Resistance inducing mat for amusement park ride

Abstract

A method of forming a resistance inducing pad is provided, the method comprising: positioning a pad adjacent a cutting assembly, where the pad comprises a body having an occupant surface and an opposing surface; the mat is moved relative to the cutting assembly to form an array of trenches within the opposing surfaces, where the array of trenches includes a plurality of trenches, where the plurality of trenches are aligned with each other. Each trench of the plurality of trenches includes a crack having a set of opposing trench walls extending from a first lateral edge of the body to a second lateral edge of the body; and forming the resistance inducing pad by coupling a pair of elongate handles to the occupant surface of the body at a location, the position enables a forearm of an occupant grasping at least one of the pair of elongate handles to transfer force from the occupant surface to the array of grooves defined in the opposing surface during seating.

Description

[0001] This case is a divisional application, the parent application number is 202080034615.X, the international application date is May 7, 2020, and the name of the invention is resistance induction pad for amusement park rides.

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62 / 845,797, filed on May 9, 2019, and entitled “DRAG-INDUCING MAT FORAMUSEMENT PARK RIDES,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of amusement parks. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to devices for providing an amusement park experience. Background Art

[0004] Water parks seek to provide park visitors with a variety of ride experiences, including crash or raft rides, water slides, log rides, water slides, and slow-flowing rivers. Water park attractions can be classified by the presence and / or type of ride vehicles. For example, children's crash rides can be implemented with soft inflatable rubber rafts, while water slide rides can be implemented with metal cars or cage ride vehicles similar to those in non-water rolling slides and providing over-shoulder rigid restraints. Other rides, such as water slides or chutes, may not have any type of vehicle. That is, park visitors participate in rides without being enclosed in any type of restraint or vehicle. Such rides can provide enjoyment for visitors because when visitors slide down the water slide, they can have an enhanced sense of speed relative to the feeling that can be created in a vehicle traveling at a similar speed. However, compared to rides without vehicles, rides implemented with ride vehicles (such as mats) can enable visitors to achieve higher speeds along water slides.

[0005] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of the technology that may be related to various aspects of the present technology that are described and / or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that these statements should be interpreted from this perspective and are not intended to be admissions of prior art. Summary of the invention

[0006] Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the original claimed subject matter are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, but these embodiments are intended to provide only a brief overview of certain disclosed embodiments. In fact, the present disclosure may include various forms, which may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

[0007] One embodiment is directed to a drag inducing pad comprising a body configured to accommodate a rider. The body comprises a rider surface configured to face the rider and an opposing surface configured to face a ride surface. The drag inducing pad further comprises a groove array defined within the opposing surface. The groove array comprises a plurality of grooves extending from a first lateral edge of the body to a second lateral edge of the body to selectively induce friction between the body and the ride surface based on a force applied to the groove array by the rider.

[0008] One embodiment is directed to a method of forming a drag inducing mat. The method includes positioning a mat adjacent a cutting assembly. The mat includes a body having a rider surface and an opposing surface. The method also includes moving the mat relative to the cutting assembly to define a groove array in the opposing surface. The groove array includes a plurality of grooves extending from a first lateral edge of the body to a second lateral edge of the body. Additionally, the method includes forming the drag inducing mat by coupling at least one handle to the rider surface of the body at a position that enables a forearm of a rider grasping the at least one handle to transfer force from the rider surface to the groove array defined in the opposing surface during a ride.

[0009] One embodiment relates to a water ride system, the water ride system including a plurality of drag inducing pads configured to accommodate a plurality of riders on a slide of the water ride system. Each of the plurality of drag inducing pads includes a respective body having a slide facing surface, a rider facing surface, and at least one handle coupled to the rider facing surface. The plurality of drag inducing pads includes a first plurality of drag inducing pads, each of which includes a first respective array of grooves defined from a first lateral edge to a second lateral edge of the slide facing surface of the respective body. The first respective array of grooves is configured to induce a first amount of drag when compressed by a respective rider of the plurality of riders. The plurality of drag inducing pads also includes a second plurality of drag inducing pads, each of which includes a second respective array of grooves defined from a first lateral edge to a second lateral edge of the respective body. The second respective array of grooves is configured to induce a second amount of drag different from the first amount of drag when compressed by a respective rider of the plurality of riders. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like symbols refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a water park attraction including a drag inducing mat having an array of grooves according to an embodiment of the present technology; Figure 2 According to an embodiment of the present technology Figure 1 A bottom view of an embodiment of a drag inducing pad having transverse grooves provided thereon; Figure 3 According to an embodiment of the present technology Figure 1 A bottom view of an embodiment of a drag inducing pad having dashed or short transverse grooves provided thereon; Figure 4 According to an embodiment of the present technology Figure 1 A bottom view of an embodiment of a drag inducing pad having an arrow-shaped groove provided thereon; Figure 5 According to an embodiment of the present technology Figure 1 A bottom view of an embodiment of a drag inducing pad, wherein arrow-shaped grooves and transverse grooves are provided on the drag inducing pad; Figure 6 According to an embodiment of the present technology Figure 1 A bottom view of an embodiment of a drag inducing pad having a zigzag groove provided thereon; Figure 7 According to an embodiment of the present technology Figure 1 A bottom view of an embodiment of a drag inducing pad, wherein transverse grooves and longitudinal grooves are provided on the drag inducing pad; Figure 8 According to an embodiment of the present technology, Figure 1 Embodiment of the process of cutting and forming the drag inducing pad; Fig. 9 According to an embodiment of the present technology, Figure 1 Embodiment of the injection molding process of the drag inducing pad; Fig.10 According to an embodiment of the present technology, Fig. 9 A side view of an embodiment of a drag inducing pad formed by an injection molding process; and Fig.11 According to an embodiment of the present technology Figure 1 A side view of an embodiment of a drag inducing pad having a laminate body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] Reference will now be made in detail to the accompanying drawings and the specific embodiments illustrated in the drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other cases, well-known methods, procedures, components are not described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments.

