Multi-stage water effect system

Abstract

The multi-stage water effects system includes a plurality of water vehicle vehicles, each of which has one or more water effect devices. The multi-stage water effects system also includes a control system communicatively coupled to one or more water effect devices of the plurality of water vehicle vehicles. The control system operates one or more water effect devices of the water vehicle vehicles to provide a first fluid flow at a first time. The control system also operates one or more water effect devices of the water vehicle vehicles to provide a second fluid flow at a second time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This application claims priority and the benefit thereof to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 017,439, entitled "Multi - Stage Water Effect System", filed on April 29, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to amusement park attractions, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses utilized to provide special effects in amusement park water rides.

Background Art

[0003] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of technologies that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure. This discussion is thought to be helpful in showing the reader the background circumstances and facilitating a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, these descriptions should be read from the above - mentioned perspective rather than as an admission of prior art.

[0004] Water parks seek to provide park visitors with various ride experiences, including water rides having water ride vehicles (e.g., bumper rides, log rides, and raft rides). Certain types of water rides provide passengers with thrills such as sudden turns, courses, and / or splashes of water on passengers during the ride experience by collisions with other water ride vehicles. However, these thrill aspects are not different depending on the ride experience, i.e., repeat visitors are not as surprised on their next visit. Also, each passenger's experience is the same regardless of the passenger's actions or course. Currently, it is recognized that certain water ride vehicles can provide additional attraction to passengers by incorporating ride experiences and / or thrill aspects specific to each water ride vehicle.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problem

[0005] The following presents an overview of several embodiments disclosed in this specification. Note that these aspects merely show a summary of these several embodiments to the reader and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. In fact, the present disclosure can include various aspects that may not be shown below.

[0006] In one embodiment, a multi-stage water effect system includes a plurality of watercraft vehicles. One of the plurality of watercraft vehicles has one or more water effect devices. The multi-stage water effect system also includes a control system communicatively coupled to one or more water effect devices of the plurality of watercraft vehicles. The control system operates one or more water effect devices of the watercraft vehicle to provide a first fluid flow at a first point in time. The control system also operates one or more water effect devices of the watercraft vehicle to provide a second fluid flow at a second point in time.

[0007] In one embodiment, a watercraft vehicle of an amusement park water ride includes a plurality of sensors that acquire feedback associated with the interaction between the watercraft vehicle and the water ride. The watercraft vehicle also includes a plurality of water effect devices that provide a fluid flow. The watercraft vehicle further includes a control system communicatively coupled to the plurality of sensors and the plurality of water effect devices. The control system receives feedback indicating the interaction between the watercraft vehicle and the water ride from at least one of the plurality of sensors. The control system also selects one operating phase from a plurality of operating phases based on the feedback. The plurality of operating phases includes a first operating phase associated with a first flow rate of fluid from a first subset of the plurality of water effect devices and a second operating phase associated with a second flow rate of fluid from a second subset of the plurality of water effect devices. The control system further operates the first subset of the plurality of water effect devices to supply fluid at the first flow rate in response to the selection of the first operating phase. Additionally, the control system operates the second subset of the plurality of water effect devices to supply fluid at the second flow rate in response to the selection of the second operating phase.

[0008] In one embodiment, a multi-stage water effect system includes a first watercraft vehicle having a first plurality of water effect devices. The multi-stage water effect system also includes a second watercraft vehicle having a second plurality of water effect devices. The multi-stage water effect system further includes a control system communicatively coupled to the first plurality of water effect devices and the second plurality of water effect devices. The control system receives a signal associated with changing the first operating phase of the first watercraft vehicle, the second operating phase of the second watercraft vehicle, or both. The control system further operates the first plurality of water effect devices to selectively supply the first fluid at the first flow rate or the second flow rate if the signal is associated with changing the first operating phase of the first watercraft vehicle. Additionally, the control system operates the second plurality of water effect devices to selectively supply the second fluid at the first flow rate or the second flow rate if the signal is associated with changing the second operating phase of the second watercraft vehicle.

[0009] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will be better understood by reading the following detailed description while referring to the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

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Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] The following describes one or more specific embodiments. For the sake of brevity in the description of these embodiments, not all features of the implementation are described herein. Note that in the development of any such implementation as seen in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific purposes, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints that may vary depending on the implementation. Furthermore, although such development efforts can be complex and time-consuming, they are routine endeavors of design, fabrication, and manufacturing for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure.

[0012] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, articles such as "a", "an", "the", and "said" shall be taken to mean that there is one or more of these elements. The terms "comprising", "including", and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that additional elements other than the recited elements may exist. The following describes one or more specific embodiments of the present embodiments described herein. For the sake of brevity in the description of these embodiments, not all features of the implementation are described herein. Note that in the development of any such implementation as seen in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific purposes, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints that may vary depending on the implementation. Furthermore, although such development efforts can be complex and time-consuming, they are routine endeavors of design, fabrication, and manufacturing for those skilled in the art who benefit from this disclosure.

