascades down to produce radiating swells. The upsurge and radiating swells provide a ride having a sliding effect for swimmers.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A water ride for swimmers, comprising: a pool having a generally horizontal bottom and at least one side wall so that the at least one side wall and bottom form a container capable of containing a body of water having a range of desired surface levels, wherein the bottom defi
What is claimed is: 1. A water ride for swimmers, comprising: a pool having a generally horizontal bottom and at least one side wall so that the at least one side wall and bottom form a container capable of containing a body of water having a range of desired surface levels, wherein the bottom defines at least one hole; an elongated tubular chamber having a substantially closed rear end and a substantially open front end, the chamber comprising a first, second, and third portions, wherein the first portion has the substantially closed rear end and is positioned generally underneath the bottom of the pool, the second portion has the substantially open front end and is positioned in a substantially vertical orientation with respect to the bottom of the pool and passes through the at least one hole in the bottom for a predetermined exposed length into the pool so that the open front end of the tubular chamber is in fluid communication with the body of water, wherein the predetermined exposed length is below the desired surface level of the body of water, and the third portion connects the first and second portions in fluid communication; a discharge back flow prevention device disposed in the second portion of the elongated tubular chamber proximate to the open front end of the chamber and enabling discharge of the chamber to the body of water but inhibiting reverse flow from the body of water into the chamber along the open front end; an anchor securing the chamber for maintaining the chamber in a desired orientation; a supply of compressed air fluidly interconnected with the rear end of the chamber; an air control valve in fluid communication with the supply of compressed air for operatively controlling the flow of compressed air into the chamber, a supply of make-up water in fluid communication with the chamber; a make-up valve interposed between and in fluid communication with the supply of make-up water and the chamber; wherein actuation of the air control valve releases the compressed air into the rear end of the chamber to forcibly expel a portion of the water within the chamber out of the open front end forming an upsurge of water in and above the surface of the body of water causing at least one swell in the body of water radiating away from the elongated chamber; and wherein in the event the chamber reaches a predetermined low pressure after the release of air into the rear end of the chamber, the makeup valve opens and the supply of make-up water introduces water into the rear end of the chamber to relieve the low pressure. 2. The water ride of claim 1, further comprising a protective cover disposed about the at least one hole and the predetermined exposed length of the second portion of the elongated chamber, the cover defining a plurality of openings permitting free passage of water but blocking swimmer access to the elongated chamber. 3. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the chamber defines an inner surface circumscribing a flow area cross section that generally decreases in a direction moving toward the open front end. 4. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the chamber defines an inner surface circumscribing a flow area cross section, and the second portion further comprises at least one vane attached to the inner surface so as to generally decrease the flow area cross section in a direction moving toward the open front end. 5. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the pool further comprises a plurality of water jets spaced apart and positioned about the at least one hole at predetermined locations, wherein the water jets are oriented so as to emit a plurality of streams of water within the pool that are adapted to contact a swimmer in the vicinity of the at least one hole and act to retain the swimmer in the vicinity of the elongated chamber. 6. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the pool further comprises a plurality of water jets spaced apart and positioned about the at least one hole at predetermined locations, wherein the water jets are oriented so as to emit a plurality of streams of water within the pool that are adapted to contact a swimmer in the vicinity of the at least one hole and act to retain the swimmer in the vicinity of the elongated chamber, and further wherein the plurality of water jets are configured so as to interrupt operation upon the admission of compressed air into the elongated chamber. 7. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the pool is substantially rectangular. 8. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the pool is substantially rectangular defining a length and a width, and wherein the elongated chamber is substantially rectangular in proportion to the pool, so that the open front end of the elongated chamber may be substantially aligned along the width of the pool so as to enable a linear upsurge along the width of the pool. 9. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the pool is substantially circular and the at least one hole in the bottom is positioned proximate to the center of the pool. 10. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the side wall comprises an incline of less than ninety degrees relative to horizontal so as to simulate a beach. 11. The water ride according to claim 1, further comprising a spill water collection system disposed about at least a portion of the periphery of the pool and in fluid communication with the supply of make-up water, the spill collection system being configured to collect at least a portion of spill water from swells created by the upsurge and to deliver the spill water to the supply of make-up water. 12. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the backflow prevention device is a check valve. 13. The water ride according to claim 1, where the backflow prevention device is a check valve defining an equalization orifice permitting a flow of water through the valve to permit equalization of pressure across the check valve at a desired rate. 14. The water ride according to claim 1, wherein the elongated chamber defines an average diameter and the difference between the predetermined exposed length of the second portion of the elongated chamber and the desired surface level is about half the average diameter. 15. The water ride according to claim 1, further comprising a collar within the pool and disposed about the exposed second portion of the elongated chamber, the collar defining a slope that diminishes in height in a direction away from the elongated chamber.
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