Inflatable Wave Form for Water Ride Impact Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water ride attractions have hard surfaces that do not absorb impact, leading to injuries and require separate machines for different wave types, limiting versatility and safety.
Innovation Solution
A modular, inflatable wave form with adjustable air pressure compartments and flexible materials, allowing for creation of various wave types and providing a resilient impact surface, which can be attached to a base and integrated with a water delivery system for continuous water recycling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If hard surfaces are used for wave machines, then structural strength and stability are improved, but rider safety deteriorates due to lack of impact absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The wave machine surface is constructed from flexible inflatable elements (bladders or chambers) that can deform under rider weight and absorb impact forces. These flexible membranes maintain structural integrity while providing cushioning, directly resolving the contradiction between strength and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The inflatable elements are pre-inflated to create a cushioned surface before riders arrive. This beforehand cushioning absorbs impact forces during falls or landings, preventing injuries while maintaining the structural framework needed for wave generation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If separate wave machines are used for different wave types, then wave type variety is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single wave machine system uses adjustable inflatable elements that can be configured to generate multiple wave types including surfing waves, wake waves, and river rapids. The flexible nature of the inflatable elements allows them to adapt to different wave generation requirements, eliminating the need for separate specialized machines.
Solution Approach 2:
The wave machine employs dynamically adjustable inflatable elements whose pressure, volume, and configuration can be changed to create different wave patterns. This dynamic adaptability allows one system to perform multiple functions that previously required separate static machines.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If inflatable elements are used for wave forms, then rider safety is improved through impact absorption, but manufacturing precision and structural stability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system controls wave form consistency by precisely adjusting parameters such as air pressure, volume, and inflation timing of the inflatable elements. These parameter changes allow the flexible elements to maintain consistent wave generation while preserving their impact-absorbing properties.
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
Enhances rider safety by providing a cushioned impact surface and allows for multiple wave types to be created with a single system, increasing versatility and reducing the need for multiple machines.
Implementation Method 1
The internal pressure of the first compartment is a relatively high pressure compared to the pressure of the other compartments. The internal pressure of the first compartment is suitably chosen so that the planar section of the ride surface is relatively inflexible to provide a relatively smooth flow of water.
Implementation Method 2
The internal pressure of the second compartment is about 6,895 kPa (1 psi) to about 206.843 kPa (30psi). The internal pressure of the second compartment is preferably chosen to provide a relatively smooth flow of water and also a resilient impact surface for the rider.
Implementation Method 3
Water preferably flows through the water removal section under the influence of gravity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 2a
AI summary
A wave form (2) for a water ride attraction (1) having an inflatable cushion with a ride surface (7) adapted to support a rider. The ride surface (7) has a substantially planar section, followed by an upwardly inclined concave section, and then a horizontally inclined convex section. A wake form for a water ride attraction has an inflatable cushion having a ride surface. The ride surface has a substantially planar central section, flanked by an upwardly inclined concave section on one side and an upwardly inclined concave section on the other side. A water ride attraction (1) has an inflatable wave form or wake form and a water delivery arrangement (5) for delivering a flow of water to the inflatable wave form (2) or wake form in a flow direction. The ride surface is arranged to allow a rider to ride on the flow of water in a direction generally transverse to the direction of water flow.