[0013] The present disclosure relates to a multi-stage water effect system that can be used with amusement park rides such as watercraft. Certain types of watercraft (e.g., log flumes, water coasters, and bumper boats) can be designed to provide a thrilling experience to one or more passengers within the watercraft vehicle by having water from outside the watercraft vehicle splash down onto one or more passengers within the watercraft vehicle through collisions and / or sudden descents. The present embodiment uses a multi-stage water effect system having one or more water effect devices disposed within and / or on the watercraft vehicle to enhance the thrilling feeling experienced by one or more passengers during the watercraft ride.

[0014] The multi-stage water effect system provides a dynamic and variable thrilling experience that causes one or more illusionary surfaces of a damaged ship to occur in a layered manner. The multi-stage water effect system can activate within the watercraft vehicle, during the watercraft ride, escalating effects (effects where internal rivets pop out, effects where the bottom of the vehicle is partially filled with water, acoustic effects) associated with damage to the ship or breach of the hull. These effects are part of the illusion and are sized and scaled to provide a thrill that is an enjoyable part of the immersive experience. Further, the multi-stage water effect system can be variably activated such that only certain vehicle vehicles experience these effects. The vehicle vehicles can be randomly selected based on past events (e.g., bumps or collisions) experienced during the watercraft ride, passenger information stored in a profile, and / or an active or opt-in selection by one or more passengers within an individual watercraft vehicle. Further, the multi-stage water effect system can activate, partially develop, fully develop, and / or decay during the watercraft ride to provide additional ride variability to each watercraft vehicle. In this way, the illusion provides additional surprise and immersion and can provide a new thrill to repeat customers who have not yet experienced all potential fully developed stages of the multi-stage water effect system.

[0015] As mentioned herein, the individual operating stages of the multi-stage water effect system can include instructions to operate one or more sets of water effect devices of one or more vehicle vehicles to provide a fluid flow of a constant flow rate and / or a constant flow pattern (e.g., continuous flow rate, increasing flow rate, and sudden bursts of fluid, etc.). The instructions can also include instructions to activate any accompanying effects, such as acoustic or motion effects, that enhance each stage of the illusion. As described in more detail herein, the water vehicle vehicle interaction can mean the interaction between the water vehicle vehicle and the characteristics of the water vehicle (e.g., collisions with other water vehicle vehicles and barriers, etc.), and / or the water vehicle vehicle passing through specific checkpoints within the water vehicle (e.g., moving a predetermined distance, and performing a rapid descent, etc.). In any case, the multi-stage water effect system provides one or more water effects through one or more water effect devices. In certain embodiments, the water effect device can at least partially fill a portion of the water vehicle vehicle. By providing a fluid flow to the water vehicle vehicle to partially fill a portion of the water vehicle vehicle with fluid, one or more passengers can feel as if the water vehicle vehicle is breaking and / or sinking, thus enhancing the thrill and excitement that one or more passengers feel when the water vehicle vehicle is actually floating and in a safe state.

[0016] This specification provides a multi-stage water effect system that includes one or more watercraft vehicles, each having one or more water effect devices that can enhance the experience of each passenger. The multi-stage water effect system can also include a control system that activates or selects one operating stage from a plurality of operating stages. The control system can operate and / or adjust the operation of one or more water effect devices according to the selected operating stage based on the operating stage. For example, the control system can increase the flow rate of the fluid flow provided by one or more water effect devices of each watercraft vehicle based on the individual watercraft vehicle interactions associated with each watercraft vehicle. As a result, one or more passengers of one or more watercraft vehicles can experience the developing water effect, and / or the excitement of the passengers can be enhanced by the watercraft vehicle starting to fill with water. Further, in embodiments that include a plurality of watercraft, the control system can activate different operating stages of each watercraft vehicle (i.e., variably trigger the operation of one or more water effect devices of each watercraft vehicle) based on specific factors such as the watercraft vehicle interactions of each vehicle. Thus, passengers of different watercraft vehicles experience different water effects throughout the vehicle. Such changing water effects not only enhance the immersive experience in the vehicle but can also provide a unique experience for repeat customers.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a watercraft 10 having a multi - stage water effect system 12 that includes a watercraft vehicle 14 having one or more water effect devices 16. FIG. 1 shows different operating stages of the multi - stage water effect system 12, including an initial stage 18, a first stage 20, and a second stage 22. As shown, the watercraft vehicle 14 includes passengers 24. Although only one passenger 24 and one watercraft vehicle 14 are shown, other embodiments of the multi - stage water effect system 12 can include any number of watercraft vehicles 14 having any number (e.g., one, two, three, four, five, or more) of passengers 24. The illustrated embodiment shows a three - stage operation (e.g., an initial stage 18, a first stage 20, and a second stage 22). Also, although only three stages (e.g., an initial stage 18, a first stage 20, and a second stage 22) are shown, some embodiments of the multi - stage water effect system 12 can include any number (two, three, four, five, six, or more) of stages. Further, although the illustrated embodiment shows examples of developing effects, embodiments can also include effects that decay over time or develop only partially.