[0012] The terms used herein are only for the purpose of describing a specific embodiment, and are not intended to be limiting. As used in the description and the appended claims, the singular forms "one", "an" and "said" are intended to also include plural forms, unless otherwise clearly indicated in the context. It will also be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein refers to and includes any and all possible combinations of one or more of the relevant listed items. It will be further understood that when used in this specification, the terms "comprising", "comprising", "including" and / or "including" indicate the existence of stated features, ensembles, steps, operations, elements and / or members, but do not exclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, ensembles, operations, elements, members and / or their groups. In addition, as used herein, the term "if" can be interpreted as meaning "when ..." or "at ..." or "in response to determination" or "in response to detection" according to the context.

[0013] The present disclosure provides a resistance-inducing mat that can be used in conjunction with an amusement park ride. The water slides and / or chutes of an amusement park ride can typically be designed to allow the rider to enter legs first, which aligns the rider according to the turns of the water slide and provides a leg-first entrance to the pool at the end of the water slide. However, some water slides or chutes are designed to be used with mat racers or mats (e.g., structures that allow riders to slide down in a forward-facing direction). Compared to rafts or other vehicles, mats minimally constrain the rider and allow the rider to feel closer to the surface of the slide, which in turn feels faster and more exciting at relatively low speeds compared to vehicle-based rides. In addition, the mat can provide a barrier that diverts water away from the rider's face, which in turn allows the rider to enjoy the ride with a similar level of immersion relative to non-matted and leg-first rides. As discussed below, the present embodiment includes various types of mats, including those suitable for head-first or foot-first water slides.

[0014] Provided herein are drag inducing pads having features that can be effectively constructed, which achieve improved control of the maximum speed that a rider can achieve on a water slide relative to a pad without such features. For example, the drag inducing pad may include grooves defined within the bottom surface of the drag inducing pad that increase friction between the drag inducing pad and the surface and / or water of the water slide. As currently recognized, the grooves may be cuts or cracks within the bottom surface that increase a user-adjustable level of resistance, grip, traction, and / or friction for the drag inducing pad. As will be appreciated, grooves of any suitable configuration and depth may be created to provide the desired performance of the drag inducing pad. For example, in one embodiment, the grooves may extend laterally along the bottom surface and be spaced substantially parallel relative to each other, however, other arrangements of the grooves are also contemplated herein as discussed below. Thus, the grooves increase the contact surface area between the drag inducing pad and the water slide, enabling riders to more accurately control their descent along the water slide. In some embodiments, a rider may select a drag inducing pad with larger grooves or fewer grooves depending on the speed at which the rider wishes to experience the water slide, wherein the drag inducing pad with additional grooves provides more speed control. In addition, the grooves may be formed along the entire width of the drag inducing pad, which enables an assembly line or other construction process to move a blade or hot wire across the entire width for efficient groove formation. In other embodiments, the grooves may be formed by embedding a blade or baffle into an injection mold prior to producing the molded drag inducing pad. In addition, for improved durability, the drag inducing pad may be strengthened, such as by a vulcanization process, rounding the lower profile of the grooves to control or reduce stress concentrations (e.g., stress raisers), providing a flexible sheet as a crack stop within the drag inducing pad, and the like. Thus, the drag inducing pad and the grooves therein may be quickly formed, strengthened, and customized for different types of riders to improve the user experience within an amusement park ride. The grooves may be very narrow (e.g., less than 1 mm wide), and thus, the grooves are barely noticeable when the drag inducing pad is flat and / or uncompressed. However, due to rider pressure on the mat, the grooves can expand and / or move relative to each other. Thus, any rider of suitable weight can increase resistance to the water slide by exposing openings to the grooves (such as by actively or passively pressing on the mat).

