The present invention relates to an amusement attraction apparatus and method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a water ride attraction and method whereby riders to travel thereon in a looping travel path.
Waterslide attractions typically provide riders with a thrilling experience of speed and lateral force upon the body as the riders slide on the attraction. A stream of water is commonly flowed along a flume from an entrance location to an exit location. A rider slides along the flume due to the stream of water, either with or without a ride vehicle, and experiences excitement as they travel from the entrance location to the exit location along with the flow of water. One type of water ride includes a riding surface in the shape of a bowl that is positioned horizontally upon the ground or other surface, whereby a rider enters the bowl along a side of the bowl and exits via an opening in the bottom of the bowl. For example, a pool of water may be positioned underneath the bowl such that a rider falls through the opening in the bottom of the bowl and splashes into the pool of water below. Water parks and other facilities containing waterslide attractions often must regularly introduce new water rides or in order to maintain customer appeal and interest.
Thus, an improved waterslide that introduces new concepts, features, or slidepaths for a rider is desired. Such an improved waterslide may provide riders with a ride experience that such riders have not encountered before, thereby driving excitement and sales at locations, such as waterparks, which install such a waterslide. The improved waterslide would ideally contain one or more novel slidepaths that a rider would travel while riding upon the waterslide. The improved waterslide would ideally be visually interesting for both bystanders and riders.
The present invention is related to a method and apparatus relating to a tilted waterslide feature. In one embodiment, a waterslide feature may include a tilted ride surface for supporting a rider thereon, an entrance, connected with the ride surface, for providing a rider onto the ride surface, an exit, connected with the ride surface, for receiving a rider from the ride surface, wherein the ride surface is configured to cause the rider to travel in a looping travel path from the entrance to the exit.
In another embodiment, a method for providing a waterslide feature may include providing a tilted ride surface for supporting a rider thereon, providing an entrance, connected with the ride surface, for a rider to enter onto the ride surface, providing an exit, connected with the ride surface, for a rider to exit from the ride surface, and moving the rider in a looping travel path covering substantially 360 degrees from the entrance to the exit.
The features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:
The detailed description of exemplary embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings and pictures, which show the exemplary embodiment by way of illustration and its best mode. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation. For example, the steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented. Moreover, any of the functions or steps may be outsourced to or performed by one or more third parties. Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any reference to more than one component may include a singular embodiment.
For example, as illustrated in
The waterslide feature 100 may be shaped in any of a variety of ways, such as a bowl, a sphere or part of a sphere, or any of a variety of other possible shapes (e.g., shapes having angled walls instead of curved or smooth surfaces). As shown in
A travel path 110 for the at least one rider 105 is shown in
The travel path 110 may be predetermined for the at least one rider 105, for example via the establishment of a guide, channel, or other depression 150 within a surface (e.g., surface 103) of the waterslide feature 100, This guide 150 may be formed, in one embodiment, such that one or more wails or elevated portions (e.g., ridges, hills, bumps, etc.) act to maintain the at least one rider 105 within a particular area of the surface such that the travel path 1.10 is known and/or pre-established for the at least one rider 105. In certain embodiments, the guide 150 may be established via other manners, for example, usage of materials and/or coatings having different coefficients of friction in order to cause the at least one rider 105 to be maintained in a predetermined part of the waterslide feature 100. In such an embodiment, rider enjoyment and/or predictability of ride operation may be better maintained since the positioning of the at least one rider 105 on the waterslide feature 100 is already planned. In an alternative embodiment, the travel path 110 may not be predetermined, allowing for the at least one rider 105 to travel in a variety of travel paths which may differ on a given ride upon the waterslide feature 100 depending upon any of a variety of possible inputs (e.g., rider weight, water velocity, water volume, rider positioning, number of riders, etc.).
The above-described tilted shape (e.g., tilted bowl or tilted saucer) of the waterslide feature 100 may be maintained via a structural framework 180 that includes a plurality of connected beams, poles, posts, or other structural element(s) that are configured to orient the waterslide feature 100 in its tilted, yet stable, configuration. Any of a variety of potential angles of tilt may be used in differing embodiments, such as the substantially 45-degrees of tilt illustrated in
Although a specific embodiment has been shown in
In contrast to
In addition,
In an exemplary embodiment, the middle section 506 may be configured to maximize a weight range of riders that may be accommodated on the ride. The middle section 506 may therefore be elevated to create the depression or guide as described herein. The elevation of the middle section may define a shape different than an exterior perimeter of the waterslide feature such that a variable path may be taken by different riders.
