Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WATERPARK RECREATIONAL INSTALLATION
WITH IMI'ROVED FLOTATION VESSEL
SCOPE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a recreational installation for a waterpark,
and more
particularly an installation which includes one or more discrete flotation
vessels adapted to
transport one or more users in free flotation on a water body, while
permitting interaction with
users in other vessels and/or with target structures positioned in or around
the water body.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Recreational installations at waterparks typically consist of a man-made or
engineered
water body, such as a water chute, water slide or lazy river structure, and a
number of flotation
vessels which are adapted to transport participants in the water body.
Conventional waterpark recreational installations suffer the disadvantage in
that typically,
the participants remain passive as they are transported along the water body
by the flotation
vessel. This in turn may have a deleterious effect on the user's enjoyment of
the installation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a recreational
installation for a leisure
facility or waterpark which iiicludes an engineered or natural water body such
as a water slide,
chute, river, flume, pool, lake or the like in combination with a vessel used
to transport at least
one or more participants, and. which enables the participants to interact
either with participants in
other vessels on the water body or with structures, targets, and/or features
which are either in or
adjacent thereto.
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Another object of the invention is to provide a flotation vessel which may be
used to
transport one or more users on a water body in recreational water play, and
which includes a user
activated water emitting dev:ice for discharging a stream of water drawn from
the water body.
A further embodimerit of the invention is to provide an improved water
installation for a
waterpark, amusement or theme park, resort or leisure facility, hereinafter
collectively and
generally referred to as a"waterpark", which permits increased interaction
between the users of
the installation.
Another object of the invention is to provide a flotation tube for a water
ride which
includes a platform adapted t:o support a user in a position thereon, and a
user activated water
cannon device which may be operated by the user to discharge a water stream or
spray.
In furtherance of at least some of the foregoing objects, the present
invention provides a
flotation vessel which is configured for recreational use, and which includes
a water emitting
device having a participant activated pump, and a nozzle or water outlet
which, when activated,
produces a discharge stream or spray from the water emitting device. By
"vessel" as used
herein, it is meant any number of types of small watercraft or rafts which may
be used at a
waterpark, including, by way of non-limiting examples, a float tube, raft,
boat, skiff or the like
which are adapted to transport one or more individuals either non-submerged or
partially
submerged, in free flotation on a water body. The term "water body" as used
herein would also
include by way of non-limiting examples natural or man-made lakes or rivers as
well as "lazy
river"-type water rides, water slides, chutes, pools or flumes. Preferably, a
number of water
actuated targets are positioned in or adjacent to the water body. Most
preferably, the targets
include either visual and/or aural effects which are activated either
mechanically, electrically,
pneumatically or hydraulical:ly, when the targets are struck with the
discharge from the water
nozzle.
Accordingly, in one aspect the present invention resides in a recreational
flotation vessel
for transporting at least one user in free flotation on a water body, said
vessel including,
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a radially extending buoyancy tube having an outermost peripheral edge,
a platform for supporting said at least one user thereon in a position
substantially above
the surface of said water bod.y, said platform spaced inwardly from said
peripheral edge,
a water emitting device including,
a nozzle,
a conduit hav:ing an inlet and for providing fluid communication between said
water body and said nozzle,
a pump activatable to pump water from said inlet, along said conduit and
outwardly from said
nozzle outlet as a discharge stream.
In another aspect, the present invention resides in combination, a waterpark
river ride and
a flotation tube for transporting a user in free flotation on said river ride,
said flotation tube including a radially extending buoyancy tube having an
outermost
peripheral edge and defining a tube interior,
a platform positioned at least in part within said tube interior and for
supporting a user
seated thereon, said platform being spaced inwardly from said peripherally
extending edge,
a water emitting device includ.ing,
a nozzle,
a conduit having an inlet and submerged in said river ride and an outlet end
remote therefrom,
a user activated hand pump in fluid communication with said conduit whereby
the activation of
the pump pumps water along said conduit from said inlet and outwardly from
said nozzle as a
discharge stream.
