Flexible Water Slide With Side Tubes And Sprayers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional water slides pose safety concerns due to uneven water distribution and lack of lateral support, leading to potential spinal cord injuries from sliding off the edge or encountering dry spots, which detract from user enjoyment.

Innovation Solution

An elongated recreational water slide with integrated side tubes and a continuous water sprayer system to maintain a slippery surface and prevent users from sliding off, featuring interconnected design with connecting flaps and a seamless water supply.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional backyard slides are placed on uneven grassy surfaces with simple wetting mechanisms, then the slide is easy to set up and use, but the water distribution becomes uneven causing ponding and dry spots that create safety hazards and reduce enjoyment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of setupVSAvoidwater distribution consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The water delivery system is segmented into multiple independent spray nozzles distributed along the length of the slide. Each nozzle is positioned to target specific zones, ensuring uniform water coverage across the entire sliding surface without ponding or dry spots, thereby resolving the contradiction between simple setup and reliable water distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a hydraulic spray system that delivers water through pressurized nozzles along the slide surface. This pneumatic-hydraulic mechanism ensures consistent water distribution regardless of ground unevenness, maintaining reliable lubrication without requiring complex manual adjustment or pooling water sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional slides lack lateral support structures, then the slide design is simple and easy to manufacture, but users can slide off the lateral edge causing spinal cord injuries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidlateral sliding off

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent incorporates inflatable lateral barriers (flexible shells) along the edges of the slide. These flexible tubes provide lateral support and containment to prevent users from sliding off, while maintaining ease of manufacture through simple inflation and attachment to the slide surface, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Device complexity

If water is applied to the slide surface using simple wetting techniques, then the setup is straightforward, but the water layer becomes inconsistent causing splashes and spinal cord compression injuries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewetting mechanism complexityVSAvoidspinal cord injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The spray nozzles are pre-positioned along the slide surface to deliver water in advance of the user's arrival at each zone. This preliminary action ensures that every section of the slide is properly lubricated before contact, preventing dry spots that could cause spinal cord compression while maintaining relatively simple device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Different sections of the slide receive tailored water application through individually positioned nozzles. Each nozzle targets specific local zones with appropriate water flow, ensuring uniform lubrication quality across the entire surface and preventing both ponding and dry spots that could lead to injuries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

The solution ensures consistent water distribution and lateral support, enhancing safety and enjoyment by keeping users on the slide's longitudinal axis and preventing injuries, while allowing for seamless transitions between interconnected slides.

Implementation Method 1

integrated water sprayer that keeps the sliding sheet wet, and therefore slippery, by the continuous application of water

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction reduction through water lubrication: Lubrication

Implementation Method 2

two side tubes are affixed laterally along each side of the sliding sheet to prevent water and users from sliding off the slide

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical containment barrier: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentUS9446323B2Flexible water slide

Publication Date: 2016.09.20 SUPER SWEET AIR INC

AI summary

A recreational slide is presented having a lubricious top surface having an entry end and an exit end. Two side tubes are affixed laterally along each side of the slide to prevent water and users from sliding off the slide while in use. One or more water sprayers are located along the interconnection between the slide and one or both of the tubes to provide a continuous water supply to the surface of the slide. The exit end of the tube is configured with a connecting flap which removably attaches to the entry end of a tube of an adjoining slide to make a seamless transition between tubes. In addition, the water sprayers are configured so that the exit end of one water sprayer is interconnectable with the entry end of an adjoining water sprayer to make a seamless transition between water sprayers when interconnected.