In an exemplary embodiment, an outer perimeter of a ride path may define a first shape and an interior perimeter of a ride path may define a second shape. The outer perimeter may be defined by an outer wall. The inner perimeter may be defined by an elevated surface relative to the ride path. The ride path may also be defined by other attributes as described such as variable frictional surfaces, bumps, flanges, boarders, walls, elevated surfaces, depreciated or indented surfaces, and any combination thereof. The ride path at the entrance flume may be a first width. The ride path may thereafter expand to a maximum. The ride path width after the maximum may thereafter reduce to a width at the exit flume. The entrance width may be less than or equal to an exit width.
As seen in
An exemplary embodiment includes a method for providing a waterslide feature having providing an entrance configured to receive a rider; providing an exit configured to discharge the rider; providing a ride surface that extends between the entrance and exit; and wherein the ride surface is configured to support and cause the rider to travel in a looping travel path from the entrance to the exit.
An exemplary embodiment may include any combination of additional features, including, for example, a flume is provided as at least one of the entrance and the exit; providing the ride surface includes providing the ride surface in the shape of a tilted bowl; providing the entrance and the exit includes connections with the ride surface at substantially the lowest elevation of the ride surface; the providing the ride surface includes the extending the ride surface above the lowest elevation of the ride surface; providing the ride surface includes further providing a guide configured to maintain the rider on a predetermined area of the ride surface as the rider moves along the looping travel path.
An exemplary embodiment includes a waterslide feature including an entrance configured to receive a rider; an exit configured to discharge the rider; and a ride surface extending between the entrance and exit and configured to support and cause the rider to travel in a looping travel path from the entrance to the exit.
An exemplary embodiment includes a waterslide feature having an entrance configured to receive a rider; an exit configured to discharge the rider; a ride surface extending between the entrance and exit and configured to support and cause the rider to travel in a substantially 360-degree looping travel path from the entrance to the exit; and the travel path including a top portion configured to cause the rider to experience weightlessness while moving across the top portion along the travel path.
The waterslide feature may have any combination of additional features such as, for example, at least one of the entrance or the exit is a flume; the ride surface is in the shape of a tilted bowl; the ride surface includes a guide for maintaining the rider on a predetermined area of the ride surface as the rider moves along the looping travel path; the guide is configured with the travel path including at least one of materials and coatings with different coefficients of friction to cause the rider to be maintained in a predetermined area of the ride surface; the entrance and the exit are connected with the ride surface at substantially the lowest elevation of the ride surface; the ride surface extends above the lowest elevation of the ride surface; the top portion is positioned above the lowest elevation of the ride surface; at least one of the entrance or the exit is a flume; the ride surface is in the shape of a tilted bowl; the entrance and the exit are connected with the ride surface at substantially the lowest elevation of the ride surface; the ride surface extends above the lowest elevation of the ride surface; the ride surface includes a guide for maintaining the rider on a predetermined area of the ride surface as the rider moves along the looping travel path; the guide is defined by an interior perimeter and an exterior perimeter, the interior perimeter and exterior perimeter defining a variable width along the length of the guide; the interior perimeter and exterior perimeter are defined by elevated surfaces above a surface defining the guide; the variable width is a minimum at the entrance and an exit; the interior perimeter defines a first ovoid shape exterior perimeter defines a second ovoid shape.
Exemplary embodiments of a waterslide features are described herein. Although described in terms of a water ride attraction and/or water slide, embodiments are not so limited. Exemplary embodiments may be used with water in which a rider goes down a flume and into an embodiment of the waterslide feature according to embodiments described herein on a sheet or layer of water. The rider may ride directly on the water through the flume and/or waterslide feature, or may ride a raft, inflatable, board, or other vehicle or surface. In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle may support a plurality of riders. Exemplary embodiments may be used without water, and provide an amusement attraction for riding by one or more riders without water.
Although embodiments of this invention have been fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as being included within the scope of embodiments of this invention as defined by the appended claims. Specifically, exemplary components are described herein. Any combination of these components may be used in any other combination. For example, any component, feature, step or part may be integrated, separated, sub-divided, removed, duplicated, added, or used in any combination and remain within the scope of the present disclosure. Embodiments are exemplary only, and provide an illustrative combination of features, but are not limited thereto.
When used in this specification and claims, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.