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In a further aspect, the present invention resides in a waterpark recreational
installation
comprising,
a water body, and
a plurality of flotation vessels, each of said vessels being sized to support
a user thereon
in free flotation on a surface of said water body and including,
a water emitting device including,
an outlet nozzle,
a conduit providing fluid communication between said water body and said
outlet
nozzle,
a user activated pump in fluid communication with said conduit, and
wherein the activation of said pump pumps water from said water body through
said
conduit and outwardly from said outlet nozzle as a discharge stream.
In another aspect the present invention resides in combination in a
recreational flotation
vessel for transporting at least one user in free flotation on a water park
ride,
said vessel including,
a radially extending buoyancy tube having an outermost peripheral edge,
a platform for supporting said at least one user thereon in a position
substantially above
the surface of said water body, said platform spaced inwardly from said
peripheral edge,
a water emitting device including,
a nozzle,
a conduit having an inlet and for providing fluid communication between said
water ride and said nozzle,
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a pump activatable to pump water from said inlet, along said conduit and
outwardly from said nozzle outlet as a discharge stream; and
at least one water activated target disposed in or adjacent to said water ride
in a location
so as to be activatable by said discharge stream; and
wherein said pump is operable to emit said discharge stream with a sufficient
force to
activate said target, and said nozzle is mounted for pivotable movement in
vertical and/or
liorizontal directions to enable said user to direct said discharge streain at
said target as said
vessel moves in free flotation on said water ride.
In a further aspect, the present invention resides in combination in a river
ride and a
flotation tube for transporting a user in free flotation on said river ride,
said flotation tube including a radially extending buoyancy tube having an
outermost
peripheral edge and defining a tube interior,
a platform positioned at least in part within said tube interior and for
supporting a user
thereon, said platform being spaced inwardly from said peripherally extending
edge,
a water emitting device including,
a nozzle,
a conduit having an inlet and submerged in said river ride and an outlet end
remote therefrom,
a user activated hand pump in fluid communication with said conduit whereby
the
activation of the pump pumps water along said conduit from said inlet and
outwardly from said nozzle as a discharge stream;
a plurality of water target structures disposed in or adjacent to said water
body, said water
target structures being adapted to produce a visual or aural effect when
impacted by water
discharged from said nozzle; and
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4b
wherein the water pump is operable to produce said discharge stream with a
sufficient
minimum intensity as to activate said target structure to produce said visual
or aural effect when
said tube is in free flotation on said river ride.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference is now made to the following detailed description taken together
with the
accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows a schematic plan view of a waterpark recreational installation
in
accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 shows a schematic front view of a flotation vessel used in the
installation of
FigU-e 1 floating within the "lazy river"-type river ride;
Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the flotation vessel of
Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a perspective side view of a flotation vessel of Figure 3;
Figure 5 shows a schematic side view of a flotation vessel for use in the
installation of
Figure 1 in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;
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Figure 6 shows a schematic side view of a flotation vessel for use in the
installation of
Figure 1 in accordance with a third einbodiment of the invention; and
Figure 7 shows schernatically the operation of the water cannon mounted to the
flotation
vessel shown in Figure 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference is now made to Figure 1 which shows a recreational waterpark
installation 10
in accordance with a preferre;d embodiment of the invention. The installation
10 consists of a
"lazy river"-type water ride a 2, and a plurality of float tubes 14 which are
provided to support
participants 16 in free flotation along the water ride 12.
Figure 1 further shows the installation 10 as including a number of discrete
target areas
18 which are provided at spaced locations along the length of the water ride
12. At each of the
target areas 18 are mounted one or more individual targets 20 which as will be
described
hereafter, are adapted to provide a visual and/or aural effect when struck
with a pressurized water
spray. In addition to the target areas 18, additional targets 20 are also
mounted on overhead
supports 22 which extend across or in the water ride 12. The targets 20 may
consist of numerous
possible similar or different target structures which are adapted for either
mechanical movement
and/or which when struck with a water spray trigger electrical switches or
valves to produce a
desired effect. By way of non-limiting example, suitable targets 20 could
include spinning
wheels, water falls, bells, horns, paddles, as well as simulated animal or
humans which are
adapted for movement or soutnd when activated.
The lazy river water r=ide 12 is of a conventional design and consists of a
fiberglass,
plastic or concrete trough 24 or the like which is partially filled with water
26 to a sufficient
depth, so that the float tubes 14 may move in free flotation therealong. A
pump assembly 28
draws and then reintroduces 'water 26 from the trough 24, to provide a gentle
current flow along
the trough 24 in the direction of arrows 30. As a result of the flowing
current, the participants 16
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riding on the float tubes 14 are transported about the river ride 12 in the
direction of arrows 30,
and past the individual targe ts 20.