[0015] Although the disclosed embodiments are generally described in the context of water rides, water slides, or rides that include water components, it should be understood that the drag inducing pads as provided herein may also be used in other contexts and without water rides. For example, the drag inducing pads may be used on slides that do not contain any water. Additionally, the drag inducing pads may be used in conjunction with rides that utilize foam, other liquids, snow, etc. in addition to or in lieu of water. In one example, the drag inducing pads disclosed herein may be implemented as a sled. Thus, the specific configuration (e.g., materials, shape, size) of the pads may be implemented depending on the desired end use. Further, the drag inducing pads may be implemented to accommodate riders in a legs-first or head-first orientation.

[0016] Considering the above overview, Figure 1 1 is a perspective view of a water ride system 10 having a drag inducing pad 12. In one embodiment, the water ride system 10 may be implemented to facilitate use of the drag inducing pad 12 with a water slide 14 or chute. The drag inducing pad 12 includes a body 16 that supports a rider 20. The rider 20 generally rests on a rider support surface 22 (e.g., an upper surface, a rider facing surface, a rider surface) of the body 16, while a lower surface 24 (e.g., an opposing surface, a slide facing surface) of the body 16 is in direct contact with one or both of a ride surface 28 (e.g., a slide surface of the water slide 14) or water 30 thereon. In this manner, the rider 20 is cushioned against the ride surface 28 while traveling through the water slide 14 at an increased speed (compared to the speeds achievable on a non-vehicle water ride system). The drag inducing pad 12 may also include additional features for rider comfort or control, such as one or more handles 31. In this embodiment, two handles 31 are each secured between a first portion 32 and a second portion 33 of the rider support surface 22, thereby forming a barrier structure with portions of the body 16 to block water from contacting the face of the rider 20. The body 16 of the drag inducing pad 12 may be formed of any suitable material, including a relatively flexible material such as foam (e.g., closed-cell), plastic, or rubber, or a relatively rigid material.

[0017] Additionally, to control the speed of the rider 20, the lower surface 24 of the body 16 is textured via the groove array of the drag inducing pad 12 that increases friction between the lower surface 24 and one or both of the ride surface 28 and the water 30. Indeed, it should be appreciated that the drag inducing pad 12 can induce both drag relative to the water 30 and dynamic friction relative to the ride surface 28. As discussed below, the groove array is positioned at the connection area 34 of the body 16 where the rider 20 applies force when grasping the handle 31 (via his or her elbow and forearm, and in some embodiments, via the handle 31 itself). Force applied from the rider support surface 22 of the drag inducing pad 12 to the body 16 proximate the groove array (such as force applied by the rider's elbow when the rider 20 grasps the handle 31) can cause the grooves of the groove array to open and increase the surface area available for frictional contact with the water slide 14. However, alternatively or additionally, the array of grooves may be formed in the secondary connection area 36 below the occupant's knees (where additional forces are also typically applied) or in any other suitable portion of the body 16 .

[0018] As should be appreciated, the resistance inducing pad 12 may enable the rider 20 to selectively reduce or increase his or her speed along the riding surface 28 by pressing harder or softer, respectively, on the resistance inducing pad 12. In fact, the rider 20 may adjust the speed of the resistance inducing pad 12 by moving between various rider positions. For example, speed may be increased when less rider weight is applied to the groove array 50 and / or the connection area 34 (such as by the rider 20 raising their elbows, applying more weight via the hips, applying more weight via the knees (when using a resistance inducing pad 12 that does not have the groove array 50 formed below the knees), etc.). Alternatively, speed may be reduced when more rider weight is applied to the groove array 50 and / or the connection area 34, when more rider weight is applied to the secondary connection area 36, ​​or when the rider 20 assumes any other suitable position that further engages the groove array 50 against the riding surface 28 or its water 30. In this manner, the drag inducing pad 12 enables the rider 20 to selectively control descent along the riding surface 28 , thereby facilitating enhanced rider enjoyment.