This application is a National Stage Application entry under Chapter II of the Patent Cooperation Treaty for International Application PCT/IB2018/000761 filed Jun. 8, 2018 and published as WO 2018/224888 A2, which claims priority thereto and to U.S. application Ser. No. 29/625,616, filed Nov. 10, 2017 now U.S. Design Pat. No. D855,136 granted Jul. 30, 2019, and claims priority to U.S. Application No. 62/517,053, filed Jun. 8, 2017, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety into this application.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/IB2018/000761 | 6/8/2018 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2018/224888 | 12/13/2018 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
419860 | Libbey | Jan 1890 | A |
654980 | Howard | Jul 1900 | A |
728246 | Kremer | May 1903 | A |
803119 | Logan | Oct 1905 | A |
920567 | Hayes | May 1909 | A |
953266 | Healy | Mar 1910 | A |
1511139 | Leo-Roziger | Oct 1924 | A |
1520217 | Auperl | Dec 1924 | A |
1577689 | Capitelli | Mar 1926 | A |
1648196 | Rohmer | Nov 1927 | A |
1655498 | Fisch | Jan 1928 | A |
1745241 | Bartlett | Jan 1930 | A |
2224948 | Bloomquist | Dec 1940 | A |
2254482 | Heller | Sep 1941 | A |
2724123 | Kesler | Nov 1955 | A |
D210298 | Moulton | Feb 1968 | S |
D213271 | Gale | Jan 1969 | S |
D218625 | Ahrens | Sep 1970 | S |
D221963 | Henning | Sep 1971 | S |
D226933 | Wormser | May 1973 | S |
D227382 | Wormser | Jun 1973 | S |
3755878 | Henning | Sep 1973 | A |
3830161 | Bacon | Aug 1974 | A |
3853067 | Bacon | Dec 1974 | A |
3923301 | Myers | Dec 1975 | A |
4129916 | Schlesinger | Dec 1978 | A |
4149710 | Rouchard | Apr 1979 | A |
4172593 | Palakanis | Oct 1979 | A |
D253363 | Dieter | Nov 1979 | S |
4192499 | Groves | Mar 1980 | A |
4194733 | Whitehouse | Mar 1980 | A |
4196900 | Becker | Apr 1980 | A |
D256827 | Allen | Sep 1980 | S |
D256828 | Allen | Sep 1980 | S |
D256940 | Allen | Sep 1980 | S |
D257874 | Sheehan | Jan 1981 | S |
4278247 | Joppe | Jul 1981 | A |
D262230 | Ament | Dec 1981 | S |
4339122 | Croul | Jul 1982 | A |
D266346 | Millay | Sep 1982 | S |
D268859 | Ament | May 1983 | S |
D269104 | Brown | May 1983 | S |
D269105 | Brown | May 1983 | S |
D269106 | Brown | May 1983 | S |
D269107 | Brown | May 1983 | S |
4392434 | Dürwald | Jul 1983 | A |
4394173 | Aste | Jul 1983 | A |
4429867 | Barber | Feb 1984 | A |
4444290 | Valerio | Apr 1984 | A |
4484739 | Kreinbihl | Nov 1984 | A |
4652199 | Pole | Mar 1987 | A |
4738590 | Butler | Apr 1988 | A |
4750733 | Foth | Jun 1988 | A |
4790531 | Matsui | Dec 1988 | A |
4805896 | Moody | Feb 1989 | A |
4805897 | Dubeta | Feb 1989 | A |
4836521 | Barber | Jun 1989 | A |
4893447 | Opp | Jan 1990 | A |
4905326 | Nakamura | Mar 1990 | A |
4910814 | Weiner | Mar 1990 | A |
4971314 | Barber | Nov 1990 | A |
5011134 | Langford | Apr 1991 | A |
5069443 | Shiratori | Dec 1991 | A |
5137497 | Dubeta | Aug 1992 | A |
5171101 | Sauerbier | Dec 1992 | A |
D335517 | Vatterot | May 1993 | S |
5236280 | Lochtefeld | Aug 1993 | A |
5271592 | Lochtefeld | Dec 1993 | A |
D344317 | Petersheim | Feb 1994 | S |
5326328 | Robinson | Jul 1994 | A |
5393170 | Lochtefeld | Feb 1995 | A |
5401117 | Lochtefeld | Mar 1995 | A |
5421782 | Lochtefeld | Jun 1995 | A |
5433671 | Davis | Jul 1995 | A |
5453054 | Langford | Sep 1995 | A |
5482510 | Ishii | Jan 1996 | A |
5528584 | Grant | Jun 1996 | A |
