The field of the present disclosure relates to inflatable structures for waterparks, aquatic recreation areas, or the like and, in particular, to techniques for wetting and cooling outer surfaces of such inflatable structures.
Throughout the world, inflatable waterparks are growing in popularity. The inflatable structures deployed in such waterparks are typically constructed of flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material.
Disclosed is a tamper-resistant water distribution tower to wet recreation surfaces for patrons. In some embodiments, the tower has a substantially flat platform section having an upper surface; a tower section extending upward from the substantially flat platform section, the tower section having a top, a bottom, and an internal aperture extending along a length between the top and the bottom; and a water supply passageway extending to a water emitter maintained at the top of the tower section, the water supply passageway located within the internal aperture so as to deny the patrons access to at least a portion of the water supply passageway.
In another embodiment of the tower, the water supply passageway comprises a hose.
In another embodiment of the tower, the length of the tower section exceeds a reach distance of those standing on the upper surface of the substantially flat platform section.
In another embodiment of the tower, the tower section includes sidewalls sloped to inhibit climbing.
In another embodiment of the tower, the tower section is wider at the bottom than it is at the top such that a distance along a sidewall of the tower section is longer than a height between the upper surface of the substantially flat platform section and the top of the tower section.
In another embodiment of the tower, the tower section is generally conical in its shape.
In another embodiment of the tower, the bottom of the tower section is fastened to the substantially flat platform section.
In another embodiment of the tower, the water emitter includes a sprinkler head configured to spray water.
In another embodiment of the tower, the sprinkler head is rotatable to change a direction of the spray.
In another embodiment of the tower, the sprinkler head is rotatable about an axis defined by the internal aperture.
In another embodiment of the tower, the substantially flat platform section has a width in a direction perpendicular to the length of the tower section, and in which the width is sized to stabilize the tower section so as to inhibit those standing on the upper surface from tipping over the tamper-resistant water distribution tower.
In another embodiment of the tower, an outer perimeter of the substantially flat platform section includes one or more couplers for attaching the tamper-resistant water distribution tower to one or more adjacent modules of a waterpark.
In another embodiment of the tower, the tower also has the water emitter for delivering, onto at least some recreation surfaces, water pumped from a waterbody on which one or more inflatable components.
In another embodiment of the tower, the tower section is sized so that the water emitter is located out of reach by and inaccessible to those standing on the upper surface of the substantially flat platform section.
In another embodiment of the tower, the tower also has one or more inflatable chambers defining the internal aperture.
In another embodiment of the tower, the tower also has a spray nozzle acting as the water emitter and accessible to the patrons such that they may direct spray of water onto at least some of the recreation surfaces; a hose in fluid communication with the spray nozzle, the hose configured to carry the water; and a retaining device coupled to the spray nozzle or the hose so as to inhibit the patrons from pulling the hose out from the internal aperture beyond a predetermined amount.
In another embodiment of the tower, the retaining device includes a flat retaining plate having a central aperture sized to allow the hose to couple with the spray nozzle.
In another embodiment of the tower, the hose includes a collar having a diameter that is larger than that of the central aperture.
In another embodiment of the tower, the retaining device includes a lock for removing the retaining device from the tower section.
In another embodiment of the tower, the tower is included in a tamper-resistant water distribution system for wetting, with water pumped from a waterbody, one or more inflatable components floating on the waterbody and providing recreation surfaces for the patrons of a waterpark, the tamper-resistant water distribution system comprising a pump for pumping the water through the water supply passageway and out from the water emitter for delivering the water onto at least some of the recreation surfaces.
In another embodiment of the system, the system also has a hose for carrying the water from the pump to the water emitter.
In another embodiment of the system, the pump is in fluid communication with multiple inflatable components of the one or more inflatable components.
In another embodiment of the system, the system also has a hose system including a connector having an input end and a pair of output ends, the input end coupled to receive at least a portion of the water pumped from the waterbody, a first end of the pair of output ends coupled to a first hose for providing to the tower a first portion of the at least the portion of the water pumped from the waterbody, and a second end of the pair of output ends coupled to a second hose for providing to at least one of the one or more inflatable components floating on the waterbody a second portion of the at least the portion of the water pumped from the waterbody.
Additional aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Surfaces of inflatable structures (i.e., the PVC surfaces) can become rather hot to the touch when exposed to intense sunlight. Hot surfaces are difficult for people to stand and relax on. Dry surfaces are difficult to slide on because they have a higher coefficient of friction, which results in increased wear and tear on the surface from users. Thus, hot and dry surfaces detract from customers' use and enjoyment of a waterpark as excessive surface temperatures make inflatable structures uncomfortable or otherwise less enjoyable for the people attempting to use the structures.
By wetting exposed surfaces of a waterpark, patrons (also referred to as users or customers) may readily slide on wetted park features and they do not become burned by hot surface regions that would otherwise potentially bake under the hot sun. Through evaporative and conductive cooling, wetting exposed surfaces also allows operators to maintain surfaces at lower temperatures, which prolongs their longevity by, for example, reducing friction so as to diminish wear and enhance durability.
A conventional sprinkler system for wetting and cooling the surfaces, however, is challenging to maintain in a waterpark. For example, users improperly or impermissibly grab and take down sprinkler components so as to spray others. The users may then neglect to return the sprinkler components to their intended position.
Tamper-resistant water distribution system 10 includes a water emitter 24 for delivering water 12 onto at least some of recreation surfaces 18. According to some embodiments, water emitter 24 is saltwater resistant and constructed of commercial-grade materials. An example water emitter 24 is an R2000WF/LP Rotator sprinkler head available from Nelson Irrigation Corporation of Walla Walla, Wash. Other water emitters such as misters, drippers, or the like are also possible. For example, a sprinkler head may include an impact sprinkler head, mister, or, more generally, any type of water emitter, including drip systems.