[0018] The multi - stage water effect system 12 operates one or more water effect devices 16 according to appropriate operating stages. In the illustrated embodiment, in response to the multi - stage water effect system 12 operating according to the initial stage 18, the water effect device 16 (e.g., providing a fluid flow) is not operating at all. Generally, the initial operating stage 18 of the multi - stage water effect system 12 can correspond to the water effect device 16 not operating at all. For example, the initial stage 18 can correspond to a point in time before the occurrence of any watercraft vehicle interaction (e.g., a barrier, a collision with another watercraft vehicle, the watercraft vehicle passing through a predetermined position within the watercraft 10) and / or the elapse of a time event, such as immediately after passengers 24 board the watercraft vehicle 14 at the start of the watercraft 10. Thus, in one embodiment, the multi - stage water effect system 12 can operate in the initial stage 18 as a default.

[0019] When the multi - stage water effect system 12 enters the first operation stage 20, one or more water effect devices 16 can be activated according to the first operation stage 20. As shown in this specification, the first operation stage 20 can be selected based on, for example, passenger profile information, random selection, or watercraft vehicle interaction. In the illustrated embodiment, the watercraft vehicle interaction is that the watercraft vehicle 14 contacts (e.g., hits, collides with, moves within a threshold range of) the attraction feature 28. As a result of the watercraft vehicle interaction, the multi - stage water effect system 12 selects the first operation stage 20 to activate the water effect device 16a, causing a fluid flow 26a with a certain fluid flow rate and / or fluid pressure to be provided to the water effect device 16a according to the instructions from the control system as shown in this specification. However, in another embodiment, the multi - stage water effect system 12 can change the operation of one or more water effect devices 16 after a predetermined time from the start of the operation stage, after the start of the watercraft, and after other specific time events such as other thematic events that can incorporate a predetermined time. For example, the water effect device 16a can operate according to the first operation stage 20 after a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, etc.) starting from the start of the initial operation stage 18. In another embodiment, the water effect device 16a can operate in response to the watercraft vehicle 14 moving a measurable distance (e.g., measured by a sensor). For example, the attraction feature 28 can include a (single or multiple) sensor that communicates with each sensor on the watercraft vehicle 14 to provide feedback indicating the measurable distance that the watercraft vehicle 14 has moved.

[0020] The multi-stage water effect system 12 can select a second operation stage 22 after a further water vehicle interaction (e.g., a subsequent interaction) involving the water vehicle 14 occurs, and thus operate one or more water effect devices 16 according to the second operation stage 22. For example, as a result of the second operation stage 22 being selected, additional water effect devices 16b, 16c operate to provide a fluid flow 26b. One or more characteristics such as the flow rate or pressure of the fluid flow 26 from the individual water effect devices 16 can vary according to control instructions associated with a particular operation stage, between different operation stages or during an individual operation stage. In some embodiments, the flow rate or pressure of the fluid flow 26b can be made relatively higher than the flow rate or pressure of the fluid flow 26a, and / or can be provided from different areas of the water vehicle 14. The passenger 24 can experience a thrill of excitement upon seeing that the flow rate or pressure of the fluid flow 26b has increased and that the fluid flow 26b is originating from different areas of the water vehicle 14. In one embodiment, as part of the development, the water vehicle 14 can operate an additional water effect device 16b as a result of an attraction feature 28 (e.g., a subsequent interaction or collision), another attraction feature 28, or contact with another water vehicle 14. In certain embodiments, the transition from the first operation stage 20 to the second operation stage 22 is a layered effect where all of the water effect devices 16 operating in the first stage 20 are also operating in the second stage 22 while additional water effect devices 16 are also operating. In certain embodiments, the subset of the fluid flow 26 that is operating and / or the flow rate varies between operation stages. In certain embodiments, the operation of the multi-stage water effect system 12 can change from the first operation stage 20 to the second operation stage 22 after a time threshold that occurs after the start of the first operation stage 20. It should be understood that each vehicle can include a plurality of water effect devices 16 and that all or a subset of the water effect devices 16 can operate during different stages.

[0021] In the illustrated embodiment, the water effect devices 16a, 16b can be integrated into features of the watercraft vehicle 14 associated with submersion, such as the prop tool hull rivets 17 incorporated into the faux interior seams 15. The rivets 17 can be mechanically controlled to actuate in a forward-projecting manner in conjunction with the actuation of the fluid flow as part of the first operating stage 20. In certain embodiments, the individual water effect devices 16a and their associated individual rivets 17a can be actuated to project out in coordination after the actuation of the fluid flow from the individual water effect devices 16a. For example, after the rivets 17a project out, water can be ejected from the individual water effect devices 16a, and then the ejection from the individual water effect devices 16a can be increased (by a relatively high flow rate). Thus, the individual operating stages can include instructions to operate specific effects in a regular or coordinated manner as various sub-stages such that the subset of the water effect devices 16 that are operating and the fluid flow 26 from each water effect device 16 vary over the operating stage (e.g., the fluid flow 26 increases or decreases). In one example, in the first operating stage 20, the individual rivets 17 and their associated water effect devices 16 are actuated to shift in various positions initially surrounding the watercraft vehicle and then some of the individual rivets 17 and their associated water effect devices 16 are actuated together to create the illusion that the water pressure in the hull or hull breach is increasing. The set or subset that is operating can be selected to eject surrounding the entire interior to spread the water effect around all of the passengers. In certain embodiments, the subset of the water effect devices 16 that are operating can be selected to be located adjacent to the seats of the repeat customers 24 or thrill-seeking passengers 24 (in accordance with the passenger profile information). The second operating stage 22 can bring online a larger-scale inflow of fluid into the watercraft vehicle 14 through, for example, the water effect device 16c coupled to the opening or grille window 21 at the bottom of the watercraft vehicle 14.

