Water Ride Raft Keyed Guide Assembly for Dynamic Heading Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water ride designs either lack the unpredictability and excitement of traditional raft rides or struggle to incorporate show features and storytelling due to the inability to control the direction and orientation of rafts within the flume, limiting the dynamic experience for passengers.
Innovation Solution
A water ride system with a flume configuration that includes both uncontrolled and controlled sections, utilizing a keyed guide assembly on the raft to guide it through a guided portion of the flume, allowing for dynamic movement and rotation while maintaining the unpredictability of traditional raft rides, by using guide posts and wheels that interact with the flume's geometry to direct the raft's path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If rafts are allowed to move freely and rotate in any direction within the flume, then the ride experience becomes unpredictable and exciting, but the ability to integrate show features and tell a story is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The flume is divided into multiple sections with different guiding characteristics. Uncontrolled sections allow free raft movement for excitement, while controlled sections with guide structures provide predictable positioning for show features. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by providing both types of experience throughout the ride.
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding system transitions from static (complete constraints) to dynamic (selective constraints). The keyed guide assembly with guide posts and wheels provides directional control only when needed in controlled sections, while allowing freedom in uncontrolled sections. This dynamic approach enables both predictability and variability at different ride locations.
2Loss of information
If a traditional guided-boat ride couples the boat to an underwater track along the entire length of the flume, then show elements can be positioned predictably, but the unpredictability and dynamic experience are removed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous guidance, the system uses segmented guidance with discrete controlled sections. The keyed guide assembly provides predictability only in specific sections where show features are located, while uncontrolled sections maintain variability. This resolves the contradiction by applying guidance selectively rather than continuously.
Solution Approach 2:
The complete underwater track guidance system is extracted and replaced with a selective guidance system. The keyed guide assembly with guide posts and wheels provides guidance only when needed, removing the constraint of continuous tracking while maintaining predictability in controlled sections. This extraction allows the system to achieve both goals.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the flume width is made much larger than the raft size to allow free movement, then the raft can rotate and move side-to-side freely, but the ability to control raft position for show features is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The keyed guide assembly with guide posts and wheels acts as an intermediary mechanism between the raft and the flume walls. In controlled sections, this intermediary provides positioning control by guiding the raft along predetermined paths. In uncontrolled sections, the same mechanism is absent, allowing free movement. This intermediary resolves the contradiction by providing control only when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The flume provides different local qualities in different sections. Controlled sections have guide structures (raised portions with grooves) that provide positioning control, while uncontrolled sections have open walls that allow freedom of movement. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying constraints only where needed for show features.
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
Enables the creation of a more dynamic and engaging ride experience that balances unpredictability with controlled elements, allowing for effective integration of show features and storytelling without the need for motorized parts, while ensuring passenger safety and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a flume for receiving and containing flowing water. The flume includes first and second sidewalls spaced apart defining a width of the flume and further includes a bottom wall extending between lower edges of the first and second sidewalls
Implementation Method 2
the guide wheel at least periodically contacting or abutting these sidewalls or contact surfaces to cause the raft to be directed in the flume to follow the path defined by the guideway/groove
Data Source
AI summary
A water ride system with a flume that includes one or more sections in which a raft is unguided (except with flume sidewalls) to provide a dynamic experience with side-to-side movement and rotation. Further, the flume is configured to include one or more controlled or guided sections in which a raft is funneled or directed into a keyed guided portion of the ride path and then later released into one of uncontrolled or unguided sections of the flume. A raft includes a keyed guide assembly, mounted upon a lower surface of the raft body, that includes a pair of spaced apart guide members. In a guiding subsection of the flume, the bottom wall or lower surface of the flume includes a raised portion that includes a guideway or groove for receiving the guide assembly, whereby the raft has it directional and rotational movements guided in the flume.