Figures 2 to 4 show best the float tubes 14 used in the waterpark installation
10. Each
float tube 14 includes a radially extending continuous hollow tube 34 which is
sealed along its
length to provide the float tube 14 with its necessary buoyancy, and a plastic
or fiberglass insert
36 adapted to support the participant 16 (Figure 1) above the surface of the
water 26. As seen
best in the cross-sectional view of Figure 3, the tube 34 is provided with a
generally circular
cross-sectional profile, and has an outer diameter D from its radially
outwardmost peripheral
edge, an open interior of diaineter d taken across its innermost radial edge.
The insert 36 is formed having a double wall construction and includes a
generally
cylindrical outer she1140 (Figure 3) and an inner platform 42 which are joined
along a flanged
edge 46. The lower portion of the outer shell 40 has a radial dimension
marginally less than
diameter d so as to fit within the interior of the tube 34 and extends to the
radially projecting
flanged portion 46. The flanged portion 46 has a diameter greater than the
innermost diameter d
of the tube 34 and less than the outerrnost radial diameter D to support the
she1140 in a fully
seated position within the tube 34. The flanged portion 46 is positioned so
that when the insert
36 is in a fully seated position within the tube 34, the bottom pane144 of the
shel140 lies in a
plane substantially at or above the lowermost peripheral edge of the tube 34.
Figure 3 shows
best the bottom panel 44 as further defining a pocket 48. As shown in Figure
3, the bottom panel
44 is configured so that wheri the float tube 14 is floated on the water ride
12, the pocket 48
extends upwardly a distance above the surface of the water 26.
Figure 3 shows best the platform 42 as extending from a top edge 43 and being
molded to
define a seat 50 which is configured to support a participant 16 (Figure 1)
thereon in a partially
reclined position. A perforated sub-floor 52 is further provided across a well
portion 54 formed
in a lowermost portion of the platform 42 immediately above the pocket 48. The
perforated sub-
floor 52 enables the drainage of watei= from the interior of the float tube 14
outwardly into the
pocket 48, via a drain outlet 56.
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A water cannon 58 is mounted directly in front of the seat 50 for operation by
the
participant 16 while seated in the float tube 14. The water cannon 58 includes
a hand operated
piston pump 60, a nozzle 62 and conduit tubing 64 (Figure 3). Figure 3 shows
best the conduit
tubing 64 extending from a water inlet 66 which, most preferably, is
protectively located in the
pocket 46 at a position beneath the surface of the water 26 and providing
fluid communication
with the pump 60 and nozzle 62. An inlet check valve 69 (Figure 7) and outlet
check valve 71
(Figure 7) are provided to maintain one-way fluid flow along the conduit 64.
By locating the
inlet 66 beneath the waterline of the water ride 12, but above the bottom
periphery of the float
tube 14, the conduit tubing 64 advantageously does not hinder or otherwise
interfere with the
free flotation of the float tube 14 as it moves along the water ride 12. This
advantageously
pennits unrestricted movement of the float tube 14 and minimizes the
possibility of damage if
the float tubes 14 are removed from the waterpark installation 10 for winter
storage or servicing.
The pump 60 and nozzle 62 are mounted to the top of a cylindrical turret
support 68 for both
pivotal movement thereabout in the vertical direction of arrow 70 as well as
lateral movement in
the horizontal direction of arrow 74 (Figure 4).
As shown in the schematic illustration of Figure 7, the piston pump 60 is
operated by the
participant 16 turning a crank handle 76 in the direction of arrow 78. The
rotation of the crank
handle 78 in turn reciprocally moves an internal piston 80 (Figure 3) within
the pump 60, to draw
water into the pump via the inlet 66 and the tubing 64, and discharge it
outwardly through an
outlet orifice 82 in the nozzle 62 as a pressurized discharge stream. As the
crank handle 78
turns, water is drawn into the piston pump 60 through the inlet 66. An intake
check valve 69 lifts
and the nozzle check valve 71 closes to stop air from entering. As the crank
handle 78 completes
a revolution, the pump piston 80 changes direction, the nozzle check valve 71
lifts and water is
forced out the nozzle outlet 82 as a pressurized stream. The intake check
valve 69 closes to stop
the water from returning to the river ride 12.