[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, the second stage 22 is shown to occur after the first stage 20, which occurs after the initial stage 18. However, in another embodiment, the relative order of the stages is non-limiting and can depend on the type of watercraft vehicle interaction that triggered the stage. That is, in one embodiment, even though the current operating stage of the multi-stage water effect system 12 is the initial operating stage 18, the multi-stage water effect system 12 can select the second operating stage 22 and operate one or more water effect devices 16 according to the second operating stage 22. For example, the multi-stage water effect system 12 can change the operation of one or more water effect devices 16 directly from the initial operating stage 18 to the second operating stage 22 by certain watercraft vehicle interactions such as the position of the watercraft vehicle 14 colliding with another attraction feature 28 and / or an input from the operator of the watercraft 10. As another non-limiting example, the multi-stage water effect system 12 can also change the operation of one or more water effect devices 16 from the initial stage 18 to the first stage 20 or (bypassing the first stage) to the second stage 22 based on the magnitude of the watercraft vehicle interaction. That is, continuing with the example where the watercraft vehicle interaction is a collision, if the impact force associated with the collision (e.g., measured by a sensor on the watercraft vehicle 14) exceeds a threshold value (e.g., an impact threshold), the multi-stage water effect system 12 can select the second operating stage 22. If the impact force associated with the collision is less than the threshold value, the multi-stage water effect system 12 can select the first operating stage 20.

[0023] The operation of one or more water effect devices 16 can be controlled by a control system 30. In the illustrated embodiment, a control system 30 disposed on the watercraft vehicle 14 is shown, but in another embodiment, the control system 30 can be separated from the watercraft vehicle 14 and communicate remotely with one or more water effect devices 16. For example, in an embodiment where the multi-stage water effect system 12 includes a plurality of watercraft vehicles 14, one or more remote control systems 30 can control the operation of each watercraft vehicle. Alternatively, the control system 30 can also include a master controller and slave controllers for each watercraft vehicle 14. In one embodiment, one or more water effect devices 16 can operate based on signals from one or more sensors 32 that receive feedback indicating the state associated with the watercraft vehicle 14, and the control system 30 can use this signal to determine whether a watercraft vehicle interaction has occurred. The control system 30 determines whether a watercraft vehicle interaction has occurred and, in response to determining the type of watercraft vehicle interaction, selects (e.g., changes) an operating stage (e.g., the first stage 20 or the second stage 22) and can operate one or more water effect devices 16 according to the selected operating stage.

[0024] Accordingly, as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 2, the multi-stage water effect system 12 can operate under the control system 30. The control system 30 can include a processor 34 that can include one or more processing devices, and a memory 36 that stores instructions executable by the processor 34. The memory 36 can include one or more tangible, non-transitory machine-readable media. By way of example, such machine-readable media can be RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to hold or store the desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by the processor 34, or any general-purpose or special-purpose computer or other machine that includes the processor. For example, the memory 36 can store a look-up table that can be used by the processor 34 to select an operating phase and that can reference specific watercraft vehicle interactions and corresponding operating phases.

[0025] The control system 30 can also include a communication circuit 38 and / or an input and output circuit 40 that facilitate communication with other components of the multi-stage water effect system 12. Further, the control system 30 can be directly or wirelessly coupled to an operator input device or operator interface 42 that can be used by a vehicle technician to provide inputs used to control one or more vehicle features during operation. As described above, in some embodiments, the operator interface 42, or other components of the multi-stage water effect system 12, can be located remotely from the control system 30 and can be implemented, for example, on a mobile device.

[0026] As described above, the control system 30 can control the operation of the water effect device 16, such as the operation of the water effect device that provides a fluid flow, the flow rate and / or type of the fluid flow, and the number of water effect devices 16 to be operated based on the operating stage selected by the control system 30. The water effect device 16 can include one or more fluid sources 44 that are in fluid communication with one or more fluid outlet ports 46 (e.g., via channels and conduits, etc.). When one or more water effect devices 16 receive a signal from the control system 30, they can open a valve for discharging fluid (e.g., providing a fluid flow), and / or operate one or more pumps that affect the flow rate and / or flow pressure of the fluid flow, etc., to open the fluid flow to the watercraft vehicle 14. Accordingly, the water effect device 16 can include suitable flow control elements such as valves and pumps configured to operate under the control of the control system 30. Also, the control system 30 can control the stop and / or fluid discharge of the fluid flow. In one embodiment, when the filling level rises above a predetermined level that can be determined by one or both of operator input or sensor feedback, the fluid flow is automatically stopped and / or discharged.