[0019] Figure 2is a bottom view of the drag inducing pad 12, depicting an embodiment of a groove array 50 formed in the lower surface 24 of the body 16 of the drag inducing pad 12. As is now appreciated, the groove array 50 may be one or more grooves that improve or increase the grip of the drag inducing pad 12 relative to the riding surface 28 and water 30 discussed above. In the illustrated embodiment, the groove array 50 includes four transverse grooves 52 (e.g., transversely extending grooves, linear grooves), each of which extends in a substantially straight manner across the entire width 54 of the body 16, which is defined as parallel to the transverse axis 56 of the drag inducing pad 12. However, it should be understood that any suitable number of transverse grooves 52 may be included in the groove array 50, such as two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or more. Additionally, as used herein, an element described as being substantially straight means that the element is within five percent of being completely straight. Furthermore, while the transverse grooves 52 are illustrated as having equal spacing from one another relative to the longitudinal axis 58 of the drag inducing pad 12, in some embodiments, the transverse grooves 52 may alternatively be closer together or further apart based on the expected pressure applied by the rider 20. The groove array 50 is positioned within the connection region 34 of the body 16, which is proximate to the handle 31 disposed in the top portion 60 of the drag inducing pad 12. Thus, during a standard ride, the groove array 50 increases the resistance of the drag inducing pad 12 relative to the water slide 14 due to the localized pressure that the rider 20 may apply to the drag inducing pad 12 to facilitate speed control of the rider 20. As an example, during a ride experience, the rider 20 may apply pressure to cause a first wall of a first transverse groove 52 to contact the ride surface 28, while a second wall of the first transverse groove 52 folds under itself, thereby allowing the opposing wall on an adjacent second transverse groove 52 to make contact with the ride surface 28. In practice, the groove array 50 may selectively open in any suitable manner in response to applied pressure.

[0020] As discussed in more detail below, the transverse grooves 52 may be small cuts having the width of a razor or blade (e.g., less than 1 mm, less than 0.1 mm) that may be cut into or integrally molded into the body 16, parallel to the vertical axis 62 of the resistance inducing pad 12. That is, each transverse groove 52 may be sized such that the groove walls of each transverse groove 52 substantially contact each other when the resistance inducing pad 12 is not compressed by the occupant 20 (e.g., providing the appearance that the transverse grooves 52 are not present, forming a gap that is less than 1 mm wide, forming a gap that is less than 0.1 mm wide). Furthermore, the negligible or near-zero width of the transverse grooves 52 reduces material wear and increases the useful life of the resistance inducing pad 12, while enabling selective adjustment of the contact surface area of ​​the lower surface 24, as compared to conventional mats that may include large grooves having a width of several centimeters. Indeed, it is presently recognized that the groove array 50 provides improved performance, such as greater speed control with reduced user effort, as compared to these conventional mats. In some cases, the groove array 50 may also vary in depth across all or part of the entire width 54 of the body 16 discussed above to enhance or control the opening of the transverse grooves 52 during use. In some embodiments, the groove array 50 may otherwise be unnoticeable or barely visible to the eye, thereby enhancing the aesthetics of the drag inducing pad 12. As discussed below, the drag inducing pad 12 may also include additional features and / or undergo specific treatments to enhance the durability of the drag inducing pad 12.

[0021] The specific shape and positioning of the groove array 50 are customizable for a variety of riding environments. That is, as recognized herein, the groove array 50 of the drag inducing pad 12 can take one of many suitable forms that increase resistance and improve speed control of the drag inducing pad 12. It should be understood that the groove arrays 50 described herein can each include any suitable number, depth, and size of grooves, which can be constant or vary along the respective drag inducing pad 12. In addition, it should be understood that various features of the groove array 50 can be combined from multiple embodiments described herein, which, for clarity, may be described with reference to a single figure. Indeed, any suitable configuration and depth of the groove array 50 can be used to achieve a target level of performance for the drag inducing pad 12. For example, Figure 3is a bottom view of a drag inducing pad 12 in which the groove array 50 has a staggered, dashed-line arrangement. That is, four lines 80 are formed in the lower surface 24, each line 80 having a plurality of short transverse grooves 82 (e.g., short laterally extending grooves), wherein the short transverse grooves 82 of adjacent lines 80 are staggered or offset relative to each other. In some embodiments, each short transverse groove 82 extends along the same width portion 84 of the entire width 54 of the body 16. However, in other embodiments, the short transverse grooves 82 of each line 80 may extend along a personalized width portion 84 of the entire width 54, such that the short transverse grooves 82 of the lines 80 that are more centrally located within the connection area 34 are longer than those that are located more distally within the connection area 34.

[0022] also, Figure 4 is a bottom view of a drag inducing pad 12 having an array of grooves 50 arranged in an arrow or chevron pattern. In the illustrated embodiment, the array of grooves 50 includes four arrow-shaped grooves 90, each of which extends from a first lateral side 91 to a second lateral side 92 of the body 16 of the drag inducing pad 12. The arrow-shaped grooves 90 may each include a tip 93 that intersects a longitudinally extending centerline 94 of the body 16 (e.g., parallel to the longitudinal axis 58) and points toward the handle 31. Additionally, in Figure 5 In the embodiment of the drag inducing pad 12 illustrated in FIG. 1 , the groove array 50 includes arrow-shaped grooves 90 and transverse grooves 52, each of which has a tip 93 pointing in opposite directions (e.g., away from the handle 31). By including two different types of grooves, the drag inducing pad 12 may enable the rider 20 to further improve his or her speed. It should be understood that in some embodiments, the arrow-shaped grooves 90 and the transverse grooves 52 may have the same or different depths defined in a direction parallel to the vertical axis 62. In addition, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 , alternatively, the groove array 50 may include zigzag grooves 95 extending along the lower surface 24. To provide the groove array 50 with a desired density, each zigzag groove 95 may have any suitable groove dimensions 96 defined along the longitudinal axis 58 between adjacent peaks 97 and valleys 98 of the zigzag groove 95. In fact, to provide a desired level of speed control, each rider 20 of the water slide 14 may select a drag inducing pad 12 having a groove array 50 with a desired density.