Tamper-resistant water distribution system 10 includes a water supply passageway 26 in fluid communication with water emitter 24. Water supply passageway 26 is configured to carry water 12 (lake water, pool water, or seawater) from waterbody 14 for delivery by water emitter 24 onto at least some of recreation surfaces 18. According to one embodiment, water supply passageway 26 is a section of hose described later with respect to
Also included in tamper-resistant water distribution system 10 is a tam per-resistant water distribution tower 30 (or simply tower 30, of which two are shown in
Tower 30 may be deployed as a freestanding feature for swimmers to use in waterpark 22 (see, e.g.,
To moisturize recreation surfaces 18, tamper-resistant water distribution system 10 includes an electric pump 40 (or, in another embodiment, a submersible pump 41), a flexible hose system 42 optionally extending underwater, and optional valves 44. Pump 40 draws in water 12 for pumping it through hose system 42 that is in fluid communication with water emitter 24 (i.e., via open valve 44) elevated above a top surface of water 12 for wetting (e.g., spraying or misting) and thereby cooling heat-retaining surfaces of objects afloat in or deployed on land nearby waterbody 14 providing the source of pumped water 12. In other embodiments, hoses carry water 12 from nearby land (i.e., municipal) sources. Hose system 42 and optional valves 44 may be readily assembled underwater and reconfigured to other waterpark structures equipped with water emitters.
An example of pump 40 is an end suction centrifugal pump, such one of the TH series pumps available from EBARA Fluid Handling of Rock Hill, S.C. This type of pump can be deployed on land and fitted with a foot valve in waterbody 14 to suck water 12 and pump it through hose system 42.
An example of submersible pump 41 is a 5 Inch Multistage Bottom Suction Submersible Pump (MXS204S11) available from Munro Companies of Grand Junction, Colo. This type of pump is a high-head multistage submersible pump designed for turf irrigation service, high head dewatering applications, and high pressure, low gallonage water feature projects that expect high head and low flow (i.e., fountains). The pump is made from stainless steel components, outside and inside, which are non-corrosive and built to industrial specifications. All hydraulic parts, including impellers and hydraulic bowl chambers, are made from high-grade stainless steel. The pump also uses the pumped liquid to cool the motor, and the water passing over the motor dampens the noise.
Hose system 42, which may include any type of hoses, is at least partly submerged, e.g., not buoyant or anchored, so that it does not obstruct swimmers. Examples of products suitable for underwater hose system 42 and optional valves 44 are Blu-Lock connections and tubing available from HydroRain of North Salt Lake, Utah. Also, hose system 42 may be customized by adding additional water delivery lines and couplers, such as hose 45 connected at T-connection junction 46, so as to wet other objects (e.g., the climbing structure) with spray, drip, mist, fountain, or other type of nozzle 47. And skilled persons will appreciate that hose 45 may be the same or different diameter than hoses of hose system 42. Such T-connections and smaller hoses may be placed at various locations and run up sides of items to provide drip type water distribution on, e.g., larger slides and towers. Other hoses can be attached to adapt to any park layout and desired spray coverage from a single pump.
An electric power supply 48 located on land supplies power to pump 40. A timer 49 controls periods in which power is supplied to or disconnected from pump 40. In another embodiment, timer 49, or other controller, allows pump 40 to be switched on or off from land using an electrically controlled valve or electric switch that controls water flow through pump(s). In other embodiments, valves 44 or other components are temporally controlled. By placing tamper-resistant water distribution system 10 under an optional temporal control system, periodic or random spraying makes waterpark 22 more exciting to swimmers because the intermittent or spontaneous activation of sprinklers comes as a surprise.
An inflation valve 56 is also provided in perimeter 52. According to some embodiments, one or both of flat platform section 32 and tower section 34 are a unitary chamber inflatable through inflation valve 56. In another embodiment, flat platform section 32 and tower section 34 are separate chambers in which case a second inflation valve (not shown) may be included for tower section 34. In other embodiments, tower section 34, flat platform section 32, or both are not inflatable but instead constructed of generally solid (except for a small central aperture through which water passes) polystyrene, foam, plastic, any other solid buoyant material, or combinations of solid or rigid materials.
In terms of tamper-resistance,
Finally,
Skilled persons will appreciate that various other tamper-resistant features, alone or in combination with the previously described features, may be incorporated into the design of tower 30, depending on its desired height and the desire to allow patrons an ability to access water emitter 24 and optionally an upper portion of hose 78. For example, tower section 34 could be shorter—e.g., about four feet (120 cm) or less in height—in which case patrons could simply stand on upper surface 62 (
In some embodiments, retaining device 118 may include a lockable and unlockable device that itself acts as a tamper-resistant feature. For example, zip ties 114, in some embodiments, are simply substituted with locks. Thus, maintenance personnel may readily remove the locks, pull hose 78 out by some desired amount, e.g., several feet, and then use water emitter 24 to spray down or clean various other surfaces of waterpark 22. Once that maintenance task is complete, hose 78 is then pushed back down into aperture 96 (i.e., retracted, for example), and locks (or a single locking device) are refastened to once again inhibit patrons from pulling out hose 78.
Various mechanical hose retractors or reels may also be included so that, when a user is done spraying friends, hose 78 is automatically retracted to its nominal position shown in
Skilled persons will appreciate that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. For example, in some embodiments, a pole attached to a central aperture or a peripheral side of a floating platform may be used to elevate the sprinkler in lieu of an inflatable tower. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.
This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/512,708, filed May 30, 2017.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US18/35159 | 5/30/2018 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62512708 | May 2017 | US |