[0027] In some embodiments, the multi-stage water effect system 12 can also include one or more special effect systems 48 that are under the control of the control system 30. Such special effects can include light effects, motion effects, acoustic effects, image effects, etc. The special effect system 48 can be configured to cooperate with the fluid effects as shown herein. For example, it can trigger the acoustic effect of a rapid current simultaneously with the fluid flow to create an overall impression that the flooded water fills the watercraft vehicle 14. As another non-limiting example, it can trigger a motion effect controlled by an actuator in front of the fluid flow to give passengers the illusion that the structural support features of the watercraft vehicle 14 are collapsing.

[0028] Generally, the control system 30 can control the operation of the water effect device 16 (e.g., activation, deactivation, flow rate adjustment, flow type adjustment) based on the feedback received from the sensor 32. That is, the processor 34 can transmit a signal (e.g., a control signal) to provide a fluid flow to one or more water effect devices 16 according to the operation phase selected by the control system 30. Generally, one or more sensors 32 can generate, acquire, and / or receive data (e.g., image data, acoustic data, electronic data, and motion data, etc.) from devices such as imaging devices (e.g., cameras and video recording devices, etc.), motion sensors (e.g., passive infrared (PIR) sensors and microwaves, etc.), accelerometers, proximity sensors, contact sensors, reader devices (e.g., radio frequency identification (RFID) devices, barcode scanners, QR code (registered trademark) scanners), and devices that can communicate via Bluetooth, radio frequency, local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), wireless WAN (WWAN), wireless LAN (WLAN), mobile communication networks (e.g., 3G, 4G, and Edge, etc.). In some embodiments, one or more sensors 32 can be arranged or positioned within the area of the watercraft vehicle 14 based on locations where collisions are likely to occur. For example, a plurality of sensors 32 can be arranged on the side facing the inside of the watercraft vehicle 14 and / or on the side facing away from the inside of the watercraft vehicle 14.

[0029] In one embodiment, the signal controlling the operation of one or more water effect devices 16 can be at least partially based on a signal from a vehicle technician indicating that the passenger 24 is properly positioned within the water vehicle 14 after a predetermined time from the start of the water vehicle 10. For example, the control system 30 can transmit a first control signal to cause one or more water effect devices to provide a first fluid flow (e.g., having a first fluid flow rate and / or a first fluid flow type) at a first point in time to one or more water effect devices 16. Also, the control system 30 can transmit a second control signal to cause one or more water effect devices 16 (e.g., a different set of one or more water effect devices 16) to provide a second fluid flow (e.g., having a second fluid flow rate and / or a second fluid flow type) at a second point in time to one or more water effect devices 16.

[0030] To describe some aspects of the present disclosure, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a multi-stage water effect system 12 that includes a plurality of watercraft vehicles 14, each having one or more water effect devices 16. As shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3, the multi-stage water effect system 12 includes a first watercraft vehicle 14a, a second watercraft vehicle 14b, and a third watercraft vehicle 14c. The first watercraft vehicle 14a has a first water effect device 16a and a second water effect device 16b, the second watercraft vehicle 14b has a third water effect device 16c and a fourth water effect device 16d, and the third watercraft vehicle 14c has a fifth water effect device 16e and a sixth water effect device 16f. Also, the first watercraft vehicle 14a has a first sensor 32a and a second sensor 32b, the second watercraft vehicle 14b has a third sensor 32c and a fourth sensor 32d, and the third watercraft vehicle 14c has a fifth sensor 32e. The first watercraft vehicle 14a also has a special effect system 48 (e.g., a speaker). As described herein, the number and relative positioning of the sensors 32, water effect devices 16, and special effect system 48 are intended to be non-limiting. The multi-stage water effect system 12 also includes one or more attraction features 28. The first attraction feature 28a, the second attraction feature 28b, and the third attraction feature 28c include a sixth sensor 32f, a seventh sensor 32g, and an eighth sensor 32h. The illustrated embodiment of the multi-stage water effect system 12 also includes a control system 30 that is communicatively coupled to each sensor 32 and configured to control the operation of the water effect devices 16 as described herein.

[0031] To explain how the operation of one or more water effect devices 16 associated with each watercraft vehicle 14 can change in response to watercraft vehicle interactions, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the multi-stage water effect system 12 shown in FIG. 3. Generally, a plurality of watercraft vehicle interactions associated with each watercraft vehicle 14 trigger different operating stages of each water effect device 16 of the plurality of watercraft vehicles 14 (e.g., the first watercraft vehicle 14a, the second watercraft vehicle 14b, and the third watercraft vehicle 14c).