[0023] In addition, if Figure 7As shown in the embodiment of the groove array 50 of FIG. 1 , longitudinal grooves 100 (e.g., longitudinally extending grooves) can be formed in the distal portion 102 of the body 16 of the drag inducing pad 12. The longitudinal grooves 100 extend in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis 58, such as from a top edge 104 to a bottom edge 106 of the body 16. In this embodiment, the longitudinal grooves 100 thus cross or intersect the transverse grooves 52. That is, in addition to the transverse grooves 52 extending across the entire width 54 in a direction parallel to the transverse axis 56, the longitudinal grooves 100 can cross or be perpendicular to the transverse grooves 52 and extend across the entire length 110 of the body 16, thereby further adjusting or expanding the surface area of ​​the drag inducing pad 12 for resisting movement of the drag inducing pad 12 along the water slide 14. This combined embodiment can create a high density groove grid 112 near the area of ​​expected elbow contact to further increase the expansion of the grooves and the associated resistance. In some embodiments, the longitudinal grooves 100 and / or the transverse grooves 52 may be segmented to form a plurality of grooves that are staggered and / or dashed.

[0024] As mentioned above, it should be understood that these embodiments of the groove array 50 are only a portion of the possible arrangements, which can be rearranged, customized, personalized or combined in any suitable manner to provide the desired speed control to the rider 20. In fact, in other embodiments, dimples or other features and textures that increase the surface area can also be combined with the groove array 50. In addition, wicker bills, spoilers or other aerodynamic resistance members can be combined with the groove array 50 discussed herein. In addition, the groove array 50 can be specifically positioned to facilitate the rider to control the drag inducing pad 12. For example, due to the positioning of the groove array 50, the rider 20 who leans onto the drag inducing pad 12 or applies force to the drag inducing pad 12 via the elbow can reduce the ride speed by inducing more drag relative to the rider who applies force via the hips. In fact, as mentioned above, the rider 20 can control the speed of the drag inducing pad 12 by moving into any suitable rider position that engages a selected portion of the groove array 50 to induce drag.

[0025] Furthermore, given the wide variety of groove arrays 50 that may be provided on the drag inducing pads 12, it should be appreciated that the water ride system 10 may include various groups of drag inducing pads 12, each targeted at a different rider quality and / or rider experience. For example, the drag inducing pads 12 may be formed in groups of various sizes, such as a first group having a first length corresponding to a rider 20 having a first height, and a second group having a second different length corresponding to a rider 20 having a second different height, wherein the groove arrays 50 are sized and / or adjusted (e.g., in length, width, and / or height) to accommodate the individual drag inducing pads 12. Additionally, the groups of drag inducing pads 12 may include a high speed group of drag inducing pads 12 designed with a low density groove array 50 (e.g., Figure 2 , 3 and / or 4 drag inducing pads 12) to provide a relatively high density groove array 50 (e.g., Figure 5 , 6 In some embodiments, the drag inducing pads 12 of the present invention may be configured to provide a low speed group of drag inducing pads 12 having a plurality of drag inducing pads 12 (i.e., drag inducing pads 12 having a plurality of ...

[0026] In light of the above understanding of the operation and features of the drag inducing pad 12 , the discussion herein of the effective constructibility and durability of the drag inducing pad 12 may be better appreciated. Figure 81 is a perspective illustration of an embodiment of a cutting process 118 for forming a groove array 50 of a drag inducing pad 12. In practice, a cutting assembly 121 or a blade 120 of a machine (e.g., a razor, a heated blade, a hot wire) can be used to form transverse grooves 52 in a lower surface 24 of a mat 122 (e.g., a flat or smooth mat, a drag inducing pad 12 precursor) positioned adjacent to the cutting assembly 121. In some embodiments, because the transverse grooves 52 or other groove types can extend across the entire width 54 of the body 16, the blade 120 can remain in a fixed position as the mat 122 moves relative to the blade (e.g., in a transverse direction, in a longitudinal direction, in a vertical direction). In other embodiments, the blade 120 can move relative to the mat 122. For example, to form a line 80 having a plurality of short transverse grooves 82, the blade 120 can jump or move in a direction parallel to the vertical cutting axis 130 as the mat 122 moves. Alternatively, to form the groove array 50 having a herringbone arrangement or zigzag grooves 95, the blade 120 can be adjusted in position along the plane 132 (which is parallel to the plane of the lower surface 24 of the mat 122) as the mat 122 moves laterally relative to the blade 120. In addition, in embodiments where the blade 120 is heated or replaced with a hot wire, the heat provided to the mat 122 can desirably melt or burn the groove array 50 within the lower surface 24 for improved strength and durability. Additionally, it is currently recognized that the groove array 50 produced by these or other processes discussed herein can be vulcanized to reduce stress concentrators and control the opening of the grooves under load.

