Central Rotating Foils for Wave Pool Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wave pools with centrally located wave generating devices face challenges such as difficult access, reduced visibility for bystanders, high maintenance costs, and inefficient wave generation, limiting their appeal and usability.
Innovation Solution
A wave pool design featuring a centrally located wave generation device with a sloping floor and rotating foils that generate waves traveling from the center to the perimeter, allowing for improved access, visibility, and customizable wave shapes, while reducing the complexity and cost of the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If wave-generating devices are positioned around the exterior circumference of the pool, then waves can be directed towards the center, but the pool structure becomes more complex and expensive to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional wave pool design by positioning the wave-generating device in the center of the pool rather than around the exterior circumference. This central positioning simplifies the overall structure, reduces manufacturing complexity, and eliminates the need for complex peripheral mechanisms while still effectively generating waves that radiate outward to the pool edges
2Ease of operation
If the pool has deep water around the perimeter, then waves can be generated effectively, but entering or leaving the pool becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional deep-perimeter pool design by placing deep water in the center and shallow water around the edges. This inversion allows riders to easily enter and exit at the shallow perimeter while the central deep area houses the wave-generating device and provides sufficient depth for effective wave formation and riding
3Ease of operation
If wave-generating devices are positioned at the center, then access is improved, but visibility for spectators becomes reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the visibility issue by creating a multi-level structure where the wave-generating device operates in the central deep area while the perimeter is raised to form a viewing platform. This dimensional change allows spectators to observe waves from an elevated position around the pool edges without interfering with the central wave generation, thus maintaining both ease of access and spectator visibility
4Reliability
If large water pumps are used to generate waves, then adequate waves for surfing can be created, but the cost of repair and maintenance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the wave-generating function from large, complex water pumps and implements it through a simpler central device that creates waves by displacing water in the deep central area. This extracted approach eliminates the need for large pumps, thereby reducing repair and maintenance costs while maintaining reliable wave generation for surfing
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances user safety and accessibility, increases the number of simultaneous users, and provides better visibility for spectators, while reducing the complexity and cost of wave pool installation and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
A wave generating device is located at a position along the surface adjacent to the first elevation for generating a wave in the body of water
Data Source
AI summary
A wave pool configured to generate waves from a center portion of the wave pool towards the outer perimeter of the wave pool. A motor is positioned substantially at a center of the wave pool and is connected to a foil via an arm extending outwardly from the motor. The motor causes rotation of the arm and the foil for generating waves that travel away from the motor and towards an outer edge of the pool. The foil may be formed in the shape of a scoop and configured to adjust its angle relative to the arm via one or more angular adjustment connections with the arm. Multiple arms and/or foils may be used to generate waves in the wave pool. The wave pool has a deeper body of water located adjacent to the motor and a shallower body of water adjacent to the outer perimeter.