[0032] As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the first water effect device 16a and the second water effect device 16b each provide a fluid flow 26a and a fluid flow 26b. In this case, the first water effect device 16a and the second water effect device 16b operate in response to a detected water vehicle interaction corresponding to the first water vehicle 14a colliding with the first attraction feature 28a and the attraction feature 28c. That is, the first sensor 32a disposed on the first water vehicle 14a is present within a first area 50a that interacts with a sixth sensor 32f disposed on the first attraction feature 28a, and the control system 30 receives feedback indicating this interaction (e.g., from the first sensor 32a and / or the sixth sensor 32f). Also, the first sensor 32a is present within a second area 50b that interacts with an eighth sensor 32h disposed on the third attraction feature 28c, and the control system 30 receives additional feedback indicating this further interaction (e.g., from the first sensor 32a and / or the eighth sensor 32h). In one embodiment, the feedback and / or additional feedback can include an identification of which (single or plural) sensors 32 interacted, the position of the (single or plural) sensors 32 on the water vehicle 14, and / or the identity of the water vehicle. In any case, the control system 30 selects an operating stage based on the feedback and additional feedback and operates one or more water effect devices 16 according to the selected operating stage. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the first water effect device 16a and the third water effect device 16c operate to provide a first fluid flow 26a and a second fluid flow 26, respectively.

[0033] In one embodiment, each sensor 32 can correspond to one or more water effect devices 16 such that the water effect devices 16 of the one or more water effect devices 16 can correspond to the relative positions of the watercraft interactions on the watercraft vehicle 14. For example, when the first sensor 32a is interacting with the sixth sensor 32f and the first sensor 32a is not interacting with the eighth sensor 32h, only one of the water effect devices (e.g., the first water effect device 16a or the third water effect device 16c) can be activated. In another embodiment, the control system 30 can increase the thrill experience for the passenger 24a by sending a control signal that commands a special effect device 48 (e.g., a speaker) to output an acoustic effect such as the sound of water filling the boat in response to the detection by the one or more (single or plural) sensors 32 of one or more watercraft vehicle interactions associated with the watercraft vehicle 14a.

[0034] As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the fourth water effect device 16d of the second watercraft vehicle 14b and the fifth water effect device 16e of the third watercraft vehicle 14c each provide a fluid flow 26c and a fluid flow 26d. In this case, the fourth water effect device 16d and the fifth water effect device 16e operate in response to a further detected watercraft vehicle interaction corresponding to the second watercraft vehicle 14b colliding with the third watercraft vehicle 14c. Specifically, a third sensor 32c disposed on the second watercraft vehicle 14b is present within a third area 50c that interacts with a fifth sensor 32e disposed on the third watercraft vehicle 14c, and the control system 30 receives feedback indicating this interaction (e.g., from the third sensor 32c and / or the fifth sensor 32e). As described above, the feedback can include an identification of which (single or multiple) sensors 32 interacted, the position of the (single or multiple) sensors 32 on the watercraft vehicle 14, and / or the identity of the watercraft vehicle. In any case, the control system 30 can select an operating stage based on the feedback and activate one or more of the water effect devices 16 of the second watercraft vehicle and / or the third watercraft vehicle 14c. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the fourth water effect device 16d and the fifth water effect device 16e are operating to provide a third fluid flow 26c and a fourth fluid flow 26d, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the third water effect device 16c of the second watercraft vehicle 14b and the sixth water effect device 16f of the third watercraft vehicle 14c are not operating, but in another embodiment, the third water effect device 16c and the sixth water effect device 16f can also operate as a result of a detected further watercraft interaction or when the control system 30 selects another operating stage of the watercraft vehicle(s) 14.

[0035] In another embodiment, the control system 30 can be configured to operate one or more water effect devices 16 based on the watercraft vehicle 14 having moved a certain distance or having passed a distance threshold. For example, the water effect device 16d of the second watercraft vehicle 14b and the water effect device 16e of the third watercraft vehicle 14c can be operated based on the watercraft vehicle 14 moving within a certain distance of the second attraction feature 28b. That is, the seventh sensor 32g can emit radiation having a frequency (such as visible frequency, infrared frequency, and radio frequency, etc.) that the sensor(s) 32 of the watercraft vehicle 14 can detect, and the control system 30 can use the detected radiation to select an operating stage.

[0036] In one embodiment, the control system 30 operates to provide a varied experience for each individual watercraft vehicle 14 and / or watercraft 10 over a plurality of ride cycles in a day. For example, the control system 30 can access the stored executed control instructions of the individual watercraft vehicles 14 indicating the last ride cycle of the watercraft. As a result, the control system 30 can vary the next set of instructions so that the ride experience differs between executions. This variability, and the resulting different instructions given to the water effect devices 16, can follow factors such as the passenger profile information or water event interactions shown herein. In one embodiment, by randomly setting the instructions, all of the timing and duration of operation, the selection of the set of water effect devices 16 to operate, and / or the flow rate or pressure can be made to follow variable control parameters that a random parameter generator can set.