[0027] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the groove array 50 can be formed on the surface of the composite mat before the composite mat is segmented into individual mats 122, thereby facilitating the efficient formation of multiple drag inducing pads 12. Additionally, the cutting assembly 121 can include multiple blades 120 to simultaneously form multiple grooves at one time. It should be understood that in other embodiments, a hot wire or other cutting device having a relatively small size can also be used in the cutting assembly 121 to form the groove array 50 or burn the edges of the grooves to avoid tearing. Additionally, in some embodiments, such as by implementing the cutting assembly 121 with multiple blades 120 or hot wires, each groove of the groove array 50 can be cut simultaneously.

[0028] In any event, the groove array 50 may desirably extend from the first lateral side 91 to the second lateral side 92 of the body 16 of the drag inducing pad 12 such that all available space of the body 16 is utilized to include the groove array 50, which effectively operates as a controllable friction inducer for the occupant 20. Then, looking toward the resulting side surface 140 of the drag inducing pad 12, the lateral grooves 52 each have a groove depth 142 (e.g., defined in a direction parallel to the vertical axis 62) that is a fraction of the overall thickness 144 of the body 16. In some embodiments, a desired balance is found between the resistance provided by the groove array 50 and the material strength of the drag inducing pad 12 when the groove depth 142 is between 10 percent and 25 percent of the overall thickness 144 of the body 16. Thus, with the desired groove array 50 formed, the handle 31 may be coupled to the occupant support surface 22 to form the drag inducing pad 12.

[0029] Fig. 9 is a schematic illustration of a molding process 160 for forming the drag inducing pad 12. For example, the injection mold 162 of the present embodiment includes an inner surface 164 that defines a desired outer boundary for the drag inducing pad 12. Note that a baffle 166 (such as a blade) is embedded within the injection mold 162 to enable the groove array 50 to be integrally formed with the material 170 of the body 16 of the drag inducing pad 12. That is, the baffle 166 protrudes into the cavity 172 of the injection mold 162 along the entire width of the injection mold 162 so that subsequent application of the material 170 (from which the body 16 is formed) creates the groove array 50 along the entire width 54 of the lower surface 24 of the drag inducing pad 12. Thus, the drag inducing pad 12 (e.g., without the handle 31) can be removed from the injection mold 162 and used within the water ride 14.

[0030] Furthermore, in some embodiments, to inhibit or reduce the potential expansion of the transverse grooves 52 along the entire thickness 144 of the body 16, some or each of the baffles 166 of the injection mold 162 may include a spherical end 176. Thus, as in Fig.10As illustrated in the side view of the drag inducing pad 12 in FIG. 2 , the through hole 200 is formed at the inner end of the transverse groove 52 (e.g., the end of the transverse groove 52 opposite the lower surface 24). The through hole 200 can be used as a buffer or crack stop to absorb forces that may otherwise further elongate the transverse groove 52, thereby inhibiting tearing of the transverse groove 52. That is, the rounded profile (e.g., the inner profile) of the through hole 200 can reduce stress concentrators within the drag inducing pad 12, which may otherwise promote premature wear of the drag inducing pad 12. The rounded profile of the through hole 200 and the groove walls extending therefrom can be vulcanized, melted or burned for additional elasticity. Due to the increased surface area it provides, the through hole 200 can additionally increase the resistance of the drag inducing pad 12 compared to embodiments without the through hole 200. In some embodiments, the through hole 200 can be provided with one, two, or each groove in the groove array 50. Furthermore, the through-hole 200 may have any suitable size or height relative to the groove array 50, and the through-hole 200 may be formed by another process besides injection molding. In some embodiments, the distal end or edge of the groove array 50 may also be rounded.

[0031] The drag inducing pad 12 may also include other features to enhance its structural strength and / or speed control performance, and for clarity, is discussed with reference to an embodiment of a groove array 50 including transverse grooves 52. For example, when constructed via an injection mold 162, the injection mold 162 may be shaped to form a deposit 210 of material 170 at the apex of the body 16 between the side surface 140 and the lower surface 24. As illustrated, the deposit 210 of material 170 may thus operate as a buffer to reduce forces that may otherwise tear the drag inducing pad 12. Similarly, an adhesive film 212 may be applied to the side surface 140 to reduce undesired movement or tearing of the drag inducing pad 12. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the deposit 210, adhesive film 212, and / or other materials, such as shrink fit materials, may be utilized on each transverse groove 52 and / or other grooves of the groove array 50. That is, a deposit 210 , an adhesive film 212 , or the like may be formed at the junction between the lateral end portions of each lateral groove 52 and the lateral sides 91 , 92 of the body 16 to provide additional strength to the drag inducing pad 12 .