If desired, the water cannon 58 may be adapted for selective and/or timed
operation by
the insertion of a coin, token or pass key into a control box 73 (Figure 2).
The control box 73
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may thus be used to selectively enable or disable the water cannon 58 to lock
out participants 16
from using the water cannon 58 on different admission rates andlor age scales.
In use of the waterpark installation 10, the river pump assembly 28 is
operated to produce
the desired current flows within the river ride 12 in the direction of arrows
30. With individual
participants 16 seated in a reclined position on the platform seat 50, the
float tubes 14 travel with
the current flow along the water ride 12. As each participant 16 moves past
the target areas 18
and support 22, the participants 16 may operate the water cannon 58 to direct
discharge streams
of water at each other or the individual targets 20 which are spaced adjacent
to or in the water
ride 12. The impact of the d:ischargeci water stream on the targets 20 results
in their activation to
produce the resulting visual and/or aural effect.
Figures 1 to 4 show the float tubes 14 as being adapted to support a single
participant 16,
however, the invention is not so limited. If desired, larger float tubes 14
supporting two or up to
12 participants could be provided, either with or without a corresponding
increase in the number
of water cannon 58.
Although Figures 2 to 4 show the float tube 14 as including a hand operated
water cannon
58, the invention is not so limited. Figure 5 shows an alternate float tube 14
in accordance with
the present invention, and wlierein like reference numerals are used to
identify like components.
In Figure 5, the water cannori 58 is provided with a battery operated electric
pump 90 in place of
the piston pump 60. The electric pump 90 is activated by a participant
depressing a trigger 92
switch. The float tube 14 of Figure 5 is additionally provided with a rudder
94 to assist in
steering the float tube 14 as it travels along the water ride 12 (Figure 1).
The rudder 94 extends
marginally a distance beneath the bottom panel 44. The rudder 94 is connected
to the water
cannon 58 for movement the:rewith by means of a shaft 96, whereby the
horizontal pivoting of
the water cannon 58 produces a corresponding change in the position of the
rudder 94. The
rudder 94 is shown as being vertically movable with the shaft 96 to a position
substantially raised
above the bottom panel 44 when the float tube 14 is removed from the water
ride 12.
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Although not shown, it is to be appreciated that the float tube 14 of Figure 5
could
additionally be provided wit11 a propeller or paddle to provide forward or
reverse movement of
the float tube 14 as it moves along the water ride 12.
Although the preferre;d emboctiment describes a float tube 14 as the type of
vessel to be
used in the waterpark installation 10, the invention is not so limited. Other
types of vessels or
water craft including by way of non-limiting example boats, rafts, simulated
log tubes, skiffs or
the like could also be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
Similarly, although the preferred embodiment describes the float tube 14 as
maintaining
the user above the surface of'the water 26, the invention is not so limited.
If desired, the tube
could be formed to suspend a user in a partially submerged position. Figure 6
shows one
possible embodiment of sucti a float tube 14 wherein the reference numerals
identify like
components. In Figure 6, the participant 16 is suspended with his or her legs
100 extending
downwardly through openings 102 in the insert 36. This construction
advantageously enables
the participant 16 to move their legs ]. 00 to assist in the steerage and/or
movement of the float
tube 14.
While the preferred embodiment discloses the invention as including an
engineered and
man-made lazy river water ride 12, the present invention may also be used with
other indoor or
outdoor man-made or natural water bodies including by way of example, swimming
pools,
wading pools, water play pools, wave pools, lakes, ponds and natural flowing
rivers or the like.
Although the preferred embodiment discloses the use of a water cannon 58 as a
water
emitting device to be used with the present invention, it is to be appreciated
that other water
emitting devices are also contemplated for use with the present invention and
will now become
apparent.
Although the preferred invent:ion describes and illustrates various preferred
embodiments,
the invention is not limited to the part:icular embodiments disclosed. Many
modifications and
CA 02314093 2000-07-18
variations will now occur to a person skilled in the art. For a definition of
the invention,
reference may be had to the appended claims.