[0037] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an amphibious vehicle 14 of a multi-stage water effect system 12 having a plurality of water effect devices 16. Each water effect device 16 of the multi-stage water effect system 12 includes one or more fluid conduits or fluid circuits 52 that can be selectively coupled to receive fluid (e.g., water) from a fluid source 44 (e.g., a container, reservoir, collection chamber) via a corresponding valve 54. The water effect device 16 can include one or more fluid ports 46 that can supply fluid to the interior 56 of the amphibious vehicle 14. The water effect device 16 can also include one or more fluid pumps 58 that can modify (e.g., increase or decrease) the flow rate of the fluid flow provided by one or more water effect devices 16. The multi-stage water effect system 12 also includes a drain pipe 60 that can be selectively coupled to the fluid source 44 via a drain valve 62 to return the water filling the interior 56 of the amphibious vehicle 14 to the fluid source 44. In this way, the fluid flow supplied by one or more water effect devices 16 can be a closed system and can assist in cleaning the multi-stage water effect system 12.

[0038] In some embodiments, various fluid transfer and ingress / egress features, such as the fluid source 44, circuit 52, valve 54, pump 58, duct, and / or drain pipe, can be hidden below functional components (e.g., seats) of the amphibious vehicle 14 and thematic components of the amphibious vehicle 14 such as storage bins, barrels, seams 15, or gratings 21. In one example, various additional drain pipes or ducts can be incorporated into the bottom of the vehicle 14 to allow for drainage of fluid so that a passenger's 24 belongings or clothing do not get waterlogged. Further, the amphibious vehicle 14 can include features that encourage gravity drainage through a stern duct when the amphibious vehicle 14 is docked or when the bow of the amphibious vehicle 14 is facing up. In other embodiments, the amphibious vehicle 14 can be actively drained during breaks in the vehicle cycle.

[0039] During operation, the control system 30 selectively fluidly couples one or more of the circuits 52 (e.g., the first circuit 52a, the second circuit 52b, and the third circuit 52c) to the fluid source 44 via valves 54 (e.g., the first valve 54a, the second valve 54b, and the third valve 54c) based on the watercraft vehicle interactions identified by the control system 30. For example, the control system 30 receives feedback indicating that the watercraft vehicle 14 has collided with another feature of the watercraft, determines the operating stage of one or more water effect devices 16, and selectively adjusts the positions of the first valve 54a, the second valve 54b, and the third valve 54c (e.g., opens, partially opens, partially closes, or fully closes) based on the feedback. In addition or alternatively, the control system 30 can also adjust the flow rate provided by the first pump 58a, the second pump 58b, and the third pump 58c based on the feedback. For example, the control system 30 can increase the flow rate of the fluid supplied by the water effect device 16 from a first flow rate to a second flow rate (e.g., continuously or repeatedly) by adjusting the speed of each pump 58 when the operating stage of the multi-stage water effect system 12 changes. In some embodiments, a single valve 54 can couple two or more of the circuits 52, and thus the control system 30 can enable fluid from the fluid source 44 to flow through multiple circuits 52 by adjusting a single valve 54. In any case, when the first circuit 52a, the second circuit 52b, and the third circuit 52c are fluidly coupled to the fluid source 44 via the first valve 54a, the second valve 54b and the third valve 54c can supply a fluid flow 26 to at least the interior 56 of the watercraft vehicle 14.

[0040] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an operating method 70 of the multi-stage water effect system 12. As described above, the control system 30 of the multi-stage water effect system 12 can receive a signal indicating a water vehicle interaction (block 72). The signal can be an operator input, sensor feedback, or one or a combination of these (e.g., after a certain time has elapsed since the start of the vehicle or the start of the stage). When the control system 30 receives the signal, it selects an operating stage of the multi-stage water effect system 12 (block 74). For example, the control system 30 can determine one or more water vehicles 14 associated with the water vehicle interaction. The control system can also determine the current operating stage of the water vehicle 14, such as whether the water vehicle is currently in the initial operating stage 18, the first operating stage 20, or the second operating stage 22. Based on the signal, the control system 30 can also determine a subset of one or more water effect devices 16 of each of the one or more water vehicles 14 to be actuated. The control system 30 can also determine the flow rate and / or flow type corresponding to the selected operating stage to be provided to the one or more water vehicles 14 using the one or more water effect devices 16. Also, any accompanying special effects can be actuated simultaneously with the fluid flow. The fluid flow can be subject to volume or time control. That is, in one embodiment, the fluid flow is maintained until a desired fill level in the interior 56 of the water vehicle 14, which can be determined based on operator input and / or sensor feedback, is reached. In another embodiment, the fluid flow can continue until the expiration of a timer. For example, the timer can be set based on a predetermined volume of the interior 56 of the water vehicle 14, the average displacement of the passengers 24, the flow rate of the fluid outlet port 46, and the desired fill level (e.g., a fill level that fills up to a point not exceeding the height of the calves of the shortest possible passenger). In a particular embodiment, the fill level can be dynamically adjusted based on the body structure of the individual passengers 24.Once the desired operating stage is determined, the control system 30 can output a control signal to one or more water effect devices 16 to provide a fluid flow based on the operating stage to the one or more water effect devices 16 (block 76).