[0032] Fig.111 is a side view of a resistance inducing pad 12 having a laminate body 230. For example, a first layer 232 of material can be coupled to a second layer 234 of material to form a resulting laminate body 230 that includes the occupant support surface 22 and the lower surface 24 discussed above. The groove array 50 is formed in the second layer 234, which can be proportional relative to the first layer 232 based on a desired groove depth (e.g., 10 percent to 25 percent of the entire thickness 144). In this way, the laminate body 230 prevents the transverse grooves 52 from extending into the first layer 232. In addition, a tough, flexible membrane 236, such as a bi-directionally oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET) sheet, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet, or other sheet of material, can be positioned between and laminated to the first layer 232 and the second layer 234 to prevent the transverse grooves 52 from extending from the second layer 234 into the first layer 232. It should be understood that the flexible membrane 236 can be formed of any suitable material that is tougher or more resilient to tearing than the first material of the first layer 232 and / or the second material of the second layer 234 (which can be the same or different materials). The flexible membrane 236 can be coupled between the inner surface of the first layer 232 and the inner surface of the second layer 234 by any suitable adhesive or corresponding material, or alternatively, integrally formed between the layers 232, 234 via an injection molding process. In addition, the thickness of the flexible membrane 236 can be sized to be less than the relative thickness of the layers 232, 234, thereby conserving the utilization of a more resilient material of the flexible membrane 236 for blocking or preventing unintended expansion of the lateral grooves 52. However, other embodiments of the resistance inducing pad 12 may include a laminate body 230 in which the flexible membrane 236 is not disposed.

[0033] Additionally, as mentioned, each lateral groove 52 includes groove walls 240 or inner walls that are substantially in contact with each other (e.g., touching each other, nearly touching each other, indistinguishable from the rest of the second layer 234) when the drag inducing pad 12 is uncompressed. Then, upon compression of the drag inducing pad 12, the groove walls 240 may open (e.g., fold under each other, move away from each other) to partially or fully contact the riding surface 28, as discussed above. As mentioned, the groove walls 240 may be vulcanized, burned, or melted for further durability enhancement.

[0034] As such, the technical effects of the disclosed drag inducing pad 12 include improved, customizable rider 20 control of the friction developed between the drag inducing pad 12 and the water slide 14. For example, the drag inducing pad 12 includes a body 16 having a rider support surface 22 that receives the rider 20 and a lower surface 24 having an array of grooves 50 cut, molded, or otherwise defined therein. The array of grooves 50 may extend along the entire width 54 of the lower surface 24 and include transverse grooves 52, lines 80 of short transverse grooves 82, arrow-shaped grooves 90, zigzag grooves 95, and / or longitudinal grooves 100. In any event, each groove of the array of grooves 50 is formed to have a substantially small width, enabling the groove walls 240 of each groove to substantially contact each other without being compressed by the rider 20. Thus, when a rider 20 applies a force to the drag inducing pad 12, the groove array 50 can selectively open to enable at least a portion of the groove walls 240 to contact the ride surface 28 of the water slide 14, creating additional friction therebetween and facilitating increased speed control enjoyed by the riders 20 of the water ride system 10. Because the various features of the drag inducing pad 12 can be effectively constructed and utilized with reduced wear, the drag inducing pad 12 additionally improves the operation of the water ride system 10 without requiring a large cost expenditure. For example, providing a drag inducing pad 12 having a laminate body 230 (which can include a flexible membrane 236 therein as a crack stop) can reduce wear of the drag inducing pad 12 by preventing unintended expansion of the transverse grooves 52. In addition, the drag inducing pad 12 can be vulcanized and / or cauterized to reduce internal or external stresses and thereby control groove opening. As such, the drag inducing mat 12 of the present disclosure may provide enhanced rider enjoyment and increased speed control based on the selectively increaseable surface area of ​​the groove array 50 as compared to conventional mats that may include wide visible grooves with walls that do not contact each other.

[0035] Although only certain features of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the present invention. Although certain disclosed embodiments have been disclosed in the context of an amusement park or theme park, it should be understood that certain embodiments may also be related to other uses. In addition, it should be understood that certain elements of the disclosed embodiments may be combined or exchanged with each other.