5540622 | Gold | Jul 1996 | A |
5564859 | Lochtefeld | Oct 1996 | A |
5628584 | Lochtefeld | May 1997 | A |
5667445 | Lochtefeld | Sep 1997 | A |
5716282 | Ring | Feb 1998 | A |
5735748 | Meyers | Apr 1998 | A |
5738590 | Lochtefeld | Apr 1998 | A |
5756082 | Lochtefeld | Jun 1998 | A |
5779553 | Langford | Jul 1998 | A |
5899633 | Lochtefeld | May 1999 | A |
6045449 | Aragona | Apr 2000 | A |
6132317 | Lochtefeld | Oct 2000 | A |
6319137 | Lochtefeld | Nov 2001 | B1 |
6354955 | Stuart | Mar 2002 | B1 |
6357964 | DeGarie | Mar 2002 | B1 |
6450891 | Dubeta | Sep 2002 | B1 |
6485372 | Stuart | Nov 2002 | B2 |
6491589 | Lochtefeld | Dec 2002 | B1 |
6527646 | Briggs | Mar 2003 | B1 |
6716107 | Lochtefeld | Apr 2004 | B2 |
6743107 | Dubeta | Jun 2004 | B2 |
6743108 | Hunter | Jun 2004 | B2 |
6857964 | Hunter | Feb 2005 | B2 |
6939236 | McLaren | Sep 2005 | B2 |
7008329 | Hunter | Mar 2006 | B2 |
D521098 | Hunter | May 2006 | S |
7056220 | Hunter | Jun 2006 | B2 |
D548810 | Hunter | Aug 2007 | S |
D567322 | Hunter | Apr 2008 | S |
D573222 | Huerta | Jul 2008 | S |
D577408 | Ketcherside | Sep 2008 | S |
D583895 | Hlynka | Dec 2008 | S |
7713134 | Hunter | May 2010 | B2 |
7731595 | Hlynka | Jun 2010 | B2 |
D619186 | Strall | Jul 2010 | S |
7762900 | Henry | Jul 2010 | B2 |
7775850 | Todokoro | Aug 2010 | B2 |
7780537 | Hlynka | Aug 2010 | B2 |
7887426 | Hlynka | Feb 2011 | B2 |
7967692 | Werner | Jun 2011 | B2 |
D650463 | Degirmenci | Dec 2011 | S |
8192291 | Brassard | Jun 2012 | B2 |
8197353 | Brassard | Jun 2012 | B2 |
8226492 | Hunter | Jul 2012 | B2 |
8262494 | Hunter | Sep 2012 | B2 |
8430760 | Brassard | Apr 2013 | B2 |
8360894 | Hlynka | Nov 2013 | B2 |
8360895 | Brown | Nov 2013 | B2 |
8579715 | Olive | Nov 2013 | B2 |
8608581 | Hunter | Dec 2013 | B2 |
D697159 | Altindag | Jan 2014 | S |
D697571 | Altindag | Jan 2014 | S |
D705381 | Brassard | May 2014 | S |
D705882 | Brassard | May 2014 | S |
D705883 | Brassard | May 2014 | S |
D706892 | Altindag | Jun 2014 | S |
8784224 | Schafer | Jul 2014 | B1 |
9079111 | Hunter | Jul 2015 | B2 |
D771213 | Ozturk | Nov 2016 | S |
D779010 | Ozturk | Feb 2017 | S |
20050047869 | Lochtefeld | Mar 2005 | A1 |
20050075180 | Dubeta | Apr 2005 | A1 |
20060194638 | Hunter | Aug 2006 | A1 |
20080153610 | Braun | Jun 2008 | A1 |
20090062025 | Hlynka | Mar 2009 | A1 |
20090221377 | Hlynka | Sep 2009 | A1 |
20120122598 | spiroglu | May 2012 | A1 |
20120277011 | Hunter | Nov 2012 | A1 |
20130184087 | Degirmenci | Jul 2013 | A1 |
20140135126 | Suzuki | May 2014 | A1 |
20150314203 | Hunter | Nov 2015 | A1 |
20170106295 | Hunter | Apr 2017 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
290878 | Mar 1992 | CA |
2328339 | Dec 2001 | CA |
2639347 | Feb 2009 | CA |
2656749 | Aug 2009 | CA |
2951552 | Dec 2015 | CA |
101417179 | Apr 2009 | CN |
201832417 | May 2011 | CN |
1279911 | Dec 2014 | CN |
2498884 | May 2011 | EP |
2224948 | May 1990 | GB |
200124899 | Apr 2001 | WO |
2011057395 | May 2011 | WO |
2018013063 | Jan 2018 | WO |
Entry |
---|
Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority for PCT/IB2018/000761, dated Dec. 5, 2018. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20200222818 A1 | Jul 2020 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62517053 | Jun 2017 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 29625616 | Nov 2017 | US |
Child | 16619894 | US |