[0041] Although only some features of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the present disclosure.

[0042] The technology shown and claimed herein refers to and applies to tangible articles and specific examples of a practical nature that reliably improve the art and are thus not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. Further, if any claim appended hereto includes one or more elements designated as "means for [performing a function]" or "step for [performing a function]", such elements are to be construed in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). On the other hand, for any claim that includes elements designated in any other form, such elements are not to be construed in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112(f).

Description of Reference Numerals

[0043] 10 Watercraft 12 Multi-stage water effect system 14 Watercraft vehicle 15 Joint 16 Water effect device 17 Hull rivet 18 Initial stage 20 First stage 21 Lattice 22 Second stage 24 Passenger 26 Fluid flow 28 Attraction feature 30 Control system 32 Sensor

Claims

1. A multi-stage water effect system, comprising a plurality of watercraft vehicles, and a control system, wherein one of the plurality of watercraft vehicles includes one or more water effect devices, the control system is communicatively coupled to the one or more water effect devices of the watercraft vehicle among the plurality of watercraft vehicles, actuating the one or more water effect devices of the watercraft vehicle to provide a first fluid flow at a first time point, determining that a predetermined time has elapsed since the first time point, in response to determining that the predetermined time has elapsed, actuating the one or more water effect devices of the watercraft vehicle to provide a second fluid flow at a second time point, configured as such, the first fluid flow has a first flow rate, and the second fluid flow has a second flow rate different from the first flow rate, characterized in that it is a multi-stage water effect system.

2. Actuating the one or more water effect devices of the watercraft vehicle to provide the first fluid flow at the first time point, and actuating the one or more water effect devices of the watercraft vehicle to provide the second fluid flow at the second time point means adjusting the flow rate of the one or more water effect devices from the first flow rate to the second flow rate, The multi-stage water effect system according to claim 1, comprising

3. The one or more water effect devices include a plurality of water effect devices, the control system actuating a first subset of the plurality of water effect devices of the watercraft vehicle to provide the first fluid flow at the first time point, actuating a second subset of the plurality of water effect devices of the watercraft vehicle to provide the second fluid flow at the second time point, configured as such, the multi-stage water effect system according to claim 1.

4. The control system receives feedback indicating that the watercraft vehicle has interacted with one or more characteristics of the watercraft, selects one of a plurality of operating stages based on the feedback, based on the selected operating stage, actuating the one or more water effect devices of the watercraft vehicle to provide the first fluid flow or the second fluid flow, configured as such, the multi-stage water effect system according to claim 1.

5. comprising one or more sensors disposed on the watercraft vehicle, The one or more sensors are configured to measure the feedback indicating that the water vehicle has interacted with one or more characteristics of the water vehicle. The multi-stage water effect system according to claim 4.

6. In addition to operating the one or more water effect devices of the water vehicle to provide the first fluid flow or the second fluid flow, the control system is configured to operate one or more special effect devices. The multi-stage water effect system according to claim 1.

7. The multi-stage water effect system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined time corresponds to the distance traveled by the water vehicle.

8. A method executed by a control system, operating one or more water effect devices of one of the plurality of water vehicles to provide a first fluid flow at a first point in time; determining that a predetermined time has elapsed since the first point in time; in response to determining that the predetermined time has elapsed, operating the one or more water effect devices of the water vehicle to provide a second fluid flow at a second point in time; comprising The control system is communicatively coupled to the one or more water effect devices of the water vehicle among the plurality of water vehicles, The first fluid flow has a first flow rate, and the second fluid flow has a second flow rate different from the first flow rate. Method.

9. Operating the one or more water effect devices of the water vehicle to provide the first fluid flow at the first point in time, and operating the one or more water effect devices of the water vehicle to provide the second fluid flow at the second point in time. Adjusting the flow rate of the one or more water effect devices from the first flow rate to the second flow rate. The method according to claim 8, comprising.

10. The one or more water effect devices include a plurality of water effect devices. Operating the one or more water effect devices operating a first subset of the plurality of water effect devices of the water vehicle to provide the first fluid flow at the first point in time; operating a second subset of the plurality of water effect devices of the water vehicle to provide the second fluid flow at the second point in time; The method according to claim 8, comprising. Receiving feedback indicating that the water vehicle interacts with one or more characteristics of the water vehicle, selecting, based on the feedback, one of a plurality of operating phases, operating the one or more water effect devices of the water vehicle to provide the first fluid flow or the second fluid flow based on the selected operating phase, The method according to claim 8, further comprising. The method according to claim 11, further comprising measuring, by one or more sensors disposed on the water vehicle, the feedback indicating that the water vehicle interacts with one or more characteristics of the water vehicle. The method according to claim 8, further comprising operating one or more special effect devices in addition to operating the one or more water effect devices of the water vehicle to provide the first fluid flow or the second fluid flow. The method according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined time corresponds to a distance traveled by the water vehicle.

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