[0036] The technology presented and claimed herein is cited and applied to physical objects and specific examples of a practical nature that significantly improve the art and is therefore not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. In addition, if any claim appended to the end of this specification contains one or more elements designated as "means for [performing] ... [function]" or "steps for [performing] ... [function]", it is intended that such elements be interpreted in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements not be interpreted in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

Claims

1. A method of forming a drag inducing pad, the method comprising: positioning a mat adjacent to the cutting assembly, wherein the mat includes a body having a rider surface and an opposing surface; moving the mat relative to the cutting assembly to form a groove array in the opposing surface, wherein the groove array includes a plurality of grooves, wherein each groove of the plurality of grooves includes a slit having a set of opposing groove walls extending from a first lateral edge of the body to a second lateral edge of the body; as well as The drag inducing pad is formed by coupling a pair of elongated handles to the rider surface of the body at a position that enables a forearm of a rider grasping at least one of the pair of elongated handles to transfer forces from the rider surface to the array of grooves defined in the opposing surface during a ride.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Moving the mat relative to the cutting assembly forms each groove of the plurality of grooves, each groove having a set of opposing groove walls configured to contact each other when the groove array is not compressed, and wherein the method includes vulcanizing the groove walls.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Moving the mat relative to the cutting assembly forms each groove of the plurality of grooves as a substantially straight line.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Moving the mat relative to the cutting assembly includes moving the mat in a lateral direction relative to the body without the cutting assembly moving in the lateral direction.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The cutting assembly includes a blade, a heated blade, or a hot wire.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The mat is a composite mat, and wherein the method includes segmenting the composite mat into a plurality of mats after moving the composite mat relative to the cutting assembly.

7. A method of forming a drag inducing pad, the method comprising: positioning a mat adjacent to the cutting assembly, wherein the mat includes a body having a rider surface and an opposing surface; moving the mat relative to the cutting assembly to define a groove array in the opposing surface, wherein the groove array includes a plurality of grooves extending in a first direction from a first lateral edge of the body to a second lateral edge of the body, and wherein the drag inducing mat includes an additional plurality of grooves arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and The drag inducing pad is formed by incorporating at least one handle so that the at least one handle extends from the rider surface of the body at a position that enables a forearm of a rider grasping the at least one handle to transfer forces from the rider surface to the groove array defined in the opposing surface during a ride.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: Moving the mat relative to the cutting assembly forms each groove of the plurality of grooves, each groove having groove walls configured to contact one another when the array of grooves is not compressed, and wherein the method includes vulcanizing the groove walls.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein: The method includes forming a through hole at an inner end of each of the plurality of trenches.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein: The cutting component includes a linear shape, a zigzag shape or an arrow shape or any combination thereof.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein: The mat is a composite mat, and wherein the method includes segmenting the composite mat into a plurality of mats after moving the composite mat relative to the cutting assembly.

12. A method of forming a drag inducing pad, the method comprising: positioning a mat adjacent the cutting assembly, wherein the mat includes a body having a rider surface configured to face the rider and an opposing surface configured to face a ride surface; and The mat is cut with the cutting assembly to cut a groove array into the opposing surface, wherein the groove array includes a plurality of grooves, wherein each groove of the plurality of grooves includes a set of opposing groove walls extending from a first lateral edge of the body to a second lateral edge of the body to selectively induce friction between the body and the ride surface based on forces applied to the groove array by the rider.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising forming the drag inducing pad by coupling a pair of elongated handles to the rider surface of the body, and wherein, The array of grooves is defined in the opposing surfaces in an area configured to receive pressure from the occupant's forearms transmitted through the body when the occupant grasps the pair of elongated handles.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein: Each of the plurality of grooves is formed to extend through 10 to 25 percent of a thickness of the body.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein: At least one groove wall of the set of opposing groove walls of each groove is formed to at least partially contact the ride surface in response to the drag inducing pad being compressed against the ride surface by the rider.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein: Each groove of the plurality of grooves comprises a first groove wall of a group of opposing groove walls, a second groove wall of a group of opposing groove walls, and an inner contour extending between the first groove wall and the second groove wall, and wherein the first groove wall, the second groove wall, and the inner contour are vulcanized, burned, or melted.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein: Each of the plurality of grooves includes a linear shape, a zigzag shape, or an arrow shape.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The plurality of grooves are arranged along a first direction, and wherein the groove array includes an additional plurality of grooves arranged along a second direction intersecting the first direction.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The plurality of grooves are formed in a portion of the opposing surface corresponding to an expected elbow position of the rider, and wherein the resistance inducing pad enables the rider to adjust the friction induced between the body and the ride surface by adjusting the force applied to the portion of the opposing surface.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The drag inducing pad comprises: a first layer having the rider surface; a second layer having the opposing surface, wherein the plurality of grooves extend through an entire thickness of the second layer; and A flexible film is positioned between the first layer and the second layer to prevent extension of the plurality of grooves from the second layer to the first layer.

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